Who’s News                January 2011

The Club web site at www.melbsportsbike.net.au accumulated 562 hits during January, down 152 on last month – probably due Christmas commitments. Total visits are 66,238 since April 1996. The counters on the other pages after another month indicate that the Calendar page took 529 hits (total 15,041, down 49) since 28th October 2008 and Great Roads 114 hits (total 3,968).

Membership now stands at 79 (up 3 this month).  Official kilometres for the month of January: 4317, down 539 from last month – Dargo and Xmas boosting the numbers. Official Club kilometres for the month (people x ride length): 63,813 km, up 15,124 km on last month, massively boosted by the Jindabyne five days of riding by 14 people.  The 2011 year total is 63,813 km; average yearly total 324,241 since 2005. The people km per injury for 2011 is… undefined – no injuries; long term it is 122,930 km per (serious) injury.

Seen at the Social Sip, Mark’s Place in Carlton on Thursday 6th January: Julie, Fiona and Ben Warden, Fiona’s friend Emily, John Rousseaux and Kate Stewart, Ian Payne, Paul Southwell, Pina and 9 y.o. daughter Julietta Garasi, Karl Trsek, John Willis, Cliff Peters and Tim Emons. 14 people.

The Club Participant of the Year is based on aggregate points accumulated at 1 point per ride, an extra point for leading or being rear rider, and 1 point per magazine article (maximum 2 per magazine). Attending one or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating.

The count is for the 2010/11 year ending the ride before the 2011 AGM in July. After seven months the top ten positions are: Ben Warden (58.5), Cliff Peters (44), Pina Garasi (39), Ron Johnston (34), John Willis (31), Paul Southwell (28), Ian Payne (27), Misho Zrakic (26), Tim Emons (24), Dennis Lindemann (20), and John Rousseaux (20). The big mover for the month was John Rousseaux who moved into equal tenth position. Misho and Ian swapped places. No change at the top of the field.

Front Cover: Marysville, first stop on Jamieson ride, Sunday 23rd January. Back row: Rob Langer, Ian Payne, Geoff Jones, Mark Copeland, Jason Duff, Marc Marais, Pina Garasi, Tim Walker, Geoff Dick, John Willis, Peter Jones and Pierre Ong. Front row: Ben Warden, Jason Wilson, Cliff Peters, Bill Simpson and Cindy Lee. All 17 riders.

Back Cover:  Jindabyne, Wednesday 26th January. Picture taken at Bonang, 90 km after Orbost at end of 8.7 km dirt section, waiting for Rob Langer (crashed into car) and Pina Garasi. Back row: Damir Djikic, John Rousseaux, Ron Johnston, Rod Merrett, Paul Southwell. Front row: Phillip Hotschilt, Bill Simpson, Cliff Peters, Tim Emons and Misho Zrakic, pensive after it was suggested he go back and determine the delay. Ben Warden behind the lens. Digital mastery by Peter Feistl.

Chris Tran crashed on the Licola Road on the Licola Ride, Sunday 9th January. Chris walked away but his CBR1000 sustained wheel damage and was unrideable. Ben pillioned him back home to Richmond. The bike found its way back to Peter Stevens for assessment the next day. Don’t expect to see Chris anytime soon.

Rob Langer crashed into a car on the Bonang Highway on the dirt section on the Jindabyne ride, Day 1. The bike ended up 3m down a steep embankment. After the rope broke when tensioned up by a passing truck, the local toothless farmer, Russell Collins, (mad as a hatter), returned with a 4WD, enclosed bike trailer and chain. No mucking around this time. The bike suffered major cosmetic damage. Rob walked away and spent the night with Megan and daughter Sky in Orbost, the driver and passenger of the car. Megan is a qualified masseuse and Rob earned a massage for his efforts. He believes he is extremely lucky and only days later discovered a bruise, the only physical after effect of the crash. He went and bought a lotto ticket to celebrate his lucky escape. He plans to recover the bike early next week.

We wish Chris and Rob speedy recoveries and look forward to seeing them back on two wheels soon. In fact, Rob went on the following Sunday’s ride on a borrowed bike, keen to return to the saddle as soon as possible, hoping to avoid a loss of confidence and form.

Welcome to new members Marc Marais riding a Triumph Street Triple 675, Rick Van on a Yamaha YZF600 and Roman Biaroza on a Kawasaki GPx250. They have all suffered to varying degrees a baptism of fire in their attempts to become fully fledged MSR members: Marc crashed on ice at Charlotte’s Pass the day before he was to catch up with the MSR gang at Towong on the Melbourne Cup Weekend. The injuries sustained will require a cruciate ligament knee reconstruction. Rick Van lost the ride on his third Club ride but still managed to find us two stops later. Finally, Roman was booked for speeding on his first Club ride. We wish them all many enjoyable and safe rides – and no more “incidents”!

Post to the Google Group from Ern Reeders on 11/1: Thanks to all those who get the magazines out to us.  It’s good to stay in touch when you're on a forced sabbatical from riding. Love the montage on the latest: Cliffy looking happy to be heading into his sunset years ;-}Ben looking like an MI5 agent whose cover has just been blown. A couple of actual rug-rats; not just big kids with flash toys ;-} Misho praying to the tyre god for enough rubber on the rear tyre to do another Omeo loop. And a pile of road tyres turned into slicks. And good to read about the Dargo ride.  Seems clear that the bed Peter Jones booked was properly jinxed.

Google Group snippets: Hi ben and everybody who went on the Jindabyne weekend ride last weekend. Thanks for one of the best rides if not the best ride I've been on. The company was great, the food was great and the riding was fully sick, hopefully be more to come. Thanks to Ben for planning the great roads and everyone who had put into planning this fantastic trip. Phillip Hotschilt 3/2

“Fully Sick” is a Lebanese term (but sometimes used by other/similar cultures) that when translated to English mean “Fantastic”.  Bill Simpson 4/2