Mt Baw Baw                           Sunday 22nd February, 2004

 

Triumph 955i                Mark Easterbrook (leader)       Honda CBR929           Ian Payne
Honda CBR954           Paul Southwell              Honda CBR929           Ben Warden      (1st  rear)
Honda CBR954           Liz Oliver                                 Honda CBR600           Peter Pondeljak

Honda CBR929           Pete Weyermayr                       HondaCBR600            Kate Stewart     (2nd rear)

Honda CBR929           Greg Hales                               Yamaha R1                  Mick Hanlon      (3rd rear)


 The smiling happy faces of Mark, Ben, Ian, Greg and Paul greeted Peter and I as we pulled up outside the Glen's Original Cafe. I shouted my hellos before removing my helmet and earplugs and realising my volume was up a tad more than necessary. The sun was shining and the rain clouds seemed to be heading elsewhere, so it was off with the wet weather gear in anticipation of a dry ride. Liz and Pete rolled up to complete the group. Mark gave us a rundown on the route and called for a rear rider to which Ben volunteered surprisingly. Peter and I elected to make our own way to meet the group at Warburton. This was going to be a slick group, so rear rider duties wouldn’t be too much bother.


Peter and I took our time leaving Yarra Glen, following the same route as the group to Healesville via the Chum Creek and Myers Creek Roads. The group then headed across the Black Spur to Marysville where they stopped briefly before climbing to Cumberland Junction and down the Reefton Spur to Warburton for the lunch break, while Peter and I went to Warburton via Launching Place. Liz mentioned there had been some road resurfacing and 40km speed restriction signs posted for the length of the Black Spur, even though the surface seemed fine. I'm sure the unmarked bike cops would be kept busy during the day as it was the Marysville Bakery Bikers Bash this weekend and hundreds of bikes usually head up there for it. Fortunately there were no incidents for our group.

 

After lunch we all cruised along the Warburton Highway to Yarra Junction and took it easy on the Noojee Road until clear of Gladysdale. Roadwork signs and a bit of loose gravel kept me pretty steady for much of the way to Poweltown, no doubt frustrating Ben a bit. Just after Noojee I waved the corner markers on past and took over as rear rider from Ben so he could go with them too.

 

Peter waited for me to catch up to him at Icy Creek so that we would have each others company for the long haul up to Mt Baw Baw. I think I was slowing Peter up a bit, as he kept disappearing, then waiting again. However, I was grateful to have some company to ride with through this long and notorious twisty road. Work to widen the road on some corners, due to damage by the heavy logging trucks, had narrowed the road to one lane with some short gravel sections to slow me down even more. The very fine, almost invisible loose gravel on the steep upper sections commanded my respect too. I'm such a wuss when it comes to any gravel! I finally made it to the top safely. The temperature was quite chilly up there and I was thankful to have overdressed for the day’s ride.

 

Mick Hanlon joined us at this point, having failed to find us earlier. We all posed for Ben to take some group photos then got back on the bikes and headed back to Noojee. I followed Peter down the first part until we caught up to Mick cautiously making his way down the mountain on his replacement R1. He had written off his previous R1 on the same road last year. Peter left us at this point and I escorted Mick to Noojee. After refreshments, Mark headed off to Yarra Junction. I was relieved of the rear rider duty as Mick took over the role for this last leg.

 

We collected at Yarra Junction and, by the grins, it had been a great day’s riding. It was 340 kms from Yarra Glen to Yarra Junction via Marysville and Mt Baw Baw. It was 360 kms on my bike's clock from garage to garage for the day’s ride without the Marysville loop, my sore butt indicating that I had done more than enough riding for the day, the hard, thin Honda seat taking its usual toll. I must look at getting more padding for it!

 

The absence of many intersections on the day’s route meant I didn’t see much of the group while riding, so I have very little to report. Thanks to Mark for leading, Ben for being rear rider for most of the ride, and the rest of the group for being great company when we stopped.

                                                                                                                    Kate Stewart (Honda CBR600)