ANZAC Weekend Private Ride Easter, 2005

Suzuki Bandit 1200 Ron Johnston Kawasaki ZX9 Peter (friend of Danny’s)

Suzuki GSXR1000 Cliff Peters Kawasaki ZX10R Danny Hawker

Friday after work I went to the bike shop and picked up the rear wheel, had a tyre fitted, pick up oil and a filter, went home do some work on the red car, went to the Bowen man, came home, had tea, back out in the shed, fit rear wheel, adjust the chain and check tyre pressures, fire up the bike and ride it around the block a few times to warm it up to change the oil.

Back in the shed drop the oil, change the filter, top up with oil, run and check oil and add to suit. Had to get the trailer out of the backyard but had to shift another car to get it out, check tyre pressures on the trailer, attach trailer to car and make sure the lights are working, they are. Load bike onto trailer in readiness for the morning. Loaded some gear into the car as well. Did an oil and filter change on the wagon as well. Come inside, had a shower and a cuppa and got to bed at 12.30. Got back up at 4.15am and we left at 4.50am to go to the farm.

Breakfast at Maccas in Colac for 7am. About a half hour stop. Julie drove from here to her sister’s place in Bessiebelle. I read the newspaper. We had been there a short while when Cliff rings and tells me that Danny, Peter and Cliff are going to Halls Gap and that they are leaving Danny’s place at Condah at 11am. Julie suggested unloading the bike at Bessiebelle and meeting him down the road on the way to Danny’s. I couldn’t make up my mind about what I wanted to do, so I said we will just go to the farm and will go from there, which we did, although I did say as we got nearer the Ettrick Rd, I probably should have left from Carol’s place to save a bit of time. Julie agreed because she would have liked to spend some time with Carol and Gavin.

We got to the farm and then there’s a bun rush unloading everything. Then I have to get all my leathers on, and it all takes time. Finally I am ready and Cliff and I head off to Condah. It is 40 clicks from Tyrendarra to Condah. We arrive at Danny’s and there is no sign of life. We walk around the sheds to the back of the house and find Erin and Danny inside. We make ourselves comfortable in the chairs on the patio. Danny tells Cliff that Pete and a couple of others are turning up, so we will have to wait till they get here. 20 mins go by and Pete rocks up. Any of the others coming? No, doing something else. A bit more time goes by and Danny gets his gear on and then we make tracks, needing to stop for fuel.

Henty Highway to Hamilton, Danny and I got fuel, the other two were alright, so off we go again. We take the Strathkellar road out of Hamilton which is pretty good, we then turn left into Victoria Point road which is straight and narrow boring and a little bumpy in places. This road takes us into the Victoria Valley which is quite pretty at times. Again we stop at the bottom of the hill, and take 5, before we make a hard and fast climb up and over the top. I was glad for the break because I only had a few hours sleep on Friday night and it was starting to get to me, tired that is.

At this stage Cliff was making good progress on his bike considering his left hand is still in plaster, using the clutch probably the only drawback, but wasn’t slowing him down. On to Halls Gap we go, fairly easy run through here, but wishing I could stop and have a rest. Nearing Lake Bellfield I have come round a corner and found myself on the wrong side of the road in the middle of the other lane and a Big Green Nissan Patrol heading towards me, shiiit….slow to react, (me) but the person in the Patrol saw what was happening and took evasive action and ran off the road to avoid hitting me, (phew, scared the shit out of me). Should be bloody grateful, because they saw what was happening and took action. I could have been a bonnet mascot on the Patrol. Moral of the story, don’t sleep and ride, bloody matchsticks wouldn’t have kept me awake,

I was glad when we got to Halls Gap. Had a rest and something to eat and drink. We must have been there for half to three quarters of an hour. Danny suggested we go to Mt William first, come back and do the Silverband Falls, and back down the Gap. I was feeling much better now. Back down the road and up Mt William, Danny was gone. I followed Cliff and Peter for a short distance before I passed the pair of them and met Danny at the car park, but not before encountering a Mazda s/w in the middle of the road and couple of dudes in a VT Commodore yelling some obscenities and giving the one finger salute. A couple of minutes go by and the others turn up. A small discussion and we ride past the gates and we ride up to the tower at the top, passing a lot of trampers and people walking up as well. At the top there were quite a few people as well. We were getting a few funny looks, (I wonder why). Took a few photos, the views are spectacular you can see for miles. A couple of people made comments about us being up here on the bikes.

It was decided that we would have a rolling race down the hill, from the top to the car park was quite good, it was steep and you could pick up a bit of speed easily, but had to watch for pedestrians. The others were waiting for me at the car park, brief stop and of we go again. Cliff had a head start but I caught up to him, some bloke in a 60 series Landcruiser moved over to let us pass, but it took a while, I think Cliff spoke to him as we rolled passed. Peter and Danny were following behind us. A bit further down the hill we ended up starting the engines and going for it.

At the bottom we head back to Halls Gap, but turn left towards the Silverband Falls. Danny wanted to go this way for a change, so we go up hill instead of down. Quite good. The only problem we were encountering was the sun; it was making it hard to see when riding into it. Near the other end Danny does a right turn in the fork of the road so I stop and corner mark only to find he’s turned onto the Sundial road and it doesn’t go anywhere except the car park further on. Danny stopped up ahead as well and waited till Pete and Cliff turn up, but they keep left, I signal to Danny, and I think he realised he has taken the wrong road, so we follow the others to the intersection up ahead, Silverband Road and Victory Road.

Time for a rest. I made a small adjustment to the back wheel and then it was all go. Danny suggested we go Zumstiens and back, get fuel and go back across the top and go out through Wartook, Cherrypool to Cavendish, Hamilton, etc. Before we go Danny does a burnout on the white line. Then of we go flat out across the top weaving in and out amongst the cars as we go. Before we get to Zumsteins there was a large rock on the road, about half the size of a brick, Danny nearly hit it, I tried kicking it out of the way, Cliff nearly hit it as well, I don’t know about Pete.

At Zumstiens had a rest and a chat. I had to clean the visor because of insects, hard to see out of. Back on the bikes for another fang across the top, but on the way out I stopped and picked the rock of the road so some poor unsuspecting person wouldn’t hit it. While we were at Zumsteins there was some one riding two up on a Honda CB 450 DOHC twin. You would be flat out seeing one of them around now. Also someone was riding a Suzuki GT 180 twin. (I think I might have the cc wrong) both bikes would be 1970s vintage. I passed them on the way across the top.

Back to Halls Gap for fuel and visor clean and then it was back across the top again. The road from Zumstiens to Wartook is grouse. I remember a few years ago when I did my first weekend away to Portland we came over here and we stopped at Zumstiens and parked off the road a bit and Mario was last across the top and didn’t see us parked there. I had to go and catch him. I had to ride hard and fast and I caught him up 13 kilometres down the road and brought him back.

We turned left at the Laharum / Brimpaen road. There was a couple on a Gold Wings stopped at the bus stop, corner marking. There were quite a few bikes on the road. This road has recently been rebuilt and resealed. It would have to be the best road I have ridden on in a long time. There was not one blemish in the road and was like riding on a billiard table, super smooth.

Left onto Henty Highway through Cherrypool, Glenisla and onto Cavendish and Hamilton. Here we bypassed Hamilton, Glenelg Highway, left into Fairburn Rd, Hamilton / Dartmoor then left into Gorries Rd coming out at Aarondoovong, the top side of Branxholme. It was a neat little back road to ride on.

It was getting cooler as the temperature started to drop with the sun going down. From Branxholme to Condah was 10 kms. At Condah we stopped. Cliff told Danny that we were all going to Macs Hotel in Portland for tea and that we would see him there. Cliff and I did a 40 km trip back to the farm and get changed to go to Portland. Julie and I went with Cliff and Barb in their car. There were 10 of us at the pub, family affair, Barb & Cliff, Carol & Gavin, Danny & Erin, Tracey (Barbs daughter) Shane, Julie and myself. A good night was had by all.

Sunday. A rest day, went and saw Ted and that was about it.

Monday. Cliff, Danny, Pete and myself were going to ride to Geelong and Julie was taking the car and trailer and that we would meet at the Geelong Hospital, because Julie and Cliff’s mum are there. I told Cliff that I would need petrol cos I was on reserve and wondered whether I might get to Port Fairy or not. Cliff said get some fuel out of the tank, which I did to get me by.

Danny rang and said that he wasn’t coming so that left Cliff and myself. We were ready to go and Cliff gets his bike out of shed only to find that the back tyre is flat. Back on the stand and spin the tyre round and find a nail in it…shiiiit…no puncture repair kit, only option is put another tyre on, which he had a couple of.

Off with the wheel, get the tool out for breaking the bead. Julie comes out and says “I am ready to go”. Barb yells out, “Danny’s on the phone”. Cliff goes and takes the call and comes back and says Danny has changed his mind and will be over shortly. We continue changing the tyre. Julie takes off in the car, while we finish tyre and wait for Danny.

He arrived and the three of us wait at the gate for Peter. He arrives shortly after and the three of us ride into the sunrise. Port Fairy, Danny and I get fuel then we hit the Highway to Illowa where we take the old main road to Dennington. Through Warrnambool to Allansford past the Cheeseworld factory. We take the old road to Peterborough, something different. Peter hadn’t been down the Great Ocean Road before, so it was all new to him. On to Port Campbell where we stopped for a while to thaw out (hands).

From Port Campbell to Lavers Hill there wasn’t much time wasted. It was a real hoot going through there. I was a lot more confident.

At Lavers Hill we stopped for lunch, did a bit of talk the talk, everybody was pleased with themselves, smiles from ear to ear. From Lavers Hill to Apollo Bay I was on the gas, man, having a ball. We stopped at Marengo and waited for Peter, then it was on to Apollo Bay for fuel.

Danny and Peter were leaving us here, turning of at Skenes Creek and going back via Colac. Cliff and I carried on down the Great Ocean Road through Lorne and past the spot where I came off a couple of years ago. The road through to Geelong is great, shame about the speed limit. We arrived at the hospital and stayed for a while, had something to eat and drink in the cafeteria and said goodbye to Cliff. Then we loaded the bike on the trailer and drove home. I did about 700 kms on the bike, but Cliff would have done a lot more. No incidents, good company, and good weather.

Ron Johnston (Suzuki Bandit 1200)