Towong Australia Day Weekend, January 2007

Paul Southwell	Honda CBR1000	Danny Hawker	Suzuki GSXR750
Ben Warden (leader)	Honda CBR954	Clifford Peters	Suzuki GSXR1000
Misho Zrakic	Honda CBR600	Ron Johnston	Suzuki GSF1200
Dave Ward	Suzuki GSXR600		7 bikes, 7 people

The traditional Australia Day ride to the Snowy Mountains was an action packed riding adventure, but would you expect any less from an MSTCV event?

The weekend started early, Thursday to be precise. And with Yarck the starting point, there was no time to waste in the rush hour traffic. I sat at the first set of lights waiting very patiently, when a black GSXR whizzes through the intersection. Nice. Especially as this is the first outing on my new GSXR750. Closer to Croydon I see the same bike again and wonder if racing leathers, seat bag and riding in the same direction meant a fellow MSTVC member. We catch up at another set of lights and it is… Dave Ward… He is coming for the day and an adventure to Mt Hotham and then home!

The group is assembled and waiting for us at Yarck, with only time to take off the helmet, say “hello” and then go! The next stop was on the road to Tolmie, to take photos of the blackened remains of a forest destroyed by fire and the corresponding photo opportunity.

Lunch was at Myrtleford followed shortly thereafter by the Danny versus the Snake saga. During a long sweeping 180 degree corner, Danny’s bike ran over a copperhead and the momentary loss of traction to the front and rear wheels caused Danny to crash. Broken bike and wrist, then Police, TOG, Ambulance and tow trucks all added to this highlight/lowlight! Ben did his best to capture the scene in digital imagery, but got more of a buzz waving the snake around. Still, an event which should become legend.

The rest of the day’s ride was event free and enjoyable and easy on my engine (running in duties) though Granya Gap was hard to refrain from 12000+ rpm.

Dinner at the local pub was a treat, with the female bar staff friendly, the fire fighters out in numbers and the amber fluid refreshing after a hot day. Paul was a big help here, coaching me in beer etiquette and how to shout. Next time he will have to concentrate on Misho.

Friday’s riding took in a big loop up to Mt Kosciusko, distracting the ranger with loose boards on the walkway and (MSTCV) biker blokes sleeping at Adaminaby. Dinner was again at the pub, but questions as to the identity of one female patron was the topic for much discussion. Was she a movie star, a celebrity, a sport personality or the female bar staff on her day off? Paul asked her to carry his slab (more beer etiquette) but she managed to break her fingernail. We were even more popular with the locals when we won the Seafood Platter at the ‘end of night’ raffle. I’ve never seen Paul move so quickly on two feet.

Later, whilst enjoying the cleansing ale and looking skyward, the hovering McNaught Comet lit up the night sky in spectacular fashion. In all my years I have never seen such a magnificent cosmic sight. The clarity and darkness of the Corryong sky at night made for the perfect setting, with a warm summer night’s breeze blowing gently through my hair…. thoughts of a gorg…eous... hang on… this is a motorbike mag article… sorry! Drinking beer and belching loudly…

News of Danny’s mishap (and seafood platter win) travelled fast and Ron Johnston took the opportunity to head north to fill the gap left by Danny. His departure time from Melbourne was late, his expected arrival time even later. No-one offered to stay up that late to tell Ron where he was to sleep. The collective of minds, engineers, farmers, doctors and lawyers, devised many plans to let Ron know the sleeping arrangements. The best and most visible was to put a chair at the front of the driveway with a big sign on the backrest (facing forward) telling Ron what to do.

The following morning we asked Ron how he went and was the sign useful? He looked blankly... The sign on the chair? He hadn’t seen it! When he arrived the previous night and saw it he thought “What a stupid place to put a chair!” That’s our Ron!

The next day we ventured to the Rosewood Road for Ben to catch a puncture. Then towards Gundagai where we encountered a dust storm of biblical proportions, cattle yards abandoned, cattle roaming the streets and hump-back roads. Dinner for the night cooked by Sarah and served by Ron was a feast to behold. Made from our winning seafood platter, with home-cooked bread, wine and country music, it was special!

The next morning and the trip home was the usual low tyre tread, take it easy affair for Ron and myself. I will say my tyre wear was unusual. New bike, new tyres, running in for 1600 gentle kilometres, then scrubbing the tyres in the next 2000km? I know you need some tyres with grip, but these were SOFT as liquorice and sticky as chewing gum… As for Ron… the usual ex-race tyres with just enough to tread to be a challenge, to get there and back.

So they are the highlights as I remember them, but Paul would probably add that he rode my new GSXR750 and loved it! He scored it 9.5 which is not bad for a machine that is stock! We later discovered the tyre pressures were too high and probably accounted for the slight lack of feel on the front end that cost the half point.

Other highlights – of course there was the wildlife that presents the lead rider with new and unexpected challenges… snakes, kangaroos, cows, magpies, cockatoos and locusts.

So all in all, a great time was had thanks to Ben, Paul, Danny, Clifford, Ron, Dave and Misho.

Peter Feistl