Mornington Peninsula Saturday 12^th July, 2008

Ben and Julie Warden	Honda CBR954	Ian Payne	Honda CBR1000
Misho Zrakic/Pina Garasi	Suzuki GSXR750	Randal Leacock	Kawasaki ZX9
Darryn Webster (leader)	Triumph 675	Rudy Heijtink	Honda VTR250
Dave Ward/Bronwyn Manifold	Station Wagon		10 people

A neat little bunch of riders appeared on this very fresh Saturday morning; Ben with Julie on the Honda CBR 954, Misho with Pina on Suzuki 750, Randal on the “bloody Kawasaki”, L-plater 2^nd time-rider Rudy on a Honda VTR 250, El Presidente Ian Payne and ride leader Darryn Webster.

In to the green lushness of Berwick for a bit of a scenic ride; the appearance of yellow wattle announcing the imminence of Spring. Horses nuzzling tenderly to each other for warmth – I try to do the same… but alas, the cold winter dampness seeps into my leathers and I ask myself, “What is this madness that possesses us to ride in this chilling cold?” A random wheelie helps to shake off the chill.

On to Arthur’s Seat for some seaside panorama, then in to Mornington in search of coffee to defrost the senses. Actually, I think I was reaching a state of hypothermia by this stage as I almost lost control of my polite social skills when an incompetent girl in the coffee shop took her leisurely time to deliver the urgently required coffee. Still makes me really mad when I think of it - I’m NEVER, EVER going there again!

Feeling a little human again, we head down the coast in search of the Flinders Hotel for lunch; didn’t take too long and it was a welcome refuge from the cold. Pity the head waitress in the hotel restaurant wasn’t too welcoming… she spent the first 5 minutes blah blaahing about not having booked, blahh blahh… busy… blahh blahh… not prepared for such a large group (10 in total, as Dave and Bronwyn joined us with their lovely company). I look around and the place is almost empty. What the hell?!?! She should be happy that we chose to eat there… not treat us like a pack of insolent school kids, which then tipped me into that mode and used every opportunity to cause some minor disturbance to their air of pretentiousness. Must say the food was good though, but it did feel a little strange eating in an upmarket place in my ‘rough-as’ leathers; somehow the casual consumption food of a Sunday ride feels like a better fit.

Glad to be off again, although I think Darryn was most unhappy when he came off his Triumph just as he was going through the roundabout near the hotel; something to do with the type of rear tyre he had not being warm enough. Bloody hell, even bike tyres suffer in the cold!

Bronwyn and Dave kindly stayed with Darryn to assist in the way friends do after such a mishap.

El Presidente took charge and led the rest of us safely on our way, to the warmth of our home.

Many thanks.

Pina Garasi