MSR Porepunkah Christmas Camp 26/12/2007 to 01/01/2008

Who Went:

Ben and Julie Warden – car, trailer, bicycle and CBR954RR.

Ron and Julie Johnston – car and trailer.

Cliff Peters and Danny Hawker - Holden ute, trailer, ZX-10R and GSXR1000.

Dave Ward and Bronwyn – XR8 Ute, Commodore, CBR600, Ducati 1098 and bicycles.

Darryn Webster – Triumph 675.

Paul and Jo Southwell - car, CBR1000RR and bicycles.

Ian Payne – van and CBR1000RR.

Ern Reeders – car, trailer and CBR954RR.

Lyn Duncan – KTM450.

Peter Hill – KTM 990 Rally.

Jean and Clare Eldridge and Toby (dog) – car and GSF250.

Pina Garasi – R6.

Misho Zrakic - GSXR750.

Craig Morley and son Justin – campervan, trailer and VTR1000SP1.

Bruce and his dad – Car.

Jacinta Thomas – CBR900

Rob Langer and Kirsten Anderson – car and R1150GS

Wednesday 26th

Ben, Julie, Ron, Julie, Cliff, Danny, Ern, Craig, Justin, Rob, Kirsten, Jean and Clare all arrived today. Dave, Bron, Paul and Jo had been here since the 22^nd at a house in Porepunkah. Darryn was also with them.

Ian was on his way there but the ‘mighty Mitsubishi van’ expired 8 kms from the Hume freeway. Burst cooling hose was the initial diagnosis but it proved to be more serious. The nightly run up Buffalo was just starting after which Dave came to the rescue in the ute.

Thursday 27^th

Today the group headed to Mitta Mitta with the 380 km ride taking on average 99.5 kph to complete! (According to Ern’s GPS. Ern missed Dartmouth and other bits. It was over 500 km for the rest of us. …Ed.) Rob and I went to try and start the van but it refused so we towed it to Wangaratta for an ‘expert’ diagnosis at the local RACV centre.

Julie Warden took Kirsten,Clare and Justin on a tour including the local trout farm to catch ‘dinner’.

Bron and Jo ‘cycled’ over Tawonga Gap!

Ron and Julie headed home today as Ron needed a checkup on his injured hand and also Julie’s (and Cliff’s) father had passed away so they would go to Portland to be with her family.

Friday 28th

Today’s ride would be to Falls Creek then over Hotham and onto Omeo for lunch. As the weather had been quite warm and getting hotter the bitumen on some sections of road was quite soft, a bit like riding on sponge rubber. After lunch at it was decided to do the loop around Cassilis then head back to Porepunkah for a swim in the river. Ern elected to go onto Anglers Rest.

Saturday 29^th

Due to the heat today we would do the short trip to Falls Creek then onto Myrtleford for lunch.

I stayed in Mount Beauty to try and contact the repair shop in Wangaratta for news on the van. After the group returned from Falls it was onto Tawonga then the back roads beside the Kiewa River before picking up the Happy Valley road. The group took the usual diversion to Myrtleford at Rosewhite but I continued straight on as fuel was running low. During the day I had noticed that the battery seemed a bit sluggish when starting the bike and after lunch it refused to fire. A quick bump start then back to the caravan park where it was diagnosed as stator failure! This apparently is a common Honda problem.

Today also saw the arrival of Misho and Pina then shortly after Lyn and Peter, who had ridden their dirt bikes over the top from Dargo.

Several of the group went to the outside cinema at Gapstead winery.

Sunday 30^th

Jean and Clare departed as did Cliff and Danny who needed to be home in time for the funeral.

Today’s ride would take us up to the cool of the mountains with it encompassing Tawonga Gap, Falls Creek, Hotham Heights and Dinner Plain. Then down to Omeo and Anglers Rest where it was decided to check-out how far the bitumen extended past the Blue Duck pub! Due to the heat an extended stop was taken in the pub checking out the ‘eye candy’ in their skimpy outfits.

Back on the road for the run to Dinner Plain where we found Paul and Darryn - they had a sleep-in after a late night!

We also met Billy, an acquaintance of Pina and Dave’s who has accommodation up there, which we may try to incorporate in a future weekend away.

Julie took Craig and Justin fishing at Smoko Trout Farm.

Ben and Peter Hill formed a search party to look for Pina and Misho who failed to return from the Buffalo night run, finding them at 9.30 pm near Eurobin Falls after checking at Porepunkah and Bright. Their cooked trout was already mentally divvied up as was Pina’s bike.

Monday 31^st

With the weather prediction for an even ‘hotter’ day we again would head into the high country with a short trip to Falls Creek then onto Myrtleford for lunch. After which I would ride to Wangaratta for news on the van. After a leisurely stop at Falls it was decided a further stop would be made at Bogong Village. I continued on to Wang where in the sweltering heat was told the blown head gasket would require a repair bill of $2500+ as the old motor would need to be replaced. Once labour and ancillaries were taken into account, $3500 would be the cost. I removed the rego plates and headed back to camp. Ominously, I had beaten the group back home. But nothing too bad had happened, only Craig had run out of fuel and Misho and Pina got lost.

A long cooling soak in the river followed by a BBQ at the house in Porepunkah where we saw the New Year in!

Tuesday 1^st

Most headed home today leaving only Craig and Justin at Porepunkah.

Paul and I rode home via Whitfield where the extreme heat saw us take time out for a countermeal in the pub!

Ian Payne