Trafalgar                    Sunday 17th August 2008

 

Ian Payne (rear rider)

Honda CBR1000

Nic Jacka (leader)

Honda CBR600

Randal Leacock

Kawasaki ZX9

Ben Warden

Honda CBR954

Dennis Lindemann

Honda CBR600

Dave Ward

Kawasaki Z750

Cliff Peters

Suzuki GSXR1000

Misho Zrakic

Suzuki GSXR750

Pina Garasi

Yamaha R6

Cameron Stevens

Yamaha FZ6

Chris Pointon

Suzuki GSXR1000

 

11 bikes, 11 people

 

 

When I got up this morning and got ready for the ride I thought, “Hmm…it has been a while since the last time I wrote the article for the magazine.”

 

The weather was looking good this morning. In anticipation, I had cleaned the bike and checked the chain and tyres on Saturday.  Alas, there was some drizzle on the way to our starting point at Yarra Glen and the bike already looked like before I washed it. Money well spent! Not.

 

There were twelve bikes at the starting point. Bruce Fleming brought his new re-assembled GSXR1000 for us to admire, but didn’t join the ride.

 

After the usual emergency number collection and the briefing, we left Yarra Glen and took the Old Healesville Road towards Healesville. The roads were still a little bit wet, but at least there was no more rain. At Healesville we took the Myers Creek Road to Toolangi and then headed back to Healesville via Chum Creek Road. It started to drizzle from Healesville as we headed towards Powelltown. We eventually stopped at Noojee for our first break to warm up at the local shop with food and drinks.

 

After the off-road bikes left we were off too. It was still a little bit wet, but at least not as bad as Nic predicted. We left Noojee and headed towards Icy Creek turning right to Hill End with lots of great twisty roads, eventually stopping for fuel at the servo in Trafalgar. Ben left here to watch the footy.

 

Nic wanted to lead us to Drouin, but after trying a few alternative roads resulting in U-turns, we took the Princess Freeway. The bike had been filled up in Trafalgar so now it is my turn for food. Ordering just a small chips and a burger I was able to supply almost everyone with chips…not sharing my burger though! Nic had the same “small” fish and chips meal. The package looked almost like a family meal.

 

Back on the bike, all that greasy food wasn’t really a good food choice, my stomach pressing against the tank and riding over bumps.

 

We left from Drouin through Bunyip and along the Nar Nar Goon Longwarry Road which is pretty much just straight roads with hardly any traffic at all. Going through Packenham we stopped at our final destination before the Princess Freeway. We wished Randal a good trip as he was leaving for his new job in Western Australia to earn some money to afford a Ducati. I hope we will see him in six months time with his new bike.

 

After the split-up I rode home on the Monash Freeway into the sunset followed by Pina and Misho.

 

A great day and a great ride. Thanks for leading us, Nic. And also thanks to Ben who helped me out with the details – again. Also thanks to everyone who helped me out with the chips! Much appreciated.

 

I waited a bit too long to do the write up and the following Sunday ride has already erased the memories from the previous one.

 

See you next time!

 

Dennis Lindemann