Darren Hosking VTR 1000 (Leader) Ben and Julie Warden CBR 929 RR (Rear Rider)

Greg Hales, TL1000S Darren Webster, TL1000R

Ian Payne, CBR900RR Craig Morley, CBR929RR

Mick Bosworth, ZX9R Matt Clark, CBR250RR (1^st ride)

Ray Walker, GSK 600 Dave Ward, Ducati 996 SPS

Wayne and Joanne Nimmo, Hayabusa David Nimmo, GSXR 750

Ron Johnston, Bandit 1200 13 Bikes, 25 people

Another good day, but there could be some rain later on. Who knows? Just get out there and ride.

Yarra Glen. A few bikes already there on arrival. Park bike and have a bit of a chat with one or two that are there. It was good to see Darren back on his bike. He said he hadn’t ridden it for 7 months which is a fair while. A few more arrived. I am thinking things are looking good. Surprised at the number of people turning up. Darren gets everyones' attention and gives the run down on where we are going, and said we could pass him if we wanted to before we got to Toolangi. But nobody did.

We headed off, Ben and Julie ttaking up rear riding duties and I put my hand up to do the write up. Back road to Healesville, turn left up Chum Creek Rd. While I was corner marking it started to rain a little bit. The Ulysses Club rode on by as well. Chum Creek Road is quite a good road. It got a bit wet about half way up. At Toolangi we turned left and headed for the Highway where we turned right and headed for Glenburn, another left and on to Flowerdale where Darren W. left the ride. It was raining again. Next stop was Strath Creek. It had stopped raining. I think everybody was glad to get something warm inside. I was telling Ray that my bike was losing traction in different places making it a bit hairy to ride on the wet roads. He seemed to think the tyre wasn’t warming up very quickly. I prefer the Michelin Pilot over the Dunlop 207 I think. It is a much better tyre.

We headed off to Broadford and got another down pour. Visibility wasn’t good, visor fogging up. Some back road to Kilmore East (I think), then Wandong, Heathcote Junction, more back roads (something different), Wallan East to Whittlesea and more rain about Glenvale. Some more back roads by Yan Yean Reservoir and then off to Arthurs Creek, Nutfield and Hurstbridge. The roads around here are tight and twisty and worth going for a ride on. I was a long time waiting at Hurstbridge corner marking and I thought someone must have crashed. But eventually they all turned up and we carried on.

On to Wattle Glen, Kangaroo Ground, and Warrandyte where I was following Greg on his TL. I thought his bike looked rather dirty as it had mud and grass hanging out of the lower fairing. I wondered where he had been to get so dirty!!! Greg went home as we passed his place on the way to Doncaster. More corner marking.

We finally arrived at La Porchetta. Some of the others were there when we arrived: Dianne Welsford, Wendy and Teagan Hosking. Then Greg arrived with his wife Amalia and two children Ryan and Callan. Later Lyn Duncan, Rob Langer and Kirsten arrived.

I spoke to Greg about his bike and he said he did come off at Arthurs Creek but no one saw it happen. He said everything he had been taught went out the window, and down he went in the mud. The bike threw him and ended up facing the opposite way he was going. He must have had a bit of a struggle picking up the bike, having broken his collarbone some weeks ago. The only damage to his bike was a broken brake master cylinder, and maybe his pride, but other than that he was okay. A good day was had by all. Thanks to Darren for leading the ride and hope to see you on more rides in the future.