Pig and Whistle – Sunday 11^th of November

One of those weeks: evenings in the shed instead of checking the e-mails. So today, Sat 17^th I log on to find about 100 e-mails, porn mostly, but one from the Pres about some write up or other. Delete all the junk but save the list of Clubbers (and others) who turned up last Sunday for the annual Pig and Whistle feed.

People at Yarra Glen for the ride: Ian Payne CBR919RR (leader) Liz Oliver CBR919RR

Ben Warden CBR929RR (rear rider) Geoff Jones YZFR1

People at the Pub: Dave Ward and Bronwyn Manifold Dianne Welsford

Ray, Katrina, Jye and Riley Walker Bruce Saville

Rob Langer and Kirsten Anderson, R1150GS Craig Morley

Weather most foul, rain all day. Slippery roads, but, as I had not been on the bike for a month, on with the wet weather gear. Don't think about the rear tyre. Craig would say "as new" but to me it looked and felt bald. Off to Yarra Glen, trying to be smooth, but in reality, slow.

Arrive early, fill up. Still no one around but then Liz turns up, feeling at home in the wet I guess after training in NZ. The other member of the NZ race team complaining of a "sore back". I resisted any "shaggers back" comments on the day but can not resist here, sorry Liz.

It seems a new bike may be on the cards for Pete after the recent Walwa weekend. Later news at lunch from Ray who has up-graded to a GSXR1000 may also affect his deliberations as they played swap the Suzuki in the Snowy Mountains.

Ben arrives, then a little later the Pres, who needs fuel and so the show gets on the road. Across the Christmas Hills road to turn right at, I think, Watson’s Creek and pass through Arthur’s Creek to Whittlesea via Yan Yean. Through the Eden Park twisties to Wallan. Across to Romsey and a welcome break for a coffee. Weather like this really makes you question your sanity: warm beds/bodies and all that.

One of the reasons for my week in the shed showed up coming in to Wallan as the R1 gear selection went haywire, false neutrals, over shifting etc. I thought on the day that it was a loose chain or me being too light footed but it turned out to be a broken detent lever spring allowing the shift drum to do its own thing. Found and fixed on Thursday night as I fitted a Dunlop 207RR to the rear. The R1 shift mechanism allows easy access to this part which sits inside its own cover above the drive sprocket instead of behind the clutch on most other "ordinary" bikes. New spring and gasket, $11.

Ian finally levered us out of the Romsey cafe and led us through Lancefield and Newham to Woodend where we picked up the Trentham road and arrived at the Pig & Whistle to find the "warm and dry" group ready to eat. Rob and Kirsten arrived soon after and meals were ordered, drinks taken and we settled in for a typical Club social gathering. Talk the talk, fix the worlds problems, you know the sort of thing. If you don't turn up at a one of the Social sips and find out, recommended.

Three pm well gone and Dave and Bron need to be at a bakery somewhere. So wet gloves are pulled on and, with Rob on the BM but Kirsten opting for a 4 wheel lift, we step out into what is by now, fair- dinkum rain, and head for Mount Macedon on route to the break up at Bulla, me missing about every 2^nd shift and starting to have second thoughts about buying second hand. On the straighter bits the gears would behave better when more power was used. Barringo passed by and, as Ian turned towards Sunbury, I left the ride to return to Melton via Gisborne. 220k at Melton from Yarra Glen. All home safe, I trust, despite the weather.

Geoff Jones (Yamaha R1) (fixed)