Yea
Rob Langer, BMW R1150 GS (Leader) Pete Weyermayr , Honda
929
Liz Oliver, Honda 919 Martin
Bastock, CBR 1000 F
Craig Morley, YZF 750 Ray
Walker, GSXR 1000
Tanya Walker, GPX 250 Ian
Payne, Honda 919
Enzo Cunico, R1 Vince
Green, XJ 900 Diversion
Ron Johnston, Bandit 1200 Geoff Jones, R1 (Rear
rider)
I left home in good time to get to Whittlesea. I had a nice quiet ride through Warrandyte, Kangaroo Ground and past the place where I lost my chain on the way out to Whittlesea last time. On to Hurstbridge, Cottles Bridge, Arthurs Creek and finally to Whittlesea. I noticed Whittlesea has changed a lot over the last couple of years: more houses on large blocks and a new industrial estate. It certainly is a go-ahead place, and there is a lot more traffic about the place.
At the servo there were a couple of bikes I didn’t recognise. Usual stuff, fill up and wait to see who turns up. I spoke to the bloke on the 900 Diversion and asked if he was going on the Club ride, but he indicated he wasn’t too sure. We introduced ourselves and he said his name was Vince Green and that he was past President and Vice President of the Club, a long time ago. He asked if Ben Warden was still in the Club, and Ian Payne, plus a few other names. He wondered if the Club had changed much since he had left. I told him some things had changed but, on the whole, it was still much the same.
A few of the others started to turn up and everybody got to talk to everybody else. See, not much changes. Vince got to have a good chin wag with Ian and catch up on old times. Then Rob got everybody’s attention and gave us the run down on where we were going and the corner marking system. Hands up for rear rider - everybody looks at everybody else to see who’s going to volunteer for the job, and the same goes for who’s going to do the write up. It’s almost like asking for someone’s right arm.
We leave Whittlesea and go over the Sherwin Ranges to Kinglake West. What a great bit of road that is. Low flying Ray and Craig passed me and others going over the top. On to Flowerdale, Strath Creek and Broadford. A good run with some road works just before Strath Creek. From Broadford we did a bit of a loop to Lancefield where they were widening the road. I remember coming down the hill and taking one hand off the bars and adjusting the helmet and then hitting some corrugations and having a small tank slapper. It gave me a hell of a fright. I put the other hand back on the bars again, quick smart.
Lancefield, first stop and a welcome one for me. Some people for food and drink while others headed to the out house…it can be difficult riding cross legged. After a short break it was back on the road again. The route included Bayton, Emu Flat, Pyalong, Glenaroua, Hilldene and Seymour where we stopped for fuel. Then off through Whiteheads Creek, across Mt Stewart, Highlands, Ghin Ghin and onto Yea for lunch. The gravel road through Highlands has been almost completely sealed and it is now really good.
We stayed at Yea for quite a while and everybody did the usual thing: eat, drink, and tell tales. Finally it was time to go. We headed towards Break O’Day, going over Junction Hill which is a grouse bit of road I really love, Flowerdale and Kinglake West where Geoff, Ray, Craig and someone else left. The rest of us carried on to Kinglake through the twisty bits to St Andrews, Panton Hill, across Alma road which is very tight and twisty to Kangaroo Ground and Warrandyte where we broke up.
The weather was good. No incidents and everybody enjoyed themselves. Thanks to Rob for leading the ride. After today’s ride I will have got 5,300 kms out of my rear tyre. That’s another 2,000 kms more than normal.
Ron Johnston (Suzuki Bandit 1200)