Lancefield  21st April 2002

 

Yamaha R1                  Geoff Jones (leader)                             Honda CBR929RR                  Ben Warden

Kawasaki ZX9 Mick Bosworth                                    Yamaha R1                              Enzo Cunico

Honda CBR929RR      Pete Weyermayr (rear)             Honda CBR919R                     Liz Oliver

Honda CBR250RR      Matt Clark                                           Honda VFR800                       Mike Sampson

8 bikes, 8 people

 

 

The weather forecast mentioned early morning drizzle - no big deal. By the time Pete and I got to Yarra Glen it was raining fairly heavily and Geoff and Mike were the only other brave ones who had turned out for the ride. After Geoff checked that we still wanted to go on the ride (are you really, really, really sure...), we got ready to leave. Just as we were leaving Renzo, Mick and Matt all turned up.

 

We headed out via Chum Creek road where it was starting to get a bit foggy. Just before Toolangi I came across Ben who had gone to Whittlesea instead of Yarra Glen (doh!), ridden almost to Yarra Glen through all the fog, seen us and turned around to ride back through the fog again (dedication?). By the time we had got to Kinglake the fog had got so bad that you could only just see the bike in front of you. The cars coming the other way without their headlights on were a bit of a problem as you didn't see them until they were a couple of metres away, making overtaking a bit of a risky business. It was cold, wet and miserable so it was no surprise when Renzo and Mike left the ride at King Lake West. I'm sure they weren't the only ones considering it.

However, a couple of kms down the road the sun came out, the sky was blue and the roads were dry in places. The pace picked up a bit and we started drying out and warming up and even having fun! We stopped at Tyaak for morning tea - down to 6 people now. Geoff already had his trademark black hands that he gets from his gloves every time it rains. I can't believe that there is any dye left in those gloves by now.

 

After hot pies and pasties we carried on through Broadford, Pyalong, Emu Flat, and Baynton with the weather not fantastic but at least no more fog or rain. We stopped for petrol and lunch at Lancefield where we were entertained while we ate, by a car almost smashing the front bumper off another car that had just pulled out on him. Then they attempted (unsuccessfully I think) to tie the bumper back on with a rope. Much entertainment.

After lunch we headed off on a series of back roads through Cobaw, Carlsruhe and Upper Coliban Reservoir. From there it was on to Trentham and Myrniong. It was about at Bacchus Marsh where I was starting to get a bit sore as it had been a fairly long haul since the lunch break. So it was a bit of a relief when I recognised Diggers Rest and knew a break was not far away. We stopped at Bulla where the ride broke up. Everyone headed home and Pete and I headed back to Ben and Julie’s for a hot drink and to raid their stash of biscuits. Considering the dodgy start to the ride with the fog and rain it turned out to be a really good day.

 

Thanks Geoff for leading the ride, and Pete for going rear rider.

 

 

 

Liz Oliver (Honda CBR919R)