Walhalla Big Day Out         Sunday 28th August, 2005

 

Beautiful weather, 13 bikes, 560 km door to door for me

 

Breht Emmerson           Honda CBR900RR      Brad Werner                Honda CBR900

Ben Warden                 Honda CBR929RR      Tim Emons                   Suzuki SV650S

Lyn Duncan                  Suzuki GSXR1000       Joel Haley                    Yamaha R6

Cliff Peters                   Suzuki GSXR1000       Trevor Harris                YZF1000 (leader)

Ron Johnston                Suzuki 1200 Bandit      Tony Raditsis                Yamaha TRX850

 

Ian Payne Honda          CBR954RR                 (rear to Moe)

Jason Peters                 Kawasaki ZX12           (rear Wallhalla-Moe)

Paul Southwell Honda CBR1000RR    (rear rider Moe-Wallhalla and Moe-Powelltown)

 

This ride was listed in the itinerary as being led by Ron Johnston. A couple of weeks out, there were concerns Ron’s Bandit may not be ready in time, so Trevor volunteered to lead.

 

I rocked up to Berwick pickup with Ben to see a terrific turn out of bikes. Not surprisingly, with the weather forecast of 23 degrees combined with two sunny days leading up to Sunday to dry out the roads, although Trevor, when pre-riding the previous day, noticed that there were still wet and damp patches.

 

We headed off around the south side of Cardinia Reservoir. Then on to the Woori Yallock-Kooweerup-Healsville Road as far as the Warby Highway. Along the Highway for a short stint before turning south onto Lusatia Park Road and some how making our way across to the Powelltown Road without going through Yarra Junction along some more roads I’ve not been on before. The Club never ceases to surprise me with its ability to find new roads.

 

We seemed to have picked up a Triumph Daytona on the Noojee Road. He was zapping past us back in the built up area but he didn’t pass the front runners through the twisties. He pulled out at the "T" where we turned left to Bike Meca, Noojee. Every bike in the district must be out of the garage today. We had a break here, and got a chance to meet the two new riders. Tim, on the SV650, was on his third ride and Brad, CBR900, on his first ride.

 

Lots of other bikes and interesting cars were in town, but time is always limited on a big day like this one was going to be, and I was unable to do everything I wished.

 

Joel  fuelled up here, not sure of making it to Moe, the scheduled fuel stop..

 

Twelve kilometres the other side of Noojee and we turn onto the Willow Grove Road. A seemingly short, quick and over-too-soon 60 kilometers of fun and we are at Moe for fuel and lunch. Half of us refuelled as we headed in to town, the others picking our lunch spot outside the video/Paddlepop store. I wondered if I had been missing all the action, but the lunch time banter wasn’t about near misses or close calls, except for the on-coming Road Hog Harleys. The conversation covered up-coming weekends away, the need for Brad to invest in some riding gear, and Ian’s indulgence of birthday cake at this time of year. (Happy Birthday Kerrie). Ben entertained us taking photos. See front cover!

 

It was time for Ian to head back for another cake eating fest. And someone else to take over the rear riding duties that Ian had performed up till now, thankyou. Paul was it.

 

We are off to Walhalla via the beautiful big sweepers of Thomson Valley Road. Yahoo! Then the tighter twisties after the turn off to Walhalla. Mate, we have fantastic riding conditions. It must be the perfect temperature for my Pirellis because they feel so good. This section, ooh, has a couple or three right handed, hidden-in-the-shadows, wet corners.

 

Walhalla township seemed exceptionally picturesque, ferns looking magnificently lush with the sun blazing through. Though spectacular, it made reading the road quite challenging. The town was more peaceful than at other times I’d been there. A group of cute foxies getting my attention, while all the fellas were completely distracted by another cutie, almost like a bunch of labourers on a work site. I also noticed at our whistle stop a couple of four wheel drives offering their services as tourist "taxis". What a great way to make a living.

 

Another rear rider change leaving Walhalla: Jason wanted to take it easy on his quickly disappearing rear tyre tread. What a pity with all the good roads still ahead.

 

Looking forward to retracing the route out, I got a bit toey and headed off first, after Trevor had given the go ahead. I think Cliff was behind me and Paul rounded us up about half way I guess. We waited for the others at the turnoff before continuing along the sweepers of Thomson Valley Road to the Dam Wall and a photo shoot. Then back out the same 20 odd kilometres. Grouse! Then onto the Moe-Rawson Road, through Erica and back to Moe for another refuel at the same servo. The service station attendant was happy to see us again on a quiet Sunday.

 

Jason tippy-toed home from here, his tyre almost gone. Paul offered to do another stint as rear rider.

 

We headed out the Old Sale Road picking up the Crossover sweepers to Neerim South and on to the Noojee Road. The sun was really a problem now, very low in the sky.

 

Just three kilometres from Powelltown Breht found himself in need of some of Ben’s multipurpose tape, but tape wasn’t quite the answer. Breht was okay, I am very glad to say. By 4 pm we had covered 400 odd kilometres. The rest of us headed into Powelltown where Ben organized a tow truck from the local takeaway, reception a problem with mobiles.

 

Joel headed back to Breht with some water and news the tow truck would only be twenty minutes. The rest of us headed for home. We sighted the tray truck heading to pick up Breht before we even got to the outskirts of Gladysdale..

 

Thanks Trevor, a wonderful day, a fantastic selection of roads and top work organizing the outstanding weather. Thanks to the multiple rear riders and, of course, thanks to everyone for coming along. What a blast.

 

Lyn Duncan (GSXR1000)