Mt Baw Baw Sunday 2^nd April, 2006

Ern Reeders	Triumph 955I ST	Ian Payne	Honda CBR1000RR
Paul Southwell	Honda CBR1000RR	Simon Trubiano	Honda CBR 929
Marty Thompson	Honda Hornet	Dave Ward	Suzuki GSXR 600
Lyn Duncan	Suzuki GSXR 1000(Leader)	Breht Emmerson	Honda CBR 954
Ben Warden	Honda CBR929(Rear Rider)	Chris Pointon	Suzuki GSXR 1000

What a difference a week makes. Last weekend beautiful sunny weather, the sort of day that makes you feel alive and keeps the smile on your dial all day long. The company you keep, the roads you take and the fun you have all contribute too, I guess. This weekend I will have to rely on the latter three because the sun has conceded defeat to the rain clouds. The rain has stopped for today, though it will remain overcast for the most part. Cold. Bloody cold and our destination Baw Baw. This calls for the wet weather gear to be dusted off and pulled out of the closet. At least I will be warm.

Only four more Sundays before my forced retirement to public transport so I am going to get in as much riding as I can. Well, that’s the plan anyway! Just on that, for the moment it seems you don’t need a license for a track day, just photo ID. And you can attend a Superbike School day while on suspension. This information may prove helpful when I am downsized to a spectator.

I check and set the tyre pressure on the new rear Pilot Power, trying to scrub it in as much as possible on the short trip over to neighboring Yarra Glen. The Pirelli Supa Corsa put on for Christmas had well and truly had it after 5000+ kms of hard riding. I didn’t think that was too bad and I will probably put another set on for Xmas Camp this year. An amazing tyre but too expensive to have on all year round!

Rolling into town I see three bikes (one I don’t recognize) parked at our meeting place but with no riders to be seen. I fuel up and head over to the Original Café for a hot coffee. I meet Marty inside enjoying a late breakfast. Turns out that Marty is an ex-President of the club and accounts for the unknown bike, an almost new Honda Hornet with street-fighter-like bars. It looks like a mean machine with the black paint to suit. The other two riders eventually stroll in with tall tales of arriving an hour early to enjoy a coffee and chat. Me thinks daylight savings snags another two victims, but who’s counting.

Lyn soon arrives looking a bit worst for wear. Apparently, she has been up since 4am not being able to sleep for the past few days. A stop off at the chemist for a bottle of pick me-up on the way doesn’t seem to have helped much. Dave, Simon, Ben and Ian turn up right on time with Lyn determined to still lead. She gives a very informative pre-ride talk making sure we all know where we are going so we can pass her if we want. Not usually an issue with “get out of my way” Lyn who is a lot quicker than she likes to say. Ben takes up the rear rider duties. I think he has contracted some sort of virus.

Out of Yarra Glen and the back way to Healesville leads us to Chum Creek Road where we cruise at a sedate pace to the start of the twisty bits. I was following Dave up until this point and was hoping to get a look at his riding style. Yep, well that lasted for about the first three corners. All right, one and half then, if we are going to get technical.

It was a dry run up to Toolangi and this gave me a good chance to take the shine off the new tyre by just taking it easy, slowly increasing the lean angle on each corner. Down the bumpy Myers Creek Road and back into Healesville. It was good too see Lyn use the same back roads I had taken last week to by-pass the lights and congestion of the main drag.

We headed down the now heavily policed Koo-Wee-Rup Road. The lights and sirens of last weekend are still a vivid image in my mind and this saw me staying at a painfully legal speed. Even with the safety of the group, I can’t bring myself to enjoy this stretch of road at the moment. Into Launching Place and the Yarra Junction turn off, then it’s through Powelltown and onwards to my favourite bit of road to Noojee. There is still a bit of loose stuff from resurfacing on the tight stuff and I am still taking too much notice of my (off) corner on the way past, slipping a bit. Through the high-speed sweepers and the excitement is over too soon as we stop for morning tea after 100 or so kilometers.

A Blue Boy sits in his Nissan Patrol as we rest and doesn’t leave until we do. A little unsettling if you ask me. Ben thinks I am paranoid. Just because I think they are all out to get me doesn’t mean they’re not! Dave, Paul and Ian leave us here for other obligations. Something about lunch, Formula 1, warm chocolate and such. Paul had a company corporate box at the F1 yesterday, the lucky bugger. I think he must have picked up the bug there.

We head up Mt Baw Baw, the road in really good nick with no real hazards to speak of except for a troop of 4x4s heading down as we go up. Most blokes took advantage of the good conditions and raced up the mountain. I was trying to save my fuel with my bike hitting the reserve mark around 180-186 usually. Ben seems to think I don’t know about the 6^th gear. I didn’t want a heavy tank for this loop and I prefer the run back down which is unusual because it is generally easier going up. So I sat behind Lyn who was clearly not herself today, being conscious to give her space so as not to feel pressured. I still got in a friendly bit of trouble at the top!

There is a lot of water across the road after the tollbooth that made for careful riding. The white snow along the ridge is a warning of the potentially slippery conditions and that winter is coming whether we like it or not. A bunch of blokes on mountain bikes are riding around the car park and apparently going over the edge down some poor excuse for a track. I suddenly don’t feel so cold anymore. Ben tells us he also has an appointment and will be heading straight on from Noojee (not stopping for fuel either, I bet). The freezing climate accounts for a quick stop and we are soon heading back for lunch. Marty and Ben chase each other back down the mountain and head for home while I enjoy my run down solo. Nothing to report, just a fantastic tight bit of road.

Coming into town I check my speed thinking that there might be a blue and white surprise waiting. Of course there was nothing but a hot coffee and ham sandwich there for me. Ern was already enjoying a cappuccino when I got over to the Café. It would appear he has ironed out the bugs on the Trumpy. Lyn and Simon roll into town. By this stage there are only four of us with Chris enjoying the day but also heading home. With only a small group left, the cold temperature, and our courageous leader not feeling any better, it was unanimously decided to end the ride here. It was only about 2 pm and we had done 210 odd kms.

We soon departed but poor Simon was still waiting for his lunch. They got really busy all of a sudden. Thanks Lyn for leading. Get well soon. Thanks Ben for rear riding and the rest of the guys for the usual friendly company.

Breht Emmerson