Boolarra South Sunday 22nd March, 2009
|
Honda CBR1000 |
Chris Tran (3rd ride) |
Suzuki GSXR1000 |
Chris Pointon |
|
Honda CBR1000 |
John Rousseaux & Kate Stewart |
Suzuki GSXR1000 |
Rob Jones |
|
Honda CBR1000 |
Tim Emons |
BMW K1200RS |
Geoff Shugg |
|
Honda CBR1000 |
Dave Ward |
BMW |
David Chisma |
|
Honda CBR954 |
Ben Warden (leader) |
BMW R1150GS |
Rob Langer |
|
Yamaha FJR1300 |
Walter Alschinger (1st ride) |
Yamaha R1 |
Michael Srb |
|
Yamaha MT01 |
Graeme Tattersall |
Yamaha R6 |
Pina Garasi |
|
Suzuki GSXR1000 |
Brett Cornwill (2nd ride) |
|
Cliff Peters |
|
Ducati 1098 |
Craig Walker (2nd ride) |
|
17 bikes, 18 people |
“The classic Mirboo North ride with loops within loops”...
With the forecast warning of imminent thunderstorms and showers, we assembled in the warm morning sunshine in Berwick. The usual pre-ride banter as we wait for what will surely be another MSR classic ride. There was a healthy turnout of riders on quite a mixed bag of machinery here today, so we won't be mistaken for the Melbourne Fireblade Riders...
Ron and Julie made an appearance to see us off, and a quick chat with Ron revealed that he's not sure what his next bike will be (the beloved red Bandit reached the last of its 9 lives on the recent Tassie trip). First time Club rider, Walter, had printed a nametag and was wearing it stuck to his jacket. This obviously worked for me as I remember his name...
We droned along the M1 out of town, turned
off South into Tynong, then made our way through
The pace picked up as we wound our way down through Lardner and onto the Warragul - Korumburra Road where David displayed his off road skills, smoothly kicking the back end of the Beemer out in the gravel on the Y junction! Back on the move and we’re on it. Do I need to point out how much I enjoy riding this road? Sure, it isn't racetrack smooth, but it has a great mix of tight twisties and fast open sweepers with a few short straights thrown in giving you a chance to catch your breath and realise how much you're grinning inside your helmet! We assembled at the regular bakery in Korumburra for a leisurely morning tea.
After the break I was surprised when Ben led us back the way we had come, but then he turned right onto Fairbank Road where I corner marked - conveniently pointing out our route to the local candy car that must have slipped into our ranks on our way out of town. I tried to send a mental message to the riders ahead, but thanks to the sensible MSR pace (and the 3 km of gravel...) his collection tin was left empty. He didn't give up there though, but re-appeared on the side of the road further on, facing us after a sweeping bend, on-board radar at the ready. Once again we were all below the limit. He did manage to have a chat to Chris Pointon at some point, asking who we all were, to which Chris explained that he had no idea - he was out for a ride and saw a bunch of bikes, and decided to follow us...
My internal GPS gave up the ghost somewhere around Arawata or Fairbank, and as with most of Ben's rides, I didn't even try to follow where we went after that. Yet another thing I love about Club rides - being able to focus on the riding and the great roads without having to think about where I am, how far to the next turnoff or interrupting the flow by pulling over to check a map. Trying to piece things together at home with a map (and a Grand Ridge Brewery Pilsener) two days later, I think we may have taken Mardan Road, down to Dumbalk, working back up to Limonite, picking up the Grand Ridge Road through Boolarra South to the end of the tarmac for a quick photo break. (confirmed with Ben’s notes later – correct!)
Wherever we were, I don't think I was the only one having a ball on these fantastic twisty roads. Tipping into a right hander, I caught a glimpse Dave Ward up ahead with his knee slider skimming the deck - some impressive lean angle from those "touring tyres". Back along the Grand Ridge Road to Boolarra South then through some fire damage around Boolarra and into Mirboo North for lunch.
According to the 'net,
the temperature in the
The temptation of the fine ales at the Grand Ridge Brewery was too much for some, with Rob Jones, Graeme and Brett leaving the ride here to go and sample a few. The rest of us elected to follow Ben on the optional 60 km loop he had planned. Pina decided she needed some cobwebs blown out of the R6, so Dave Ward was assigned the task while Pina rode pillion with Cliff on the ZX10. I recall daydreaming along one straight when I was suddenly woken up as the R6, with its custom shortened muffler, screamed past me at warp speed - no more cobwebs in there...
Once again, my focus was on corners and lines, not road signs. All I know is we left Mirboo North heading South towards Mardan, and returned from the West via Hallston, with a whole lot of fun in between. I followed Craig on the 1098 for a while, enjoying the roar from the mighty V-twin powering out of corners.
We were all buzzing after the quick, focussed riding on the loop, and, after some confusion (we stopped in Mirboo North, eventually realising that Ben was further up the road waiting at the next corner), continued up the Strzelecki Highway from Mirboo North to pick up the Trafalgar Road. I leaned forward from touring position into "prepare to launch mode" in anticipation of the upcoming Thorpdale corner sequence, but a few of us caught up to some slow moving 4WD's, one towing a large boat, just after the first long left hand sweeper. No chance to pass until after the S’s, so back to touring mode and take in the scenery for a while.
We had a good run across the rolling farmland hills, then through the last series of curves to regroup at the petrol station in Trafalgar. The Brewery boys re-appeared after we crossed the railway, and we took the old road to Yarragon, then headed North (as Michael pointed the R1 at the sky...again) for Buln Buln, the Crossover sweepers and up towards Neerim South. I noted several dead snakes on the road along here, although a later discussion with Cliff revealed that they weren't all dead.
As we progressed, the sky turned dark, the temperature dropped, and the mountains in the distance could only just be made out through misty low cloud - we would definitely be in for a soaking if we continued on through Noojee and Powelltown, so Ben made a quick change of plans and we cut through Jindivick to break up at Longwarry North.
380 km for the official ride, 475 km home to home in Carnegie. Many thanks Ben for leading a typically exciting (and geographically confusing) ride, with no incidents to report apart from someone's helmet blowing off their parked bike in a gust of wind at the finish.
Thanks to Kate for rear riding duties and to John for always coming second last J; it makes it easy to identify the tail rider when you can see the pillions arms waving frantically in the air as they approach!
Tim
Emons