Who’s News March 2009

The Club web site at www.melbsportsbike.net.au accumulated 653 hits during March, up 30 on last month. Total visits are 50,615 since April 1996. The counters on the other pages after another month indicate that the 2009 Calendar page took 512 hits (total 1918 since 28^th October 2008) and Great Roads totals 182 hits (total 888). The number of hits is becoming very consistent.

Seen at the Social Sip at Mark’s Place, Thursday 5^th March, 2009: Trevor Harris, Barbara Rolfe, Chris Pointon, Kate Stewart, John Rousseaux and a friend of Kate’s, Bize . Numbers were down due to the large contingent of regulars away on the Tassy trip.

Email from Rob Langer, 23/3/2009. It is with great sadness that I inform members of the untimely death of Kirsten Anderson.

Kirsten was the social secretary of the MSTCV during 2000-2003 as well as my best friend and soul mate for the last ten years. She had been suffering from an arterial venecular malformation in her brain which had been responsible for a number of strokes. Recently she had undergone radio therapy which resulted in severe side effects, affecting her both mentally and physically.

As I reflect on our precious time spent together I realize Kirsten has instilled in me a newfound love of nature and the environment, as well as a strong respect for all other living creatures. She loved all animals and felt passionately about animal welfare. She had a great appreciation of period buildings and architecture and I look back fondly on our trips to Como, Rippon Lea, Labassa and others.

Kirsten, life will never be the same without you. Rest in peace.

Seen at Kirsten Anderson’s funeral, held Monday 30^th March: Rob Langer, Ian Payne and Kerrie Gooding, Ben and Julie Warden, Trevor Harris and Barbara Rolfe, Ron and Julie Johnston, Kate Stewart, Paul Tallents, Pete, Liz and Josh Weyermayr, Paul Southwell, Cliff Peters, Pina Garasi, Tony Grande, Steve Leyland and Sue Wells, Tom Saville and Andi Sirninger, Jack Youdan, Renzo Cunico, Cameron Stevens and Dave Ward. 17 members, 8 past members, 25 in total of ~100 mourners. My apology to anyone missed.

The Club Participant of the Year is based on aggregate points accumulated at 1 point per ride, an extra point for leading or being rear rider, and 1 point per magazine article (maximum 2 per magazine). Attending one or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating.

The count is for the 2008/9 year ending at the 2009 AGM in July. The count after eleven months is Ben Warden (86), Pina Garasi (71), Ron Johnston (60), Ian Payne (60), Paul Southwell (58), Dave Ward (54.5), Misho Zrakic (46), Geoff Jones (44.5), Cliff Peters (44) and Ken Goederee (41). Cliff scored 7 points, the most in the top 10 due to his leading and article writing over the period. Well done Cliff.

Front Cover: Photo taken in Derby (Tasmania) on March 11^th as we head up the east coast from Hobart to Launceston. Front Row: Kurn Bridgeman, Ian Payne, Paul Southwell, Renzo Cunico, Pina Garasi, Misho Zrakic. Back row: Rob Langer, Cliff Peters, Tony Stegmar, Katrina Hollis, Danny Hawker, Dave Ward and Ben Warden. Ron Johnston crashed out of contention; Peter Feistl?

Tassie Tigers, left Wednesday 4^th March and arrived home Sunday 15^th March: Ben and Julie Warden, Danny Hawker and Katrina Hollis, Ron and Julie Johnston, Verna McIntosh and her mother Doreen Anderson (friends of the Johnstons), Cliff Peters, Misho Zrakic and Pina Garasi, Peter Feistl, Paul Southwell, Ian Payne, Dave Ward, Tony Stegmar, Rob Langer and Renzo Cunico. At the same time Rob Jones and mates were in Tassy and met up in Deloraine late one day, exchanging good roads info.

9/3 Email from Ivan Radywonik (KTM 990): This is just to let you know that after my spill on Sunday near Skene's Creek, I managed to get home in style despite a broken handlebar and some very painful bruises after a detour through a ditch. I wish to thank again the other guys on the ride for all their assistance and support and I look forward to doing it again soon! The ride, not the fall ;-)

18/3 Email from Ron Johnston: I was just looking at the web page and reading about the Tassy trip. Re my accident: I sustained two broken ribs, 6 and 7, rhs, bruising to rh hip, stomach and groin area. After the accident I went in the tow truck part way until the ambulance met us, and then went by ambulance to the Royal Hobart. There they checked me over and I had xrays to confirm the broken ribs.The rest is history. 

Email from Kurn Bridgeman: Just thought I'd give you all an update. As you would be aware I crashed last Thursday 12th March up in the Tassy hills as a result of loose gravel being sprayed across a blind corner. The bike has now been written off which is kind of a blessing in disguise as I was looking to update and have my eye on a 2008 CBRR600 :) (rode at Phillip Island – awesome, as is the Blade!)

Unfortunately I suffered some pretty severe injuries and will have to live with nine metal pins, screws and two plates in my left hip and a fractured lumber spine vertebrae number three. However, I am very lucky and thank all the right riding gear I had on; it really saved me. As you may know, I keep pretty active and apparently the second question I asked as I was being whisked off to theatre on the day of reckoning was "When can I leave?"

I've had two operations, the first for the dislocation and the second for the restructuring as my hip was shattered in 6 places! Thanks to a very positive attitude and a keen dislike for hospitals, rather than spend three weeks in hospital I escaped after just a week and thank the staff, etc who had to tolerate my persistent questions and requests for release! You don't fully appreciate however how well looked after you are until you get back home and have to do EVERYTHING yourself. I have found it pretty tough getting up three lots of stairs from the driveway to my room balancing a cuppa!

The surgeon specialist was an ex-Fireblade rider and did a great job. I also met couple of motorcyclists in the ward, one a friend, believe it or not, from Champions Ridedays! Also caught up with a friend from school who I bumped into as we left Hobart for the East Coast and another long lost friend who settled in Tassie, so all good. The first two and a half days were really hard because I couldn't move more that 20 degrees due to the neck brace etc. By the third day I started moving and by the fourth I was on crutches and managed to get my lap time around the ward down to approx 45 seconds :)

I would like to especially thank the hospital staff for all the morphine and Ketamin which was amazing and provided a real window of opportunity and relief!

I checked out Friday 20^th and, not one to do things by halves, returned to work on Sat and Sun, albeit part time. I will continue all week as I prefer to keep occupied and not dwell on pain at home. I will be on painkillers for some time and crutches for approximately three months. My goal is to recover even quicker so I can get back on my bikes :) In the interim I will be taking things easy and will have a check-up in a few weeks and go from there.

Normally my weekends consist of either road or dirt bike riding so I will be at a bit of a loss socially for the next couple of months. I would welcome any contact or meet ups. I can drive and outings will provide an escape from home. I live and work in the St.Kilda area.

Well, I enjoyed my brief Tassie trip and trust everyone else did.

Finally, I would like to thank Pina and Misho for their calls of encouragement and an extra special thanks to Ben and Julie for their sterling efforts and support in/out of hospital. They were amazing and, as hospital can be a lonely experience, were always there and even managed to get my gear back home. U two rock!

All the best everyone and hope to see you soon. The Kurnster "We cannot learn without pain." Aristotle

25/3 Email from Peter Feistl to Kurn: Hey Dude! Good to see you up and about and on the road to recovery! So it seems that 'gravel mid corner' has again taken its toll on an MSR member. It was initially reported that you were involved in a multi-car pile up, then reports were downgraded to losing control after hitting road-kill, but alas - gravel.

I too had my share of gravel on the Tassy Trip. Somewhere near Mt. Wellington approaches, I discovered fine gravel mid-corner and I tipped the bike to turn, but the bike kept tipping with a resultant 'OFF'. I could NOT believe it! The minor damage was then disguised in a big OFF later in the trip when I was chasing the group towards Bicheno and found an 'unmarked', sharper than expected corner! LOTS of braking to wash off speed before going over the small embankment. The bike damage was relatively minor until we discovered leaking radiator fluid! Game Over. Julie Warden picked me up after visiting you in hospital. Luckily, I walked away from both incidents with only a badly bruised ego and hip.

There is a possibility that the bike will be written off and if that happens, then it's GAME OVER big time. I will hang up the (club) riding boots. Get well soon!

25/3 Kurn responding to Peter Feist: Thanks dude...yep sorry to hear about your incidents and hope your bike doesn't get written off.....surely a typo "u will hang up your boots" ? Bloody gravel hey....road workers in my case should have cleaned up after themselves; hence I will be pursuing. There was a dead animal involved next to the gravel; maybe another victim of the gravel? Hope you’re feeling better mate and look forward to seeing you on the road in the not too distant future.

Welcome to four new members who signed up in the last couple of weeks. They were Geoff Shugg on his K1200RS, clutch replaced at 90,000 km and he did all the work himself. Dave Chisma, a Canadian refugee riding a BMW F800ST, adds another accent to our very multicultural rides as well as giving us something mechanically different to the Universal Japanese Four to look at. And yesterday on the Licola ride we picked up Ben Fuller on a very well ridden (remember him on the Orbost Delegate twisties?) Suzuki Hayabusa. Ben is one of Rob Jones’ crew. Last but not least is Jared Wade on a yellow Triumph 955. Done his three rides. Keen as mustard. We wish them many safe and fun rides.

Email Sunday 29^th March from Ron Johnston: at the Toolangi Tavern I spoke to Dean Von Schill who was out riding with a group of friends, and is still riding his VTR. He is still racing and said he had come off a couple of weeks ago and hurt his left hand but is okay. I haven’t seen Dean for a long time and it was good to catch up.

Later on, the Front Line Tourers turned up and I spotted former member Theo Kalkandis. Now there is a stranger, although he turned up for a ride last year at Whittlesea on an RGV 250. We got talking and he told me he was riding up Chum Creek Road a couple of months ago and had a big crash. He was coming round a left hander and a car came around the corner on his side and he had to bale out. He went to the left, the bike went to the right, and the car went between and kept going. A lady stopped to help, giving him a hand to pick up the bike. But he was sore and had trouble breathing which lead to ambulance and hospital. He had a broken collar bone, shattered shoulder blade, eight broken ribs, and a punctured lung.

Theo seems okay and he is back riding again. His new mode of transport is 2009 R1 with the big bang engine. He bought it from First Class in Lilydale two weeks ago. It is pearl white with a satin red frame and swing arm and Akropovic Pipes. It looks the part and he hopes to come riding with us soon.

Peter Jones has seen the light and bought a Honda CBR1000. A burgundy one. His fully blinged black and yellow R1 is consequently up for sale. Low kilometres, Ohlins rear shock, modified front forks, and much more. Give him a call on his mobile 0488-583-065 and snare a bargain.

Email from Robert Langer, received 1/4/2009 Last week has been a complete blur to me . At times I  have been wondering around the house looking for something but having no idea what it is I am trying to find. Even on Monday morning as I was preparing to go to Springvale I was about to call out to ask Kirsten "where are my shoes " until, with a jolt, I remembered it was her funeral I was attending.

Yesterday I was talking to my cousin who lives near Kirsten's doctor, to whom I have not spoken for many years, and she said to come around and "don't be stranger". I was about  to reply "OK I will the next time I take Kirsten to her doctor" but realised what I was about to say before any words came out. The realisation of what has happened has not sunk in yet as I have been so busy every day making arrangements and consoling and being consoled by family .

One thing  that I would not have been able to cope without has been the strength and support given to me by members of the MSR. It is what being a member of a club is all about, not only the friendship, the camaraderie and bonds we all form and not only sharing the good and fun times together, but also being there for each other in times of need. And this week I had a need and the Club was there for me, and for that I will always be grateful.

I would like to thank all members for their kind thoughts and wishes and to those who were able to attend Kirsten's farewell. I need to let you know how much it meant to me to have you close by, you were a tower of strength to me. I was touched. I would like to give a special mention to our president  who at short notice (night before) was asked to say a few words so as to give Kirsten's family an insight to a side of her life they knew nothing about. Thanks Ian.

As a token of my appreciation I would like to open my house for a barbeque for all members to attend. I will leave it up to the MSR Committee to decide the date to fit in with the Club’s current itinerary.

With thanks, Rob Langer.