Reefton Spur Sunday 31^st October, 2009

Tony Stegmar (leader)	Suzuki GSXR1000	Dave Chisma	BMW F800ST
Geoff Shugg (rear)	Suzuki DL650	Cameron Stevens	Yamaha FZ6
Craig Morley	Super Motard		5 bikes, 5 people

Riding to the 10 am Yarra Glen start, I have never seen so many stones on the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road, washed out by the rain from people’s driveways and dirt roads. I hope the roads are not going to be like this on the ride.

In Yarra Glen and the first thing I see is the copper on the police bike ride past. I have seen him many times before and wonder if he is wondering where we going today. Only the four of us at the start.

Across to Healesville, down through Woori Yallock, Cockatoo and Garfield for morning tea. The weather has been mild up till now but from here to Neerim South it is very cold with thick fog. We ride along following the white line. Then no white line. Not much to see until a car pops out of the fog with no lights on. Ah, the joys of riding.

Down, off the earth we go, through the gates of hell, soon to venture into copper land. Straight up the highway through Neerim. No back roads here, the fog too thick. Then down the sweepers to Powelltown heading west. The fog clears and it’s warm again. I turn up Tarrango Road and forget about the first sharp left hand corner. A good push on the left bar and a nice bit of rear brake and K9 says, “What’s up?” and we are around the corner. I look in the mirror and see a rider fumbling around in the dirt, still upright, but on the other side of the road. Maybe he was following me!

Then its the Underground Café in Warby for lunch. I see Craig Morley telling a big story to some guys. He’s on his Super Motard with a slick tyre on the back, waiting for us to ride up the Reefton. We regroup at the bottom so we can ride up together. I ride off and appear to be on my own. Then a blue flash catches my eye. I look in the mirror and to my surprise it’s Craig right behind me. So I go a bit harder. But whenever I look in the mirror, I see him back at the last corner. Craig said it was like an elastic band, him catching me in the corners and me pulling away out of them. Then he disappeared. I thought he must have backed off, but it was where the road was more open I pulled away with extra power.

At Cumberland Junction there was a copper on a marked bike booking a ute with a trailer. I stop to wait for the others and Craig goes past. I’m looking at the copper, getting nervous. So I get back on the bike and ride off. As I do, I see him walking towards me. I don’t look at him. At Lake Mountain I was told he did a licence check on the other riders.

Ride nearly over, I’m leading through the Black Spur when I come up behind a blue BMW bike behind a ute. Just when I get there, the BM pulls out and goes past. I follow. When the BM pulls in, I keep going, not too fast. When I look in the mirror, the BM is keeping up with me. Then I see the pretty lights that make my heart pound. I back off and the copper comes up alongside and says “PPUULLOOVVEERR”. I nearly fell in the ditch.

We dismount, gear off. He asks what reason do I have for travelling (he pauses and looks to his bike, then looks back) 34km/h over the limit? I give him two open palms and no comment. He starts to cruise around my bike picking up things: “Front tyre bald on the right hand side.” Yes, I know. I’m going to change it now. “Rear not too good either.” Last ride for that one.

Then he looks at the back of the bike and asks, “Why does everyone change the number plate frame on these things?” I don’t know; it was like that when I bought it; it’s a demo bike! Then he tells me that my type of riding should be confined to track days. I said, “Yes, I’ve been meaning to do more of them!”

I get to hear my own IBR on the radio on the police bike. They can’t even get that right! They provide the wrong number of demerit points (I’m way in front). Then he bends down to check the rego sticker bolted to the bottom of the number plate. The print is really small and there is dirt on it and he has got shades on (never takes them off) so he starts rubbing the sticker to clean the dirt off so he can read it. I’m worried because if you push on it hard enough, the rego label flips up! I wonder what he would have said then. He tells me, “One month, 4 points, $310 dollars”.

I never get to see his eyes. The group was waiting for me in Healesville. What a nice day!

Tony Stegmar