Strathbogie Ranges Sunday 19^th April, 2009

Ern Reeders (leader)	Honda CBR954	Geoff Jones (rear)	Yamaha R1
Ben Warden	Honda CBR1000	Tony Stegmar	Suzuki Hayabusa
Misho Zrakic	Honda CBR1000	Pina Garasi	Yamaha R6
Tim Emons	Honda CBR1000	Cameron Stevens	Yamaha FZ6
Chris Tran	Honda CBR1000	Simon Trubiano	Honda CBR929
Chris Pointon	Suzuki GSXR1000	Ettienne Gous (1^st ride)	Suzuki SV1000
Brad Murphy (1^st ride)	Honda CBR250RR	Henry Wright	Triumph 675

I arrive with about 10 minutes to spare at the Whittlesea pickup. I expected numbers to be down with the recent spate of crashes and the Sandown Ride Day the day before usually leaving patrons sorely in need of new tyres, a problem not easily rectified Saturday evening. So I was pleasantly surprised with the 14 strong turnout including two new riders, Brad on a Baby Blade and Ettienne who I had been corresponding with during the week regarding options on improving the usability of the Club web pages. He is an IT professional working in St Kilda, fresh from France, looking for a hobby combining bikes and IT. We’ll see how we go. Ultimately we should host the pages on a virtual machine somewhere other than Melbourne University. The start of a back-out strategy me thinks … I digress.

After capturing the ICE numbers (In Case of Emergency), Geoff graciously volunteering to go rear rider, and Ern delivering the proposed route and time table for the day, we set off into the ominous looking, low lying clouds. I had decided on the full wets – plastic pants silver taped to my boots to prevent flapping, waterproof jacket to keep out the cold. 21 degrees was forecast in Melbourne and 23 in Seymour, but these clear nights are making for chilly mornings, and today low cloud keeping the warming sun at bay.

For a number of people the ride through the fire ravaged Kinglake West to Flowerdale region was their first visit. It can be profoundly moving with evidence of destruction, and by inference, death, clearly on display. But from devastation springs life, some varieties of trees already becoming “hairy” as they sprout leaves along the length of their blackened trunks. And the recent rains had ignited grass growth on some of the open paddocks. In other places bracken is sprouting furiously and tree ferns are already on to their fourth or fifth frond. A dead wombat indicates animal life is reappearing.

Ern keeps a surprisingly stready pace through here which suits me. Life is short. Best not to dwell too much. We’re here to have fun! I note Pina’s riding has improved dramatically, even from Tasmania. Having a functioning engine running smoothly and reliably takes the stress out of riding. It appears the fix to the months of angst was a combination of returning the bike to standard air filter and exhaust system, and a thorough clean of the fuel induction system, a Yamaha special hybrid: half injected, half carburated.

It was a three minute wait at Yea as some riders took in the devastation at a more leisurely pace. Then on to Merton for a regroup at the 100 km mark. As I hove into sight, Ern was just about to set off. After a short breather and visor clean, the ride proper started: back road twisties.

It was now a glorious day, still cool but promising to warm up the further north we went. Now on the Euroa Road, up and over Craig’s crash corner, a bit further on past Ken (Wurster’s) crash corner, then right turn to Strathbogie and over the new bridge (Ern’s crash corner), sitting behind Ettienne for a while, contemplating the pain runners and jeans would not spare in the advent of an easy-to-have, can-happen-to-anyone, crash. Mental note: better have a chat to him; hope peer group pressure (everyone except him is wearing full leathers and proper motorcycle boots) influences his behaviour on future rides.

Crikey the roads are bumpy out this way, but the old Honda is stable and compliant. They have done a little bit of work to improve the quality, but no where near enough to make this section pleasant apart from being on the bike and in good company. Exactly as noted in the pre-ride spiel, 150 km and into Euroa for fuel. Then around to the bakery for lunch. The role of the Secretary is never done and I knew we had some frequent riders who hadn’t committed to the Club financially. I captured Tony’s details and hard earned readies. Similarly I recorded Chris Tran’s details with a promise of dollars to come – on the next ride.

Back on the road again in glorious sunshine we ran parallel to the Hume Freeway for a while. I hadn’t noticed this road on the map before, expecting us to head inland and around to Violet Town via long and arrow straight roads. Soon enough we were forced to rejoin the Freeway for a strictly legal ride taking the Violet Town exit and immediate right over the freeway heading for Boho South. It was good to come down these roads again, much wider and more pleasant than I remembered. Tim was looking at the rear of his bike; maybe his near bald tyre was moving around a little with Misho on his hammer. They corner marked at the next intersection and I thought nothing of it.

Back into Strathbogie retracing our steps through Polly McQuinns and back to Merton where I corner marked. Tim’s tyre issue had turned into possibly a puncture with the tyre pressure down to 24 psi. Geoff, Cameron and Misho stayed with Tim to investigate and fix the puncture while I assumed the rear riding position, riders now scattered all over the country. We turned right off the highway and headed for Gobur. At each successive intersection, I explained to the set of corner markers that I was now rear rider and other riders were assisting Tim.

But it wasn’t long before Geoff, Cameron and Misho hove into view. No issue was discovered with Tim’s bike tyre other than low pressure, but an unrelated green puddle of coolant formed at the stop. Tim decided to head home directly.

Where we start heading south to Caveat a local farmer accosted me in his large white ute impressing upon me the perils of riding fast on these heavily policed roads, and in particular to be aware of stock on the roads in these drought times. Hmm. Well warmed up by previous riders’ antics I guessed.

There were no corner markers at the next intersection which turned to dirt if you went straight. Though once obvious that the main road sweeps around to the right, the dirt bit is now wider and more inviting. I suggested to Geoff I would ride the bitumen way to check if anyone else had ventured this route and he would continue as per the Club Road Rules the gist of which states “on any unmarked intersection, continue straight”.

I continued alone to Caveat and Highlands, marvelling at how smooth this section of road is, nary another vehicle to be seen, the countryside green and fertile, the only danger the possibility of meeting a bull koala mid corner. Down to civilisation and the Yea Seymour Road where who do I meet? Ern and Tony! We agreed to continue on to Yea, figuring the rest would eventually find their way to Yea, whatever torturous way they went. Twenty minutes later they did in fact arrive, but from the west. Wise heads prevailed after 500 metres of dirt and after a regroup, the ride proceeded on the correct path duplicating the leader’s route. A long, leisurely stop ensued, the day still young. Then back on the bikes for the last fling into Kinglake West and final goodbyes.

But not before a photo-shoot at the burnt out shop fronts. Our stopping signalled to other car drivers that it was okay to stop and take photos. There was quite a group by the time we called it a day.

Thanks Ern for leading a well thought out ride. The Euroa Bakery was quite a discovery and allowed for lunch around midday. And thanks to Geoff, now a grandfather I note, for rear riding duties.

The official ride length was 360 km, both measured and advertised, though I am running a high profile rear tyre reading 5% low on the odometer. Home to home 460 easy kilometers for the day.

Ben Warden