Meredith            Sunday 14th February, 2010

 

David Ward

Honda CBR1000

Cliff Peters

Kawasaki ZX10

Tim Emons

Honda CBR1000

Rob Langer

BMW R1150GS

Misho Zrakic/Pina Garasi

Honda CBR1000

Cindy Lee

Honmda VTR250

Geoff Jones (leader)

Yamaha R1

Ben Warden

Honda CBR954

Willem Vandeveld (rear)

Honda ST1300

 

 

 

Geoff Jones was pleading on bended knee for someone to do the ride report; I said I would but complained, “If nothing’ happens, I haven’t got anything to write about.”  I now find myself writing glumly about the two crashes which happened; I can still remember the, “Oh no!” feeling when we saw the crashes, Misho and I being the first to witness the aftermath of both. 

Rod Merrett on the red BMW was the first “off” on a downward bend on the Pyalong/Seymour Road, just before the old trestle bridge coming into Pyalong.  Looks like the BMW centre-stand dug into the bitumen and highsided Rod off, the bike eventually crashing into a sign post.  Rod was so keen to get the bike up and going that he wouldn’t even take his helmet off.  But alas, apart from the minor cosmetic damage, Rod could not proceed anywhere as the key had snapped off inside the ignition lock.

Helmet off, Rod called his reliable friend Damian to come and fetch both him and the bike.  Damian is an MSR member (black Yamaha R1) who had just returned from his own Tasmanian adventures. Misho and I were hesitant to leave Rod on his own but we eventually got chased away by his insistence that we should continue on with the ride. 

After a shot of caffeine and a puff of nicotine at Lancefield we set off again making our way via Cobaw, Carlesruhe, Spring Hill, Trentham and Blackwood.  It was just after a very bumpy bit of road on the Greendale/Blackwood Road that Cindy came off after her bike suffered a tank slapper causing her to crash into a grassy ditch.  I just managed to glimpse a flash of the VTR red as Misho was riding past and convinced him to turn around, as well as Willem, the rear rider not far behind us. 

Cindy was groaning with the pain she felt in her chest and shoulder.  A kind motorist with mobile reception called an ambulance. After two ambulances arrived, a paramedic stabilised her and then took her to Ballarat Hospital.  Sensing something was not quite right, Tim Emons and Rob Langer had returned and helped take the bike to a nearby farmhouse.  Ben turned up shortly after for the MSR paparazzi shots, much to Cindy’s mild disgust.  (Rod was a bit more obliging for his post-crash shot, managing to smile a little).

Off to Bacchus Marsh for lunch where the only thing that managed to cheer me up a little was a little Valentine Day’s heart-shaped chocolate which Barb Peters quietly slipped in my hand for Misho and I to share; a most needed release of ‘feel-good’ chemicals was had (thanks Barb x).

The ride then continued on via Meredith, Steiglitz, She Oaks, Anakie, Anakie Junction to finish at Werribee. 

Well Geoff, the wild and bumpy west claims another two victims;  although this in no way deterred Misho from chasing your R1 rocket by doing a pace normally reserved for the Phillip Island ‘straights’.  The tell-tale sign for me is when my sunglasses start to become distorted on my face; so I peer across at the speedo and, “Oh jes_s… it’s fast!” and I quickly sit back, hold on TIGHT and enjoy the ride!

Thanks Geoff for leading us through the western wilderness and to the ever-patient and calm Willem and Rob for rear-riding  - most appreciated.

As posted on the MSR website, the outcome of the crashes:

Rod – hand in plaster; broken ribs; Cindy – plate and pins in shoulder; suspected cracked ribs

We wish them both a very speedy recovery and look forward to seeing their happy faces again on a ride.

 

Pina Garasi