Mt Buller Sunday 11^th April, 2010

Ron Johnston (Leader)	CBF1000	Rob Jones	GSXR1000
Mark Rigsby (first rear rider)	GSXR1000	Ben Fuller	GSXR1000
Misho Zrakic	CBR1000RR	Paul Southwell	CBR1000RR
Ben Warden	CBR954RR	Pina Garassi (second rear rider)	CBR600RR

Woke at 6.30 am this morning and it was raining hard. Lovely; just what I like to hear. But it was a long way from 8.30 am, so just have to wait and see. Stayed in bed for a while. Then got up and went outside and picked up the paper from the driveway. I had breakfast, poked my head outside a couple of times, and decided to wear wet weather gear for obvious reasons. And I figured it just might be a little bit cold.

Made a flask of coffee to take with me to save money. Ha!

The time finally arrived where I had to get on the bike and take myself to Yarra Glen. I had no sooner arrived when Mark Rigsby rolled up. I haven’t seen Mark in a long time. He volunteered to go rear rider because he had put new wheel bearings in both wheels, installed new disc rotors, fitted new brake pads on the front and wanted to bed everything in.

It’s 9.15am and there are only the two of us. I said to Mark, “Maybe it might be just you and me going.” Weather was okay. Misho and Pina arrived, followed by Ben, Rob Jones and Ben Fuller. Everybody gathered round and I explained the day’s itinerary. I was a bit more prepared this time. I had everything written down: 1. places. 2. mileage. 3. stops.

I made the comment that everyone present knew the Corner Marking System so I wouldn’t have to explain it. Rob pipes up, “I don’t know it, so you will have to explain it to me.” Typical Rob comment!

As we were about to leave Paul Southwell shows. It must be his first ride with the club since his accident? (Second …Ed.)

Back road to Healesville, then Chum Creek, Ryans Road, St Leonards, Camerons Road and on to the Maroondah Highway. This was to be a frustratingly slow ride over the Spur at 80 km/h. It felt like you could get off and walk. As we head into the Spur about a kilometre in, on a down hill right hander, I see a couple of young girls waving their hands to slow us down. I am thinking someone has come unstuck, only to be confronted by some people standing beside a tilt tray, a Commodore and a Nissan Patrol. Strange; no damaged vehicles. But as I pass the tilt tray, I spotted a late model Falcon one ton ute hiding in the bush.

Must have been about 40 to 60 metres down the embankment. I think the towy would have a lot of fun retrieving it. Obviously, the driver lost control on the wet road. Looking at the young ones, they would be Professionals (P platers).

Before the Fernshaw Reserve I ended up passing a Falcon and a couple of other cars further up the road.

Marysville. Quite a few people around. The place is starting to look better. Lots of new buildings going up. Also, there is a self serve servo there. Pay by card. Been there since end of January.

On to Buxton and Acheron where we take the back road through to Alexandra. A nice tight, twisty road, which adds a bit of variety. In Alexandra there were a lot of people. We continue on to Yarck, the first stop. We got rained on, coming into Yarck. The shop was busy. Some coffee orders got mixed up. Pina said to the girl, “Just leave them on the table.” But they belonged to three men at a table under the verandah.

Between Yarck and Mansfield the road is a bit boring. Highway only. Passed lots of 4WDs, both ways, dozens of them. We are being overrun with them. Move over or get squashed.

Upon arriving at Mansfield we headed for the servo at the other end of town, the Caltex on the corner. I was glad when we got there. Get off the bike. We all got fuel. Someone spoke to the lady in the servo and she told them it was three degrees up top (Mt Buller) this morning with a maximum of five degrees.

Rob and Ben Fuller said they were calling it quits and going to the pub for lunch. He also told me that Ben Warden and Paul Southwell had pulled the pin and hadn’t notified the rear rider. Mark said he was going home as well. That left Misho, Pina and me. Quick discussion, unanimous decision; we too would go to the pub with Rob and Ben. Parked bikes on footpath, abandoned our wet weather gear, hung it out to dry and went inside. Then the sun came out. Bloody typical.

Drinks to come, scanned the menu and ordered food. Pina went missing for a while, but eventually came back. The others all had pizzas while I had a chicken in pyjamas. It turned up minus the ham and cheese and sauce, but it still tasted okay. We were at the pub for over an hour and then it was time to head back.

A slow ride out of Mansfield to the Midland Highway. You just never know where the Government Debt Collectors are hiding. They have lots of disguises, but if you are smart enough you will spot them… hopefully!

I picked the pace up a bit once past the turn off. When we arrived at the Kanumbra/Gobur turn off I stopped and told everybody that we would do the Highlands tour to make up for not being able to go up Mt Buller. I found the rest of the trip to Yea a little bit difficult as we were riding into the sun and having to deal with the shadows and bits of leaf litter over the road.

I had originally intended to stop at Yea for fuel, but since we hadn’t travelled far, and it was only 2.30 pm, I suggested we carry on to Kinglake West and finish the ride at the Flying Tart bakery/café. Rob and Ben left us here, so that left Misho, Pina and myself to entertain ourselves. We all had coffee and I had a vanilla slice (sugar fix).

Thanks to everybody who came. It was a bit cold and miserable in places but all in all, it turned out not a bad day. The ride covered 328 kms for the day. Thanks to Mark and Pina for performing the rear riding duties.

On the way home I went down the Kinglake St Andrews Road and bumped into Rob and Ben Fuller leaving the pub at St Andrews. I followed them for a few kms down the road and then took Clintons Road to Christmas Hills, Yarra Glen and home. I rode 410 kms door to door.

PS. Pina, thanks for the coffee.

Ron Johnston