Wonthaggi Sunday 5^th September, 2010

Ian Payne (leader)	Honda CBR1000	Ben Warden	Honda CBR954
Misho Zrakic/Pina Garasi	Honda CBR1000	Cliff Peters	Kawasaki ZX12R
Ron Johnston (rear)	Honda CBF1000	Dave Bennett (1^st ride)	Triumph 955i

The usual little pack of mad-weather riders and one first-timer, probably mad as well, turned up today with the prediction of gale force winds and heavy rain. Well, what a surprise the day ended up being: sun peeking through the clouds most of the day and dry roads except for wet patches where the water was overflowing from grassy embankments. But there was a lot of dodging fallen branches, gravel patches and heaps of fallen foliage caused by the wild Saturday weather.

It was lovely to have our President leading us today, taking us via the curly way out of Berwick and then on to the speedier roads eventually leading us to our first stop at Loch for a combined morning tea/lunch break. (Hmm, I was wondering why I had started to feel a bit hungry before the ride had stopped… this explained it!) Coffee was good at my auspicious little café from where I first sighted the MSR Club many years ago. The clever girl remembered exactly how to make my coffee the way I like it and was complimented with a request for a second one! This café will survive.

After a thirty second rain shower, we headed off towards Wonthaggi via cow country with plenty of twisties along the way to keep the concentration up. The sight of the rugged coast was all too fleeting, the vegetation obscuring the vista. The President had hopes of a tour of the desalination plant but there was no way we were gaining access. Ben even took a closer look at the locks around the gates to the entrance – no luck. Too much controversy surrounding the project to leave it exposed to potential acts of sabotage, so we take a tourist photo in front of the desalination project sign instead.

I notice the surrounding wind turbines all at a standstill and think how strange that they are not working furiously on such a windy day like today. I first sighted these mighty wind turbines in my father’s home town in Sicily a few years ago where they were being put to very good use. The local ‘eco-mafia’ have invested heavily in this wealth-creating clean energy - thirty wind farms so far with another sixty planned – a bizarre sight in towns where time has stood still.

We head off for lunch to our favourite fish and chips shop in Inverloch where they make the tastiest chips - so yummy on a cold day. Cliffy thoughtfully bought enough chips for all of us to share and we devoured them like hungry seagulls.

Time to head back home via Jindivick, the President deciding to by-pass this bit (due to neck pain) and meet us directly at Longwarry. With Ben now leading, the rest of us arrive full of smiles at Longwarry after having had ourselves a good bit of yee-hah. We say our goodbyes and face the long stretch home via the freeway whereby the forecast rain and crazy wind materialises full force – as if to say “suffer!” But too late; we’ve already had our fun and nothing can take that away from us!

Thanks to: Ian for leading the ride, my fellow riders for your great company, Ben for following us all the way home on the freeway, and to my speed-master, Misho – for giving me the best thrills.

Pina Garasi