Victorian Ride Report - Feb 29 2004
(or, “How We Rode Reefton in the wet and Survived!”)

A gathering of most (well..a lot) of the Victorian members for a ride started with those partaking, meeting at Maccas, Diamond Creek (outer Melbourne) early Sunday morning. Mario (ZX6R), Ron (ZZR1100), Mick (ZZR600) and Dan (ZX6R) were already sampling the coffee when Ian (GPx750r), Rob (ZX7R) and Rossi (new ZX9R !) with missus, Linda, as pillion arrived. Dan had upgraded from the ZX2R and also had the new Alpinestar jacket (to match). Newcomer Stuart was missing...having to work (bugger)

All had seen the black Commodore on the  Greensborough bypass on the way in, so were wary about men in blue uniforms... but that was to be the last one for the day.

We were off to to do the ride that we wanted to do last time (Dec 29) but didn't 'coz of the weather...too hot!. This time was lot cooler (overcast and cloudy...a cool 21° was the forecast). The route went something like this; St Andrews, Kinglake, Toolangi, Healesville (via Chum Creek rd, as Myers Creek Rd had just been re-surfaced), Narbethong via the Black Spur, onto Marysville. We were to get a chance to see the 14th annual Biker Bash at Marysville, then onto Cumberland Junction and Reefton (past the  historic old pub at Reefton) to Warburton, Lilydale, Mt Dandenong and home.

Ian led off from Maccas with Ronster as tailend Charlie... Mick doing his 1st group ride with us and us Aussies wanting to show the new immigrants (Rossi and Linda) a few of the roads.. Amazingly, Mario did NOT lose his sunnies this time!

The roads through St Andrews and onto Kinglake swooped under the wheels as the day brightened, and we behaved... onto Toolangi  and the climb up into the hills, brought cooler temps. Then as we swung onto Chum Creek road for the run into Healesville...it started to rain...bloody hell...very cold rain...

For the next 15 minutes or so, we were slip, sliding along a very curvy road. We all got to Healesville without  incident and Mario left us there to go off home (for a wedding). We took a breather in Healesville and then set off for Marysville via the Spur and Narbethong. The rain had stopped (thankfully) but the roads were wet and the ride across the spur was.... ah, exhilarating, as we went on newly surfaced bitumen in the wet... and  some of the bark on the road , is very slippery, when wet (as the signs say).

Arrived at Marysville to music, from the Biker Bash and so we ventured into the Bakery where Ronster, treated all to lunch (having raided the wife's purse)... thanks Ron. And then off to Warburton via  Reefton...well Reefton is biker's heaven.. kilometre after kilometre of curves.. but the road was still wet from the morning showers... so caution was the  order of the day. We all arrived in Warburton in one piece (for a fuel stop and smoko).

Were pleased to finally have done Reefton, but it requires a LOT of concentration in the wet!

Ron and Dan wanted to head off back to the city and Mick was also off up country to home, so Ian, Rob and Rossi (and Linda) were off to the top of Mt Dandenong, for some sights of Melbourne... and from there off home, all arriving all ok but buggered...

Next ride GOR...no date as yet....

Ian

Meeting at Maccas. Time for a quick coffee and change out of the tuxedo and into the leathers. (A’la James Bond.)

Hands up all those with black leather jackets...