It's a jungle out there
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:19 pm
Had a somewhat troubling evening domestically Friday night and at about 11pm I decided that out was a better social environment. Grabbed the jacket and helmet and jumped on the bike, thinking I'd go see a mate and maybe have a beer or something.
Toodling along on the ZRX and calming nicely I realise that the evening was fantastic for riding, great temp and little wind, and having not done a good night country ride for a bloody long time, I headed for the northern vicinities, Wallan initially, Whittlesea then Flowerdale and on to the Melba for a run back to Mel was the plan.
Initially the cruise was great, speed limit all the way just getting reaquainted with riding in the dark again. Made a left turn onto the Wallan-Whittlesea Rd and gave it a squirt up the initial straight section and *oh fark*
roos on the left - luckily stationary (and stayed that way) but about 3 grazing on the road verge..
Bit of a reminder to self thinking "night time - bound to be a few more around than usual". No sooner finished thought than Fox runs across road just in front, "yep thought so" I thinks. Maybe another 5 kms go by and another big roo jumps across the road about 40 metres (and closing) in front, missed by a good margin but they're bloody unpredictable and it just gives you the heebies not knowing if the bastards gonna take a hop to the left. I am starting to get owl eyes looking through the headight beam so intently by now.
Carried on along the chosen route and now getting close to Kinglake turnoff and another Fox and then small rodent looking thing observed crossing the road, I started to think that maybe this wasn't the best idea, I am having so little fun watching for *ANY* movement on the road side that I could not really concentrate on enjoying the ride.
Decide to quit while ahead and peel off at Kinglake for Diamond Creek. I proceed fairly cautiously down a very twisty but familiar road, where before Melbourne suburbs appear I have another 2 Kangaroo stickers - including one standing ON the road at left hand apex - and 3 little furrys plus another fox. The last bit of this road was done at about 70kmh avg as the road was a teeming mass of biological possibility!!
Made it back OK and didn't manage to flatten anything (or visa versa!) but I have never seen so many critters on a single ride and so short too, only 125kms!! Dunno whether it's water, recent fires or what but there's sure lot of em out and about.
Toodling along on the ZRX and calming nicely I realise that the evening was fantastic for riding, great temp and little wind, and having not done a good night country ride for a bloody long time, I headed for the northern vicinities, Wallan initially, Whittlesea then Flowerdale and on to the Melba for a run back to Mel was the plan.
Initially the cruise was great, speed limit all the way just getting reaquainted with riding in the dark again. Made a left turn onto the Wallan-Whittlesea Rd and gave it a squirt up the initial straight section and *oh fark*
roos on the left - luckily stationary (and stayed that way) but about 3 grazing on the road verge..Bit of a reminder to self thinking "night time - bound to be a few more around than usual". No sooner finished thought than Fox runs across road just in front, "yep thought so" I thinks. Maybe another 5 kms go by and another big roo jumps across the road about 40 metres (and closing) in front, missed by a good margin but they're bloody unpredictable and it just gives you the heebies not knowing if the bastards gonna take a hop to the left. I am starting to get owl eyes looking through the headight beam so intently by now.
Carried on along the chosen route and now getting close to Kinglake turnoff and another Fox and then small rodent looking thing observed crossing the road, I started to think that maybe this wasn't the best idea, I am having so little fun watching for *ANY* movement on the road side that I could not really concentrate on enjoying the ride.
Decide to quit while ahead and peel off at Kinglake for Diamond Creek. I proceed fairly cautiously down a very twisty but familiar road, where before Melbourne suburbs appear I have another 2 Kangaroo stickers - including one standing ON the road at left hand apex - and 3 little furrys plus another fox. The last bit of this road was done at about 70kmh avg as the road was a teeming mass of biological possibility!!
Made it back OK and didn't manage to flatten anything (or visa versa!) but I have never seen so many critters on a single ride and so short too, only 125kms!! Dunno whether it's water, recent fires or what but there's sure lot of em out and about.