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Our first run for the New Year was yet another successful and enjoyable one and a great start for the New Years riding.  Coincidentally we had the same amount of riders as the previous midweek ride (the last one for 2008) being eleven.
Leaving the Stamford Hotel starting point on time we headed East along Wellington Rd running into somewhat damp conditions in the form of about a 15 to 20 minute medium to light shower which cleared between Clematis and Emerald.
Very pleasant riding up around this area on a cool, fresh morning and just as pleasant over and down to the Cockatoo area to Gembrook then heading down to the Eastern end of Pakenham via Army Rd onto the Princes Hwy.
A short run down the highway before turning off to Nar Nar Goon and the along to Tynong, Garfield and our intended morning tea stop at Bunyip. I say intended because it didn’t happen! The café had no food, (like the pub with no beer!) So back on the bikes and through Longwarry to our favourite bakery in the middle of Drouin.
After morning tea Eddie led us on our second session up to Neerim South via Brandy Creek and Rokeby. Very attractive farmland country up this area and excellent roads for a bit of spirited riding, particularly from Neerim South and through Neerim East to Neerim Junction before riding down though part of the Bunyip State Park forest to Noojee.
Without stopping at Noojee (a first for me) we rode west to Whites Corner and did a loop back to Neerim Junction via Nayook. Then an excellent run down to Langwarry North via Neerim , Neerim South and Jindivick.
From Longwarry North we headed back to our Drouin bakery for lunch via Robin Hood.
Our final leg was down to Drouin South then over to Modella, Catani, Bayles and Koo Wee Rup North. As I was in no particular hurry, I left the group here to head home via the more appetizing traffic free bike friendly country roads via Pakenham and then Gembrook, Hoddles Creek, Launching Place, Healesville, Yarra Glen and Diamond Creek.
The main group would have started to part company around the Clyde and Cranbourne arrears. My total distance for the day 412 klms. As always I thoroughly enjoyed this midweek run and apart from that earlier shower the rest of the day remained dry and for bike riding was near perfect except for my final last 50 kays or so when the late afternoon sun decided to kick in, got a little too hot for my liking plus I was riding smack into it. Got home a little weary but happy.
Reg Hammond
PARTICIPANTS
GRAHAM BOULTER TRIUMPH T100 BONNY 2008
BILLWEEDON HONDA POLICE BIKE CB650 1978
PHIL McARDLE BMW R90S 1975
ED SLEIGHTHOLM TRIUMPH T100 BONNY 2005
GORDON PATERSON TRIUMPH TRIDENT 1975
ALAN WHITAKER HONDA HORNET 1997
TONY BORDER BMW R100RS 1982
RAY ISLES BMW R80 1995
JACK YOUDAN YAMAHA F21 2006
REG HAMMOND HONDA TRANSALP 2006
DARYL WATKINS HONDA VS750 1983 |
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