The first of the midweek rides on the club’s annual calendar is always well attended and the January 5 run brought 18 bikes out - a spread of models dating from 1971 to 2010.

No longest-distance awards but riders came from places like Ballarat, Geelong, Greensborough and Warrnambool to ride around Gippsland.

The weather, thankfully, was not 40 degrees, but partly cloudy and warm-cool when we commenced at Narre Warren.

As is his way, Ed Sleightholm led us over good secondary roads through Upper Beaconsfield, Bunyip, and Jindivik to Drouin Bakery for morning tea.  My bike’s instruments showed 10.29AM and 86.2 Km. travelled and as the instruments are branded “Triumph”, of course they are 100% correct!

The ride then did the Drouin South-Poowong-Bena- (tricky bits around here)- Jumbunna-Almurta route into Grantville for lunch stop.

Two incidents to report re this route------ we regrouped at a three- road intersection and someone said “we are stopped, are we lost?”

Another voice said “No way, our leader is Mr Ed Roadmap”. Then said leader took us on a gravel road which prompted Dakar Rally thoughts among some of us dreamers. However it turned out to be 1 KM of road-remaking, doh!

Yes the instruments were still correct and precise, reading 12.56PM/187.4Km on arrival at Grantville.

Some riders took the Bass Highway to head back toward Melbourne post lunch while Ed guided us through the Gurdies area-Nyora-Lang Lang to ride-finish at Tooradin.

At the risk of boring you dear readers, the figures were 2.34PM/237.2KM, and no debate will be entered into.

To finish, I suggest we bestow titles on two regular midweek rider-officials. Ed Sleightholm frequently leads through Gippy (as he calls it) and knows the area so well, he should be “Grand Marquis of Gippsland” or “The Duke of Gippsland” (which ever is nobler).

Bill Weedon is frequently rear-rider on ALL rides and as “tail –end-Charlie” is not very grand, how about “Rear Admiral William”?

Jack Youdan.

JAN. 5 PARTICIPANTS:

Peter Cullen                                  BMW R60/5                          1971 (rear rider)

Tony Border                                 Ducati 750GT                         1972

Gary Williams                              BMW R 100RS                      1977

Adrian Nash                                  Kawasaki 250Z                         1981

Phillip McArdle                            BMW R 90S                              1981

Ian Mair                                        Yamaha XJ900                          1983

Noel Wills                                    BMW R100                               1983

John and Vicki Best                      BMW R80                                 1986

Ray Isles                                        BMW R80                                 1995

Norm Wills                                   BMW R 100RT                         1995

Eric Crombie                                 Triumph Thunderbird                1997

Bill Weedon                                   Honda ST 1300                         2003  (rear rider)

Ed Sleightholm                              Triumph T100                           2005 ( ride leader)

Reg Hammond                               Honda Transalp                          2006

Neil Primmer                                 Honda Deauville                         2007

Burger Drake                                  Triumph Sprint ST                     2008

Daryl Watkins                                 H-D XR 1200                            2009