The forecast wasn’t good and as I took the cover off the bike there were a few raindrops, but the day before I had changed the oil and checked a few things, so I was wound up to go regardless. No rain riding to our meeting place at Cranbourne and the sky was clear in places, and after Graham’s briefing we set off on time. Riding east we crossed the flat country near the north edge of Westernport Bay, an area of drainage channels, straight roads and farms. Later we turned south passing through Lang Lang and corners became more common. Approaching Nyora and Loch the landscape started to become Gippsland-like with gently rolling hills and trees lining the road. Morning tea break was at Loch where Alan Woodbridge on his immaculate 1956 Ariel joined us. I can recommend the cafe’s apple and raspberry slice particularly when warmed. This was no temptation to Richard who brought his own food and hot tea. Conversation at the cafe included an unfortunate hit-from-behind-when-turning-right story, and some discussion of motorcycle clothing brands and their waterproofing capabilities or lack of.

Leaving Loch we climbed the steep hill on the road to Jeetho. From the top of the ridge and to the right I think I glimpsed Westernport Bay and a few minutes later ahead in the distance Bass Strait and on the coast a wind farm. We were now in some of the best South Gippsland motorcycling country, riding over and around green hills dotted with hundreds of black and white cows. The road twisted and turned towards Kongwak with very little other traffic around – it was great fun and still no rain. There were however patches of wet surface, shiny black areas and areas of green lichen growing on the road between the wheel tracks, so some caution was needed. Kongwak was busy with a small market happening.

Some people busy in a paddock waved as we went past, but no waves from a large group of riders characterised by their uniformity who rode past from the opposite direction – black face masks, matt black open face helmets, sunnies, Harleys with very high bars.

Fast corners, slow corners, up and downhill, patches of sunlight, views in all directions if you had time to see them and soon we were riding through Korumburra and later turning left for Poowong and the road north to Drouin for lunch right on time. Sunday lunchtime in the Drouin Bakery is peak period but eventually we sat outside with our food and drink and had a pleasant chat about handlebar warmers,  and bikes bought, sold, and anticipated. Later Graham led us west back towards Melbourne taking the Longwarry – Bunyip road alongside the railway line.

The next morning I drove to work through the morning traffic, gloom and rain with a sense of satisfaction from having been on a good ride in good company in a gap in the weather.

Thanks Graham for organising the ride, Tom for riding tail-end and Jack for his back-up trailer duty (he had no customers).

John Best.

Participants
Graham Boulter (ride leader), BMW R90/6 1975
Richard Houghton, Moto Guzzi 2003
Ted Lhuede, BSA A10
1956Alan Woodbridge, Ariel 500 1956
Tom Myers (tail end rider), BMW R100CS 1981
John Best, BMW R80 1986
Jack Youdan,( back-up trailer).