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 Friday, a day off work, get the riding gear together, fill up the bike and head out of Melbourne for the open roads and countryside around Ballarat. It’s many years since we have visited the city and we were surprised at its extent as we approached from the north, having meandered via Daylesford for lunch on the way. Threading past the Gold Rush architecture in the centre of Ballarat we found our way to the Miners Retreat motel and several other club members, the socializing starting soon after when 28 of us had dinner at the Queen's Head Hotel.
See photos in the Gallery.
Saturday morning - the sky looked promising with some sun and patchy cloud as we set off from the motel for the ride’s start at Buninyong. Here was a most impressive sight - 42 classic bikes, 52 bikes in total. This strong turnout included several invited Vincent riders.
Walking around the parked bikes that morning I reflected on the investment of time, skill and enthusiasm necessary on the part of the owners to bring these old bikes to an event like this in reliably working and gleaming condition. And with every bike a story, often of difficulties and challenges overcome.
Burger gave us clear instructions and then led us down the Midland Highway for a blast before turning off at Meredith towards Steiglitz and the bendy bits, then towards She Oaks, through Maude and on to Anakie for morning tea, local riders from the Ulysses Club (Central Highlands) providing most of the corner marshalling.
At Anakie after the morning break the first drops of rain splashed down on us. All my fault – I’d left my waterproof trousers at home. There were a few showers as we rode through lovely countryside north to Ballan, through Greendale and onto Trentham for lunch at the pub, where a wood stove radiated welcome heat drying out damp riders and pairs of gloves. Good food and company – then it was off to Daylesford, then Creswick for a regroup and. now for more food, this time well hosted at Bruce Armfield’s home back at Brownhill, Ballarat – tasty scones, jam and cream, and a bit of a peek at the treasures inside his bike shed.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think I noticed the pace of the ride increase slightly with the promise of scones ahead. Maybe VicRoads needs a new advisory sign for motorcyclists: ‘SCONES! Next 10 km’.
The showers didn’t really spoil the party, it was a terrific ride on the Saturday, and we missed the worst of the weather – a thunderstorm hit Ballarat shortly after we returned, driving rain from the south wetting bikes under the verandah at the motel. More fun on Saturday night with 50 of us for dinner at the Sebastopol Bowling Club. Dinner was a friendly affair with conversations ranging across the frequent concerns of motorcyclists - clothing and how waterproof it is or isn’t and where the bargains are, who sold which bike to whom, where to get special parts and services, and previous rallies remembered.
Sunday morning was bright and sunny as we met again at Buninyong with the numbers only slightly down from Saturday’s turnout. This time Burger led us in a different direction, through Napoleons and the Staffordshire Reef where a narrow road wound through hilly bush widely mined during the gold rush period. More great riding country for classics.
Later we paused at Rokewood still under blue skies, and at this point the first bike went on the backup trailer with a flat tyre. Chatting had to cease when Burger put his period pudding basin helmet back on and led us back via Shelford through a landscape of wide open spaces and straight country back roads for barbequed sausages and generous plates of chocolate at Buninyong, from where we later went our different ways home.
Enjoyable weekends like this one take a lot of careful planning and organisation and thanks are due to Burger and Margaret, and Bruce for their efforts which included attention to detail, for example, at the start we were each issued with slips of paper which listed the stopping places for the weekend and handy phone numbers. On Saturday evening after the ride I noticed Burger was still in action, helping a Vincent rider at the Miner’s Retreat motel by riding home during the storm and returning later with some vital part or tool. Thanks are also due to the invited Ulysses local members for their marshalling, Don McMaster with back up trailer, and the preparers of scones, sausages and chocolates.
List of participants:
Malcolm Wilson 62 BMW R60/2
Christine Wilson 82 BMW R65/LS
Colin & Julie Sullivan Norton Commando
Ian & Jan Kennedy Honda outfit
Stan Rogers Triumph Tiger
Bob Allan 69 Triumph Bonneville
Bob Williams BMW R100R5
Ken Jackson Vincent Rapide
Cameron McMahon Vincent Comet
Burger Drake Vincent Rapide
Chris Wier Vincent Black Shadow
Charlie Sharpe Vincent Comet
Wally Walsh Vincent Black Shadow
Neal Videan & NokVincent Black Shadow
Stan & Amy Mucha Vincent Comet
Phil Pilgrim Vincati
Dean Watts Triumph 1966 TR6
Neville Humphries Triumph 1951
Ed Sleightholm BSA Lightning 1971
David Fitzgerald Norton 600 SS
Alan & Val Smith 56 AJS 350
Ross Patrick 56 Norton
Ray Harrison Norton 750 Commando
Michael Simpson Norton
Wayne Berry BSA Rocket 3
Richard &Dot Sommerville Honda 750 F1
Graeme Kelly Harley Pan Head
David Kelly Matchless CSR 650
Chris Risdale BMW R75/5
Chris Horner Triumph Bonneville 1969
Tony Border BMW R6 1937
Paul Caine Triumph T150V
Darren Duffin Triumph
John Fontanella Indian Chief
Ray Humphries BMW R65 LS
Harold George BMW 1976 R100
Jol Dunn BMW R90/6
Phil McArdle BMW R90 S
Kay DiClemente Honda
Noel Wills BMW K100S
Norm Wills BMW R100RT
Bob Lee Honda 500/4 1975
Robbie Philpott Honda CX 500 1981
Ray Isles BMW R80
Alf Berry Yamaha T Max
Trevor Evans Yamaha
Dick Ross Harley Davidson
Ken Jiggins Yamaha T Max
Tom Myers BMW R100 CS
Colin Young Harley Davidson
James Fitzgerald Yamaha FZ
Eric & Jane Foster BMW1150
John & Vicki Best Suzuki Bandit
Philip White Ariel Cyclone
Ed & Sandra Lauder Honda Hornet
Daryle & Kaye Kopke BMW
Jack Youdan Triumph Sprint
Bruce Armfield Kawasaki W650
Elaine Watson Ute
Vern & Marge Dalton Car
Don McMaster Backup trailer.
John Best
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