[strika]

We departed Melbourne city at about 10am yesterday and headed out via the Tullamarine fwy and then did the ring road around to the hume. I wanted to try and get a few klms under us, before the brides bum started getting sore and requiring 50klm pit stop intervals!We turned off the Hume and headed to Donnybrook, then left to Whittlesea.

Kinglake west to Flowerdale, then up over Junction Hill to Yea. The Junction Hill section was great fun too, with those constant radius turns keeping things nice and smooth and flowing. While I love the cut n thrust of hard braking and max throttle on the track, I prefer smooth flowing road rides where you can roll from full lean to full lean on a constant throttle.We continued on thru Yea and cruised up to Mansfield for lunch.
From Mansfield we headed out to tolmie and then Whitfield. The road was really clean and clear, but there were loads of bikes going both ways. Must have been a Ulysses ride on somewhere, as they were antiques for the most part, and not the bikes. They were mostly late model or near new. Loads of fcukin Harleys, and a fair few Beemers, with a smattering of tourers and the odd naked. Even saw a Hornet S with the front fairing.

This section of road was a hoot as always, and when we stopped for fuel the signs were visible. The addition of a pillion sure does warm those tyres up a lot.
We cruised @ the 1.20 mark till Porepunkah where we decided to take a look up Mt Buffalo. All the times I have been up there, I had never done Buffalo, so thought as we were in the touring mood, we would scoot up for a lookie. The road was in great condition. It would have to be one if the twistiest little roads I have ridden. Reminded me of that little ****er at the back of the Adelaide hills (can't remember it's name but its a switchback rd). It was swithcback after switchback, and rode rapidly. I personally thought it was Quite spectacular. As did the Bride.........................once she got over the motion sickness

When we pulled up outside the Cafe at the Summit, the bride had to take a quick visit to the loo's and not to do a number one or two either. Just before we left, a young girl and boy of maybe S-7 H-5 took a fancy to the bike. So I just had to instill them with some motorcycle passion, so I threw them on the back, while mum and Dad took piccies and a vid, and did a few laps around the top carpark with them on the back. The little girl was keener than the little boy about it all. You should have seen the smile on her little face

A longer than usual break, and we hopped back on the bike again. I decided to roll down the mountain with my engine off to try and keep the bride's lunch intact. It worked a treat, with both of us having a relaxing roll down the hill. It's pretty funny overtaking cars as you come down the hill, and them not hearing an engine....they give plenty of double and triple takes, then much gesticulating occurs!!!
It was good from another perspective too, the parrots and lorikeets n other birds couldn't hear us and more often than not we would roll around a corner to find a flock of birds in our path. It was great, we were going slow, so we never hit them, but they would fly off all around us. Like being in an aviary. I loved it!!!! Rolling down is also a great way to encourage corner speed, although I was taking it easy this time to placate the Bride!!!! We headed up to Bright from here, arriving about 4ish, can't remember zachary!!!

Had Dinner last night at 92 on Gavan. Which is owned by the daughter and son-in-law of the Hotel we stay at. It really rates as a top restaurant. The equivelent of some of the best I have eaten in across Oz. Just a warning though, book ahead, as they only do one sitting a night, and we watched them turn away no less than 20 different sets of potential eaters while we were chowing down.But the food is mint, and the service is super friendly and the owner has really nice perfume!!!

After dinner we went for a romantic walk down by the river, and watched two teens awkwardly groping each other while attempting to kiss pationately. Oh to be a teen again....and know what I know now!!!!

We were both pretty tired, me having had a big week work wise (had to work three four whole days this week) and the bride not being bike fit (some of you other pillions in a million will know the feeling) we made our way back to the Hotel, and had a quiet night in.


Checked out at about 8.30am this morning and went around to the Tea house for breakky (Just up from the IGA supermarket Opp the Bakery) and had a big breakky, before departing about 9.15am.

It was chilly, we estimated that it was maybe 16 or 17 degrees when we left Bright, judging by the nipplometer!We were both glad for wearing the winter gear. I even put on my thick winter gloves this morning, to ensure I was totally comfy going over the mountains. Nothing worse than being cold on a bike. Hot I can handle, cold I detest. Cold n wet is just the worse. Thankfully none of that on this trip.

The run from Bright to Harrietville was taken at a sedate pace. But once we hit that tight left after Harietville we were into it. Over dinnner last night the bride and I had discussed her motion sickness of that day, and had come to the conclusion that unlike the last ride up Reefton spur that she went on, this ride she was not tilting her head in the turns, but rather leaving it in line with her body and the bike. Thus we figured this was what had done it. And sure enough after following my advice, she was as good as gold for the remaindr of the trip, which meant we could wick it back up a tad into real pillion mode.....

Hotham was horn. No roadworks, an no traffic. We blasted up here as quick as I dared. And what a run it was. We stopped just after the hollow to take a pic of the road as it winds along. I havn't downloaded all the pics yet so it may be one for a future post. We stopped at Hotham to find the digital readout saying about 9.50 am and 12 degress.At this point I would just like to sy a big thankyou to Joe rocket for the pants n jacket, and Frank Thomas for the venerable winter gloves!!!

From Hotham on has to rate as one of the best rides available in this fine brown land of ours. Gotta say that from Hotham on we light it up big time. FTP I said!!! We hammered down the hill into Cobungra and Omeo. The sweepers are mad, and you can see for miles ahead, so speed isn't an issue. We stopped at Omeo for a ciggie and a leak and then got back into it! From Omeo to Bruthen is truly an amazing bit of road, although I will warn those who havn't done it, that whomever the local council is, the people who work out the speed advisory signs are a little mental. they must drive all paw Porshces or sumfink. And some are just not marked at all. Several times we tipped into a turn with both of us saying OMGIGFD!!!! Several Hairpins are not marked also, so just be a tad cautious if you plan on doing it.

The other interesting thing to happen on this road was line marking. Faark, these guys were good....... I noticed coming along a section just after Swifts Creek, that it had new lines. No signs or anything at this point to indicate they were WET!!! Till I tipped it into a nice 60klm/h turn (that means 100 max on most of this road with a pillion, otherwise it's gardening time) and the front end let go!!!The winkie muscle immediately went into overdrive, and my brain started to make calculations again. By this stage once again the bike had sorted it all out, and we were back on track. But it got me thinking at the time, faark, they are slippery, remind me to ring the council n see wtf they painted it with. It's skatey!!!

Then about 10 klms up the road I see a slow moving truck with flashing lights. As we drew closer, it has a sign saying "Line marking Wet paint"... Too fcuking late now dickheads!!! So I gave em the traditional straffing run and fcuked off none too happy about there OH n S ideals!!!!

The run from here to Bairnsdale was uneventful. We stopped for lunch here and refuelled. Then took the first left out of town into the Bengwarden road. That little parrallel road that avoids the plod presence!!!!! Well not any ****ing more let me tell you. I had light it up along here to make up some time and knowing it was plod free, when exoiting a corner at some 1.50, I notice the last car in the row of three coming towards me has couloured roofracks!!!!!!! He was a good bloke and we negotiated a discount to 1.20 and got on with it. That's the first time I have been pinged in **** I dunno......7 years.... and the second time on a mudaboik. I blamed the Bride, as if it had been just me I would have been doing 2.20+ on that road, and he wouldn't have been able to catch me!!!

Anyhoo, from here on i had the shits and the whole FTP attitude had returned, and I light it right up this time. Took it the back way till Drouin, then jumped onto the Freeway. Man were there some Fangios ou on the road today....I tagged onto the back Of a big 4wd d/cab which was holding a steady 1.30 with runs up to 1.50 and I just drafted him for maybe 40klms. Then he pulled off and I tagged onto a X-trail doing zachary the same. Made it home to Che` Strika at 4.40pm!! 900+ klms travelled all up in the two days. And just about the most fun I have had with my pants on in years!!!

[ReaperAZ]

Sounds like a nice ride. Cool pics too.