Northern Region Midweek Ride Report, 21st May 2019
On a cool and overcast morning with no prediction of rain twelve club members on ten bikes arrived at the Garden Stop Servo for what we all believe will be a great days riding to Alexandra for lunch.
I had to take a second look as a familiar purple Honda of a few years ago rolled into the carpark with another smaller bike trailing behind. Surprise surprise, it was Kay and Phillip. Seems the doctors have some magical tricks up their sleeves with eye operations these days and Phillip is evidence of that. Great to see you guys back !
We leisurely rode through Wattle Glen, Hurstbridge and St Andrews which led us up the mountain to Kinglake and into the clouds. Visibility had dropped with damp roads and cold air greeting us as we travelled the across the ridge line to Pheasant Creek for our morning tea stop at the Flying Tarts.
After a hot cuppa and snacks we headed off to Flowerdale where the riding conditions gradually cleared, then across the Glenburn Road and onto Yea. A right hand turn towards Molesworth, 20 minutes travel then turn off on the Whanregarwen Road towards Alexandra. This great road has everything we look for, great surface, flowing curves, good visibility and very quiet for traffic flow. Our lunch stop (The Provender Café) was across the road from the Public Park and toilets.
We reversed the ride on the way home as the countryside looks different travelling in the opposite direction. A fuel stop at Yea then down the Melba Hwy to Glenburn where a few of our party split and we all travelled home safely, expect Franco, who while riding his Vincent Black Prince between Kinglake West and Whittlesea and encountered a charging problem thus the bike stopping on the mountain. We all stopped in Whittlesea gave Franco a phone call after our TEC Richard Haughton had informed us of Franco’s plight. Franco said a trailer was already on the way for pick up, so the rest of us headed home.
A great journey of approx. 240kms
Until next time Wally Walsh
RIDE PARTICIPANTS: Wally Walsh, Richard Haughton (TEC), Rob King, John & Vicki Best, Kay Di Clemente, Phillip McArou, Reg Hammond, Franco Trento, John Killingsworth, David & Mez McLennan