Sunday Club ride report, 23rd June 2019

CMCCV June Sunday Ride Report – “Bayside Classics”.  23-06-19.

Up early with nervous excitement for our first Lead Rider event, I went out to get Thruxty ready and almost couldn’t find the garage in the cold thick mist and fog.  Better get some more clothes on.  The club earned enough Bad Weather Credits last Tuesday to give us a clear day but the temperature wasn’t even going into double digits and even worse for those riding in from far away.  We’ll get the sack before we start, for not organising good weather, but the word “cancel” is not in the club’s dictionary.  Never under-estimate the hardy “True Grit” of classic motorcyclists, so we joined the growing group in the fog at Lyndhurst.  Check out the bike list, there’s Classic British, Classic Oriental, Classic Bavarian, Tom’s Can-Am, and then Connor and Kay riding in on 2 Vintage American Indians to make a truly classic tribe of 16 bikes.

Janet, Deborah and Mez tried to keep warm out of the cold mist in pillion position, and also great to have Terry’s young grandson Hudson enjoying a plush chauffeured day out on the back of the Honda VFR.  There was a smile on “Huddo’s” face all day – says it all really.

We set off cautiously down the Westernport Hway and took Ballarto Rd to McLelland Drive (good name for a road, almost family) which goes south and finds Tooradin Rd.  A short hop across to the Moorooduc Rd that was the major road south from Frankston to the old Nepean Hway.  Helmet visors are next to useless in thick misty fog, so big relief as the weather gods began clearing the air and we could actually see the road and countryside.  We used White Hill Rd to get to Arthur’s Seat Rd and up the back of Arthur’s Seat summit and regroup.  Down the back of the hill on Purves Rd and follow Brown’s Rd to The Old Melbourne Rd into Sorrento.  Back in the day, these were the main Peninsula transport and access roads to the farming and Beach-Shack holiday spots, before the residential, tourism and freeway explosions.

Under a sunny sky, we stopped at the Sorrento Ocean Beach Park where if your brakes fail the next stop is Tasmania !  Time for a welcome coffee at the “quiet” end of Sorrento and then, for a better ride, back along Melbourne Rd and Browns Rd to avoid the crowded Sunday traffic of the coastal Café hubs through Rye, Rosebud and Dromana.  Up Old Cape Shank Rd and Bayview Rd to get across to the coast at Safety Beach.  Through the Tunnel under the Martha Cove waterway into the winding Esplanade along the beaches to Mornington.  A regroup and a look at the bay from the Mills Beach Lookout at Mornington, then along Nepean Hway, down Oliver’s Hill through Frankston and Seaford to Café Moto.  This is a great motorcycle based café with an appropriate menu, and Richard was very happy with his “Kawasaki Burger”, complete with black wheel bearing grease mayonnaise.

Many thanks and appreciation to Ian for assistance and support, to John for his ride photos, to Tom and Deborah for being TEC, and to all who braved the dismal morning weather.  We had our “L” plates on as leader and thanks to Mez for the ride prep and making sure I didn’t forget the roads and corners to mark.  We had a great day, thanks for your support and friendship, we hope you all enjoyed the riding, the roads, the views and classic bike exhaust music.  See you on the road.

David and Mez McLennan

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