This month there were two club riding opportunities within three days, so having enjoyed the Old Bike Ride and the Sugarloaf Reservoir BBQ on Sunday, we set off again the following Tuesday for Paul’s midweek starting from Greensborough. Trundling through the mayhem and dust at the NE Link tunnel works at Watsonia, we then negotiated the huge queue at the Grimshaw Road intersection by skipping it and pushing in at the front: which I don’t like doing but the alternative would mean we would probably still be there.
Most of this was forgotten as we met the others at the servo and listened to Paul’s ride briefing. There was an interesting mix of bikes present including three classics. The forecast rain seemed increasingly unlikely as we followed Paul along the Christmas Hills road, enjoying the ride and fetching up at Paul’s cafe of choice at Healesville for a morning coffee break. The service was efficient and we all enjoyed a chat sitting outside the cafe.
More fun followed as we rode along suitably bendy country roads through the green and pleasant landscapes of Woori Yallock, Cockatoo and then the Gembrook area. Lunch was at the Spencers Store cafe in Gembrook: Vicki and I enjoyed chicken and cheese toasties. Being a small group we were able to all sit around one table, so that was sociable.
After lunch the ride gradually dispersed as riders took their differing ways home, we followed Paul back to the start via Launching Place, Don Valley, Healesville and Christmas Hills. It had been excellent riding in good company and in good weather conditions. Thanks Paul for the day, the last this year of several enjoyable Midweek North rides. Thanks Peter for riding TEC.
John Best.
Participants:
[table]
Rider, Year, Bike
Mark Hine, 1960, Triumph Thunderbird
Scott Oldfield, 1975, BMW R90S
John and Vicki Best, 1986, BMW R80
John Addy, 2008, Suzuki GSX650
Paul Clayton (Ride Leader), 2014, Honda VFR800
Peter Hansen (Tail End Charlie), 2017, Triumph Street Twin
Rob King, 2018, Triumph T100
Brian Mapleback, 2023, BMW F900XR.
[/table]