Sunday October 05, 2008

In spite of early weather forecasts Saturday the 15^th turned out to be a day perfect for motorcycling  as thirteen riders and five pillions, (including a very welcome  number of new that and near-new members), set out on Peter Baulch’s much-anticipated Otways weekend.

Our route this year was along the Monash to the service centre before the Westgate bridge for a brief stop then to the outskirts of Geelong for fuel and refreshment then through Torquay to the Great Ocean Road, the plan was to stop at Lorne for lunch however it transpired that Lorne on day had become the Mecca for push bike riders from all over Victoria there were serious riders as well as mum’s and dad’s, our conservative estimate was at least 5,000 bikes in and around the district, I noted one rider with registration number 2,739.  We were only able to stop on the hill 500 metres out of town and decided that we would be unable to be fed with the crowd in town so pushed on to Apollo Bay for lunch.

After lunch it was decided to ride on to Port Campbell then through Colac and on to Gellibrand, as we left Port Campbell and headed inland the temperature increased by about 15 degrees, any discomfort was soon forgotten after arrival at the caravan park where due to Peter’s good relationship with the management awaiting us were ice cold beers, wine and snacks.

Given daylight saving was in our favour a BBQ dinner was enjoyed at the camp kitchen rather than at the local Pub, five intrepid travellers did visit that establishment to ensure refreshments lasted through the evening and to prove the old adage of a small world there at the bar was a chap from Rosebud whose farther had purchased a car from Peter Lees some years ago fortunately the car was still in the family and operating so we did not have to beat a hasty retreat.

After a meal of tender steak, tasty sausages and a mountain of salad plus dessert for those who could manage it the evening’s entertainment was provided by the talking heads Erica, Ian and Peter Lees, with astute questions to the group Erica aka Brittany Spears won the night, Peters questions were not as penetrating but were certainly entertaining with the frequently asked am I a …. …. I dare not say more as he knows where I live and promised retribution; Ian struggled with his sex change to Hilary Clinton all of which contributed to a fun night.

Next morning Peter with second chef Alan in charge of eggs produced an excellent breakfast before we headed off to a brief visit with Colin McKenzie a local character at Weeaproinah a spot that usually has an average rainfall of eighty inches (2000 mm – the wettest place in Victoria), but not lately.  It was then on to the Triplet Falls for a testing walk in the hot weather for the majority then on to the Otway Fly before the return trip to Colac for lunch.

In Colac the temperature at 1.30pm was 41degrees so Trevor and Jim decided to wait until the cooler late afternoon before riding home. The remainder followed Peter. whose navigation skills have not been seen since the days of Christopher Columbus, along various back roads to Queenscliff and on to the 5.00pm ferry to Sorrento.

We all know that motorcycles tend to fall over in your own driveway and just to prove that it is easier to control a moving bike than a stationary one Peter’s ST tested the crash bars while on the footpath at Colac and on the last corner marking of the day I stopped put the left foot out but not before the Guzzi put both of us in the gutter those following stopped to assist and at that point Brian’s Vstrom decide to lie down as well.  All of which reminds me of a passage in a book about a world trip on a bike when after a crash the author said “at the end of a hard day when you want to go fast, slowdown”.