docc Posted December 7, 2022 Posted December 7, 2022 On 6/25/2022 at 9:18 PM, guzzler said: Did you get the Eye of Newt...? Nah! How'd you go with the Stoats toenail..? No go! Yeah and Blackie ( the black cat ) sensed it wasn't a great time to be about either! So no offerings to the Gods then?? Nope we're on our own.....! And so it was come 9.30 ish on a damp single digit and overcast Saturday morning we set forth from Drouin ( aka Dodge ) on our quest for the border. Nice open twisty road on the way up to Noojee let both bikes and blokes warm up,but come the short-cut thru Nayook to Noojee-Launching Place Rd we ran into the first of the fog for the day.The road was tight twisty and damp so concentration needed. All good though and popped out onto the Nooj/LJ rd and great open sweepers through the dense forest / bush, up and over the pass and dropping down for the run into Launching Place, then more tight damp twisties thru the Yarra Ranges that ring Melbourne's East and North.Great fun and even got a wee bit of sunshine for a bit! After an hour or so of this we finally popped out thru Toolangi onto the Yea road and gained a bit more elevation.It was here we ran into the FREEZING FOG...! Oh dear it was also about here I started to think that fate and the gods hadn't finished with us just yet, and WHY THE HELL didn't I pack let alone wear my THERMAL underwear??The temp was about 3-4 degrees and after about 80-100 kays...I was feeling the cold. Finally after what seemed an eternity we rolled into Yea and parked up in search of warmth and coffee! Rich you're bleeding says Dave Shit so I am says I. My hands are that cold I can't feel them and cut myself on my jacket zipper... Anyways we had a great cuppa in a nice and WARM cafe and thawed out over the next 30mins or so.It was about here that Dave starts regaling me about the virtues of electrically heated gloves/jacket and long johns ( with booties none the less ) and how nice and toasty he was and how cold was that last stretch? I can't believe you're not wearing any thermals....! Don't go there. I think it was about Molesworth 30 or so minutes later that the fog cleared and the sun came out and we got to see a bit of the scenery.Pulling into Mansfield later Mt Buller in the distance looked great covered in snow. We fuel up and just as I was about to leave realise shit I haven't paid for it so rush back in and pay for my gas...Idiot. From Mansfield we decided to push on to Whitfield for lunch.This road reaches 1000metres so we thought we'd do it whilst the sun's out and relatively warm so to speak.Great 62 k run up and over, very tight & twisty at times and open and flowing in others then dropping down to Whitfield and a bloody good ham cheese and tomatoe toastie at the cafe whilst basking in the warm afternoon sun. It's now about 2.30pm ish so headed off on the last stretch and not long after the winter shadows start appearing as the sun drops lower likewise the temperature.It all held together as we went through the towns of Beechworth/Yackandanda/Tangambalanga and finally round Lake Hume to Tallangatta and home base for Sat and Sunday nights.After checking in, getting changed and freshened up at 4.30pm we headed down to the bar for a few quiet drinks and a meal after a longish day. All was well till someone fired the juke box up then the shots started appearing on the bar* ( we wisely gave them a miss ) and the place was JUMPING....It ended up being quite a LATE night but a GREAT time ha ha . *( turns out it was the publican....ha ha ) Sunday The plan was to ride round the lake and follow the Murray River along the border and loop back, but hangovers meant up late / late brekky walk round the town and come 12 ish what now...? Lets go for a wobble round the lake for a couple of hours? Great idea so we did and yep this road was every bit as good on a bike as I thought it'd be...Brilliant.Come 2.30pm we stopped at Walwa for a cuppa / toastie and warm up at the fire.As the shadows were starting and it was getting cooler again we took local advice and headed up Guy's Forest / Shelley road short-cut and found a ripper of a road! The part where it goes up and over the ranges was new and fantastic fun!This dropped us back to the main highway ( saving about 100 or more kays ) and after a brisk ride back to Tallangatta and a shower hit the bar again for a QUIET sherbet and meal... Monday Bloody good nights sleep and heard Dave next door heading for the shower, so up cuppa and pack up @ 7.00 ish . We didn't get any frost thankfully as temp about 6-8 degrees and sunny so headed off after air in the tyres to Yackandanda for brekky.Lovely in the sun at Yack but headed off about 9.30am for the run home. We pretty much repeated the trip up except for taking the Black Spur into Healesville.As there was talk of storms in the afternoon we pretty much pushed home asap stopping only for gas again in Mansfield ( remembering to pay before trying to leave this time ) and a brief stop for a bite in Healesville so about 6 or so hours pretty much straight home. Ha ha I really felt it when I got home but we did need to get a wriggle on to avoid the coming weather/storms. All in all about 1100 kays and a Bloody great time was had and looking forward to the next getaway hopefully not as long a wait this time eh! Cheers Guzzler Ps The storms came through about 3am so we could've taken a bit more time in getting home but sure as hell if we did the gods would've decided that we'd gotten away with enough already.... I swear the last time I tried to take "the short-cut thru Nayook to Noojee " I got slapped, she told her dad, and I had to leave town . . . 1 1
docc Posted December 13, 2022 Posted December 13, 2022 Time, again, for our brothers below to set forth from Drouin without the single digits and freezing fog to regale us with tales of the road and fascinating place-names! 1
guzzler Posted December 13, 2022 Posted December 13, 2022 Ha ha Mate I've had some work done on the bike and sorted the suspension so she's all ready to go if it ever stops bloody raining down here....! I can't wait to do a few more but will have to wait till after Xmas.Crazy time of the year with weather to match. Actually, some of the high- country roads are washed out and won't be re-opened for some time but like last time we'll figure out a way round it and I'll report in due course! Cheers Guzzler 1 1
guzzler Posted December 17, 2022 Posted December 17, 2022 No pictures but a couple of funny town names... Well finally a free weekend and what to do? The green one was sitting forlornly in the carport and the weather was screaming ...Get out there! It's officially Summer but Winters not letting go with week after week of RAIN WIND RAIN and temps of 5 to 17 degrees with the odd good day during the week whilst we're at work of course! But, here we have an Oasis of Summer in a weekend with no chores no where to be and no one to see! A quick call to Dave and he's up for it. So, 9.30am Sunday morning we're togged up and heading for the servo in Warragul to gas up. Bloody hell there's another Green V11 Sport at the pumps. I nearly fall off the damn thing when I see it. A laugh / chat with the owner about common as muck these things/yeah one on every other street corner and we're gassed up and ready to go. Dave's on about heading for the hills but the forecast is for a slight chance of rain about the ranges now with a storm front coming through mid- afternoon and the radar confirms it, so I suggest we head for the coast. Off we drone down the highway to Trafalgar and turn right up into the Strzelecki ranges (no rain about these ones, but don't mention the R word just in case). Once you climb up straight away it's a great twisty rollercoaster of a ride along the top to Thorpdale (Victorias spud capital) and then right to Mirboo Nth. Great wee bakery here so we stop for a pie and water as it's starting to get warm at 10.30. We sit and catch up for a while as it's been a while since we caught up! We then decide to take the back roads down to Meeniyan whereupon we wrong turn and end up in Fish Creek. When we stop I assume Dave wanted to stop for lunch at the Art Deco pub which has great food but no he's on about stopping at the Poowong* pub and mucked up the directions ha ha. * ( I've been meaning to stop in there for years ). So we backtrack to Wonthaggi. It being a great weekend for a change, there's heaps of traffic heading for the Prom (Wilsons Prom = Tramping mecca on Melb's door- step) so good to be heading in the opposite direction. Jeez it's getting warm now, feels like mid 30's or more. Really noticed it sitting at a couple of traffic lights in Wonthaggi! A few minutes later and we're back on open road again but hit more of Chairman Dan's ubiquitous road works! God knows we NEED THEM but do we have to DO THEM ALL AT ONCE so you cannot move ANYWHERE in Victoria without encountering them. It's particularly galling to have to crawl through k after k of 40 kph limit when THERE'S NO ONE WORKING - Arghhhh end of rant! As if in punishment for the criticism it would appear that the great ( ??- cough cough ) Omnipotent socialist dictator directed one of his bugs of monumental proportions into my briefly opened visor (for some air) and straight onto the left lens of my glasses rendering my left eye almost useless! Bugger (literally)! I try to flag down Dave to explain I need to stop and clean my glasses but by this stage he's turned right and heading back up into the ranges and starting to disappear... I should've just stopped and cleaned them but then thought he'd panic and think I'd binned it so pressed on with one and a poofteenth eyes! Of course, it's a tight twisty road in typically crap condition and WINDY as hell up here on the exposed ridgelines.. made all the more fun with said one and a poofteenth eyes! It would be fun with both eyes though! Despite all this I only cocked up two very tight switchbacks when my glasses slid down a bit due to sweat and had to wobble round till I could open the visor and push them back up again! Now which way did he go? Doubt he'd go through Kongwak but then again wouldn't be the first time he's taken a roundabout way but guessed he'd head straight on to Krowera and guessed left again to Loch rather than right to Bena. As it turns out I guessed right (well left actually ha ha ) and there he is at the servo in Loch. I pull up and mention I can't see too well and need to stop and clean my glasses as can't see outa my left eye! He doesn't understand (well an idling Guzzi and Mv both with aftermarket exhaust systems and old fart ears so hardly surprising I suppose) and heads off again! Oh dear, another tight twisty goat track but 5 minutes later we're in the main street of the bustling metropolis of Poowong and the OASIS that is the Poowong Hotel. We walk into a bloody beautiful air-conditioned public bar bubbling away with locals and folk's from the car and hot rod show and shine in our home- town of Drouin stopping off just like us on their way back to their home- town of Wonthaggi. Ha ha as we walked in,their first words were jeez you boys look HOT..this coming from a particularly good looking blonde lady of somewhat lesser vintage than ourselves BUT and I mean BUT she was referring to our ( mostly mine) hot and bothered disheveled appearance.... What a great atmosphere and after a couple of cold drinks (lemonade for me) and a really enjoyable Bruschetta it's back out to the heat and the bikes for the 40 or so kays ride home. Having THROUGHLY CLEANED my glasses the ride from Poowong to home was a Fookin RIPPER...... Home about 3 ish and peeled the leathers off, into the togs (swimming togs this time) and straight into the pool. I'm sure there was steam as I jumped in.... Glass or three of rose at wine o clock finished off a neat wee day out.... Till next time cheers Guzzler 5 1
activpop Posted December 17, 2022 Posted December 17, 2022 Start of summer for you...nice! Woke up to 24°F this morning, coldest of the year so far. No fooking rippers for me... 1
guzziart Posted December 17, 2022 Posted December 17, 2022 26 minutes ago, activpop said: Start of summer for you...nice! Woke up to 24°F this morning, coldest of the year so far. No fooking rippers for me... Same here!!! Northest Ohio, USA 3
guzzler Posted December 17, 2022 Posted December 17, 2022 It's supposed to be Summer mate but no sign of it yet.. Except for that wee glimpse of it. I don't wanna know about 24 deg F brrrrr 1
docc Posted December 17, 2022 Posted December 17, 2022 14 hours ago, guzzler said: No pictures but a couple of funny town names... Well finally a free weekend and what to do? The green one was sitting forlornly in the carport and the weather was screaming ...Get out there! It's officially Summer but Winters not letting go with week after week of RAIN WIND RAIN and temps of 5 to 17 degrees with the odd good day during the week whilst we're at work of course! But, here we have an Oasis of Summer in a weekend with no chores no where to be and no one to see! A quick call to Dave and he's up for it. So, 9.30am Sunday morning we're togged up and heading for the servo in Warragul to gas up. Bloody hell there's another Green V11 Sport at the pumps. I nearly fall off the damn thing when I see it. A laugh / chat with the owner about common as muck these things/yeah one on every other street corner and we're gassed up and ready to go. Dave's on about heading for the hills but the forecast is for a slight chance of rain about the ranges now with a storm front coming through mid- afternoon and the radar confirms it, so I suggest we head for the coast. Off we drone down the highway to Trafalgar and turn right up into the Strzelecki ranges (no rain about these ones, but don't mention the R word just in case). Once you climb up straight away it's a great twisty rollercoaster of a ride along the top to Thorpdale (Victorias spud capital) and then right to Mirboo Nth. Great wee bakery here so we stop for a pie and water as it's starting to get warm at 10.30. We sit and catch up for a while as it's been a while since we caught up! We then decide to take the back roads down to Meeniyan whereupon we wrong turn and end up in Fish Creek. When we stop I assume Dave wanted to stop for lunch at the Art Deco pub which has great food but no he's on about stopping at the Poowong* pub and mucked up the directions ha ha. * ( I've been meaning to stop in there for years ). So we backtrack to Wonthaggi. It being a great weekend for a change, there's heaps of traffic heading for the Prom (Wilsons Prom = Tramping mecca on Melb's door- step) so good to be heading in the opposite direction. Jeez it's getting warm now, feels like mid 30's or more. Really noticed it sitting at a couple of traffic lights in Wonthaggi! A few minutes later and we're back on open road again but hit more of Chairman Dan's ubiquitous road works! God knows we NEED THEM but do we have to DO THEM ALL AT ONCE so you cannot move ANYWHERE in Victoria without encountering them. It's particularly galling to have to crawl through k after k of 40 kph limit when THERE'S NO ONE WORKING - Arghhhh end of rant! As if in punishment for the criticism it would appear that the great ( ??- cough cough ) Omnipotent socialist dictator directed one of his bugs of monumental proportions into my briefly opened visor (for some air) and straight onto the left lens of my glasses rendering my left eye almost useless! Bugger (literally)! I try to flag down Dave to explain I need to stop and clean my glasses but by this stage he's turned right and heading back up into the ranges and starting to disappear... I should've just stopped and cleaned them but then thought he'd panic and think I'd binned it so pressed on with one and a poofteenth eyes! Of course, it's a tight twisty road in typically crap condition and WINDY as hell up here on the exposed ridgelines.. made all the more fun with said one and a poofteenth eyes! It would be fun with both eyes though! Despite all this I only cocked up two very tight switchbacks when my glasses slid down a bit due to sweat and had to wobble round till I could open the visor and push them back up again! Now which way did he go? Doubt he'd go through Kongwak but then again wouldn't be the first time he's taken a roundabout way but guessed he'd head straight on to Krowera and guessed left again to Loch rather than right to Bena. As it turns out I guessed right (well left actually ha ha ) and there he is at the servo in Loch. I pull up and mention I can't see too well and need to stop and clean my glasses as can't see outa my left eye! He doesn't understand (well an idling Guzzi and Mv both with aftermarket exhaust systems and old fart ears so hardly surprising I suppose) and heads off again! Oh dear, another tight twisty goat track but 5 minutes later we're in the main street of the bustling metropolis of Poowong and the OASIS that is the Poowong Hotel. We walk into a bloody beautiful air-conditioned public bar bubbling away with locals and folk's from the car and hot rod show and shine in our home- town of Drouin stopping off just like us on their way back to their home- town of Wonthaggi. Ha ha as we walked in,their first words were jeez you boys look HOT..this coming from a particularly good looking blonde lady of somewhat lesser vintage than ourselves BUT and I mean BUT she was referring to our ( mostly mine) hot and bothered disheveled appearance.... What a great atmosphere and after a couple of cold drinks (lemonade for me) and a really enjoyable Bruschetta it's back out to the heat and the bikes for the 40 or so kays ride home. Having THROUGHLY CLEANED my glasses the ride from Poowong to home was a Fookin RIPPER...... Home about 3 ish and peeled the leathers off, into the togs (swimming togs this time) and straight into the pool. I'm sure there was steam as I jumped in.... Glass or three of rose at wine o clock finished off a neat wee day out.... Till next time cheers Guzzler I told my wife about taking that "short-cut thru Nayook to Noojee ." She had a good laugh. Then slapped me and told her dad. Again! 2 2
guzzler Posted December 18, 2022 Posted December 18, 2022 When next upon the road to Noojee...shortcut or no! I hope you find the way tight but moist and accommodating..... Cheers Guzzler Ps this may be considered a little ribald and hope I haven't offended anyone...? 1
docc Posted December 18, 2022 Posted December 18, 2022 7 hours ago, guzzler said: When next upon the road to Noojee...shortcut or no! I hope you find the way tight but moist and accommodating..... Cheers Guzzler Ps this may be considered a little ribald and hope I haven't offended anyone...? I'll draw the line at my sharing this reply with my wife. Two slaps are enough! 1
docc Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 I just re-read the ride through Wonthaggi to Poowong Thanks for taking us along! Seems some more riding should be in order for our Aussie and Kiwi brothers as our seasons change hands . . . 1
audiomick Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 6 hours ago, docc said: Seems some more riding should be in order for our Aussie and Kiwi brothers as our seasons change hands . . . They're heading into winter...
pete roper Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 We've got some of the best riding weeks of the year around now in the south east and west. This summer has been virtually nonexistent around here but we're finally getting some almost perfect weather. Since Michael is on holiday I can skive off as well so I might take a ride down the coast and get some pics in the next day or two. Still won't know how to post them up but Docc or someone usually takes care of that for me..... 2 1
audiomick Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 2 hours ago, pete roper said: get some pics in the next day or two. Do that. I'll be looking forward to it. I rode the V35 to work today. Only in town, and only about 4.5 km. Barely enough to get it warm. Nice and sunny, but barely above 0°C. The seat wasn't frozen solid, but was very "firm", and provided a perfect practical example of what a heat sink does. 1
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