07 March 2009

Updating the map

This is the "Where We Are" for 2009

02 March 2009

Superbikes 09 Continued

Day 4
After a lousy night in that hotel in Tumut, I was up early and ready to go. A short walk to a maccas for a coffee then plucked an apple from a tree in the hotel car park. That was brekky.
On the bikes and we headed out through Batlow and Tumburumba, where we stopped at a bakery. OK, THAT was brekky. We had to stop though - it was cold. 7 degrees on the bike readout and Steve was shivering too much to concentrate on riding properly.
Warmed up a little we continued on and crossed the Murray into Victoria. Then we turned and followed the river for many kays, the road meandering with the river, making it a great bit of riding.
Then it was down through the Kiewa Valley and up over the small range - always a good fast run - and we were in Bright, our stop for the night. But it was only 11:30am. We had done 330km.
Not wanting to spend the afternoon just lounging or getting too drunk at the local pub, I decided to go for a run in to Melbourne to pick up a camera I had ordered. It wasn't far - only 315km. So back on the bike, fuel up and off I went. The road was easy. 70km or so out to the Hume Highway, then 240 or so on double lane all the way in to town. I set the cruise control to 115 - quick enough to get there, but not quick enough to catch the eyes of the law - and set the Ipod on some favourite podcasts and before I knew it, I was approaching the outskirts of Melbourne.
Battle the traffic in to Town, pick up the camera, battle the traffic back to the highway and reset the cruise and Ipod. It all made for an easy afternoon's 630km ride and I got back in to Bright just before 7pm.
961km for the day.
Day 5
Time for the ride over the Mountain.
An early breakfast at the local bakery and by 7am we were off for the annual Mt Hotham ride to Phillip Island.
I had the new camera onboard and while riding up the mountain I was having setup problems. Not a good idea on such a twisty mountain road so I set it to run and shoved it in my pocket. The picture wasn't good.
Stopped at the car park at Mt Hotham and the thermometer was reading 6 degrees. Poor old Steve was in shiver mode again. Being a skinny bloke on a naked bike in these conditions must be difficult. I wouldn't know.
Dow the other side was a pleasant run and the section from Omeo to Bruthen is always a lot of fun, especially when there are a lot of bikes on the road. The cafe at Bruthen next to the servo does the bestest scones with home made jams, so we ate our fill, washed down with huge mugs of coffee. That warmed Steve up a bit.
From Bruthen, the run to Phillip Island is a bit boring. But Andrew did his best to make it interesting, staying off the highway wherever possible.
We traveled through an area badly burnt out by the recent bushfires. It was quite sobering to see the devastation and I was glad I had done some little bit to help, by making donations where I could.
We finally made it to the Island and found our house for the next three days of fun and frolic - but that is another story.
513km for the day.