K1W1
05-14-2007, 08:05 AM
Sunday 13 May dawned as another near perfect motorcycling day in Melbourne. The forecast promised a high of 22C there was hardly a cloud in the sky and no wind. As it was Mothers Day and the roads would be empty while the obligatory breakfast in bed was being created and eaten what else could you do but head for the hills by bike. So we did!
I arrived at the Tastee. Az shortly after 9 to be met by a blinding reflection (more later) and after some of Carls excellent Amanti expresso and a dose of hundreds and thousands our mate Expatatlarge arrived with left front indicator hanging loose a tale of at low speed drop. He was already caffeined up so off the three of us towards our destination Mt Baw Baw some 130km east.
No pics of the Tastee.Az today. Instead we start with the images of two quite different two Stroms.
Strom 1 (aka blinding reflection mentioned above)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/497707863_57ef377706_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/497742753_8c485f649e_o.jpg
Strom 2 "I brought this bike to ride in the dirt!"
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/497713814_88afe01db7_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/497713216_f8d6f73835_o.jpg
A bit over an hour and some 85 kms later we arrived at Noojee somewhat colder than when we started after some sections of the Powelltown - Noojee Rd where mirrors and screens fogged completely and instantly at 100kph. I don't know about the other two but my visor wasn't far behind my screen on a couple of occasions requiring a quick lift and a blast of icy air into my eyes.
As it was now morning tea time and we weren't sure about the food situation at Mt Baw Baw refreshments were called for. More Amanti coffee savoury scones, Devonshire tea (you can tell he's American!) and a toasted sandwich. You might have gathered by now that this Strom riding in Melbourne is particularly tough and only those with the necessary stamina and fortitude need apply.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497713150_b1faf687a1_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497713436_b221904e76_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/497743185_081c7d8c80_o.jpg
Suitably refreshed and warmed we headed of on the next 46 km of motorcycling paradise road to Mt Baw Baw. Imagine, 46km of road with no straight section more than about 300m in length, uphill hairpins, downhill hairpins, hot a pothole to be seen and get this, only two, yes two other vehicles on the road (one in each direction) for the entire distance. Keep your Deals Gap, or Rimutaka’s or Paluma Road this is Strom road heaven!
Needless to say when we got to what passes at the summit we stopped for more photos.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/497713590_09bd022848_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/497742205_7ffd18371b_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/497708457_5f86e0c695_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/497712914_2aa1c3af83_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/497713515_22ea482c6c_b.jpg
As you might have guessed by now it didn’t take long to find a suitably tough biker café for this hardy group of Adventurers. The coffee was Grinders this time; usually excellent but on this occasion a bit weak imo. I suspect that the grind was a little coarse.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/497712706_c1076d27ef_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/497710343_aed1964943_b.jpg
BTW. That is not a discarded cigarette in the background just a controlled burn. The view is to the south and overlooks Wilsons prom. There is NOTHING south of that coastline until the shores of Antarctica. Refuelled and refreshed it was time to head back towards Melbourne. One member of the trio was heard to ask “Are you sure there is no way to get lost?” immediately before disappearing leaving only Remus reverberations around the village. The two more sedate people rode back down hill and a moderate pace stopping along the way to pick some flowers, admire butterflies and take a couple more pictures (guess which bits of that sentence are made up).
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/497742449_07881a5191_o.jpg
Upon arrival at Powelltown what else should we find but a silver Strom parked outside the General Store? It had been there so long it wasn’t even ticking from the engine. Apparently it’s possible to do Baw Baw summit to Powelltown in exactly one hour! It’s 71km btw.
This time the fare was real Aussie tucker (mate!). A meat pie eaten out of the paper bag.
After Powelltown we rode as a group back towards Yarra Junction, took a short cut over Milners Road to Hoddles Creek then travelled down the Launching Place to Gembrook Road where we stopped and collected maps of the Bunyip State Park for next weeks ride. The silver Strom was last seen heading south to Pakenham and a gas station and once again the Stromadict and I travelled back towards home in time to prepare for next weekends activities.
For those who want to see this motorcycling paradise here is a link to a Google Map (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=baw+baw&daddr=powelltown&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=46.465145,96.328125&ie=UTF8&z=11&om=1)
I arrived at the Tastee. Az shortly after 9 to be met by a blinding reflection (more later) and after some of Carls excellent Amanti expresso and a dose of hundreds and thousands our mate Expatatlarge arrived with left front indicator hanging loose a tale of at low speed drop. He was already caffeined up so off the three of us towards our destination Mt Baw Baw some 130km east.
No pics of the Tastee.Az today. Instead we start with the images of two quite different two Stroms.
Strom 1 (aka blinding reflection mentioned above)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/497707863_57ef377706_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/497742753_8c485f649e_o.jpg
Strom 2 "I brought this bike to ride in the dirt!"
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/497713814_88afe01db7_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/497713216_f8d6f73835_o.jpg
A bit over an hour and some 85 kms later we arrived at Noojee somewhat colder than when we started after some sections of the Powelltown - Noojee Rd where mirrors and screens fogged completely and instantly at 100kph. I don't know about the other two but my visor wasn't far behind my screen on a couple of occasions requiring a quick lift and a blast of icy air into my eyes.
As it was now morning tea time and we weren't sure about the food situation at Mt Baw Baw refreshments were called for. More Amanti coffee savoury scones, Devonshire tea (you can tell he's American!) and a toasted sandwich. You might have gathered by now that this Strom riding in Melbourne is particularly tough and only those with the necessary stamina and fortitude need apply.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497713150_b1faf687a1_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497713436_b221904e76_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/497743185_081c7d8c80_o.jpg
Suitably refreshed and warmed we headed of on the next 46 km of motorcycling paradise road to Mt Baw Baw. Imagine, 46km of road with no straight section more than about 300m in length, uphill hairpins, downhill hairpins, hot a pothole to be seen and get this, only two, yes two other vehicles on the road (one in each direction) for the entire distance. Keep your Deals Gap, or Rimutaka’s or Paluma Road this is Strom road heaven!
Needless to say when we got to what passes at the summit we stopped for more photos.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/497713590_09bd022848_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/497742205_7ffd18371b_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/497708457_5f86e0c695_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/497712914_2aa1c3af83_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/497713515_22ea482c6c_b.jpg
As you might have guessed by now it didn’t take long to find a suitably tough biker café for this hardy group of Adventurers. The coffee was Grinders this time; usually excellent but on this occasion a bit weak imo. I suspect that the grind was a little coarse.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/497712706_c1076d27ef_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/497710343_aed1964943_b.jpg
BTW. That is not a discarded cigarette in the background just a controlled burn. The view is to the south and overlooks Wilsons prom. There is NOTHING south of that coastline until the shores of Antarctica. Refuelled and refreshed it was time to head back towards Melbourne. One member of the trio was heard to ask “Are you sure there is no way to get lost?” immediately before disappearing leaving only Remus reverberations around the village. The two more sedate people rode back down hill and a moderate pace stopping along the way to pick some flowers, admire butterflies and take a couple more pictures (guess which bits of that sentence are made up).
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/497742449_07881a5191_o.jpg
Upon arrival at Powelltown what else should we find but a silver Strom parked outside the General Store? It had been there so long it wasn’t even ticking from the engine. Apparently it’s possible to do Baw Baw summit to Powelltown in exactly one hour! It’s 71km btw.
This time the fare was real Aussie tucker (mate!). A meat pie eaten out of the paper bag.
After Powelltown we rode as a group back towards Yarra Junction, took a short cut over Milners Road to Hoddles Creek then travelled down the Launching Place to Gembrook Road where we stopped and collected maps of the Bunyip State Park for next weeks ride. The silver Strom was last seen heading south to Pakenham and a gas station and once again the Stromadict and I travelled back towards home in time to prepare for next weekends activities.
For those who want to see this motorcycling paradise here is a link to a Google Map (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=baw+baw&daddr=powelltown&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=46.465145,96.328125&ie=UTF8&z=11&om=1)