Phillip Island, here we come!
There should be 20 of us and we are staying at Inverell, sharing three houses. We will take our time getting there, taking advantage of the well planned route via Thredbo. Mmh snow! Have not done snow on a bike in almost thirty years... well, lets hope the weather will be fair and we will be spared that hassle.
I am very excited and pleased that the man will let me go. Must loose some of those extra kilos to make space for my thermals.
We went to ZPower today to check out a Tailbag for my bike, but one of my forum neighbours got there five minutes before me and walked out with the last one.
The highlight of the trip will be seeing Casey Stoner, the world champion of 2007, at the track, but what's even better is that we will be riding down together as a group, stopping over at some interesting places and exploring some roads I've never been on on a bike.
I am counting down.
Rain, rain, go away!
Today, on APEC holiday, my tanks are full and that pool is overflowing. I've had enough wet weather to last me for a couple of weeks.
Any hope or thought of taking the bike out of its dry and safe abode was quickly dismissed today, when Lindy took her rain check. We were both looking forward to meet again and ride together, since it's been at least three months... The weather didn't play ball. (At least my flu is on its way out the door- after AU$52 worth of 'Tamiflu'.)
Last Wednesday night's Illawarra Riders' Krispy Kreme and Harry's Cafe De Wheel ride was also cancelled. I was on standby, but one by one decided to take the 'dinner and video' option. Phil made it to the meet point, but he had to ride through a downpour to get there.
Life is like that...
There have been only a few windows of opportunity for a ride. Father's Day was out and rightly so. The man is no enthusiast, but I hope he'll come around one of these days. The girl is not into it because I make her wear the Draggins...Daggins she calls them... and the jacket that makes her look like a buffoon... ahhh well, what can you do?
Last Saturday I took myself off to a little cruise up the Pass and down via Jamberoo.
After that I felt much better. Sometimes you just have to stretch the tyres a little.
Since it's been a while, I had to find my equilibrium. It seems to take a bit of getting over the awkward stage. This bike, the way it has been resprayed and looks so pretty and the worrying about getting it written off for such a minimal amount makes me value it so much more and seems to create a little more anxiety in me. I have not been able to let go and give it what it wants... yes, I realise that it is a machine and I choose to endow it with human traits... so what is it?
Is it me? Do I want or need a little more cornering at speed? Risk-taking? Danger?
No. Not really, looking at it that way.
I just want to keep up with the rest of the mob.
When I got to the Robertson Pieshop five minutes after the guy I followed up, who told me he was going to take it slowly...
I realised that I still had a lot to learn.
'Dragon' whom I met up with at Bellambi Lane was half way through his cigarette when I arrived up there. By the time my Muggochino was served, my hands were still shaking...
Ahh well. 'Tis old age...
I'm a dag.
Ah yes, 'Dragon'... his real name escaped in the rush... I met him by coinidence on the road. We nodded in acknowledgement and then he pointed south "going up the pass?"
"Yes!" I said... is he psychic, I wondered... of all the places I could be going south...
He rode this red and black Honda RR1000, as it clearly stated on the tail, but I had to ask, didn't I?!
It sounded great and the accellaration seemed boundless. He suited the bike or better, the bike suited him. He looked young and I wondered if he's going to get the shock of his life when I take my helmet off and he sees the old duck revealing herself. Ah well. I don't mind. It's just... well, I feel sorry for them... probably getting their hopes up, thinking, ahhh here's a Sheila that doesn't mind riding her own bike.
However, I looked over his neat bike when he stopped on my right, which revealed...
the illawarrariders.com sticker on his swing arm... ahhh,
"I am ZX6R", I said, hoping that he'd know me from my posts.
He looked across at my bike and he nodded.
Yeah, I guess that's quite obvous, as it says it on my side panels in fairly large letters.
...and that's when I introduced myself, quickly mentioning that I too was a member of the same Association. Common ground!
That's when the large white four wheel drive turned up next to us and the little boy passenger started to wind down the window. I immediately knew what he wanted... he wanted to hear the engines of our bikes roar.
So I revved it a little and pointed at the little boy, who sat just behind eyeline of my new acquaintance.
I guess 'Dragon' missed all that and he must have been under the impression that I had just pointed at him, encouraging him to make a bit of noise too. He obliged. Nice guy I thought, as I cringed watching the young boy reaching out of the window, adjusting his dad's huge 4WD chrome mirror for him.
I know, I am a dag.
Once we got to our common destination we had a quick bit of sustainance and a chat.
Nice guy, well spoken and relaxed about himself, he was going to take the Bowral way back to Campbelltown, whilst I decided to take that goat track back to Jamberoo and then return home. For the first time in ages I got to make use of my maps, pointing him in the right direction. I introduced him to Will's motorcycling service, a visor cleaning station which is located on the wall in the disabled toilet and on the way out, I just had to show off my winning picture in the window display.
I sure am a dag.
Labels: Ride Report
