Hitcher
20th March 2007, 20:30
Continued from: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=46386
Monday 5 March, Melbourne to Sale (411 km)
Our first task for the day was to relocate from our overnight accommodation, with riding gear in tow, to Garner Motorcycles in Peel Street. We knew that an FJR1300 awaited us and, being the same bike as Mr H rides in New Zealand, what space was available in panniers. A topbox too awaited us. As we were unsure of the dimensions of this we planned to use it for wet weather gear, water bottles, the camera and so on.
The FJR was a 2002 model year, with only 17,500km on its clock. It was resplendent with Staintune mufflers, a Yamaha topbox (in addition to the standard FJR panniers) and a Bagster tankbag. It was shod with Battlax 020s and heated handgrips. Very clean and tidy. Garners also supplied a heavy-duty lockable strop.
Our first planned stop was to be an earthworm museum at Bass that Mrs H had heard about. So Barry at Garners gave us verbal instructions on how to get to the Phillip Island road and we were off.
Shortly afterwards we were absorbed into some sort of black-hole Bermuda Triangle in South Melbourne as we attempted to enter the M1 motorway. The road signage was distinctly suboptimal and it took three attempts and instructions from a customer at a local servo in order to achieve our goal. This part of town is littered with new high-rise hotels and apartment developments and all roads appear hell-bent to fill their underground carparks.
Almost immediately afterward entering the M1 we were plunging ever downwards into a road tunnel. The air temperature got hotter and hotter. About the same time as it felt that Satan was about to make an appearance, we started to climb upwards through an atmosphere of diesel and other motoring fumes that could be cut with scissors. A series of left and right turns followed our exit from the M1 and voila! We were on the road to Bass/Phillip Island. A steady stream of motorcycles was heading in the opposite direction, bugger all of which returned our friendly waves. The previous day had seen the SBK circus hosted at Phillip Island.
The countryside was parched, apart from the odd patch of irrigated market gardening.
Few signs en route mentioned Bass, but there was a dot on my map that I was prepared to give the benefit of the doubt. And eventually we found the Wildlife Wonderland, home of an earthworm museum. The Gippsland region has a native earthworm of monumental proportions – some reaching lengths of over two metres. The museum used to display these, but they are now considered too endangered, but there is a good visual history of the worms and their environmental contributions. The museum is also a wildlife refuge and gave us a chance to eyeball different marsupials, reptiles, dingos, alpacas and other assorted exotic creatures. This is the same facility that was recently subject to a famous reptile theft.
The ride from Bass to Phillip Island traverses some high country, giving panoramic views of the Western Port Bay, French Island and the surrounding hinterland. The bridge that joins the island to the mainland is spectacular. As is the setting for the Grand Prix circuit. There was a track day in progress, so we were unable to gain access, but a surprising amount of the circuit is viewable from the road.
We then headed off to Cowes. What a delightful spot. After taking the requisite photos of its picture-perfect coved beach, we scoffed gelati with the Ten Kate Honda mechanics before hitting the road.
The ride to Wonthaggi was extremely windy, due to its coastal aspect. We then turned inland for our first fuel stop at Leongatha, where we had to ask a local servo operator what the difference was between “unleaded” and “premium unleaded” petrol. 91 and 95 respectively. Leongatha has an Otago Hotel. There’s obviously a story associated with that.
The ride from Leongatha to Yarram gave us our first taste of Aussie windy roads. This is a particularly attractive stretch of road for both riders and passengers. Four stars.
At Yarram we clumped into the local supermarket to buy some Pledge for visor-cleaning purposes. Airline restrictions on the packing of aerosols meant that our usual canister was in Wellington. We couldn’t find any Pledge, so decided that Mr Sheen would suffice. And he did, nicely.
The remaining day’s ride from Yarram to Sale took us into the Wellington Shire Council region and lots of long straight roads lined with gum trees, extremely parched farmland and kangaroo warning signs.
Sale is an inland port – a series of rivers and linked lakes provide a passageway to the ocean a couple of hundred km up the coast at the aptly named Lakes Entrance. And it’s a lovely spot. We had a most excellent dinner at the local Irish bar and retired well pleased after our first day on the road.
Photos:
1. The beach at Cowes.
2. A post-gelato moment at Cowes.
3. The port at Sale.
To be continued…
Monday 5 March, Melbourne to Sale (411 km)
Our first task for the day was to relocate from our overnight accommodation, with riding gear in tow, to Garner Motorcycles in Peel Street. We knew that an FJR1300 awaited us and, being the same bike as Mr H rides in New Zealand, what space was available in panniers. A topbox too awaited us. As we were unsure of the dimensions of this we planned to use it for wet weather gear, water bottles, the camera and so on.
The FJR was a 2002 model year, with only 17,500km on its clock. It was resplendent with Staintune mufflers, a Yamaha topbox (in addition to the standard FJR panniers) and a Bagster tankbag. It was shod with Battlax 020s and heated handgrips. Very clean and tidy. Garners also supplied a heavy-duty lockable strop.
Our first planned stop was to be an earthworm museum at Bass that Mrs H had heard about. So Barry at Garners gave us verbal instructions on how to get to the Phillip Island road and we were off.
Shortly afterwards we were absorbed into some sort of black-hole Bermuda Triangle in South Melbourne as we attempted to enter the M1 motorway. The road signage was distinctly suboptimal and it took three attempts and instructions from a customer at a local servo in order to achieve our goal. This part of town is littered with new high-rise hotels and apartment developments and all roads appear hell-bent to fill their underground carparks.
Almost immediately afterward entering the M1 we were plunging ever downwards into a road tunnel. The air temperature got hotter and hotter. About the same time as it felt that Satan was about to make an appearance, we started to climb upwards through an atmosphere of diesel and other motoring fumes that could be cut with scissors. A series of left and right turns followed our exit from the M1 and voila! We were on the road to Bass/Phillip Island. A steady stream of motorcycles was heading in the opposite direction, bugger all of which returned our friendly waves. The previous day had seen the SBK circus hosted at Phillip Island.
The countryside was parched, apart from the odd patch of irrigated market gardening.
Few signs en route mentioned Bass, but there was a dot on my map that I was prepared to give the benefit of the doubt. And eventually we found the Wildlife Wonderland, home of an earthworm museum. The Gippsland region has a native earthworm of monumental proportions – some reaching lengths of over two metres. The museum used to display these, but they are now considered too endangered, but there is a good visual history of the worms and their environmental contributions. The museum is also a wildlife refuge and gave us a chance to eyeball different marsupials, reptiles, dingos, alpacas and other assorted exotic creatures. This is the same facility that was recently subject to a famous reptile theft.
The ride from Bass to Phillip Island traverses some high country, giving panoramic views of the Western Port Bay, French Island and the surrounding hinterland. The bridge that joins the island to the mainland is spectacular. As is the setting for the Grand Prix circuit. There was a track day in progress, so we were unable to gain access, but a surprising amount of the circuit is viewable from the road.
We then headed off to Cowes. What a delightful spot. After taking the requisite photos of its picture-perfect coved beach, we scoffed gelati with the Ten Kate Honda mechanics before hitting the road.
The ride to Wonthaggi was extremely windy, due to its coastal aspect. We then turned inland for our first fuel stop at Leongatha, where we had to ask a local servo operator what the difference was between “unleaded” and “premium unleaded” petrol. 91 and 95 respectively. Leongatha has an Otago Hotel. There’s obviously a story associated with that.
The ride from Leongatha to Yarram gave us our first taste of Aussie windy roads. This is a particularly attractive stretch of road for both riders and passengers. Four stars.
At Yarram we clumped into the local supermarket to buy some Pledge for visor-cleaning purposes. Airline restrictions on the packing of aerosols meant that our usual canister was in Wellington. We couldn’t find any Pledge, so decided that Mr Sheen would suffice. And he did, nicely.
The remaining day’s ride from Yarram to Sale took us into the Wellington Shire Council region and lots of long straight roads lined with gum trees, extremely parched farmland and kangaroo warning signs.
Sale is an inland port – a series of rivers and linked lakes provide a passageway to the ocean a couple of hundred km up the coast at the aptly named Lakes Entrance. And it’s a lovely spot. We had a most excellent dinner at the local Irish bar and retired well pleased after our first day on the road.
Photos:
1. The beach at Cowes.
2. A post-gelato moment at Cowes.
3. The port at Sale.
To be continued…