Happy With That. Victoria: January 2014.

So we left Maccas about 9ish on Tuesday 7th Jan for another look at more Victorian roads. This time it was Moey, Sideways, DD, and Lucky. The weather was a bit dour on departure and drizzly rain accompanied us (nice use of personification giving a sense of friendly comradeship with the elements) all the way to Mount Victoria. We were hoping to run into the big guy again but, sadly, he wasn’t around. Though still, literally, around that poor old green KLunkeR I’ll bet, tee hee.

Anyway, leaving the mountains and heading southwards we spent an eventful day losing and finding each other all the way to Culcairn. Moey loves to hide behind billboards and such and giggle as we sail blissfully past, “Corner markers are for poofs” he reckons and we all agreed despite our collective inability to stick together for more than about ten minutes. Doesn’t matter because we did eventually regather at the pub with DD arriving about an hour ahead of us having chosen to ignore our plans to meet up in Wagga. Doesn’t matter.

The Culcairn pub has new owners but still looked after us very well. $50 this time but the rooms were good and the showers were just lovely. We didn’t actually get there till 7 so by the time we had a beer and a shower and some dinner it was pretty much goodnight everyone. Sideways was pretty keen to see the staircase again because apparently it came from an old shipwreck and had been lovingly restored at some cost for the pub. I reckon Bunnings could knock something up at half the price but there you go, doesn’t matter.

A hop step and jump into Victoria through Corowa and found ourselves in the West Gippsland region and Buxton (at least that’s what my smartphone pictures tell me) when Moey took us up a dirt road to this triple story railway something or other. Pretty impressive and we really spent some time figuring out how the weight distribution and physics of the whole thing kept it upright. We all pretended to understand but Sideways the builder is probably the only one who got it. Anyway, doesn’t matter because it looked good.

On and on we went climbing up and through some spectacular roads and found our way eventually to Maffra. Prior to this an unexpected last second turn off the highway for fuel left Sideways stranded on that same highway and unable to turn around. “Anyone know if Bobby knows where we are supposed to meet at some point?” one of asked as we stopped in Benalla to top up. “Yeah, no send him a text” Well we did and headed off to Euroa  where the text said we’d wait for him. When we got to Euroa and checked for a reply it said, “I’m in Benalla”. Apparently he had managed to circle back to find us gone and then got booked for speeding in his attempts to catch up. The same cop who pulled him over had let us pass with just a flash of his headlights just fifteen minutes earlier. Sideways was, understandably, not happy but kept a brave face for the rest of the trip.

The Macalister pub in Maffra was pretty good and had small glasses of beer to drink from. Just like last time but that doesn’t matter; we just had more. Goodo, now the rooms were ok but it only had one toilet and shower for the six or so rooms it had. We managed though and it was only $40 from memory.

Lucky wouldn’t shut up about his fancy shmancy Pro-Oiler that had come with the Bandit muscle bike. Experimenting with varying flow rates that could be adjusted from the handlebar mounted controller saw him up the “delivery speed” from its normal position of 3 up to 7 to see if it made any real difference. It did. Mind you I still think it spewed out less oil from the rear than DD’s old “Red Ripper” which leaked more than the Exxon Valdez. DD also had a little oopsy along the Alpine Way where Vic Roads had thrown copious amounts of loose stones along 10 k’s of otherwise beautiful bends. He managed to stay upright though. Then there was some horrible dirt section after the turn off to Falls Creek but we also survived that.

Oil spattered rear end or not, we had more fun on the Alpine Way as we headed up through Omeo and Corryong and back into NSW where they don’t hide speed cameras in trees or abandoned tractors and whatnot. It felt like we had masterminded an escape from Alcatraz. Tumut was just delightful and the weather was again kind (More personification that gives a sense of welcome and affability). It’s soft breeze met us with a gentle kiss (getting the idea now?) as we removed our helmets for the last time that day.

The Woolpack Hotel was great. Again, $50 for the night but this also included a TV in your room. Shared facilities were clean and plentiful. Again, the long day riding left us a little weary so we didn’t stray far from the premises. Sometimes we remind me of a pet cat that just pokes its head out the door for a quick look around before scuttling back inside. Never mind, doesn’t matter.

 

Ok so on day 4 we headed north and stopped somewhere near Yass for breakfast. That DD’s a scallywag. Despite all warnings to turn off mobile phones around petrol bowsers, DD thought it a good idea to not only call Julianne whilst near a bowser but actually lean on it for the whole conversation. “Shouldn’t one of us tell him to move clear” a worried Moey proposed. “Nuh, this could be hilarious.” replied both Sideways and Lucky simultaneously and hooked pinky fingers for their secret wish. Both probably hoping for a spectacular fireball at DD’s expense. Just for a bit of a giggle and the money to be made on youtube for filming it. It didn’t blow up so that was good I suppose. Doesn’t matter.

Up along the Abercrombie road and into Oberon where we stopped for lunch.

Back up through Mount Victoria, Wiseman’s Ferry and home by 3. Lost sight of Moey and Sideways for a while but caught up at the Ourimbah turnoff from the freeway. I don’t think they saw us but we waved a hearty farewell to them anyway. Doesn’t matter, the love is still there. Moey did a great job as ride leader with a GPS that more often than not gives him the middle finger. And Bright? Well once again that sultry mistress beckoned to Dave but wouldn’t surrender him access to her most private parts.