2016 Wankers PI Classic Ride

This is just a short summary of the ride the Wankers took to the Phillip Island Classic races in March 2016…

Riders

Notes

Believe it or not, but a cruiser rider waved to us at lake bathurst.
My first MacDonald this decade at Bega
Note to self: Try patisse – it’s like Pernod
Ed gets the Derek award at Narooma for going back and forth until filling up with petrol.
Willo missed a gear turning a right steep left hander at tathra. He did a magnificent job in staying upright.
First night. First hangover. Nice Porter and pale ales. Largest port I’ve had.

Day 2:

breakfast at usual joint at Bega. Poached eggs for all, except for P Dykes’ muesli.
Greg p didn’t like the plate, and ate it off his lap.
At khancoban, ed had to stretch out after the snowy twisties: must be a Ducati rider
Up brown mt, nipper did a two wheel drift on the wet road.
Ed got a bug in his visor. Well, that was his excuse for he and willo coming on last.

Day 3:

Barry had a flat. No bike shops open on the sat morning. Found one on wodonga. Finally got going before 11.
At a road fork, Neil went one way while the rest of us followed Pete and his GPS. But the road was blocked, and we ended up passing Neil going the opposite way. While we discussed what to do next, it poured cats and dogs. The others left to follow Pete and his GPS to Tallangatta, but I was still putting on the my gloves. I got lost and somehow stumbled on the right way to Mitta Mitta, where luckily we met up again.
Beautiful refurbished pub overlooking the river, at Mitta Mitta. The road to Falls Creek was packed with cyclists and support vehicles preparing for a big closed road event the next day. The group split into two as is often the case on this ride. We couldn’t find the group at Fall’s Creek, so kept going and met them at Mt Beauty instead.
Policeman hiding behind the bushes saw us doing 115 but didn’t chase us. Peter D saw him pull out to chase us but he must have had a change of heart. Thank goodness.
Didn’t finish at the pub until after midnight. Too many lagers, bundy and cokes, oozo and cokes, red wines, etc etc.
I hid my trackable in a geocache in Albury.

Day 4:

Later start as the breakfast wasn’t open until 8. Barry and Greg P left us to return home for work the next day.
We went via Beechworth, Whitfield (for morning tea), Mansfield, lake Eilden (for lunch), Healesville (via Maryville), Black Spur. That is where the group split into 2 again, and we got lost. Asked a donut stall operator how to get to Warragul and ended up going via Ringwood and the M1 and Monash Expressways.
Spent much of the time at Lake Eilden trying to find accommodation. None in the area, and eventually had to settle on Warragul. A long ride, especially for Willo and Ed. Ed’s foot was causing him discomfort, and his Ducati was not designed for this sort of touring.
I lost my mojo and pottered around the roads all day.
We stayed in different hotels as that was all that we could find.

Day 5:

8:30 start for me, a late start for everyone else.
Ed had had enough and went home.
I went to Korimburra, and then headed to Melbourne to catch up with Marnie and Luke. Had lunch at The Wall (Marnie worked from 6:30 to 3:30), a drink or three at a pub just up the road, and a meal and many vodkas at Borcsh, ??? and Vodka on Chapel St. Lost my camera at the Vodka joint.

Day 6:

I said goodbye to Marnie at The Wall.
My trip took me from Balaclava to Warburton via Inkerman Rd to end, Alt 1 (Princes Hwy/Dandenong Rd), Waverley Rd, Monash Fwy (M1), Ferntree Gully Rd, Eastlink (M3), Canterbury Rd (Rd 32), C401, C402, C404, C402, B380,
Marysville to Albury (Astor Hotel Motel): via Alexandra (B360), Yack. Mansfield (B300), Whitfield, Oxley, Wangaratta, and M31
Got stung on the tongue by a bee-like insect at Marysville bakery.

Day 7:

After 86km take tumbarumba Rd to Batlow. Then tumut, Gundagai

Turn left at jugiong. Then harden and Boorowa.

Turn right at Boorowa on rugby Rd to frogmore.

Then Darby falls and Woodstock.