TRENTHAM RIDE 18th &19th MAY 2013

Yep it was pretty damn cool when we set off on our annual May ride to Trentham, but if you were rugged correctly in all the right places it was still quite comfy.Our leader for the day was Webby, so with 8 with bikes in close persuit we headed of to Nagambie for a coffee and a warm up, then across to Heathcote for a very nice lunch. Webby had planned to take us on a bit of a scenic route to Trentham but as we got closer the clouds seemed to turn a bit darker and the air became very chilly so a very wise decicion was made to go straight to the Trentham Hotel where we got got settled in. We walked into the bar and  Boots said "Bloody hell it is not quite 3 o'clock, I'll be pissed by 8 and in bed" and to the letter ... you guessed it.... he was both. The rest of us had a good nights fun with a lot of laughs and a lot of stirring and not that late of a bed time, but it was in the morning when things changed . It seems after 10 hours of beauty sleep someone woke up full of beans and mischief, first it was up and down the hallway banging on bedroom doors wanting everyone to get up , then while across the road in a bakery having breakfast  Boots managed to bribe a very young and pretty waitress to give him a cuddle in front of all the boys, and she did. It was just as the sun was finally breaking through the fog that we decide to leave but the kwaka wouldn't start...again.. so up and down and up and down and up and down the street we pushed this bitch of a thing until finally it went, once it was going it caused no more problems for the day and I believe that it is getting a rebuild in the next couple of months.From this point the ride home was all good with everyone making it home nice and early probably a good thing in May weather. Bird

MAY 4TH 2013 DAY RIDE TO TOLMIE

Grover had brought along a guest for this ride, some of us had met Ronny before but those who hadn't quickly made him welcome. Ronny has a story and I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it with you , Ronny had a stroke not long ago which left him with some weakness in one side and some loss of vision in one eye, the vision loss is more peripheral than straight ahead but he has learnt to adjust for it, I say " power to him for still riding his Harley" and riding it very well too. Just quickly, I don't think she minds too much but Jodie was the only girl to attend the ride again. Well we were all ready to leave when a phone call informed us that Tim wasn't going to be able to come because his bike wouldn't start ... again.. so it was decided that we drop by his place on the way... which is not on the way by the way.. to see if we could help get it going. " Let's push start it "some one said, so Pugs and Bird started to push it down the street and the fucking thing wouldn't start, clutched it at 5 metres.. nothing,.. then again at 10 metres... nothing.... again at 15 metres... a small pop .... Bird ran out of puff at 16 metres.. Pugs dug deep for 2 metres more... and bloody came to life, you were so lucky Tim, ' cause if it didn't fire then you would have had to push it back yourself  as I am sure neither Pugs or me had any energy left to push it again. Fit aren't we? So off we all went  to Euroa where we bumped into some more Shepp  riders and after a chat we headed off to Tolmie for lunch and a terrific feed it is too, from there we headed to Glenrowan then home to Mooroopna. On reflection on the ride it is a damn good one , form Euroa then up thru the hills and down again to Glenrowan is all good riding country. We will do it again one day. Hope those who went enjoyed it too. Bird.

APRIL RIDE TO DEDERANG

Only the night  before we were about to leave for Omeo a phone call was made to the hotel we were going to stay at and Bird was informed that snow had been reported to have fallen on Dinner Plain on  Mt Hotham and also at Falls Creeek on Mt Bogong. Further investigations on the compatibility of motor cycles with ice or snow had revealed high incidents of roadside medical attention  and repairs to damaged bikes so it was thought to be wise to change our destination to a less dangerous one. After a ring around of other options Dederang Hotel came through with all our needs and it was in the same general area, so that's where we ended up going. A good roll up of 10 bikes left Mooroopna for a pretty good ride in what turned out to be nice weather and we did the trip thru Dookie toWangaratta to Bright for lunch, up and over Tawonga Gap to Dederang. Next morning after push starting the Jappa... again.. we had a casual ride home and all arrived safely, some heading straight for the couch for a lay down so I was told.  Bird