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Hello xBHPians..Compared to the other xBHP Travelogues, mine will be very very plain but this is my first attempt at this so please have patience with me 
A few weeks ago, I joined in a group ride organised by a local group called NetRider. I've been on numerous rides with the organiser but in the past, I've always been enjoying the riding too much to take pictures. And this time I decided to stop being Lazy and make an effort to do something about it.
To provide a brief description as how this works - let me start by saying that these are normally day-long rides where we cover anywhere from 300 - 500 kms in a day. The ride leader posts a ride, location and a start time and riders show up. Mostly they are forum members and are known to each other but on the odd occasion, an existing member may get a friend along. Also at times new members pop down as well. As we cover back roads and country roads, we normally have corner markers and a rider who always rides at the end (just in case something goes wrong). This rider is aptly called Tail End Charlie AKA TEC so all in all - it is a pretty organised ride and we're all out to have a SAFE (first and foremost) day and have lots of FUN (this is mandatory as well) along the way.
So getting back to the actual day - I start getting ready half an hour before the stipulated time. Just before donning on my gear, I give my bike a quick check-over. All the things that I may need during the day are packed away in the bag (ear plugs, glove liners, neck warmer, chewing gum and a bottle of water). I live in Melbourne (Australia) and a FYI for people who are not aware, the weather here is as un-predictable as a politician. So it has become an old habit to keep some warm things in the travel bag, Just in case!
I'm about 15 minutes away from the start point and as per the first rule of the group ride, the tank needs to be full. I leave home around 9:15 as they say 'with a song in my heart'. As the bike warms up (I always leave it running for a few minutes), I make sure my helmet is snug and spectacles are fitting comfortably. I put on my winter gloves as It's a bit chilly at the time, although the weather forecast has advised that it may warm up to about 25 degrees in the afternoon.
Well, the bike is ready and so am I! First gear and off we go. WOW!! No matter how many times I start my day on the bike, I still get that awesome feeling (All riders will agree to this). And especially on a day when you know, you will be spending the whole day riding.
Sunday + Good Weather + Ride = PRICELESS.
Fuel. Check.
Enough time to get to the start point. Check.
Grin Factor. Check (Although not required).
I roll up at the stipulated start point and notice another rider standing there. By the time I park and take the helmet off, a few more riders turn up. I notice a Ducati 1200S and a BMW S1000RR among the new entrants. I don't know these 2 guys so they come around for a quick meet and greet.
The Ride leader turns up and another Yamaha R1 guy (who I've never met before) rocks up as well. After a few minutes of getting to know each other and the ride leader explaining the new members about the standard rules and regulations - we're off.
As all of us weave through the meagre traffic, we make our way towards the first stop which is a place called Gembrook. A quick 5 minute stop and we're off to the hills stopping at a place called Marysville. (pic below)
Lunch break is about 50 minutes or so and after filling ourselves with some baked goodies, coffees etc. we're ready to go again. Lake Mountain is not far from Marysville so the plan is to stay there for a bit and go back to a place called Emerald via a different route (bikers could call it a short cut). I take over the TEC role on a request from the ride leader and we start towards Lake Mountain.
Now the road to Lake Mountain is not straight and it has many sharp corners, twists and turns. The speed limit stays between 60-80 Km/h and some corners need to be taken at around 10-20 km/h. These are hilly roads and an imminent danger of cars/SUVs coming down from the other side (and over stepping the middle line) is always there. Added to that is the presence of leaves, rubble, dried branches etc. on the corners so we all make our way up. It's a brilliant ride and we stop at the top for half an hour or so. I take this opportunity to take a few pictures. They are as below.
Once Lake Mountain is done, we take our 'short cut' and make our way to Emerald. By this time, the weather has warmed up and most of the riders have changed back into summer gloves. I take a breather in Emerald, stretch my legs and male my way home.
All in all - about 350 kms and an awesome day! And yes, I'm ready for Monday as I always sleep peacefully after spending a whole day with my girl friend!
A few weeks ago, I joined in a group ride organised by a local group called NetRider. I've been on numerous rides with the organiser but in the past, I've always been enjoying the riding too much to take pictures. And this time I decided to stop being Lazy and make an effort to do something about it.
To provide a brief description as how this works - let me start by saying that these are normally day-long rides where we cover anywhere from 300 - 500 kms in a day. The ride leader posts a ride, location and a start time and riders show up. Mostly they are forum members and are known to each other but on the odd occasion, an existing member may get a friend along. Also at times new members pop down as well. As we cover back roads and country roads, we normally have corner markers and a rider who always rides at the end (just in case something goes wrong). This rider is aptly called Tail End Charlie AKA TEC so all in all - it is a pretty organised ride and we're all out to have a SAFE (first and foremost) day and have lots of FUN (this is mandatory as well) along the way.
So getting back to the actual day - I start getting ready half an hour before the stipulated time. Just before donning on my gear, I give my bike a quick check-over. All the things that I may need during the day are packed away in the bag (ear plugs, glove liners, neck warmer, chewing gum and a bottle of water). I live in Melbourne (Australia) and a FYI for people who are not aware, the weather here is as un-predictable as a politician. So it has become an old habit to keep some warm things in the travel bag, Just in case!
I'm about 15 minutes away from the start point and as per the first rule of the group ride, the tank needs to be full. I leave home around 9:15 as they say 'with a song in my heart'. As the bike warms up (I always leave it running for a few minutes), I make sure my helmet is snug and spectacles are fitting comfortably. I put on my winter gloves as It's a bit chilly at the time, although the weather forecast has advised that it may warm up to about 25 degrees in the afternoon.
Well, the bike is ready and so am I! First gear and off we go. WOW!! No matter how many times I start my day on the bike, I still get that awesome feeling (All riders will agree to this). And especially on a day when you know, you will be spending the whole day riding.
Sunday + Good Weather + Ride = PRICELESS.
Fuel. Check.
Enough time to get to the start point. Check.
Grin Factor. Check (Although not required).
I roll up at the stipulated start point and notice another rider standing there. By the time I park and take the helmet off, a few more riders turn up. I notice a Ducati 1200S and a BMW S1000RR among the new entrants. I don't know these 2 guys so they come around for a quick meet and greet.
The Ride leader turns up and another Yamaha R1 guy (who I've never met before) rocks up as well. After a few minutes of getting to know each other and the ride leader explaining the new members about the standard rules and regulations - we're off.
As all of us weave through the meagre traffic, we make our way towards the first stop which is a place called Gembrook. A quick 5 minute stop and we're off to the hills stopping at a place called Marysville. (pic below)
Lunch break is about 50 minutes or so and after filling ourselves with some baked goodies, coffees etc. we're ready to go again. Lake Mountain is not far from Marysville so the plan is to stay there for a bit and go back to a place called Emerald via a different route (bikers could call it a short cut). I take over the TEC role on a request from the ride leader and we start towards Lake Mountain.
Now the road to Lake Mountain is not straight and it has many sharp corners, twists and turns. The speed limit stays between 60-80 Km/h and some corners need to be taken at around 10-20 km/h. These are hilly roads and an imminent danger of cars/SUVs coming down from the other side (and over stepping the middle line) is always there. Added to that is the presence of leaves, rubble, dried branches etc. on the corners so we all make our way up. It's a brilliant ride and we stop at the top for half an hour or so. I take this opportunity to take a few pictures. They are as below.
Once Lake Mountain is done, we take our 'short cut' and make our way to Emerald. By this time, the weather has warmed up and most of the riders have changed back into summer gloves. I take a breather in Emerald, stretch my legs and male my way home.
All in all - about 350 kms and an awesome day! And yes, I'm ready for Monday as I always sleep peacefully after spending a whole day with my girl friend!
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