It was raining as I made my way down the hill to the Shell Garage in Templestowe but by 9:30, the start time, it had eased off and we were away. Jack led us up Main Road towards Eltham to the Montsalvat turn off on a road that managed to by pass Eltham and Research, all nice and twisty with hardly any traffic up to Kangaroo Ground and then over to Wattle Glen and up to Hurstbridge and the turn off to Arthur’s Creek and Whittlesea, always a nice ride, even in the rain which up to now has been off and on.
At Whittlesea we stopped at the Motorcycle Café for a coffee and to say G’Day to Conor Murphy who joined us at this point.
Back in the early 90’s I bought a scooter after meeting, by chance a fellow at the Diamond Creek fair.I had a display of old stationary engines and a few motorbikes all set up around a Camper trailer.
There was an older gentleman taking great interest in a 1950 - 350 cc matchless that I had,after some time he came over and told us that he had ridden one the same to and from workin his younger days and had done so for many years, he continued to tell us how reliable it was in all weather conditions.I just happened to say to him do you think you still could ride one? Yes he replied and Ihanded him a helmet and said go for a ride, he didn't have to be told twice.Around and around the diamond Creek footy oval he rode looking very happy with himself, when he came back he was grinning from ear to ear. Click on photos to enlarge
Have you reached that stage in your motorcycling life that when a run is presented you say to yourself “Been there, done that, a dozen times. Guess I will give this one a miss. If so, then obviously you have not indulged yourself in one of Ed’s fabulous midweek rides. Ed is a genius at remembering all these terrific country roads and today’s run was no exception.
In view of the weather being a bit foggy and cold one would expect a low turnout but no, 10 riders presented at the Shell Garage on Stud & FTG Roads. After Ed advised us of the destinations for Morning Tea and Lunch we started off on Kellets Road and ended up in Pakenham where we had a very brief tour through a new housing development. Well it really wasn’t a tour, just a small test to see if we were paying attention before we headed back up the mountain toward Emerald and Gembrook for morning tea. The scenery was to kill for with all the trees turning to red and gold, the mist hanging over the mountain ranges and only a sprinkle or two of rain. Of course Vic Roads had a “Make Work” project scheduled for almost every road with the obligatory stop to watch all the “Shovel Leaners” watching us. Well, it is an election year.
This letter is addressed to the club members who attended the club ride organised by Jack Youdan on the 20th June, 2010. I am offering my apology for the insensitive comments made by my navigator Ross Patrick, regarding riding conditions for most of the day. I felt quite embarrassed as he continually baited the participants at every stop after you had just battled extreme weather.
The above words certainly describes it all, a one off “Triumph TT Special”. Tom purchased the bike, if it could be called that (a bike) as rolling basket case, two wheels, frame and the rest was a box of bits and now as he looks back he says a wrecked basket case was the ultimate description.
Tom then set about to build a bike that was different to the everyday run of the mill machine and he certainly succeeded in that, in 1991 the work began! Click on photo to enlarge
It was raining as I made my way down the hill to the Shell Garage in Templestowe but by 9:30, the start time, it had eased off and we were away. Jack led us up Main Road towards Eltham to the Montsalvat turn off on a road that managed to by pass Eltham and Research, all nice and twisty with hardly any traffic up to Kangaroo Ground and then over to Wattle Glen and up to Hurstbridge and the turn off to Arthur’s Creek and Whittlesea, always a nice ride, even in the rain which up to now has been off and on. 
Have you reached that stage in your motorcycling life that when a run is presented you say to yourself “Been there, done that, a dozen times. Guess I will give this one a miss. If so, then obviously you have not indulged yourself in one of Ed’s fabulous midweek rides. Ed is a genius at remembering all these terrific country roads and today’s run was no exception. 