H’s “Return to Eildon” ride
by H
This ride report was originally published in the June 2009 issue of the Motorcycle Tourers club magazine, ‘Chain Lube’.
I can’t believe it!!!! I actually got to lead a club ride and didn’t get to see a kangaroo, wallaby, cow, or any sort of wild life. It seems that the animal attraction of the MV has finally worn off!!!
The weather for our usual Sunday ride was looking a bit bleak as we were heading off on the “Return to Eildon” ride. No-one was more surprised than me to see such a huge turnout at the assembly point. By the time we got to Whittlesea there were 21 bikes and riders (or should I say 20 bikes and a scooter) for the trip which was to take in many of the areas to Melbourne’s north ravaged by Fire recently.
It really hit home as we left Whittlesea and headed up what was once a very heavily timbered climb out of town up to Kinglake West. None of us seemed at all interested in the normal ‘Catch Me If You Can’ run up the hill. So shocking and devastating was the fire that there was not a blade of grass or leaf on a tree all the way up the hill from Whittlesea. There were burnt out houses, shops, cars and farm land all the way to Kinglake. It was amazing to see just how indiscriminate the fire was, taking most but leaving some homes untouched for no apparent reason.
After a very sobering ride to Kinglake a quick regroup was called for. The town was flooded with people as there was a bit of a carnival happening. Only time for a quick wander and a couple of photos and it was off to Healesville for a coffee. The fires continued for almost the whole distance and it was frightening to see how close the fires actually got to the town. It was time for a bit of a chat and debrief with some members as seeing the range of destruction was a bit emotional for some members (not that tough, butch bikers ever have emotions!!!)
After coffee it was off to Eildon via Marysville for lunch at the Golden Trout. The ride from Healesville was more of the same. Many sights familiar on these roads to the Tourers have been obliterated. The road into Marysville seemed like another planet so hot had the fire been. You’ll see from the photos that we actually visited what was left of David and Michael’s place, well the letterbox anyway!!!
After our brief stop here it was off to Eildon for lunch.
We were missing just the 2 bikes at our lunch stop. Tim Van N managed a minor oops on a slow turn with gravel right in the wrong place and he ended up with a slightly damaged Monster to show for it. Another member it seems simply could cope with being the only scooter on the ride. I’ve been the only MV rider for years and it doesn’t worry me. People may laugh, point, make comments but I’ll just soldier on. Gary you just don’t need to suggest because your headlight was blown, and you live miles away in the country, and that it gets dark early these days, and ………… Our club embraces diversity and you can come on any ride, even if you are the only scooter!!!!
After a great lunch it was back to Melbourne via Yea, Kinglake West and finally Whittlesea. I couldn’t believe that the ride from Yea to Kinglake West via Flowerdale could be as devastated as we had already seen, but it was!!!! This road, so familiar to us all, was completely different. I couldn’t find any familiar landmarks at all for the whole ride.
This ride was a quick one like I usually lead as I don’t think anyone had that on their mind. So moving was the experience travelling through these areas of complete devastation. As always when you visit areas after a fire you are in awe of the men and women who volunteer to fight fires to protect us.
Ride Photos:
