Some very close friends returned home last Tuesday to Poowong, Vic, from a ship cruise, and contacted me for a late birthday fling for me at their home. I set out on Friday morning in nice clear warm weather at around 8am, with a minor detour to Casterton on the agenda, basically a coffee stop there and a 20 minute debug of a computer. Lots of wildlife on the road between Hotspur and Digby, which is fairly normal for that area. Had a farmer on a tractor started to move onto the highway from his property just north of Henty, SMIDSY! moment, (He didn't look as he pulled out from the left) and I had to go around him on the wrong side of the road at highway speed.
Anyway, just a bit of an adrenalin rush for me... but I think the farmers rush was a bit more specifically lower and further back... and maybe lumpy...
Left Casterton around 9.40 heading through to Coleraine and Hamilton, some nice ups-n-downs and twisty bits on that road, Highway Patrol had a semi pulled over, and from the agitated arm waving antics of the driver standing with the police, he was not a very happy chappy!
Didn't quite make the breakfast menu time-frame of Maccas at Hamilton, so continued on. Some nice takeaway food and an iced coffee at Dunkeld at 10.50 before pushing on at 11 am Traffic was light, and moving at a good pace so I followed the same group of 5 cars all the way to Ballarat, where one of them turned off. Passed through Ballarat at 1.15 and was crossing the Westgate Bridge at 2.40, took Kingsway exit and then moved onto
Dandenong Highway ... Dandenong
PARKING LOT before finally clearing stalled traffic there 2 hours and 20 minutes later. I mean to say, its only 47 km from Westgate Bridge to Dandenong? (google maps claim that its a 1 hour 12 minute trip?... but NOT on a Friday afternoon, it was twice as long!..) Finally moved onto the Freeway just east of Dandenong a few minutes after 5 pm. Traffic fairly heavy but steady paced, a good run to Drouin to refuel, then off the Freeway at 10 past 6 with only a short 30 minute twisty run down Main South Road to Friends house at East Poowong. We sat down to dinner just a few minutes before 7, and their extended Family arrived about 7.30 (The 5 grandies, aged 3 to 7 from two families, all consider me an adopted Uncle)
Birthday cake was duly brought out ... and Phil had fitted 68 candles to the cake... Highlite of the presentation was the cake in one hand, and fire extinguisher in the other!
The kids were greatly impressed with the number of candles
As it was a clear and pleasant night, we all adjourned to the outdoor BBQ area at the back of the house, and loafed and chatted and drank colas until around 11 pm when visitors went home, and we retired for the night.
Was up and mobile at 6 am, warm and pleasant weather, and after a coffee I was back on the road a few minutes before 7, heading north and east to Warragul and the main Highway again on the 250 Km run to Bairnsdale, Not a lot of traffic, moderately paced, arrived at Bairnsdale around 10.45am. Caught up with some friends for coffee at a local venue, then went with them to watch their boys partake in a game of cricket. Had a quiet evening and retired around 9.30.
Awoke about 8 (must have been tired?) Coffee for breaky, and was on the road for home within the hour. Brilliant travelling conditions, warm and dry.
Good trip home, google says 7 hours and 9 minutes for 640 Km, but after one fuel stop at Warragul (and a pie) and a very clean path through Melbourne traffic, I was in the door at 5 pm where both cats were indignantly enquiring "WHERE THE HELL YOU BEEN?".
Total distance, 1508 km for the weekend, bike economy 69 litres for that distance, 21.8 Km per litre.
Niiiice!
