Spent last night before bed cleaning the leathers, gloves, helmet, and boots from the bug fest that I rode thru that evening. When I arrived in Wadonga about 8.00pm I could barely see thru the visor. To put it into perspective, I had cleaned it at Tallangatta, which is only 40 klms from Wodonga!
I also kept the throttle well checked over that last 40klms as I was weary of the hoppies and the wobblers getting under my wheels. Especially the wobblers. They are solid buggers and damage cars easily, so would hate to see what it would do to my muddaboik!
I got dicked around a little getting accomodation, as the "Recommended" place ended up being out of town, and out of room! So trundled back into town and fell into the first one with the vacancy sign shining bright.
Turned out to be a well kept and comfy room, with an even comfier bed....zzzzzzzzzzz!
Woke late and ended up getting going around 8.15am. Headed out towards Tallangatta again, and then turned for Tawonga and Mt Beauty. This was a nice way to clear the head first thing in the morning. A little bumpy in parts but generally smooth, fast and flowing. I did encounter several School buses, with a few of the teenage girls making rude gestures from the back seat, and one very bashfull teen girl thought it might be nice to push her yet to be completed boobies together and up for me to look at. My Oh my young girls are getting rather errr fulsome very early these days. Along this stretch was also where I encountered a good dose of fresh cowshit! Three seperate places about 3-4 k's apart, and one in particular with a good 1/2 a foot covering which fairly made the bike snap side ways. But that wasn't the real issue, it was the spray that covered my freshly cleaned lastnight Alpine Stars! Once again No Plod!
I turned right just after Tawonga and just before Beauty to pass over the Tawonga gap. I reckon its a toss up between the Tawonga Gap, and the Granya Pass. The Granya probalby gets it by a whisker as it's much, much, much faster!
I stopped in Beauty for Breakky. Poached eggs and pancetta on toast, with a latte`. Very civilised and cosmopolitan for Bright I must say! From there straight down to Myrtleford. And this is where the fun began...sorta!
I had decided to take the alt route to Chestnut, via Lake Buffalo. Sorta glad I did, and sorta not. The run up into Lake Buffalo and about 20 klms on is just horn! But the 25klms Of dirt from there to Chestnut is totally Fucked, and has not faired well over winter. Several corners were washed out with exhaust bottoming ruts Then there was Klms and Klms of really big fuckoff rocks! Then you would get a nice smooth couple of klms of nice hardpack, just to lul you into a false sense of security and then................................Wammo. A series of hairpins covered in 1/2 a foot of bulldust! Kept it interesting I must say. Funny moments include, almost locking front and rear when I had zero traction entering one of said hairpins ans using the sandy bank on the outside of the turn as a berm. Thangod for those Renthal bars I must say. They came in handy on more then one occasion! I took to riding in the "attack" position, which actually worked better, as i just let the big girl walk around under me and the suspension flap about like a beached fish. I was doing this when I came across the first truck in a crew of roadworkers. I stopped for a chat, and he told me that they are up fixing up the very issues I listed above. He didn't tell me that there were more coming behinf him, but I soon found out. The road was a little better from here, as we had descended most of the steep stuff, and were only 6k's from the tar. So I had cranked it up to 120-130 on the straighter stuff, and down to 80 for most of the turns. Then apexing a lefthander, here comes a Grader! Full pelt! Fcuking dust everywhere! Luckily I had tight apexed the turn, and was almost in the spoon drain on the left, and missed it's whopping yellow blade. But I couldn't see for at least 100metres and even slowing as quickly as I dared, I travelled probably another 50metres before I could actually see again!
The tar never looked so good, and I had a ball on the road from here thru Chestnut and on to Whitfield. Nice road, it made the dirt worth it.
The Witfield Mansfield rd was in top nick with feck all traffic, and guess what???? No Plod! I made good time from here and once passed Taggerty and Buxton, wound it up again. I came back down the Black Spur, which was in excellent condition and was tin top free and guess what???? No Plod!
Stopped in Healesville for Fuel and food, and made it back to Che` Strika at 2.00pm
Another 500 klms today so around 1800klms round trip! On the tyre front, the Metzies are working a treat. I had no grip issues at any time, and they are still wearing well so far! I had the guts on the deck thru several corners on the spur and the tyres didn't feel under any stress. Might be different with someone who can really push em, but they worked a treat for me all trip. With almost 2000klms travelled on them, they are in far better condition than the old Hi-sports were after 800klms! They warm up quickly and I had no hesitation in getting stuck in a little early! They also do not appear to have encouraged any nasty handling habits either, which is a bonus.
On the bike front, The Hornet hasn't put a foot wrong thus far. It seems to get about 260 per tank when flogging its arse off, and about 300 when touring! The way I have set up the suspension makes real sense when pushing it thru the turns, but is a bit stiff for general touring. I may soften it for longer rides in future.......But it's just such good fun in the squiggly bits....I may put up with it!
Some of the scenery I encountered over the last Three days has been awesome! The ride up to Lake Buffalo I really enjoyed, and yesterdays run from young to Jugiong was also a beauty in terms of scenery. I took no pics, as I couldn't be arsed stopping all the time.
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me" Hunter S. Thompson.
There are really only two questions in life. 1.Which way do i go? 2.What is the lap record?
I had a few occasions on the ride where a corner was a tad twistier than my brain had calculated initially, so instinct took over and I threw it on its side racer style, and GRAAAAAAAUUUUUUNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHH! 
andi -