Another “spring” day riding with Ulysses Club Melbourne Branch. Nine of us met at Lilydale for Pat’s ride to the north east and got tangled up with people attending the annual Lilydale and Yarra Valley Show.   

Greg met us further on at Yea.

The weather was promising and we discussed the probability that it wouldn’t rain until that evening.   We set off and had a good run out along the Maroondah Hwy to Healesville and then climbed Chum Creek Road

to Toolangi to avoid the road works on the Melba Hwy.   As we approached Toolangi the road got decidedly wet and slippery looking and that was compounded with vegetation litter, so caution was exercised. 

We turned north up the Melba and hoped we’d avoided actual rain as the sky looked quite light up ahead.   It wasn’t to be, and we copped a torrential downpour as we left the forest.  Pat wisely pulled over and we all did clothing adjustments – waterproofs etc.   I was too busy donning waterproofs to take a picture.  The stop was wise as rain kept visiting us until we reached Yea.  The loop via Murrindindi was a very enjoyable diversion.

Greg met us at Yea

and his appearance confirmed that he hadn’t set out from Alexandra wearing the correct riding gear either.

After a chat and refreshment break at Yea, Sam, Colin and Les called it a day and headed off home. 

Nick took on TEC duty and we then rode north through Highlands which has some great views and the road was cleaner and drier expected after the recent weather, but I was still a bit cautious when I saw some loose gravel bits on the bitumen. 

We rode on via Gobur and joined the Maroondah Hwy again near Merton, where we stopped bid a few farewells. 

Pat continued on to Jamieson, Nick rode off seeking unsealed roads, Mike headed back home to north east Melbourne.

Graeme, Peter and I then returned via Skyline Road

to Thornton where we had a nice lunch stop at the general store. 

  On the way there we were welcomed by the Constabulary (highway patrol)

and given some crash card information and confirmed we hadn’t drunk too much last night.  All very convivial.  I suspect it was a Melbourne Branch omen as there was only one BMW in the ride at that stage (apparently not enough for Melbourne Branch) so a 4 wheel BMW joined the queue.     

We continued home over the Black Spur and the road surface there was extremely wet, and it was obvious there’d been a severe downpour just before we entered the forest.   Peter bid us farewell at Healesville and Graeme and I continued home to Montrose via some Yarra Valley backroads.

I had a great day.

Thanks for putting the ride up Pat and thanks to all who came along. 

A footnote, Graeme enjoyed his ride with us a few weeks ago and has since formally joined the Ulysses Club, which is great.  The fact that he sold his Honda ST1300 and bought a BMW – well what can I say?!?    Taking the Melbourne Branch thing just too far?

Cheers

John Cook