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Heading Back to Victoria

Date:
By Wom Battle
Category: Rides

My mate Dave asked me a while back if I was interested in riding my Harley-Davidson® Road King® to Phillip Island for the World Superbikes.  I've always preferred to ride motorcycles rather than watch 'em but what he had in mind was pretty interesting.  They do this thing called Advantage Plus that gets you three days at the track including access to a corporate box over the pits, access to the paddock for the three days (where the riders and teams hang out), morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and all the beer and wine you can drink.  They also organise some fancy accommodation in Cowes and reserved parking for the bikes at the track nice and close to everything.

I said "Yep", thinking that even if the races were not really my cup of tea, the ride down, back and the party while there certainly was.  Anyhow Dave organised the lot and picked the route down so this morning we left home about 7.15 and headed for the boring old Hume, Dave had selected the Sugarloaf Motel in Broadford as the digs for the night. The distance, a medium 940 or so k's but for Dave on his BMW K1300S his longest one day ride ever.

We got through the F3, a quick stop at the first Macas for the trip at Thornleigh, then the M2 and M7. Not really sure how far a tank of fuel would last for Dave we took the conservative option and stopped at Pheasant's Nest.  There he tinkered with his trip computer and found the distance to empty setting that many of us more long distance riders never do without.

It was near perfect riding weather and the traffic was light. For me it was just great to kick back on my brand new AIRHAWK cushion (more about that in another entry), legs on the highway pegs and sing my dodgy 70's repertoire of songs to myself, the weather's been pretty crook the last few months and rides have been too few and far between.

Next fuel stop, Yass Service Centre, more Macas and then back to cruising with the next planned stop at Holbrook.  We fuelled up at the Caltex on the right heading in to town and were soon away.  I'd seen the Submarine in the Park there quite a number of times, it was Dave's first so I didn't think to stop, we later chatted about taking a photo op there on the way back.  We were soon past Albury and adjusted the cruising speed in order to take into account the Victorian lack of reasonable tolerance with the next fuel (and yes Macas again) stop at Glenrowan.  Thankfully this was to be the last stop for the day, I couldn't have eaten another McChicken if I tried.

I couldn't hold back a big smile when we passed the turnoff to Benalla, the half way point for the SS1600k a group of us did last October. Going back there brings into perspective the hard work we all did that day.  Not too much later we were in Broadford at the Sugarloaf Motel checking in.  It was reasonably good accommodation and when we arrived there were at least 10 other motorcycles there all heading towards Phillip Island the next day.

A quick cleanup and we were off in search of real food and since it was steak night at the Broadford Hotel in the door we went and bought a beer.  After a massive piece of steak covered with an interesting blend of seafood we walked into the bar and not too much later the two of us and the bar staff were all that remained.   They didn't seem in a hurry to close so we took the opportunity to learn about the area.  They put their tip money into a weird card machine, scratched the cards and won $200 and at that point entered into party mode, so after a few gins, baileys, southo's and tias we high tailed it out of there and staggered back to the hotel.  A disturbing start for the four day trip.

Dave has a reputation for snoring, my earplugs solved that quite nicely (sorry Dave).

Note:  Yep, I know the photos are light on.  Getting lazy in my old age and there's only so much you can take a photo of on the concrete super slab.  Maybe next time I'll take a pic of the wind farm near Yass.

 

Disclaimer: This non commercial website and its content is not affiliated with or associated in any way with the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Harley-Davidson Australia, the Harley-Davidson Owners Group® or any Harley-Davidson® Dealers in Australia.  The use of the terms Harley-Davidson, and Road King® are unavoidable because that's what I own and ride.  This website,  called "My Harley Davidson" , and any opinions or comments expressed herein are purely about my Harley-Davidson Road King ownership experience, a truly great experience at that. I have no intention whatsoever to infringe on any trademarks or copyright ownership of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company or anyone else.


March 2024
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