Report of Annual Pink Ribbon Ride Day
Sunday 21st October 2007
Planning to Mooroolbark in enough time to get to Vermont Bunnings for the early bird’s breakfast at 7.00am…..Ha Ha Ha , you should all know, that no matter how good your plans are, the VMMA rarely leaves on time. Well, as the President in training, you will be pleased to know that I have taken good note of the president’s lack of time keeping skills and left Mooroolbark at 8.00am with the rest of the VMMA members staying at my house.
Sharyn with her Special Lady for the day.
Driving past the President’s place, with all intentions of riding straight past, we stopped as the other VMMA members frequenting Mooroolbark, were out the front getting ready to leave. So onto another delay as we decided to wait and ride with this group, the delay was partly due to the Baron trying to pack his water bag into his top carry bag and tie it down firmly so as it would not fall off the back of his bike. This was done, only to discover water dripping all over the driveway and out of the bottom of the top bag. On further inspection, it was discovered that the water bladder packed in the top bag had burst covering everything in the Baron’s bag, due to trying to fasten the bag to his bike.
With all the bikes dressed in pink, thanks to Sharyn and Nikita (Caramello’s daughter), we left the President’s place at 8.30am.We rode to Bunning’s Warehouse in Vermont as a group and on arrival we were shown where to park, in the VIP parking area because we were taking the Special Ladies on the backs of many of the VMMA bikes.
These are the Special Ladies who have or are currently dealing with Breast Cancer; VMMA provided the riders and motorcycles so they could pillion the ride to Maroondah Dam.
The following members met at the departure point: Neil, Taxi, Jean, Dean, Terri, Nikita, Chris, Sharyn, Baron, Casper, Anita, Larry, Captain Kidd, Deb, Glenn, Eric, Noel, Mark, Sofia, Els and Gary for a departure time of 9.30am. (I do apologize for anybodies name I did not mention.) As we had the Special Ladies on the back of bikes, we were one of the first groups of bikes off the mark, riding up the front with a full police escort, not stopping at any red lights or intersections. (What a way to travel!)
The same route as 2006 was used, up the Burwood Hwy to Belgrave, up Monbulk Road to Seville, onto Woori Yallock, coming out at Healesville and then onto the finish at the Maroondah Dam. The weather was terrific for riding and we could not have asked for any better. When arriving at the Maroondah Dam, we were greeted with a barbeque and drinks, thank you to all the volunteers who busily cooked the barbeque as we rode to the Dam.
L to R: Donella, Dean and Kirstie Marshall. Dean's pretty bike at Bunnings Vermont.
The VMMA sat at the base of a large tree in the shade with the Special Ladies from the Geelong Juggernauts also sitting with us. They also were very generous and offered our members some of there wonderful spread of food. At this point of the day it was just starting to heat up quite a lot. For those of you who are unaware of who the Geelong Juggernauts are, they are a group of very special women who have or are suffering from Breast Cancer and they are very active in the Dragon Boat Racing scene.
Special Ladies performing their Dragon Boat dance. L to R: Terri, Sharyn, Captain Kidd, Dean and Jean.
After the thank-you’s, presentations to the Special Ladies and the drawing of the raffles, many people started to depart, with many of the VMMA members wanting to go for a further ride. Many groups of VMMA members went in many different directions.
The group I was with, which include Chris, Sharyn, Jean, Dean, Terri, Nikita, Glenn and Noel, headed up the Black Spur to Buxton, where we stopped at the Buxton Hotel to replenish the fluids that the heat had taken out of our bodies, then onto to Molesworth via a road that Chris and Dean recommend to ride as a motorcyclist. The group refueled the bikes in Yea and then it was Homewood bound via Strath Creek, Kangaroo Ground and Warrandyte.
Reported by CW
