4 Days Away with the VMMA
3rd – 6th June 2010
Catchy title eh? In actual fact although it was 4 days away and most of it was spent with fellow VMMA members the purpose of the trip was as follows:
Thursday 3rd June – an official visit to Powlett Lodge (Wonthaggi) by the VMMA.
Friday 4th June – support to Penny Holyoak on her second last day of her around Australian Ride.
Saturday 5th June – lunch in Yarram with Don and Eleanor Lowe.
Sunday 6th June – the final leg of Penny’s 22,000 KM ride and return to her home in Melbourne.
So, there you go, now the details.
Thursday 3/6: Left home at 1100 for the ride to San Remo motel via boring old Melbourne freeways. As usual traffic along the heavily speed restricted Monash Freeway at 80kph (gurrh!) was thickish for a number of km’s, because either the State ‘Guvment’ or Vic Roads deemed this to be a speed limit safe for us all. How kind of them!
A speed deemed appropriate that we mere mortals must travel at without too much chance on running each other down. When the 100 kph sign finally appeared it wasn’t long after that I was exiting onto the South Gippsland Highway.
On reflection I should have continued on the Monash and taken the Pakenham Bypass and then the Clyde/Fiveways Road as it’s quicker. However I tootled along quite happily to the Bass Highway bound for Phillip Island. Not being in any particular hurry to arrive I was in cruise mode when 20 km’s out of San Remo I got flashed by a car (I found out later that it was David and Lynne Hall going to Melbourne).
The remainder of my journey to the Pelicans Motel in San Remo (which David had kindly booked for me) was uneventful. Shortly after my mid afternoon arrival Taxi appeared on his scooter. Having settled in we chatted, relaxed, and refreshed ourselves before taking a short stroll down to the pizza shop on the corner for dinner.
After a pleasant meal we ambled back to our rooms to get ready for Doc Proctors pick up in the car to take us to Powlett Lodge in Wonthaggi (see separate report on this official visit by the VMMA).
Friday 4/6: At 0845 Taxi and I met David Hall and Russell Medhurst (Salty) at the San Remo petrol station and continued on to Anderson Roundabout to rendezvous with Michael Dixon and other local riders who decided to support Penny Holyoak.
VMMA members on Friday 4th June meet up for a coffee at Tarwin before riding onto Venus Bay to join with Penny.
On this second last day of her 22,000 KM trip the plan was to meet her at Venus Bay and escort her back to Phillip Island. Having now totalled 15 bikes we headed off to Tarwin for a cuppa, where we met up with more riders including our own VMMA members Bob and Jean, Sharyn, Viv, and Glenda.
After coffee we tootled into nearby Venus Bay and congregated in the local town park where we met Penny and her support crew. By now the rider numbers had swelled to 28 bikes and a trike.
Penny Holyoak in the middle with her motorcycle at Venus Bay with your pillion dog.
We were also lucky to have the accompaniment of a local Police car escort for the ride to Phillip Island. Our steady and orderly ride to the ‘Island’ was led by a local rider and Penny, but unfortunately held up around the picturesque ocean road by an arrogant local farmer on a tractor travelling at 25kph who absolutely no intention of letting us pass. I sat at the rear with the escorting Police car in my mirror for most of the ride.
On arrival at Phillip Island we concluded our memorable ride at the Masonic Centre, where Doc Proctor and lodge secretary Robbie Brown provided us all with hot food and drinks. Local media and two local shire counsellors were also in attendance.
David Hall (VMMA member and Phillip Island Lodge member) greeting Penny at the Masonic Centre.
Saturday 5/6: Taxi and I met David Hall at 0930 for the ride to David Kent’s (The Duke) house in Wonthaggi for morning tea. David and wife Janene had laid on a substantial spread. Hallie devoured the nut loaf while Taxi and I munched on cake slices. With strict instruction from Janene to have The Duke back home by 1700 for a dinner engagement, we departed for our lunch appointment with Don and Eleanor Lowe at the Yarram Country Club.
Arriving on time we were soon joined by Gary and Glenda Power from Moe before Don and Eleanor arrived in their bright red classic MG. Some members may remember that Don had major heart problems and surgery some months ago. He has recovered from that battle thankfully but recently went into battle with a chainsaw. The injuries to his right hand were substantial but he assured us at lunch that the micro-surgery was successful and he is confident of having good use of his hand again soon.
Eleanor assured us on our departure that Don would not be playing with chainsaws again. Bidding them fond farewell we rode via Agnes Falls and the Turra Wind Farm to Koonwarra, then onto the Bass Highway. Gary and Glenda peeled off to Leongatha on their way home to Moe. Taxi, Hallie, The Duke, and I continued in the now annoying drizzly rain to Wonthaggi and San Remo.
Hallie had an appointment at the Phillip Island cinema to screen the nightly movies from 1800. Taxi and I relaxed over another yummy take-away pizza at the motel and decided to stay indoors for the night as the rain had set in.
We were invited down to the San Remo hotel for a fundraiser auction in support of Penny’s various charities but decided the cold wet walk was too unpleasant. (I was told the next morning that the fundraiser totalled $5100 – a very good effort for one night). Taxi and I both hoped that tomorrows ride, the last day of Penny’s 22, 000 KM odyssey, would attract a good number of riders to support her on the final leg to her home in Melbourne. Penny is a very courageous lady and although terminally ill with cancer her determination and resolve to complete this goal was truly wonderful and inspiring.
Sunday 6/6: The squally rain and wind from last night abated during the early morning hours and we awoke to sunshine. The motel owner Graham advised us that the weather should hold today and we (hopefully) would have a dry run into Melbourne. How wrong he was! Having booked out of the motel early Taxi and I rode around San Remo taking photos and dodging rain showers.
VMMA members assembling at San Remo Sunday morning
At 1000 whilst standing in the car park outside the co-op the CFA siren sounded and shortly after we were joined by the VMMA members who had travelled down for the ride. Led by the trikes of Bob & Jean, and Ian Wheeler, the solo riders included Danny Hume, Johno, Casper, Chris and Sharyn, Dave and Viv.
David Hall with his lovely daughter Michelle and with Penny at San Remo.
Hallie brought along his daughter Michelle as pillion on her first ever ride. Although she looked a little nervous, she was well rugged up and padded by the protective gear Hallie had clad her in.
Other local VMMA members in attendance were Rick Higginson and Doc Proctor. Shortly after we were joined by friends of Penny from the Melbourne Harley Owners Group on a variety of (as usual noisy) bikes. Shortly after their arrival they disappeared in search of lattes.
The Duke arrived around 1015 and brought brilliant sunshine with him, albeit for the next hour or so. At 1100 the local ‘divvy’ van arrived and we were advised by the local Police Officer that the start would be delayed while they organised the road block at San Remo. The HOG Group having supped their latte’s wandered back to the car park.
A good number of people came out on Sunday at San Remo to support this last leg of Penny's ride.
We finally departed at 1130 having received the ride brief from the Melbourne HOG Leader and many sincere thanks from Penny to all those who had supported her over the last few days. And so we were off on the final leg of her ride.
It appeared that once we got on the South Gippsland Highway that the rain started and really didn’t stop until just before we approached Penny’s departure point – Warragul Road. It was at that time that we each went our separate ways. Some went on to lunch with Penny at the Matthew Flinders hotel; the HOG group went on the Docklands, while I did the rocket run for home. The rain stopped before the Burnley Tunnel and as usual I am happy to report that the closer I got to Central Victoria the warmer and sunnier it got as well. I arrived home at 1500.
The ride concluded at Matthew Flinders Hotel on Warragul Road. L to R: Dennis, Taxi, Dave, Viv and Sharyn having a bite of lunch, before departing for the Alfred Hospital to see Kaiser. Penny's Courage to Change ride is complete, well done Penny (2nd from right).
Overall a very pleasant 4 days away, mostly with the VMMA.
It was also great to support Penny in achieving her goal of riding around Australia.
Ciao for now, Pedro.
