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In Melbourne we have two main squid-a-licious rides...the Black Spur..and..the Reefton Spur....I've posted great rides about them before.

I have always avoided these rides on a weekends because all the squids are out...todays Saturday...what was I thinking...I was doing the Reefton spur.

It was a beautiful day..warm and sunny..I was just out cruising..then I started to see petrol stations full of squids..all getting ready to do what squids do.

Anyway I came across this petrol station with a bunch of squids pulling out..and I split up the group.. .."I found myself in a squid sandwich".. ..I was in no hurry..I know there's unmarked cop bikes in this area.

The 5 or 6 ahead soon disappeared in the distance and a small group of about 4 of 5 were behind me..we had double lines..but that didn't stop them blasting past..head down..arse up..in the squid position..

Soon after the last one passes me I see dust in the air up ahead..I knew someone had gone down...sure enough...the crest in the road..the road dropped away to the right..he lost the front end and was very lucky to have a big gravel run off area to slide into...here's my pics.









Lucky he had full leathers...not hurt except maybe a broken shoulder...his Ninja was pretty trashed...green and black puddles are not a good sign.

The Reefton Pub was just up the road and the drinks were nice and cold.





Along the way are these cool bridges that cross the Yarra river.





The cases..dam-it..why did I leave them on..





Check out the kids in the raft..they were having a ball..





On the way home I came across this cool car on the side of the road...anyone know what it is???







It had a great alarm....



My last pic was at my last stop on the way home..I was looking for the biggest and coldest coke I could find...did I mention it's been hot down under..

DJ

I don't think it was the first time he's lost it DJ. His fairing didn't seem to match the rest of his bike. Evidence of previous off's maybe?

Nice day for it.

What a day DJ. Looks hot. Was 80 here in LA yesterday, so I can't complain.

Are you famous down there? Riders stop & gather when they see the famous DJ Downunder? I think they got so nervous one of em crashed. I hope the adoring crowds don't affect your riding & pixs.

I thought you were going to describe an Aussie sandwich delicacy!

Most of us would feel accomplished to post one good ride report a year and you seem to do it daily!

Good thing that fellow missed that aluminum sign or your pictures could have been very graphic!

DJ, I enjoyed your ride, (as I always do) you really live in a beautiful part of the world. Two of my sons and a brother have all spent time there and speak very well of it. As for the car, I think it is an early "50's" Ford, "51" is my guess, but I am not good at those early 50 Fords

boxerboy said..

I don't think it was the first time he's lost it DJ. His fairing didn't seem to match the rest of his bike.

Yes..you're right...this was his first ride after fixing it up after another crash...you'd think he'd take it easy....he wasn't a happy chappy..

socalrob said..

Are you famous down there?

....you guys make me laugh.

wncbmw said..

Good thing that fellow missed that aluminum sign

Yes...he skidded 50 yards/meters and came to a stop just before a fence made of train sleepers...and he missed that sign...I'm thinking cheese cutter...

and...there is the odd day that I don't have a 'great ride'...

mnnden....where did your sons and brother stay down under....and it could be an old Ford...at first I thought the roof had been chopped....great paint job.

DJ

I was also going to say 51, maybe '52 ford. the rear fins lead me to believe that.

My dad has a '50 Ford that has been 'chopped' into a ranchero. DJ, you aussies would love this considering your love affair with 'odd' designed vehicles!

Not a '52! They had a diferent rear fender. Most likely a '51 but could be a '50 with more changes than it first appears. The '51 seemed to have a longer trunk area which this one does.

I was thinking it was a '50 or '51 Mercury, which may be a Ford downunder. They seemed to blow up in popularity years ago then died out. The custom chopper must've replaced a lot of the custom street rods, but they are still nice. My father-in-law just picked up a '39 Chevy truck, chopped/semi tubbed, lots of HP goodies. Needs 'finishing' as they say. He gets a new hot-rod about every six months.

Yeah, the Mercs are nice.

I rode on Friday from home with a lunch stop at Yea (try Elmer's for a great salad) and then on to Alexandra, Marysville and the Reefton Spur. Apart from a bit of wind, it was a perfect day's ride.

The was some concern approaching the Lake Mountain turnoff with an oil-slick that was perhaps 300 metres long. It looks as though a log truck had a sump-dump.

Although riding two-up, I still scrubbed the sidewalls to the edge on the RT's tyres on many corners and managed to bottom the centrestand a few times.

The Reefton Spur is long enough that you feel that both you and the bike have had a decent workout. It's a great ride, even at moderate speeds, as the Spur tests all riders on a range of corners and bends of varying speeds with lots of left/right and right/left transitions.

The squid that DJ described found fortune in a gravel run-off and he can count his blessings as most of the road is closely skirted with a forest of eucalypts that no bike or body will match in a collision.

Are you guys sure that's not a late '40s Packard?

No..not a 1940 Packard.

This is a 1950 Packard...close but I don't think so.

DJ

Here's a 1950 Ford.....I think that's it...chopped and customized.

DJ

Ya, the "49" "50" & "51" fords looked a lot alike, and a lot of them went to the "chop" shops" They really bring back some great Memories. DJ, as for my son's and brother, they were all there with the military, our eldest twice, I have seen a lot of pictures but really cannot remember the exact locations, ( i'll have to ask) My brother went down on R & R from VietNam, and made friends there and returned quite a few times, I really think he was planning to move down, but it did not happen.
Den

I was thinking of a ride today, but took the family to see my folks instead.

46C here on the Murray River in Victoria. I wonder how it is in Marysville in the hills where it's often a bit cooler. ?

Damn it's hot.

In the early 50's many American car companys made 2 door sedans and 2 door coupes, the coupe's were ofter called "Business Coupes" The coupes utilized a smaller back seat, and in doing this a bigger trunk could be had for salespeople or (business people) to haul their "wares" and that is the reason for the long trunk deck. Den
A 1951 ford Coupe

A 1949 Coupe

Not a good pic but a 1950 ford 2 dr

Den