Saturday dawned beautifully sunny - I should know I was up at dawn! 
I had arranged to meet Tess at Hume at 8:00am to go down to Hotham to meet up with some of the VIC netriders... and the gods must have been smiling upon me as (get ready for it) I was actually EARLY to the meet point! By a whole half hour 
Tess rolled up and I finished my pie, we had a quick drink and we were underway... rolled through Cooma and onto Adaminiby. Pulled up at the servo and alas! couldn't turn the ignition off! Sought the assistance of the dude in the servo WD40 down the key hole didn't help, so he tried to pick the lock on the fuel tank so I could at least get fuel to no avail. So... about face and back to Cooma to the bike shop.Amy at the bike shop in Cooma was very helpful, Greg was loading a bike onto a trailer at the time but said to leave it with them, she would get him to take a look, we left all our gear in her office and were about to head off to grab a coffee, when Tess came back in - he'd got the key out! Didn't I feel like an idiot 
still couldn't turn it to off but at least could get the key out by turning it to "P"... so I was right to go... just meant I would have to leave the key in the ignition while parked... meh she'll be right. We grabbed a quick bite to eat, sat in the park and watched some of the Austraila Day stuff going on (ain't it great to be Aussie? i can choose not to stand up for our National Anthem!) before heading off again.A quick run to Adaminiby and straight through to Kiandra (helloooooo yellow lines! 
) and then down the Elliot Way 
Tess was a bit off form so I managed to keep up with her! we overtook a friend of mine on the Elliot Way so we pulled up at the end for a quick chat, then stopped for a smoke and on to Corryong for fuel/drink/smoke/drink/drink/drink - it was hot by this stage! From Corryong we just went straight along the Murray Valley Highway as we were a bit behind schedule after the delays of the morning... well so we thought anyway...Took the Redbank Road after Tallangatta, heading towards some very ominous storm clouds - saw a few very impressive bolts of lightning and we were just getting closer... and closer... pulled into Mt Beauty to refuel (Caltex Servo on the right has visor cleaning stuff for "motorbikes only" goodonem!) by this stage it was only 3:20pm and the original plan had been to meet the VIC crew at the other side of Tawonga Gap at 3:00pm so we weren't too far behind at all! Up Tawonga and started to see evidence of the cyclists we had been warned about... no sign of the Vic crew so onto Harrietville with those clouds getting ever closer. There must have been some kinda vintage thing on, enjoyed checking out all the bikes as we over took them one by one... just before Harrietville it started coming down... but so close to the destination and the storm didn't look like it would last long so didn't bother with wets... started up the mountain, heaps of bikes pulled over donning the wets... got overtaken by a Ducati... Tess gave chase to him for a while before letting him go and slowing down to wait for me... come around a corner, Tess is pulled over and the duc is on it's side 
poor duc, but rider was okay, bike only scratched so picked up and he sent us on his way (his mates had caught up by then). riding along and WTF? snow on the side of the road?? realised it was actually hail! what a storm that must have been, glad we missed that!
up further there was a section of road that still had a fair covering, though the wheel tracks had been cleared (thanks cars! ). Got to Hotham, pretty cold and wet, but what a ride! The Vic crew were already there, so after drying off we headed for the pub Sunday morning, woke up to hear the first of the Vic contingent departing... some time later 4 of the Vic crew and Tess and I left for the run down to Omeo... Bryan and Tess took off in the lead and I was second last... not for long! 
eventually worked my way through the traffic then caught up to Bryan and Tess eventually Bryan waved us both through and it was a mad dash down to Omeo what fun! Was totally buzzing when we pulled up for fuel there but alas! the first of the cooked rear tyres! Tess's rear was completely kaput. Luckily Bryan is well connected and hooked us up with a dude at Lakes Entrance, got the local bike shop opened up for us and he had a second hand rear that he fitted and we got on Tess's bike! It was a much more sedate run down to Bruthen and then onto Lakes... waved goodbye to three of the boys who were heading for Phillip Island at Brutehn. After Tess got the tyre on we decided that Lakes seemed like a good enough place to stay for the night - so the search for accommodation commenced. We decided to try all the caravan parks (cabin plus pool!) to no avail... ended up at Marlo (where the owner kindly locked all our bikes in the shed for the night )and what a good idea that was! Bryan is an awesome man to have along on a trip - not only does he know dudes to get tyres from on a Sunday... he went to the shop and fetched bourbon! a quick bourbon then down to the river for a swim... then back to settle in for the night... bourbon was consumed, I believe we had a meal in there somewhere... that's all I'm gonna say on the matter (yes I was trashed )Trippy thing happened through the night - siren started going off, sounded like World War III was about to commence or something... Tess and I got up to see what was going on... it was like we were the only ones who heard it, nobody else was investigating... asked the owner of the park in the morning and he said it was the CFA... Monday morning was overcast and muggy... a quick look at my rear tyre told me that I should be taking it very easy for the run home... Tess and Bryan took off for Orbost for fuel and I eventually turned up we had a breakfast before Bryan went his way and Tess and I headed for Cann River, and onto Bombala... so much for taking it easy! We made *very* good time on that stretch an inspection of the rear at Bombala showed the second cooked rear for the weekend... so it was a very sedate run from there into Cooma where we had lunch (even got overtaken by a car ) before limping back home to Canberra... and begging a lift into coffee Another great weekend of riding, riding, partying and more riding What a way to spend the Australia Day long weekend!
Thought I do up a ride report for the swim ride...
FRIDAY
Arrangements were made to meet with Tessa and Dale at the Caltex at Hume at 3pm... I was running late, rocked up to find Dale there with another bloke (Hi Nick!) on a new Hornet 900 (I think) but no Tess. Tess had gone straight past and was going to meet us at Williamsdale. Nick was running in the Hornet so decided to join us in our ride to Cooma.
We set off, collected Tess at Williamsdale and bored our way to Cooma (oh how I hate that road!). We stopped for a drink (smoke for me) and a bit of a chat with Nick before he headed back to Canberra and we continued on. Another stop at Adaminiby for fuel then a stop at the Kiandra turn off for *that* picture (it was Dale's first time through the snowies! ). We headed down past the Selwyn turnoff - I was feeling really out of whack so was left behind for a fair bit... regroup at the cabramurra/tumut 2 fork, we decided to head down the Elliot Way as the day was getting on My favourite stretch of this road was in good repair (the climb after O'Hare's picnic area which had just been freshly resurfaced when we came through for the swim ride last year) . A short stop by the side of the road to have a stretch after Tooma and then it was onto Corryong! We pulled up behind the pub and Glen came out and told us about Stevo's off I think we were all very shocked by that, as Stevo is one of the best riders I know
Tess and I decided it was time to pay our respects to Jimmy, so with drinks to hand we kicked back enjoying the sunset before going up to the pub to join the rest of them for dinner. And I cannot actually recall what happened after that... other than the room spinning around when I went to go to sleep :king:
SATURDAY
Saturday morning came around, it was hot in the sun! Everybody was scheduled to leave at 9:30 for the first swim at Khancoban. I had heard from James that he and Steve were at Khancoban so I told Kathleen to pick them up at the servo there... for I was feeling kinda lazy and Tessa was like-minded so we waved them all off and veged out for a bit, arranging to meet them at the second swim spot. We headed into town for some supplies... lunch and some trashy novels, before heading out to the second swimming spot (I don't know how to explain where it is, but it is on the road to Biggara) beaut spot we had a bit of a swim before lathering up in the coconut oil (15 SPF of course 
before settling down to the trashy novels and sunbaking. Not long after, Glen turned up, and soon after the rest of the bunch. More swimming, then lunch, before heading off to the next spot. James, Tessa and I had arranged to go directly to Tintaldra, while the rest of the group were off to Towong for another swim. They all took off and a few minutes later we left... turned onto the main road and within a few minutes found ourselves in the midst of the other group! They were to head straight ahead at Towong whereas we veered to the left... after a *very* quick run into Tintaldra, we pulled up in front of the pub... and the others started rolling in! They had followed us! Ooops. Anyway eventually everyone turned up at Tintaldra, the hardcore amongst us went for another swim (battling the slimiest mud ever and very cold water), and there was a bridge jump by Glen
There was another group of riders booked into the Pub so we socialised there for a bit more before heading back to Corryong to start our own evenings celebrations We set up outside our room, one round saw the last of the coke gone and not much bourbon left, so Sewing Machine Steve was dispatched to the bottle shop for supplies. More drinking ensued, before heading up to the pub for the dinner Kathleen had arranged at 7pm. We played pool, had the jukebox going, headed down to the other pub where there was a band on (though they were on a break when I got there), put up with inappropriate comments from the opposite sex... ever pondered the mystery of stolen P plates? We solved it... it is drunk people wanting to use them as frisbees We went to the motel for a swim in the pool before heading back to the pub and bed.
SUNDAY
Arrangments had been made for a group shot at the front of the pub Saturday morning at some time, 9am maybe?? I woke up stupid early for some reason... got up for a bit, back to bed for a bit before deciding I really wanted bacon. So I put on my shoes and headed off into town in search of bacon... There is not much going on in Corryong at that time of morning! Ran into Steve as I was walking down, so he came too. One place was due to open at 8:30am so got scrambled eggs with bacon mixed in there and coffee walked back up, had missed the photo but my bike had been included anyway 
The Victorians left, a lot of the ACT crew left, and Kathleen, Nereash, Tessa, Glen, James, Kate, Dale and I remained (have I missed anyone?) we were heading for Jingellic for a swim - but the road turned to dirt so we turned around, went up over Granya Gap and onto Jingellic that way. Panic ensued when there was no fuel at Jingellic and the servo at Walwa appeared to be closed but eventually that was sorted. Kathleen and I headed off for Jingellic leaving the rest to have their lunch, we got in a quick swim before they arrived. Kathleen and I learnt that it is a bad idea to decide to float on your back over the rapids... though we were laughing as well as cursing... the others only heard laughter so decided to do it too... I think Tess was the only sensible one in that regard!
From Jingellic to Tumbarumba where we refuelled and I left the group (I was very tired and really didn't feel up to Elliot Way only to be followed by the Cooma to Canberra stretch... god how I hate that road). The rest of 'em left and I stopped in at the Golden Chicken for a burger - almost as good as the burgers at Malua Bay before heading off to Tumut where $2.50 saw me a swim in the local pool, then Gundagai where I rode around looking for river access before finally finding a boat ramp off the side of the road on the way to Junee only to find the water was really muddy and disgusting, then a stop at Yass for fuel and rehydration and an icecream then home. Was dead tired and fast asleep before 10pm
A big thank you to Kathleen for organising the weekend, had a blast as was to be expected! Can't wait for next years
