Last blast for 2017

[Aussieflyer]

'twas about 10am on the last day of the year with perfect weather (25C) I decided to head out into the nearby hills for a motorcycling 'fix'. Almost 300km through God's own country which included some ideal twisties such as:
- The Saint Andrews Kinglake Road,
- Chum Creek Road from Toolangi to Healesville,
- The Black Spur (Maroondah Hwy north of Healesville) with a quick stop to look at the Maroondah Reservoir,
- Lake Mountain Road with a pit sop and photo at the top,
- Marysville Woods Point Road,
- Buxton Marysville Road also known as the Reefton Spur,
- Warburton Hwy with a refreshment stop at the Reefton Hotel then to Healesville via Don Road, and
- returning home via Chum Creek Road & the St Andrews Kinglake Road.

I'm not good with taking photos but here's a couple snaps from my iPhone featuring the CB and some pleasant backdrops of the Aussie bush. The descriptions are courtesy of my old pal Google.

For you folks in the northern hemisphere I do hope the pictures of a sunny day and the condensation on a cold glass of beer depict the warmth of our Aussie summer ... come down under and join us sometime.

Maroondah Reservoir:
The Maroondah Dam is a rock foundation concrete gravity dam with an uncontrolled rock chute spillway across the Watts River, located in the Central region of Victoria.
Height: 41 m
Opened: 1927
Dam volume: 132×10^3 m3 (4.7×10^6 cu ft)
Spillway capacity: 465 m3/s (16,400 cu ft/s)
Location: near Healesville Victoria


Lake Mountain:
Lake Mountain is a 1,433-metre-high mountain and cross-country ski resort that is located in Victoria, Australia; approximately 120 kilometres from Melbourne. Not really a mountain by the rest of the world's standards but none the less it is a decent hill.


... and one more just 'cos I liked the look of the CB from this angle


Upper Yarra Reservoir:
The Upper Yarra Reservoir is located east of Melbourne, beyond Warburton within the locality of Reefton. Water from Upper Yarra Reservoir supplies towns in the upper Yarra Valley, and Silvan Reservoir, which transfers water to most parts of Melbourne. Upper Yarra Reservoir has a capacity of 200,000 megalitres ...
Water volume‎: ‎200,000 megalitres
Surface area‎: ‎750 ha (1,900 acres)
Catchment area‎: ‎33,670 ha (83,200 acres)
Average depth‎: ‎27 m (89 ft)


Reefton Hotel:
Established in 1886 The Historic Reefton Hotel is situated 16 km's out of Warburton in the Yarra Valley.


Route Map:


Mrs. Flyer has already reminded me on a couple of occasions that it was a 7.5 hour outing undertaken whilst she was managing home duties. My advice for her to buy a motorcycle and join me was not taken in the spirit in which it was intended ... will I ever learn to just shut up!

[Rocky_imp]

Lovely pictures
How I envy you as I sit here in -15C (4F) temps in the dead of a Canadian winter

[the Ferret]

Lol, loved the epilog below the map.

Great pics of a beautiful bike and country. Thanks for that. As I sit here snowbound at 2 degrees F it looks so good. Btw I also love the CB from the 3/4 rearward angle.

[Nortoon_imp]

Look at all those wiggly lines on the map! How I envy you. At this time of year the only riding I can do is searching out new roads using the street view of Google Maps.

[Nortoon_imp]

Started your ride with Google Maps street view on the Healesville-Kinglake Road C724 where the antique railway wagons are.

Left on the Maroondah Highway B360 in Healesville. Probably where I should have started.

Got lost on the Maroondah Reservoir Park looking for a view of the reservoir. Went back to the highway and found Selover's Lookout for a view there.

The real fun started in the Yarra Ranges National Park. After a few kilometers, realized I was riding on the wrong side of the road. The curves were great. I can understand why like to ride there.

I was having a great time sweeping through the big U-turn just after Dom Dom Road when the boss showed up with a job for me. Maybe some day when she is at work I can finish your run.

[Cormanus]

Glad to hear you're out and about AussieFlyer. Must mean the healing's pretty complete. Good. And on the Reefton Spur on a lovely day. Lucky, lucky man.

Did you know Pterodactyl calls his CB1100 Last Blast?

For other forum members, I have had the privilege of seeing AussieFlyer's bike in the metal and I can tell you that no photo does it justice. It's a lovely thing.

[emptysea]

Great photos. Bike is beautiful

[Aussieflyer]

Started your ride with Google Maps street view on the Healesville-Kinglake Road C724 where the antique railway wagons are.

Left on the Maroondah Highway B360 in Healesville. Probably where I should have started.

Got lost on the Maroondah Reservoir Park looking for a view of the reservoir. Went back to the highway and found Selover's Lookout for a view there.

The real fun started in the Yarra Ranges National Park. After a few kilometers, realized I was riding on the wrong side of the road. The curves were great. I can understand why like to ride there.

I was having a great time sweeping through the big U-turn just after Dom Dom Road when the boss showed up with a job for me. Maybe some day when she is at work I can finish your run.

Nortoon some of the maps don't show all the curves but I can assure you that my 'real fun' started as soon as I left the driveway. Anyways, if you get a chance to continue with Google Maps here are the road details:

- Start in Greensborough using Hwy 46 to get onto C746.
- Follow C746 up the mountain then turn right onto C724. The last 7Km is really tight and twisty and a bit of challenge on the big 1100.
Cross B300 continue on C724 down the other side of the mountain. The last 15Km is just glorious!
-Turn left on B360 go through the township of Healesville with a quick stop at Selovers look out then continue on B360 through the Black Spur, which has some awesome corners but at this time of year is just full of traffic and heavily policed.
- Turn right onto C512 passing through the Marysville township followed by a right turn to continue on C512 going up the hill with some very tempting fast sweepers.
- Turn left onto the Lake Mountain Road (C512) and enjoy the magnificent road surface and great mix of mid and tight twisties all the way to the resort at the top of the mountain. Return back down the same road.
- Turn left onto C513 then right onto C511. These roads are motorcycling heaven!
- Turn left onto the Upper Yarra Dam Road stopping at the dam wall look out then return on the same road to continue South on C511.
- Stop McMahons Creek Road for a refreshment at the Reefton Hotel then continue South (ish) on C511 to Launching Place.
- Turn Right onto C506 then left onto Dalry Road then right onto C411.
- Turn right onto B360 then left onto C728. Now heading back home on the same roads.
- Turn left on C728 for refreshment at the St Andrews Hotel. Continue on C728 to Panton Hill.
- Turn right onto Cherry Tree Road then at the end turn left onto C746.
- Now home via the same roads, kiss the bike and clean Mrs Flyer ... ooops I mean kiss Mrs Flyer and clean the bike.

Glad to hear you're out and about AussieFlyer. Must mean the healing's pretty complete. Good. And on the Reefton Spur on a lovely day. Lucky, lucky man.

Did you know Pterodactyl calls his CB1100 Last Blast?

For other forum members, I have had the privilege of seeing AussieFlyer's bike in the metal and I can tell you that no photo does it justice. It's a lovely thing.

Thanks mate, the ribs and lung are feeling good again but I am carrying a few extra kilos given I haven't been on my bicycle for near 4 months ... it's gonna be a struggle to get fit again.

Now that you mention it I do recall Ptero named his bike - I read it in his recent post where I also read he may be buying a new Italian machine ... so his CB might get a name change to 'Second Last Blast'.