Well it was months in the planning and now it has come and gone. The triumph Riders Club (South Australia) and it's BIG ride to attend the ALL BRITISH RALLY at Campbell Creek near Castlemaine in Victoria over the Anzac day weekend. A yearly rally organised by the BSA club of Victoria. It is a fitting site for an event which is PURE GOLD!!
About a dozen of us rode over, some on their own and the rest in a group of 8. Some also took their cars with bikes in trailers or on back of utes.
We met at Tailem Bend on Thursday morning (24th April) at 8.30am for a 9am depature and commenced our ride of about 650km (via the wonderful Grampians). This was done in one day. We arrived at our destination at about 6.00pm. Some of the riders went to a house they had rented for the long weekend whilst the rest of us rigged our tents and swags in the dark. As were amongst the first to arrive, we had the area much to ourselves.
The following day more then a thousand other bikes arrived and the place was soon buzzing with activity. The variety of British bikes ws staggering!!! Some dated back to the early 1900s. All other bikes (jap, german etc) were banished to a holding area on the outskirts of the grounds!!! This IS an ALL-BRITISH rally after all.
We were very fortunate two have two very valuable members amongst our group. Frank, who grew up in that district, took us on a ride on each of the three days along some of the most scenic and winding roads you could want. Phil (philmecavity) was the brit bike expert and what he doesn't know about them isn't worth knowing! He gave great and interesting commentaries on the huge range of bikes which we came accross!
You know, riders and owners of British bikes are amongst the best people one could meet. You feel like you are amongst old friends even though all are strangers.
On Saturday a mass ride was organised. Most of the 1,000 to 1,200 bikes formed a huge snake that made its way through the scenic Victorian countryside to a small town about 25km away. It was here we had lunch. Every street in the town was flooded with motorbikes. An unbelievable sight!
Sunday morning was spent by watching the allocation of prizes for the many catagories. One of our group (Brian) won the best O.I.F. (oil in frame) award for his special royal wedding edition bonneville. (I also won a great pair of pannier bags in the door prize section!!)
At about 2.00pm, whilst others returned on the long trip home. six of us headed south down to Torquay (Bells Beach is there as well). This is on the Sth coast of Victoria and the start of The Great Ocean Road. We spent the night in a motel there before heading off on Monday morning on what must be one of the most scenic rides in Australia. The rides winds it's way along the rugged coast and the scenery is just fantastic. This was to be about a 400km ride to mt Gambier (Sth Australia) where we spent the night. The next day we headed for home on another 450km ride.
Without doubt, this has been one of the best rides I have EVER done. The company was fantastic and we had GREAT fun. The riding was superb and through some atonishingly beautuful countryside. We also struck it lucky with the weather! All around us (in surrounding districts) it was wet and windy but it seemed to stay clear of us on about 90% of the time!! (usually it's the other way round)
We are now home again, tired and a bit sore but elated at the great adventure we had!! During the six days away we covered about 2,200km!
I will post some pics here and on a few more threads over the coming days.
Setting off at Tailem Bend
Dwayne with his America. (still clean and shine, but not for long)
1st rest and refueling stop at Bordertown.
Frank with his Sprint.
