210,000 km service/Harietville 2008

As it happens, I managed to coincide two events:

• A Bike Service, and,
• Travel to Harrietville 2008.

My bike servicer of choice is BM Motorcycles in Ringwood and what they say goes. They have a waiting list you wouldn't believe, so the last time I was in I accepted the next vacant slot. I just wasn't thinking at the time, but the date I accepted was also the date I had planned to travel to Harrietville for a Bluegrass Festival. There was no going back, I wasn't going to wait for the next slot, just bite the bullet and keep moving.

As usual I rode down on the Wednesday and dropped off my bike and rode home on their loan bike. I asked Chris when it would be finished by and he happily informed me about the same time. It was 5:00 pm, that's a late start for Harrietville.

I'd taken the Thursday off, as I'd planned to travel to Harrietville over Mt Hotham on this day and have to time to burn. Not so! As it turned out, I was better off traveling to Melbourne first as fellow musos told me it was nearly snowing at Mt Hotham when they went across.

I rode down to BM Motorcycles around 12:30 pm and took my time. I arrived a liitle before 4:00 and was informed the bike was ready! Huh? As it turned out I had assumed it was a major service, it wasn't. However, Chris, in his diligence determined that the rear bearing was 'rumbly' and had replaced it. There was also the front brake pads. In an instant the cost for the service had doubled. Thankfully, I had a history and was able to make a part payment.

I set off and was able to avoid the rain that was tagging the ranges all the way to Harrietville.

I decided that heading towards Lilydale and Yea was the best path considering it was a peak hours Thurday night. Where to leave the road? From Yea I had several choices. Travel to the Hume via Seymour or travel inland and travel through Mansfield to Benalla. As usual I took the route less trevalled and turned off at Merton to join the Hume at Euroa. Windy for part of it, but the shortest route from Yea.

When I was filling up at Yea, a group of three unmarked policecars pulled up and I had a chat with one of them who was admiring my bike. Seems they were all out practicing high speed driving. the seniors teaching the juniors.

I arrived at Harrietville a little before 8:00 pm, in fact just before the Motel office was due to close. Most pleasant ride.

I have upgraded the bike computer to next level and now have average speed, travel time and something else. On the way home over Mt Hotam I averaged 77 km/h and took 4 hr 45 min. Most interesting.