The Island (WSBK 2010) Getting There

The World Superbike Races at Phillip Island have become a little more interesting for me this year. Chris Vermeulen dropped Suzuki Grand Prix and went back to the litre bikes. This time he rides for Kawasaki...good choice I say (being currently a Kawasaki rider).

It was my first time and I really only decided to attend when I realised that the ride I actually had planned to go on up North could be rained out.
So...I winged it big time!
No ticket, no accommodation, just me, my bike and good luck.

Most people did book months ahead.

Da Man wanted me to go with other riders on the Thursday, so I hooked in with Bazz/Barry's group of 14 riders. Barry and I've been on previous Illawarra Riders trips together.
This time was different. This time I had invited myself into a group of his friends and he was probably too polite to say no. Sorry Bazz! But it did work out really well... and your friends are as gentlemanly as yourself. The old saying...show me your friends and I tell you who you are ...worked splendidly.

So, let me tell you about the trip.

We met(3 of us) at 6:30am (or thereabouts) in Mt Ousley and rode to Bungendore, where we linked up with another couple of riders and had breakfast. Lunch at Jindabine and via Khancoban onto Bright, where we met the rest of the gang and stayed the night.



The road between Mansfield and Whitfield is one of my very favourite places. I got to do it tagging onto Peter and we were truly enjoying the 35s, one set after the next. Apparently the view was quite stunning, but we had no time to look.
The Mansfield Bakery is a 'must' stop-over for the hungry rider. It has plenty of road-food, as in pies and cakes and saussage rolls and COFFEE!



Barry's friends had booked into this place in Bright and luckily for me I decided to do the same. We had lunch here with the Illawarra Riders on our wet Snowy Ride in Nov 2009. I can recommend the pizzas...and this time the beer as well. It was great to have my own room and shower at the end of a big ride day that saw us negotiate some hot fresh tar in mountain ranges.


Tallangatta is a nice little place to refresh and recount your trip experience so far. The bakery does a good job feeding the needy and the public toilets are a welcome sight... basic needs covered...ah yes, and the park provides some shade and a grassy knoll to stretch those limbs.