Return to Harrietville

Glad it was a good w/d. Sad about the crash, irrespective of whose fault it is. Sue and I crashed in Brisbane a number of years ago. Sue's broken wrist was serious enough but it could have been a lot worse as her boot wore through to skin (imagine if she had worn runners), both our jackets were torn, and the face shield on her Nolan was scratched - she's being wearing flip faces ever since. Good gear still counts. I got away with a bit of gravel rash.

Echo what Crofty said. Supreme hospitality by Neene & Ed. Casbak Alpine Units is just unbelievable and extremely well looked after.
The weather was looking a little shifty Friday morning when I hooked up with the group in Yarra Glen but the sun started to peek through as we went over the divide. After a quick coffee at the fuel stop in Bonnie Doon I split with the group as I’m not a big fan of mind-numbing highways. I continued on to Mansfield and then up the biker’s road over Whitfield. After a rest and a top-up at the Bright Brewery I did the last thirty-odd k’s to Harrietville. To my surprised I beat the group by a halfer. Down by the river Neene got a nice fire going as Ed prepared the BBQ for a good feed for us. Saturday morning our host cooked us bacon & eggs on the barbie and to my surprise the fire was still going.....maybe Terry had something to do with it. After brekkie we went in various directions. I zipped over the mountains to Mount Beauty as someone had told me of a new brewery in town, Sweetwater Brewing Company. My luck.....closed to 1pm. Back on the bike to Falls Creek, Rocky Valley Dam for a quick look-see and then back to the brewery for a tasting board.
On my way back down the twisties towards Bright I came through a sharp lefty and saw debris all over the road. A Harley was down and the rider lying by the side of the road. A few of his mates was clearing the road as I quickly pulled up. The bloke had lost two toes and had minor bruises on his elbow. We unrolled a swag and carried him into the shade of a tree, rested his foot on a helmet and then applied a loose bandage just to keep the dam flies of the wound. It didn’t bleed much but looked nasty. Looking at the debris on the road I sense it was a rider fault. I think he’d come into the corner too hot and clipped the backend of a 4WD going the other way on the exit. He got his foot trapped under the bike and grinder off his big toe and its shorter neighbour. So much for a pair of good Rossi riding boots. I hung around for a while but as the ambo was on its way I left his mates to sort out the bike.
That little episode did take the wind out of my confidence and I took it nice and slow back to Casbak. When I got back quite a few was hanging around a roaring fire down the back. We had a few refreshments before we all went down to the pub for a feed. Sunday morning’s brekkie was a repeat of the day before and just as good (the fire was still going. Thanks Terry). We made ready to go home mid to late morning. As the weather was just perfect I decided to go the long way home along the Great Alpine Road through Omeo, Bairnsdale.  
This is a must do again trip. Thanks to Bee, Jack & everyone for making it happen.

Must thank Jack and Bee for the stirling job they both did in organising/leading the ride to Harrietville. I had a great weekend and I think it would be hard to surpass the accommodation we shared at Casbak, and Neene and ED made sure everyone had a good time, right down to Neene having a ride with Jack and Roger on there bikes. Great friendship, shared fun and an otherwise beaut' time away. Regards Mick Crofts.