(Vic) Flinders Cruise - Sunday 20th November

[KEVIN]

See ya tomorrow

[courierguy]

See you there.......MANNY

[courierguy]

WOW what a great cruise today. Thanks Tez

[Tez]

Hi Manny... Thanks man.

Today was a ripper day. Yesterday I said the weather aught to hold out - well someone shined on us because the weather was fantastic.

Again, we started the day at Eastlands - I was met by three other Mighty Boys - such a shame more couldn't make it, but I know first hand how temperamental these cars can be, and if I picked a day where others have plans...

So we bugged out shortly after 9:30am - Manny in his truly mighty, 2-speed auto 543 (which just seems to go on forever, given the k's he does in it), Kuzz in a freshly re-engined 'Boy, using the drive as a fair chunk of his run-in, and Gavin & Kevin in, as always, Gavin's immaculate 'Boy that everyone would love to own, and myself in my beastie.

I had planned the day out into 'sections' and the first part was to get ourselves down to 'Hastings' on the peninsula. There were several roads along the route today that were highway speeds - 100k's, but we never got over 90 anywhere.

I was determined to make it a casual day, so the run to Hastings was completed avoiding the freeways etc. and we arrived about 10:45am I guess. (I didn't specifically look at my watch):

Stopped in the Hastings Marina carpark for a Loo-break.

A little later we were back on our way to Flinders - The object of the cruise. As the road winds it's way down the peninsula, there's a point where you come around a bend, ans you're cruising up and down the hills, and suddenly there's a spectacular view straight out the front windcscreen across the meadows to the sea. It always catches me unaware and this time I thought I'd be ready for the view and tried to catch it for you guys...

On a good day you can almost see New Zealand from here!
(This photo DOES NOT do this view justice)

So about 10 minutes later we cruised into Flinders and made our way to the lookout for some photos...

The sea-breeze was making it's presence known through the day - here in Flinders the wind was off-shore and so the view down from the lookout to the jetty was picture-postcard perfect...

Gavin complained that his stomach thought his throat had been cut... We hadn't stopped anywhere for anything to eat or drink, but it was fast approaching midday, so I plea-bargained a deal with him - that we buzz down to the jetty for some more pictures, and then we'd get lunch. That got agreement from all the guys! - Funny, I wasn't that hungry! - Anyway, off to the jetty we went. We rolled up to the jetty, took ownership of it, and parked the cars suitably for a 'shoot'...

A few photos later, we made our way back up to the township to find some sustainance... Gavin was positively fading away to a shadow by now...
(more in the next post)

[Billie]

I think I need to move to Vic, theres no cruises up here,looks like alot of fun too.

[Tez]

(part two)
So we drove up to the 'township' of Flinders which, on such a glorious day was acting host to more that just a transient Mighty-Boy group... The shopping area was positively buzzing, and the local fish & chips shop was doing a roaring trade.
(As an aside - OMG! - I have never seen home-made doughnuts that huge, or Vanilla Slice that big either - both articles way over the top - too big for any of us to attempt). So with some F&C under our respective wings, we headed back to the civic reserve where we (I) had decided we could best show off our cars and had driven onto the reserve and parked under an appropriate tree...

Me - In all my glory... Enjoying my F&C in the best seat in Flinders...

We finished our chippies and pressed on. having completed 'stage 2' of the drive, 'section 3' was the run from Flinders across the peninsula and up into Red Hill and to Arthur's Seat. We didn't stop at the top - with the chairlift seemingly out of action permanently, the cafe at the top is struggling to stay open - the views from inside the cafe are Ok, but the are at the top of the chairlift itself is no great shakes - much better views can be had gratis - at one of the road-side stops down the 'windey road' into Dromana, so that's where we went - the view from 'Murray's Lookout' is truly spectacular... (adding the eyes was a given - not by us tho!)

Here we could see the effect the sea-breeze was having on Port Phillip Bay - here it was an on-shore breeze and the views this side of the hill were regrettably a little hazy today, but we could see one container ship making it's way up to Melbourne, just discernible in the distance... (out of shot to the right)

From here, we made our way down the road into Dromana, and then began the trip back up the peninsula via some back roads.
We made our way across to Bittern before heading north along Coolart road. This road used to be very heavily used until the freeway went in, and now is a series of rolling hills inter dispersed with large roundabouts (a legacy to the days of heavy traffic) and quite a nice run.
We made our way through Pearcedale to Narre Warren and back to Ringwood via Lysterfield and Ferntree Gully.
Kuzz peeled off at Fentree Gully, living not far away, it made sense and about 10 minutes later Manny also peeled out, obviously heading home by a more direct route. We were only 10 minutes or so from Ringwood, and realising that Gavin & Kevin were now travelling away from home also, for the sake of following me, I pulled over, discussed the merit of actually returning to Ringwood to complete the cruise - we were only 10 minutes away anyway, and decided there wasn't any good reason to bother, so we also parted company. Gav & Kev heading back the way they'd been coming, and I made a bee-line for home (also 10 minutes away in another direction).

Mission accomplished. The Buzz-Box has had it's in frequent longer run to do us both the world of good...

A great day, a great run. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, had the company of some great guys and life is good.

Probably won't get another cruise planned out this side of Christmas, but I think with the 2012 Albury meet now in April, I might see about working something out through the hills for February or so... (Given the time of year and heat etc.)... A run along some shady roads might be nice.

Watch this space...

Cheers

[KEVIN]

Thanks for planning another great day Tez. Where to next

[Arctic Alto]

looks like i missed another great cruise by Tez
i was fixing my gear stick mount on my alto on sunday.
Fingers crossed all is good the the next cruise

[Psi_Wagon]

looks like an awesome day Tez, i had to go and have surgery on wednesday , hopefully there will be another before christmas!