One of those days when nothing goes to plan

[grumpybastard]

Well we headed out today as per suggestions in this thread

1. The plan was head over to Kinglake for brunch at the bakery (i remember it from many years ago)

2. Head over to Mt Disappointment then Strath creek falls in Mt Disappointment State Forest.

It seemed all pretty easy and straight forward, flexible enough that we could go with the flow.

What actually happened ......

Well heading into Kinglake the roads are narrow and windy, Catherine isn't one for anything but the Hwy, so she is clinging on like she is going to die while i try and make the bends as smooth as possible. Im doing 30kph with a line of cars and bikes behind me and all the time Cath is squirming in her seat, making funny little noises and going for the invisible brake pedal continuously.

Im starting to get a little "short" at this stage.

We head into Kinglake, well it seems everyone else had the same idea (mostly bikes) as the bakery had nothing left and no where to sit. 3 kids all hungry and cranky now.

Heading out towards Mt Disappointment SF i came over a rise to see a black shape on the road, i start slowing up only to realise that its a bike and rider in the middle of the road. I stop hit the hazards and jump out, nearly being taken out by people trying to drive around me!!!

A local has pulled up coming the other way and the bike rider is up on his feet now, so we push the bike over to the side of the road dodging people to impatient to stop or even help. The bikes pretty cactus its worn through the engine casing as its been sliding and dropped a couple of litres of oil on the road.

Bike rider seems okay, guy in his late 40s, pretty shook up and looks like he has broken his thumb. The local and i start grabbing hand fulls of leaf litter and dumping it on the oil in the road, trying to soak it up and at least make an obstacle so people drive around it (especially the bikes).

All the time im trying to figure out why he came off, then i see it! Theres a wallaby on the rd. The poor guys been riding along only to have a roo jump out in front of him, he has hit it, killed it instantly and then he and the bike have slid along the road for 10-15 metres.

No one can get mobile coverage, so the local guy jumps in his car to head up the rd to the local CFA. Whilst im chatting to the guy trying to figure out what the hell im supposed to do to help, i find out that he only has 3rd party insurance, no RACV membership cant afford a tow truck and i cant get hold of his wife.

Just then i see the local copper coming towards me, so i jump out on the road and start waving him down, i swear he was going to go straight past, even though there's a bike on the side of the road with a guy lying down next to it and the hazards flashing on the Disco on the other side of the road.

Anyway cutting a long story short i relay all the info to the Policeman, CFA has arrived, i've given the guy my details in case he gets stuck and we have finally headed off.

After getting lost in Mt Disappointment SF numerous times we finally find Mt Disappointment rd, the reason we couldn't find the rd was because it is closed for tree mulching

So we head off to Strath Creek Falls, no suprises its bone dry!

Its now gone 5pm its starting to get dark the kids have been stuck in the car for the majority of the day and we have an hour and half trip home.

Some days i reckon i should give up earlier when things start turning bad, because it always just keeps going and going.

My God! This post has turned into a short story

(BTW: i rang the guy on the bike tonight to see how he was, but there was no answer)

[LandyAndy]

Hey just what you wanted!!!!!
Kids off the internet country air and real life action.
WELL DONE MAN!!!!
Andrew

[DeeJay]

Yup, a pretty normal trip I'd say .
No panel damage, started a diet, good samaratin, honed up the navigation skills All good.

[Ken]

Maybe the day didnt turn out as planned the Handbrake a little nervous the nippers a bit toey and the trip not to plan but if not for you being on the scene when that poor bloke came off his bike lying in the middle of the road some other idiot may not have seen him and his day might have been even worse so as for the bakery not having any food and you carrying on to the next destination you were his guardian angel in disguise as for the lack of water well lets just say maybe it was time to go home with an intact family and you really were the hero of the hour sounds like a Bloody good day to me good on ya mate

[grumpybastard]

I forgot to mention, after 5 years of talking Catherine into letting me buy a motorbike for commuting, she now says uncategorically NO!

Her comment to me was "What if a roo jumped out in front of you!"

my reply with sarcasm was "What like in the domain tunnel?!"

She replied "Yes!"

I just shook my head and kept driving

[hiline]

i always say if your day starts bad its gunna stay bad all day

so i turn around and go home

[blitz]

Having been road kill lying on the side of the road with people driving past because they were to busy to stop to help or what ever, he will be grateful for the rest of his life that you did.

Good on you, you are one of the fast disapearing australians that still care about a stranger in need

[Frenchie]

I forgot to mention, after 5 years of talking Catherine into letting me buy a motorbike for commuting, she now says uncategorically NO!

Her comment to me was "What if a roo jumped out in front of you!"

my reply with sarcasm was "What like in the domain tunnel?!"

She replied "Yes!"

I just shook my head and kept driving

You're more likely to have a car jump out in front of you, happened to a mate of mine twice in 12 months.

[mcrover]

Mate you are a real Hero, Good on you for doing that.

As for the bike, there is a small chance you will hit a roo in the bush but the odds get heavilly weighted once you get traffic involved, I have to agree with your Mrs and say dont get the bike for commuting.

I used to be an Onsite mechanic, before that drove a 28' rigid around melb, and before that courier driver and the amount of times I have seen guys get knocked off their bikes doing the right thing and staying out of the way in the left lane and some idiot pretty much just mows them down and say I just didnt see him.

[MacMan]

Hmmm. Kinda forgot that this time of year means that the falls are a little dry.

Also, the back way into Kinglake from St Andrews is seriously windy and best done on two wheels. Is that they way you went?