With freshly scrubbed new PR3s and nothing but perfect weather on the radar it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a run out to a place I have been meaning to visit for some time but never got around to. And so it was.
There is nothing special about the ride out there, mostly just dull highway kays but being on a new bike with new rubber and everything working at it’s optimum.
But there is a point where you can head off the freeway which I found very confusing to follow being the first time I’d ridden that way, lots of roundabouts with little signage and then you are on the Old Moorooduc Highway heading towards Red Hill.
I think I got off the freeway around Frankston and just followed my way using what little signs there were, heading towards Arthur’s Seat.
Just beautiful country side out there, reminds me a lot of the countryside I grew up in, in South Australia. Big open roads, paddocks, cows and horses and just lush country scenery as far as the eye can see.
This turns into the Nepean Highway, then White Hill Rd before becoming Arthurs Seat Rd.
All up it’s about an hours ride from the West side of Melbourne for me and it made for a good afternoon ride for something to do.
I stopped at the top at Arthur’s Hotel and had the most expensive steak sandwich and pot of squash I have ever had, at $28 it was also one of the best. Literally a Porterhouse steak on a crunchy turkish roll with big chunky potato wedges and a kinky new age salad on the side. The view from up there is breathtaking. You can see the freeway and the whole coast line back to the CBD. I could have stared at it for hours but the twisty roads were calling me.
Unfortunately what I didn’t realise is that the really good looking bit of twisty road is pretty much suburban meaning it’s a 60 kay zone the whole way.
And to be honest, this is isn’t no Mount Beauty stretch of road to get your fang on. It’s tight as hell 15km hairpins that turn impossibly tight back on themselves followed by sweeping 45km corners and more hairpins. I couldn’t get my groove on at all and was finding nothing but second and third gear taking it easy.
But then again, the view is spectacular. No complaints from me for a half day ride and worth checking it out.