Sunday 3rd of Feb, the IIRA first club ride for the year

Daryl Colt kindly organised a great tour. We meet at the Shell Laverton out bound service station 9am for a 9.30 blast off. A great number of fellow riders gathered around wondering what was it and how can one ride an Indian Chief ? At the blast off moment Ian Rhook calls to say that he’s just leaving his home, so everyone fought hard the urge to rev up and go!Bonnie and I did back up in our car, a pleasure to see the fine country ahead in Holden’s finest. That Cheeky Mr Rhook and his trusty seven forty and a one finally putt putts into view Chitty Chitty sounds was signal to all that had there bikes to start kicking there Indians to life. Well that said the only ones kicking the starters were Daryl and Rhook as the other eight bikes were of the push button VROOM VROOM variety, stamped out on the shores of the great rice consuming nations.

The weather was a little over cast in the morning and cleared up soon enough, into this Daryl led us all into the back roads skirting Mount Cotterel heading for Baccas Marsh. Here we found in the town sporting grounds a car show, live bands and many folk. Daryl looked at his watch and aloud us one hour to have a look around, if we stayed for three hours i don’t think we would have scratch the surface. As many cars of all types kept rolling in. Our two shy members were stopped by the ticket lady telling them; “entry five bucks walking in or with your bikes love ” Both men looked at one another as if deciding were to make the first insertion in theater. The others looked at there Jap bikes and said ” nah stuff it “Finally the Harley camp was ruffled as the sight of the only Indians rolled into there patch. We walked a wee bit saw lots of interesting Machinery as we drank our coffees, the stand out would have to have been a rusty old 34 Chev lowered into the weeds copped roof that would make a midget uncomfortable running a big block truck motor straining under the wait of an enormous blower. What exhausts? only short eight inch pipes screaming look at me and the plates read WAKEUP !Back on the road again we headed for Meredith, the pleasant roads made for easy riding for the old bikes, the bush land was yellow mostly, needing a good drink from above. One road began to steepen then suddenly hair-pinned to the right to climb even higher, this would have tested our two heroes.Meredith pub was happy to see us good folk, they showed there kindness with delicious food that we all enjoyed . From here we headed to Anakie then turned to the last stop the You Yangs . Here we looked over the great land we call home views that seem to go for ever. Stevie on his trusty Bonnie meet us telling us stories of times gone by.  I kept seeing a great late Rod Leaman, for my last time at this sacred place Rod came too as back up in Ken the Toyota Landfill.Well from here we all headed for home, Daryl did us all proud a great day out was had by all, check out the pics. Sammy

It’s on again the N.S.W Section has got the dates out for the Sitting Bull 2013, ask for Mark at the Boomerang Hotel (02)6025 1711 for bookings in the courtyard there are only 8 rooms left in this area although there is plenty of accommodation in other areas of the hotel. All details are on the Upcoming Events Area, this is only a week-end event & a short trip up the Hume Hwy for a great time, book now. This weekend is the Great Race in Jindabyne run by our friends at Harley City & the Indian Motorcycle Club of Victoria (not IMCA) there is over 160 entries so it will be a fantastic time.Within 2 weeks the Lakes & Craters weekend will be on at Camperdown, we have our first monthly ride on the 3rd of Feb to make sure your Indian won’t be covered in cobwebs. This year there is another Gypsie Tour, riding the length  of the mighty Murray River, with the annual Crazy Horse Rally at Coroyong, Daryl Colt has a full calender going for our first Sunday of the month rides & our Social Sec Chrissie York has a few surprises beside the Christmas in July Event, so after doing all that my lawn will be higher than a “Elephant’s Eye” as the song goes.Don’t forget our first Meeting of the year next Tuesday Night at the Pascoe Vale Hotel. The W.Aust Indian Club has sent another 2 magazines which are on the the site in the Section News. Happy New Year to our Affiliate Club Members there, lastly 180,000 hits & they “said it would’nt last” bollocks to that it did & would be the most current Indian site with up-to-date news anywhere in Australia if not the World, thanks for all your support

These scenes might look pretty cold & natural if you are living in the northern hemisphere and a dose of reality, for us in the southern hemisphere they are a dream with a sweltering 35C last night & 42C+ yesterday these scenes are really refreshing!

I’m back from holidays so a few things Indian “stolen from the Facebook page, the first one, This customized Indian appeared in the February 1947  issue of Popular Science. It was used by the Douglas Aircraft Company at their facility in El Segundo, CA. A motorcycle was chosen over a standard  firetruck because it could fit down the narrow aisles and into other confined spaces of the large aircraft manufacturing plant. It was outfitted with two 30 lbs Du-gas extinguishers, two 15 lbs carbon-dioxide extinguishers and two 2 lbs carbon-dioxide extinguishers. The platform for this vehicle was a standard Indian Dispatch Tow, which used a 45″ Scout side valve V-twin motor.This confuses me in the way it mentions narrow aisles, I wonder what the equivalent is for the modern Firefighters is, do they use Polaris 4 wheel all terrain vehicles, I think not. The second photo is one that Indian could sell today with no compliance issues you could market it world-wide, does the Milwaukee Tractor Company sell beer, probably Vodka I think (potato,potato,potato) which is what they reckon the exhaust note sounds like, personally I say it sounds like a 750 GT Ducati with a stuffed big-end running on full retard. The last two photos could help to cause a fire, a Cigar Cutter, after putting it out then drink a Indian Motorcycle Beer

To all our friends wherever  they are in the world all the best for 2013 & particularly Polaris-Indian with their exciting plans for a new Indian in the coming year