Last Wednesday - 3rd March - dawned a fantastic autumn day. It is the best time of year around here, and so I saddled up the Burgy for a short day's ride.

By the way, the Burgy has a name now; since new, I have been trying to get one to stick and finally, one has - he is now known as - GRAHAM.... (well it's mostly grey.)

We live close to the foothills of the Victorian Alps - lots of fabulous rides to choose from - today I decided to ride the Redbank Road, described in road guides as one of Australia's best rides. From here in Albury, via Wodonga and the road to Tallangatta, turned off to Gundowring and I was on the Redbank Rd although it is not called by that name until further on.

The road is not busy; just some local farm traffic, winding along the eastern bank of the Kiewa River (the Kiewa Valley Highway is the busy one, on the opposite side of the river). What can I say? The road was good (all bitumen surface); the air was balmy; the sky blue; the scenery a knockout, river flats leading me towards the bigger mountains in the distance.

Called in at Ceccanti Winery, close to Mount Beauty. It is a tiny family owned winery with a low-key restaurant - lovely dining area under the big shady trees - but closed on Wednesdays! Apparently it is a good idea to book, they get very busy sometimes, and I can see why. Cellar door sales of their own wine, and a Tuscan-style menu.

On to Mount Beauty, at the foot of the mountains, and I know it is all alpine riding from now on, so I turn around and head back to Tawonga, where I have lunch (a home made egg-and-bacon pie) from the very friendly Old Tawonga Store. Good spot for lunch or coffee, limited menu but good bakery-style stuff.

The road home is along the Kiewa Valley Highway, and it is similar to the Redbank Road, but a bit better road construction although much much busier. Plenty of nice bends, a mixture of straights and hills, up and sown.

Home mid afternoon - a great ride, about 240 km total distance, easy and fun. I can hardly wait for my next opportunity!

It's been quite a while! After getting home last year from the BIG scooter trip to Darwin, on the Yamaha T-Max, a couple of things have happened in the world of Crowtrapper's motorbiking career.

One, the T-Max was finally and regretfully sold - as a tradein on a NEW Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive. The Yamaha was a beautiful bike, but 8 years was enough. I only have a certain number of bikes in the rest of my life, so it was time for a change.

The Burgy is a lovely tourer. A little heavier than the T-Max, but the extra cc's make a lot of difference - it cruises more effortlessly and sits on the road a bit better where it is a rough surface. The T-Max would possibly have the edge in traffic, being slightly more nimble and smaller, but on the open road the Burgy shines.

Secondly, this summer has been so wretchedly hot, day after day of around 40 degrees, so the lovely new bike stayed in the garage most of the time. It's been mine for several months now and I have only got about 900 km on the clock - disgraceful. But just lately we have had some rain and it has cooled off now to autumn temperatures.

My thoughts turned again to motorbike touring a few days ago. And so yesterday I saddled up for a quick day trip.

A gorgeous autumn morning, turning to a warm afternoon. The first leg was straight up the freeway from home in Albury, to the little town of Holbrook where I used to live. 60 km and on the outskirts of town had a coffee break with an old friend. After a lengthy break, back on the Burgy again (its name is Graham. Because it is grey!) and Grah and I headed up into the hills to the village of Jingellic and then on along the Upper Murray River to Corryong. Forgot to look at the speedo but it is about 100 km from Holbrook to Corryong.

Had lunch in Corryong and browsed the secondhand bookshop, and although I had not seen another bike all morning, Corryong was full of them. I guess they had come across through the Snowies enroute to Phillip Island (superbike event there next weekend). Anyway, by the time I had finished lunch most of them had left, and eventually I headed back to Albury via Koetong and Tallangatta, total distance 124 km.

Except for the section from Albury to Holbrook, which was bland freeway riding, the whole trip of 280 or so kilometres was exquisite for a motorcyclist. Sweeping bends, moderate twisties, interspersed with a few short straight sections; occasionally reverse camber sharper bends just to keep you on the ball, all winding through beautiful countryside with mountains on either hand, and the weather perfect too. What a day!

Graham and I are becoming close friends. Next time we go out together, it will perhaps be to the Victorian Alps. There is plenty of good riding there...