Australian Grand Prix

The view of Phillip Island from my farm bed and breakfast.

The air show prior to the race.

Woolamai Beach where they hold surfing competitions.

The gate to the motorcycle grand prix.

This is the view of the Bass Strait from the southern end of the race track.

Sunday, October 23^rd.

It rained a bit in the morning while I was having bacon and eggs with Graheme and the other two guys. Then the weather cleared and I decided to go to the races. But first I went for a drive around the island. I went to another nature area and Woolamai Beach. This is a beautiful rugged beach where they having surfing competitions during the summer. It was windy and blustery and no one was about.

As I drove towards the race track I found myself stuck in traffic. I remembered I had my bike in the back, so I drove around the island to the back side of the track, parked where it was free and rode my bike to the entrance, saving both money and time. I bought a day ground pass and entered. I spent the afternoon walking around the entire track, watching the people, listening to the roar of the bikes and finding a variety of locations to see the races. It is amazing how fast they go and how far over they lean to make the turns at speed. Really exciting to watch. During the first race that I saw three riders wiped out going around the first big turn, and of the thirty bikes in the races only about twenty finished. The track is beautiful with great turns and changes in elevation, so that on one turn the riders have to lean into a turn that they can't see because the road goes down. I heard a rider say it was like riding off the end of the world. The track is right on the coast which you can see. At the southern end of the track there are great views of the cliffs and the Bass Strait.

After having some lunch/dinner there I decided to leave in the middle of the last race because I knew the island was going to be jammed with traffic and all the roads lead to one bridge to get off the island. So I rode back to the car and drove back to Melbourne with little trouble. I arrived about seven and just relaxed for the evening.