We started somewhere different to the usual place and rode around looking at all the tracks that were open the previous week that had been bulldozed along with a good portion of the scrub.

There are some places completely untouched by the events that devastated so many that Saturday. There are others which will remained scarred for many years to come.

Even with all the reports on the telly, to see Marysville first hand is still shocking. Imagine if you will entire street blocks levelled with only piles of twisted metal where iron roofs once stood.

In the midst of all of this devastation we still had the cake shop to go and have a well deserved lunch at. The line at the cake shop was by far the biggest I've ever seen. It is heartening to see so many city folk answer the call and come to the town. The people were like the leaves on the gum tree's - sprouting from anywhere and everywhere and all were welcomed.

Our trip back to the cars was considerably more challenging as we bested a familiar climb. With the bikes on the trailer we made a short stop at the ice cream shop in Healesville on the way home and the fruit and donut stand at Coldstream.

Look forward to seeing you all next month.