Phillip Island

This weekend the Moto GP is being held at Phillip Island.  In 1988 the first Australian Moto GP was held at Phillip Island, Victoria.  John had recently purchased a Suzuki Triton with a sidecar and decided that he and Michael, who had just turned 6, should attend this momentous event in the hope of seeing Wayne Gardner (local Wollongong boy) win the inaugural GP.

John with his Dad

John with his Mum

I was most unhappy about my baby boy going all that way in a sidecar!  John built a canopy with windows for the sidecar, added a seat belt and Michael was quite cosy in there with his books, food, drinks, pillows, blanket  etc.  Anyway, they made it to the GP, had a fabulous time and Michael has a wonderful boyhood memory of a special time with his Dad at an event in Australian motorcycling history.

On the way home the bike broke down near Eden so John's Mum and Dad loaded up the bike trailer at our place and drove to Eden to pick up the weary travellers and the bike from the Eden Pub, where they'd been staying/waiting since the breakdown.  I'll never forget opening the door early in the morning and there was my gorgeous little boy home safe and sound.

John turned 60 in April this year.  His present was a ride day at Phillip Island - we are hoping to take his racing bike down there in the next few months.

PS:  Wayne Gardner won the race and he won again the following year.