Remembering Ranji
The weather was perfect for the running of the 35th Harold Parsons and rider numbers were well up on last year’s event. The first rider departed the Maffra clubrooms in Morison Street at 10.15am and the rest continued to depart at minute intervals for the next hour. An arrowed course took the ride through Maffra via Johnson Street to make it known that the 2017 Harold Parsons was underway. The ride reached Heyfield via Riverslea and Tinamba where the first checkpoint was. With their time cards updated the riders continued through cornfields and dairy farms in the Cowwarr and Seaton areas. A further checkpoint on the Licola Road, just short of Blanket Hill was also the turnaround point. This directed the riders to head back down the hill and through Glen Maggie and Heyfield for the final checkpoint of the morning. A sit down lunch at the Coongulla Hall was a two-course meal which was much appreciated by everyone. There was no time to get too comfortable though, as the call for the first riders to commence the afternoon leg of the course was made. The afternoon leg took the riders through the Maffra North, Newry, Boisedale, Briagolong and Stratford areas. On the return to the clubroom, afternoon tea, cakes, scones and other refreshments were on offer. A short presentation of awards and farewells was made which concluded the event’s activities.