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You know,  a while go I may have had a chuckle at some of the funny crash's put on Youtube by the AMTRA team , but yesterday I went for my very first trail ride session.
I now feel nothing but sympathy for those who fall off going up hills, down hills and any where else.  And those who don't are a pretty skilled bunch.
Ohhh yeah, I spent some "off" time. 
If it wasn't for the guys with me I would still be sitting in the Cobaw bush swearing to never ride a @##$ dirt bike again.  But, as such I'll be back on in no time.
On a serious note though, although this is my first venture into the sport I was VERY happy to have spent the money on good gear, especially my boots.  They really saved me from injury out there.  It is good advice to buy a bit older bike and put the money saved into riding gear that will protect you.
Oh, and the DRZ electrics?  not real flash, have a little work to do there, just ask Tim H, he gave me his bike and took my bike and rode it back out for me.  Because everytime it stalled (and I stalled it heaps Tim didn't) it needed to be.........Push Started.

Good to hear that you're OK, and haven't been 'scared' off for life!

It will get easier (and more enjoyable).  Hopefully, your time with AMTRA will help.

Chin up and keep on smiling!

 ;)

i know how you feel FP ,MY 1ST ride with amtra saw me brake indictors , my big toe and bend my handle bars . although i had ridden once b4 it was a lot of yaers ago and i was never anygood at it anyway. There are a lot of people in amtra that have helped me  over the past 18 months ive been with amtra. to these people with thier advice and reasurance that things will get better i owe a very big thankyou and if not for the mateship and guidance i may have thrown in the towel . so stick with it and hope you improve and grow to enjoy this sport and this club and the people in it as much as i do now . oh yeah and if you fall off and your ok it is normal that you get laughed at,not personal , good luck .from seano

Sean, a nice straight forward answer, very good mate!

So Pete, you got any footage to post up so we can all have a laugh!! ;D

Hey FP yep stick at it its a very rewarding pastime / skill but it does take time to get in the groove BE PATIENT it will get better pretty quick , I have been riding a bit over 6 months now and can kind of get along the trail OK most of the time. The only thing i wanted to add to the great advice already posted from the perspective of being where you are not so long ago is that as you improve sometimes confidence can bring complacency and when complacency rears its ugly head you are very volnerable to an injury. I got reminded about that last weekend by none other the the AMTRA president  :-[. Shortcuts and she will be right mate and dirt bikes dont mix to well , wear all your gear and dont do anything that you are not comfortable with no matter how easy someone else makes it look.  

Keep at it you will be blasting through the bush in no time .  ;D

How patient do I have to be ?
I've been riding for 4-5 years now & I still fell off how many times on the weekend on Eric's adventure to Woods Point & back.......
Oh, & the mateship thing, I hate Al's & his tracks too !!
My only mate is Jeff, I can throw a CRF450 at his chest & he still liks me, don't know why though ??

That's not nice you short little man. I let you crash infront of me an Brad's Fumina ride! And it wasn't one of my tracks! And to think im always so nice to you to you to! Cheers Al
Ps. If Brad doesn't put on anymore Fumina rides before the end of the year i will run a couple of level 2 rides out the this year. So you can come out and really hate me!

The Tri area ride ride was run like the Neerim rides years before in a sequence of three over Spring and early Summer.

The idea is to get people out on the tracks after winter and before it gets to hot. Due to the bush fires closing nearby ride areas and inception of DSE trail bike parks at Neerim it had became very busy so time to move onto Noojee.

For this year I am working on a new ride in a different area, it will be the same format, a ride each month over Oct/Nov/Dec 2011 suited to registered bikes and licensed L2 riders, (Rec & Full). This ride will be a Club only ride as parking is limited. Any non member guests will be via prior agreement only.
Takes allot of personal time and planning to get another ride going as other ride leaders know.

In short I have no plans the change this format as it works for me.

Brad. If you wait till the end of this year some of the ride tracks will be lost to regrowth from the fires. Its amazing how the bush is growing with all the tropical weather we have been having!

Maybe level 1 ride instruction should include Chainsaw training. ( YES its a joke before every concerned greenie in the world decides to string be up by a length of stringy bark from the limb of a mountain ash) LOL

Sounds like a plan Pete

I'll take you up on your offer Al  !

Love my chainsaw(s) and their ability to keep things moving or me warm. Nothing Green about that!

Quality protective gear is the go Pete..I've come off plenty of times and never been seriously hurt (except for breaking a thumb)
Get the best armour etc. you can and you'll have it payed off in no time..