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About a year ago Serge was trying to get me into the Vinduro scene, and eventually i can round and got the Xr200 83 out for it's first ever Vinduro at Harrow 400 k's from nowhere.

We had put our entries in with Wade and his Son Michael and a new member Tony, Serge Wade and Micheal in Row 14 and Tony and i heading out the back around an Hour Later. Lucky for Tony and i , Wade and Michael Pulled out, so we were upgraded to Row 14 "Yeh Ha".

Friday:
Serge and i Headed up Friday for the 4 Hr Trip and arrived at about 3.00pm, we hooked up with another Club that Serge Knew from another Web Site, and Quickly got our Camp set up and Sat down for a Couple of Drinks. And walked up to the Pub for a Couple more !!

Saturday:
Woke up at around 5.30am with some of the Boys getting up early and making heaps of Noise " So much for a Sleep in".
I went over the Xr and checked out all the Bolts n Nuts just to make sure the Thing wasn't going to Fall apart.
In the Arvo we drove out to the Scramble track to check out the preride and watch some of the Spastics carve up the Track. Some of those old bikes go like sh!t, then returned to place our Bikes in the Holding area over night,
Saturday Night was sit around the Fire and talk Crap.

Sunday:
The day had arrived for my First real ride on the XR200, we left at 9.14am and with a Cold start for all bikes, there was a few that took a bit to get running.
9.15am and off we went into the Farmlands and rode like the wind, when i say wind i mean a breeze on the XR.
Funny how much difference there is to the FE570 " Man this things has about 1 Poof-tenth of the Power".
It might be slow out on the Open Paddocks, but i was king in the Tight and deep sandy Terrain, i was whipping KTM400 and Huskys Arse's " Much to there Discuss.

This Place is a Gem to ride around, all sorts of stuff, Hills rivers Sandy Creek Beds, black sh!t,  Rocks and Open Sheep Paddocks.

It started Rain Just as we left the Start and got Heavier as time went on, i took my Goggles of 5 Minutes into the Ride and Rode in the Heavy Rain with my hand over my Face and Sh!t in my Eyes.

There was 6 Loops to complete for the Ride and a River Crossing about Knee Deep at the end, where everyone was watching the Bikes Drown. As i came around the Corner to the River i Had an Audience of about 30 People, so i Gave them a Site to see. I ripped through the River Crossing flat out in 2nd and came out of it in a Wall of Water " i even got some Applause" I was already Drenched, so i didn't give a SH!T about getting Wet or Drowning the Old XR 200.

It was a Great Event and Well Organised, with so many Old and Different bikes it's easy to see how People are sucked into getting back on the Old Bikes.

"Oh Yeh"  Remember it's NOT a Race " Put blokes on anything with a Motor and it on for Young and Old.


(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/fa02aec3-4116-4fbf-9ec8-35a54dfde66a_zps7e14f460.jpg)

This XR500 82 was a Weapon !!!
(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/f3117814-d7d5-47b5-a279-e1898e4a9c15_zps3963d4fe.jpg)

Maico 400
(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/4a2922bb-c4ca-4e2e-b4bc-703d6ea25e54_zpsdbf361d8.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0432_zpse2b77f06.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0403_zps02c6f778.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0420_zpsdf521be7.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0390_zps22aac031.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0375_zps9f08a719.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0373_zps96749b5d.jpg)

(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0367_zps28107596.jpg)


This is my Next Project Vinduro Beast XR350 85
(http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac22/Berg2/IMG_0366_zps08397d20.jpg)

Harrow 2013....a bit of an anti-climax/let down for me, but more on that later.

As Pete said, we left on Friday morning and met at the Ballan Maccas, where Pete gave me a radio so we could talk crap all the way!  A mate of Pete's had given him directions to Harrow, via all the back roads, so we could 'freight-train' it all the way there.  Well, Pete's directions had us back on the highway at Beaufort, having driven mor k's than if we just stayed on the highway!  Any-hoo, we had lunch there and made our way back to the back-road route for the rest of the trip.  The drive was uneventful (but long) and we pulled into Harrow around 4:00, where we quickly set up camp and settled into adult, fizzy refreshments with the rest of my Vinduro cronies.  Dinner was had, beers were drunk and a good night was had by all.

Saturday dawned, with no real need to get up early, but some of the blokes we were camping with still did, so we were all up by about 8:00.  We had a long breakfast and sat around the fire, or walked around the camp, catching up with other guys, till it was time to head to the practice track.  'Practice' is optional, so we chose not to, but plenty did, and some mean lap times were set.  As Pete said, some of these blokes don't hold back and were hitting it hard!  After practice, it was back to camp and more drinkies, and impound our bikes in the parc fermme for the cold start.  There was an optional dinner at the local mechanics hall, but we chose to have a quite night at camp.  Most folk take it pretty easy on Saturday night, and we were all in bed about 10:30.

The rain started at around 4:00 AM!  I didn't like the sound of it, but it was there.  We rose at around 8:00 and had brekky and geared up.  The rain had stopped by then, but it was moist on the ground.  We went down to the bikes, listened to the riders briefing and pushed our machines to their starting grid.  At 9:14, we were told to 'start-your-engines' and I'm happy to say with-in two kicks, we were all under-way! 

The course consisted of 6 loops, each of around 9 k's length, giving a total 'lap' distance of around 55 k's.  The first loop and a half were dry, but then the rain started!  And it continued...hard!  Typical of Harrow, there was a mixture of tight, single lane sections and open, grassy hills.  sandy, creek beds and rocky, granite gardens.  Long, up-hills and equally long, down hills.  the tracks were grouse, but the rain was miserable!  At the half way point, we had to ford the Glenelg River, and I didn't care that I stalled it near the end, 'cos I couldn't have gotten any wetter!  It got muddy, boggy and slippery and I wasn't sad when we pulled into camp after our first loop.  Pete said "a quick lunch and out again?"  I said "Really?"  He sad, "Get stuffed, I'm not going out in that again!"  And that was our assault!  One lap and we were spent!

So after waiting for 12 months, the event was over (for us) after 2 hours.  We could have gone out again (as some did), but it was just getting treacherous.  So we got changed, packed up, collected our bronze medals and GTFOOT!

The drive home was a b!tch.  Rain and wind all the way, but we made it home safely.  I had a great weekend with Tony, Pete and the other guys, but was just a bit dissapointed with the outcome.  still, only 12 months till next Harrow!

Before the rain, ready for action!
(http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/bruno0250/P7270032640x480_zpsa0d6da04.jpg) (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/bruno0250/media/P7270032640x480_zpsa0d6da04.jpg.html)

Pete and Tony, a little bit wet.
(http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/bruno0250/P7280036640x480_zpse6e6e006.jpg) (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/bruno0250/media/P7280036640x480_zpse6e6e006.jpg.html)

Me, a lot wet!
(http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/bruno0250/P7280037640x480_zpsf9abda23.jpg) (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/bruno0250/media/P7280037640x480_zpsf9abda23.jpg.html)

Team AMTRA
(http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/bruno0250/P7280045640x480_zpsba7d3835.jpg) (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/bruno0250/media/P7280045640x480_zpsba7d3835.jpg.html)

Pete, being Pete!
(http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/bruno0250/P7280041640x480_zps35f55f68.jpg) (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/bruno0250/media/P7280041640x480_zps35f55f68.jpg.html)

 

Pete and Serge have pretty well summed it up. The company was great and my old IT performed faultlessly.
So heres a few more pics-

The creek crossing
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/Harrow2013014_zpsb52fc7cb.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/Harrow2013014_zpsb52fc7cb.jpg.html)
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/Harrow2013020_zpsea1527e2.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/Harrow2013020_zpsea1527e2.jpg.html)
Some good trails and climbs through this terrain(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/Harrow2013009_zps2135d82e.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/Harrow2013009_zps2135d82e.jpg.html)
Some eye candy for Nath

(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/2013-07-27164743_zps6137884e.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/2013-07-27164743_zps6137884e.jpg.html)
And one having a rest

(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/Harrow2013028_zps0abf28e0.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/Harrow2013028_zps0abf28e0.jpg.html)
One of the recovery vehicles
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y431/rabid_gecko/Harrow2013018_zpsee9c927d.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/rabid_gecko/media/Harrow2013018_zpsee9c927d.jpg.html)

Thanks for the great reports and photos guys - at least now I know what I missed. Fingers crossed for next year!

Great pics Tony! How sexy is that 420 Auto!!

sounds like lots of fun if there was a lot less rain   ;)
top ride report , think i just might make it next year  ;D

Well done on the reports boys and the pics!
Al

Great ride reports guys, thanks for taking time to post pics. It looks like a very wet ride, sorry I missed it. Next Vinduro at Stratford in September, I will be going to that.
       Cheers Chippy.

Enjoyed reading the report boys great pics too! Unfortunatly for me I got sick and missed the event this year but hope to be there next year.