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At last I have done a famous Marysville Phil Randle ride...and i loved it.
We started our time up that way on Saturday camping out in the new camper....it was great, the weather wasnt really on our side with some decent downpours throughout the evening...thank goodness for the brolly and gazebo tent...we were still able to stay dry and cook some dinner..the fire was a little sad, (will let Johnny explain that one..ugh)...but we got a good nights sleep so we were all ready for the sunday morning. Before we knew it there was 24 of us ready to get out there in what turned out to be the most beautiful day..despite the mist and rain the day before...we had crystal clear blue skies and sunshine..perfect for riding. Phil gave us all his speel  and off we went. I was a bit nervous not knowing what to expect as i havent been there before..just took my usual 1/2 hour or so to find my feet...and was loving riding in this beautiful part of the world. Wow, some of that terrain is slippery isnt it, got to a point on the track where the cornerman offered me the easy way or the hard way..i took the easy option there, just as well. It took the guys a little bit of time to get through the hard bit..maybe i can try that way next time  ;D I seemed to get my mojo a bit quicker than I normally do in a new area, so i was pleased with that, however i did put the bike down on this slight bend...i had been plodding along and was sure there was something wrong with my back wheel, did I have a flat or what?..No as it turns out, that greasy stuff feels that way..wound the throttle on a bit to go round this slight bend and managed to do a full 360..while hanging onto the bike...and landed on my arse bike across my legs...and laying down looking at everyone comnin my way...oops! Johnny assures me it did look funny  ;D. Frank and I had a moment as a beautiful little koala ran out across the front of us and stopped on the side of the road, so we stopped and turned the bikes off as we didnt want to scare the little guy, he just sat there watching us watching him, he was quiet and tame, so we just pushed our bikes past him and watched him climb up a tree, but by the time we started our bikes again, he had plopped back down on the road, (take care little fella), just one of the great things you see while enjoying this sport ha. So there i was up hill, down hill, up  hill and down hill again..i was motoring along really well and having so much fun...when i kept getting a tickle feeling down my top..trying to ride one handed and work out what the hell just dropped down the top of my jersey, past the girls and on my tummy..i was starting to feel a bit frantic at this stage as whatever it was , it was alive..panic has now kicked in..im freaking out.I get to a corner..Johnny behind me, 3 others on the corner, I cant get off the bike fast enough, guys, turn your backs for a minute, before i know it Johnnys untucking my clothes and got his hands up my top, groping and grabbing, because at this stage I've been bitten...about 5 times..bloody bullant!! And here i thought Johnny was just getting amorous  ;D..So with that over with and my dignity somewhat restored, off we go again. It was fun all the way- we stopped and had lunch on the trails, about 6 or 7 of us stayed at the little billabong while the full reg guys went into town for lunch. Back on the bikes after not too much time and off we go again..there was a hill that did challenge and freak me out a little..but i plugged my way up there, picking my lines, and just focusing...i get to the top and look up to see about a dozen of my great group i was riding with, all cheering and clapping...you guys have no idea what that means, it is so encouraging. Thank you all so much.
Off we go again for a cruisy afternoon loop ,Frank had been morning tail and Rossi took over the afternoon stint but between them they only had to help me once, and it wasnt even a big help, but i did the rest all by myself. I was feeling a bit weary during the afternoon but by the time the ride was over, i pretty much dropped my bottom lip when i realised the ride was finished for the day- funny isnt it, no matter how tired and sore you are, you can never get enough of the bike hey  ;D.
So to sum it up. I had a fantastic day and would gladly ride out there again on a Phil Randle Cruisy Marysville ride anyday.
Thank you to:
Phil, for putting this ride on and making it easy for level 1's to go along. ( Wendy did good ha ) ;D

Frank, for being my morning tail, and woo-hooing me when i did something good and for sharing the koala moment with me (it was emotional wasnt it  ;D).

Rossi, for being afternoon tail. All i can hear now that im sore is your voice clanging in my head..GATORADE GATORADE GATORADE...Gotcha, and will do from now on. So stop nagging! Damn leg cramp..aarrgghhh!! Thanks for being there though  :)

Matt, a few times you went past me through some boggy stuff and you just hung back a bit to make sure all was ok, thank you, i appreciate it  :).

Frankie-Boy, for just being there  :)...ya girl! ;D

To my fabulous husband Johnny, as usual was always there just keeping an eye on me, and for helping to get the bullant out from under my clothes, for picking me up and dusting me off, for massaging the cramp out of my leg...aaarrgghhh!!. Thanks darlin xx.

To everyone for helping to make the day what it was - A blast.
See you all out there again soon...love Bob.  :)

Great report Grass hopper, and glad you stepped up to the plate and took on the next challedge. I told you uncle Phil was the best in the busines for setting a ride to suit his group. Well done.
Al

It was indeed a great day for a ride. Sandra (or is it Bob or is that the name of her bike?)summed up the day pretty well. The harder options were all great riding and very slippery in places, but you had to be just as careful on the easy sections with off-camber slippery red clay corners. Some of those bog holes were huge, but fortunately there were chicken tracks around them. Lunch at the Cake Shop in Marysville was as usual very good and a great social gathering, although seating was at a premium on a fine Sunday. Overall it was  agreat social ride with enough fun, slightly more challenging optional bits to suit those a bit more experienced. As usual Phil did a great job of grading his ride to suit the least experienced riders but gave the rest of us some fun optional tracks.

Dennis Dorman

A great ride,, I haven't ridden here before and was also really keen to have a look at how Marysville and surrounds are regrowing after the fires, I have a hardwood logging contractor mate who lost a lot of gear,workshop, house etc in Narbethong and I hadn't been back to see this area since.
 I think Bob summed up our day pretty well. Thankyou to Frank for morning tail duties and his encouragement of her.Thanks to Rossi for afternoon tail.
 I spent the afternoon shadowing Bob and I must take my hat off to her- she was way outside her comfort zone, onya Bob!.
  Phil- Thankyou so much for organising the ride, top job!
  All my fellow riders thanks for the day an absolute pleasure to ride with you all.
   I have to say that every ride I go on I always seem to have an off or a put down of some sort and this ride looked good, no offs or put downs, until --- -- --- -- Idiot decided to ride his bike onto the trailer didn't he,I always do, (note to self- make sure trailer is level and ramp is attached to trailer properly) suffice to say my record is still at 100% :-[, I can still hear the laughter.
    Got love dirtbike riding hey  ;D ;D ;D ;D