AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« on: February 22, 2010, 09,02:10 AM » |
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Rawson with Dave Smith. 21/2/10
By Al Mason
Well with an early start I picked Nathan up and headed for Rawson, Nathan sporting a very sore broken toe. And myself still feeling fairly second rate still from a big day at Fumina the week before. Apart from a very brief stop in Moe (the best kind?) for fuel and breakfast we were having a very good run. Well until we hit the hills on the way into Rawson. Were when driving a Landcrusier you need to keep the momentum up and SS Commodore had other idea’s.
Nath and I arrived just before 9 to find Mat and Gary Already waiting, and after a couple of minutes of talking Dave and Brad arrived. Shortly followed by Rob And finally by Lynton riding in from his house in Erica. Brad and Dave did a quick bit of maintenance on Brad’s trusty XR, as we geared up.
Once geared up Dave got out the official scrap piece of paper for the ride list and I volunteered for tail man duties. This turned out to be a good but dusty decision. My body and brain were defantly in go slow mode, and for some reason I couldn’t get the hang of the reverse woops?(very ugly x a lot)
Dave lead us out towards Thomson Dam along some very fast and open tracks. (names unknown?) At the first regroup the days plans were discust and bound for Deep Creek 1 Track. A very cool track I had only seen on DVD’s. For those who havn’t done it, it’s a 300mtr track the runs up a very rocky creek bed. Complete with some very grippy, moss covered river rocks. As tail man, the view of the carnage was quite cool. Once I reached the end of the creek there was a very sharp right hander, with a highly polish foot and a half rock ledge to climb. This was seeming to presenting a few challenges for the group as the ledge got wetter and wetter with each bike. Lucky for me been tail man. It wasn’t till I rode up it that I realised that it was followed by a very steep and loose rock filled hill. I sat for a bit to let the dust settle to then see a few people laying there bikes down for a rest. It was then I realise, I may have to walk up there to help? I say may as I thought I would give it a crack and see how I went first? (not really in the tail man spirit) Trying very hard not to use anyone for traction I managed to scoot from left to right between everyone till about the ¾ mark where there was a big erosion drain to park on and contemplate that horrible idea of walking back down. Lucky for me the troops either got themselves going or had a successful second try.
At the top we had a regroup and a breather. We then off towards Deep Creek 4, which carries the warning on the map of
“Most deep creek tracks are steep - very steep particularly the section to the creek”. After some very good steep uphills that were strongly followed by some very good steep down hills. Both types were very well covered in loose shale, with some loose boulders and a sprinkling a deep ruts. However I don’t think these tracks are finished off yet, as they don’t seem to have brought in any dirt yet? We then rode along some cool ridge tracks and some very flowing high speed stuff. Before Dave brought us to a challenge hill.
By the time I arrived Dave was just setting off for his second attempt, and Nath seemed to be having a rest about half way up. A couple of others had already gone up, but the rest were keen to use the detour road. So it was a click into second and a crack for me. As I flew up with such easy and grace to end up propped right next to Nath, were I tried to convince him that I only came up to see if he was all right? He was fine, just unable to turn his bike around unassisted. So we began the process of turning the two bikes around. Even though they were determined to not turn around, but head down backward. Once we were both back down Gary joined us to head up the detour road to meet the others.
Dave then lead us to a very well set up little camp hut for lunch and chat about the days misadventures. It was only here the heat really got to me, being stationary with all our clobber on.
After lunch Matt took over Tail man duties and Dave run us through some more of the same, until it was time for a regroup as Brad’s XR had run out of brakes. Not the nicest thing with hills this steep! Gary was also reporting a very average brake pedal too. Dave and Brad had a tinker with the XR, before it was decided to park it in the river and let some cool water bring some life back to its brakes.
It was then back on the bikes and head for home, via a tricky switchback full hill climb. And then back down to Deep Creek 1, to be run in reverse and some of the tracks from the morning until we reappeared back at the Stock Yard Pub. With a 110ks under our belts in 32c heat and a couple of people on reserve, the day was done.
Thanks Dave for a great ride, and to the troops for a good humoured and fun day.
RIDE LIST.
Dave Smith WR450 Ride leader
Brad Sherwood XR250
Lynton McPhail WR250
Rob Copsey FE390
Gary Clarke CR250R
Al Mason WR250 Morning Tail Man
Nathan Stott TE310
Matt Creasey CRF450 Arvo Tail Man
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