AMTRA.com.au

1 Will Munro Shared ride leader
2 Steve Morris Shared ride leader
3 Gary Clarke Shared ride leader (or as Seano thought ,Mark)
4 Rossi Ranyard Tailperson
5 Bill Toan
6 Sean Douglas
7 Rowen Smith
8 Damien Smith
9 Frank Reefman
10 David Petroff
11 Colin Pearce
12 Rob Copsey
13 James Creasey
14 Mat Creasey
15 Dustin Finch

Well when I put this ride on I had no idea where we were going or what level it was going to be, but i new we would have a lot of fun.
Even though Bill has been a member of AMTRA for a couple of years he had not ridden with us, so it was good to have Bill along for his first AMTRA ride.
We started with me leading the bunch down to the bottom of Sawdust so we could cut the clay bypass in a little more so we road up then down. We then headed to a disused 4wd loop which I found and use on the harder rides .
Steve then took over the lead and showed us part of one of his many tracks were when we crossed the creek we were faced with a steep slippery rock stair case. Steve was already up the top and James was sitting contemplating which way to go so I had a go and getting stuck 1/4 of the way up, back I went to find a better run up, James took of and scrambled to the top, Roe was next getting half way and dismounting and man handling his very light bike to the top. Gary was next only making it a 1/4 of the way. I had another go only making the same so at this point we decided to turn around and head for another of Steve's tracks.
In we went and being faced with too bog holes , Steve went left and whatching him sink to the Hubs front and back I headed for the right one and pushed on threw. I lead on to the end to find we were back at Sawdust.
We had a regroup and a sort break and then headed for the north end of the forest.
We headed down Carrol which was very timid then on to another track which lead us to a main track. Quick look at the map and GPS with Steve and we headed up another track which brought us back on to Carroll were we turned right and headed to the end of the forest were we found a great track on the left.
This track turned out to be a forest fence line track with some down hill ruts that swallowed me and my bike, legs up above the tank to get down the hill. We ended up back at the main entrance to the forest so we headed back to the carpark to top up fuel tanks and have smoko.
We then headed out and went up to latrobe river road were Steve took the lead once more on another overgrown disused 4wd track which Steve told us to stop at the end off, as he cornered the start, it  turned out to be a really long track and at the end of the track was supposed to be a T intersection but as there was a huge tree down, it was not, and Roe had not realized and kept going which meant we all did the same but we soon realized that this track had a few bog holes in it them some more then a lot more and they were getting deeper and deeper and the track started to tighten up also, about that time we came to the mother of all mother hills were we found Roe up a bit apologizing  and asking if I wanted to turn the group back , no way I am not going back through all that Sh/t that we had just come through were R going up.
Well this is were the real fun and laughter and just a few tears started, around an hr to get the crew up this hill burnt clutches, bikes on the back wheel valve bouncing just to get through the ruts. It was about this time that one realizes that we have some great level 2 riders in this club well on there way to being clubman riders with Seano getting up with a near bald rear tyre, Roe was very happy that he had changed his mind at the last minute bringing the Kato rather than the big DR.
Once everyone was up we decided that this was a great place for lunch. After lunch Steve led us down to the river crossing were we decided that the river was flowing way to fast to cross. On the way to the river is were I hit a greasy twig putting me and the bike down on my right with my right foot pointing rearwards and my knee facing forwards I had to roll quick as the pain and tearing was starting, when I rolled I rolled straight into the bog hole which I was trying to miss, not sure what was worse the pain in my ankle or having a bath in a cold puddle.
Anyway at the river Frankie decided that his wrist had enough and decided to retire back to the cars and Steve had to head for home so off they went. I led the guys up a steep track away from the river at which point I realized that my clutch was slipping  and going up the long climb actually had to stop as I had no drive as it was so steep so thats when Gary took over as I was heading back to the cars whilst I still had a little drive left. As Rob had hurt his back in the bog holes he decided to come back with me as the others went off with Gazz. Once back at the car park and loaded and changed Frankie and I headed to the bottle shop for some cold drinks for the crew on there return and once back we lit a fire and had a couple of cool sherbert's around the fire as we waited on them returning before ten of us headed of to the Robin Hood for dinner and lots of laughs.
A big thanks to Rossi for going tail and to everyone who helped someone cause we all needed help sometime throughout the day, and to everyone for there words of encouragement throughout the day, especially when we had to make U turns, and of coarse to all who came and supplied there different moments of the usual comedy and laughter, THANKS the LOT.
By the way the ride Level turned out to be a Clubman so great effort by all.

what a great day with a great mixture of tracks and terrain..

Thanks to Will, Steve ang Gary for their combined leading and Rossi for being tailman

some photos:

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some more

and the rest

Hey Dustin thanks for the great pics, hope you are not to sore today. Will

thanks will, i'm a bit on the sore side but thats what you get for not riding regularly enough!!

i wish i'd thought to get the camera out more often!!

Will, A big thanks for letting me come and play on my first ride with AMTRA - I had a ball the ride was awsome which was made even better by everyone willing to help out each other.

I think I was completely stuffed half way through the ride but was glad I kept pushing on and almost getting to the very end of the ride, by the time I pulled out I had drunk my back pack dry (3Lt's of water) and I was cramping in the legs at that stage so thought it better to head back to the car while I was still in one piece with nothing damaged.

I could hardly move on Sunday so nothing got done around the house and the bike has not been touched, will clean that up when I get home later today.

I look forward to having some more playtime in the near futre with you guys it was a blast.

Thanks
Bill.

Bill I am so glad you enjoyed yourself, keep coming along mate, and pretty soon the jokes will be on you too, and then you will know you are part of a prety good bunch of people. See ca soon Will.

KAYTMs clutch is fixed, ankle has minor ligament damage so bring on the next ride. Will

Another great day out ! Thanks Will.

I was a bit concerned when Roe took off & headed along that bog hole track followed by the nasty hill....... I planned on a differentway out.......... But to everyone's credit they dug deep & tractored their way up. I think I heard Frankie say that he had never sworn so much whilst riding a bike !

You do not hear Frankie complain much but he did on this one , dont worry I have a HTFU ride planned for him and some of the others to help with there caractor building process, hope I can find that track again on the day. Thanks for all your help on the day Steve .

Yes I did swear a bit trying to get through the big bog hols & badly rutted out hill climbs,Steve I have sworn a lot more then that when I was doing enduro's, trying to get up hills covered with bodies & bikes & no way around, sitting there losing time. >:(
I hope my wrist will feel stronger for the next HTFU ride, so bring it on Will ;D
Apart from that I had a ball, it was good to be back on the bike 5 weeks off, the dinner at the pub was a perfect way to finish off the day, lots of bench racing & laughs.

Thanks Will for putting on another great ride, & Rossi for doing the sweep, & everyone else's company, it's the great company that makes for a awesome day out on the bike.

Looks like fun.. ;D