AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« on: April 18, 2011, 08,48:10 AM » |
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Goughs Bay Clubman+ Ride 16/4/11
By Al Mason
Goughs Bay? When ever a Gough’s Bay ride is ever mentioned in the upcoming ride section of our club meetings, a silence always falls over the room. Well until P-air reminds everyone that Gough’s is a great ride and wont cost you anymore than $500 bucks in new plastics?
The truth is Gough’s is a tough and challenging ride. And even though its not my favourite terrain, it offers the high speed blokes some fun. The big hill climbers some fun, and the technical riders some fun. (even at the shock of the hill climbers!) The sense of achievement on completing the insanely step hill climbs, with only stepper down hills to follow is the attraction for me and many others.
We all met up at 8am at the BP servo on the way out of Mansfield, well all but the ride leader and his chafer. They we running a little behind, but we soon in the cars and on the way to Gough’s. Geared up and on the bike for 9am and a short ride through town to hit the trails, as Allen’s peak has now be closed?
It wasn’t long before Anth had us riding on some nice flowing and freshly graded trails before the hills arrive. A few bike tweaks for Gerard and we were search of some hills, and soon we were to start encountering them. Luckily the tracks were providing a lot of traction, with front wheel lofting the order of the day! (P-air would have been proud!)
We soon arrived at a nice little rock and rut riddled hill that Anth and Pete were playing on. As they came down for a second run, I took my chance to shine. And shine I did, at least 2m further up than Anth? Rolling back down to give the boys another go, with my tail between my legs. Once again however the boy’s were brought to a holt, and made there way back down to study the map for plan B. As they disgust going round I was given the chance to give it another crack? This time I approach the hill slower and rode it more as a technical challenge, and bugger me I was up and not stopping for anything! Once at the top I rested and waited to see if anyone would join me, or they would go around. After a while I heard bikes move around the valley and thought the troops would soon be coming to collect me? After waiting for a day or two, no troops? However I could soon hear one very animated ride leader shouting profanities, so I headed back down to see what the fuss was about. When I reached Anth at the bottom he had just finished turning himself around from another attempt, and he didn’t look happy. He had flipped his Yami trying to come up and lead me to the regroup with the others. (I think it was more that my 250 made it up over his 450!)
After the regroup it was back into some very interesting down hills that really had our sphincter muscles well and truly clenched! It was then onto a very cool and snotty climb that everyone working up a sweat. Well almost everyone. Gerard’s Husky wasn’t playing the game, refusing to rev. So Peter volunteered to head back down and wait at the start of the track with Jerry as the group looped around down another 60 degree slope, complete with foot tall ledges.
We headed for the lunch stop and a better look at the Husky. After a quick lunch and quick diagnosis of the Husky, Gerard bided us fair well and headed down the road into town with a head gasket problem. Back off to find some more hills, with me now the tail man. Anth had planned his revenge for me making the hill he didn’t in the morning. As I arrived at the base of a very steep, bald, grass and rock covered hill. Anth and Peter were already at the top and Mark had just set off on his first attempt. The right side track was fairly rut free, but very off chamber for the length of the climb. Or the centre rut seemed to have a large whoop, but then seemed to smooth out. On Mark’s second run he gave the centre rut a run, and we were both wrong! It had some very intense ruts on a near vertical hill, making caring momentum near impossible. It was then my run up the hill towards the camera man, never a good omen! So second gear and give it heaps saw me flying up the off chamber, and cursing to the top. Well until a ledge meant I was doing some P-air style front well lofting, which was a little (s#@ting myself) off putting at that angle, I went for the clutch!! Anth was soon down to give me a hand, which didn’t help. So gave Anth ago on the mighty 250, to show me how its done. With a small drop on the way down, I shouted “I could have done that!”. With a heap more momentum than I can ever seem to carry and a very long and controlled wheel loft Anth was up in style. I ask “if he could do it again with my helmet and jersey, just for the camera?”, Mark was now at the top catching his breath and checking on his bent bars.
Once again we back on the bikes for some more up hills and down hills and some very cool pine forest tracks until we reached one of the hardest or hardest hill climbs I know of? Anth had already stated he had no intent on riding this track from the carnage it caused last time. Mark was keen as we looked at the tricky starting point, well until we explained that was the good bit and it only got uglier and down right stupid towards the end. Mark decided that Anth could do with some company riding around, well Peter and I looking for the challenge (don’t know why?, as we knew what was install!) and headed up.
After a stall from Peter and two attempts for me, just to make a start on the track, even had me wondering why? As we picked our way through the rocks, trees, fallen tree, ruts and back burning carnage towards the summit of the first hill we felt good about our progress. At the first summit we had a quick breather, knowing it had only just started and was about to get interesting. With the back burring damage getting worse and still warm in places we discus several times whether to push on or turn back? “On” was decided until we couldn’t anymore. The last tenth of this climb is stupid, but after a lift off Peter to change ruts we both made the top. Anth and Mark were waiting there for 30mins, so it must of taken us around 40mins to cover about 3 kilometres!
It was then a cruzy trip back to the cars, very cruzy for me as I hit reserve at 70k. And then down the final hill that was covered in 6 foot whoops and fallen tree’s to make sure we didn’t slack off! At the cars for around 4:30pm, quick chat and the drive home.
Thanks Anth for a great ride and good job leading, also for Peter for camera man and assistant navigator duties. Gerard for morning tail and me for afternoon tail. Was a ride to remember as are all of Anth’s rides, but his Gough’s loops leave you with a real sense of accomplishment on completion.
Ride List…
Anthony Thomas WR450 Ride Leader
Peter Lovell WR450 Camera Man
Mark Judkins KLX450
Gerard Blampied WR250 Husky Morning Tail
Al Mason WR250 Arvo Tail
Ps. Peter will hopefully post some footage or a you tube link?
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