Chris's Big River to Woods Point

I’m a bit slow getting around to writing a report on Chris’s Big River to Woods Point ride .It’s now Monday night and I can finally actually lift my arms up to the key board. I tell you these young blokes have no respect for us elderly statesmen. You know, I thought a nice ride around Big River would be pleasant way to spend a Saturday. A gentle pace stopping occasionally to take in the views, maybe look for wild flowers. WRONG!!!!

Eight of AMTRAS finest turned up at the Big River car park….. well maybe seven of their finest and one old bloke. After all the intros where done there weren’t many faces I knew. The Twins Matt & Chris I had meet before and maybe Jake I had seen a long time ago, he did look familiar, the rest I didn’t know.

Chris did his spiel before we left the car park. This was his first as an AMTRA ride leader .
He did say he wanted everyone to be safe and come back in one piece. I’m not sure everyone heard that bit but more on that latter.

The lower valley of the Big River area is slippery red clay that had us all sliding around till you found your feet and worked out the limits of traction. Two brand new tyres made this a lot easier, in fact by the end of the day the bike felt so stable I reckoned I could jump off the bike and it still would not fall over.

Chris lead us thru a maze of great trails till we got to a nasty little hill climb. My first attempt didn’t go too well as I found the track littered with stuck bikes. I could now see what the problem was. Tree roots and lots of them. After quick check on what I thought would be the best route I retreated to the bottom for another attempt.

This was going to take absolute commitment, jam the Kato into second and hit it and don’t stop for anything. I got past the guys that had stopped and onto a little side track. Still going strong I charged on, bouncing off and over anything that got in the way till I found myself on the top alone. Park the bike and go back to watch the carnage unfolding below .
When my heart rate returned to something like normal I went down to lend a hand . After a lot of pushing and laughing and boiling bikes and loop outs into the bush all the bikes were at the top and I think it was only Chris that had to do the walk of shame as Matt rode his bike to the top.

The elder statesmen showed the young ones how to climb a hill unassisted but then they spent the rest of the day showing the old bloke how jump off, no launch off, erosion mounds like they were auditioning for a spot on a Crusty Demons show. Didn’t matter if it was up hill or down they got as much air as they could. It was good to watch but I did wonder if they were listening when Chris said be safe and return in one piece.
On our mid morning stop the twins produced a Thermos of hot coffee and dished out a cuppa to who ever wanted one. How good was that!

Just before lunch we called into McAdams gap but the gate was closed. Makes you wonder how they ever make any money up there. As we were leaving to make B line to Woods Point Chris found his rear wheel was trying to fall off thanks to a loose axel nut. As we all know bad things happen in three’s this was to be number one and in the fairly short distance between the Gap and W/P he also ran out of fuel and got a rear flat tyre.

After a refuel and lunch at the pub and repairs to Chris’s bike, two of the group left to take the road back to cars as one had a nasty cut in his that had a dozen or so stiches in it and the pain was getting too much. The rest of us headed of back into the bush for fairly quick trip back as it was already after 3 o’clock, and a quick trip it was not so much in direction but speed. We were hammering and there was no let up. When we came to an intersection you thought beauty I might get a rest as corner man but as soon as you turned around the tail man was there. BUGGER!

We got back around 5 ish with 150 k’s on the clock a big thanks to Chris for leading this ride and to Matt for morning tailman duties, also to the afternoon tailman, I’m sorry I can’t remember your name. To the others on this ride it was an absolute pleasure.
Cheers Jeff
PS
A special mention to Jake who shouted us all a Corona after we had loaded up it was good to have a beer and a chat before we headed home.

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