He everyone,
Well, let me start by saying, i'm new to this posting a ride thing on here, so hope it reads ok from a female prospective.
Fred (alias XDIRTX) & I headed of mid arvo Friday to arrive at beautiful Eildon at around 7ish..just in time to make it to the Golden Trout pub and have a yummo meal there. As we were leaving, we hear a 'koowee' from the beer garden and lo & behold are our new found friends Peter, Paul & Mary..oops, sorry John. After a few sherbs & bike & track talk, we were invited back to Pete's 'Taj-Mahal' and wow, what an ace place it is! Paul decided he needed to change his front fork springs as the sun sets over the mountains..so as the boys were getting heavily involved in working out the destruction of the front end of his lethal weapon and the step by step instruction manuals were coming out on "how to"..we thought we better head back to the bronks to try to catch up on some beauty sleep & be in peak fitness for the challenge ahead...(Are you's bored yet?)
At about 3am a huge storm whipped up and bucketed down frogs & toads...mmm interesting I'm thinking for Saturday's cruisey 'Welcome Back' Pete ride. Rain stopped by daylight to set the scene for a 'magic track' with no dust, firm gravelly/clayish soil and puddles. Temp around low 20's, are you drooling yet Serge? You shoulda come! I was looking forward to riding at the back of the pack with you!...mmmm are you sure you not a girl??
About 15 people in all rolled up by the 9.30ish start time. Freddo & I got there a bit earlier so I could do a few warm up practice laps (girl thing).
Pete, Paul & John checked over some of our bikes to help improve there handling if needed (My rear break is ace now..thank's guys). After a briefing of the plan we set off on, what was to be the most magnificant ride I have ever had (shoulda come Serge
).
We tackled hills, we tackled ruts, we tackled big logs & little logs, around the logs, over the f.. logs (oops) Pete, John & Paul sideways on one wheel over logs ...through creeks, through rivers, around more logs, around mountainous piles of sand, which I noticed someone thought, stuff that and went went over the huge pile of sand (who was that?) ...very impressive! Went up embankments, down embankments (that sand one tested me but did it without stacking (thanks for the encouragement guys to give it a crack, small woops, big woops, small puddles, big lake eildon size puddles (streuth), around excavators...yes I did say excavators
...it is at this point I think to myself...mmmm....super easy, easier than Cobaw ride... Kept at it, had to stay in the zone! Not dropped the baby yet...the guys had a great rest at each check point charley...me, I had a quick recoverly drink and kept going (female stamina you see)?.. Well, finally after a few hours of this absolutely fantastic terrain, the mountain trails finally opened up to some sweeping, undulating, forestry area so everyone could go full throttle and race down it...I saw a few people flying past on the back wheel at rocket speeds (hope it wasn't you Pete, look after that leg)..I hung back and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery. I felt sorry for my shadows, I mean tailmen, Ross & Phil. They had to endure every painful, slowish, novacane requiring moment of my ride, so to them I say a big thank you for all of their, advice, encouragement, support & help, even in my darkest moments (you's know which one's they were), but happy to say, after a cruisy 3km road road back to base with Phil, while the the other dirt junkee's hit one more trail, I can say big thankyou to all for such a memorable ride. The great company of a great bunch of guys, who I know a lot came along to give Pete support, the great lunch that Pete did cook
(he wouldn't let me do it)...mmmmm that grease did have a bit of a funny taste? (only kidding), the training advice given to me was all taken on board (as much as my brain cells would allow anyway) and a perfect place to ride. After lunch the boys took off for another 3 hour cruise (I stayed back at camp to recover). They went to Mount Terrible and from what I hear of a particular slaylem down hill with bowling balls, they all had their own sorts of testing the stamina & abilities...Glad I wasn't the only one to experience that....you know..."What The" feeling.
Day closed just before 6, so a long day of over 100k's for the boys. Pete, Fred & I met at the Golden Trout once more for din dins as others all had to head back to Melbourne...even Paul had to go and see to his "Pussy" (cat)...mmm bit of a worry that lad...we got a very interesting look at Paully in his leotard, dancing down the track in the early parts of the morning (by the way, it was at that point I knew we were to have an interesting ride).
Thanks to AMTRA & the members, for a great ride day.
Cheers to all,
Marls
AMTRA.com.au
