Ride Reports

[Willbar]

Thanks Grandpa your too kind. First I will just point out that I have just had Bruce Linsdell redo my suspension for me, and in the fast shut, it is ferkin awesome, but in the slow or very slippery stuff, it has been a real arm full, so over the last couple of rides, I have been backing the compression and the rebound off trying to find the best of both worlds. I think I may have the front suspension settings sussed, I went for a ride with the kids on Sunday and although not in the slippery clay, but in some very loose loamy type soil, and it was gripping up much better.
Anyway back to the easter weekend, it started for Hame and I about 10am friday when we headed of meeting up with the Mad Pom and family on the freeway, and forming a convoy all the way to Cheynes Bridge, arriving just on lunch to find Frankie already there. A quick unload of the van and set up and quick bite to eat, and then of for a quick ride up Cheynes bridge track with Hame, and then back to camp, to find Garry and Paul and David Petroff and family had arrived.
Some were trying to talk Frankie and I into going for a loop but as we needed to get firewood we told the rest to go for a ride with Frankie and Hame and I setting of for some fire wood and investigation of other camping areas and going to Licola for an Ice Cream.
By the time we got back about 2hrs later they had not gone for a loop deciding to wait on Frank and I , but by this time if was to late.
Anyway before we new it it was Saturday morning and there were 10 other eager beavers ready to go for a ride. We wet of about half an hour late as we were waiting on some late arrivals who failed to turn up. It was a great day for an adventure on the south east Vic high country. Gary Clarke as usual was happy to help me out by going tail.
The first 7 klms is always a good warm up as 95% of it is a steep climb and then onto Black range and then Bark hut which is a few klms of road but then onto Porters Creek track which has everything and is just awesome. We then hit some other roads and started taking the cross tracks which run along with the main roads and then onto Deep creek no 5 and onto Deep creek no 1 which is the one with the very steep slippery rocky down hill into the creek which you have to ride the creek for about 1 to 2 klm. We stopped at the creek exit for a regroup and after about 10mins Dave arrived to inform us that Jake was having trouble with his new second hand bike.
I decided that we should proceed to the end of no 1 as there was no going back up easily so at the end of the track it was decided that Ron, Mark and Dave would head  to the other end of no 1 via the roads to find out what was happening. With map in hand they set of, anyway about 5mins later Pommy Mat arrived telling that all was well, so we sent him of to catch the other 3, did'nt take him long as they were at the first intersection studying the map. By this stage time was getting on so a quick dash to Rawson for lunch. We lost lots of time with lunch this time as they were so busy with easter patrons so I decided that I would cut deep creek no2 and 5 out of the return trip as it was 2.30 before we were heading for a fuel top up and with only 3hrs of day light to get back the pace was on.
We followed Mormon Town track to the end and onto Walhalla rd and then to Bins with the plan of finding Fultons track on the way back and if time doing that one instead. Unfortunately we missed the turn off so we ended up going back via Porters again and then back to the top of Cheynes Bridge track. Pommy Mat wanted more so he talked Gary and Jake and Ron into doing an extended loop via Burgoyne track telling me that it would take them less than 1 1/2hrs to complete. Well since it was pitch black and after 6.30pm I decided that it was a good time to test my new HID trailtech headlight and take a trip up the main rd to try and find them. 4klms up the road I could see what looked like 2 candles coming towards me, sure enough it was the four muskateer's, 2 with some light and two with none, a quick u turn and high been and riding beside gary at 3rd in the pack managed to shine the way for the rest of them all the way back to camp. Apparently all was good until the river when they managed to drown 2 bikes and then had trouble dewattering one of them. It was about this time that we decided that not doing the extra loop was a great idea.
When I arrived back from the main ride, Ted and Phill Randle had arrived so it was great to have some more AMTRA members around.
On Sunday, Ted and Gary and Paul, Pommy Mat and Jake and Frankie all headed out to do some exploration work for a new Level 2 ride so keep your eye out for this one on the calender.
I would like to thank all though's who attended and once again making another great AMTRA event possible, and to thoughs who missed out, bad luck. Will
1. Will Munro Ride leader KTM 525EXC
2. Pommy Mat Honda CRF 450R
3. Jake Creasy Guest Honda CRF 450X
4. Paul Van Leeuwe Guest Yamaha WR250
5. Ronnie O'rourke Honda CRF 450R
6. Frankie Reefman KTM 300EXC
7. Gary Clarke Honda CR 250R
8. Steve Morrison Honda CRF 250X
9. David Petroff Berg FE570
10.Mark Judkins Kawasaki KLX450
11.Karl Oinonen Guest KTM 300EXC

[Frankie-boy]

Great report Will,being half deaf I miss out a lot on whats going on, so it's good to read the reports to fill me in  I must apologize for yelling when I don't my hearing aid in, Mat had to tell me that he wasn't deaf a couple of times, sorry mate
On Sundays ride to the Avon river brought back some memories for Ted & myself, we used to ride those tracks when we were much younger,I didn't know Ted then, but we rode those tracks at different times, on the way back from the Avon river, we met up with very good friends of mine, Becky & Pete, they were on the way to pay us a visit from Huggetts Crossing, it was really great to meet up with them, they rode back with us to our camp site, then after a few cold drinks they headed back to Huggetts, I hope they made it back before dark.

Thanks Will for leading & Gary for the tail man duty, & everyone else for your great company.

[Redron]

Thanks again for a great Ride,