nathanstott
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 1125
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« on: February 19, 2011, 11,02:52 PM » |
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After keeping an eye on the weather forecast all week, i woke at 1.30am on sat morning to the sound of rain on the roof and thought, here's the start of the of all the rain they've been forecasting, this is going to make the ride very interesting.
5.30am came around, so up i got and did what i had to do then i left the house to go pick up Al.
I got to Als place at 6.45am we loaded his bike and gear in the rain then we set off for the meeting point talking about how soaked we were going to get today.
We arrived at the meeting point at 7.40 to find Stuart and Mark in the roadhouse having breakfast, i grabbed a coffee and we waited for the others. Watching the rain come down Row and Clarky turned up right on time.
With a bit of reluctance we left the warm dry roadhouse and drove to the start point. When we got to the start point and unloaded, the rain stopped and that was the last we would see of it all day!
With everyone ready to go, i did the pre ride talk and we were off!
Like Al's ride, there is no time to warm up on my ride either it's straight into the good stuff and the first hill usually sorts the men from the boys!
With only myself and Row making it to the top, Al who was tailman took the others around and we met them back on the road and then hit some very technical tight tracks! with some steep climbs with no run up a few guys needed some assistance and Myself and Row rode some bikes up to the top. Again Mark my advice is ditch that Dunlop 952 they are great when its dry and last forever but they are useless in the slop!
Regrouping at the top of the hill the guys that walked up needed a rest and Stuart took the opportunity to fix the valve in his rear tyre.
Being aware of the time we got going again as we had a lunch to get to.
The track opened up for about 2km before we were back into the tight stuff with plenty of wet greasy logs to cross, with Clarky getting 1 log crossing a little bit wrong he took a tumble down a steep hill, Clarky was ok so there was a bit of work to do to get his bike and him back up on the trail, with Clarky back on 2 wheels, we hit some more open trails.
With the group moving along fairly well we weren't to far away from meeting the girls for lunch, all that was stopping us was a long steep ROCKY hill climb.
I took off up the hill and stopped half way to watch the carnage below, it wasn't long before stuart came tractoring up the hill, with me potentially blocking his path and upsetting his momentum with where i was sitting, i took off and left the others to it, i waited at the top of the hill and sure enough the hill climbing champion Stuart was soon sitting next to me.
I left Stuart on the corner and went to meet Sam and Shaz at the lunch stop and let them know that the others were battling it out with a monster hill and could be a while. At the luch stop i made myself a roll and got a cold drink and waited, soon Row turned up, he made himself some lunch and we had a chat and after a while no one else had turned up so i decided to go back and see what was going on.
I got to the corner where Stuart was lying back enjoying some sun, i left him to it and kept going and then i saw Al at the top of the hill, Al said that Mark and Clarky had some really good attempts at the hill but couldnt quite get there so he sent them back down and told them to wait at the bottom of the hill. Al continued on his way, collected Stuart and went to the lunch stop. I went down the hill all be it a little out of control at one point but stayed upright, at the bottom i collected the boys and took them around the road to lunch, and on the way there Clarky had an altercation with a fallen tree, with no damage done he was soon at lunch.
While they guys were digging in to lunch Row noticed that i had a large gash in the side of my rear tyre. With plenty more rocky stuff to come it was decided that we'd make our way back to the cars rather than keep going, and have to fix my flat tyres.
With all the guys full of fresh rolls and after a rest and a chat, we thanked Sam and Shaz for coming out and putting on an awesome lunch for us and we hit the trails once again.
I was just cruising on the road on the way back to the cars trying not to get a flat tyre, but i soon got sick of that and took the boys on some more of the good stuff, Detouring past a big jump that not to many were keen to have a go of so we kept moving and took the last two tracks back to the cars.
Back at the cars with no broken bikes or riders the smiles on their faces told me that all enjoyed the ride even if some of the tracks were a bit to much at times, but everyone did really well in some tough conditions.
Thanks for coming along guys.
Nathan Stott TE310
Al Mason WR250
Clarky WR450
Mark Judkins KLX450
Rohan Smith Kato 300
Stuart aka lefty WR250
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Lefty
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« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2011, 01,44:31 AM » |
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Good stuff Nath, ride leader and written report ! The points just keep stacking up !!! Yea I had a great ride all day, you certainly know how to set a challenge. If I could ride every week with you guys I would. Loved the climbs, loved the lunch, loved helping Al all day.
Cheers,
Kabab Boy...
PS. Good to see you back in the game Mark...
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AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2011, 02,10:29 AM » |
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Cheers for another great ride Nath. Tailman presented afew challendges on some of the technical stuff with no clear runs. Felt bad leaving Clarky and Mark on the hill! But thinking Lefty was up there eating our lunch? i thought id better get up there and end their tourcher before Lefty finished of their lunches too! Thanks to everyone who rode it was a good group and lots of banter for the day. Also thanks for assistance given to the tailman on the day. But most of all, thanks to Lefty for all his help. The amount of time i got to rest while he was off in the distance helping me, ment i came home refreshed!!
Al
Some pic's from the day
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AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2011, 02,29:16 AM » |
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Black Range 19-2-11
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AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2011, 02,34:59 AM » |
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Black Range 19-2-11
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Serge C
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 3011
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« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2011, 04,57:25 AM » |
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Those colored pyjamas are gonna take over the world!
Al, we might need to teach you how to reduce the size of your photos!
And Row, what's that thing growing out of your belly?
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"He may look like an idiot, he may sound like an idiot, but don't let that fool you...he really is an idiot!" - Groucho Marx.
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AL
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 830
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« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2011, 05,01:34 AM » |
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Serge, would be good if someone could explain it to me! My talent stop's at posting them. AL
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nathanstott
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 1125
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« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2011, 05,39:19 AM » |
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Those colored pyjamas are gonna take over the world!
Ha ha ha!! I love my coloured pajamas!!! I stand out that much that I don't need a flouro vest to wear as ride leader!! |
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Zeb Colic
Full Member 2012/2013
Posts: 785
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« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2011, 06,02:52 AM » |
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Looks like a great ride really looking forward to next weekend .... Nathan if you wear that riding gear next week i am bringing along my tinted lenses ...   |
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SHE ASKED ME TO WISPER SOMETHING REALLY SEXY INTO HERE EAR AND I WISPERED " BRRRAAAAP "
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nathanstott
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 1125
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« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2011, 06,24:11 AM » |
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Zeb Colic
Full Member 2012/2013
Posts: 785
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« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2011, 08,07:57 AM » |
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And I would really appreciate your help bacause i know how hard it would be for you to throw a leg over a two banger , the top or die will be the moto for the day ( and i dont mean die literally before anyone starts posting comments its just a figure of speach )  |
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« Last Edit: February 20, 2011, 08,17:32 AM by Zeb Colic »
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SHE ASKED ME TO WISPER SOMETHING REALLY SEXY INTO HERE EAR AND I WISPERED " BRRRAAAAP "
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markjudkins
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 49
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« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2011, 10,56:55 PM » |
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I thoroughly enjoyed myself even though I was completely wiped out by the time we got back to the cars. Highlight for me must be the first sip of an ice cold coke at lunch time. To have a supply vehicle with food and drink meet us was completely unexpected but really appreciated. It was so hot and humid and coz I had to walk a couple of hills I had finished my water. I'd been dreaming of a cold coke and out of the blue I got one. I will be replacing my rear tyre although it was nice to have something to blame my lack of perfomance on. Couldn't possibly have been the rider. Thanks guys, was a good day.
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Clarky
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 124
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« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2011, 11,21:08 PM » |
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Yer thanks heaps Nathan for a top day, Al for tailman all day, other gentlemen making a fun group and of course the ladies for lunch and cold drinks. Geez it was humid for the 1st part of the day making everything all that much more difficult.
Talking tyres - Nathan you recommend not to use 952's howwver what do you recommend ?
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nathanstott
Full Member 2013/2014
Posts: 1125
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« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2011, 11,53:35 PM » |
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Hey Clarky, glad you had a good day. Tyres like everything to do with bike set up is a personal preference, my experience with the Dunlop 952 wasn't a good one, it performed well in the dry as most tyres do, but when things get sloppy I found them to be useless as they provide no traction at all. The way the tread patten is, the tyre doesn't clear itself of mud and it turns into a slick almost, I think this is due to the block of 3 knobs joined together that runs through the centre of the tyre.
My favorite tyre is michelins s12 but I go through a few of them as they wear quite quickly but have awesome grip. If I want a longer lasting tyre with almost as good grip as the s12 I go with Bridgestones M404 which is an excellent tyre.
Now before I get shot down by all the 952 users this is just my opinion, if you have a 952 and it works for you, that's great keep using them, but as long as my arse points to the ground I will never buy another 952.
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David Smith
President 2013/2014
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Posts: 1518
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« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2011, 01,14:31 AM » |
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The bridgestone m404 is a great tyre
If you get the matching front get the 203 not the 201
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