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Glen Lion John T’s Way?   By Al Mason 5/9/09

   This was going to be my first Glenlyon ride, and from the reviews I had heard I was looking forward to it. 6am and Paul was at my door for my lift to Glenlyon. We swap trailers and loaded Paul’s bike and we were under way for 6:15am, bound for the Calder BP for breakfast. We arrive at the BP at about 7:30am and are soon met by Simon and his new toy, then Will and his. After food, a chat and some morning shedding of weight taken care of we are back under way.
   As we got closer to Glenlyon I began to relies what they grow out this side of town, FOG and lots of it! In fact if you had bucket you could take some home. There was a few cars already at the car park as we arrived at 8:30am. A quick hello and we are gearing up as a few more punters arrive. Then John’s speech and questions and we are track bound by just after 9am.
   It was then a short run by road and we were soon at the start of John’s playground. The first track was a sign of what the morning loop was going to entail, tight, wet, bog holes and well oiled logs to negotiate. It wasn’t far into this whilst following Will, he seemed to aim off the track for a rest in a boggy marsh? When I stopped to check if he was ok, he replied ”the bikes overheating”. And the big Kato was hem ridging quit a bit of steam. Not been able to do much I continued along to catch up with John, to see if he needed a brew? And tell him Will was boiling the Kato for him. How ever on the way to find John I stopped to offer some assistance to some punters who were finding it a bit slippery. After a nice technical hill climb, I caught up with John as he stopped for a regroup. And informed him of Will and his kettle. We disgust that on a 6 degree morning its was not a good sign. Will arrived and I sent him down the main road to try and cool the Kato? Didn’t really help, so Will emptied his camel back into the bike and hoped for the best. One the new Husky’s was also having some issues with the mapping of its injection system. With a small tweak of the idle speed it was better.
   John then proceeded to led us along some great technical tracks, with climbs, descents and logs. Linking them all together with some very cool open and slick flowing tracks. As John stepped up the difficulty of the ride, the pace and success rate of some of the hills was falling. That is not to say the group was slacking off, I also had to have a couple bits of the cherry in one or two places. But whilst the group got stuck and caused hilarious carnage on a hill, John shouted out advice. Like, “it said you must be able to ride up hills unassisted?”, “you blokes are hopeless” and my favourite, and used quit a bit, “my nine year old can do this one!” All working to good effect, and with everyone lending a hand here and there, everyone  made it to the top.
   John at about the 30k mark decided, that back to the cars for lunch was the way to go. However shortly after this we were soon at another tricky climb, with some strategically placed logs in the way. And a few metres ahead of me as I tackle the hill was John, propped and trying to get himself going over a log. I opened the throttle a little harder to hopefully ride past him saying, “sorry, you shouldn’t need assistance!” However, he managed to get himself going just as I arrived. (BUGGER!) And I also got filled in for my efforts.
   Back at the cars over lunch a few punters decided that they had, had there fun and were happy to call it a day. Will had done some maintenance over lunch and decided that as John said the arvo loop would be easier??? That he would give the Kato another go.
   After a bit of a cold transport stage we were back into the technical stuff near John’s farm. The opening tracks were great and very technical, which was soon bringing some of us undone. And at the first regroup I think Will was starting to think about how good a used car sales man John would make? The hills got steeper, tighter and more challenging. I soon found myself trying to become an astronaut, after trying to climb out of a gully with a near vertical exit between two trees. Ending up with the bike on the back wheel, me standing up on the pegs with my arm rapped around a tree holding myself up. A first for me? With Chris asking me to hang on while he grabbed his camera? “get stuffed” was shouted by one of us?
   With fatigue hitting most of us, but know one emitting it. A sigh of relief could faintly be heard we John tells us we are homeward bound. A couple repeated obstacles in reverse and we are soon on the final transport stage back to the cars. Once at the car park we load up with 82ks under our belts. We all thank John for a great day and car by car make tracks for home.
   A great day, a great group, a great ride and a great character for ride leader. Cheers John and to Mark And Howard for tail man duties well done.

PS. The ride list will be added when avalible? 16 riders for the morning and 14 for the arvo loop. Cheers Al