Fumina Experienced Ride
By Al Mason
Well the day finally arrived to put on my first “Experienced” ride for Amtra. The weather could not have been better, with solid rain for the week and showers forecast for the day! If you imagine your usual red Teflon covered clay track, but just had an Amoral tanker split open on it and you get somewhere close to what this place turns into in the wet?
With an early start for the family and myself we headed to Fumina to meet up with the already reduced ride list. Matt had just arrived at the car park as I rolled in and we were soon joined slowly by the group. It wasn’t exactly warm either, as my boy decided sitting in the car watching DVD’s was better than going for a ride on the bike with Daddy.
9:07am and we were on our way to mine shaft track, with myself and the regulars knowing it was going to be very interesting? Instructions were given to Jeff our morning tail man of the way around if needed by anybody. I actually made it up unhindered with all the poise and grace of a flattened Cain toad, but i got up. However I did a much better job at filling David in on the journey. Once at the regroup point I waited for the crew to arrived, as they did one by one until they stopped? The line for the day then arrived, “It’s an Expert ride! No need for assistance?”, this would be used all day! Soon after the sound of bikes arriving from the “Soft” option appeared, and I headed back to pick up the corner man.
It was then off into my planned loop and some of my favorite tracks. Before long the first real blockage presented itself, a group of four or five trees that were so tired they had decided to have a lie down in a neat pile. So around we went to find the start of a couple of tracks I’ve wanted to explore for a while, but haven’t due to the ride level and what we may find?
Result was one very cool technical trail that looked like it was going to be fun, just from the entry down the gully. I was traveling quite well until I arrived at a log to cross at 45Deg’s, covered in green slim and an 10ft drop on the side? (I did say a cool track!, well in my world?) Whilst manhandling the Yami over it, I managed to slip with the bike in gear and ended up hanging onto it by the tail light as it chugged away in first gear trying to go over the embankment! Luckily Nath, was soon on the case to grab the clutch and help me make everything right with the world again. We all trickled down the track having our own little issues here and there, with some coming only meters from the end and with a crowd. (D.K)
A short breather and we were off again and traveling along the very slick Kings Rd and then into some very tight and unrelenting trails, that I’ve managed to link together with next to no transport sections. (I’m an evil b@#tard!) However just before we got the chance we encounter one very steep drop onto Wild Bull Rd. As I sat at the top looking down, there was a log in what looked like the exit rut. By steep I mean, from the top the hill actually disappears beneath you before you can finally see the exit. Dave stepped up and went for it? As he hit the point of no return or control to ride the decent out, I had my first thoughts of "what am I dragging these poor buggers along for?" With Dave down safe it was my run, and I didn’t know I could hold my breath for that long. I watched the next couple do the same and then I headed of to drop more corner men off. The down side to being as slow as me with this group hot on your heals.
I was now in my element and flowing along well leaving corner men as I went. And then crossing a snotty gully with a flowing creek at the bottom blocked with a 2 inch branch I came to a hold mid stream and dropped the bike! After drowning the Yami a couple of weeks earlier I was not happy, but it managed to land on the bars with the engine out of the water (
??) Row gave me a hand with the branch and the bike and I was soon out and on my way again to keep the ride moving.
At the regroup some very weary souls emerged from the bush, as it had been a long hard day. As it was already 10:45am and we had done 26k’s of my planned 150 to 200 for the day. After a short breath and stories, I lead the crew off for some more and more and more and more, well those that have been on my rides know what I mean? Telecom track’s bog hole seemed to eat everyone but the ride leader’s bike. And Telecom track’s tree challenge ate nobody’s bike, other than the ride leaders! I kept throwing track after track at the team and waited for someone to put their hand up and say “Stop”. To their credit no one did, well to me anyway. (Got to love earplugs) Then it was time to make our way to lunch and fuel stop, but the Tanjil river had enough white caps on it to say “No”. So a blast around saw us at lunch 6minutes late. (Normaly 2hrs late)
My wife and father in-law had lunch on the bbq plate as we pulled in, and Amtra’s own David Knight was making suggestions that he would be retiring from the days activities? After some hot food and cold drinks Denis perked up and even took the tail man vest.
Off once again, but this time a lot more open trails and one very cold and flowing river to be crossed and it was time to bring out my favorite tracks, and unknown to most of the crew. Which felt great as most of the pack have been on 90% of my Fumina rides over the last 5 years. My pace was now up and I had first run on a couple tracks, well most of the way before I got court. Matt court me and I let him pasted, knowing Nath would not be far behind. I soon heard a very familiar sound of the Husky behind me, as I looked for a spot to give him room to pass on one of the slippest tracks I know. As a clearing arrived I came off the throttle, all sh#t broke loose as the bike crossed up and actually picked up speed in the leaf litter before I managed to bring it to a Holt. Nath checked on me and thank me for letting him past and I assets if I needed clean undies or not. Everyone loved that track and Nath and I knew they were going to love what was coming up? After a loop made in heaven, I brought the topic up of what else the group wanted for the day. As day light was soon going to leave us and no chance of me running out of trails, I hatch a homeward bound plan with some old favorites and we got underway.
Still some favorite after all this time we traveled along very well and were soon on the last track home, which is always a crowd pleaser. I hung back and let the boy’s off the leashes and kept an eye on Denis and David who were both done for the day. Well for a while anyway? I was soon doing my best to pass as many as I could by the end of the track, as I love the surprise on peoples faces with them overtaking me all day to see me having fun and go past. (I do like Kenny Spur)
With 110ks on the clock and about 30mins of daylight left we hit the car park to load up and head home. I am sure there are plenty more stories from with in the group, but for once I lead my ride from somewhere near the front for the day and missed the action. (Not the stories) Really enjoyed the day and the fact I didn’t have to cater for anyone and could just ride the trails I liked. But better than that was the smiles on everyone’s (weery)faces, which told me that they had had a great day too. Thanks to Shaz, Coop and Alan for the supplies and fuel. To Jeff and Denis for tail man duties and to the group as I had a ball. Bring on the 2day version. Thanks Al
Ride List
Al Mason
Nathan Stott
Dave Smith
Row Smith
Jeff Davey
David Armstrong
Matt Creasey
Denis Kelly
Darren Clark
Rob Cosey
