Ride Reports

[Darren lynch]

Gravel roads what can I say those are in a league of their own two wheel drifting with Peter with in arms reach there is nothing quite like sliding two up into a corner

It was something else having you two come up as I just cruised along at my own(much slower)pace

My apology to anyone how caught a few rocks
( In the words of a fellow rider if you don’t like rocks ride faster )

Untill I can ride faster maybe some more armor

[Alwr]

Thanks everyone who attended and helped out on the day. I was a little unsure how i was going to make a day fit everyone with such a spread of speed and skills. But at home time, all those that came up to say good bye had big smiles and bigger stories! Had a ball and know my Amtra family for looking out for Shaz so i could get on with the job as ride leader. Sad part of the day was news that Johnny had come off badly. I also made a rare mistake, by breaking my own rules in rushing back after the traffic had stopped to check on Johnny. I managed to bin the bike in 3rd gear flat up a hill as i lofted the front wheel for a log. Managed to break a helmet, bend a pair of bars and melt a bark buster in the slide, until i used my head for breaks. (Lucky it was my head or I could have been hurt) Thanks to the two new members that helped me sort the bike at the corner before getting to Johnny. Thanks Bill, Daz and others that helped Johnny. Also Bill and Freddo for getting Johnny and Bob back to the cars before rejoining. Telling Bob her day was done was hard as this day was because of her requests for than a year. Next time Grasshopper. All the girls that rode did a truely awsome job, and even when i thought i may have stepped it up a bit to much, you all soldiered on and kicked the challedges butt. Well done.
Al

[paul341]

Thank you Al, it was my first time back on the bike after a long break away and first time on my new bike - it was an absolutely brilliant day out. Loved every bit of it and im very stiff today!!
Thanks to everyone who helped me, really appreciated the support. Paul had a great day too! Looking forward to the next time! Annie (and Paul)

[sandra(bob)]

Wow...that was gonna be fun.
Johnny and I left home early to get to the meeting point by just after 8am. And what a gorgeous spot to off load and get ready!
Anyway off we went, 20+ very happy and wonderful people.
I loved that first track, what a hoot  , I was ticking along nicely and was wrapt to have a few girls along aswell, Shaz, Marls, me and Annie on her new ride and Bill was tail  . Nice.
I was having lots of fun, and getting into my groove and Johnny, as we all know and appreciate stayed on my tail a bit aswell just to make sure I was ok. Well, wasnt I havin hoot. Then, there it was!!!  A big long uphill...with errosion mounds..yay  ..and may I say I was handling these mounds quite well, with nice pace and throttling off and on where I needed to be...and even got some air, and I mean good air on one of them (gee doesnt that feel good  ).
So there I was, going really well, so Johnny decided to hang back a bit and give me a bit of space to let me do my thing so I didnt feel crowded..And it was at this point- I do recall hearing what sounded like a very heavy over revving,(see more under club talk) I just figured its the guys behind me muckin around or whatever and the best thing I can do is keep moving, because if I slowed to look back I would have gone Ker-plop. So I kept going...but after a while I started to feel like I was alone..thats when I saw Paul and Annie along the side of the track...Just as I had got there Annie was away again, and I said to Paul..where is everyone? We figured someone must have bike issues..so we may as well mosey on.
I think Luke at one stage had come by as Paul was helping me negotiate a rutted downhill and we heard then that some guy called John had an off and his bike wasnt starting. What do I know about bikes not starting - I had been told Johnny was ok just a bit of a sore back, so off I went again with Pauly just cruising along with me. We got to a corner to see Dave there, and he said the re-group point wasnt far down that track, so Pauly went to go and see how Annie was going and I hung back on the track with Dave. After a time Al, came back up from the re-group and said he was going to go and see how things were going with Johnnys bike (at this stage all I really knew was the bike was being a bitch and wouldnt start and all Johnny had was a bit of a sore back), not all that much time later Al came back and by that time a couple of guys from Powerhouse who had seen Johnny (who was with Darren and Bill) said that this guys Berg was done for the day and he was starting to suffer a bit of back pain. Al took me to the re-group point, where we worked out that I will go left for about  2 k's with Freddo there to look out for me to meet up with Johnny and Bill as Bill had towed him to this point, so from here it was Bill the Tower, Johnny the now quite obvious very sore Towee, and me Freddo as tail..we started out trek back to the cars while the others continued along on their ride. (Freddo had a map so afterwards Bill and Fred were going to meet up with the rest of the group).
The trip back to the cars wasnt without some comic releif. A couple of accidental let goes of the tow rope saw Johnny struggling and basically just having to stay on the bike while Fred and Bill re-attached the tow rope as he was really starting to struggle now getting on and off the bike.
We came to a bend that was quite bushy, so couldnt see around it all, but as it was a nice quiet area, you could hear everything. Bill was out of sight around the bend, I could just see the back of Johnny, Fred and I had our bikes turned off, so all I could hear was Bills bike start and slowly accelerate , until I saw Johnny move out of sight around the bend...then silence.. That would be Bills bike stalling...then a slight crunching sound... That would be Bills bike hitting the deck...then a rustle rustle sound...and the movements of bushes... That would be Bill rolling into the blackberries  ..and then just Johnnys voice..."Oh no!!..The towies gone down"... My god I cracked up..Fred and I couldnt stop laughing, I had tears, meanwhile poor Johnny is really starting to suffer, just love what goes on out on the trails.
So we got moving again and seemed to be going  along quite well, and in all seriousness, we did have my hubby in quite a bit of pain, and probably quite frankly, he was over it. But I come around another bend to find ... No Johnny, hes gone and Fred and Bill in heck of a mess with a tow rope nicley wrapped around Bills back wheel and well and truly stuck...I said "Wheres Johnny, what have you done with him"..Bill says oh he went on.. ..I ask..how, his bike wont go?..apparently he had to let go of the rope as he was on a downhill and muttered something along the lines of Sorry Bill, I gotta keep going mate...so funny.
I know as we were getting closer to the cars Johnny had run out of puff, I just dont know how he kept going, I guess you just have to ha,
So with Freddo and Bill to take over the reigns and get our bikes on the trailer, and me in the pilot seat of the Hilux, and a very quiet and sore passenger it was off we went. Yep a trip to casualty was in order (more in Club Talk), but suffice to say, out patient is ok. Sore but in one piece..however we do have a Berg that wont start  ..so looks i have to play nurse this week for both man and machine as I will need to take the bike to be fixed while taking care of my hubby. Ah the joys of being a dirt bike riders wife.
Huge thanks first to Al Mason for putting on this ride - the hour I was on it was great, but look out...I will be back  .
Girls, Annie Marls and Shaz, great to see you all as usual and so proud of you and happy for you all that you did on the ride...(I hear you all did fantastic  )you did it for TEAM GLAMTRA...the glamourous side of Amtra 
Freddo and Bill...you guys rock, thank you so much for everything you did. Its fantastic how people are happy to step up when its needed.
Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes for Johnny as I left the re-group point and hope to see you all out there again soon...luv Bob

[Peter r]

Thanks Al for a Grouse Ride.
I made sure i Passed your Wife on 2 Wheels and at half speed 

Highlite of the Day:
Having a ride of the KTM Freeride 350, having a ride on that super light bike was a real buzz, you could pop a mono and sit it in the sweet spot and just cruize around hahaha.
Fantastic concept especially the low seat height. " Good for Serge"
Thanks Annie for the opportunity to give it a go.

Thanks Nath for the Narrow Track stuff.

 Thanks Fred for doing the 2nd flat tyre change " Took ya bit long"

Sorry if i passed anyone a bit fast, but my throttle seems to stick.

Had a few " OH MY GOD MOMENTS" but managed to stay on the bike.

And the biggest thanks to John T for throwing a Rock at me at 80 Km/Hr, it managed to hit me right between the Goggles and the Helmet. Yes there was blood and a 3 Hr Headache.
All is good now.

What a hoot of a ride, the old RMX has the gonads but suffers in the suspension area.

PS: For those who are interested in some Spoon Tyre Levers, i will find out how much they are( About $23Each ) and take orders. 
Don't forget to buy a small can of WD40.

[nathanstott]

Al, thanks for a top day and great track selection too! Although the level 1's might not agree with some of them, but when your challenged that's when you learn the most and improve.
Have to agree with Pete about the 350 Freeride, such a fun bike and so light and turns on a 20 cent piece!! Thanks Annie for the ride of your new bike.
Picked up a few riders dusted them off and sent them on their way on the last down hill before lunch but everyone got down without any damage so alls good.
All the girls rode really well, coped with the terrain improved throughout the day and probably learned heaps.
Good to catch up with some people i hadn't seen for a long time as well.
Had a blast riding with Pete and John all day, and in the words of a fellow rider " if you don't like dust, ride faster!"
Glad i wasn't on the receiving end of a rock to the forehead!!

[Jeff Davey]

Arrived 8.30 to some questioning looks from the punters fearful that we may need better tires for this ride. What? since when have nobby tires been a pre-requisite? I copped a backhander when I said I had extra ballast on the back of the bike for extra traction .
After Al's briefing we headed off. The first couple of k's were very windy and bumpy but the Honda made easy work of it as long as I kept an eye out for holes. It soon opened up into undulating rural countryside where the travelling was much easier.
The first re-group was the Willow Grove General Store for coffee and cake . After a scenic tour of the dam wall we headed south to refuel at Traf. From there to Thorpdale and then onto Mirboo North. The track between Thorpy and Mirboo Nth is one out of the box with numerous high speed bends to enjoy.
From Mirboo Nth we headed to Leongatha, through to Korrumburra. At Korrumburra we turned north on the Warragul road. This is a challenging road as sharp corners come up very quickly. From Warragul we took the Highway home to Garfield. A very enjoyable day clocking up over 200k's. Home by 12.30pm and didn't even need to wash the bike. Helen reckons her bum was nearly as sore as Johnny's
Hope all enjoyed their ride.
Jeff and Helen