AMTRA.com.au

      “Nath, how far have we gone?”
         Murrindindi 8/5/10 By Al mason

   After failing to finish Nath’s last Murrindindi ride, I picked up Tim on the way to Glenburn to make amends. Tim and I arrived at the Glenburn at 8am to be met by Nath, Row, Nick, Justin, Matt and James. After ducking in to the road house for breaky, Steve was just pulling in and fuelling up.
   After very brief hellos, we were back in the cars and heading out to the starting point about 10mins up the road and around some corners.
   Once everyone was geared up and the mandatory, “will the bike start” tests out of the way nath gave the Amtra speech. With blue skies over head and some fog still about. The group of  fresh edger souls headed out to start the loop. I say fresh for the first timers to this loop, as only a few hundred metres up the road the slipping and sliding begins! To the previous runners, the workout that was about to begin was well know! The loop very quickly arrives at interesting and steep little climb, with a maze of ruts containing a very liberal supply of well lubricated tree roots. When I arrived at the base of the hill, I was met with a multi coloured hill? With bikes of all colours and races, laying out various states of “why wont you go up the hill, you ?????”
   After a short wait and local knowledge on my side, I confidently blasted up the hill. Once at the quarter way mark, I said, “why wont you” you know what I mean. After several short burst of shear brut force and ignorance, I was up and greeted by half the crew. After a while a couple more of the crew arrived, but then only angry animated voices could be heard from below. It was deemed that some help should be sent down. Tim and Row went down to help, and soon everyone was up. Some still swearing, some laying down, some already fitting new brake levers and some just wondering what it was the volunteered for, a short rest was ordered.
   We were back under way and the log hopping that would stay with us for the day began. It was then into some overgrown tracks still to be cleared by the DSE and the games could now truly begin! With some very cool gullies to negotiate, all of which had been pre-amoraled. Whilst waiting and watch Steve tackle one of the gullies, I got to witness his spectacular dismount. A quick check for any signs of life, he gave the thumbs up from the gully floor. Preparing to dismount the bike to head down and help Steve, as from the bottom of the gully there is no room to gain momentum for the accent. Steve gave it a crack, and was up with a display of grace and ease. (well ease anyway) We then soon found ourselves, me included needing some assistance on some of the more technical tracks. These tracks are great, but also are unrelenting with no real chance for a rest. But as with all AMTRA rides, when the going gets tuff it becomes a team effort and everyone is helped or dragged through.
   Once we regrouped at the end of these tracks back on the main road, the map and the clock were studied. Time. 11am check, 65ks done? 50ks short check. It was then decided that a bit of gravel road burning would be added to speed up the day, to make our BBQ lunch date. Sam (Nath’s better half), Shaz and Coop (my betters) had driven out later that morning to cook us lunch, with cold drinks and some extra fuel for those who needed it. Fuel was not overly needed due to our short cutting, but splash was still taken on board by most due to our very excitable rear tyres and lack of forward momentum.
   After lunch and a rest it was decided that nine bikes wouldn’t fit in the back of Nath’s ute, that we should get back under way before we all got to comfy? With that Nath was gone(man on a mission!), and not long after this Steve was forced to retire with bad cramps and headed back to the cars. It was then off to do the roller coaster?
   With a few mishaps along the way, we were soon at the roller coaster. Which are a series of hills that once you started, turning back is not really an option. Whilst parked at the top of one hill waiting my turn for the decent and blast up the hill. I got to see Nath coming back down from a failed attempt. “Not good” I thought as he out rides me. Then Row coming back, “Really not good!” I then thought if I see Tim coming back, “im going to set fire to the Yami, and stay warm for the night!” No Tim ,he was up. And one by one most of the crew did to. Some on their second run, some on their third, some on their forth and some just don’t want to talk about it!!(thanks Tim, Row and Justin)
   With us all up and rested we were soon back underway, a bit tired as we had now cover 48ks, and it was 2pm. We then got into my comfort zone with some very slick, long climbs with good technical stuff thrown in. It was on these tracks that some of the crew had started to hit the wall, and began to really struggle. With Matt the tail man starting to really shed some wait from the workout he had been having. At the regroup the choice was made to burn up some more of the SEC road til the final couple of tracks home.
   With 67ks under our belts we were back at the cars for around 4pm. No complaints were heard for pulling up short, but lots of smiles and thanks to Nath for a great day!! A cold can, some battered bodies and we were all off home.
   A big thanks to Nath for his leadership and arraigning lunch a fuel. And to the girls and their little helper for bring and cooking our lunches for the day. And to Matt for his huge efforts for the day as tail man, and the crew for a fun filled day, in some trying conditions.                                             RIDE LIST
Nathan Stott      TE310      Ride Leader
Al Mason      WR250
Tim Dykes      TE510
Justin Mangan           WR450
James Creasey           CRF450      Crash Test Dummy
Steve Chapman           WR450
Matt Creasey      CRF450      Tail man
Rowen Smith      KTM250
Nick Russo      DRZ400   

Good report Al, That hill near the end was a good one! Hey Nathan how many goes did it take??? I lost count... ;D

I'm never going to hear the end of this am i!!  ;D
Embarrassingly it took 4 attempts.  ::)

Great ride report Al, Big thanks to Sam, Shaz and Cooper for going to the effort of putting on lunch for us!

Hope everyone had a good ride, When James was upright i think he might have even enjoyed himself.

hey i'm sorry 4 holding you all up all day. thanks for a good ride (well when my bike was undeneth me anyway).Goto go and fit some wheels to the sides of my bike now and buy Matt some new spare brake levers, thanks bro. 

My bit for the report, thanks Nathan for the 58km, next time we'll do the full loop!!!

(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_08_05_10_8_14_18.JPG)

The riders getting ready to roll

(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_16_20.JPG)

Steve C on his way to the top of the first hill
 
(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_19_05.JPG)

We found these two sheilas wo had cooked a BBQ full of snags so we ate em! Thanks girls.  Photo is a little croped, full image here  http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_19_05.JPG (http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_19_05.JPG)

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD-c_cYnIkE

One of the ride leaders four goes at the hill, I didn't get the one where he rode to the top like a gun.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og355Vsy05E

Row gets there.

(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_20_42.JPG)

Two turn around for another shot.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CweOBpvWlRo

Look at the leg action in this, it's called "The Motorcycle hill dance"
 
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1g9Qm5aQ5k

Nick and the DR get there last, I missed the one where he rode up the bank, fliped it and took out the tail light :o
 
(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_22_22.JPG)

The group at the top.

(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_32_56.JPG)

Back at the cars after only 58km ::)

(http://www.vinamtra.com.au/forum/gallery/18_09_05_10_12_29_51.JPG)

Although he is a POM, James is not nomaly this white, I didn't need the flash. He's showing off his injury after taking on too big a log.

Oh yeah I know that hill which from memory keeps going that was not the top.

Nice Tattoo James  ;D ;D ;D

Nathan,
thanks for the ride. Had a good time. That was my second AMTRA ride and am now going to join up. I hope you'll have me back to experience the rest of the loop, I really enjoyed the tracks and terrain. I'm glad the rope I had been carrying around in my back pack for years finally came to some use, on that hill, you know the one. The one Tim and I got up at our first attempt. After watching the chaos for a while I remembered thinking, "thank god it wasn't me, down there looking up".
Tim/Matt,
Tim great footage and thanks to you and Matt on that side hill (where I burnt myself out completely).
Al,
Great report and No problem. Anytime.
All,
thanks for the ride and company.
Justin.

How could I nearly forget, Thanks heaps for the food and beverages not only a great spot to ride but trail side service. BIG THANKS to the Support crew.
justin.