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Thinkin about this ride and trying to slap together a ride report was gunna be tough cause I realized very quickly that I had no idea where we went track wise or what parts of the forest we covered because i dont know the area so this ride report is a bit thin sorry . Met Chinky at the BP with a couple of his mates grabbed a coffee and away we went , through Neerim the sky kind of looked OK until we started heading down the mountain to Noogee were we had to slow dawn to 40kls per hour due to thick fog. 
We got to Costins road and everyone was already well under way with the unload and gearing up except for Mat R was was only a couple of minutes behind us. As I was wrestling my backpack trying to get it over my body armour I heard a 4 banger coming down the road at warp speed and as it came around the corner it was a new HUSKY 449 with the rider wearing  familiar helmet and gear and blow me down it was Nathan and I thought no bloody way nathan wouldn’t ride anything except a 310 , anyway it was a loaner from first class he had it while they were tricking something up on his toy.
Rider brief out the way and tailman duties allocated away we went up the fire road a couple of hundred metres and a right hand turn straight into a nice long slippery hill as normally happens on an Al Mason rides, the first hill didn’t seem that bad but it claimed a rider straight away , names withheld to protect the guilty but it seems that one of chinkys mates found the first hill all to much and turned around and went home , long way to drive for a 10 min ride I thought  >>>   this is were the knowledge runs out for me as far as the area goes so I can’t rattle of the tracks we used but I do know that we went up and down around and around , we road the tight stuff for hours , we even tried to ride a track that wasn’t a track , we were like ants everyone heading in different directions but somehow regrouped quickly and away we went again.  I think we ended up with about 120 on the ODO and some of the guys had fuel issues towards the end meaning we did well but all in all it was a great day , it was supposed to be a level two but I think it ended up a little tougher than that , Al kept asking and they kept wanting more so he would take us to another tight narrow 4wd track and in we would go , come out the other end and find another and in they would go again ,  no injuries , no briken bits , NO DROWINGS even though I came close AGAIN . Back to the cars at 3.45 and headed home. Thanks Al for leading a great days riding its always a blast in Fumina and Bod for morning Tailman and Bill for the Arvo great work boys.

CYA CHINKY SEE WAHT YOU WILL BE MISSING >>>> ;D

PS : Highlight of the ride for me was my little WR 250 blowing Dennis’s 300 exe out of the water in a straight line drag …… Dennis we will have to make it best out of three just to be fair …  Kidding mate I know , you missed a gear right  ;).

Good report Zeb, I don’t know where we went either as I did have a map? (Joking, in the back pack and couldn't be bothered)
Had a great day and the mission of putting a smile on Chinky's face that would last, was accomplished! Hard ride for a ride leader to arrange with several unknown riders and a few special requested. I planned 100k base on what Chinky had previously loved, what would suit Father Ted and what would get me back on Marl's Christmas card list from last level 2 rides I lead. With Marl's a no show, with car dramas on the way in, and Ted soon loving the tracks if someone would dry them out the loop was evolving into a different animal to planned. Ted decided to head home at an easy return point. (We did try to get him to stay!!) After the first real river crossing, I asked the troops what they wanted and how far up the Amtra riding scale they wanted to go? Apart from Nath and I, level 2 to 2+ seem to be the order of the day. With turn it up to number 11 frowned upon. And to everyone’s credit the smile's and the stories got bigger and bigger as the day rolled on. Well until the fatigue started to kick in? An old track of mine that now had fallen timber every where soon took some of the smiles off. But the comment of this "track is to blocked by logs, to ride it?" I said "Na, you ride over the logs they just make the track a bit bumpy!" With that out the way I lead the group through some old favorites, that I now use for transport sections and soon had the smiles back. I kept asking and they want more, then a rest and a lot of do you know where we are? And then as I tried to add the rides total length up in my head? Taking into account a bridge tat was not passable +11k, track that was getting to hard +5k, short cuts I couldn't use with the group that I normally use +9k. I looked down to see we were 90k into our 100k loop with 20 to 25k to get home. So the msg was given "if you can roll down it, do so! Because boy's this is going to be tight?" Chinky who had just hit reserve asked if "he would be alright?" I said "well it is a farewell Chinky ride?" A bit of fuel sharing happen a couple of times with a struggling Honda that already run out just before the talk. So with the fun turned off we cruised home with several regroups to make sure everyone was still in toe. We all rolled back down the hill to the cars with smiles or relief on their faces at 3:45pm. Nath had so much fun on the Husky 449, I thought we would be stopping at the dealer on the way home to buy him one? Thanks Zeb for arranging the ride, Bob for morning tail and Bill for the arvo. And I hope Chinky takes to his new home some fond memories of Amtra.
Al

Hey Chinky, Zeb, Al & the rest,
Yeh, i'm afraid we only made it as far as Neerim, before the 4wby sprung a bit of a leak, which ended my day :'(
Sounds like you all had a great ride & Chinky, hope you keep that smile on your face, until next year, when you're back ha ha ha....
All the best in Queensland mate...
Cheers, Marls & Fred  ;D

FAREWELL CHINKY MAY 2011

(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv188/MARLSFRED/ALS%20LVL%202%20AMTRA%20FUMINA%20RIDE%20SUNDAY%2020TH%20MARCH%202011/IMG_3902.jpg)

Thanks Al for filling in the gaps makes more sence now.

Organizing a ride is easy but without someone to lead it she dont happen so thanks for guiding us around....

See you out there soon .

Another great ride Al, the tracks were in absolutely mint condition.
For my first ever day on a 450 i had a ball. Before Saturday i never had any desire to own a 450, thinking that they had way to much power for me, but the 449 has changed my opinion of the bigger bikes, i loved the Husky so much that there will be one in my garage in the near future.
A big thankyou to the guys at FirstClass Motorcycles for giving me the 449 for the day.
All the best Chinky, enjoy the new life in QLD

Hey Nath how did you find the economy and how was the big bike in the tight overgrown stuff ? Will

Will, the 449 was fairly economical, we did 120k's and i got back to the cars with about 500ml to spare and I wasn't taking it easy on her either.
I was surprised at how well it handled in the tight stuff,  no where near like my 310 but still very maneuverable and it didn't feel heavy in the air when jumping either.

Whats your thinking, replace the 310 with the big banger or have both ?

Nath's working on collecting the hole Husky set??
Al

Hey Zeb thanks for putting the ride together and Al for leading us through some very awsome trails, I had a ball! :) :) :)...New tyre for the next one.. ;) ;)

As for the drag race with Zeb and Menace - Zeb we are going to have to take into account the power to weight ratio for the next one and put a 30KG saddle bag on you to make it even... ;) ;)

Chinky is was great to meet you and see your happy face - hope everything works out for you in Qld, all the best.

Ha thats not very nice you saying that D man is a carrying a few extra pounds , isnt that a sign of a good life. Was nice riding with ya i reckon its gunna be hard for you to get on another ride with two broken legs after Dennis get a hold of ya.

The truth is that his side of the track was slipprier than mine but still gunna have to make it best of three just to be sure.

Cheers see ya soon   

I know two models that wont be in his collection ...

My 310 won't be going anywhere and the 449 will be an addition to the family, I'm thinking 310 for the tough technical rides and 449 for the more open type of rides, so then I will have the 250, 310 and 449.
I just need to sell my KTM 640 Adventure first to be able to get the 449.

Zeb I'll wait and see what happens with the 2012 2 strokes before I rule them out.

Don't give him an excuse!!! :) ....give him an inch and he will take a mile. ;D

Nath nothing in 2012 i believe, 2013 models according to Dave will be on a new chasis with direct injection and a button plus map switch , about time they updated them its been like 10 years with no major donk upgrades.

I know a good realestate agent if you need one cause your current lounge room wont be big enough soon.

As per usual AMTRA ride one word "Awesome!" Yes Zeb I'll missing you guys and the ride. Thanks both Al and Zeb for arrange my farewell ride for me, I had a ball! Two things that would stay with me from this ride was the massive power slide I made but didn't manage to pull if off! End up facing opposite way and have handle bar poke my thigh :P, Dennis recken I slide for about 10 metres!!!! ;D Second was the massive jump I ever made after chasing Nathan without looking at the track in front of me next thing I saw was Nathan taking off into the sky! Never see Husky flying before  :o. Now I know why they called it red wing HONDA!!!

Marl & Fred it would have been fun if you guys could made it, I hope you make it home okay. FYI John Wall could get up pass the first hill!

top work to everybody for a ripping days riding  ;D

my morning started with me wishing i'd lashed out on tyres for the day  :'(
the early stuff was skatey as, "like a dog on floorboards", was the quote :D and at times it was a real handfull for my 300. even with the map switch off, just trying to torque around was challenging, as my throttle control is pretty much digital :D :D my fault, not the bikes!  :D
i had quite a few moments during which i tried to overtake myself on the straights :o
after hurting my back over easter, i was a little tentative and riding like a gumby all morning. everytime i stood up i would have a 'moment' and glue my ass back to the seat  ???

i didnt come good till after lunch, maybe it was my Mojo... maybe the tracks had dryed out a little by then ::) either way it was great!

dragging Zeb......
hey i lost  :D :D
truth is i missed 3rd :)
lets put it down to bad lane choice  ;D

it didnt matter.
riding side by side with the Zebster, 2x 2 bangers on the pipe, dicing it up a bit, was bloody unreal. there is no better feeling than that.
i found myself woohooing in my helmet a few times ;D
and overshooting a few corners ::)

i also gotta note Al's smoothness on the trails, great to watch. i reckon i learned a thing or 2 behind him. like, if i catch Al and sit behind him, young Matt on the crf will pass me and cop the next cornerman, then Nathan would do the same and i just kept on cruising  :D :D i reckon i only did 3 or 4 corners for the day!

another highlight was Chinky's massive slide. it went forever and he faught it all the way, nearly recovering but eventually losing the battle and laying into a slo-mo lowside. it went for so long i had time to cheer him on  ;D ;D he corked his leg but was OK.


i could go on and on but i wont.

it was a top day.

good to meet everyone new and see some familiar ones...even Zeb  ;D ;D
thanks to Al and the sweeps,

and most of all to Chinky for making it all happen :D :D

good luck up there mate. i will be up there too in 18 months, we will ride again  ;)

Menace

Yeah, another great day Al. Zeb, I'm not going to say anything about the river crossing !!! Here's some pic's of Chinky and his mate on the Honda !!!

Ow!! who's becoming quite the camera man!

Thanks for some more pic Lefty, i dont know where you find the time to take the shot's whilst you helping me just to get through the day?
Al

Lefty i like the shot you took of yourself , is that for you facebook or myspace page  ...  All I have to say is I didnt go down , like i said i have learned to get off really quickly .

i would love to join in in the next 2 stroke drag race if your up 4 it dennis i think i would have a few kilos on you i would love to blow your orange machine of the track with my old pooty honda.hahaha

Thanks Al, I've taken the Amtra oath to help everyone in need ! And man you need help, or your gonna need it in two weeks time with it pis5ing down for the next few weeks. Ha Ha good luck Zeb, I hope someone takes a camera. Zeb, I took a close up of me to again show Nathan that we both have the same goggles and ride the same !!! Wont see you guys for a few weeks, spending some time riding with the kids, they miss it...Cheers, Lefty.

Enjoy riding with the kids Lefty. I guess i will have manage on my own for Fumina?
Al