3 states and more ride report 2011

It was a quick stop in Sofala after the run from Hillend, we had miles to make and people to see. The compulsory Pub photo at Sofala

From there we rode the Turon river route, this goes through a couple of farms about 6 gates and around the same number of causeways / creeks. From there we got to Dark Corner and decided to regroup at the Stringy Bark turnoff. It was here Boulder pulled up and said he had a broken clutch cable

He had a cable repair kit, this kits will be compulsory for all adventure rides and I will organise a bulk buy from Sutto’s regarding this kits when I get back in a couple of weeks. The problem was the break was under the stinking hot header pipe

Fish waiting

Once mobile again we did the back way into Capertee with the 8 creek crossings and past Micks ditch, still shake my head how he ended up in that :huh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhrO5s_IBBI&feature=youtube_

We stopped at Capertee servo, they rock there and we at OBT have stopped there heaps. They have a new deal there for all trail bike riders which is “a tank of fuel, a hamburger, chips and a can of drink for $20!!!!! (limit 15 litres) that’s value. We enjoyed a sausage roll or a pie and bolted again people to see places to see 😆

But now Boulders bike wouldn’t start :ohmy: Push start required lucky Fish was a pushing expert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWyPWB-EK3w&feature=youtube_gdata_player
We ran the railway service to a single track up to the Garden of Stone track, from there we went down 3kms of bitumen to a dirt road to take us to Kram’s ditch, Kram hasn’t been back since he broke his wrist nearly 12 months ago.

Kram hill featuring Kram rut

He showed us where he ended up, look carefully you can just see his foot sticking up

Here he is in the ditch so to speak

From there it was all the way down the railway service track to Cullen Bullen, dirt road to Mal5.1’s work, 5 kms of bitumen to 10 steps hill. What was I thinking as I rode a 240 kilo bike up 10 steps :ohmy: Gaz double dog dared us so it had to be done. After a quick scout where I took the wrong line it was back do and straight up to mine and Nick’s amazement I think. I have ridden it on the Tenere without bags and gear before and it certainly was heaps harder with all the fruit.

Here is Nick on the lookout rock halfway up 10 steps

Bikes at the halfway

We rode through some twin tracks to the Black Fellows hand trail, then a single we used last year on the birthday ride only to come at out the corner. Moose remembered the corner as I know STM and Micknmeld will also, the blue flame sideways 650 corner :woohoo:

From there more railway service track with some good hill and gravel to Bell. From there we slabbed it to Bilpin because we had to see the guy that made the racks that Nick and I had on our bikes. nicks racks had broken in the High Country we had contacted Steve from Adventure Moto on the Sunday that it happened and he had got in touch with Jason who had made them. Jason is a real nice guy and he was very destressed that the racks had broken. He had listened to what we thought and had already made a set up to go straight on Nick’s bike which had had modified based upon what we had told him. While we were here it startd flogging down. Nick choose to keep going with his racks tied up rather than waste time swapping them, Jason would send the new ones up after he made another modification we suggested. Thanks to Jason and Steve for there help. Further more Steve has recalled the racks sold to be modified and all stock he has has been taken back to Jason to be updated.

From there we rolled through Mt Lagoon, Colo River and Colo Heights and down the the ferry at the back of Wisemans Ferry all on the dirt. A quick 22 kms on bitumen and we arrived at St Alburns. I had dropped the Tenere while doing a “U” turn because I ended up up a rock ledge

Once in St Alburns we went straight to the camp area to yes camp, for the first time we would camp!!!!

Then we hit the pub, there was a jam session on the verandah and it was great fun, yes I got dacked by Fish :laugh:

We got smashed, Moose got on the guitar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVHHidyKvFU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

We bought some beers late that night and we headed back to cook dinner it was way past dinner time. Kram was smashed and when dragged out of his tent took 6 steps and fell over 3 times :laugh: He fell back into his tent at about 30 km/ hr :laugh: I hit the hay and the others went to another camp where Moose again featured on the guitar

The perfect end to a fantasic ride

Thanks to Nick thanks mate for calming me down when I hit the rev limiter with river crossing and all the work that went into this trip and others, Congrats on the new gig

The boulder lovers / brothers great blokes Boulder brothers because these blokes are rock solid no doubt about that even if they share the double beds :huh:

Moose you are so smooth mate never a problem always a laugh. Nick said to me a one stage how about Moose and I answered “Moose would be into a shit sandwich if Kathy buttered it for him” he never says no it’s never a problem you are a legend. To have someone with your experience and ride back ground come up and thank me and say that was the best day I ever had on a bike was a highlight for me thanks mate

Kram, the man he knows everything to know about preparing a bike for a ride like this now, good on you mate always welcome mate. I have owned and ridden a NX and there is no way in hell I would ride one where you rode that at the pace you did

Mickp, always there always helpful and always with a route change at the last minute :laugh: Thanks for you help

Lotsa the DR legend never a problem has now twice got me out from under the Tenere in 12 months cheers mate hope I never have to return the favor.

Tryhard what a funny bastard, stiched me at Gunning about where to fuel up :laugh: , thanks for finding my $50’s mate

Thanks to one and all, more later

TB