Home › Forums › General Bike Talk › Atrocious conditions. To ride or not.
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June 19, 2009 at 8:52 am #96640
AnonymousBit of a debate going on at a couple of forums about the Watagan Rally this weekend. The conditions will be atrocious to put it mildly. My opinion is that it should be called off.
Which brings up my question. (I have asked this same question on other forums but would be interested in Old Bulls opinions.).
Do you ever postpone a ride specifically because the conditions are such that the damage to the trails would be too bad? It is of course taking a moral position as most of us don’t mind riding in trying conditions for the challange.
Hundreds of riders riding the same loops in the Watagans on the weekend would, in my opinion, be morally reprehensable and it should not go ahead.
Wadda ya think.
old al
June 19, 2009 at 8:59 am #140160old al wrote:
Quote:Bit of a debate going on at a couple of forums about the Watagan Rally this weekend. The conditions will be atrocious to put it mildly. My opinion is that it should be called off.Which brings up my question. (I have asked this same question on other forums but would be interested in Old Bulls opinions.).
Do you ever postpone a ride specifically because the conditions are such that the damage to the trails would be too bad? It is of course taking a moral position as most of us don’t mind riding in trying conditions for the challange.
Hundreds of riders riding the same loops in the Watagans on the weekend would, in my opinion, be morally reprehensable and it should not go ahead.
Wadda ya think.
old al
OOOOOHH contraversy ,,,right up my alley.. Al I ask this question ,,If the 700 odd bike do the rally in and following the rain what will the ground end up like and what will the greenies/authorities do when they see the mess left by the 700 spinning wheels?
This was mentioned the other night and there is good debateds for and against.. Correct me if i am wrong but are`nt they closing some of the tracks in the watties due to the abuse the tracks are copping.Of coure you postpone if the weather will help kill the sport or you you don`t organize such large numbers in the first place.
June 19, 2009 at 9:02 am #140172Yes its a no brainer, of course it should, doesnt matter we wont be riding there in 18 months anyway
TB
June 19, 2009 at 9:07 am #140161
AnonymousHmmm you raise a good point Al.
I will still ride this weekend – but will steer clear of the ultra sloppy crap.
It’s not so much the trailbikes that wreck the tracks it’s the fourbies that do the majority of damage.
Considering I cant stand one of the promotors of the Watagans Rally I would say it should be postponed or canned and he should have to refund everyones money (and the $650 the prick ripped off me).
But considering the theiving prick wouldn’t be that good I say run it and the promotor should have to pay to repair the damage caused this weekend.
My 2 cents worth.
June 19, 2009 at 9:11 am #140174
AnonymousGood point Boony – maybe it would be a little smarter to cap the ride at a smaller number.
But greed before need comes into play with this ride.
June 19, 2009 at 9:12 am #140173http://www.trailbikerallys.com.au/rallys%20page%20info/up%20coming%20rallys/WATAGANS%2009/watagans09-info.htm how much money does the organizer make out of this????
I`ll wait and ride there next week for free,,Ohh no I wont cause the trails will be F*&cked
June 19, 2009 at 9:26 am #140176
AnonymousDon’t know how much they make but they wouldn’t be doing it out of the goodness of their heart.
I didn’t look at the thread that you posted but when they sent the invite out I think it was $125 for the weekend, so considering the camping is free anyway and you probably have to sign a waiver that you won’t hold them liable for nothing they probably make a few bucks out of it.
I guess that they probably have to pay the governing body of the Watties something as well?
I would say the next few weeks will be chock full of locals riding the course for free further stuffing it.
June 19, 2009 at 9:26 am #140162Would have to absolute FROOT LOOPS to run or attend that event this weekend after the amount of rain we have had:angry:
700 bikes on those trails & it WILL BE CRAP up there for months even years:unsure:
And we don`t need that sort of damage, as TB said, we are close to losing access up there anyway:(
MY 2c Worth too,,,,,,,,,,,
June 19, 2009 at 9:39 am #140182
AnonymousGood replies fellas. But…………….
Specifically, have you ever or would you ever say no to riding, even if others were going to ride, simply because you think the damage you would do to the trails would be too much?
As for me. No, I have never refused a ride because I might damage the trails. I have refused a ride because the conditions might damage me:P.
Maybe it’s something we should think about more. Then if I was a young bloke again I would probably be like all the other young blokes (and sheilas) and say f*&$ the conditions I am riding.
old al
June 19, 2009 at 9:49 am #140183old al wrote:
Quote:Good replies fellas. But…………….Specifically, have you ever or would you ever say no to riding, even if others were going to ride, simply because you think the damage you would do to the trails would be too much?
As for me. No, I have never refused a ride because I might damage the trails. I have refused a ride because the conditions might damage me:P.
Maybe it’s something we should think about more. Then if I was a young bloke again I would probably be like all the other young blokes (and sheilas) and say f*&$ the conditions I am riding.
old al
You are correct to a degree al. the ride thats organized for nundle actually had me worried about the numbers we may get but we went ahead anyway,, However I am glad beagle capped the ride at 20 bikes(even thats gunna make some mess of the trails if it rains).. I would actually love to do the watties rally if there wasnt so many bikes going.But 700 bikes will be a real bitch at the first decent obstacle. any way i`m not riding it and I hope the people that do ,do make some considerations to the possible outcome..could be Old bull road riders with nobbies soon :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
June 19, 2009 at 10:27 am #140184old al wrote:
Quote:Good replies fellas. But…………….Specifically, have you ever or would you ever say no to riding, even if others were going to ride, simply because you think the damage you would do to the trails would be too much?
As for me. No, I have never refused a ride because I might damage the trails. I have refused a ride because the conditions might damage me:P.
Maybe it’s something we should think about more. Then if I was a young bloke again I would probably be like all the other young blokes (and sheilas) and say f*&$ the conditions I am riding.
old al
Al I have said here on the site before that I wont ride in areas of the watagans because of the damage up there, but thats just me, I am trying to ride different areas, but thats my choice I dont judge what anybody else does
TB
June 20, 2009 at 1:55 am #140199I’ve ridden that rally and thought to myself that it was too wet and the area too small for the number of riders in attendance. I then rode a short time after the rally up there and saw absolutely no track maintenance or erosion control (perhaps the organisers grabbed the cash and ran?) I’m not a rally basher but I’e heard of and seen private trail riding organisers doing their fair share of trail maintenance up that way! If they can manage to do it…:huh:
Almost the same goes for the Sunny Corner and Canberra ones. I found with those that although the numbers were large, the trails were spread over a greater area and run once only. Subsequently damage, at Sunny Corner at least, was reduced.
I don’t ride those sorts of rallys anymore because I can’t justify the cost and ‘firetrail racers’ who enjoy nothing more than throwing rocks at people p1ss me right off when they baulk at the first single trail and hold those they just roosted. Pelicans.
As for the topic at hand? Hell I ride bugger all these days so no matter what the conditions, I’ve already reduced my impact on the environment!!!:laugh:
No I won’t postpone a ride due to conditions…but I don’t take 699 mates riding either.
June 20, 2009 at 2:20 am #140163Interesting topic Old Al,
Yep i have canned rides before think two from memory but as i have been riding with mates from the same location and travelling to ride we have changed plans last minute to head somewhere were it hasn’t been raining as much.
The promotors don’t seem to offer any thing back to the the land owners in rehabilitation so it would seem that eventually they will cose it off, its easy to see the writing on the wall.
When i was into the 4wd scene the 4wd association has some say in advising the sydney clubs on how to do things such as jamborees etc and was always fighting for access with the national parks etc, we were close to getting keys to do reports for the bush fire brgade on the amount of dead fall in certain areas that they just didn’t have the manpower to check up on but were blocked by the greens.
So it says evan if you are well represented with a registered club and a registered governing body offering something to the Govt you will have a hard time in re gaining access to a closed area.
June 20, 2009 at 5:16 am #140164I reckon I should have set up as a Car & Trailer recovery vehicle:laugh:
I reckon there will be a stack of losers stuck in the drainage runoffs on the sides of the road in & out this weekend. It does get slippery in the wet & we have rescued a few 2 wheel drive cars up there over the years:P
Most memorable was an old mate from a previous 4×4 Club`s Daughter & her horny boyfriend:dry:
They had sanuck up there in her Ford Laser one afternoon for a little quiet time & got severely busted when they had to call on Dad & some mates to help em get back out :blush: :woohoo:
Funny thing was , they only managed to travel about 4 ks off the bitumen & misseed out on any fun at all :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:That afternoon was GOLD !!!!!
June 20, 2009 at 7:24 am #140165Weather conditions aside, 600 plus riders for 1 weekend on a set loop or loops is just raping the trails for financial gain. I have no problem with organised rides be they for free or paid for, but the people in charge must be accountable for the damage they cause when financial benefit is involved. Just like any companies are expected to repair the damage done or pay for the costs, so too should the organisers of this event as profit is involved.
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