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even when the mother of nature takes the reigns and turns the best laid plans to shit…. :angry:
the true old bull spirit.
still shines through the rain :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
the laughs and the tears
cant wait for the movie to come out
epic stuff dudes
adapt and overcome
Trailboss wrote:
Quote:EAGLE`02 wrote:Quote:Shit,,,
Hope he (Nick) is ok :blink: not too worried abot TB (he bins it all the time ) :laugh: :laugh:Reckon TB would have been telling Nick that they could detour thru Kandos the get some of that magic “Harden the F#&* Up Powder”
He used that line on my when I injured my foot on the Hill End ride a while back :blush:SERIOUSLY THOUGH, I hope it turns out good for Nick, it has been a damn long preparation & a long haul to get to Ivanhoe as it is,,,,,
Good Luck Nick
Eagle I am watching
:laugh:
Yes, I know you are always watching,,,,,,Good to see the crew still smiling thru the slippery times & dramas out there
I guess Cobar is rocking as we speak, have fun with the Pig Hunters :laugh: They rule that pub (or did the last time I was out there anyway,,,)
Seems the desert has been a wet place fr a few months now, the latest Trailzone mag has a couple of good wags about their latest trek out there a little while ago. They too found the going rather slippery on the big Tens :laugh:
Good to see the boys all keen to have another crack at it next year (except for Krusty I think
)Might have to be a tandem group ride, as I reckon there is a lot of new interest in such trips on here now :woohoo:Ride safe for the remainder of the return leg guys ,,,,,
Hurry up already, we are hangin` for the rest of the yarns & tonnes of piccies!!!BRING IT
Reckon you blokes had a Ball Freezer of a day for the home treks today , some big k`s as well by the looks of it :blink: :dry: :unsure:
Certainly had a dose of all possible conditions hey ???Anyway, good to see all made it home safe & sound
Bring on the reports & pics
Im back :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
i have heat stroke from the heater in the car
tons of vids and pics :cheer:
will post em tomorrowwhat a friken epic adventure :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
Bol :woohoo:
What a trip, for me it was 3310km with a moving time of 36 hours 21 minutes at a moving average speed of 91kmh including blowing past a copper at 170kmh on the way to Cobar while catching up to the boys after stopping for a toilet break.
Where to start, well probably the best way is to thank everyone who helped make it what it was. TB, Nick and Boulder for all their organising and re-organising as the weather closed one road after another.
To Nick for organising and supplying the polo shirts for us all without accepting any money, Thanks Nick
Also to Gaz and Bollocks who worked tirelessly ensuring we had what we needed when we need it and for the great meals. And to all the riders who got on famously and made it a fun ride no matter what problems we came across, thanks fella’s.SATURDAY DAY 1
My ride started Saturday around 11.00am, I headed off and detoured to see my partner Giselle before I went and got hit by a huge downpour along the way so the first 30 minutes of my ride was in the rain. By the time I got to Branxton though the sun was shining and it was a great day for riding. I headed on the black top to Dubbo via the Golden highway and arrived around 3.30pm. I had forgotten to organise a UHF raduio before leaving so went straight to Dick Smiths and picked one up then headed to the servo for fuel as my warning light had been on for the last 70K’s. I fueled up and when I got back on my bike to leave the key was still in my pocket, so I stepped off to the right side of the bike and let it lean over to the left to rest on the stand while I fished the key from my pocket. Unfortunately I had just kicked the stand up as I got on without realising it and the bike kept going. So there I was with one leg on the seat, one hand on the bars and one hand stuck in my pocket desperately trying to save the bike from falling but all I could do was wrestle it semi-gently to the ground as a young kid of about 6 looked at me like I was an idiot :blush: (yes I know I was but thats not the point, even idiots have feelings). Anyway the bike had fallen so that the top was up against the bowser so I could only grab 1 side of the bars to pick it up which was a real effort with all the gear on the back of it. So I collect myself and gracefully re-mount and ride away but all that weight at the back makes it very unstable at low speeds and I had another little moment in the driveway. Again I compose myself and ride off down the road only to realise that I had knocked the hazard lights on but I think anyone who had seen my earlier efforts already new that. :blush:SUNDAY DAY 2
I was to head out of Dubbo through Peak Hill and on to Trundle where I would meet the guys riding from Sydney, the first 40 minutes was all tar and I was was flying along with the ipod going when I realised I had missed a turn so back I went :blush: (8km) and turned off onto the first dirt of the trip with Meatloafs Bat out of Hell pumping. The road was in good condition and quite wide so I was just cruising along up on the pegs (or so I though) when I looked down and I was doing 110kmh on dirt on a bike overladen bike and as soon as I hit the first loose stuff the bike was all over the place like a mad womans you know what :blink: , after a while though I become better at suppressing the girly screams when it happened. So I am heading down this nice dirt road when it looks like it comes to a dead end but as I get closer I notice this sign that says Dry Weather Road Only, YES!!!!Adventure, here I come. As it turns out it wasn’t a bad run with a couple of dry creek crossings and after a coupkle of K’s I came out onto the next good gravel road, I was on gravel for about an 45 minutes before I hit Trundle and pulled in at the pub to wait for the others to turn up which they did about an hour later.
From there we headed on to Condoblin with a mix of tar and dirt but mostly dirt. We arrived at the Condoblin Hotel Motel where the publican Greg is a top bloke who was only to happy to help with anything. Boulder was already there even though he had had to pull the fuel pump out of his car a few times on the way to get it going again, and Gary (Owl02) was there as well. Not long after Lotsa and MickP turned up and Bollocks was the last to arrive. There was some organising and drinking going on with a few laughs mixed in.
MONDAY DAY 3
The “real” start of the adventure, we were up, fed and on the road around 7.30 I think it was hitting the dirt just out of town, the pace was brisk but not fast to start with but that didn’t last long. We road through some Magnificent country that I doubt photos will really do justice. It wasn’t long before we hit the first sand and thought my ride was going to end there, we were hooking along at about 100 to 110 when I first hit it and the weestrom was having a good go at shaking it’s tailfeather and throwing me off, I tried powering through but it made no difference. Every couple of hundred meters it seemed there was another sandy patch and each time I tried something different to get through. I tried slower I tried faster , I tried leaning forward leaning back but nothing worked. eventually I came across a section that was really smooth and wasn’t cover in other peoples tracks and that was better, especially after I knocked it back 2 gears and really gave it to it, so every time after that I would head to the very edge of the sand where no-one had been driving and just powering through, but occasionally sand would appear out of the dust and I wouldn’t have a chance to get to the side and kick it back through the gears so would just hang on for grim death until I came out the other side. Some of the cattle grids made for some awesome jumps too, I was trying to get some air over a few but it only felt like the front wheel was coming up but Moose was my riding partner for the trip and said I was getting some good air over them, he said it looked awesome and so everytime we would come across the next one he would just point me ahead and drop back to watch.I must say too that I had the suspension done on the Veestrom before the trip and it wouldn’t have done half the things it did if I hadn’t, so people before you look at a bigger bike or big bore kit, get your suspension done, it is money well spent on any bike.
We stopped near a railway crossing for a while waiting for the support crew but they had problems of their own and didn’t make it so we set off again and had only gone maybe 500 meters when I see TB’s Tenere wallowing in the mud and Nick limpimg around but his bike was up on it’s stand. At first I thought he must have been on TB’s bike but it was just that he is even quicked than TB at picking up his bike. Everyone must have been a bit confused at this stage because instead of rushing to get the camera’s out, they were rushing to pick up the bike (some people just go to water in a crisis
). After the bike was picked up and going again we continued along the rail service line at a great rate of knots having a ball until we reached Ivanhoe (I think) for a splash of fuel for the bikes and riders. We went to the pub to wait for the support vehicle and are sitting there when Nick looks down and notices a bit of wood sticking out of his boot which he casually pulls out and throws away (another photo oppurtunity missed). So he takes off his boot and there is a bit of a hole in it, TB grabs some ice and I think Krusty spoke with the publican who said it was Doctor day at the local hospital and that Nick would probably get straight in so thats where he went. When Bollocks and Gaz turned up they bought bread for the lunches, unfortunately there was only frozen bread which worked out well as the Corned Beef that Bollocks had cooked for us before leaving Tamworth was also frozen so it was a good match.After lunch we headed on towards Menindee where we were to camp for the night by the now full lakes, the road in was a nice firm dirt road and I was hooking along at a dollar 20 when I hit sand and I thought for sure my ride was going to be over, not sure how I hung on but I think fear and adrenalin had a big part to play. When we got to the camp site TB was all set to burn the Tenere, even Nicks riding tips didn’t help in the sand, I think the term shitwreck was used to describe the bike but as you have heard he got it sorted and is as happy as a pig in you know what. We were camped right beside the lake, it was a clear night with stars everywhere,,,,,, and then there were none.
TUESDAY DAY 4
We headed for Yunta in SA again beautiful countryside and some awesome (I seem to be using that word a lot) tracks, we had lunch on the track that day with the support crew making sandwiches for us all to carry and some bickies (cookies for Krusty). I stopped few times later in the day to take photo’s while the guys rode on. At one point I could see their dust probably 5 or 6 km’s off in the distance as I came over the top of a hill int o a bit of a valley so thought I better stop taking photos and get moving. So I was head down arse up hitting 130 and 140 where the road was good in an effort to make up time. Eventually I came across them stopped waiting for me, most road off as I pulled up and when I went to take off again the back just slid out on rocks like marbles ( apparently Moose had slipped over just get off his bike there, lucky for me they had stopped where they did because if I had hit that corner with ant speed at all I probably would have laid the big girl down). We headed off again and came across Lotsa with no more go juice, I had bought a 5 litre can in Dubbo as I wasn’t getting the mileage I had expected and so shared some with him to get to Yunta for the next fuel. After re-fueling the DR didn’t want to play and after flattening the battery trying we pulled out Micks you beaut jumper leads after Lotsa’s didn’t even make the start line when one of the clamps fell apart. It was only another 20 K’s into Yunta at that stage so we headed in, fueled up, hit the Pub for a beer when most of the crew headed for the camp site (32kms out of town was all TB said.
When I finished my beer I geared up and set out after everyone winding the throttle on a punting along at 160 trying to catch up, about 29km out of town it occurred to me that I should have at least caught up with the support vehicle, I also remembered the publican saying something about creek crossing. I had been on tar the whole way and all the creeks had bridges, it would seem that I had gone the wrong way so I turned and headed back to find Lotsa haing a gaytime(make of that what you will, it keeps the story interestting) at the service station. He had set out after me to bring me back but had given up. I asked how fast he was going and he said about 156 and said 5 short. So we headed out on the right road this time and into some rain and pulled up at an abandoned mine town where the rest where setting up camp. Our resident weather expert Boulder predicted a 10 minute shower but we were in the country on country time and things move slower out there. I got up around 4 and it wasn’t raining but it was again by 5.
WEDNESDAY DAY 5
After doing the repairs to the footpegs the night before I had left the Veestom on the centre stand for the night but the rain had softened the ground and it fell over breaking the front right blinker and bending the Biketique bark buster. (Now,,, if a bike falls in the night and nobody hears it, did it really happen?)
Boulder headed out for a quick pre-run in the morning to check the road back to Yunta as we knew with all the rain there was no way we would get to Arkaroola. When he came back he said it was ok but the guys would need to be careful. Heading out for the most part was fine except for one particularly slippery patch but all made it through including the support crew unscathed. From there we head towards Broken hill (which is the part I so generously pre-ran the day before before coming back to Lotsa) in the pouring rain but after a while there was a break in the weather so we hit the rail service line again for a while until we came to a creek we couldn’t cross and the support crew were waiting to take photo’s. We had a beer, posed for some artsy pictures and hit the tar again before heading back onto the service line for what turned into some great riding with the occasional “challenge” for the strom like soft sandy creek beds or soft sandy creek beds with big rocks thrown as a special stage, and But everytime we met the challenge with arms and legs flailing about and some huffing and puffing but successful.From there it was back onto the road for a short while then back to the dirt in what turned out to be one of the fastest section of the ride. TB, Boulder, Nick and Krusty cleared out after a while so I thought I would chase hard and see if I could catch them, tearing along at 130+ at times and have to brake heavily for the numerous soft sandy creek crossings with big washouts on the far side creating a step up I was giving the suspension a real workout, bottoming it time and time again until the left foot peg had gone again and was pointing down at a 45°angle and the front fairing was wobbling all over the place.
We got to Broken Hill and after lunch I headed to the bike shop to see if they could help with the pegs by building up where they had worn with a bit of weld. They didn’t have a welder but pointed me to a small fabrication workshop, they were too busy to help me but referred me someone that could do it. The guy built up the worn area with some weld then I got him to tack them in place as well as extra insurance. $20 later and happy days.
The others had headed for Silverton by this stage so I headed out to meet them going straight to the pub as we have done in every town we have been. (No we are not pissheads, thats where you get all the technical information from about where to camp and whch roads to avoid)
So I get to the pub,,,,, no-one there, I roll up to the Mad Max museum,,,,, No-one there, ride out of town a little way in case the was another pub,,, nothing , and so back to the pub and have a beer while I wait, then another, then another and still no-one comes. So I mount up and start heading back towards Broken Hill when I see a sign that says caravan park so I duck in for a look and there they all are, oil being changed, filters being cleaned or replaced and of course a couple of drinks being had (it was hot out there). By this time all the bottom bunks have been taken so there I am stuck with a top bunk and I have to say I was nervous, probably not as nervous as MickP should have been cause if I crashed through the bunk, he was the one that was going to be wearing me. That night over Marinated pork, mash potatoe, pumpkin and peas a new route/plan was hatched to make it a 3 states tour but again the weather gods frowned upon us so we headed back to MenindeeTHURSDAY DAY 6
We headed for Menindee on what was some great trails (notice I avoided awesome this time,,,,,,,, but they where) and then we came across the sand dunes where I, nay we (me and the Strom) where working our butts off getting through. The sand for the most part was fairly hard packed but it was up and down and turn this way and that way. There was a re-gather in the middle of this and then off again when I came across a fairly long downhill with soft sand and more soft sand in the middle and decided that speed would be necessary. I launched down the side and things were going well until I hit the deeper soft stuff at the bottom which spear me straight off the track and into the bank on the other side. Somehow the bike launched up the bank and bounced back on to the track, landing in a rut which for most bikes wouldn’t have been too deep but with my low ground clearance I didn’t think I would get out of but again we were triumphant. (now I can hear you thinking that the word triunphant might be a bit much,,,, and it is but adds to story) Eventually we escape the dunes or at least thats my take on it and head for a camp spot not too far from wher we camped the first night and again it rained as the afternoon wore on and into the night.FRIDAY DAY 7
I was woken by a huge wind gust that had me worried it would pull my bike over on top of me so I quickly jumped out of my swag. The wind only lasted a few minutes at that intensity then dropped off to just annoying. The rain had continued through the night and the road out was just slimey clay. Moose had fallen over walking to the toilets and I early did myself a couple of times. There was evidence that someone had run of the road during the night and were lucky not to end up in the lake. Again Boulder did a pre-run and although it was very slippery for the first few hundred meters, it got better after that. The biggest concern was getting the support vehicle out so we packed up and sent the support out to see if they could do it, if they could we all went, if not we all stayed. Bollocks gave us some exciting moments but made it out ok so we geard up and headed out ourselves. I was really concerned at this stage, with the weight of the strom I didn’t know if I would be able to even get up the first hill let alone all the way to the tar. The first hill was a bit tricky but not too bad and as I made my way slowly along the road way I was constantly having to adjust weight and the steering to compensate for the slipping and slidng. I imagine it would have looked like a giant lizard or centipede track I left as I paddle my way to a small section of tar where I could relax my hands a bit after the white knuckle grip of death I had been using. The tar was onlt about 10 meters long then back into the slop where again I was all over the place, I concentrating so heavily on what I was doing that I failed to notice the track down off to the side of the road that the others had taken where the going was good. I got to a section where even at idle the wheels was spinning and slding down the camber of the road and I had full left lock trying to get some sort of momentum along the road. I stopped probably 4 or 5 times in the space of 20 meters just to give my hands a rest as they where going numb. I finally got the bike pointed in the right direction when I think I was disracted by the snail that was overtaking me when the bike just turned and did a 180. Again I managed to turn it around and found a way onto the side track which saved me probably 500 meters of struggle, where it rejoined the main road where the thick sand had given me trouble on the first day but was a welcome site in these conditions. Just up the road everyone was waiting except for Lotsa who had gone back to check on me but didn’t see me on the low road. While the others waited for him to come back I pressed on knowing that I would be the slowest rider (rider is not really correct in this instance, I was somewhere between a passenger and a wrestler trying to manhandle the bike where I wanted it to go). At one point I tried riding up the side embankment to try and get away from the clay and onto the sand but only managed to get myself bogged but I pulled myself out and just crawled along with my feet either walking on either side of the bike or out like skis trying to keep some sort of control. Eventually we all made to the tar where my chain (which was brand new the day before) looked like a solid piece of square bar it was caked so heavily in mud and sand.From there we went into Menindee to get a feed then started the long haul to Cobar via Broken Hill in at times driving rain. When preparing for this trip I didn’t worry too much about rain gear as I thought it wouldn’t rain too much and if it did we would still be warm and dry out in no time,, WRONG!!!!. I had with me a plastic poncho for emergency use which I put on under my already wet riding jacket but without sleeves on the poncho, my jumper sleeves soon became soaked which then ran through wetting the rest of me, at least it kept some wind off me.
We rode non stop to Broken Hill (again) only stopping there to refuel then set sail for Wilcannia and again once there only stopping for fuel before heading for Cobar. We encountered more rain, water over the road and Strong winds, my hat goes off to the guys with standard seats and no windscreens to protect them on this leg, a huge effort. Once at Cobar we checked into the pub, unloaded, had a hot shower and headed inside for a couple of very well earned drinks and a feed. Again TB worked away to come up with route as he had with the help of Boulder every night but everything had to be tar from now on as all dirt roads were closed. With that in mind I made the decision to head back home which was a 7 hour run instead of riding 3 hours to Condoblin then have 7.5 to home from there. Moose too decided to take the shortest route home to Wauchope so the next morning after breakfast we gathered for a final group photo before refueling and heading our separate ways. Moose and I rode together until Trangie where he jumped on the Oxley Highway and I headed for Dubbo then home while the rest headed for Condo before going their seperate ways. I stopped at Dubbo for Fuel, Dunedoo for lunch, Merriwa for a stretch and snack after dozing off for a second while riding and then at Jerry’s Plains for fuel and oil. It seams I have picked up a bad leak somewhere, maybe the counter shaft seal but wont know until I clean the beast up to see where it is coming from.
It will take a while to upload all the pictures and videos so that it for now, hope you enjoy reading it. :blush:
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