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Well, with the holidays drawing to a close (go back to work Wednesday) and with the wife now feeling better after her knee surgery I decided to follow her instructions and ‘go for a farking ride’.
So it was posted on a little local forum and I had a few takers but only the one official (Matt) whilst Anibal, Steve and Al would meet us further in due to them having to test a bike that was, well, kind of not registered.
Unfortunately, Matt cancelled early but within a few minutes was quickly replaced in the lineup by Stretch who SMS’ed to say he was on the way after he had made a late decision to join in.
So as it was I headed up the recently resurfaced MacPass to the visitor centre at Fitzroy Falls to wait on arrivals and was met there by our newest member ‘The Mekon (John)’ who had decided to come along as well. With him having his bike (KLX) in a trailer directions were given to him to get to the head of the firetrail as he could unload and I would come-up shortly as Stretch (John) still hadn’t arrived. But the directions weren’t the best as I used the term Redhills Road and with TheMekon being local he headed there, not the Firetrail.
So, with nobody else showing I decided to go and meet him at the firetrail entry but found no sign of him, although there were wheel tracks of a 4WD going onto the track so I went for a little look see. Finding nothing I decided to head back and see if he had back tracked and on the way I cam across the might DR of Zippa (yellow, it stands out) so he decided to join and had just seen TheMekon at the visitor centre.
Charging to the Visitor centre there is no sign of TheMekon but we find Stretch having been kicked out by the ranger and he had seen TheMekon so we knew we were close. So directions given to Stretch as to the drop point (he was in his ute) he heads off while Zippa and I had a chat, only to be hurried on by the ranger. So with a decision made I headed to the start of the firetrail while Zippa went for a little look to see if he could find TheMekon.
On arrival at the firetrail I find both guys so all good, now I just had to hope that Zippa came back and not long after he did so we could start the ride.
Now, I was also supposed to be meeting Steve and Anibal 9RickJames) at Patons Firetrail as they had bought bikes down in their utes so that I could show them a few areas out that way and so they could test an older acquisition that may or may not have been allowed.
So, once the original 4 were ready we headed out at a good rate onto the usual Redhills FT and made our way across to Gunrock Creek FT, took the left onto Meryla FT, The right onto Link FT which I am really starting to like the more I ride it, before coming to the junction with Meryla Road and heading left for a few hundred metres onto Patons FT to be met by Steve, Anibal and Anibal’s brother Al. At this point we find out that there is some form of games going on as the guys had been told that there were a heap of kids in the forest in camouflage gear (no wonder Wobbler couldn’t make it, he was already there), so we had to be careful.
We did a small split here as Anibal, Steve and Al were going to have a play in the little ride area off this track while the original 4 headed along Patons to the cliff top lookout to enjoy the view, and to show what is around to those that hadn’t been there before.
A little side note here, later in the day I was told that there is a car off the lookout (about 75 metres south), an old world war 2 crashed plane off the firetrail around 400 metres from the lookout and that opposite it and slightly north was an old coal mine from the early 1900’s.
After a brief respite here we headed back to see if we could find the others and decided to take a look at the track that goes behind the ride area. We followed and followed what I found was a great little piece of fun track, some slippery, some grippy but for me all of it was fun until we reached another of the lookouts.
With all of us heading out as a group the idea was for the original 4 to continue on whilst the other guys played some more in the area, although Zippa would be leaving at Meryla Road. So with Zippa leaving the remain 4 decided to head along Meryla Road and onto Gunrock Creek FT from the opposite end to earlier with the plan being to tackle the creek crossing and hill on Gunrock Falls FT.
So up along Gunrock Creek FT we went as the green KLX disappeared into the distance as TheMekon seemed to enjoy the erosion mounds. Left onto the Falls FT and down to the creek which we all crossed quite easily, up the other side and along to the hill in question. By the time I got there the green meanie was already at the top on it’s sidestand.
So with Stretch never having ridden this road and trying to regain confidence in the bike after the recent hub issues it was decided that he could go first as if he couldn’t make it or didn’t want to, then I would lead him out. Fat chance of that happening as he got most of the way before a slight issue arose as the bike stalled though no fault of it’s own hey John
TheMekon quickly on the scene, Stretch resumes and makes it to the top quite proud of himself and gaining a new respect for the DR.
So my turn and I am now 3/5 as I made it up with no issues but I do have to say that the rocks at the bottom that had caused me the problems before were far more compacted this time, although it was sandier and looser in places further up. But still I made it so we were 3 from 3 today ………… Zippa, you missed out mate, come back.
With TheMekons knee having a cricket ball sized lump on it from an earlier moment he felt it best to head out so we made tracks (well not really, they already existed) and out onto Redhills Road, the same Redhills Road that caused the earlier confusion. :-[
Decision made that Stretch would also head so we just did the reverse and headed back to the original point along Redhills FT where the bikes were loaded and both TheMekon and Stretch headed on home.
But not yours truly who decided to head back into the mix to try to catch back up with Steve, Anibal and Al I headed back Redhills and came across a 4WD so stopped for a chat and was told about the little pieces of history on Paton’s FT.
Leaving them I kept on the way belting along Gunrock Creek FT and having such a ball I missed the turn down Meryla as I was going to take Link again, so just kept on as I knew of a sidetrack further down but had never taken it. Suffice to say that I have now taken it and I spied further exploration opportunities (yep, tracks). Getting to Paton’s the guys were just loading up which meant damn good timing so we headed out, Anibal and Al driving the main way, while I showed Steve Link, Meryla and Gunrock Creek FT’s before letting him loose in the sandpit.
Once Anibal and Al got there the bikes were unloaded and I am sure the guys were about to have a blast which they hopefully did, but for me I headed out as my back as aching badly but man I had some fun.
So I now need to get back to Patons to try to find that plane, look for those damn Single Tracks that Wobbler used ages ago to find the mud, explore that sidetrack further and ……….. and ……………… and.
Have I said that I really do like Meryla?
Garry
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