Nundle 2009 the DanD perspective
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
I put a fair bit of preparation into this ride making sure the D bikes were ready to rock Nundle.
New tyres were bought to shoe the steeds, with Menace’s offer of a carton for whoever roosted Booney the best we wanted to be in the running and the opportunity of grip was also a bonus.
The Nundle trip was to be a family affair for the D’s. The little D’s and Kylie’s parents were coming along to spend the weekend having a look at Nundle and try their luck at finding some gold. Kylie’s brother also bought his family up for the weekend.
The bikes were loaded on Thursday night after re-shoeing and the car packed. We had all intentions of being left home by 10.00am but that plan sort of turned to crap. We had a few little errands to run which turned out to take longer than we thought, that and the fact that we nearly reached the freeway and I realised that I had left my jumper at home. So a quick trip back to home for the jumper and a comfort stop for the little D’s. We were finally on the road again with the little D’s enjoying a few DVD’s on the way and us looking forward to the riding that was going to be offered.
We took the directions from our Tom Tom which had us doing a little bit of dirt road touring. Since getting the Sube it sees to spend more time on the dirt than any of the fourbies that we have had.
We arrived at Nundle to be met by Kylie’s parents and Booney and Billy. We had a bit of a chat and Booney and Billy helped unload the bikes.
Booney had been getting worried that something had happened to us on the way cause I originally said we should be there at around 2.30pm. (only my stupidy had made us late)
We went inside to have a look at the cabin that we had for the weekend and I have got to say it was really really good. If you are looking for accommodation in Nundle book into the Fossikers Way Tourist Park.
After getting everything sorted it was time for a beer. Booney and Billy came back up for a chat and a beer.
Wasn’t that much later and Novice arrived, another beer consumed and Eagle and Chris turned up. Moose arrived shortly after. After having a bit of a chat with all that had arrived it was time for me to re-join my family for tea. We had a really nice meal and went back to the cabin for some mud cake for Kylies birthday (last Wednesday). I had a glass of port with Dave and then joined the boys near the fire.
I was only going to stay for a little while and be responsible for my drinking but that all turned to shit, you know how these thing happen. Moose had bought his guitar and treated everyone around the fire to some tunes. Top marks for the dueling banjo’s Moose, very fitting with where we were. Chris had a bit of a strum as well, for all those going to Louee we are in for a treat.
MickG, Superunit and VMan arrived at around 9.30pm (I think) and had a few beers and a chat. I did make a phone call to Menace but he must of seen that I was ringing on Booney’s phone and didn’t answer.
I left the fire at around 11.30pm feeling like I hadn’t over indulged. Shit I was wrong. Got back to the cabin and found my pillows on the lounge and that was it. So trying to be super quiet not to wake everyone up (a bit hard when the room keeps moving around). I finally got everything worked out and went to bed. Bugger me those cabins aren’t really secure to the ground as it was spinning around on me. A little walk outside was in order as I was feeling a bit crook, then a walk to the toilet for the same reason. Finally sleep over took me. I would say Booney would of suffered the same fate with getting to sleep as he was well and truly shit faced by the time that I left.
Saturday morning finally arrived after my rocky night. I was greeted by a bit of a headache but not much more. The ground was white with frost and both me and Kylie were keen for a ride. Bacon and eggs were consumed and we geared up.
We pushed the bikes down to where Eagle and the rest of the crew were. Novice was having some trouble with his WR it seemed that it didn’t want to play. After a while it fired into life. The OB super commuter was in the same boat with a flat battery. Both mine and Kylie’s bikes were a bit hard to start as well. Must have been all that fresh country air. Moose was whispering some sweet words to the XR to get the big girl to sing, she finally let out her song.
We all moved down to where Booney was camping for the pre-ride talk and get ready.
After our pre-ride talk and intros to the local crew we were off.
We headed out of Nundle up the hill towards the pine forest. We soon entered the trails and this is where we came to our first creek crossing with that out the way we headed towards Lake Bollocks – you would all now know why I have named it this. A fallen tree blocked our way so we turned around and went back through Lake Bollocks. From there we headed out onto the main logging road. Some of that clay is slippery shit, I came out on one bit and gassed the 450 only to find there was a lot of noise but not much in the way of forward motion – I now know why Booney says that the clay is as slippery as a dog on a lino floor.
We headed up a bit of a hill with a locked gate, we got off the bikes and went for a bit of a walk to the top to view a lookout. There was a fair bit of cursing Booney for our walk but it was worth it, as you can see from the posted pics.
After the lookout it was back into the twin and single trail, all of he tracks that was offered were unreal – unraped by four wheel drives and shit loads of bikes. The single trail was very slippery and tight – just how it should be.
I swapped bikes Chris for a little bit so he could feel some 450 love. I think Chris is having a bit of a think about changing bikes now.
By now I was starting to get into the zone and was having some fun. Anyone that may of copped a bit of roost I apologise. I just really like my bike and can’t help myself with twisting the wrist a bit.
A stand out for me on the morning session was parachute hill – man that was fun.
Shit this is starting to become a novel – sorry.
We done a heap of sweet twin, single and open stuff through the day, which I had a ball on. I tried my hardest to roost Booney but for my every try, Booney just seemed to get away from it.
I had a bit of bar to bar action through the morning session with Chris and MickG which was fun.
We were heading towards the Berry Farm for lunch, which I think by now everyone was looking forward to.
Lunch was fantastic, with a really good spread put on for us. After lunch we refueled from some containers that we found just laying around, luckily they were unleaded and not diesel (wouldn’t of mattered for the DR’s I guess)
The arvo session was everything as good as the morning, I was well and truly maintaining the zone and was loving every minute of it.
We done a few more creek crossings and stopped at the bottom of a hill that Booneyhad been talking up all day. I was going to swap bikes with MickG at this stage but Booney suggested that everyone stay on their own bikes as it was a fairly big hill that we were going up. We were off again. The start of the hill was steep with a few ruts then it leveled out a bit. I stopped to see how Kylie was going and was met by Chris shortly after. We both looked at each other and asked is that it, neither of us knew and kept going – so did the hill, up and up and up. It was a lot of fun.
We continued on doing mainly twin trails the pace was pretty hot and everyone was enjoying passing one another. I was starting to think that people would start getting the shits with me as I was having fun with getting at the back of the pack and tearing through to get to the front and then doing it all again. We ended up with a few more riders then what we started out with through this section of the ride, but they left us when we got back out onto the main logging road.
I swapped bikes with MickG for a while when we got back onto the logging road. He looked like he was having a ball on the 450. I got my own back from roosting everyone during the day – I got roosted by my own bike, I was following Mick a bit too close and copped a stray rock right on the end of the dick. Shit it stung. Karma I suppose, what goes around comes around.
We ended up back onto the main road back into Nundle, another bike swap went on, with Superunit ending up on my bike thinking that he was on MickG’s 250.
When we got back to the caravan park, Unit was blown away with how good Mick’s bike was going – not knowing that he wasn’t on Mick’s bike. I think Unit is thinking WR now.
Everyone was now back and it was time to get ready for dinner. Booney did have a tour of the Beer museum organised but I think after they days ride everyone was keen to get clean and have a beer.
Kylie and me had a drink on the verandah of the cabin with the Kylies parents and the kids and then went and got ready for dinner. Everyone else was already at the pub by the time we arrived and we were handed a special treat that Bollocks had had made to mark the occasion. Thanks Bollocks.
We moved inside for another beer and then dinner. Kylie and me were party poopers and left the pub fairly early. We were both stuffed. Back to the cabin and pretty much off to bed, to get ready for Sunday.
If you have read this far thankyou, I seem to start with good intention with not crapping on to much with ride reports, but I do seem to get carried away.
I will continue with Sundays ride report tomorrow – so stay tuned or disregard my next post cause it will probably end up just as long.
Dan
