Silverton, Oodnadatta, SA ride report 2011

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  • #210128

    Dwayne O
    Member

    More please Sir, can we have more ??? :laugh:

    Good read so far and thats only day one !

    #210466

    Well the journey to get to the adventure had ended, with the DR built and tested, and everything was ready to go! Bags packed and repacked and then after TBs shock decided to start leaking the day before the start, his, mine and Nick’s gear was pulled down and all the things we had triple of were packed into nicks, and my bag and TBs stuff divided into the boulder brothers bags along with ours! 
    A quick trip around the caravan park at Silverton to check the extra weight was ok, and I didn’t notice anything so we parked up, and enjoyed a meal and a brew at the Silverton pub.
    The next morning, with the nerves at an all time high, I went over everything in my head making sure I had everything, and geared up!
    The nerves stayed with me into Broken hill, and after a quick fuel stop, we hit the railway service track to Yunta. It was at this point the crazy sepo, had a crack at my record of quickest crash on the dirt after only 40 meters (my record still stands)!
    A quick checkover and refit of the bags, the group caught up with TB, Nick and myself about a K or so up the track! The conditions were all but perfect, with the track in great condition, whether was clear and the nerves gone, and I was having a ball, riding down into dry creek crossing/ gullies and powering the DR out, with Nick hot on my Tail! 
    I came across a rutted out creek bed with TB pulled up for a view of the action! I mad my way out the otherwise without drama, and watched the pack do the same! 
    A few more creek crossing and no real dramas, I was warmed up and ready for what was to come!
    TB, followed the track down beside the bridge and into a dry creek crossing! Coming up to the creek the grass was a few meters high and we could not see the condition of the creek so TB rode down to view, we rounded the corner and high grass and I saw the Tenere peg deep in soft sand roosting as high as the grass! By this stage I was committed to go the same direction to turn around! And as this was my first time on the sand, on a bike, I was lucky to able to follow TB, and not have time to think, just backed myself and let the DR do the work! To say it was fun, would be an understatement, it was great, and help my confidence for the trip!
    We back tracked and hit the road, to bypass the creek, and back to the track!
    It continued on, a few more K’s until Nick got the first flat for the trip! Which was has only but not the last for the trip! A quick check and change of the tyre, and we were underway again! 
    We came across a few more dry sandy creek crossings, but a lot smaller than the first, after the first two, the third saw my first hick up, with the lip of the creek dropping down into deep sand and I dug the front wheel into the sand, and gave Nick a good laugh, as I almost dropped the DR! Almost! I made my way through the sand having heaps of fun, and got off the bike as I thought I would be the only one to have a hick up, and as suspected Mick, and the Kato decided to have a lay down! All was ok, and we got going again, for a short section, to find creek crossing/ bog hole. I watched TB go through and had a crack myself, got bogged down and lost my footing and the DR was handlebar deep in mud! I managed to get it up and after great difficulty getting back on, after I was fairly deep in mud, The DR was great and tractored through, but it wasn’t pretty! 
    Where I stopped brought Nick undone and he got bogged down! With a bit of help and both wheel’s locked up as they were packed with mud and grass, we managed to push it out to get the wheels turning again and then, rode it with the front wheel locked up, up to the road!
    I pulled most of the grass and mud out of my bike and rode it up the road to clear the rest! 
    Nick and TB pulled their low guards off to clean, and after a few laps on the road, we were back underway! We slabbed on to make up time, but the track flattened out so we got back on and enjoyed it in sections until we pulled up for a late breakfast!
    From there we slabbed 40 odd K’s into Yunta and fueled up! Grabbed a few beers and hit the road out to the flinders range’s! We cruised along and dropped out of TB and Nick’s dust, and enjoyed the country side!
    In spots I caught back up and we went 3 wide up the road! It was a lot of fun and as we rode up a fair sized hill we pulled up to regroup, enjoy the view and a beer! 
    After a refreshing beer, we headed up the track a little way until we turned left and headed into a fun section of road that made it’s way over a range and down into some crossings! It was loads of fun and we travelled until about 5ish until we made a camp at another dry sandy creek! 
    We set up camp and enjoyed the sunset over the ranges!

    More to come, loading the pics of above in a sec

    Deejay

    #210467

    Greg
    Member

    Again we were up and ready to go early. I had the previous night stripped the front end off the Tenere to adjust the headset bearings. I had fitted a new set before the ride with Lefty’s help and we had trouble seating the lower race on the triple tree, it had seated during the day so I had to adjust it again. It was no drama Deejay and I knocked it over in no time. So back to the morning start, we were all kitted up and ready when Deejay yells ha had a flay battery. Lotsa rode over and tried to jump start it, it wasn’t working, Mickp was going on about the cables being to small being only 4mm. He went on and on to the point I asked what his were made off, he said 6mm. I said do you have them here he said yes, so I said get the *%*&#*ing things please :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Once we had Mick’s cables setup it started straight away :) We rode across the sandy creek bed, and back to the road. No Deejay still, what’s doing? Nick and I ride back and it’s seemed Deejay had stalled it and wasn’t a happy camper. Again a quick jump start and away we went into the Flinders. Nick and I were having a laugh at Deejays expense as the little fellow gets dirty on himself when he thinks he has held everybody up :P

    So into the Flinders National Park

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    The scenery cant been done any credit by the photos

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    We headed on, looking around it was awesome the best place I have ever ridden scenery wise

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MnKPq8Dn5E

    We turned off just as we got to the outskirts of Blinman, we had ridden some railway service line again and were looking forward to the road into the fuel stop as Boulder and Fish had been talking it up, it didnt fail to deliver ;)

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    We stopped at a little servo and camping area which had been a hospital 30 odd years ago for an out break of Tuberculosis. We stopped for fuel and watched as krusty scared the poor woman in the general store ** he walked in with his helmet on and ear plugs in. He was yelling asking the woman if they sold self inflating camping mattresses. Nick was cracking up and told krusty he was yelling and to take his ear plugs out **

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    Boulder explains the hospital

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GaZ8HvVHVE

    We continued after fuelling and put on our wet weather gear as it had started spitting. We rode some unbelievable river beds and gullies. We saw the old rail line beds

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    We punched on towards Leigh Creek, we stopped to try and get krusty an air mattress. Went to an open cut coal mine

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    We contained on towards Lyndhurst for lunch and a beer or two

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    I wandered into the shitter and was sitting there and thought bugger this I want to go to Camerons Corner, the weather will be ok I thought.

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    So done there I walked out to find Nick and spoke with him, him said “yeah whatever lets do it” So I went and found Boulder we poured over the maps and decided we should see the water in Lake Eyre while we are close to it. The plan was to ride up to Marree, fuel and ride to south Lake Eyre check the water out and camp for the night.

    So with the decision made it started raining I kid you not. The bloody Cameron Corner curse I figured, it didn’t last long so it was on like donkey kong and we left for Marree. We fuelled at Marree and loaded the bikes with stubbies and rum. We left and rode up to some sculptures or whatever art you want to call them

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    We bolted for South Lake Eyre and when we got there rode around and sussed it out. There was no camping there and if we continued north we would only be further and further away from where we wanted to go. I don’t have any photos off the lake but some off the others do. We turned and burned to find a camp on a creek if we could before all the ice melted

    We camped on the old Ghan railway at an old bridge

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    The sandy creek bed that krusty went arse up coming into camp, Nick was pissing himself laughing, I was yelling to krusty if he was ok but his bloody super ear plugs stopped him hearing me. Nick was trying to get a picture and was laughing so hard, he has pictures

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    Pictures of the sunset over the bridge, the camp and the river bed

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    Krusty putting his still deflating air mattress into his tent

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    Boulder walked the bridge

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    Nick and Deejay doing what I aren’t sure

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    Old Ghan track bed heading south

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    Deejay’s snappy dress sense :blink:

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    We settled for dinner

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    We had all the beers etc we carried and had a few laughs before heading off to bed, everyone seemed excited about heading to the corner.

    Day 2 as I remember it

    TB

    #210468

    Jack Kerouac
    Member

    Great trip report so far Gents,

    I should have taken your advice and stolen a bike in Cobar to come along.

    To the brothers, thanks for the lift out of Nyngan and for the rums.

    My trip got more exciting after being dropped in Broken Hill, but I’m not one to hijack threads with unrelated hitchhiking tales.

    Looking forward to more updates and hope to catch up for a ride when I move to Sydney next year!

    #210480

    Nick Jackson
    Member
    Jack Kerouac wrote:
    Great trip report so far Gents,

    I should have taken your advice and stolen a bike in Cobar to come along.

    To the brothers, thanks for the lift out of Nyngan and for the rums.

    My trip got more exciting after being dropped in Broken Hill, but I’m not one to hijack threads with unrelated hitchhiking tales.

    Looking forward to more updates and hope to catch up for a ride when I move to Sydney next year!

    Hi jack
    good to see you on the site mate !!

    Start a hitchhiking thread with you story , I’d be keen to hear what happened !!

    See you on a ride soon !

    Nick

    #210481

    Clive Carre
    Member

    Hi jack
    Would love to hear your tales mate as nick j said make another thread ?? Keep reading this thread it’s gets even better glad u made Adelaide mate

    #210482

    Greg
    Member

    Day 3 dawned and again everyone was up and into it early we had to head back into Marree, top up the fuel, grab some breakfast and bolt up the Birdsville track, sounded simple eh? Well today would be an interesting learning curve for all involved.
    We got away early, early enough to ride into the sunrise :)

    Nickj and DeeJay

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    The Birdsville track was open so it was all systems go :woohoo:

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    Marree Pub

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    I wanted a few photo of Tom Kruse’s old Leyland Badger mail truck read here about Tom

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    We left Marree and headed up the Birdsville track and we came across a flat topped hill to our right over looking Lake Harry. It had a rough steep climb up it, I got up followed by Fish and Boulder. Boulder made his run up very untidy because he was baulked by Fish or him being to close to Fish. Nick decided after seeing Boulders run he would give it a miss but DeeJay thought he would have a crack, he got cross rutted and had to lay in on its side to prevent it going backwards down the hill.

    Boulder up the top taking in the scenery

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    View from the top

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    If you look close you can make out the guys, shows how high and far away the hill was

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    We continued on towards Birdsville and soon came across the by-pass out to the Cooper Creek ferry. The ferry hadn’t been going for many years. The Cooper Creek Ferry re-commenced operations on 22 June 2011. The ferry previously operated for over 7 months until late January 2011 when it was decommissioned. Cooper Creek crosses the Birdsville Track 137 kilometres north of Marree.

    During the recent operations the ferry transported over 6,000 vehicles and more than 18,000 passengers. The re-commissioning of the ferry comes with minor modifications that now allows longer vehicle / trailer combinations to be transported to a maximum of 9.8 metres (previously 7.8 metres).

    We had been told that after the Birdsville races recently there had been a 2 and a half day wait to get across on the ferry.
    Ferry facts
    Here are selected details about the ferry and its operations:
    • powered by two 15 hp outboard motors fitted on either side of the vessel
    • guided by cables between the banks
    • deck size – 9.8m long x 2.9m wide
    • overall deck width – 7.5 m wide
    • crossing channel – 300m wide x 3m deep.
    Previous ferry operation information
    • Cooper Creek floodwaters reached the Birdsville Track on 1 June 2010 for the first time in 20 years.
    • Ferry operations commenced on 8 June 2010.
    • The Birdsville Track floodway remained closed to all vehicles for approximately 7 months.
    • The Cooper Creek Ferry was decommissioned on 21 January 2011.
    • The Ferry transported a total of 6,174 vehicles, 18,901 passengers and completed a total of 9,757 crossings.
    • The busiest day was 1 September 2010 when a total of 98 vehicles were transported.

    When we arrived we waited for krusty and Gaz, they were sweeping today but seemed to be taking an extra long time. The guy running the ferry said he could take all 9 off us a once so some off us may as well go across. I wanted to get to Mungerannie Roadhouse and readjust my now seated steering head bearings so I went with DeeJay, Nick and Boulder.

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    You had to have / hold a life preserver

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    Out board motor each side

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    Deejay, Nick and Boulder

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    We had been told there was sand on the other side and to watch out for a caravan jockey wheel that had been lost on the track :huh:

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    We humped into Mungerannie Roadhouse and I proceeded to strip and adjust the steering head bearings, Deejay and I whilst pulling the triple clamp apart dropped a large washer which after stripping the bike many a time couldn’t be found. So with the help of the locals and other travellers we found / filed and made a bearing. Deejay became at one with ol mates workshop helping me.

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    The others turned up, it seems as though krusty and mufflers just don’t gel, he had again suffered tail pipe problems :laugh: ( I am sure he will cover that ) that was the reason for their delay to the ferry but all was sorted now. It was hot, bloody hot it seemed and it was here that older wiser heads should of prevailed but didn’t :blink: We suited up and got going, wanting to make Birdsville for an ale would be our undoing

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    We rode for about 85kms and stopped in what little shade we could find. The pace was on and it was very rocky in sections. We waited for the sweeps and while this was going on I took the time to turn off Fishes fuel taps :laugh:, but was spied in the act by Boulder. When the sweeps arrived Nick, DeeJay and I decided we would go and keep the dust down etc. We left and where getting along around 115kph when I stopped to open my pants vents, Boulder and Fish went flying past in the deep rocky wheel ruts when all hell broke loose. Nick was screaming “hold on Boulder hold on” I couldn’t see what was happening, I didn’t know if he was trapped under the bike I didn’t know what was going on! :ohmy: :ohmy: I took off and was yelling to Nick asking what is happening over the bluetooth when I saw the wheel tracks, the crossing over off the tracks and the fact that he had gone over the massive rock wheel tracks at 120kph + and not come off was amazing, I still cant credit it. Nick had seen it and was shaking his head he couldn’t believe it. I set sail after Boulder and Fish as I didn’t want Fish to beat me into Birdsville (childish maybe but passes the time :P ) I was really pushing it along, I had gapped Nick and DeeJay for a while the speeds were getting around the 145 / 150 as I slowly caught the Boulder Brothers. Once I caught them I soon realised catching and passing would be two different things in the dust :blink: . I got a good run out of a corner after a while and slipped past. The rocks and the rough sections continued as we headed north. Nicks bluetooth hooked up with mine after about 20 mins and he said he was riding with Boulder. I asked where Fish was and he said he had dropped back with Deejay, I didn’t think Nick was telling me the truth cause I was watching my mirrors for Fish who I knew wouldn’t give up :silly: .
    Eventually Nick and I rode side by side for the last 50kms into Birdsville, we pulled up and rushed the bar, starting a tab (that was an expensive mistake). After about 6 rums and the same number of beers for Nick we started wondering where the others were. I rang Crash who checked on the spot trackers and said the trackers had stopped for a while 80kms out but was moving again. With this in mind we kept our drinks topped up and rang Crash again and again for updates. Soon the others started arriving with stories of flats and tubes and flats etc. Seemed that DeeJay had a flat, and running an E09 rear with stiff sidewalls at speed hadn’t noticed it was flat. Fish got a flat, and had maybe ridden a bit with the E09 he had flat for a bit remembering of course this is a speed with tyres with strong side walls you didn’t notice straight away (there aren’t a lot of corners that end of the track) So the fixed Fish’s flat no dramas and then Deejay noticed his was flat, so they went to fix it and noticed the side wall was damaged. They made a tube sleeve and got going. Not much further it wrecked what would be 3 or 4 tubes until it melted a tube and locked the back wheel up.

    Check the melted tube on the road and the skid marks where in ground to a stop

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    Side wall

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    Later Fish rode in doubling DeeJay. Before any blame is laid at the E09s though it should be noted that both bikes had 20psi in their tyres and with the weight, speed, heat and rocks would never have made it without a problem. Nick and I were both running higher pressures and we all as a group should have been aware of the heat etc being created by big heavy bikes at high speed on the rocks. Hey you live you learn
    With all the sheep in we got rooms and showered had dinner and got well and truly on the cans. For me 20 cans later, after midnight, I went to bed and was well and truly hammered. I don’t remember much after 10ish but there was a bloke playing a guitar etc as always :laugh: :sick:

    Day 4 the maintenance day later
    TB

    #210129

    Dwayne O
    Member

    Some great pics there, they almost catch the vibe of the ride ( I said almost :whistle: :laugh: )
    nothing like being there I suspect ???

    Its on my Bucket List to get out there in the wide open spaces of the Outback, so many of my relos have done it & I have seen all the pics, heard all the stories :angry: just wanna gat myself into gear & get out there , one day B)

    Hey, some pics of the new found OBT OSTRICH would be good :laugh: :laugh: :P

    #210130

    Sounds like you had a “Shocking” Time there TB :whistle:

    Got a little something at the shop when your ready.

    #210492

    Greg
    Member
    TISCO wrote:
    Got a little something at the shop when your ready.

    ?? What my bill :laugh:

    TB

    #210496

    Dwayne O
    Member
    Trailboss wrote:
    TISCO wrote:
    Got a little something at the shop when your ready.

    ?? What my bill :laugh:

    TB

    Yeah, that would be a never ending invoice that one :P :P :P :laugh:

    #210498

    Greg
    Member

    Day 4

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    A day of recoveries, firstly me and others and then Deejay’s bike from the Deserrtt (say it in an American accent) so I awoke and wasn’t well, I wasn’t alone but I wasn’t well did I mention that :laugh: But hangover be buggered we rode ;)
    I read Micks quote here on the site

    micknmeld wrote:
    OK, I have had 3 phone calls from TB since they have hit Birdsville. The first was at 9.30 last night and TB was speaking some foreign language, although I did catch the phrase “19 rums”.

    The 2nd was this morning, at first I didn’t recognise his voice, it sounded like I was talking to someone in intensive care who had just woken up from a coma. He mentioned that he was suffering from the worst hangover in living memory, surpassing any of those monumental ones he has had at my place.

    He said that once he can get his hands and feet co-ordinated enough to ride a motorbike they are going out to get Deejays bike as they have sourced a tyre and tube for it somehow.

    I wasn’t the only one that looked like death warmed up slightly :P

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    We walked across the road to the Birdsville Bakery and had a camel pie etc and slowly started feeling better. Deejay had sourced a Kenda tyre for $170, normally $70 here but cheap there if you get my drift ;)

    Ok so we removed Fish’s rear wheel E09 fitted (remember it had been run flat for a while the day before) It was also showing signs of low pressure, high speed running and rocky tracks :blink:

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    The tyre was thrown on krusty’s rack, Deejay jumped on Nick’s bike, with Lotsa and I followed for fun.

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    Off we trundled about 40kms out into the Deserrtt (say it in an American accent) :laugh: :laugh: we found the skid marks and then the DR hiding in the Deserrtt (say it in an American accent) :laugh: :laugh:

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    We fitted the wheel, put the flat one on krustys bike and away we went back to town. About 10kms from town Deejay stops with a flat rear, yup Fish’s tyre was flat. I asked krusty and Nick to hook back to town and grab Boulders rear wheel. I rang ahead and Boulder got the wheel off and was waiting for the guys. Will leave the whole Deserrtt (say it in an American accent) :laugh: :laugh: thing that happened for Nick to explain

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    The boys returned and we fitted Boulders wheel, and got into town, Fish’s tyre was rooted as well. He wandered across the road and got a tyre. Nick and I changed filter skins, checked the bikes all over. Deejay and Fish fitted their new tyres, Krusty and Gaz changed their engine oils. We had some beers and decided it was way to hot to go to Big Red in the cool of the next morning. It was a nothing afternoon from then on.

    TB

    #210499

    Well as TB has already stated, the morning did not start how I wanted, as I bumped the grip heaters and they ran the battery flat! At that stage I had the shits but after a quick jump start from the legend Lotsa, I was underway again, and stalled it!!! We tried push starting it but as we headed straight for the creek bed it lost speed quick! 
    Again Lotsa to the rescue, and I was underway! I had the shits but realising I was in the Flinders ranges instead of being at work, I sat back and enjoyed the sights, and dodged the wildlife! 
    We stopped a few times to take in the sights, and have a quick regroup, and rode some great tracks to blinman, which boulder and fish talked about but were better than they described!
    A fuel up for the boys and bikes and a chat with the locals and we headed off to Lyndhurst, via Leigh creek and some more great roads! 
    We made it to Lyndhurst around lunch and enjoyed a meal and a beer!
    Sitting outside everyone was chatting and I noticed TB, with maps out and could hear the gears winding over in his head! I kept looking at the words Camerons Corner on the road sign, and sure enough, with a look at the whether we changed the route and as soon as we did it started to bucket down! To the point that the driver of a road train in the pub ran out and turned the truck around!!! We geared up and headed for a look at Lake ayre!
    The ride out to the lake was good and seeing the south end of the lake with water in it was something special!
    As there was no real place to camp we headed back and found a great camp site, on the bank of another sandy creek bed, next to the old Ghan railway track!
    Krusty had a fall in the sand and I ran over to help as his leg was pinned under the bike, I asked if he was stuck, and he said “no I just wanted you to have a look”, I held back the laughs and lifted the bike up, but could hear Nick laughing his head off!
    We set up and watched another awesome sunset, with some great pics taken!
    We all ate and laughed and as I hit the hay, the wind died off and but it started to rain! Thank fully it stopped pretty quick! But I had some though tsp of last years attempt at the corner!

    More to come! Pics when I figure it out!

    #210509

    Greg
    Member

    Am loading the videos of Big Red now for day 5’s report, Mickp can I borrow yours of Krusty’s 2nd crash and my successful run up the hard climb as I want every run pass or fail for everybody :laugh:

    Will have day 5 up tonight :)

    TB

    #210469
    Trailboss wrote:
    Deejay’s snappy dress sense :blink:

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    TB

    Haha, now there’s the pot calling the kettle black :sick: 😆

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    This isn’t a court of law but anything you do, say or wear will be used against you. :kiss:

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