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how do i get more then one pic up?
Here’s a bit of light reading!!!!!
We had a bit of a shed party while we loaded up on at my shed on Friday night, actually Moose got really” loaded” LOL.
The plan was to meet at Moose’s place at 6am and leave from there,When Tripper and I arrived Boag was all ready there and Moose was up and looking a bit dusty after the previous night’s shenanigans,The precious cargo loaded and ready to roll.
A quick stop for breakast at the Freddo Pie shop.
We all agreed the pies were pretty average and over priced. $8.70 for a pie and a chocy milk. The quality seems to have dropped a bit, cant see me stopping there again in the near future.
We arrived at The famous Pub With No Beer, to find the place deserted which had us wondering if we were at the right place, although it wasn’t long before Corey and his side kick Nathan rolled in and we got suited up.
The bikes at the Pub.
A short run on the tar soon had us hurtling down a gravel road that had obviously recently re-sheeted with marbles which made for some scary front end moments.
Once in the bush we were soon heading straight up a whopping great hill on Good Friday Trail,it went on for ages, it is great to ride such steep hills with no freaking rutts!!!
Tripper takes a rest at the bottom of one particularly long down hill, The only time I got some arm pump happening. You can see a bit of the trail in the background.
Moose and Boag listen intently to someone’s story.
The trails on the morning of day 1 were totally different to what I expected and they were fast,sweeping ,dusty single trails with awesome erosion mounds just made for jumping.!!!!
A bit of a corner man disaster saw me lead the rest of the guys in the totally opposite direction to Corey. Straight into some awesome leaf strewn rainforest, with me doing my best to catch up to the non existent leader we were setting a cracking pace with Tripper right on my heals.It wasn’t until I ran head first into a huge spider web across the trail that it dawned on me we were not following Corey. As I slowed to tell everyone to stop Tripper took the opportunity to pass me and he was flying so I had to chase him down. I had no chance as he was motoring!!! Thankfully he came to an intersection and stopped or we would still be out there chasing him!! We backtracked looking for Corey and after a little while we found him and we headed back to the pub for some lunch.
After lunch we headed out and went up Wilson’s trail that was much like what we ride here at Wauchope, steep,rutted and overgrown and a good challenge. Then we came to the mother of all down hills that Corey informed us we would be coming back up later in the afternoon. It was going to be a ball buster after 100km’s in the heat!! With that in mind we headed down into some sweet rain forest singles which involved a good little creek crossing. We stopped there for a rest and Boags was obviously doing it tough in the heat as he just laid down on the rocks in the water. Looking for all money a murder victim.
Some shots I took at the rest break.
Then we went up a sweet trail to the top of Collambatti lookout.(spelling?) That had us laughing and yahooing at the top. Great views can be had out to sea over South West rocks.
Corey takes in the view south over Kempsey towards Wauchope.
There is certainly some rugged country up that way.
The heat and swinging of the XR was taking its toll on Tripper
Moose shares a joke with Corey
Arty shot
From there it was just a short run to the bottom of the mongrel up hill that Corey had warned us about. At the bottom we took a vote whether to go up it or take the easy way round and retire to the pub. The pub idea won hands down,not before I offered corey a go at the Hill on my 650,he jumped at the offer and he roared off up the hill on the Big Red Pig. The XR sounded awesome as Corey belted her up the hill,he was soon back at the bottom grinning from ear to ear with a new found respect for the mighty XR650!!!
Back at the pub we were straight into the schooners to wash the dust down. After 4 schooners we went down to our rooms so we could do the air filters etc on the bikes and get ready for dinner.
We didn’t want anyone helping them selves to the XR’s. So we locked them up for the night
Once the bikes were done it was back to the bar for a few more fizzy drinks and a feed.
There was a band playing and the pub was pumping, we got in the party mood and met some other local trail riders and we yarned on for hours and drank maybe one to many before staggering off to our lodgings.Thus ends day one.
great report mick. as i seem to be having net troubles you can do day 2
Great photos and report Mick as usual
TB
DAY 2
A throbbing beer and Vodka headache heralded the start of day 2 at 5am. I got up and staggered outside into a pea soup fog, in the pursuit of a panadol or six. A quick rat around in Boags camelbak came up trumps. I crunched a couple of the magic tablets had a durrie,before tumbling back to bed for a little while. The thundering farts that were coming out of the lads were unbearable in the small confines of our room. (Moose said it sounded like a salvation Army band tuning up).
I rose for the 2nd time and sat on the verandah feeling a bit better waiting for breakfast, a veritable feast of bacon ,eggs with all the trimmings, excellent value for $10!!
With breakfast down I was feeling 100% on two hours ago and was keen to kit up and get going.Tdriver had turned up with his all but brand new WR450,a few intros and Corey and Nathan rolled in. We set of pretty well straight away onto another marble covered road which lead up into the hills with some awesome views to be had. A sweet little grassy single trail through the lantana signalled the start of the ride proper. Another challenging down hill was next then onto some leafy firetrails that don’t appear to see much traffic had us belting along at speeds that might have just been pushing the evelope as far as the speed limit is concerned. The 650 was in her element in this section so I let her have her head and was busy rounding up the crew. Moose and I were in battle when a rock came of his back tyre,hit my radiator guard and bounced forward and hit me in the chest coming to rest on my seat. I decided to leave it there and throw it at Moose at the first stop. The first stop proper was at a great lookout at 770 meters, we noticed that Tripper had lost the nuts and flanges that hold one of his header pipes in, so a few repairs were required.Thanks for the nuts TDriver.
A few photos from the lookoutWhat a great view…….Two XR’s
Nathan and Corey
Moose and Tdriver share a joke
WE also noticed that the spokes where very loose on Nathans WR back wheel at this spot but he didn’t seem all that concerned so we headed of again through some great disused overgrown firetrails that were a blast on the big bore bikes. One had the best down hill erosion mound, that I have had the pleasure of jumping,I think all would agree.
We soon found ourselves way up in the mountains in the New England National park were we stopped for a smoke and photo or two
How good was that erosion mound Moose?
From there a short run saw us heading down into the valley below, a great leafy trail that wound its way to the valley floor. Holey hell it was greasy down in there,I came round one corner, going up hill to see Boags speared off into the bush on the XR, unable to stop I pressed on chasing Corey. Only to find him standing at the top of a 50 meter long hill that looked easy to nail. The fact that he had his camera ready and that Moose was stuck half way up should have sent alarm bells ringing. The 90 degree corner at the bottom allowed you little opportunity to hit the hill with any momentum, so in XR style I endeavoured to torque up the hill. Half way up the first section the XR broke traction and came to a stop. All of a sudden I found myself with one leg too short and I let out a quick OH F##K!!
Before the XR sent me tumbling uncontrollably ,in the most spectacular fashion down the hill on my head. My second attempt saw me get a little further up the hill only to stop again on a section so steep the fuel started running from my airbox. Whilst I worked out how to turn the bike around Moose made his second attempt ,which failed dismally as he flipped the XR in a spectacular fashion, removing his tail light and snapping his exhaust mounts. My third attempt saw me using the road side bank as a berm and this gave me the momentum to make it to the half way mark of the hill where there was a short level piece. The XR coughed spluttered and stopped drowning in fuel from the airbox, I finally got it to start again and a 2nd gear take off saw me make it to the top. THANK GOD for that!! Moose’s third attempt saw him make it 1 meter from the crest before he got out of shape. A quick arse busting push saw him at the top. The madness was over for us but the other guys still had to get up. Tripper had some courageous goes at the hill but crashed every time and soon found himself exhausted, so Corey had a go at riding the CAT XR up, only to fail on his first attempt. His second go was a good one and we then had three XR’s at the top,one more to go.
Boags hit the hill only to fail as well,he showed he is a tenacious little bugger and had six or more goes at it before he made it. Corey was doing a great job walking up and down the hill helping the other guys get their bikes up while Moose and I sat in the shade of a tree quietly having heart attacks from the heat and exertion.Unfortunately my camera batteries died on the hill too so I only got a couple of pics.
Heart attack hill, looks easy but it isn’t
This is what a heart attack looks like complete with a durrie
Tripper down with Moose to the rescue
Once we had every one to the top it was a great 20km run back to the pub.I was hot on Trippers tail on the way back when he got out of shape in a corner and a wild fishtailing moment saw him high-side off in to the lantana, I don’t think I have seen something that funny in a while!! I also don’t think I have ever seen any one get up that fast and get their bike started either. The last 20km had a bit of every thing, mud, rocks,logs,loose gravel roads and a sweet little tar run.
On arriving back at the pub the heat was unbearable so we retired inside for a few cold ones before packing up and heading home.Thanks to Corey for leading us through some great country and thanks to Nathan our sweep rider for the weekend. We will definitely be back to play in the hills behind Taylors Arm!!!!
Will Tripper still be keen to run one of those shit retreads after all the trouble and the high side sounds like the tyre did him no favours :laugh:
Poor ol burple
Your right that hill doesnt like much in the photos
Great report
TB
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