Wauchop Poker Run 2010

[Paul FaheyMember]

Hi Again

Just wanted to add that the poker run with loops was a great idea. It enabled everyone to ride at their own pace, allowed you to experience the terrain and conditions a couple of times. The format gave you the opportunity to inspect the loop on lap 1, get confident on lap 2 and completely stuff it up on lap 3. Familiarity breeds contempt. How can you make it up those hills twice in a row and then completely stuff it up on the last lap? (Only good thing is that by the time I got to them on the third lap the camera man had packed his bag and gone home )

I rode the day with Tim505(?) and John. We all enjoyed the day, Tim had nasty off landing on his head on the 2nd afternoon lap :blink: :blink: . I came around the corner and found him staggering around rearranging a strategic placed 3″ dia log that had taken out his front wheel and sent him head first into the dirt. (thanks to all the guy’s who pulled up to make sure all was okay).

The day was great and the riding crew just brilliant. I ventured off in the morning fairly anxious, this was the first time I had ridden with this many people. I recalled the the disclaimers and “this is not race” warnings. I had figured there was going to be a lot of bar banging and argy bargy, but my experience was great. A good bunch of blokes having a great social ride day. Well done.

Unit

[ChrisMember]

Yeah Mate Yeah.. Yet another OBT Hoot of a weekend.

{o,o}
|)__)
-î-î-

Thanks to Mick and TB for organising.. All the helpers to make it run like clock work.. And all the wauhopian locals for the courtesy extended.. The Breckenridge Farmstay was most excellent and for $75 bucks for the weekend unbelievable value for money….. The RSL food on friday night and the courtesy given… Hey take your hat off!!!! I learned some new RSL etiquette as 10 years in OZ and never been to an RSL…. Thanks to Mike from Muc Off to provide prizes..

Thanks to the 2 fellas who helped me in my most desperate moments of the weekend……….More on that later……

My Friday started with getting the daughter to school and texting OWL02 that I was cleared for take off.. By 10 am we were heading north and wondering what the weekend was going to be like…..The F3 run was full of Johnny’s of all sorts… We seen 3 Fixed cameras, One moving unmarked, 2 marked on the side of the road, 2 motorcycle Johnny’s on the side of road and one lonely officer with a Radar gun.. I think the cash coffers were running low.. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: The highway after Newy was not much different.. I think we seen near 15 Johnny’s all the way up..

We made contact with TB at various times traveling up and was guided to Mick’s for a welcome and a peek into the infamous “Shed”.. TB And Mick were setting up Micks Rear Sag and playing around with the suspension.. It appears it was off.. :ohmy: After a beer and Bundy or two Eagle and Jeffro showed up as well as some local wauhopians.. Chatted away for a bit then off to the Farm Stay for a check in and intros with the Tamworth Crew..

After unpacking, setup and introductions we decide to get a fire going (as we had a few hours before the RSL bus was arriving) with the box of shingles Shirley left for us… :laugh: :silly: :laugh: Jarrod had a tomahawk and made some kindling as well as played fireman and about 1/2 liter of petrol and 10 minutes later we had fire… :woohoo: STM, Nickj, Bollocks and Dude joined in and after lots of beer and bundy and some good conversation the bus comes for a ride to the RSL.. Food was awesome as was the company.. Another Bus ride back to the farm and back to the fire to consume lots of beer and bundy.. It was definitely an interesting evening around the fire….

Morning comes and all were slow moving but ready to rumble… We had a good ole greasy brecky got ready and headed to the meet point.. Lots of Old Bulls and familiar faces.. Soon we were off to the start point deep in the bush.. The road in was absolutely greasy.. The poor vehicle we were in was un-happy to be sloshing in and out of rutted mud puddles and well, just mud…. Bikes unloaded and geared up.. TB gave a riders briefing and then handed out some prizes.. Some local Wauhopians won for the efforts of dressing like Bulls.. Too funny – balls and all… Mike From Muck Off chose the winners and provided 5 liters of Muc Off to each.. Yeah!! I won cleanest looking bike.. Bling Bling Bling…… :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Thanks Mike!!!!

Here we go… Sighting lap for the first 3 loops.. I had no idea what was coming.. Off we go mud mud and more mud, bog holes, mud, hill climbs, rocks, ruts, mud uhhh did I say mud… It was like an ice rink in some sections.. I come across the first huge bog hole.. I thought I would be a smarty and try to go around on the lip to the right.. nope that’s not gonna work dumb a$$, to slippery and the backend slides in.. :ohmy: Krusty is stuck on something and won’t go forward just wheel spin.. Bike after bike comes hammering by splashing waves of water all over me… Finally got a lull in bikes and OWL02 who just happened to be in front of me with a camera comes to lend a hand and I get the bling machine onto the other side and off I go.. I got further in and get to a section Mick said they called greasy lane or something to that effect and down I went… Once I made it up the first snotty hill all I kept thinking was.. Krusty your out of your league… Then I got to the second snotty hill.. Oh my that goes straight up and there are huge ruts scattered everywhere.. About 1/3 of the way up there was carnage.. Bikes down as well as people who bogged trying to re-group and get going again.. Some how I managed to get through it all and to the top.. They provided an alternate or easy route for the last part of the loop as the 3rd snotty hill climb was pretty gnarly as they put it… I took the easy path the first 2 laps.. Made it around lap one, grabbed me card and off I went for the next one..

Ok this is getting easier.. Took a step back and tried to focus more.. No issues on lap 2, both hill climbs were smooth and I remembered all the crazy greasy spots and slowed up some.. Completed the second lap and had gained some confidence.. I decide I was going to try the hard bit at the end this time around.. This part of the track began to go down and down and down.. I remember thinking gee down we go and at some point I am going to have to go up.. TB mentioned that the last hill was a long way up… Here we go we begin the climb.. Oh boy big big ruts to dodge but the angle was not bad.. I just took it real slow and let the XR torque walk me up… Made it to the top with no real dramas.. I actually thought this one was a bit easier than the previous.. I returned to get my 3rd card and had a huge smile on me face.. Yeah mate yeah that was kick a$$ no real desperation moments and I felt good..

That was the hardest and most technical riding I’ve ever done.. I felt good though and had lots of confidence now for the after lunch loops..

A short break and food for the belly.. Typical Aussie Barby… Chit chat and we are ready for the second half… A slight change and we get some new tracks and hill climbs..

The first lap was a sighting lap and then you had to do 2 more to get cards… First time around was pretty good.. At first I thought a little easier.. It seemed to flow better and I was able to pick up the pace some.. Not too far in down I go.. Front wheel in a rut dead stop and fell to the left.. Wheel stayed in the rut and I held on to the bars… That hurt as my shoulder was jolted.. Stood the bike up got back on and off I went.. hey whats going on here… bars are straight but I’m going right.. Wait a minute wheel is straight and bars are turned left.. After working out there was no way I was going to be able to ride this way I stopped next to a tree and started wacking the wheel and eventually got it straight.. Then came the first hill climb.. :ohmy: Oh My… Absolutely no room for error on this one… go go go…. yeah!!! made it!!! Some more flowing stuff and feeling good.. Second hill climb.. :ohmy: Another Oh My!!! Again slow and let the torque walk me up.. Made it to the top.. Finished the lap..

I stopped for a second and had to gather my thoughts.. TB and the others are yelling you don’t stop keep going.. I’m thinking yeah I know but I want to double check me bars!! Off I went for the first card lap.. It started bad and just got worse.. no more than 500 meters in I go off the track into the bush and some how got it back on the track and down I go.. F$%k me that hurt.. Lost all sense of balance was questioning everything and not thinking right from here on.. Came to the first hill climb.. Started off ok, I can see someone ahead that looked to be having trouble, then I have no idea what happened.. I was off the track and in the bush to the left about 1/2 way to 2/3’s up.. Bike was still running.. Got it untangled after a few minutes and managed to keep it running the whole time.. Positioned it and slowly let the clutch out.. Wheel spin.. Im going no where.. :angry: :angry: Front tire into a rock and a root in front of the back.. Guess I paid no attention to where I positioned the bike.. Flubbed up and killed the motor.. Decide to try and drag the bike over some but it was really hard on the side of a hill and I lost balance and started down the hill a little bike and all.. This time the bike is sideways on the hill.. After about 10 minutes or so I some how got the bike pointing up and began kicking her over.. 20 some kicks later I got it running.. Again slowly let out the clutch and……..Wheel spin… :angry: :angry: AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!… Krusty was very angry by this time and the energy was nearly gone.. I was ready to give up.. Nope lets try again and maybe this time turn around and go to the bottom… I couldn’t move the bike anymore I was out of upper body strength.. Along comes my savior.. A Wauhopian and member of the blue team… I think his name was Mick (I know sad I can’t remember the blokes name who saved my a$$).. The bike was not running and he gave it a few kicks then decides to turn it around and roll started it down to the bottom.. Turned around and rode her up to the top like it was on bitumen.. I managed to find the energy and walked up to where he left me bike running and waiting.. Him and Moose made sure I was ok and off they went..

I sat down and was seriously thinking about throwing in the towel.. I had no upper body strength left.. I sat for a bit, cleaned me goggles and finished the argument in my head and remounted my bling machine… I took it real slow but riding like I was drunk.. I was all over the place and kept waving riders around me I had no reaction time and balance was way off.. Then comes the second hill climb.. I can do this.. take it slow and let the XR torque walk you up.. Off I went doing good concentrating hard then I look up and see a Tamworth boy and Jeffro waving arms.. I’m like no way I’m not stopping.. They kept waving so I thought hmm maybe someone is hurt and I attempt to stop.. Nope to steep of an angle and I can barley touch the ground.. I start to roll backward and my right boot got caught between a rut and the foot peg.. that hurt and I attempt to dismount no good and down I went.. I couldn’t lift the bike and at this point I was going to leave it and walk back.. Another hero saves the day this time Jeffro.. He comes down to me gets me bike up and I tell him “I’m done mate no more riding for me” Bikes are starting to back up because behind me there was carnage starting to clog the hill side… After lots of f$%^kin around we or Jeffro managed to get the bike spun around and I roll started it down the hill.. I waited a short while to make sure the hill side cleared and then climbed up with no incidents.. I then rode at about 30 k’s per hour all the way back and parked me bike..

Krusty was done and very grumpy…. If I had a phone I would have dialed 1800 Wahhhhh… I was so weak at this point it was hard to even put me shoes on.. hahahaha what an out of shape old man I am…. I managed to collect the one card for the lap and TB was kind enough to give me my fifth from what he says was one “he found on the ground”.. wink wink nudge nudge.. yeah right.. thanks mate for taking pity on a poor widows son

Everyone rallied for prizes and final discussions and then off we all went… OWL02 and I went back to the farm stay… I had a 30 minute shower, changed me tampon, put on a new dress and I was ready to go.. Oh how sore I was… The rest of the day was quiet and slow moving.. We decided on pizza and a quiet night.. I was out at around 8 or 8:30…

All in all I had a fantastic weekend and would change nothing from it.. Some of the stand outs for me were:

** Meeting the Tamworth Gang…(Krusty wants to ride your neighborhood)
** Seeing Booney drunk as can be.. so drunk that I nearly got him to trade bikes with me….
** Seeing Booney complete the days ride feeling like he did!!! You da man!!!!
** Did I mention the Mud!!!
** Friday night around the fire.. What feral’s we were.. :huh:
** The Bus rides to and fro the RSL…
** 15 or so Drunks singing on the bus!!! Poor poor bus driver….
** The ring of knowledge.. more like the ring of who can be the sickest coat….
** Bollocks telling me about his ride back to town and back after the first lap :woohoo: Hey mate the loop is over here!!!
** TB gloating about the rock he shot into Micks face… Naughty boy!!!
** The proud look on Jeffros face whenever we discussed the Husa (Good on ya mate)
** Shirley and her hubby cooking brecky..
** the 30 minute shower with the never ending hot water!!!
** Chats with STM on Friday night and then Nickj Saturday night.. (Krusty wants to ride your neighborhood)
** The Spirit of the OLD BULLS!!!! (Honored to be a part of the gang)
** The whining the boys did when they heard OWL02 Cutting wood!! hahahahaha
** STM speaking some alien language in his sleep…Only word that made sense was Farm….
** The annoying goat.. I hate goats…
** When entering Wauhope seeing some young ones blast out of a side street, across the main road and disappear into the forest… What a life!!!
** Anyone see any midgets!!!!

I took me camera but took no photos.. Until I got home…….

Muddy Bling

[Nick JacksonMember]

That was a top weekend guys and reading the ride reports is cracking me up!!
Thanks TB and Thanks Mick for showing us some really fun varied riding.

That was my first obt ride and I had a ball!
Cheers

Nickj

[Mick DMember]

Well……….. That was epic, to say the least. Firstly I need to thank my wife Melissa for putting up with all the shenanigans that go on here in my shed when a big ride is on.

My Poker run started several weeks ago when I first went out and plotted the loops, then I was left wondering whether I had set out loops that were up to scratch for the event. It is a hard job setting up for riders of different degrees of ride experience. Even, If I do say so myself, I think I got it right, as everyone seemed to enjoy themselves even if some had to push themselves beyond their comfort level.

My weekend started early with TB arriving at my place Thurday arvo before I knocked off work and when I got home, we got into some serious shed time. My XR had been having idling issues so we pulled the carby of it and TB and I set about setting the float level to the correct height and then it wouldn’t start. TB’s years of XR experience came into play when he realised the inlet valves needed adjusting. The big fella set them for me and the pig fired into life and sat there and idled perfectly..Thanks mate.

Friday morning saw us in the bush by 8am, a quick run through the bush up over Bago saw us at the start of the loop. We spent the next few hours, putting arrows up and bunting off the track and were back in town by noon for a wicked burger from RiderX’s shop here in town. A quick shopping run in town to get meat,drinks etc for the BBQ saw us back in the shed by 2pm.

That heralded the start of the biggest progressive shed party I think the shed had seen!! It was then a never-ending procession of visitors dropping by to say gday as they turned up in town. It was great to see familiar faces and meet new ones putting faces to site names. During all this, TB was adamant that we should do something with my suspension on the XR as it was not performing up to scratch. Me being the King of thinking,if it aint broke don’t fool around with it, was happy to put up with it……..but TB started pulling the arse end off the XR and flogging me into submission, so we set about getting the race sag right and at the same time dropping my front forks down a bit……it embarrasses me to say TB was right and the XR handle a heap better once back out on the trails…..Thanks again TB.

The boys have covered Friday night at Wauchope RSL pretty well in their reports so I wont dwell on that to much other than saying what a great feed they put on and to pass on the RSL manager’s thanks to all the OBT members for the business. I did a quick calculation and our little party would have come close to spending in excess of a $1000 in the club on meals and drinks alone.

Saturday morning, saw TB and I heading to the bush again at 7am to finalise the two loops and check a few things. A special thanks has to go to RiderX and Tripper for the great job cutting in a small section at the end of Jurassic park, what a great job boys, you turned a great trail into an awesome one. Top stuff. TB and I then sat at the corner with Tripper and Ash and waited for the group to arrive. Fossil, Boags and Choko(the three bulls) where the first to arrive with a huge procession of cars behind them. A small break down in communication saw everyone miss the intended parking area (my apologies).As I walked down the road to inform the gridlock of cars that they had to turn around and go back a Km or two the long line of cars soon made me realise that TB and I had created a monster and I will admit I kinda shit myself for a moment.

Anyhow all got sorted and everyone, got kitted and ready to ride. At the riders briefing again I shit myself with worry that everything would go to plan and we would have a great day. I will let everyone else put their thoughts in about Saturday as it was all a blurr to me.

Thanks everyone for turning up and riding the day in the spirit that was intended, I hope you had a great day. As it was a first for us we played the day by ear and it seemed to work OK, thanks to the behind the scenes help from, RiderX, Tripper, Melissa (and her signs and arrows), Eagle, Kram, Corey and Muc Off Mike for his sponsorship of the event.

[Mick DMember]

Oh yeah……..how did it feel to be struggling along in the snotty single trail thinking you are going great guns only to be confronted by Toes and his video camera after he rode out there on his VSTROM!! Champion effort from Toes. I have seen some of the footage from the big hill on loop one, there are certainly some hilarious moments caught on tape. We will endevour to get some uploaded during the week after we edit it a bit.

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Quote:

I did a quick calculation and our little party would have come close to spending in excess of a $1000 in the club on meals and drinks alone.

.

Unfortunately for the club, a few of us took most of that back through the pokies

[Mick DMember]

If you are quick, get up to Mud n Tar as Bollocks has kindly left his credit card there for the use of all the Old Bulls, I am just about to take delivery of a Gas Gas 300 :laugh: :woohoo:

[glennMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Quote:

If you are quick, get up to Mud n Tar as Bollocks has kindly left his credit card there for the use of all the Old Bulls, I am just about to take delivery of a Gas Gas 300 :laugh: :woohoo:

hey Mick I`ll have that RMX in the front window please. I will be coming back through tomorrow on the way to dunbogan, so I`ll throw the trailer on…Thanks Bolls 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

[glennMember]

A few non bike action piccies from the weekend,

The convoy at gingers creek on the way over

the farm stay

The club (I think)lol

some of the Taimworth boys with Dude

Moose ,krusty and TB

Happy Bollocks

Some Admin in uniform

Its the second door on the left I think Bolls

Post toilet visit

STM at brekky

some of the boys morning of the big ride with Shirl looking on wondering how we are still alive

We all remember our DRZs looking this good dont we?

Are we there yet

and last but not least Big Bazza cooking up a storm.

Boony :woohoo:

[simon burkeMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Quote:

If you are quick, get up to Mud n Tar as Bollocks has kindly left his credit card there for the use of all the Old Bulls, I am just about to take delivery of a Gas Gas 300 :laugh: :woohoo:

dont you dare :angry:

[Mick DMember]

Nah you are safe Boll. They rang me this morning to get your number mate.

One highlight of Saturday that comes to mind, was hiding in the bush with TB waiting for an unsuspecting Boony to come along and the ensuing madness that happened when he realised we were there. I bet he had an OH SHIT Moment when he saw us sitting there in wait, like two highway patrols. Talk about a roost fest!!!!!

[Glen DaleMember]

Thanks to Mick, TB and all the fellas for organising a great ride.

I seemed to fall off my TTR a few times, thanks to the many people who
were willing to give me a hand.

[glennMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Quote:

Nah you are safe Boll. They rang me this morning to get your number mate.

One highlight of Saturday that comes to mind, was hiding in the bush with TB waiting for an unsuspecting Boony to come along and the ensuing madness that happened when he realised we were there. I bet he had an OH SHIT Moment when he saw us sitting there in wait, like two highway patrols. Talk about a roost fest!!!!!

That was not funny mick talk about a ride turning to shirt, as soon as TB got behind me and started bumping tyres ansd carrying on I went pear shape for a while,alls good it came back on the last 3 loops.you pair will keep 😆

[BillMember]

I like the Berg looks very sweet!

Big jump going from a DRZ to FE550E, how was the power difference?

<<<<>>>>

I feel your pain…stupid useless kick start I had the same problem a few weeks back. I got a new battery installed and it is perfect now….only problem is it takes about 1 to 2 hours to install the battery, you need to take the carby off.

Also a tip when bum starting the Berg…pull the decompression lever in….helps heaps.

[Mick DMember]

billt wrote:

Quote:

Also a tip when bum starting the Berg…pull the decompression lever in….helps heaps.

Same bit of info I shared with Jeffro on Saturday…..works on BRP’s too.

[Author]

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