[Craig HattonMember]

Booked at the farmstay, will arrive thursday night late, hurry up already.
Do you want the pink vests for camera duty, I have 2 and chris I think still has 1.

cheers Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

LC4skin wrote:

Hey Hatto whats the name of the hill in Kats photos?

Don’t think it has it’s own name, it’s the hill to the lookout on monkey gum firetrail

Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

Part 2

I came around the corner and started my way up the last little pinch to the lookout rock, now this isn’t real steep, but there has certainly been some 4×4 traffic and rain on it. There were rocks everywhere, you know the type, round rolling type rocks about the size of rockmelons and two distinct tracks, made by the 4×4’s. All I could think about was this should sort a few out and I wasn’t alone,:lol: first couple guys behind me said this will be interesting.:huh: :ohmy: The grade 2 ride had just taken a right turn to grade 3(whoops)
But I do believe you have to get out of your comfort zone every now and then, to improve.

As I walked half way down, another rider Dave had stopped down the track further and was holding riders back while the carnage was cleared ready for the next wave, and that continued for about 25 mins. Kat came along and just got off her steed saying I’m not confident enough even after a little encouragement, so I hopped on-well when I sat on her little 230 my knees nearly hit my chin, it felt like I was riding one of those pocket rocket bikes, I hit the button and found that the clutch engagement is almost all the way out(Kat you need to get this adjusted). As I started to move, that little thing is like a tractor and very smooth and it just made it’s way up with very little .

Along came riggs and Cathi. I was apologizing profusely to both of them, Riggs had a little hiccup about halfway up:blush: as Cathi and I walked up. It is definately easier to ride up hills than walk.:cheer: By the time Cathi got to the top she was spent, we had a good break there while everybody recovered and chinwagged. I promised it was a pretty easy run from there to lunch stop and all would be good.
We made our way out to the next transport section and waited for ages. It was discovered that someone had fallen into one of the big puddles on the trail and drowned his XR (Honda going Nowhere):laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
We made the decision to keep moving to try to space the group out so that lunch would run smoothly, but by the time we arrived everyone was moving and arrived in quick succession.
When I first arrived I told the guy that There was 31 riders on their way and he nearly shat himself, his cook wasn’t in, so ti was going to be a slow lunch, and it was.

Over lunch everybody was in good spirits and enjoying chatting with new found buddies;) We decided to split the group so that the grade 3+ ‘s could have a bit of a challenge, A lead and sweep was designated and we donned the gear. The other group took off while the grade 2 got kitted, we had a re count of heads, changed the sweep and off we went.

Now being at the front has it’s good points -no dust (that wasn’t an issue), fresh lines, go at what ever pace you want to, stop when you want, and if you have any little offs, there is not usually anyone around. Well I locked the back wheel (new discs and pads)coming over a rise, because I saw the endangered wandandian yellow bellied eel in a muddy puddle that I was about go through, so I jumped off to have a look. The riders behind soon caught me up and thought I had fallen off -well I hadn’t.:lol:

We got to the top of Cassia track and headed up the powerlines for a while. There were a couple of bog holes along there which to there toll on some very tired riders, so we decided to take the easiest way back to the cars via some firetrails.

We arrived back at the cars around 5pm. waited around for the other group for a while, when a lone rider comes in saying they have a seized motor, but all is ok, he was back to get the car and the group was on their way.
About 5.30 4 fo us who had ridden to the start decided to leave as we still had about an hours ride home, said our goodbye’s and off we went. I took the guys on a new track which is orsam-we had a great ride home. Got home about 6.30 after an enjoyable day.

Thanks to Cathi for organising the ride;) , great to meet so many new faces. When you lead you don’t get to see a whole lot of what’s going on through the pack, I hope you all enjoyed a little of what the south coast has to offer:unsure:

Someone from the other group will have to fill you in on their return trip, but all got home.

cheers Hatto

See you out there again.

[Craig HattonMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Hey Hatto, the lazy sweep in question was it Jamie Jamie? If so I can believe he wouldn’t have got involved :laugh:

Actually in fairness that’s a bit hard because the famous flat with the tyre lever left in the tyre happened there at the power lines area after the creek and he did help me change it :blink: So I almost take it back

TB

Yes Yes and you can’t take things back:laugh:
Really it was ok, I was all over it like flies on a prawn (besides, practice makes perfect right):lol:

[Craig HattonMember]

My Take-No photos

Part 1

Well where do I start
Day started at 6am, get my shit together,have something to eat and on the bike at 7am, pick up pauly on the way, splash some fuel in and were off. We decided to ride to the start point rather than trailer our steeds. Into the bush and out through a place we call bodies in the barrels, some overgrown singles and we are wet through, light rain and some very slippery tracks.(could be an interesting day)

Met 5 other riders at the log cabin, and topped up the tanks-off to meet the group at Kaman. We had a great blast through the bush with some pace and some sliding and arrived 8.40am.

As I road around the corner and looked at all the cars and bike, I thought to my self s@#t how many is there.:ohmy: (must have been 40+ bikes) holy crap.:S
I walked over and met cathi, riggs, huskybom, a few others;) and started to think, how am I going to pull this off. Made my way around the trailers, introducing myself, when about 8 bikes started up and rode off-:huh: few another group, thats a few less for our group then.

Once everyone was kitted up, we had a little briefing, some discussions about splitting the group, but decided to go out to the first checkpoint as 1 and take it from there. Straight into a single, with a few logs, mud holes and slippery track but all riders came through with no problems. A little bit of dirt road and then into a great track Fox trot-starts with sandy whoops, water hole crossing, more sandy whoops and then into a great dirt track uphill with erosion mounds, sweepers and water holes. I stopped at the end of that track, and as all riders came up, I didn’t see anything but smiles through their helmets.
We decided not to split the group at this stage a nd we continued on some nice grade 2 powerline tracks to the top of mintbush.

Good spot for a re-group, I look down at Sag55y’s rear -very flat on the bottom only though. Ben says don’t worry about it I will just ride home, to which I reply, no way, stick it on that log over there and we’ll get into it. Rip the wheel off, and get into it, Kat comes over and starts taking photos, muttering something about TB and proof, and how quick, and technique or something. Kat got straight in there, to give me a hand – which a few of the guys standing around were taken aback and were impressed;) Not sure how long it took, seemed like only 5 minutes:lol: :laugh: , but was probably about 1/2 hour, not sure. Wheel back on and we are ready to roll – very dissapointed in the sweep(Jamie), changing tyres is sweep job not leads job:laugh: .

A few 4×4’s had come past us and headed down the track, so I new we would be passing them. Down mintbush we go, which was a great run, and the 4×4 were very good to let us all through. Across the small creek at the bottom and we swing onto Monkeygum, great riding with all types of terrain. I stopped about half way up, just past a tricky little rutted hill, when a couple more 4×4 came from the other direction. With 20 odd bikes blocking the track, we decided to continue up to the lookout and stop for a re-group there. This is where we came across a hill which bought a few undone.

To be con’t

hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Hatto wrote:

I just want to give ya a hand through gods own country!!!!!!!

Boony

Quote:

Mick & Boony, have you got tracks that lead to the south coast:lol: 😆

South Coast???????

Never heard of it. :huh:

You probably know it as riding mecca-not the south coast

hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

I just want to give ya a hand through gods own country!!!!!!!

Boony[/quote]

Mick & Boony, have you got tracks that lead to the south coast:lol: 😆

[Craig HattonMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Hatto wrote:

mallee wrote:

Hi Guy’s,
Whats the KM range for this ride or do you plain a break at Wandi or somewhere to throw some fuel at it?
As the KLX is about 100km with the low gearing or if we are not doing any BIG hills I will put the 14 tooth back on the front to gear it back to standard?.:ohmy:

Mallee

PM Sent

Hatto

That’s great Hatto but what about the rest of us that want to know what the fuel range will be? :blink:

TB

Not trying to step on Cathi’s toes here and take over.

Fuel range will need to be 80km’s, if you cant make that, you will need to carry fuel.
Lunch will be at Wandi, fuel is available as well.
We will be doing different route on the way home

cheers Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

mallee wrote:

Hi Guy’s,
Whats the KM range for this ride or do you plain a break at Wandi or somewhere to throw some fuel at it?
As the KLX is about 100km with the low gearing or if we are not doing any BIG hills I will put the 14 tooth back on the front to gear it back to standard?.:ohmy:

Mallee

PM Sent

Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

I’m in on this for sure, bout time:lol:

Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

Maybe go on a couple of safe rides, to prove to her that you don’t always stack, don’t twist the right hand as much, but if all else fails trade the old girl in (wife):lol: 😆

Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

Post time is wrong.

Like the new look, good job Chris

Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

Try this Bundy, always been good for me

cheers hatto

http://www.mrexcel.com/

[Craig HattonMember]

Dusty wrote:

I’ve had a go at doin seals before and was never happy or real confident. These days I get the guy at East Maitland to do it. He charged me $70 to do one side as it was the only one blown. That included oil. I just took the fork leg in and he sorted it out. He seemed to do a good job and I was happy with the price.

Dont let him out of your site dusty, local bloke hear is $190 for 2, with forks out of bike

cheers Hatto

[Craig HattonMember]

Murph the surf wrote:

Just sent Hatto the fork seal manual
I may have my sons pics and description of just seal replacement in case you tend to get bogged down with all the other shit you don’t have to touch eg valving and stuff. Will have a look for it this arvo
Did you receive the manual Hatto?
Cheers
Murph

Cheers Murf, looks great. will be doing this arvo, am going to try and do a how to for the thread

cheers Hatto

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