Crusty Quinns

#560

Micks Gravity Challenge

Date	05/Mar/12
6 Riders	Andy400, Ash, mick450, Pounce, Tommy, WR Ross
Rider of the day	Ash
Stack of the day	Not awarded

Date: 3,4 & 5th March 2012 Labour Day long weekend
Players: Andy400, Ash, Pounce, Mick 450, Tommy, WR Ross
Written By: Andy400

ROTD: Ash
SOTD: Not Awarded

Mick put out the call again. Camp 300 ks southwest for Arvo ride Saturday, full day Sunday, pack up and head home Monday. WAGS also invited.

I arrived Saturday about 1pm to see the guys booting up to a just in time but had already decided being a novice camper that my afternoon would be best spent putting up the tent. Time well spent and thankfully no male audience to witness the mayhem.

The Guys shoot of on what is going to be a very hot dusty trail and the roar dies away. It only seemed like minutes before I hear the return of a four stroke. Ash is riding Rosss Berg what wrong? A fouled plug in Ashs 2 stroke had sent him back to camp to get the spare. It turns out the spare is the wrong one and the old plug is cleaned and its all good for the rest of the weekend.

As I didnt go I spent the arvo with the WAGS, its weird what goes on and the things you learn but I had to sign a pack never to discuss what happens at camp. Pounce your close but not quite. I see from the photos and after bench racing the guys had a ball, see photos for the Orange Submarine water crossing exposed and you can see the problem from the famous video, Pounce64 on y-tube if you havent seen it.

A few bevies in the evening and heaps of good company at the camp kitchen. George keeps wandering off and Pounce makes him a Fluoro necklace to track the nocturnal activities. Turn in, and the night is on the chilly side compared to the heat of today and 2 degrees hotter tomorrow.

A quick breakfast and coffee x many, boot up and were ready to go about 8.30. Skies are clear and the impending heat is on the horizon. Tracks are dusty but fast flowing as we head out, soon into the first of Micks hill climb challenges that were to come all day. All up safe, loving this so far. Find a sandy hill and all head up to see a nice view but nowhere to go so down again and follow next to what would be a creek bed between hills to that to disappears into nothing. Turn round and off the other way, and that sums a lot of the ride. Exploring new thing while all the time heading to lunchtime with the WAGS who have been out and about 12:30 we meet at a street corner caf with an amazing festival in progress around us. Lovely food.

Feed, fuelled and rested its time to head back via the dust and a few hills, and a few more. Road transport and we regroup after being spread out, I took too long to get ready and Tommy had waited on the corner for me. Off we shoot and Micks seems to found a new track, slight turn around and I go to head up. Was the two or three go past, Ross stops wheres Ash? I think he went past, we pause, must have. A check with Tommy on the next corner and Ash is missing. Ross heads back and I head of to catch Mick, Tommy marks the corner. We find each other with Ash in tow. He was waiting back at the tar for Pounce to come past. Opps no one told Ash that Pounce had to retire and head back direct so top effort Ash for holding the corner for so long sorry mate.

The hill that finished Tommy off had us all stuffed at one point or another I think. It just went up and up winding between trees/undergrowth, a few rocks, ruts, dust and into a clearing just before the last fling straight up onto the road. I lost the plot and stopped laying down just as I saw it and I think broke Tommys clean run because he too comes to a stop just near the top No Way are we going back to try again. I sit back and watch Tommy and Ross fight to get the bike up and Tommy find a way to the left and hes up. I boot it and try to head direct up and the front wheel is level with the road. Im rolling backwards but I dont care. Its closer, we can pull it from there. DRZs are very heavy and thanks to a team effort we are all up. A quick 1km run and we seek some shelter by a water tank.

Tommy firm on the matter, we need to head back with no more hills Mick We all know Mick cant help but find some sweet tracks and a few mild hilly stuff and a wicked disused 4x4 tracks and old roads. One mega hill in our way and Mick stops waving on Ash. ROTD Ash shot up this hill with the 2 banger screaming and just kept going out of sight and out of sound range. Big stuff with some big ruts insane. Four of us wait, (were too old for that shit,) and after a while Tommy and Mick head of to find another easier way up to get him down. It wasnt easier, just another way but all three come down, not a walk in the park and Ross and I are well rested and happy to have only watched. Tommy says no more hills and a straightish course for camp is set.

No SOTD we all had little dismounts here and there but that is to be expected with the terrain. Back at camp another fantastic night with less food and more bevies. A 12am shush from the caretaker and by 1am were done for another classic Crusty Quinns ride from Mick - Thanks