Callala Beach 15-5-04 with Kim, Wayne, Gary, Tristan, Adrian & John

Ride (and breakdown) report for Saturday 15th of May.

Kim (Wind Racer 426F) and Wayne (XR600 Tractor) met Gary (XL250 baby Tractor), Tristan (RMX250), Adrian (KDX125) and John (KTM250 two smoke) at Callala Beach at 0900.

Riding commenced at 0940 along a sandy whooped out track to Currembene Forest onto which Kim tried to immediately throw his bike away by landing on the up face of a whoop whilst he was trying to go down. Not satisfied with this failed attempt to crash, in the first puddle he rode into he washed out the front end and nearly dropped the bike. On the third attempt he did manage to go down after jumping perfectly into a rutted puddle and crashing out - not bad for ten minutes riding in three months ! Wayne didn't even try to rub salt into his wound by running him over but took the necessary evasive action to just miss hitting him.

The big bog holes promise much and always deliver - John dropped the KTM in the first big bog hole, righted the bike hoping no one was watching (fat chance John !) when Gary rode up beside him and used John's KTM as a side stand and they both went down in a heap into the mud ! Good value for all spectators ! 

The first single track was negotiated without incident until the gravel pit was reached. Tristan gave a perfect aerial display taking off up a bank face, followed by Adrian who tried to copy his brother - except he nearly had the bike vertical when midair, bailed out and landed without a bike in his hands ! No harm done though, except for a flooded carbie and cracked mudguards !

Along an open forest track the KDX stopped and refused to fire until pushed up and down the road until all were exhausted !

Next up was the powerlines track, which went well until the downhill section when John broke his chain. Kim, Tristan and Wayne had already ridden ahead and waited until Adrian caught up to tell them the news about the KTM. They went back, passing Gary who had drowned his bike in a puddle ! Logistically, things fell apart here as Gary had the spare chain links for John, Adrian had the spare spark plug for Gary and Adrian was with John. A relay was set up with Kim riding the two kilometres between the bikes three times to get chainlinks, then spanners with John and the spark plug with Gary. Kim rode back to John, who had started his bike after rejoining the chain and one hour of lost riding time, but after 100 metres John's bike stopped and refused to go until the plug was changed which meant another trip to Gary for a plug spanner by Kim. In the meantime Wayne towed Gary's bike up and down a track using a seat belt and rubber boot seal from a dumped car until it did start when Tristan turned the fuel on !

The ride was then abandoned and all headed back to Callala Beach one hour later then planned ! John, Adrian and Gary headed home whilst Kim, Wayne and Tristan rode hard from 1430 until Tristan came off in a muddy rut on the powerlines track and winded himself. After he had recoved they rode hard back to Callala Beach following various single and forest tracks arriving back at 1600.   

The weather was perfect, there was no dust, no animals were injured, the bikes were caked in mud, the Tractor managed to roost all the other bikes and riders, there were enough crashouts to please the spectators (but no lasting injuries or major damage), and there was plenty of time to admire the scenery and the flora during breakdowns so a good, fun day was had by all.

Kim Bazley