MY BIG DAY OUT (I don't get out much)
I go to bed on Friday night knowing there is a ride on in the morning, but with a sick kid I think its best that I stay home while the others go riding.
Well the day started with no real plan other than check the weather and see what the go is. By the time Andy got up there were a few “what’s the go messages?” - the sun is shining, and although the forecast isn’t fantastic it’s decided - we’re OFF!
So it turns out I am going riding! Andy loads up the bikes while Simon and I frantically sort and load our gear. We have a map, and a print out of an email giving us some directions, and the knowledge that Dave and Tina, Craig and Nikki and the kids, and Cliff are all heading out.
So we are off ... jump in the car and face the first challenge of the day - reversing the car, complete with trailer ... cool, slow and steady and did it in one and a bit goes.
It is with great excitement, but some trepidation that I drive off with my soon to be 9y/o son, trailer loaded with 2 bikes, and thinking WTF!!!! Where are we going and what are we doing. A couple of quick phone calls (thanks Tina & Dave and Craig) and all is cool. Right we have a plan! We are meeting Dave and Tina at Exton and Craig at the Osmaston Fourways, and Cliff will meet us there later.
First - fuel and the shop for some snacks. At the service station, filling up car and bikes – can’t get the cap off Simon’s bike, so call him to help hold the fuel hose while I battle the cap, done! Next, how to easily park a car and trailer in the supermarket carpark? Just park across about 6 spaces, cool, and no dramas driving out of there.
We cruise out towards the meeting point and my phone beeps, “How far away are you?” No idea! I ring back and say, I’m pretty sure we are close, but really I haven’t got a clue! I think we arrived within minutes at the Exton turnoff and team up with Tina and Dave, cruising along near the Osmaston Fourways and we see a white ute turn in front of us. Another quick call and it turns out that it is Craig and Family ahead of us.
We arrive Cluan and it turns out Cliff, who was coming later, is there and has already taken the best parking spot of the day – aye cliff!!! Gee I think there are some photos somewhere. I unload the bikes and we gear up and we are off, well nearly – thanks for the roll start Dave. Ha – go to clean my goggles and end up poking myself in the eye with them, can’t see anything. Try to take them off and bust the strap ... shit! Thanks again ... Dave! About 5 mins in and up some twisting, winding, rutted, muddy tracks and we are at a big wet and muddy crossing, I find I am so hot and sweaty, my goggles are now completely fogged from the inside out! That’s the end of them for the day, and they spend the rest of the day on my helmet.
What an awesome day! If anyone had asked me would I go bike riding on a cold, wet and windy winters day, I think I would have said no way. Instead it was a fantastic day, despite the at times bitter cold and pissing down rain, we had an absolute ball.
I really realised that my youngest son is a fantastic bike rider, if I can ride half as good as him, I’ll be rapt. There were some awesome tracks, I can’t believe I’m going to admit that I LOVED the ruts, rocks, puddles, mud and slush. There were some classic moments with, stuck in puddles, stuck in ruts, stuck by sticks, the old “slippery log on the angle”, the odd chain coming off and the old wheel wobble ... big time, and of course the turnaround and go back when the tracks ended. And probably the best and toughest bits, there are no photos of, cause we were all too busy or too buggered.
Thanks again Dave for helping turn my bike around over two massive ruts, one high and one low, but only the size of a bike wide, then for the big thanks, that catch of the TTR in the big puddle! I will add however, I would have been fine if it weren't for the big stick that basically ripped one of my legs off the bike and kept me in the puddle as the bike propelled nicely through it.
If it wasn't for the catch of the century, me and the bike would have ended up with a lovely puddle bath!! Simon was loving doing laps of the motorcross style track and loved racing Dave, we do believe the peewee80 won (ok we might have helped with the handicapping)! I hear his bike revving to the max and turn to find him stuck, I do race over quickly to assist and find him well and truly ‘stuck in a rut’ but do require him to smile for the camera before lifting him out.
It was when I was standing behind lifting that he turned to me and smiled and I could tell straight away by the way his eyes lit up that he was considering completely roosting me. Thankfully one of those “don’t you dare” mother looks saved me.
We were cruising along when my wheel got the wobbles up. I know the TTR does seem to have a bit of a wobble at speed so I backed it off, but it seemed worse. I speed up and backed it off a couple of times, looking at the wheel to see if I had a flat or something. I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, I pulled up and sheepishly said, “Can you see if this is OK, I’m not sure but it seems to be wobbly”.
Sure enough Craig and Dave are straight onto it, ascertained that it was indeed a very loose wheel nut. With the right tools it’s fixed in a jiffy and we are all on our way again.Coming up behind other bikes lined up at an obstacle, buggered I put my arms over the handlebars for a rest – BUMP – I nearly fall off my bike, more from shock than the bump itself. Just next in line seeing if I’m awake and having a laugh.
I go to take off in mud and slush, and just for fun, rev the bike heaps, turn around to see them basically jumping off their bikes behind me, HA! It was like that all day long, riding for the day is only half the fun, the jokes, banter and ribbing that go on all the time is all part of a great day out.
I have learnt that:
- Putting a motorbike chain back on is just like on a pushbike chain.
- It pays to keep a bit of distance from the bike in front when riding along tracks with lots of puddles to stop the cold showers.
- When parked behind someone at an obstacle on a wet and muddy track, if you are close, when they are trying to get unstuck, its best to move away, or at least duck your head and cover you eyes.
- Oh and STOP SMILING as you ride, you’ll only end up with a mouth full of crap.
- You can still have an absolute ball on a wet and raining cold winter’s day, outside! (I’d have never thought!!)
- If you think things are a bit too wobbly it does pay to stop and check.
- I love my TTR
- And yes, we do need the before photos
- I’ll try to remember that one.
- Just because you can't feel your feet, doesn't mean that they are not still there.
- I forgot how good a hot shower can be.
- I didn't realise I had so many muscles
- I can feel ones I didn't know I had.
- And I can now make a new garden with all the mud we bought back home in our gear.
Thank you so much to all who were there today, it is really you guys that have made this ... THE BEST RIDE EVER. Thanks for all the help along the way, what a great bunch of people to be out and about with, couldn’t have been more helpful, I really appreciate it! It is really comforting to know that this is a sport full of camaraderie, fun and mateship, with everyone there helping each other and pitching in, all in the name of a good days riding!
On a serious note, if there is anyone out there is not sure if they can head out for a ride, grab any chance you can and get out there and do it, I know I will. And Tina this wasn’t the ride I’ve been planning for, so that just means there will be another one soon, hopefully.
Oh yeah ... there was:
Simon PeeWee80
Tina TTR230
Dave WR450
Cliff WR426
Holly PeeWee50
Kaylem YZ85
Craig ktm525exc
Me TTR230
Thanks again to everyone!!
