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WEST COAST SAFARI TOUR
Ride report by Col.
 Choko called a West Coast Safari Tour and it was tagged right from the start as "The ride of the Year". Staino from West Coast Safari did not disappoint the boys. How do you lead a ride for two days over a few hundred km's with 22 eager riders all with different levels of skills and abilities and keep everyone happy??? Staino does it most weeks without effort. Although the guys with the least level of ability probably almost shit themselves at the site of some of the gnarly hill climbs, everyone somehow managed the challenges. On other occasions, the others who can ride up vertical walls were lead on some amazing climbs while the rest of us took the easy (girly) way around. 15 riders hooked up Friday night and stayed at the Glades Park in Bunbury. Beau organized a booking at a Chinese restaurant but after realizing we were at the wrong end of town a table was booked at the local Tav. We ended up with a private room and had a great night, top food and plenty of entertainment from Hooters. Now Hooters is fairly new to the Crusty's so except for a recent Enduro we hadn't seen him in action on the turps before. He became increasing loud, totally obnoxious and increasingly pissed almost to the point where we were wondering where we would tie him up for the weekend and leave him behind. I must say though buddy, as the weekend wore on you showed your true colours and were there when anyone need help. Picking up down riders, riding other guys bikes up hills and even stripping down to the jocks and getting in that bloody cold water. Top effort. One more sleep to go!!!! After a night listening to Roley snore we were off to Macca's for brecky and then on to Staino's to get booted up. Andrea said he would prefer to eat his own shit than eat Maccas but he did have something to eat anyway, it was a long time before lunch. We were greeted by John, his lovely wife Georgina, JC his sweep and JC's partner Tanya. These guys made us feel sooo welcome the moment we arrived. After going through the formalities of paper work etc out came the drinks, chockies, trail snacks and fruit and this continued all weekend. Before we set off John ran through the program for the weekend, the do's and don'ts and what we were likely to expect. Within no time we hit the trails. Around every corner or crest came a different surprise. All bar a few k's of transport sections over the entire weekend we were on trails that would out do any enduro I have ever ridden on. I am not going to give a blow by blow account of the ride but sufficient to say we got it all. Fast flowing goat trails, open fire trails, heavy pine work, hills, hills and more hills. Everyone was challenged at some point. A few of the boys had a go at Big Bertha but unfortunately it was not to be conquered on this trip. Staino did however get the furthest up the old girl. Choko surprised everyone and had a go at everything including a really good run up bertha and managed all of the extra challenges. Now if his skill level could only increase to the size of his recent increase in self esteem he might almost make a good rider!! Well done though mate. Beware the water!!!!! There were lots of small muddy creek crossings and one even bigger concrete crossing which are generally known as a "summer crossing". We all know if your bike falls into water in gets "drowned" and needs a bit of work to fire up again. David picks up a new CQ award yet to be named and dropped the mighty 300 into the drink. Needless to say a fair bit of effort was needed to keep his ride going for the rest of the weekend and a great big thanks to Robby G who's work lead to the prestigious ROTD award and a full refund of the cost of the tour. A good night was had by all at the Green Bushes Pub. Now this is not the type of place you might like to take your misses for the weekend but a bike friendly place that doesn't mind you wearing your dirty boots and will lock your bike up for the night. The steak wasn't bad either and I think the cook may have had her eye on Pounce. Most guys got a reasonably early night in readiness for an even bigger day on Sunday. The ride kicked off with a leisurely 15 km fire break ride at about 100 miles an hour. The grins on everyone's faces at the first regroup said it all. How good was that? Well it just kept getting better all day. Staino warned us that some of the hill climbs were a little tricky and probably should be attempted one at a time. Of course who listens to the tour leader - not the Crusty Quinns. On more than a couple of occasions we had bikes down all over the place. On one hill after an off I had Choko do a kamikaze and land on me bike and all. That particular hill seemed to go on forever. Just when you thought you were at the top of the hill around the corner you would ride to find another 100 m's of rugged chopped out dirt and then again and again. Not my favorite but the guys who went back and had a second go on the roller coaster looked like they enjoyed it. Like half the group, I had trouble just riding down it. Well done to Damo also for being the only one to make the last challenge in one go. I don't want go on forever although I feel I probably could. As the saying goes, you had to be there. Next time you hear the Crusty's are going on a West Coast Safari Tour throw your hand up and get in quick.  22 CQER'S, A TOUR LEADER AND A SWEEP PREPARE TO DO BATTLE WITH THE ELEMENTS. THESE NEXT FEW PHOTOS ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE SMILES ON EVERYONES FACES ALL WEEKEND. THE GUYS JUST HAD A BALL.     THE NEXT FEW ARE OF BIG BERTHA. JC MANAGED IT TO THE HALF WAY MARK AND A FEW CQER'S WERE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND HIM.     THIS IS A GREAT PIC OF THE BOYS WATCHING RIDERS TRY OUT BIG BERTHA.  HOW IS THIS FOR SCENERY.   WATCH OUT EVERYONE - HERE COMES DAVID!!!!!!!  DON'T WATCH ME - KEEP YOUR EYE ON DAVID.  DOES MY ARSE LOOK BIG IN THESE JOCKS?  JC GOES VERY CLOSE TO LOOSING IT.  THEY SAID IT LOOKED JUST LIKE A PENIS JUST SMALLER!!  A FEW OF THE BOYS GET A BIT OF AIR OVER THE LAST CREST ON THE ROLLER COASTER.    CARNAGE ON THE HILL CLIMBS.THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY CLIMB TO GET SEVERAL VICTIMS.    A FUEL AND LUNCH STOP  HOW IS THAT FOR A VIEW. SOME OF THE BOYS RODE THIS AS AN EXTRA CHALLENGE.  ONE OF THE MANY WATER CROSSINGS.   CHOKO PICKS UP THE WANKER AWARD AND HAS TO WEAR THE FAIRY HEAD GEAR FOR THE DAY.  MY GEAR LEVER WENT THROUGH MY ENGINE COVER AND NEEDED A QUICK TRAIL SIDE REPAIR.  THIS PIC WAS SMS'D TO PETER FROM THE TAV ON FRIDAY NIGHT JUST TO SHOW HIM THAT WE MISSED HIS PRESENCE.  |
