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Capel
2009 KTM Ironstone Dirt Bike Rally 13 September
The Ironstone Adventure Riding Club called their second Capel ride for 2009 and they came, over 220 riders, including 20 odd Crustys. Some CQers came to ride the event, some to sweep and a few as spectators. This followed the success of the RTRAs event last year and the thirty or so years of this great rally by the Capel Dirt Bike Club. The weather set the perfect scene. Rain throughout the week and by late Saturday night there were clear skys! By Sunday the sun was out and the trails were wet and sticky (and no dust!) though with a few tricky muddy boggy sections to have everyone on their guard. The majority of the hardened Enduro CQers camped in our own secret spot at the back of the campsite while the less hardened ones from the Joondalup Ulysses Chapter wimped out and stayed in Capel Biggys, Concrete Boy (Puddles) and Ross (Grandad)! When Peter and I arrived part of the CQ Sweep Chapter of Andrew, Brett and Boy Blunder were already set up, with Andrew and Brett already out riding the trails. Boy Blunder relaxing on a camp bed when he should have been getting the CQ campfire going (Pounce would have been onto that as priority 1 if he had been there). Also in our camping area was an unknown couple with a roof camper on a FWD and CRF 450! Who were these intruders? Mind you, they gave Peter and I a little light entertainment while we set our camp up, listening to instructions between this couple in backing a FWD and setting up a roof camper. As it turned out Mick had just got back into dirt bikes after a long break and would you believe it he had never heard of the Crusty Quinns (we even a Murchison Chapter)! Anyhow Mick youre now a CQer and his lady clearly fits into our group no worries. Mind you Biggsys and Micks ladys intellectual discussion about cameras and the sizes of lens left me thinking when are we going to get back to just talking dirt bikes! Of course I think Biggsy was exaggerating the size of his len and by the way he has sure porked up since the last Capel when he broke his ankle, and kept saying what do you expect sitting on your arse with this brace on. LOL Well Peter got the fire going and as the sun went down the fire was suddenly surrounded by CQers like flies around a watermelon, armed with a stubby or two and then the dirt bike dribble got going. By then the Ulysses (Useless) Boys had scampered away for a pub meal and warm bed! Most were tucked up in their sleeping bags by 11ish but I think that mob Tommy + WRDave were with partied a little and there was some loud music coming from somewhere. Speaking of noise, it was alleged I snored and I know Peter bloody well did kept me awake half the night! Pity Sam200 pitched his tent right along side us but to his credit he discreetly said nothing the next day other than to make a passing comment about ear plugs. While on the snoring noise factor Sweep Rocco put in a cameo appearance and as Brett called it did you hear the WILBERBEAST bellowing last night? Well Rocco made the mistake of sleeping in! A person then resembling Brett fired up a mighty DRZilla and put it up next to the sleeping wilberbeast and warmed the engine up. When there was no response Brett er a person resembling Brett then roosted him! It was magic! We now go to the pits following the usual Riders Briefing about this not being a race and dirt biking can be dangerous (they dont know how slow I ride). Fi and Georgina asked if they could ride with us (I think they know how slow we are) but once the bikes fired up all sense of order was gone and the creep forward to the starting gates began. I spotted Sam200 kicking that little KTM off to the side and some minutes later the little smoker breathed into life. By then I was very focused, with the adrenalin pumping and when it was our turn out of the gate I foolishly took the lead which I held for all of the first 250 metres and instead of going left on a boggy rut kept my line and the next thing I was bogged to the axles. What was I thinking? By the time I had dragged the rear wheel out Peter was by my side lifting the front end out. Thanks Peter! With that madness over we settled to a good rhythm and began to enjoy some of the best trails, open and goat that you will find anywhere, with a few boggy, muddy crossing thrown in for good measure. At first Check Point Fi came in just behind us with a grin ear to ear. She waited for Georgina and we (Peter, Steve525, KTMColin and Steve) powered off. At one particular creek crossing (right bend bordered by trees) there was apparent carnage everywhere. As it turned out bikes were ripping up & down looking for a safe crossing, as the fearless ones hit the gas and emerged on the other side in a steaming cloud! Peter thought he found a better entry point but as he got his bike wet up to the axles he went to put his right boot down to balance and did that old slow motion tumble into the cold, muddy water very funny Peter and a missed Kodak moment. Moments later as KTMColin helped Peter out on another tricky exit point Peter gave the WR a hand-full and fully roosted Steve with a brown muddy sludge. That was even funnier! My only other mishap was powering away from Steve and Peter trying to catch Steve525 and KTMColin before the big creek crossing they were in the Zone! I was pushing the DRZ beyond my skill level and came onto a small log jump, hit the log, got huge air (at least 15-20 cms) came down on the lip of a rut and was bounced into a small sapling. This brought me to a stand-still! Before anyone spotted me I fired up the bike and was off. At the big creek, with the cameras flashing, I took the line the rider in front of me took and like Knighty just powered through (all the time saying to myself do not fall off do not fall off). I then did not stop until the end of the loop sorry Peter & Steve I was in my Zone by then and going for it! After the loop Peter confirmed to me that Steve had two little stacks. The first one earned him SOTD. A front wheel washout no damage except his pride! The second as he entered the big creek, over he went a little performance anxiety in front of the cameras eh Steve! After the first loop the older Crustys decided to call it a day quitting while we were ahead with only aching bones! KLXPete had already taken off for his second loop and when he arrived back in record time with a huge smile on his face, raving about the ride he had clearly earnt ROTD! Sam200 said he had a ball but was going to quit while he was a head. The new Mick also said he had a ball and would be joining us on a future CQ ride. ColinKTM said his bike went sweet this week after last weeks hiccups and he had a great ride thanks for helping out in the Crusty spirit on the trail. Steve525 powered off on the second loop with a big grin but we had gone before he arrived back. The two Ulysses boys also rocked up smiling with Ross (Grandad) displaying a broken front brake caliper on his DRZ after trying to bounce off a branch. With a few zip ties and only a rear brake he made it home hes as tough as the DRZ! Biggsy then limped back from the last creek crossing after taking some amazing actions shots check out the one of Steve525 (am I right he was in the Zone!) Well thats my version and would I do it again yes you bet! Thanks to IARC and to all the helpers including those incredible Sweeps (they were everywhere!) for making it one of the rides of the year! Then End (the soreness is finally subsiding cant wait until next Saturday) |
