| #413 | |||||||||
|
|
Dakar rest day
Report by TigeR.
Sunday was rest day for the Dakar, but unlike that bunch of lightweights the Crusties went riding on Sunday. In summer you've got to pick your days and Wrex did it to a tee, calling a Sunday ride based on the mid-week forecast of "clouds and 26C". Tommy picked the venue and it was on, and the forecast held up with Autumn like conditions. I arrived first, which is a first for me, to an empty car park and wondered if maybe I was 24 hours late instead. Soon enough the crew started rolling in and the group grew to ten, with newbie Geremy out for his first ride. He was later to profess that he hates sand - he certainly came to the right place to heal the rift in that relationship. Tommy brought along on his mate on a KTM and has christened him "Chubby" ... I'm sure he'll be pleased with that Tommy! Russell was along for ride number two with the Crusties - that's one more than a lot of people, maybe the mid-ride bush initiation ceremony puts some people off? The great thing about the Crusties is that it keeps evolving, with the "normal" leaders out for various reasons - broken carlo bones, increasing family size, reenacting Apocalypse Now in Asia, gone walkabout in Gero - more come to the fore to pick up the baton. Wrexie did the pre-ride talk with agreement that KLXPete (aka MonoPete) took the lead to Wedge, with Wrexie leading on the way back. Jacko put his hand up as sweep and Tommy gave a good run-down on the corner man system for the newcomers. There was some pre-discussion about my new enduro saddlebags, why did I need them? am I now an Adventure rider? Yes I am, but in the tradition of the Irish Navy - I do like to be home for lunch. All kitted up, KLXPete led the mob out the 4WD track. The temp was cool, the wind helped in blowing the dust away. We arrived without incident at the intersection to the inland tracks. The winter traction was gone, but these tracks are still a hoot. KLXPete, Jason & Chubby rode off into the horizon. Fueltanker Allen was certainly punting the big Z along very nicely, maybe that double loading of the trailer on Friday and Saturday helped. :-) The tracks are getting more whooped out and the downside of the crests were forming with mini-dunes so that certainly kept you on your toes, I'm sure everybody had a few moments - I certainly did! We rode through the time trial area. I think I outjumped H's effort on the last crest ... or maybe the front wheel lifted 3.5cm. On the new road regroup Wrex had a brief heart attack as there was "an oil leak" on his WR - but a quick inspection showed it was just some oil escaping through the breather due to slight overfilling. On the way into Wedge it even threatened to rain, with dark clouds overhead and some drops on the googles, but it never happened. We rode out to Wedge beach for the "salute to absent friends" photo op. Wrex took the lead on the way back, with a warning about the 4WDs. Even mid-pack you can still have a sphincter moment when you round a blind corner and see a pristine Prado with P plates taking up the whole track. You can't be too careful on the way home. After one regroup - the speedies took off a pace, however as the rest progressed we came across them with KLXPete's bike facing back the track and some fork readjustment happening - but as KLXPete posted "Sweet ride today guys thanks had great time,tiger dont you dare put me for sotd it was a really small off,what goes in lano stays in lano" - yep it stays in Lano but gets posted as SOTD. :-) Good to have those SOTDs with big ColMc still waiting to get his carlo bone operated on after the last Lano ride a couple of weeks back. The tracks were bone dry and one eye opener is how deep some of the 4WD bog holes are. They grow deeper every year, be warned if you plan on riding through them next winter - bring your orange DavidM replica snorkel & goggles. The wind was howling on the way back, and it was hard to stand up at times - but again these tracks are good fun. Great to be able to have a ride like this on the 10th of Jan - which is pretty much bang in the middle of summer. Most importantly all arrived back safely to the cars. A crew headed off to the pub, but Wrex has to try to prove to his missus that he spends at least as much time with her as he does that new WR - so he scooted off. I have a similar brownie point deficit so I also had to skip the post ride beer. As I passed the Lano pub there was a row of Harleys parked outside - if they had a ride half as good as we had it would have been a good day - somehow I don't think so. Thanks to Wrex & KLXPete for leading. Special thanks to Jacko for sweeping - the sweep often gives up a quicker paced ride to make sure everybody makes it through, onya Jacko - that's a ROTD right there  The Beach shot to absent riders  Dakar rest day.  Dakar rest day. How much oil does a WR hold?  Dakar rest day.  Dakar rest day. |
