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To the Lake...Follow me
6 Crusties turn up which was a perfect number for what I had in mind.A bit of exploring then a few loops of the usual.We head off and 2kms from the cars Ive run out of cornermen.Turn around gather up the others and find Mick and Ross stopped on corner 1. Ross has done a wheel bearing...damn..."check the axle bolt"...yep a bit loose. All fixed we head off again.
12 ks of single track to get the blood pumping and we arrive at parts unknown. "To the Lake...Follow me" but soon we were following Pounce as I couldn't make head nor tail of my new GPS.The lake should of been about 15 ks but weve done 22 and no sign of it yet. By now ,due to my dysfunctional ability as lead navigator I'm relegated to sweep.We find ourselves in a dilema...the lake is just over there only thing stopping us is 500m of Borneo jungle. Not a problem says Rob...who is now leading...we'll just make our way thru it. Well 100m in and we've all stopped, spread out over 30 m...but we can't see each other...we can hear each other and Mick knows I'm close, by the steam rising up thru the vegetation...all engines off...my bikes cooked I say...so is mine a voice says ...mine too another...how far to go Rob...about 400m...thats 395 too far...we all turn around ,I get lost but we finally make it out. Totally knackered we rest up for a while..."I guess thats it then,give up on the lake idea"...Why,says Pounce there's a perfectly good power line track about half a k away...Riigghhht... We finally get to "The Lake" and I high five Pounce and say "I new I'd find it in the end"...Riigghhht says Pounce. We ride around about a tenth of it and realise just how big it is,we,ll save the circumnavigation for another day.We head off on the return journey following Pounce and when were half way back he decides its time for some "tough love". Right ,I'm not leading any more, so its back to me again. Peice of piss I'll just follow the arrow on the Garmin ,right!. Wrong, instead of pressing "Return Home" I must of pressed "Up the Garden Path" coz thats where we were heading. Anyway we finally make it back to familiar territory, regroup and have a laugh (at my expense).Pounce explains where I went wrong...delete that Google Earth crap ,wrong coloured line,map orientation all wrong etc etc. I turn off the Garmin and switch to local knowledge and lead a loop thru some wicked single track a few hills and throw in a river crossing for Pounce. Back at the cars weve done 90ks, we refuel for another quick loop and Pounce takes the opportunity to depart and meet BBQ obligations. Another 40ks and were back at the cars. Load up then down the Woky Pub for a pint. All in all a good day virtually no dust, some mud a bit of water around and no injuries. Cheers to all involved, special thanks to Pounce for his navigational expertise and kind words of advice. PS I should mention I fell off twice ,once involving a log the other a couple of grass trees. Just one more job Pounce...stick this in reports please.    |
