Trail Report: July 7th 2002

It would appear that JAW is alone in the sleeping in category, by 9:15 seven riders had gathered! Wolfie brings over his young mate Geoff from work, a keen rider. Geoff is organised - an E300 van, complete with carpet, brings his trail weapon a choice to the meet. Geoff sits on a 2001 Suzi 400 thumper, and bog stock it will blow your doors off. There is no doubt this next generation of four stroke trailbikes are amazing bits of kit, did someone say the death of two strokes?

By 9:30 the players were rumbling their way out to a long since raced Time Trial event...

It's good to have rational fear. Upon rocking up to the Time Trial track only JAW and Rob expressed an interest in recording some times. "I saw farmer Joe on the way in, we should keep to the coast." "There are too many 4x4's about."

It's all talk. The competition of the Time Trial proves to be too much and everyone puts in a few laps. Wolfie comes out as da man of the hour entering the sub two minute club by a whisker. JAW shows some consistency and clutches 2nd place. Geoff the newbie takes it easy and puts in a casual lap although an observer would say a few more laps would shave quite a bit of time off. Brad is riding fast and Mik is a bit rusty, Rob seems off colour (did your footy team lose or something on Saturday Rob?) and Bec maintains her supremacy in the all-womens division ;)

On with the show. Alkimos is the usual the next destination and today is no exception. With plenty of rain from the previous night the sand is quite wet, but what a glorious winters day! As Wolfie would state "Oh this is just terrible, crikey, I would much rather be at home on the 'puter."

The Alkimos dune jump has no lip to speak of so those who are game bash the dunes seeing how tight a turn they can get out of the sand. Drop the bike low, lean hard into it with you boot out and let the revs flare out as the wheel spins it's way across the ground. Get it right, you'll feel like a sprint bike rider. Go to hard and you'll drop it on it's side - but it's only sand, it won't hurt ;)

Yanchep run is called. A shaky start, JAW and Brad follow Mik too close up a hill and all 3 come unstuck, Wolfie leads on down "Wolfies Agility Test" - the hard coastal route which proves a bit tricky for some including Mik who drops the bike on its side snapping off the clutch lever, again. Remember, wear some bark busters and keep the lever a bit loose - or have a bag of levers in your backpack. Not to be disheartened Mik carries on, clutchless.

It's about this time the the leaders are really starting to egg each other on. Crusty Quinns will never be the same again, it has moved to a new level. No more Mr Nice Guy following each other single file, players are riding right up each others rears and overtaking, shock horror ;)

The scrambling gets the the stage where JAW and Brad bang into each other trying to overtake in the same lane - With JAW aboard the anvil coming off a bit more stable, and Brad overtaking Mik pushing him into the bush. Hey, it's all in the spirit of the competition ;)

The troops head back to the Alkimos and Mik has to split to head out to work. Meantime, the players get to work on those dunes again, showing the 4x4's out there how it is done...

The "wall of sand" is irresistable to all the players, Rob and Bec both try it out for the first time. It's not that easy, but it's not too hard. Plenty of power on tap and a bit of momentum should see you through.

Brad and Wolfie get cocky and start throwing hands and boots off - and both come unstuck in doing so. But like we say, it's only sand. Sand however that snaps Brad's clutch lever rendering him clutchless for the rest of the day as well...

Everyone is riding hard, it must be the weather, it must be the competition. So hard that everyone comes unstuck at some stage through the day. Most stacks are simply from pushing the bike hard into loose sand corners, so it is more of an ungraceful stop than a stack

Wolfie on the other hand can have Stack of the Day, his fall was - from evidence gathered - a proper stack. Besides, he bent his plate number again and ripped a hole in his riding pants. He also muttered something about having a bruise the next day. Rider of the Day goes unawarded - too close to call.

It's just after lunch and the decision is made to head back. Not before stopping on a grassy section and doin' some monos - for those who can. Geoff, Rob and Wolfie don't quite sit on the balance point but they are the closest who do. A few happy snaps later and the gang heads back

...and rudely leave Rob and Bec behind thinking they are going to the back of Brighton! Now that's not nice. Brad and JAW hang around back at home wondering where they went, a check on the messageboard later shows that yes, they went out to Brighton and didn't find the rest of the gang so headed home. Next time, lets try to be team players huh?