What a day, Hamish and I arrived at Newry around 7.50 to find 8 keen fellow riders awaiting, we did the attendance sheet and chatted for 15 or so minutes, I kept an eye on my phone as their was too missing, as it was now after 8 and it was time to go, we headed for the parking area at Mnt Angus Trk, arriving around 8.30.
At 9.15 we through the legs over and headed off from Mnt Angus we went down Huggets Rd cross the river at Huggets and headed up Lower Block Trk to Ben Cruchan Rd criss crossing the river and turning right into Avon Rd heading back to Mnt Angus Tk and headed north taking it all the way to Old Maroka Rd to Pleydells Spur Trk and headed sth to Valencia Creek Trk and eventually finding our way to one of the New Place Trks.
Maybe due to the last fires their was not many sign posts in place but thanks to Chappa he had a good idea of what tracks where what but the bush was a different place due to the fires, it is much more open, this caused me to take a couple of tracks that where not on my route sheet so we had a couple of U turns along the way, we eventually found our way to scrubby creek trk and then Paddy Lees where we crossed the crossing and right into Maroka Rd, then left into Stans Trk and back to Mnt Angus Trk and back to the cars just after 4pm with130klms on my trip meter.
We had mid 20s most of the day, the creeks where dry but the rivers where wet and the tracks where dusty, we had lunch on Old Maroka Rd in a fly pit but had some shade from the warm sun.
After lunch I set the faster riders free to explore the trails in front of us, Hamish got a flat in the rear near the end of Valencia Creek Trk, the Tubless insert valve stem getting ripped out of the inner tube, a quick stuff inn of a replacement 21 inch tube and rim lock and we where off relatively quickly, {Thanks Mat} A big shout to Steve, punching the big Dr around the high country all day, Well done mate, A huge thanks to everyone who came along, I think everyone had a great day , I certainly did , sorry we missed you at the meeting point Steven.
I think a couple kissed the dirt through out the day, I had a little swim when I found a greasy rock with my front wheel on one of the many river crossings but the motor stayed dry which was a big bonus but apart from that the day went fairly smoothly,
I had mixed emotions about the last fire, it was sad to see the lush greenness gone but at the same time It was amazing to be able to see through the bush and see the trails in the distance weaving around and up and down the mountains.
I'm not sure about the rest of you but I was certainly ready for my bed after dinner last night.
1. Will Munro Ride guide Berg TE300
2, Pommy Matt Morning Tail KTM 300EXC
3, Ronie O'rorke Arvo Tail YZ450FX
4, Dave Chapman Berg 550
5. Tim Chapman KTM 350EXC
6, Steve Morris DR650
7, Hamish Munro KTM 300EXC
8, Lynton McPhail WR250
9, Paul Alabach KTM 250EXC
10, Simon Watts WR450
