http://www.crustyquinns.com
I have been asked to add some of our reports to this section.
Anyone coming to Perth in West Aus is welcome to join us for a ride.
We might even be able to lend you a bike if needed.
05/06/11
2010 West Coast Safari Tour
http://www.westcoastsafaris.com.au/
Day 1
ROTD: WRRob
SOTD: Roley
Day 2
ROTD: HUSQ MIKE
SOTD: DRZAllan
Day 1 - Report by Biggles.
It always promised to be a great event and 2010 was again a success. I arrived about 2.00 on the Friday for a one on one training session with Staino, not the full 4 hours but just an hour to give me a few pointers for a smoother and a bit faster ride. Stuff you guys are probably already good at.
DRZ Allan and DRZ Troy, now WRF Allan and Troy arrived soon after for a warm up ride because they had not ridden for some time and had arranged with Georgina for a short tour. Off they went and we followed soon after.
Staino followed me for a few km (not often you get in front of him, but more of that later), critically eyeing my riding technique and style (?) and I rode as hard as I could demonstrating a few flaws in my riding skills like missing the odd corner, woosing out on steep downhills and so on.
So we stopped and had a debrief, the good thing was that I was riding better than last year but there is always room for improvement, Stand up straight and rest you legs when you can, be more aggressive on the rough sections, look ahead, look for gifts and wind that throttle back and have fun were just a few of the key points.
As we continued on Staino would pull me over and have me run through a number of exercises. On a tight trail running back and forth through a corner trying to nail the almost invisible berm or undulation until he was happy I was progressing. Then out on the wider tracks performing similar exercises having first demonstrated how it should be done.
It was great fun and if nothing else I was getting plenty of practice doing U turns. My confidence was definitely up even though I didn't nail it most of the time but I think my average was improving.
On the way back we ran along the fenceline and I had a run at some fast sections attacking it with a bit of energy, back and forth a few times at different speeds and with a bit more confidence.
Then it was time to head back and have a debrief.
Over the years you pick up some well informed information from friends and other riders, sometimes it sinks in and you progress other times it missed the mark. However I think spending the time with Staino was more focussed and organised and he has a good coaching technique with plenty of patience. Time and money well spent, I will be back for more training soon.
How I would go over the next 2 days would be interesting.
Enough about me, as the evening grew darker and colder the Crusty's arrived and set up camp some of us went off to the pub for dinner in Kirup, others cooked up a feed on the bbq. After dinner around the furnace of a campfire, there was much talk and anticipation for the days ahead and most of the guys hit the sleeping bags early on.
Saturday arrived cool but dry and after the paperwork was efficiently processed and the riders meeting complete we were off.
After a short fenceline run we were into the forest and from then on the day was an ever changing array of trails and tracks and challenges. I had my first off on a silly downhill corner when the front washed out and I fell heavily on my right should, ouch that hurt, but nothing broken so early in the ride. This was quickly followed by another fall on the right shoulder (ouch that hurt again) going up an easy but slippy hill (mental note to see Staino about this next time).
Obviously not quite I the groove yet I lost it on rocky hill which should have been easy for me, some of us are slow starters or is it slow learners. Things could only get better.
And they did, the next big challenge was the roller coaster like track up the side of a hill, we did it last year so I knew I could do it again. Half way up the first section I ran out of speed and had to stop, then start again, the trusty Recluse clutch easing on the power for a nice smooth take off on the steep section. Then over the top and bugger! there is a second steeper section that I had forgotten about and only one way to go, that's up.
So with throttle wide open in some gear I made it to the top, things were looking up.
Obviously filled with energy and enthusiasm I charged into the distance passing cornerman after cornerman, eventually running out of cornermen and even the trail leader, but hey the trails were great and were going in my direction. I thought that flouro jacket looked familiar as it passed me, and did I detect a bit of a roost or am i just too sensitive :-)
At morning tea Staino thanked me for leading and I figured all that training had paid off.
After that I never looked back (I was too scared). Lots of single track through the pine forest where we thought Staino was making it up as he went, and expected us to follow, it was quite open in the pine forest but there was only Staino's single track for much of the way, it really made you look ahead. How I ended up behind Staino at this point I really don't know ( I have a theory that all the good riders hid in the bush and waited for me to go past so they could get a clear run together and let me win a cornerman position).
The single trails were hard work and it was good to have a rest as cornerman especially when someone got stuck it was good recovery time.
The terrain changed continually, awesome wide firebreaks through the pines with berms on every corner, ever changing light conditions, long long, fast, single track hill climbs where I thought I would run out of fuel before I reached the top.
Face slapping, helmet banging tunnels of undergrowth broke the rhythm of the smooth flowing trails as if to wake you up and remind you of how good it really can be. These torture tunnels opened up into fast fire trails, then tight single trail, there was never a dull moment, and all this before lunch.
As usual there was plenty to eat and drink for lunch, Georgina aways puts on a good spread, then we were off again, destination Manjimup.
The afternoon session was less intense, more flowing trails and single track, I felt I was riding pretty well and the tips from Staino were starting to come together. A couple of times I had the throttle on the 250 fully open in top gear on a single track (but not for too long), I was hanging it out on a few faster corners and I even nailed a berm or two, this was fun.
Every now and then the fast open trails would shut down into dark tight forest single track and the whole game changes, don't you just love the variety of this style of riding, it must be better than beating around a gravel track.
The whole group worked really well, the faster riders were patient and the slower riders considerate (not that I met many slower riders). Then there was Carlo, I think it means The Bull in Italian. Carlo was charging, nearly took me out as cornerman then went on to wipe out on a slippery gravel road, breaking a bolt on the handlebars and putting his bike out of action for the rest of the weekend, picking up the HOG award but no injuries for his stack.
For his misdemeanor he was assigned a TTR to ride and a set of fairy wings, which as you would expect he took in good humour.
Were were soon trundling into Donnybrook and looking forward a hot shower, a feed and a comfortable bed after an exhilarating day on the trails.
There were a few awards after dinner which Roley discusses elsewhere in the report, but SOTD went to Allan for his run in with a tree as he attempted a steep rocky track while most of us looked on. I though at first he had found a new route when he took off over some very large rocks at the side of the track, but a tree got in the way and stopped his progress. The throttle had stuck.
A subsequent attempt was successful and all on helmet cam, so well done.
Husky Mike went up and down the track 3 times so a well deserved ROTD.
Day 2 - Report by Biggles.
Sunday would be even better than Saturday, well that was the plan. No difficult sections, optional hill climb, lots of fast flowing trails.
Almost to plan, there were a few Torture Tunnels, a few logs to hop over and lots of fast flowing trails with a few single tracks thrown in the mix, it was great fun and the pace was a little more relaxed as a few Crusty's were feeling the effects of a misspent night and lack of trail time. But I felt great as a few pills seemed to have fixed the sore shoulder.
The near miss for the morning was the timber bridge, talk about slip sliding away. I never thought I could do two whips from side to side in about 10 metres and still stay upright, man that bridge was as slippery as a wet fish. My apologies to Roley, I figured if I made it and there wasn't a pile of bodies on the other side or anyone with a camera, then it must be just me, and that the more experienced riders would have no problems, so i just kept going.
The long monster hill was a sight to behold, from a point near the top you could see forever and the riders at the bottom of the hill looked tiny.
I think Sweep Darren went first, it was a long and rough ride but he sailed past the group showering everyone with rocks as he reached the top.
Husky Mike ran into trouble on the way down and again half way up, but as tough as he is he went back down again and almost leisurely rode to the top without incident.
Allan, Staino and Hooters went down to the start which was at least a km from where we were standing. Hooters made a run for it and after a while Staino followed, it was a race to the top and it was full on, both bikes powering up the loose, rock slope, Staino was going hard and flying along, he was not going to lose this event.
Both riders flew past in a shower of rocks but it was Staino who hit the top first, well done to both of you.
The finale was Allan's attempt, a gutsy run and looking good when he flipped it right in front of the crowd after going more than 3/4 up the hill, well done again Allan.
Lunch on Sunday was huge and many a Crusty left a bit on his plate, the venue was just ideal and it was hard to make a start after lunch, we struggled but got it all together eventually.
While on cornerman duties it was nice to relax in the forest and contemplate and meditate while Roley fixed his puncture, oh the serenity.
I had a couple of frights though before the day was out, at the bottom of short section of single track there was a graded drain with a nice lip, feeling brave I attacked it with a fistful of throttle and launched off it only land on the lip of a second drain. I thought that was it as the bike rebounded back into the air, but hung on (what else can you do) and to my relief and surprise the final landing was uneventful and I continued on asking myself why didn't you see the second lip you dummy.
The second incident was on a a transport section the wide open road, sun shining, 80 km/hr just cruising/daydreaming not looking ahead, who put that bend there, who put that ditch there, how can I get out of the ditch without anyone noticing, will anyone notice the skid marks on the road?
No damage done, only ego.
It wasn't long before we were on the final charge home, still with energy to burn I loved the run through the wide winding tracks and up the spoon drains where I had ridden previously with Staino. I really hit them as hard as I could, this was awesome, this was fun, this is what it is all about, what a blast. I know I am not the most accomplished rider or the fastest but I really had a ball and I really appreciate riding with you guys (and girls) again.
Who said something about a 3 day?
Bugger I have to go and wash my bike now...
