Australasian Dirt Bike — January 2018

138 |JANUARY 2018 http://www.adbmag.com.au

TRAILRIDE|MYRTLEFORD ALPINE RALLY

138 | OCTOBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.au

Y

ou know those times
when you just need
to go for a ride? You
get all angry and
pissed off with the
world. Things just
aren’t right. You’re a
bit off your game
andthere’snothingthat’llsetyou
straight.Notevenbeerandpizza.Nup,
theonlycureisyourdirtbike.
Recently my wife found me
wandering around the house making
bikenoises,withmyelbowsuplikeI
wasroostingaroundthecornerfrom
theloungeroomtothehallway.
Revvingtheshoppingtrolleythrough
the Woolies frozen-food section was
thelaststraw,andmywifediagnosed
mewith‘SevereBikeWithdrawal’.She
pleaded, “Please, just go for a bloody
ride...you’redrivingmenuts!”
Soitwasagreatrelief(formeand
her)whenthestarsalignedandIwas
booked in for the 2017 Honda
Myrtleford Alpine Rally.
Having ridden the Alpine Rally a
fewtimes,andknowingwhatto
expect,Iwasmorethanpsyched.I
waspumped.Iwasfreakin’jumpin’
outtameskin.

LOADEDUPANDTRUCKING

TheboysatPowerhouseMotorcycles

coughed up a Sherco 300 SEF-R for me

toride.ThiswasagoodoptionasI’d

been on the sidelines for a while. It

wasexactlysixmonthssinceI’dbeen

onadecentride,sothebikethat

makes a bad rider look good was

perfect for me.

IheadeduptheHumeHighway

from Melbourne for the three-hour

drivetoMyrtlefordonFriday

afternoon.Justme,myvanloaded

with the mighty Sherco and my riding

gear.IstoppedattheBPservoforan

afternoonsnackwhereIspottedafew

dual-cab utes loaded with bikes and

hauling trailers. We exchanged cheesy

grinsofacknowledgement,contentin

the knowledge we were in the

companyoftrailridingbrothers.

With bike fuelled and some KFC on

board,Iwasbackontheroad.Yep,

only premium unleaded for my ride

andgreasy,dirtybirdforme.Afterall,

there’s nothing like prepping for your

firstrideinsixmonthswithsome

qualitybodyfuel.

AsIlickedmylipsandbelchedout

aKFCandPepsicocktail,itdawned

onmeIwasn’texactlyinprime

Bastoni Pizzeria in Myrtleford was perfecto!

The carpark had some cool rides

The track was well marked

Tuffy had a nice set-up for the ride

Chris Bonacci with Chad Talbot

WORDS & PHOTOS // STEPHEN TUFF

ALPINE

RALLY

REVAMP!

The Honda Myrtleford Alpine Rally

revved the hearts and minds of

weekend warriors with fresh trails

for a frothing good time