Australasian Dirt Bike — September 2017

88 | SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.au

reportsfromtheriders.

Friday arvo and into the night riders

headedoffthehighwaywithalittle

rainontheirwindshields,ontothe

dirtanddownatracktoasecluded

propertyrunbyKeithandLinda

Crawford. Home for the next two days.

Thecampgroundwassetupin

three sections, the sweeps’ private

areadownbytheriverbed,afamily

areaforquiettypesandthenthe

rowdy quarter for those wanting a few

drinksandsomeinterestingmusic.

Shoutouttothedudeswiththe

soundtrackgoingfromSlimDustyto

techno,eclectric,that’sallIcansay.

Thesmellofsmokefilledtheairon

Friday night as riders lit up their fire

pits to combat the chill. After heading

tobedwiththreesleepingbags,

thermals and a beanie, I woke up

coveredinsweat.It’snotascoldas

back home.

Saturday’s weather turned it on, it

wasJuneandafteracoffee,anda

baconandeggburgerfromtheLions

Clubcrewthebriefinggotunderway.

Theofficialopeningwasdoneby

Stanwell Corporation representative

Trevor Kilpat rick, who kept t hings

quickashewasgeareduptoride.

TURNOUT

628ridersheadedoutonthree

differenttracks.Theopenriders

fangeditoutonsingletracktothe

creekbed.Thenovicesbattledthe

long grass along flat country then

could decide if they were keen for a

challengeonthehardtrackorwanted

alittlewarmupfirstontheeasyone.

Back within view of the family

campsite,thePeeWeesattackedthe

flat track circuit with an epic little

jumpattheend.Theexpertstackled

48km of singletrack through regrowth

country with smooth drop offs into

thesandycreekbed,stillwetfromthe

floodingrainafewweeksbefore.

Ridershadtheoptionsofattempting,

tackling or epically failing the

hillclimb, which was moderately

gnarly until it peaked near vertical. A

few made it.

Riders took on boulders, rock

climbs, fast singletrack through the

scrubbyregrowthsectionsofbush

andinandoutofthesandycreek

stretches. Riders enjoyed the

technicalsectionsofthecourse,

honingtheirsandskillsandriding

ruts ability. Throughout the course,

therewereplentyofvalleydrops,

which had fatigued riders who’s gear

selectionorrevswereabitofffailing

tomaketheexitsoutofthevalleyand

choosing to take what one might call

the scenic route.

There was plenty of gnarly sand

sections for both the expert and

noviceriders,nicesoftjuicysections

with the open riders challenging wet

quicksandsectionssuckingintyres

likeavilemonster.

Alex got stuck upside down under

hisbikeinthecreekafterhegot

sucked into a big rut, he wasn’t

physicallyhurt,butspiritandpride

After

heading to

bed in three

sleeping bags,

thermals and

abeanie,

Iwokeup

covered in

sweat

TRAILRIDE I KINGAROY TWO-DAY, QLD

were still feeling a bit tender on

Saturday night at the bar because he

had to be helped out by some dude

after being stuck for “quite a while”.

A couple of the hills got really dug

out, the double step up out of the

creek became more challenging for

riders as it continued to get chewed

out, a few dudes’ navigation was a bit

off trying to find their way back on

the track.

Isaac Munt rode in a group of seven

Kingaroy boys that come out every

year. His first day proved to be epic

entertainment for the boys. “I got a

flat tyre on the first lap, so had to get

back up the road, then I got bogged in

the mud, the bike was nearly under

the water at one stage. I tried to be a

This hillclimb was optional and caused havoc smart arse and go through a creek and

Wheelies were the favourite order

The

riders

Peewees 22

Novice 150

Open 416

Sweeps 40