Twiggy
Pack Dog
So Saturday the 14th dawned bright and beautiful, it had been pouring with rain for the whole week and mariasburg would be the perfect place to ride post down pour.
We had four riders, myself on my KDX200, eatmyktm (andrew) on his KTM 990, baby bear (Gary) on his kdx200 and Chalsam (Kenny) on his BMW 1200gs, with out knobblies. It was Gary's fourth time off roading, having met him 2 weeks earlier on his second ever ride he was, as we all are, still finding his feet on that ride. Just for a moment I would like to say that if you ever ride with baby bear (who will soon become big bear just cos of natural talent) you will understand the courage and will power this man has just to get on a bike!
We set off after getting ourselves kitted which since we were chatting and prepping bikes it took quiet a while. I think Kenny was a little relieved that it was infact a ride for heavy metals as Andrew was on one. Gary and Kenny were unfamiliar with the territiry but with myself and andrew knowing the area well it worked out well. Gary and I stuck together because of us both being on plastics and Andrew and Kenny stuck together in their heavy metal club. One thing that Kenny had not experienced was the looks on other riders on plastics faces as these guys came past on these big ass bikes. It is funny as hell!We took our general route, missing the first super narly section and onto the flats where we held quiet a fast pace for a newbie and heavy metals through the technical wooded section on the right side of the dune. I was impressed as I glanced back and the amazing lines baby bear was taking, i'm of the pin it and crash over/through something school, he was picking beautiful lines that I hadn't even noticed. We had a break and took up the faster pace over the whoops, which were horribly wet, and the narly black mud. Kenny showed us how exactly to handle a heavy metal through the mud, in fact I was the only one who got a bit stuck. I had been riding behind him over a technical rock section and you can see his trails bike background coming out. The way he weighted the foot pegs was amazing, it was the perfect way to show how exactly one should do it, it was a def light bulb moment for me. Andrew went the least tested route over the rocks, ie the hardest route he could find, he still amazes me with his ability on his big bike.
We went through to the bowl and had a break, where Kenny took a brilliant photo of the other three of us (I will get one of him soon). Andrew again freaked out every one by showing the plastics how the hectic climb of the bowl should be done, on his 990. All the guys watching him were wondering about his mental state, me to be honest. We decided to head to the dune, baby bear and I taking the most direct route of over the left hand side dune and down the narly other side with Andrew and Kenny going around. The route down the other side is hectic, you have to go down a ways then turn sharply to go up and then turn sharply again to go down. Baby bear got a bit freaked and misbalanced but he picked himself up in true trooper fashion and carried on. We blew through to the dune, were the rain had made the dune a bikers paradise of tight packed sand. Andrew can do it in his sleep on his 990 (still causing onlookers to contemplate the mental institute) and I have just learnt how to go down on power. Baby bear decided to give it a try, 4th ride and this insane thing decides, hmmm 5 storey dune lets hit it. He made two attempts and got chowed by the lip, like every one does, I was impressed, after rescuing him, he decided he will beat it and THIRD attempt, made it up! He was smiling for the rest of the day. I was like a proud mother.
We headed back, to flash our favourite watering spot. But we found that the black mud had been turned up and I had to ride the KTM out with Andrew lifting up the back, we tried the same with the GS but we landed with the wheels in two different ruts, after all four of us lifted the bike and landed up COVERED in mud we decided a bit of liquid was needed. We stopped at flash for a choccie and a coke, and good chats, and a discussion on Viagra. It was hilarious. We set off again, slightly different route through the dry river bed and back on the whoops. Our favourite launching spot we stopped and Kenny took some truely awesome photo’s, and proof that Andrew can get 220 kg’s of heavy metal off the ground. We picked a hectic pace back with a narly drop which every one handled really well. We arrived back at the garage elated, exhausted and wanting to go back out (we did the next day).
The one thing that will struck me about the ride was the fact no matter how tired, stuck or completely screwed we were, Kenny always had a huge smile on his face, baby bear was up for any challenge (I later found out that if a GIRL can do it than he should at least try). Thank you guys for making this one of the great Mariasburg rides, still picking mud outta my hair. Till the next time guys, I hope to ride with you guys again really soon, Kenny, I’m so glad you made it and hope you had fun, expect your invite back, you’re so confident and comfortable on our ‘great dane’ that you make it look far to easy!! Baby bear, well done on your courage and enthuism is something everyone should learn from!
We had four riders, myself on my KDX200, eatmyktm (andrew) on his KTM 990, baby bear (Gary) on his kdx200 and Chalsam (Kenny) on his BMW 1200gs, with out knobblies. It was Gary's fourth time off roading, having met him 2 weeks earlier on his second ever ride he was, as we all are, still finding his feet on that ride. Just for a moment I would like to say that if you ever ride with baby bear (who will soon become big bear just cos of natural talent) you will understand the courage and will power this man has just to get on a bike!
We set off after getting ourselves kitted which since we were chatting and prepping bikes it took quiet a while. I think Kenny was a little relieved that it was infact a ride for heavy metals as Andrew was on one. Gary and Kenny were unfamiliar with the territiry but with myself and andrew knowing the area well it worked out well. Gary and I stuck together because of us both being on plastics and Andrew and Kenny stuck together in their heavy metal club. One thing that Kenny had not experienced was the looks on other riders on plastics faces as these guys came past on these big ass bikes. It is funny as hell!We took our general route, missing the first super narly section and onto the flats where we held quiet a fast pace for a newbie and heavy metals through the technical wooded section on the right side of the dune. I was impressed as I glanced back and the amazing lines baby bear was taking, i'm of the pin it and crash over/through something school, he was picking beautiful lines that I hadn't even noticed. We had a break and took up the faster pace over the whoops, which were horribly wet, and the narly black mud. Kenny showed us how exactly to handle a heavy metal through the mud, in fact I was the only one who got a bit stuck. I had been riding behind him over a technical rock section and you can see his trails bike background coming out. The way he weighted the foot pegs was amazing, it was the perfect way to show how exactly one should do it, it was a def light bulb moment for me. Andrew went the least tested route over the rocks, ie the hardest route he could find, he still amazes me with his ability on his big bike.
We went through to the bowl and had a break, where Kenny took a brilliant photo of the other three of us (I will get one of him soon). Andrew again freaked out every one by showing the plastics how the hectic climb of the bowl should be done, on his 990. All the guys watching him were wondering about his mental state, me to be honest. We decided to head to the dune, baby bear and I taking the most direct route of over the left hand side dune and down the narly other side with Andrew and Kenny going around. The route down the other side is hectic, you have to go down a ways then turn sharply to go up and then turn sharply again to go down. Baby bear got a bit freaked and misbalanced but he picked himself up in true trooper fashion and carried on. We blew through to the dune, were the rain had made the dune a bikers paradise of tight packed sand. Andrew can do it in his sleep on his 990 (still causing onlookers to contemplate the mental institute) and I have just learnt how to go down on power. Baby bear decided to give it a try, 4th ride and this insane thing decides, hmmm 5 storey dune lets hit it. He made two attempts and got chowed by the lip, like every one does, I was impressed, after rescuing him, he decided he will beat it and THIRD attempt, made it up! He was smiling for the rest of the day. I was like a proud mother.
We headed back, to flash our favourite watering spot. But we found that the black mud had been turned up and I had to ride the KTM out with Andrew lifting up the back, we tried the same with the GS but we landed with the wheels in two different ruts, after all four of us lifted the bike and landed up COVERED in mud we decided a bit of liquid was needed. We stopped at flash for a choccie and a coke, and good chats, and a discussion on Viagra. It was hilarious. We set off again, slightly different route through the dry river bed and back on the whoops. Our favourite launching spot we stopped and Kenny took some truely awesome photo’s, and proof that Andrew can get 220 kg’s of heavy metal off the ground. We picked a hectic pace back with a narly drop which every one handled really well. We arrived back at the garage elated, exhausted and wanting to go back out (we did the next day).
The one thing that will struck me about the ride was the fact no matter how tired, stuck or completely screwed we were, Kenny always had a huge smile on his face, baby bear was up for any challenge (I later found out that if a GIRL can do it than he should at least try). Thank you guys for making this one of the great Mariasburg rides, still picking mud outta my hair. Till the next time guys, I hope to ride with you guys again really soon, Kenny, I’m so glad you made it and hope you had fun, expect your invite back, you’re so confident and comfortable on our ‘great dane’ that you make it look far to easy!! Baby bear, well done on your courage and enthuism is something everyone should learn from!
