Wow, what a rip snorta Bagshot was. Big cheer to Bendigo Motorcycle Club for putting on this innaugural event, really hoping it continues. With an entry line-up comprising 66 riders and a myriad of bikes, it certainly was a show of support for these type of events. Short course sprint type format with as many laps as you can muster. And, being only 5klm per lap, it enabled memory to be part of the equation a lot sooner.
The track itself had a bit of everything, more on that later....
A mate Mark Barber rocked up at my place noon saturday with his Hilux ute and IT490 on the back, we were soon on our way and were really keen for an egg and bacon sanger from the general store at Tooboruc....but alas, the reno's still have 3 months to go before normal menu is resumed...again, we had to stop at Heathcote for food...and smokes...and beer...and ice....and a tyre kick etc.
Turned off at Axedale and were soon on the dirt roads north of Bagshot entering the Bendigo Car Club's 4x4 complex, assigned the onerous task of harbouring a bevvy of known motorcycle hoons....
The early crews were there, Ashley and Co, the Bacchus Marsh ensemble...in fact a neat line a 8 shiney IT's adorned the small grassed area near the buildings. A constant flow of arrivals ensued for the remainder of the day and evening....wow, it was certainly building...the atmoshere and the bench racing was on in earnest. Bike swaps were going on with almost every second arrival, trade was brisk, smiles were wide, blokes were happy. More deals were done at Bagshot than I have ever seen yet, and I received my Harrow dvd from Tony T, thanks mate, awesome work!!
Mick turned up on his newly acquired Kwaka and the talk soon turned to colourful....
Mark and I departed at dusk to a nearby establishment for a feed, the Goornong Pub..
..we had a pot each as we waited for our take away counterie meal. We enjoyed our tucker back at camp (better atmosphere) washed down with several beers and then resumed the bench racing and what if's.....before it got too silly, I retired at 10:30. Slept surprisingly well considering the chainsaw in the dome tent right next to me......!!
Woke up to the sound of car tyres on gravel and the whine of heater fans...6:20am, gees they were coming thick and fast already. 3c and the campfire was still going...good old mallee roots. Overcast morning and a massive dew, the fire was good....
At one stage, many watched, waited and anticipated the pros and cons of a B-Double fuel or feed tanker wending it's way through the tightly treed road adjacent to the property...it did kill time as we all waietd for some action.
Pretty soon some form of organisation started as some people recognised some people as soon some people were heading to the same place...it soon became evident that a van and card table was Vinduro HQ, Sign in division. Within 30 mins over 45 entrants had visited the van....I was #25...
Catering arrived and the smell of eggs, bacon and coffee preceded the aroma of 2t and the grumble of 4t's throughout the campsite/assembly area.
We had the briefing and we at last saw who had done all the hard work....except for John Mclean who was still visible out on the track banging in stakes....
Seems a simple set-up....go out the start gate, go round, get ya' number taken each lap at the end and away ya' go again, or snail trail across the massive parce ferme to the camp grounds for your pleasure or tinker.
We were called to start and I had already warmed my bike, big thanks to mxmark for slipping me a new plug as my bestest one desired complete rest. Two of us got to the start gate first and we stopped but got waved through...gees I thought I was gonna start at number 25, but the whole set-up was very relaxed, all said and done it doesn't really matter....except not knowing where the course was going....
The start was a wide open track with a left right left at good pace and then it simply dove into a right hander in sand with a 10" gap between a fence and a fallen tree...wow talk about tight single trail. First little section was tight full lock turns with a few decent logs to cross and then it got even tighter as the track zig-zags between small sapling. You really had to turn your bars away from the trees, one smack and you were instantly off line with no room for recovery...very testing until some berms appeared.
After negotiating the tight stuff the track opens out onto a wide track and up through the gears ya' go at frenetic pace till you dive off the road into the tight stuff again. All in all, a very good mix with an ever growing bog-hole and some good high speed jumps....I certainly enjoyed that having got some "good air".
Once the memory let you keep it pinned, some of the wooded areas were really awesome fun, the dust and roost adding to the spectacle. Some mounds were simple roosted away and not long after the berms were getting really out of shape as it was dry as a bone, the bulldust just does not compact and front wheel washouts were common. Rear wheel steering helped but only where there was adequate room. It sure was fun though.
The only thing that didn't go too well was having food and a coffee at the lunch break (and not checking my fuel) I took off on my penultimate lap after a sit down and oh boy, those darned saplings were too quick for my instinctive responses. I had at this stage taken my bark-busters off to give me more room*, but I was still collecting them with my elbow and shoulder pads...bike was fine...it was just me banging from side to side, tree to tree. A few trees were quite willing and able to attack from above too, so it was really up under over and around the buggers.
I even dodged a shingle back...twice, gees no wonder they call 'em Sleepy Lizards!!
I started my 14th lap and went onto reserve, thinking it's only 5klm's...what could go wrong....but, have since learnt I was on reserve all day. So, whilst riding the course was so much fun and enjoyable to the point of loving it and wanting to ride all day...pushing a bike is not. Fair dinkum, not knowing exactly where base camp was and which is a straight line to it, I had to follow the tracks. I eventually saw vehicles and knew where to go, I went through the finish gate but the lap wasn't counted...bummer, but I was absolutely stuffed...I think I drank half a crownie before I realised I had just put the death knell on any more riding, I downed the rest and took off my armour and pads...then cracked another, I was done. Happy I had done well and only fallen at walking pace...still have all my levers and lenses...alas, no more bark busters*.
Sorry, no pics, my son couldn't make it unfortunately and I didn't take any at all. Mark took some but has to figure out the download from a phone thing. These are some pics that Mick has taken, thanks Mick....
Early lap....
Bit later on me thinks....
**When I took my bark busters off after 6 laps I had a better go of it through the tight stuff, probably a good thing as if I had to rely on them I would have been sorely mistaken....
Both mounts were found to be cracked right through....
I finally had time and washed my bike this morning and I noticed a blue-grey mould growing on my rear tyre...anyone else have this after Bagshot...it wasn't there after Harrow!
Nothing visible on the front tyre, even with a blue filter setting....
I got a nice medal for participating in the Bagshot Vinduro and am rapt about that. I will be cherishing these momentoes when I'm done stirring the nursing home staff....
A big thanks to the Bendigo Motor Cycle Club and it's members for putting on this event and the Bendigo Car Club for the use of the complex. With 65 other riders surely thinking it was an awesome event, I'm certainly hoping for the "second annual" Bagshot Vinduro.
My only gripe was I didn't take the little TC125...it had a full tank too.
Most lappers were 23 (SL125) and a CT125 doing 20 or so, I think Tex and Dewy123 managed 18-19 a piece as well...never seen so many blokes with grins as at the medal presentations, excellent weekend.
Cheers,
Chris.
