Yep, she was a top weekend alright. The weather gods smiled for a change and gave us a perfect two days of sun, clear skies and mild temps. In fact I even raised a sweat!
Dennis and crew designed a very nice loop of something like 10-15km - a little of everything including some open trails, tight single track with plenty of switchbacks, some great little gully sections which were moist and tacky but not wet, and some nice elevation changes.
It was a perfect mix for me - probably around 25 minutes a lap so, enough time to get a workout but not so long as to wear me out. The IT175 pulled two head studs loose but with a bit of care I was able to keep it running all weekend though by the last lap it did sound a bit second hand. Looks like a top end rebuild is due...
Everywhere I looked I saw smiling faces and happy campers. I don't think there were any major dramas or injuries to speak of. Blokes were happy to stand around and talk, catch up or just watch the proceedings as much as get out on the trail. A real good vibe buzz was apparent through the whole weekend.
I am not that fit and found that one lap was enough, then back to the pits for a spell before knocking off another. The guy pitted next to me though - he headed out on his trusty XR250 and reeled off 6 quick laps in one go! Respect from me.
The best thing though was just checking it all out. Lazing under a pitshade, cooling down after a fun lap and just watching the whole scene. It looked like 1982 all over again - PEs, ITs, Huskies, KDXs and KTMs, even a Can Am Sonic. And seemed like a LOT of prolink XR Hondas.
The track started out as a couple of short gully sections below the pits, then a fun little squirt across a paddock with nice loamy soil to hook into before a short hill section which led to the best little twisty hillclimb through some tight-ish switchbacks, all the while carving through lovely thick topsoil. And that was pretty much how the next 10km unfolded. How nice is that???
Full marks from me - thanks to everyone who helped organise it all and thanks to everyone who came along, rode and had a ball.
