VERi Harrow 100 Vinduro - 10th anniversary, 28-29 July 2018

[Short Stuff]

Again, where's that like button?

[GMC]

'So hot, they’re cool'

[80-85 husky]

Cooler than a bucket of Penguin shit!!

[Ekka]

Harrow all over for another year I've had a great weekend all round, thanks to all involved for the event and to the donations at the auction cheers Ek

[80-85 husky]

What a fabulous 10 year anniversary, the weather was kind with saturday perfect with a warm up lap around Lauchies and a few laps around the grass mx track being chased by a drone! a line up of bikes in front of the pub and a tour de force down the main st... some great auction action with the VTR boys performing magic!
overnight rain (of course ) set the tone for the day. the main course was a slippery gully rich run around the district with a great morning section thru the river bed area including the bridge complete with Kristen "The troll" Cahill fleecing punters for cash to get across. all $$ to the Big Bruce fund.
Out to the west of town for the main run and slippery slippery sliding across the paddocks in parts with some classic bogs trying to spoil your day...some loverly sand single lane in the ferns with wet logs and sticks keeping you on your toes...( a lot of much faster riders in here i noticed...younger too im hoping ) the run back to the finish was an exhibition from a fast maico rider who had lost the needle in the carb i rekon....it was only on the main jet the whole way! the grand finale was the river crossing with 40 experts to provide advice!

a huuugee thanks to the team of track makers, bridge builders and arrowers (and de arrowers) who put this event on for the vinduro faithfull...build it and they will come! also thanks to main VERI team for all the background effort and a great 10 year event was had by all....next year!!

[Tex]

What an event!

I arrived late to the party at the Hermitage Hotel on Friday night, which probably wasn’t a bad thing! As always it was a highlight to catch up with old friends, and make new ones, over a glass or two.

The short ride on Saturday was bliss. The sun shone, I was riding a great track with mates and all was good in the world. A minor step off didn’t spoil the buzz. A couple of laps around the grass track was enough for me and the XT250. Then it was back to the camp to refresh, and then assemble out the front of the Hermitage Hotel for group photos and a parade down the main street.

How cool was that? Two hundred odd vintage dirt bikes cruising through town! A magic moment.

Saturday night dinner is always good value. Prize giveaways from sponsors is always a nice touch. The auction for the coveted first starting positions was done with much hilarity, and I’m impressed at the amount of money put up for a good cause by the bidders.

There wasn’t much sunshine on Sunday morning, and some overnight rain had dealt with any dust you might’ve been able to find.

Bikes were off in quick succession and it was game on again. Conditions were noticeably more slippery than the previous day.

The toll bridge was a treat, and I’ve never crossed a bridge before where you have to go through water to get on and off it! I got a nice soaking as I exited.

With the slippin’ and slidin’ in full swing I dropped the front wheel over a bank and was precariously balanced on the verge of full submersion in deep water until a riding buddy grabbed the back of the bike and we carefully dragged it out of danger. I’m waiting to see if my other mate caught the incident on his Go-Pro.

Aside from that minor hiccup, the day was going well so far. Back through town, and after a quick splash of fuel it was time to set out for the rest of the ride.

A big thank-you to the sweep rider who helped out when the XT suddenly stopped.  We got it re-started. I caught up with my two buddies who’d been waiting for me down the track, and we pressed on.

At one point the low ground clearance of the XT saw me wedged after choosing the wrong rut. Drag it out, continue on.

I stepped into knee deep water to help a mate get his bike off a rock. If there were any dry spots in my boots, they were thoroughly soaked now. On the other side we stopped and I lent a spanner to a rider with a drowned Husky, while we caught our breath.

I loved the tight sandy single track through the bush areas. I hated the slimy, muddy track that ran forever beside those big dams. The rest of the day was pure Harrow Vinduro: riding through those big paddocks, looking for arrows, negotiating creeks, slimy logs, spine tingling off camber trails, and all the other stuff that makes this event so unique and hard to put into words.

I witnessed a couple of hilarious crashes courtesy of my riding buddy, the best being a high-side that sent him sliding on his face down a creek bank until a fence post stopped him from going into the water.

A successful crossing of the river at the camp ground marked the completion of my tenth Harrow Vinduro, and I’d earned a gold medal as well. Perfect.

A big thanks to all who made it happen, and in particular the township of harrow which always makes us so welcome.

Tex

[VERi]

The team prize at the 2018 Harrow Vinduro was won by Team Odd Bods from Queensland (Bill Linagh, Richard Dyke and Steve Martin). They travelled far to take part, rode with enthusiasm, and even helped tidy up. Oh, and they wore suits and took a candelabra to the Saturday night dinner!

Thanks to all of the other teams that took part: B1B2B3, Wurth, Handley, Vinduro Penrite Team, ACT UP, Misfits, Fishers & Shooters, Heaney, FBI, Creighton Crusaders, Gippy Boys, Team Sober, Sic Wog Machine, DVMCC, AMTRA, Dirty Bastards, Trents, Team Ag, 3 Bucks Short, Witch-er-way, Green & Gold, Dandenong MCC, Manly Warringa MCC, Husky NSW, Bus Boyz 1, Bus Boyz 2, SCAR, Colin’s Crew, The Fermiodds, Graham’s racing, Tolmie Beards, XL Boys, and Wandi Nuts.

[fred99999au]

Are there any final stats as to finishers and numbers?

I scored a bronze because I wasn't aware that Saturday arvo formed a part of the gold medal. Then some minor percussive maintenance after Lauchies place on Sunday and there weren't a lot of bikes out on the second Sunday stage after we pulled up and not many passed us and I reckon we were almost last in.

We didnt do the last stage from McClures as the rain was getting heavier and we were almost frozen.

[80-85 husky]

i hid in the coffee tent for the first rain squall then behind a big tree for the second and was back at base for the last one....lucked it in nicely!

[Tex]

Are there any final stats as to finishers and numbers?

Just shy of 220 entries. No way to measure finishers as such, but anecdotally I think most everyone rode at least some of the course.

2009: 18B, 1979 Suzuki PE175, no medals awarded
2010: 20A, 1979 Suzuki PE175, bronze
2011: 16A, 1979 Suzuki PE175, gold
2012: 32A, 1979 Suzuki PE175, silver
2013: 18A, 1981 Yamaha XT250, bronze
2014: 26C, 1977 Yamaha DT125, gold
2015: 97, 1981 Yamaha XT250, silver
2016: 115, 1981 Yamaha XT250, gold
2017: 33, 1981 Yamaha XT250, silver
2018: 46C, 1981 Yamaha XT250, gold

Might I add that to date I have a perfect Harrow record - 10 starts & 10 finishes! 

Tex

[80-85 husky]

lucky its a two day TEX

[Short Stuff]

One of the many joys of Harrow!

Realizing which bits didn't get a thorough plating and watching them waste away due to the acidic nature of the local ground water and soil. 

Fortunately, we have the technology to make them pretty again!

[80-85 husky]

ive just finished recoing the brakes at both ends, a new wheel bearing for both front and rear wheels..the Harrow carnage is still being counted.... trying to find a sudden leaness that appeared over the weekend so a big carb clean is in order along with a look at a few seals..arf arf

[VERi]

VERi is thrilled with the successful running of the tenth anniversary of the Harrow Vinduro last weekend. With 217 entries, it was by any measure a terrific weekend, and a fitting way to mark this milestone.

Obviously, an event of this scale is only made possible by the hard work of a large amount of people and organisations. We've attempted to name them below.

All the riders and friends/families who attended, Peter Drakeford, Stephen Baker, Rob Shoemark, Dennis Myers, the NSW crew who helped set out the course, Andrea King, Karen Flowers, the Hermitage Hotel, Greg Gunn, Jimbo Laidler, Barb Goddard, George Goddard, Lauchie Turner, John Liddell, John Howden, Mick Pettifer, St Johns ambulance, Rachelle Wilkinson, John Ball and his father in law Barry, Chris Bullen, Colin Harper, Kurt Goodman, Geoff Davis, Serge Coffa, Chris Ross, John 'Tex' O'Brien, Randall and the cafe staff, David White, Paul Penrose, Dean Caulfield, all of the property owners, the sweep riders, the local Victoria Policeman, VicRoads, the people and business owners of Harrow, those who travelled vast distances to participate, all the contributors to the souvenir booklet, and anyone else we've forgotten.

Our thoughts are with the four riders who were injured in separate incidents over the weekend, we hope you mend quickly!

And a special mention for our sponsors: Wurth, Wimmera Motorcycle Company, and Exit Brewing.

[VERi]

VERi delivers cheque for charity

Official press release

Over the past ten years the Harrow township has been the recipient of the largess of an unlikely source – motorcyclists. Over the past two years alone the Vintage Enduro Riders Inc. (VERi) have donated $9530 to associated local organisations.

This year with the outstanding assistance of WURTH, Exit Brewing and Wimmera Motorcycles as well as the generosity of members bidding for front start numbers 1A, 1B and 1C, the auction raised near $3000 which the club matched. The estimated amount of donations over the past ten years has been in the region of $20,000.

This year, Gregg Gunn (Vice President), Peter Drakeford (Secretary and founder of the event with landowner Lauchie Turner) and club member Colin Harper presented the group cheque to Ann Vaughn and Ron Penrose on behalf of the four local organisations.

What Harrow offered was a location to ride off road through some of the most scenic country in the west. What came with this country was a group of people that couldn’t do more to help put their town on the map and smooth the way for our event – the Harrow Vinduro.

VERi have run a multitude of events across Victoria over the years, including; Beaufort, Ballan, Blackwood, Benalla, Bonnie Doon, Broadford, Ruffy, Three Bridges, Stratford, Yarram, Castella, Hopetoun and Tallarook. But our biggest has always been at Harrow.

The attraction is actually it’s greatest drawback – distance. Harrow is so far from ‘anywhere’ that once you’re in town you make the most of it. The true grit award goes to the NSW crew travelling 1200ks, who discovered the Harrow Vinduro on its third running and have been a huge help in setting out the extended course.

Over the years, organisations benefiting directly through donations from VERi have been the Bush Nursing, The Johnny Mullagh Reserve Committee, the Memorial Hall Committee, and Visitors Center, the Tennis Club, the Harrow Development and Promotion Association and indirectly from patronage on this peak weekend: the Hermitage Hotel, the Museum, the Café and Garage. This year with the death of local dynamo Bruce Caulfield a new recipient is the Horseman’s Challenge organisation.

As ever, the last weekend in July is set in stone as the vintage enduro scene’s highlight of the year. Its reputation has crept into all corners of the off-road motorcycling scene as a ‘must do’ event. Now that the cockatoos have stopped screeching at the intruders, silence had descended on the town, but the club is planning already for the next year to be bigger and better.