Ivanhoe, Western NSW

[Advwannabe]

The Bikeme! Crew planned a run out to Ivanhoe for an outback get together called Burn Ranga Burn. Ed and I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to do some fat arsed adventure biking.
A cunning plan was hatched and we only pulled out of Tharwa half an hour behind schedule. Situation normal then, as was the off again on again drizzle out the back of the Brindies.

The gravel out of Wee Jasper was good fun as always, then just as we were thinking of changing out of our wets our minds were made up for us when I did some impromptu gravel surfing. A nicely camouflaged layer of gravel courtesy of the Palarang council. Cheers guys.





We kept some evidence for later.

Fantastic effort from the crashbars, basically pick the bike up, check it over then ride on. Good armoured jacket and Draggins and all I had was some friction rash on the knee. I don't like crashing, but it doesn't get into my head if I know what's gone wrong. More on this later. Ed was kind and refrained from the pointing and laughing for the time being.



Here's the hardened adventurer in the transport stage planing his next assault on the Dakar.

Out the other side of Coota and brother Ed had prepared a fine assortment of smooth fast and fun gravel. Woo hoo!

Out near Rankin Springs the sand and bull dust got a little deeper. Rear ends slides out of corners became front end washes in a straight line and our bikes reminded us that north of 250kegs in the gravel is a marginal idea. We were getting further out back though and that means big sky, big ideas and soul medicine.





Meanwhile some of our compadres were busy crashing their brains out or failing to proceed with one ailment or another. It's just a road, but you still have to respect it, especially out here.

Ed and I proceeded down the Mossgeil Rd. This delightful route started out with four inch wheel ruts, then progressed to gravel in the ruts, then bull dust filled ruts with mud hole garnish finishing up with everyone's favourite, bull dust holes. It was a reasonably searching examination on the FAABs, especially with green Tigger missing and flat spotting from time to time. Our Friend Quolly did it on Buttercup! (R1100S) Respect.




Tiggers 2, Mossgeil rd nil.

This time.



Here's the hardened adventurers arriving at their destination.

So Ivanhoe's a hole in the middle of the desert right? Maybe, but 50 mates, wide open country and a local cop with urgent business elsewhere lends a certain magic. I'd been crook in the lead up and hit the hay about 11 but the boys powered on to the wee hours.

What does one do for an alarm clock in Ivanhoe? A large man yelling things in Serbian does quite nicely actually. Several Serbians made the trip and added much to the flavour of the occasion. They yelled things at Dark O'clock. They cooked all manner of things on the little portable fire grate they had with them. They checked their rev limiters riding up and down the main street of town. When they could find a right side muffler for their ancient ZZR600 they just blocked that side off. Simple. 

Large angry motorcycle reving could be heard for some minutes after the the first wave disappeared in the post dawn light. They must have stayed in second to keep under the speed limit. Yes, I'm sure that's it.

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss301/Tsp3_photo/Trips/Ivanhoe/040.jpg

After brekkie Ed, Dave and I decided to have a second crack at the Mossgeil Rd on our way to visit some fallen friends at Griffith Base Hospital. Big skies, sore heads, straight roads and bikes



Everything was proceeding along swimmingly until I hit a nice patch of bull dust and tried to stop instead of gassing it.



With predictable results.

No too bad, nice soft landing, everything was proceeding along swimmingly until I saw the Red Tigger of death bearing down on me. Thanks for missing me, Ed

After regathering my tattered pride I paddled to the edge of the track. There was some pointing and laughing this time...



Feeling suitably displeased with myself I rode off, only to realise a couple of k's down the road that my little oopsie seemed to have cleared the stuttering up. Bonus! Next time your steed starts to misbehave, threaten to throw it at the scenery. 

A few ks up the road we found Pete fixing his FXR. I always thought you could keep your Hog alive with a brick and a cold chisel. Clearly duct tape, zippy ties and occy straps are also required.





They also ride better with their carb attached, apparently. Pete had done a few clever mods here and there, longer shocks and forks for dirt road travel as well as an R series front hub with 1100S disks and an 1150GS rim. Oh, Pete is a former Dakar competitor. This little gem has to be prised out of him, the man doesn't talk a lot about his riding, he just rides. Rather well as it happens.

As the road dried out the gravel in the ruts got even skatier, but we were riding better too.

Tiggers 1, Mossgeil Rd 1, Feral pigs, nil



After that we saw some malingerers at Griffith hospital then got Rained on. A lot.

The end

[Bixxer Bob]

Nicely and humourously written.  Wish we had your opportunities 

[Spud]

Thank you nice read cheers Spud 

[threepot]

Nice pics

[nadahonda]

Nicely done! I like your writing/riding style, made me    this morning...thanks!



-nada

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[Madruss]

Nicely done! I like your writing/riding style, made me    this morning...thanks!
-nada

Yes I will second that