Sand Country Run - Sunday 13 May!

[F5 Dave]

bearing in mind some Euro enduros have to run compliant non aggressive pattern tyres I believe.


I've driven to a couple of rides over the years & stopping in Otaki when realising that it is still pissn down up there. Its a ball breaker. 3hr round trip, no riding & thinkni of what you could have been doing instead (largely involving staying in bed avoiding the family)

[pete.ktm]

that was a good ride, a lot of nice open fast jumpy stuff. but my body is gonna be sore tomorrow.

bit of rain before hand to dampen down the sand, all good.

a few pics @ http://www.kaseus.net/gallery/hmcc-s...il-ride-120513

unfortunately (for the photo count anyway) we stopped to help a dead 300 EXC which took a lot longer than planned and one of us was doing the mothers day dinner thing so we had to boot it after that with no stops for pics. poor guy was still sitting in the paddock with his bike when we went past him in the afternoon. actually saw quite a few guys stopped in funny places, hope they all wern't waiting to be picked up else it would've been a long night for the marshalls.

cheers HMCC.

[thecharmed01]

Dude I think you are stalking me hahahaha

Did you say hi when you stopped next to Jo & I when that big bunch of riders were all lost?

[crfchick]

This is my fav ride too but I don't think Gold Coast have access to this land anymore

How many riders did you get Mazz? I heard 600 but it seemed like much more than this!

Hmm, old emails are great for research:

Pines ride.
Motuiti Rd, Foxton
Think about October is usual

was cancelled '11 due to rain I think.

[F5 Dave]

That is a shame, the pines ride was like berm after berm, coolest ride.

[F5 Dave]

Well I'm a bit stiff now. 116k we did. Good ride, little bit open for my tastes, but nice for a change. The wet sand was actually better & made those sections easy compared to dry where they can be a drag.

Well run, but what a turn out. May need to consider a 2nd sign in area as that is what delayed things.

Marking was good, but there were a couple of places we got lost for a mo (along with a heap of others). Clearly hard work marking out such a long track.


A couple of points I think should be commented on though;
Before point 26 there was a dirt road section where you passed through a couple of tall gates. These gates were open 90 degrees. if your eyesight wasn't that good or perhaps it was raining, or other riders about, the consequence of hitting a sturdy edge head on would be most likely the last thing you ever did. Ideally they should have been opened further, or if not possible at least some orange paint or bunting tied to them to make them obvious.

2nd thing was we all heard the spiel about not going the wrong way down the track. Not even marshals. So I was a bit surprised to meet the fuel truck opposing traffic. Surely that wasn't necessary? Or a Marshall could have been called to close the track on that stretch for a couple of minutes so he could drive down that stretch.

Sorry if that sounds like criticism, but better to give feedback, they club doesn't want any more injuries, or worse I'm sure. One of the StJohns guys told me there was nearly enough for a bus.

[mazz1972]

Well I'm a bit stiff now. 116k we did. Good ride, little bit open for my tastes, but nice for a change. The wet sand was actually better & made those sections easy compared to dry where they can be a drag.

Well run, but what a turn out. May need to consider a 2nd sign in area as that is what delayed things.

Marking was good, but there were a couple of places we got lost for a mo (along with a heap of others). Clearly hard work marking out such a long track.


A couple of points I think should be commented on though;
Before point 26 there was a dirt road section where you passed through a couple of tall gates. These gates were open 90 degrees. if your eyesight wasn't that good or perhaps it was raining, or other riders about, the consequence of hitting a sturdy edge head on would be most likely the last thing you ever did. Ideally they should have been opened further, or if not possible at least some orange paint or bunting tied to them to make them obvious.

2nd thing was we all heard the spiel about not going the wrong way down the track. Not even marshals. So I was a bit surprised to meet the fuel truck opposing traffic. Surely that wasn't necessary? Or a Marshall could have been called to close the track on that stretch for a couple of minutes so he could drive down that stretch.

Sorry if that sounds like criticism, but better to give feedback, they club doesn't want any more injuries, or worse I'm sure. One of the StJohns guys told me there was nearly enough for a bus.

Thanks Dave, all points well noted, and yes we certainly appreciate the feedback. The fuel truck incident will be duly dealt with, we agree that's not on. I have the injury list and there certainly wasn't enough for a bus, so a big of exaggeration there me thinks.....or a very small bus!! Cheers.

[mazz1972]

This is my fav ride too but I don't think Gold Coast have access to this land anymore

How many riders did you get Mazz? I heard 600 but it seemed like much more than this!

There were 617

[mazz1972]

that was a good ride, a lot of nice open fast jumpy stuff. but my body is gonna be sore tomorrow.

bit of rain before hand to dampen down the sand, all good.

a few pics @ http://www.kaseus.net/gallery/hmcc-s...il-ride-120513

unfortunately (for the photo count anyway) we stopped to help a dead 300 EXC which took a lot longer than planned and one of us was doing the mothers day dinner thing so we had to boot it after that with no stops for pics. poor guy was still sitting in the paddock with his bike when we went past him in the afternoon. actually saw quite a few guys stopped in funny places, hope they all wern't waiting to be picked up else it would've been a long night for the marshalls.

cheers HMCC.

Great photos as usual Pete

[F5 Dave]

Thanks Dave, all points well noted, and yes we certainly appreciate the feedback. The fuel truck incident will be duly dealt with, we agree that's not on. I have the injury list and there certainly wasn't enough for a bus, so a big of exaggeration there me thinks.....or a very small bus!! Cheers.

The track numbers were great & I had been taking note of them, but predictibly, when we needed to know where we were I couldn't remember the last one we'd seen. But neither could the marshal we flagged over. He was struggling with his map, but fortuantely we were close to a access road & others knew where we were. As more people get flashy phones GPS will become more common & it will be easy to phone in location if help is needed.
I have to say I was unprepared and didn't have any bandages or whatnot on me, we'd come across this poor chap who had ripped his hand right open, I made a bandage from one of his kidney belt straps, but it was pretty bush, it would have been nice if the marshal had like just a Telfa pad & a crepe roll in plastic bag. Heck I should make a bag up like that to throw in the bum bag.

[mazz1972]

The track numbers were great & I had been taking note of them, but predictibly, when we needed to know where we were I couldn't remember the last one we'd seen. But neither could the marshal we flagged over. He was struggling with his map, but fortuantely we were close to a access road & others knew where we were. As more people get flashy phones GPS will become more common & it will be easy to phone in location if help is needed.
I have to say I was unprepared and didn't have any bandages or whatnot on me, we'd come across this poor chap who had ripped his hand right open, I made a bandage from one of his kidney belt straps, but it was pretty bush, it would have been nice if the marshal had like just a Telfa pad & a crepe roll in plastic bag. Heck I should make a bag up like that to throw in the bum bag.

Our marshals are all volunteers and not all have intimate knowledge of the area. With this ride it is not hard to get a bit disoriented, and as you can see it's easy enough to forget the last number you passed. Many of our marshals are carrying first aid kits and also radios, cellphones, and tools. It would be helpful if riders could carry a few basics such as you suggest......heck we have enough trouble getting people to carry their own tools!

[F5 Dave]

. . . Many of our marshals are carrying first aid kits and also radios, cellphones, . . .

That's cool, at least there is a bit more out there than just the medics. I understand that they are all volunteers & that getting enough people is hard enough & not all volunteers are going to be first aiders, but there are enough people passing that someone will be.

Anyway, off to the chemist to make a small pack up to sling in the bag.

.....heck we have enough trouble getting people to carry their own tools!

Yeah the amount of times you come across some 19yr old on a shagged out 250 MX bike that has fouled a plug & they don't have a plug or a spanner & their mates were carrying one but they took off

[mazz1972]

That's cool, at least there is a bit more out there than just the medics. I understand that they are all volunteers & that getting enough people is hard enough & not all volunteers are going to be first aiders, but there are enough people passing that someone will be.

Anyway, off to the chemist to make a small pack up to sling in the bag.



Yeah the amount of times you come across some 19yr old on a shagged out 250 MX bike that has fouled a plug & they don't have a plug or a spanner & their mates were carrying one but they took off

Dead right on both points there Dave!

[pete.ktm]

Dude I think you are stalking me hahahaha

Did you say hi when you stopped next to Jo & I when that big bunch of riders were all lost?

i know i must have seen you about 5 times in different places including when i lost my front wheel in the sand trying to go round the outside of you, lol.

Next time i see you i'll shout out, although with a not quite distintive bike as yours you'll probably just think 'whos that weirdo'.

May need to consider a 2nd sign in area as that is what delayed things.

Marking was good, but there were a couple of places we got lost for a mo (along with a heap of others). Clearly hard work marking out such a long track.

the signin line did move reasonably fast and most people do know to turn up early for this one (and don't), i guess with unlimited helpers it would be easy...

we couldn't find the next arrow a couple of times as well, but you never know if it's sub optimal marking or some tool whose ridden over the arrow and not replaced it.

There were 617

damn mothers day!

I couldn't remember the last one we'd seen. But neither could the marshal we flagged over.

big part of the reason i don't volunteer for helping, i suck big time at knowing where i am and am even worse with medical things. i figure it's probably better to have marshalls that can actually help.

It would be helpful if riders could carry a few basics such as you suggest......heck we have enough trouble getting people to carry their own tools!

maybe if F5 Dave gets his first aid kit ready he can list what he's got and you can include that and a bit of a first aid tutorial (must be something basic available with a google search) in the next mag.

The guy we stopped to help was on a two stroke and as soon as he said he had no tools and no spare spark plug we were sort of thinking 'screw it, he can get picked up at the end of the ride'. in the end it was probably more serious than just a new spark plug but at least he could have confirmed that himself and we wouldn't have wasted 45 minutes. and thanx to KTM for using a different sized spark plug for every model, real helpful.

[mazz1972]

maybe if F5 Dave gets his first aid kit ready he can list what he's got and you can include that and a bit of a first aid tutorial (must be something basic available with a google search) in the next mag.

Good thinking Batman, I will speak to my "people".

The guy we stopped to help was on a two stroke and as soon as he said he had no tools and no spare spark plug we were sort of thinking 'screw it, he can get picked up at the end of the ride'. in the end it was probably more serious than just a new spark plug but at least he could have confirmed that himself and we wouldn't have wasted 45 minutes. and thanx to KTM for using a different sized spark plug for every model, real helpful.

Unfortunately that has a very familiar ring to it Pete.