Getting all messed up in the clay

[kro]

Brother and I hit the Moutere forest yesterday, and omg, what a ball we had. I have not ridden off road in the wet yet, and was grossly unprepared for the amount of fun you can have doing hill climbs, and the likes, on wet soggy clay.

We ran the infamous "fenceline" track, which was 6 inch deep loose wet clay, which meant hooking second or 3rd too quick, meant the rear wheel started coming round the side of the bike to say hello.

I can't put into words, the fun of figure 8 "donuts", followed up with normal donuts that you come out of, on full opposite lock, and keep it like that for 20m or so, before the back wheel has started to move toward the 6 o'clock position it normally lives in. The bikes had at least 4 kg of clay stuck to each one when we finally trailered up at 5pm.

We did this one big uphill, which was getting close to my max skill level, it was about 120metres long, and going down was just a case of staying out of the ruts, and not letting the rear wheel lock up, but going back up it, just as it started to rain, was a first gear only excercise for about the firt 3/4 of the climb, then you plateau out for about 4 metres, in which time you have to get enough speed to hook second, for the last 10 metres, which is steep and rutty. I had sooooooooooo much fun.

Oh baby, I am in love.

[Motu]

I used to love going out in the rain,hill climbs and bogs are a hoot in the wet.We ride trials even when pissing down with rain,so long as it doesn't make it too unriderable.Mud is good.

[kro]

I have only been riding off road since January, and it barely rains in Nelson, so I just hadnt had the privelage of carving it up in the wet, and it's soooo much fun.

We were at the bottom of a steep loose clay bank that we decided would be a bitch to get up, when a guy on one of those YZF450's comes hooting down the track on the gas, man that bike sounded horny, and he could ride it too.
Following him were several others, all on big bikes, they all came down this steep clay track hard on the power, with their front ends slewing in all directions.

Great day out. The firebreak up/downhill was mint.

[WRT]

I made it out to woodhill yesterday, was a mission loading up the trailer in the pouring rain (flatmates were all looking at me like I was mad), but once I got up to woodhill the rain had done wonders for the trails. The sand was soaking wet, one of the puddles I went thru on the back wheel and still managed to fill my boots. Even hit the big dipper (with my rear tyre in its current state normally thats out for me) and managed to climb it on the first attempt, been a while since I've been able to conquer that. Really had a blast, and the weather up in the forest was actually really good. Started raining again when I got back to Auckland tho!

[kro]

Sound slike a blast. I rode Woodhill a few times just before leaving Auckland, and also took the bikes down onto the beach, it was a fun day.

Whats it like for traffic up there WRT?, is the circuit all one way still, to prevent head ons?. I should have photographed the hill we did, because it was most impressive, and I probably understated its size too, but I couldnt get the camera out in the rain, was too risky. I split a fuel line too, had to chop a small piece off my fuel cap breather, so I could carry on.

I have the DR in bits in the garage right now, checking the rear wheel bearings, and will prolly rip that rear shock out finally, and have a squizz at it.

[Brian d marge]

Lov wet clay ...its all about throttle control ! I dont like it when it gets deep as it becomes a slug fest , but hard clay say after the water truck has gone through , is slippery and fun .
Flat out hard on the brakes then that throttle transition period where your trying to unload the front as early as you can but not to early that it disappears from you

The thing I lose ne bottle with, is coming out of a corner, big jump ahead feed in the throttle all fine , then she spins and you lose drive over the jump ,,,BUT your still fast enough for it to hurt !!:slap:

I havent had a chance to race this year ... getting the workshop up to scratch then move to a higher level. ( Ill still be a crap rider) but the bikes will look nice !

Stephen

[Wellyman]

Man you girls! you should try riding in Maramura Forest in the wet that is a real clay shit ride. clay+ mud+tree roots/tree stumps =disaster in the wet. I rode in the forest one day after a pile of rain, actually I think it was a GNCC race, can't remeber, but it was hell.
WM