Any adventure riders planning on doing the Chatto Creek 1000 miler?

**warewolf** · 14th September 2006, 09:58

Originally Posted by far queue

I was curious about the cost, so I just ran some numbers on this – it’s 1600km ride plus 950km return trip for me

That's part of the problem of the Chatto Creek for me; it's a 3400km weekend! I'd prefer to take at least a day's leave to do it, this year the calendar's too busy.

To get to the Grand Challenge it is something like 900km return plus the return ferry crossing, say $180-280 on top. Entry fee is comparatively trivial as it is mostly passing on food & accommodation costs which you'd have to buy regardless.

Whatever you do, don't do the numbers on the Southern Cross!!!

**far queue** · 14th September 2006, 11:05

Originally Posted by warewolf

It's less the ride and more the comraderie.

I find it’s the ride AND the camaraderie.

Originally Posted by warewolf

I'm in tune with the whole Rusty Nuts philosphy: I'd rather ride than hang around at a fixed rally site.

Yes - if you’re going to just hang around at the rally.

Originally Posted by warewolf

The journey not the destination, as they say.

In general yes, but you can have both.

The way rally’s generally go for me are – head there via a relatively quick route after work on the Friday (maybe take Fri PM off if it’s some distance to travel), catch up and hit the bottle with mates that I haven’t seen since the last rally, generally a good night of talking shit is had. A bit of a cruisy start to the day on Saturday, then head of on a day ride exploring the local backblocks with whatever other adventurers are there. Back to the rally site sometime mid to late afternoon, catch up with other mates that have arrived that day, check out the bike show and the other entertainments that are laid on, and have a quiet night as far as drinking goes. Up bright and fresh on Sunday morning and head home the long way taking in as many dirt roads as possible.

So a rally weekend for me is about the ride, the destination, the camaraderie with mates and with the biking community in general. I really enjoy the atmosphere, the sights, the sounds, and the feelings of being around bikes and bikers that you only get at rallies. And since getting off the road bike and onto the dirt bike, I’m loving the adventure riding and seeing new bits of the country that comes with it as well.

Will you be at the Nelson Rally on 3,4,5/11?

**warewolf** · 14th September 2006, 12:46

Originally Posted by far queue

I find it’s the ride AND the camaraderie.

Sounds like a good way to do it.

Originally Posted by far queue

Will you be at the Nelson Rally on 3,4,5/11?

Hadn't really thought about it. If I'm in town that weekend then I'll probably go out for a look-see, catch up with some folks. Some non-mc friends were asking about it, I might take them along.

**PLUG** · 14th September 2006, 20:15

Originally Posted by Ruralman

Do you guys get a special sheep skin from a bike shop or somewhere or just whack a bit off an old one?

Hay Ruralman ... ain't you a farmer ? ... kill a sheep ... dag it first ... the oil in it's skin might be good for the butt blues ... let us know.

**Ruralman** · 14th September 2006, 21:35

Originally Posted by PLUG

Hay Ruralman ... ain't you a farmer ? ... kill a sheep ... dag it first ... the oil in it's skin might be good for the butt blues ... let us know.

Hey - don't you know what these things are worth nowadays!!!!!!
I think I'll end up going to one of the local skin tanneries or skin sellers and getting a small second - that way at least the leather has been treated.

You're right I am a farmer - at the moment any sheep that die are getting chucked in a pig trap - having problems with wild pigs but the bastards only come back every now and then. Pig hunters tend to get the odd one and scatter the rest. Hopefully the trap will catch a bunch at once.

**PLUG** · 14th September 2006, 21:46

... luv wild pork ...

**far queue** · 14th September 2006, 21:47

Originally Posted by Ruralman

... having problems with wild pigs ... Pig hunters tend to get the odd one and scatter the rest.

No wonder they're bloody wild then, I dare say I'd be a bit upset with someone taking potshots at me too

**Ruralman** · 14th September 2006, 22:26

when they do this to your paddocks all I want is elimination

**PLUG** · 14th September 2006, 22:32

... there has been a fair bit of rootin going on there ...

**Jantar** · 14th September 2006, 23:05

Originally Posted by warewolf

Whatever you do, don't do the numbers on the Southern Cross!!!

Hehehe... I already have. And I have my leave booked for the 2007 SC.

Last one came in at just under $2000, this one will be a bit over that. The 1000 miler is merely a practice run.

**Ruralman** · 21st September 2006, 21:37

an update on this seat thing - on my floor at the moment I have a bit of sheepskin I bought at windward skins in Balclutha today and after ideas off the other post I put up I have glued 2 layers of bubble wrap to the underside of it!
Hopefully by morning the glue will have set and I can try it out. I have trimmed the thing up so its about the right shape with a litlle piece riding up the tank just far enough to make it easy to get a bungy cord around it.
It would be reasonably easy to stitch some elastic to the sides with hooks to hold it on but I'll see how this goes first - if successful I'll posta couple of photos.

**Jantar** · 21st September 2006, 22:05

Originally Posted by Ruralman

an update on this seat thing - on my floor at the moment I have a bit of sheepskin I bought at windward skins in Balclutha today and after ideas off the other post I put up I have glued 2 layers of bubble wrap to the underside of it!
Hopefully by morning the glue will have set and I can try it out. I have trimmed the thing up so its about the right shape with a litlle piece riding up the tank just far enough to make it easy to get a bungy cord around it.
It would be reasonably easy to stitch some elastic to the sides with hooks to hold it on but I'll see how this goes first - if successful I'll posta couple of photos.

I would suggest a piece of high impact foam under the sheep skin rather than bubble wrap.