Berm Busting

 Oops, it's Friday and I still haven't posted about last weekends shenanigans!

Last Friday I knocked off at lunchtime and loaded the RMX onto the ute for the trip up to Taupo to have a bash at Epic Event's Berm Buster Trail ride.  

These seem to be run monthly (when Jacinda permits) and after seeing some pictures of the tracks I'd considered going in August but bailed due to a hopeless weather forecast.  This time around the forecast for the weekend was good!

Well, I hoped the forecast was right...driving through the Desert Road I encountered hail and some snow flurries, along with very poor visibility.  Didn't see one mountain...

I arrived in Taupo around 5 and soon found the motel and din-dins.

Taupo was pretty dead (even though the Jaffas were back off the leash), usually it's pumping down in town on a Friday but not at the moment.  The town must be doing it pretty hard - probably why I got a very nice motel room and breakfast for $107...

In the morning it was chilly but looking really good - no sign of hail or snow.

Brekkie consumed, I drove out to the ride which is based around 30km from Taupo.  I was pretty early but things were all setup and plenty of other riders were also early, unloading bikes and gear and generally chomping at the bit.

Nearing the 9:30 kick-off I was trying to hold back a bit to let the guns get away first but eventually got impatient and made my way to the "starting line".

There were three different tracks available to me and first up I decided to do the large 38km one.  

To say that the tracks are fun is an understatement.  There is a bit of everything from tight forestry sections, occasional steep climbs and some wide open (😈) fast sections.  Add in plenty of bumps and the odd boggier bits and there was something for everyone.  The 450 certainly enjoyed it!

With only a few stalling issues, I handled the first lap pretty well but pulled in back at the ute for a quick breather, drink and some fuel for the bike (I still haven't got a real feel for the bikes fuel consumption - I think it's possibly the worst in the fleet) before heading out for my next lap.

This time around I chose the shorter 19km loop (to see what was different and just in case my body broke down).

This loop involved the first few km of the longer loop and I thought that I attacked it a lot harder straight off the bat.  I was getting use to the bike and the fantastic riding surface (grip galore) and finding out just how hard you could attack the track.  If only I was a young, fit bloke...

Lap number two seemed to be over pretty quick and this time when I got back to the truck, I had an early lunch before my next lap.

I took off again not knowing whether I was going to do the larger loop or the smaller one with the intention of seeing how I felt at the turn.  In the end I decided that I was pretty pooped and took the shorter option.  By the time I got back to the ute my arms and shoulders were telling me I'd had enough.  My legs weren't complaining too much...that kicked in Sunday/Monday...

Back at the truck the bike was quickly loaded and then I struggled out of my gear...

The trip back was a lot nicer under the sunny skies and I stopped on the desert road to reacquaint myself with the mountains and make myself a cuppa from the thermos.

While i was getting the thermos out a few 4WD's went past and then a familiar looking 800GS also puttered in - Rodney had escaped out for a ride too and was off to explore some of the tracks off the desert road.

After a quick catch up (it was fairly cold standing in 5 degree weather in shorts and T-shirt), Rodney went off on search of fun while finally pointed the ute South towards home.

New boots look broken in...

Outstanding wee adventure and one I will need to repeat (now that I can walk properly again).  Man the 450 is FUN!