Netherby. “The Big Desert Ride.”

My story starts when a couple of mates Bernie ( Lomax ) and Len asked, what are like riding in sand? Replying quite confidently, OK I suppose not knowing how significant the answer to the question would be.

The dictionary meaning of sand is a powdery substance consisting of very small rocks or mineral grains found on the seashore and in deserts , my interpretation of sand is much more expletive!!

For me, why start riding a dirt bike perhaps a little bit late in life? My orthopedic surgeon Graeme Brown first gave me the OK after a bit of rebuilding and then the decision of what machine should I buy? My friends where advising the only one to buy should be Orange, but I also liked Yamaha's, my last bike being a XT500(1975), so a WR450 seemed like a good choice as my new machine had to have a button and be reasonably versatile, personally I believe it was a great choice, watching Graeme (Chucky) put one through its paces on the ride I know what they can do, now its just up to me to learn how to ride the thing faster!

Friday afternoon at Bernie's we were packing up all our gear I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the ride but the flyer said easy to moderate riding so really they was nothing to worry about, it all should be nice and easy have a few beers go for a bit of a ride then home to tell my son a few stories of the weekend, yes I did have a few beers but the ride for me wasn't as easy as I anticipated. After stopping for a few frothies and dinner at he Great Western pub its was off to Netherby to meet all the boys and of course the Netherby publican Reg. Reg seemed to be having a big night, his footy team the Saints were playing Freo. The score was close with Freo winning on the last kick of the night much to the disgust of Reg and a few of the locals. I think Reg needs a more modern till as he seemed to be having a bit of trouble working out everybody's change especially Rowdys, as it wasn't a good idea to give Reg any note over five dollars, back to camp a couple of more beers find a place to lay the swag then off to sleep.

Saturday morning everyone seemed well rested with the expectation of a good days ride ahead, the smell of bacon cooking with everyone in high spirits gee life can be good. We all gathered with Nummy giving us a rundown of what to expect and what to be careful of as a few of the guys had ridden the trails a few weeks earlier, I remember him saying take care and its not a race and most of all have fun. As we rode off heading towards the sand I remember a conversation I had with Magoo the night earlier when saying I hadn't really ridden in sand much he said don't worry you will probably fall off on the first corner, I didn't but I was certainly a bit wobbly. The mornings ride was great, I wasn't fast but was in control, stopping on one of the corners I had enough time to ring home, I was on an elevated section of bush land over looking the land below, it was a beautiful view and wanted to share my experiences of the morning with the family, while sitting there, I saw a huge kangaroo hopping across the track just before Bernie came roaring through, a collision with the big roo would not be good for ones health. Nummy and the guys cooked a hearty lunch refueling the bikes and off we go again, this time we seemed to be riding on slightly more difficult tracks with k after K of woops, I know I've spelt woops like I rode them not to bloody good, another refuel and the day I thought was nearly over. I set myself a couple of goals before the ride one was not to be last coming in with the tail riders, knowing I was about mid position I was just cruising when I had a bit of a tangle with Jill, after dusting ourselves down and not to much damage done we were back on the bikes and all was OK with me not being last in as one of the guys had a chain break. Reflecting back everyone seemed to have a great day, even the backup crew had a few stories to tell, I still don't know how a 4WD can do a 180 with a trailer on and not end up without a scratch. ‘Classy bit of driving Humpf.' Sitting around the fire that night listening to the stories about a few of the guys riding exploits not only in Australia but overseas I realized that I was riding with a bunch of guys that can ride and ride fast.

Sunday morning was much like Saturday with the unmistakable smell of bacon cooking except with the weather closing in there was perhaps not the enthusiasm as the day before, I know I wasn't that keen and could of easily of not ridden but as one person put on there bike gear everyone seemed to get motivated and we were all ready to go. Nummy said the ride would be easier than Saturday, the first track was very narrow and I was really starting to struggle, mentally I was nearly washed up and after a fuel stop I was ready to quit, unfortunately for me the track that the 4WD was on was made of clay and was incredible slippery and I seemed to lose all confidence after I observed WOC staggering around not seemingly knowing which bike was his, hunched over and spitting blood, it certainly seemed to lesson the pain in my ankle from the crash on Saturday watching him and I certainly hope he is now ok. The guys said it would be easier for me if I stayed with the riders as I would be on the sand and it wasn't as slippery, it sounded like good advice but I didn't achieve my goal as I was riding with the tail riders, I must thank Mark (Skid) for helping me pick my bike up on the only crash I had in the last section on the woops as I'm not sure at the time if I could of lifted it up out of the sand myself.

Arriving back at the pub for the final photo and a couple of beers everyone agreed it was a great couple of days and I can only hope the next time I ride the sand I'II be a bit quicker.

The weekend finished for me laying in a hot bath at home telling my son just how deep sand can really get, he asked whats that big black mark on your ankle? That's a bruise son and he replied do you think you're a bit old for this? All I could think of was what my surgeon said to me, you're a long time laying down looking at a lid of a box!

Daryl Lamond.