ALBANY VINTAGE & CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB
August 2006 Club News
Vintage MX | Numbat | Forts | Holland Track | Calendar
Great weekend, perfect weather - What a great part of the world we
live in! Eight of us took off for Narrogin via Katanning, here we met
up with Wes, Peter & Tanya from Bremer on their Ducatis. We arrived
at Narrogin about midday. About 2ks east was the motocross track, next
to the speedway track where we could camp.
While we were putting up our tents Ron and Patrick arrived from
Jarrahdale, and then Huw rode over and put his tent up too. After a
bite to eat it was time to have a look at the action.
Garry and Chester spent a couple of hours at the track before
heading for home. A bird told me that Chester ran out of fuel and had
to knock the residents of Amellup up to replenish his tank (that’s what
happens when you tweak the throttle a bit Chester). They both arrived
home well after dark, but had a great ride.
The motocross track layout, pits
area, food and drink were brilliant. The WA VMX Club had obviously done
a lot of work. They were rewarded with about 150 riders, all on pre ‘75
Motocross bikes. The first race we watched was a 125cc Championship,
among the bikes were Bridgestone, Montesa, Honda Elsinore for
example.In the next race were six sidecar outfits including three
Wasps, one a Norton. Macca was riding a Yamaha 650.
Next there was the thumping of British singles on the course with
quite a few 441 Victors. There were past champions racing including
Jeff Smith, and Jimmy Aird as well as many more old racers. There was
an event for the over 50s (riders that is) and they were having a ball,
although I reckon a few would be a bit sore next day.
Great walking through the pits having a good look at some of the
bikes and chatting to a few people. Soon the afternoon’s racing was
coming to a close, so after making sure we could get something to eat
at the track (the canteen closed at 8 pm) we made our way back to our
camp.
We thought it prudent to light a fire and doing the right thing we
got an old metal bin, a pile of wood from nearby and had a nice glowing
fire to sit around. A few guys (in a camper) went one better and had a
large TV mounted on a bin outside, close to another 44 gallon drum with
a fire roaring. So we saw the last 10 minutes of the Eagles game.
Strange watching the telly under the starlight.
After a good night’s sleep (it was -1 degree!) we were having a
leisurely breakfast when the Bremer Bay contingent rolled up - they had
stayed at the Duke of York in town. Then another cup of coffee, and
before we knew it was 10 am.
Andy
was riding on to Perth. It was a beautiful day and we were all thinking
along the same lines of giving the rest of the motocross a miss and
return to Albany the long way. About 10.20 we set off for Harrismith,
Dumbleyung (lunch), Nyabing, Borden and the Stirlings. What a great
ride, no traffic, perfect weather.
We said goodbye to Wes, Peter and Tanya before the Borden turn-off.
A nice leisurely coffee at the Bluff Knoll cafe sitting in the sun was
enjoyed before saying our goodbyes and heading for home. (After making
sure John made it to the Kamballup store for petrol - he was on reserve
- but now knows the range of his bike). Great weekend.