ALBANY VINTAGE & CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB

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December 2014 Club News

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The Lake Perkolilli Ride

By Loose Bruce

Kylie on greasy gravel road. In line for an award.
The 100 year celebration of racing at Lake Perkolilli was on in October, so a bunch of the Perth mob organized a run to Kalgoorlie for the weekend. Was gunna be a dash up the tarmac they said, but turned into a dirt road  adventure. Kylie was the only solo road bike on her Triumph, so off we go. 9 sidecars, 4 dirt bikes and Kylie.

Sidecars and solos - looking very clean and shiny at
          this stage.
Camped in a shed near York Thursday night and waited for the Friday morning crew, then off to Bruce Rock the back way. Fuel up then head east to emu proof fence, turning left to Yellowdine. While having a beer at the turn a couple of old blokes covered us in dust as they sped past in their car. Turned out it was Bob and Colin with wives on board, from Albany.

Quick lunch at roadhouse and 5 head up tarmac to the lake, while the rest of us head north to Koolanobbing and take the rail access line. Why do 150km on tar when you can do 280km on dirt? Kylie says she will give it a go.

Getting late and talk of bush camping till the horizon turns black with massive thunderstorm, so decide to push on till Coolgardie in the dark so we don't get stranded, and book into the motel.

Heavy rain all night, so in the morning we get the message that racing is cancelled at Lake Perkolilli. Into Kal for brekky and watch all these muddy vehicles arrive back in town.

The other sidecars had fun getting out of the muddy track. The VCC were in town as well, so a visit to trotting track to check out the old cars being polished up.

More heavy rain and hail forecast for that afternoon, so we decide to retreat to the Muntadgin pub for the night. Back to Yellowdine and head south to Mt Palmer, an old gold town.

Starting to look a bit damp.
Had a beer at the old pub and left. Found a clay pan on the way so engaged in some racing of our own, great for drifting in a sidecar. Continue on with Kylie getting tired so got left behind for last 100km into Muntadgin on some great farm roads, watching two large thunderstorms coming our way.

Best not to ask ha ha.
Set up camp behind the pub and time for a beer. The 3 locals left shortly after as we got rowdy. They say [what happens at the pub stays at the pub] so you will have to visit the pub to see us doing the full monty (or full munty?) at front door. Drink Kylies 22-year-old port and into bed just as the thunderstorm hits.

Rains all night again, so roads slippery on the way to Narambeen. Head west to Beverly on Old Beverly Rd but only doing 50kmph as the gravel was greasy. Rain starts again at Quairading and doesn't stop till we arrive in Perth extremely wet and muddy.

An undaunted Kylie on yet more greasy gravel.
All up we covered about 1500km with 700 odd on dirt roads. The rest of the boys want to give Kylie an award for keeping up and not falling off once.

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