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09 May 2015 Mount Mee Ride Report

Posted on May 24, 2015

Ride 20150509 Mount Mee

We left Everton Hills, bound for Dayboro, the unmissable town before Mount Mee. Rob D. had a small dingle on a narrow, downhill bend, leading into a single-lane bridge. He had a couple of scratches and so did the KLR, but soon we were back on the road.

At Dayboro, we grabbed a drink before heading up the hill. Soon we were on the gravel fire trails of Mount Mee State Forest and the tiny 17" supermoto front wheel (with a Pirelli Corsa Rosso tyre) of the 690 constantly demanded fast reflexes.

Headed up to Wivenhoe Lookout, the fun way, with the jumps, then on to Rocky Hole. When we arrived at Woodford, Rob D. had had enough of the loose surface and took the tar road. Rob H. and I turned back the way we came and nailed it through the forest.

Soon, we were back on the tar, heading home. That was when I was hit in the helmet visor by a loose bolt from the leading DR-Z at 100kph. After my initial shock of this profound collision, I looked up to see the rear guard of the DR-Z thrashing around loosely. Nothing some cable-ties couldn’t fix.

When we arrived at base, we parked up the KTM, DR-Z and KLR. As thoughts of having a post-ride beer came upon us, instead, we were obliged to repair the lesser two of the three. The DR-Z needed a less temporary repair for its missing bolt and the KLR had lost its seat mount bolts and one rear subframe bolt. The KTM watched on.

Now to be completely fair, all was not free for the KTM. It too required repairs. Given its nature, it had devoured a rear tyre (again, Pirelli Corsa Rosso).

Once the KLR and DR-Z were put back together, with assistance from the All Hours Everton Hills Bolt & Tool Shop, they were on the way.

The KTM will be fed its usual diet of rubber through the week.

Bikes

  • 2014 KTM 690 Enduro R

  • 2013 Kawasaki KLR 650

  • 2013 Suzuki DR-Z400

Track log

Route

  • Everton Hills

  • Dayboro

  • Mount Mee (The Gantry)

  • Mount Mee (Wivenhoe Lookout)

  • Mount Mee (Rocky Hole)

  • Woodford

  • Mount Mee (The Gantry)

  • Dayboro

  • Everton Hills

Statistics

  • Minimum elevation: -85 m.s.l.

  • Maximum elevation: 649 m.s.l.

  • Average elevation: 237.2 m.s.l.

  • Total climbing: 4142 m

  • Total descent: 4414 m

  • Start elevation: 360.2 m.s.l.

  • End elevation: 88 m.s.l.

  • Final balance: -272.2 m

  • Minimum speed: 3.2 km/h

  • Maximum speed: 192 km/h

  • Average climbing speed: 58.5 km/h

  • Average descent speed: 54.9 km/h

  • Average flat speed: 59.4 km/h

  • Average speed: 57.4 km/h

  • Climbing time: 2h 35m 45s

  • Descent time: 1h 40m 33s

  • Total track time: 5h 04m 15s

Elevation over distance

Elevation over time

Photos

After the KLR broke, I wisely use the KTM toolkit to fix it.

Wivenhoe Lookout, Mount Mee

When we got back home, the KTM parked up, but the KLR and DR-Z needed repairs…

…and more repairs…

…using the appropriate toolkit.

Bolts had been left back at Mount Mee. If you look closely in the background, you can see a KTM parked, waiting, watching, yearning for the next blat.

Here is a DR-Z rider, looking for a missing bolt. I don’t like his chances.

I like drinking beer while watching. The KTM is ready for the next ride.