Sunny and about 20 deg at 6am. So much nicer loading the bike in these conditions rather than mid winter. We met at Phil's usual meeting point and knew it was going to be warm and dusty. Phil had his new bike ready and there were several new members on their first or second AMTRA ride. Good to meet you.
Just before we left we were visited by the Police. Phil had a chat with him and discovered he was looking for a missing person. We were asked to keep a lookout for a silver Porsche. We never saw it.
There were 21 of us and generally the ride was uneventfull. No breakdowns or serious injuries. We had to space out due to the dust, but that is just part of riding in summer. Many of the tracks have been graded recently. Some are fairly wide fire breaks, some still narrow, but all have a loose rocky surface which takes away some of the fun compared to how they used to be. Hopefully the surface gets better with time. We rode inside the triangle and then crossed west to the Murrindindi side of Maroondah Hwy. Again, many tracks have been opened up and graded.
For lunch we ended up at the Black Spur Pub. At first I was tempted to have a pie, but they ended up being gourmet pies for $20. I settled for a toasted sandwich.
A bit more riding before we returned to the cars to top up the thirsty two strokes. By now it was 3pm, so some went out for another short ride and the rest headed for home.
Thanks to Phill, tailman and all riders for a great day. Everyone went home with smiles, and a few with sore muscles.

Thanks Phil

Certainly had a great day.
I think Damian has described the day perfectly.
Thanks to all that made the day a good one and thanks to Phill the tailman, great job mate.

Wish all of you a merry Christmas.

Cheers

Rudi

My first ride with AMTRA.
The day started at just after 7am at Healsville bakery, got there a bit early, must have been keen.
Seen a car pull up towing a new WR250,  out jumps an elderly bloke and heads over to the shop, Hmm I think, could this be Phil must be in his late fifties to early sixties and putting on a ride. Better go and see. Yep its Phil so we grab a cup of coffee and start having a chat, what an interesting bloke, still riding at his age, my guess is he goes pretty good. After Steve and Shane role up off we head over the spur to the unloading area. Another thought went through my head, does he ride as quick as he drives?
And yes he does, to find out later his in his seventies, and didn't start riding till 58 WOW I'm in AWE.
I did say to Phil later if I'm still riding when I'm your age I'll be a happy man.

Anyway, we get to the drop off and more and more people turn up, start chatting to Twist (Tristan), who I have rode with before and he tells me Phil always gets a good showing, he puts on a good ride. 
What a mix off people on a ride, this is going to be a good day.  
As Damian said, visit by the police and than after some formals of we go. The tracks where dusty as expected, but some space and change of lines kept your view going. Enjoyed the tracks and it was good with the sections for the more challenged and the ones who wanted to cruise.
The small single was a bit of fun and some laughs where had watching riders go through the small bog hole, some just made it look easier.
A couple of hills to climb some more tracks and a breather and feed at the pub.
Got to one bit of track where we congregated and after some discussion about how much fuel a couple of the 2 bangers had, Phil looked at me and said well if ya wanna race (not really , just like a bit of quick pace every now and than), go for it up there, how far do I go I asked, Phil replied, till ya can't get any further. Looked around waited for some movement, didn't wait long, and than off I went, great little track with some great wash outs to jump over, get to the top and there's a fork, so i sit on the left. Than comes I think Mark on the Husky straight past me on the right, so I turn around and follow him up for a bit than, stop tree, no more track. Hmm, this is gonna be fun a heap of bikes piling up a steepish hill with no where to go.
Anyway we make tracks back down from where we came and head back towards the cars.

Refueled the bikes, well some of the bikes, it was 330 at this stage and with some travelling far and some who had enough after 85k's it was down to five.
Me, Tristan, Stuart, Gregg and our illustrious leader Phil.
So of we go down the main road and turn right to be greeted by a rutted hill climb. Tristan heads of first, I follow and with a bit of clutch burning we find our selves on the top. Than comes Gregg on the trusty XR and stops on the side of the hill, starts kicking it over and he comes up. Tells us later he hit the kill button by accident, yeah well give ya that. With a bit of radio comms we find Phil and Stuart have taken the left overgrown track so we head back down. Tristan shoots up to see whats happening, than calls on me and Gregg to come. I come across Tristan giving Phil a hand and Stuart just to the right, so I shoot up between them, trying not to loose my momentum and get to a flatter spot. Walk down and Tristan was giving Phil a hand and convincing him it'll be easier riding than walking, so of Phil goes with a bit of a helping hand his on his way. We all get to the main track and have a breather.

We head off for another burst and at some stage Phil asks, do you want to go and have a look at the rock hill, Yeah OK happy to have a look.
So we start heading up this hill getting a bit steeper and a bit more rocky every corner, Tristan and me get to a point where his stopped and I've dropped my bike.  We think and discuss, (Tristan was keen to keep going, me not so much).  Too late in the day to drop our bikes on some gnarly rocky hill so we head back down with Stuart not too far from where we stopped, down a bit further and there's Phil sitting on the ground resting up against a log catching his breath.

After that bit of fun it was decided to head back towards the cars, we did about another 20 clicks.
Packed up the bikes, said our farewells and all our thanks to Phil for a great day, Hmm Na Fantastic day, except for the dust.

For my first AMTRA run, it was great, can't wait to get on another, especially one of Phils, so diversified.
Hope everyone else had as much fun as I did.

Phil I enjoyed the day and you are an inspiring man, thanks again.
Oh yeah, and Mark thanks for being Tail man all day.

A couple of points for me, if ya pass the lead rider up a hill know that you passed the lead and stop at the next corner or available spot as pointed out by Mark?
And at 47 I've got 30 years more riding, inspired by guess who??
Happy Days!
All, if I got ya name wrong or reference to a name my apologies.

Cheers
Mic

Good reports guys - thanks.

So Phil, what did you buy yourself for an early Xmas present??

Ken,   Another Yamaha wr250R   fuel injected. It is a bit less sudden on the throttle than the other one.   I have had it similarly lowered, it upsets the suspension a bit but I  need my feet on the ground.
          Hopefully last me for a couple more years!!!.
Phil R.

Yes thanks Phil for a great day. Not  much I can add, the other reports they were very informative. Just the one thing, where we split early in the ride with one group taking the main trail and the other taking the more challenging track with the long steep down hill, just after the hill it has been graded it is more like a freeway all the ruts have gone it is now wide, fast and easy riding. Cheers Colin.