Atlantis with Wild Dogs
Today I took Julie on the Wild dogs Atlantis newbie day. She has not really ridden sand before, and certainly not dunes. Also, yesterday she went on her first ride on Brenda Buttercup, and loved it so that she wanted to try Brenda in the dunes.
Permits organized through the Wild Dogs (thanks Archangel), and my son Matthew took a break from his university studies to join us. Other club members who came along were Rhian, Peter0, and Jeanne.
8h30 at the gate. Nervous. Unload the bike. Remove mirrors and drop tyre pressures. Pause at the start of the sand road into the dunes.
Julie is on the CRF230F. Matthew is driving the 4x4 backup vehicle for Wolf who brought it along as a base camp. Matt thinks he is driving it to the parking lot at the start of the sand. He got a shock when he had to drive into the dunes, but handled it with aplomb.
Jeanne rides in with meaning and looks professional. She joins the experienced riders on the side who are playing and positioning themselves to help the novices onto the dunes up the tricky entrance road. Mistake. When she tries to get going from there the sand monster brings her down. Shame.
Julie rides the CRF through, and I follow on Brenda Buttercup. Rhian is apprehensive and doesn't want to exhaust herself battling up that road. So I walk back and ride her bike up also. Not so quick though - on my first attempt I had a diversion and lost momentum, so rode back to the start to go again.
Then we ride. Matthew on the CRF, me on Brenda, and Rhian. Eventually Matt gives Julie the CRF and I take her on a little ride. At a level spot we swap bikes and Julie has her maiden ride on Brenda Buttercup in sand.
Rhian in the scenery
Matthew had a ball
Father and son explore the dunes
Rhian exploring her boundaries
Later, Matthew and I explore the dunes and carve the slopes. Then, I take Julie for an outride also. Brilliant riding and lots of fun.
Around 1pm we round up to go home. The exit is, as always, more tricky: the sand is softer and more rutted, and we are all exhausted.
Charles and Brenda exiting
To round off a perfect day, we all met at the Blue Peter for a pizza and beer - and some good old chin-wag.
Blue Peter
We had a fantastic day. Julie is all fired up for riding, and I am all sore and stiff - just what I am looking for in my build-up training. We met some really nice Wild Dogs.
- 3019 reads
Comments
Looks Lekker Charles
Maybe you can give us a Heads Up or Link when the next one comes up ?
Atlantis always Fun and SAFE 
Ride Like the Wind
Wow!! What an awesome day's riding it was!! I woke up early on Sunday morning and couldn't bring myself to have any breakfast... My nerves were shot!! The night before I'd considered pulling out, but the permits were paid up and I had to do this once... just to know what it's all about and to say I WAS THERE!! 
We met up with some of the WD's at Richwood garage and made our way through to the Atlantis entrance... I made an attempt to get through the main entrance but without any success as I hadn't built up enough momentum to make it over the last hill. One front indicator threatened to come off... Kreef turned my bike around and then showed me how it's done. A bit nerve wracking seeing your bike plummeting at 120km (OK, a bit of an exaggeration I know) and bouncing around like it did right to the top... but at least I knew it was do-able. I then proceeded to remove my front indicators before playing. I think I was stalling too... I already was exhausted!!
But once out there... WOW!!! I had an absolutely wonderful time!!! I started off riding around near the bowl around the entrance and then started exploring further afield, following some other riders. A fair distance away the bikes and tracks became less and provided the perfect playground. It was great to fully get a feel of how a bike handles on sand depending on how you're riding it. My sand encounters have never been enough to learn any valuable lessons. I've always just tried to get through it and not ride it...
I fell about seven times but nothing to inflict any serious pain. Every fall had me learning a valuable lesson, though I did manage to learn a few without going down:
- NEVER look at the sand in front of you, ALWAYS look up ahead!!
- Be careful of speeding over the top of sand dunes you don't know. You don't know what's awaiting the other side.
- The best place to fall if you're going to is on a downhill - much easier to get going again.
- Keep your weight on the back wheel and keep your front wheel light.
- Speed is your friend!! It's the stopping that's a problem.
- Another piece of advice given to me: When going over a dune, turn slightly just before going over. If you go down, you can at least lie your bike down and won't necessary land going down nose first.
Thanks to everyone that was of assistance and for the advice given. To Kreef for organising the event, Archangel for getting our permits, Wolf for the backup assistance.
I'll definitely be heading out to Atlantis again, and I know next time I'll be able to stomach some breakfast 
Just realised, this will have been in good preparation for the West Coast trip!! Suddenly really looking forward to it!! Though still not so sure about the twee spoor padjies... 
I'm thinking we should organize a Club outing there. Especially for newbies and others. It would be more organized:
- An Instructor/coach
- Everybody would ride with a wingman, paired off such that novices have an experienced rider with them at all times.
- A 4x4 in the dunes as a base - the base would be away from the entrance where the sand gets very rutted. Water and shade available so people can rest and recover.
- Experienced riders would take the novices' bikes through the first section so that the newbies aren't frightened and exhausted before they even get to experience the dunes.
If possible, do it on a Saturday morning early when the sand is still virgin.
Thats a very good idea Charles.
I want to take Natalie to ride there soon, first on the plastic and then later the BMW's.
That's an awesome idea Charles... Even better if you can arrange for the weather as it was... First a week of rain to harden the sand, and then a perfect, windless, sunny day for riding...
I'll be first in line to go, just say when. Also, better just organise a group of power lifters... to pickup the 1150GSA, it gets hard after 5 or 6 times. :-)
Well the dunes brought me down to earth ... literally 
My biggest off was almost standing still! The sand monster gets you if you're not running away from it!
What a great bunch of guys. Nothing was too much trouble for them!
I can tell you that if you can handle Atlantis, the West Coast trip is a walk in the park!
My lesson learnt ... use knobblies and don't carry weight on the back!
Oh ... and GET FIT!!!!
How's your leg Pete? Nothing serious I hope. I found the name of the lunch venue quite ironic given the pain you seemed to be in...
I am so stiff and sore from only 4 hours of riding that I don't know how I will handle the 3-day dirtbike course. Clearly I must spend a lot more time at Atlantis between now and end July. Damn, it's a tough life...
Walking with a limp Charles, but nothing serious thanks.
I'll join you at Atlantis again when you go again, as long as the ankle and leg are back to normal.
Really keen for such an outing Charles... awesome idea!
Glad to see you guys had a good time :D
I'd be happy to come help if you decide to get another noob day going just shout.
N[]vA
Ja, N[]va, it will be nice to have you help out. Thanks for the offer. I suspect I am going to have to spend a lot more time at Atlantis between now and July, since I have signed up for the GS Trophy... 
Will have to bring out the rhino-chaser (1150GS) instead of the piddly 650...
Yea better get some training going then :D
always welcome to join us at Zone7 on a wednesday, normaly every week, 3:00pm till sundown.
they charge R50 a head but its a great workout.
Just shout or ask pinkgoat to pm me on WD's when you get your Sand day up and running I will join in
Thanks Charles, Jeanne and Peter for joining us. It definetely was a good day to be on the sand for the first time. Normally it should actually be alot easier, as all the ruts and dune destruction was caused by the film crew who had been shooting the alien movie there during the previous week.
Anyways, you guys all did great! I will also be joining you if you every plan a Atlantis day.
PS, I will probably be heading to Atlantis this sunday (weather permitting) to get some riding done as I don't really feel that I got any done on this ride (with the gear lever problem and also the injured convict 
) Anyways, you guys are always welcome to join.
Kreef, take your pit bike along for me and you can count me in China
Deal. Weather looks great for a morning of fun at Atlantis.
Looks awesome! Keen to come along on an event like Charles suggested. Will be great learning curve.
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