Ariel Motorcycle Club, est. 1928, has been running this iconic event for South Australian enduro riders for over 20 years. Starting in the early 2000s, this ride has grown and grown and is becoming, if not already, one of the most sought-after tickets on the South Aussie weekend warrior events calendar. The Ariel Motorcycle Club of South Australia operates the current Mallee Masters outside of a little country town called Wynarka, a small farming town with its development following the old Loxton railway line.
FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER
It’s Friday morning and the troops are arriving at the local oval, famously maintained by caretaker Alan. Picture Groundskeeper Willie, but more like his older cousin who had a battle with a big red and lost, but then went back for seconds. The Ariel crew are doing what they do best: getting the venue all prepped and ready for the weekend’s festivities. Tables are being laid out on the veranda to feed the masses. Chad’s setting up ready for rider sign-on, with a cold refreshing beverage to keep him company. That’s the best thing about this weekend: it’s a ride, not a race. You go at your own pace. Including at the fridge and around the fire.
The eagerness for the weekend’s ride can be felt in your bones as caravans, campers and all the moto rigs start to rock up with bikes on trays, trailers and hard-lid campers. One thing is for sure, swags are a thing of the past. Everyone’s rocking factory setups these days. The snags are on the barbie, the fire’s a-roaring and stories and introductions are flowing around the fire. Friday night is in full swing. With a sprinkle of Friday night fever in the air for some, this camper is off to bed, ready for 165km of the Mallee district’s well-known singletrack.
THE ROOSTER CROWS
6am, the Rooster crows. You can hear the zips undo as entrants quickly grab a cooked brekky before it’s time to don the selected gear for the weekend and see what Jim, the event organiser, and his clipboard have to say.
7:45am and it’s riders’ briefing for all to hear about the day that lies ahead. Everyone is beaming with excitement and bikes have already been fired up to show off their FMF exhausts and warm up the engines, ready for the day.
8am and the eager beavers are making their way to the Yamaha pit area to choose their spot in the line-up for the day’s activities. The corner man system is used on these types of events. The corner man system is where the rider behind the lead rider gets put on the corner or junction the ride passes through. That person sits on that corner with their bike pointed in the direction of traffic and waits there until the sweeps come through. A simple task for some, but one that others still struggle with.
A signal from one of the event sidekicks and the ride’s off to a flyer. Straight from the get-go and we get to taste some of the region’s delicacies. Some snotty singletrack to kick off, with a side serve of rocks and soft sand. The Mallee Masters was serving up some epic trials for the riders to chew through.
The battles are everywhere as groups of mates find their flow and place among the 95 riders.
SNAKES FOR LUNCH
A smoko stop in the morning to break up the day, then lunch in the middle of nowhere and there’s a BBQ trailer serving steak sangas, cakes, cold drinks, fruit and, of course, the obligatory dirt bike snack… snakes. A great show of professionalism from the not-for-profit outfit.
A quick fuel-up for those of us on 300 2eys and the small-bore WR250Fs – which, I must say, the following for these bikes is growing quicker than a new fad diet plan – and it’s helmets on, ready for the afternoon.
65km left, or thereabouts, and spirits are still high, with some still feeling the need for speed and others the need for a camp chair and a cold brewskie.
I notice at the afternoon smoko stop someone’s riding a CRF300 Rally at this enduro-dominated event and it got me thinking. How good is it that we really do have a smorgasbord of bikes to choose from? And what makes it even better is clubs like the Ariel club putting on events for punters to go and ride stress-free.
Anyhow, I digress. Some fast-flowing sections for the arvo were a welcome sight. Some riders choosing to have a rest on the roadside and peer into the bush while regaining their courage to get back into the trails is probably a wise idea for those suffering from the dreaded arm-pump.
Sandy berms cutting through the bush, with trees passing by, the roar of thundering four-strokes flying through the bush and two-strokers hitting the euphoric powerband. It really doesn’t get any better.
A goat-track-width singletrack with some modest whoops to keep you on your toes, and the ride for the day is coming to a close.
ROASTS AND RAFFLES
Everyone was back at camp, all riders accounted for. The event organisers were stoked with the day and the catering crew were already cooking up the feed for the evening. Showers organised for riders to wash away all the sand and dust from the day’s ride were a welcome sight. Dinner served up a ripper roast beef and salads with a sweet treat on the side.
Coast Powersports owner Mark headed up the raffle. With a huge selection of goodies donated by the major sponsor, the tickets were being sold like hotcakes. One punter purchasing 250 bucks’ worth! A few laughs and a shitload of swag getting thrown around, everyone was in great spirits and it was time to head to the fire for a few brewskies and talk about the day’s trails.
Not surprisingly, 10pm and it was starting to get quiet. Most riders, quite rightly, were ready to hit the hay and rest up for Sunday’s 80km short loop.
SUNDAY SESH
Sunday starts similarly to Satdee. Another ripper cooked brekky by the Browne family and friends, a family with multiple life members of the Ariel Club, which really does signify the camaraderie of this club. A special mention to a young member of the club, Hugh, who at seven years old was up at sparrow’s fart to serve the riders bacon and eggs with a cheeky smile and a smart comment here and there.
A couple of campers choosing to head off early and forgo the Sunday session. Maybe to get an early head start on the clean-up. More likely just completely rooted from the day before.
Sunday’s trails were another quality selection, with some fresh singletrack cut into the Mallee to test the skills of the group. Plenty of tight switchbacks with some off-camber corners, weaving sandy berms and, again, sandy whoops. You really get a great taste of what this region has to offer the enduro weekend warrior.
After another ripper day on the bikes, the leftovers from the weekend are served up for all to devour after closing out the ride, totalling approximately 250km of singletrack. Bikes are packed up quickly, the Ariel members making short work of the pack-up and groundskeeper Alan getting stuck into the toilet clean-up to ensure the level of cleanliness is maintained.
One look back at the oval and you wouldn’t think 95 riders, rigs and vans were here having the time of their lives. And as it should be. A great example of how to put on a monumental riding event in the Australian bush and how to leave it. As if you weren’t even there.
Thanks, Ariel MCC, for a great weekend and a special mention to Jimmy Two Guns for running the show, Adrian and his family for the catering, all the helpers involved with the weekend, Adrienne for the photography, major sponsor Coast Powersports and all the sponsors of the ride.
