Wildside 2012
- Thread starter Turner_rider
- Start date
Stevob
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Not half as hilarious as it would have been to watch it.
throwback
Likes Bikes
It's your duty to post the photos on here if they ever come to light!Not half as hilarious as it would have been to watch it.
rally vincent
Cannon Fodder
That %$##%% possum
That was actually our possum. I have the email address of the girl, who has footage of you runnin off into the bush with it.
It was the end of a long saga which I will relate when I get near a computer.
Stay tuned......
Abe
Hi Steve, writing this from my phone but will follow up with more detail.
That was actually our possum. I have the email address of the girl, who has footage of you runnin off into the bush with it.
It was the end of a long saga which I will relate when I get near a computer.
Stay tuned......
Abe
rally vincent
Cannon Fodder
Possum saga part 1
Not the greatest start to the event.
Sean, our support, had come down to register, waited in huge queue, only to find he was not on the list. "Come back at 7 when everyone else has finished registering". Back at 7 - another huge queue. "Wait until everyone has finished then we can deal with you" So he waited. Everyone gone "Oh, your a *support* person, that's on this other list. Oh, there you are. Er, sorry - have some socks."
Later that evening, we bogged the bus on one of our party's block of land which formed part of the first stage during a recce. Support person starting to get a little stressed out.
Next morning there is possum poo on every single seat on the bus (we must have left the door open for 15 minutes, max). Later, we found that the perpetrator had not left the scene of the crime, but had found a nice cosy spot under the dash behind the glove box.
We open the engine bay (hmm - firewall).... We prod. (hmm, feisty).....we call Ranger (hmm, day off - convenient). Ranger eventually calls back. "Not a chance mate, any attempt and he'll rip out all yer wiring and probably your arms as well. Just have to wait until he comes out by himself". Most of us have biology majors so we know that possums are both nocturnal and fierce when cornered. John had a go anyway. Noisy and entertaining, but ultimately fruitless.
By this time we had to go and start the stage - we farewelled Sean and hoped that we would see him at the end of the day.
*********
End of first stage, there was our bus! Great! You got the possum out? No - a very stressful drive for Sean wondering if a rabid possum would emerge at any moment and rip his face off. Still hiding under the dash.
A bit later I look through the drivers side window and he's emerged! There he is sitting in the passenger side footwell. I open the drivers door and carefully squirt him with my water bottle. No movement to depart, but some loud threatening noises from the possum. I then pick up a long stick and proceed to try and poke him out. I'm a bit gentle and the possum is reluctant. Sean discovers what I am doing and says "Give it to me, I'll get the b***tard out". The possum is soon out with some rather more persuasive poking from Sean.
Yay! we all dance around the road like we had just won the stage - except with more energy. I took some photos of the possum, which show it on the other side of the road, contemplating the other vehicles. With some purposefulness, he makes for the nearest campervan and hops up into the wheel well...... Oh Cr*p.
We had a mixture of feelings. Elation that the problem was no longer ours, but some guilt as it was now someone else's. Felt overall positive though I'm afraid to say.
Again we set off for the cruise stage. Sean stays behind and notifies the possum's new owner. He also stays to 'help'.
According to Sean and my memory of his account, he tried to poke the possum out again (worked last time didn't it?). The possum walks along the tailshaft and up into the engine bay. They open the bonnet - firmly wedged. Sean can help no more and regretfully departs with the advice of "It's a rental isn't it? Just drive". (sorry PETA).
*******
Happily it turns out she didn't and the brave (foolhardy?) OP donned some cycling gloves, extracted the possum and carried it firmly off by the tail into the bush.
At the finish in Strahan, Sean also found the owner of the campervan and she had had the presence of mind to film the possum exiting stage left helped by OP. We exchanged email addresses and promised to exchange photos.
I'm having a bit of trouble getting the photos I took to download on this computer, but will upload as soon as I can. I'll also email her address to OP. As a teaser, the Rick Eaves photos have been posted, and our villain is featured in one of them. http://www.rickeaves.com/photo/inde...ture;cradle;crash;day-1;mountain-bike-ra.html
As an epilogue, needless to say we ensured our support person was well refreshed at the Strahan hotel on the last night. Apologies on his behalf to Paul Van der Ploeg for mispronouncing his name, offering misplaced condolences on his result, aggravating his injured shoulder and possibly unintentionally insulting his mum.
Not the greatest start to the event.
Sean, our support, had come down to register, waited in huge queue, only to find he was not on the list. "Come back at 7 when everyone else has finished registering". Back at 7 - another huge queue. "Wait until everyone has finished then we can deal with you" So he waited. Everyone gone "Oh, your a *support* person, that's on this other list. Oh, there you are. Er, sorry - have some socks."
Later that evening, we bogged the bus on one of our party's block of land which formed part of the first stage during a recce. Support person starting to get a little stressed out.
Next morning there is possum poo on every single seat on the bus (we must have left the door open for 15 minutes, max). Later, we found that the perpetrator had not left the scene of the crime, but had found a nice cosy spot under the dash behind the glove box.
We open the engine bay (hmm - firewall).... We prod. (hmm, feisty).....we call Ranger (hmm, day off - convenient). Ranger eventually calls back. "Not a chance mate, any attempt and he'll rip out all yer wiring and probably your arms as well. Just have to wait until he comes out by himself". Most of us have biology majors so we know that possums are both nocturnal and fierce when cornered. John had a go anyway. Noisy and entertaining, but ultimately fruitless.
By this time we had to go and start the stage - we farewelled Sean and hoped that we would see him at the end of the day.
*********
End of first stage, there was our bus! Great! You got the possum out? No - a very stressful drive for Sean wondering if a rabid possum would emerge at any moment and rip his face off. Still hiding under the dash.
A bit later I look through the drivers side window and he's emerged! There he is sitting in the passenger side footwell. I open the drivers door and carefully squirt him with my water bottle. No movement to depart, but some loud threatening noises from the possum. I then pick up a long stick and proceed to try and poke him out. I'm a bit gentle and the possum is reluctant. Sean discovers what I am doing and says "Give it to me, I'll get the b***tard out". The possum is soon out with some rather more persuasive poking from Sean.
Yay! we all dance around the road like we had just won the stage - except with more energy. I took some photos of the possum, which show it on the other side of the road, contemplating the other vehicles. With some purposefulness, he makes for the nearest campervan and hops up into the wheel well...... Oh Cr*p.
We had a mixture of feelings. Elation that the problem was no longer ours, but some guilt as it was now someone else's. Felt overall positive though I'm afraid to say.
Again we set off for the cruise stage. Sean stays behind and notifies the possum's new owner. He also stays to 'help'.
According to Sean and my memory of his account, he tried to poke the possum out again (worked last time didn't it?). The possum walks along the tailshaft and up into the engine bay. They open the bonnet - firmly wedged. Sean can help no more and regretfully departs with the advice of "It's a rental isn't it? Just drive". (sorry PETA).
*******
Happily it turns out she didn't and the brave (foolhardy?) OP donned some cycling gloves, extracted the possum and carried it firmly off by the tail into the bush.
At the finish in Strahan, Sean also found the owner of the campervan and she had had the presence of mind to film the possum exiting stage left helped by OP. We exchanged email addresses and promised to exchange photos.
I'm having a bit of trouble getting the photos I took to download on this computer, but will upload as soon as I can. I'll also email her address to OP. As a teaser, the Rick Eaves photos have been posted, and our villain is featured in one of them. http://www.rickeaves.com/photo/inde...ture;cradle;crash;day-1;mountain-bike-ra.html
As an epilogue, needless to say we ensured our support person was well refreshed at the Strahan hotel on the last night. Apologies on his behalf to Paul Van der Ploeg for mispronouncing his name, offering misplaced condolences on his result, aggravating his injured shoulder and possibly unintentionally insulting his mum.
Possum asleep in the van:-
First extraction attempt ending in failure
"I'm not coming out"
Freedom
Screw you guys I'm going home
Hey that's a nice van
"Hey guys the possum just climbed into this dudes van!"
"Shit I guess I'm going to have to tell them about it"
And a video of possum extraction attempt #2 (Also failed)
http://www.arcturus.com.au/possum/VIDEO0016.3gp
I was the support crew "Sean"
First extraction attempt ending in failure
"I'm not coming out"
Freedom
Screw you guys I'm going home
Hey that's a nice van
"Hey guys the possum just climbed into this dudes van!"
"Shit I guess I'm going to have to tell them about it"
And a video of possum extraction attempt #2 (Also failed)
http://www.arcturus.com.au/possum/VIDEO0016.3gp
I was the support crew "Sean"
Stevob
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Possum Saga Part 2
I waited for all the riders to finish the first stage because two of our support crew were riding sweep, collecting the bunting from the course. Once these fellas arrived, one wanted to ride the cruise stage to lunch so off he went. The other, a young lad, came with me. We saw from a distance something happening at the van in question, as our bus (the one with the trailer) was directly in front of it.
We walked closer and saw a girl prodding around with a stick under her wheel arch. For whatever reason, I though it was some type of mechanical problem, so I offered to help, and that's when things got a little more interesting. The girl showed me a glimpse of the hind quarters of the possum currently sitting up next to the engine. I prodded with the stick which only made it hide further in. We contemplated (not for the last time) leaving him in there and just driving off, but neither myself or the girl felt comfortable with that. I ran and got my gloves from our bus.
Can't leave a pretty girl stranded in the middle of nowhere, can we now?
Back I came to the van and I was just able to reach one leg through the wheel arch, so I took hold and pulled, but to say I was a little surprised at it's strength and tenacity would be an understatement. The noise that comes from these furry little creatures belies their appearance. I think we've all heard tales of possum fights over the years, but to try and remove one with just riding gloves is something I wouldn't recommend to anyone, let alone if you're lying on your back on a road and have little room to defend (run) if need be. It was when I was lying on my back when I saw the face of my enemy. Yes, Rabid is an apt description for a snarling animal who's face is covered in saliva and sharp teeth are being bared.
What the fuck have I got myself into?
I reached up (the stick was useless under the car) and to my surprise, the possum stayed where he was, and allowed me to touch him. Well, maybe he was blind, because as soon as I did touch him he screeched again, and shot up on top of the engine. Great. Perfect. Out I crawl from under the car and ask the girl to clear the passenger seat so I can lift it to get at my friend. More poking/stuffing around with the stick just moved the problem back under the engine again. I sort of chased him away from the engine when I got back under the car, but he found his way onto the tailshaft and scurried back to the diff. Not the most secluded location for a possum's summer hideaway, and I quickly scared him out of there and onto the ground, but this time he went right up to the front of the van where he climbed up between the radiator and the bumper.
Arsehole. It was quite the struggle from my part to not let fly with every known colourful word (and some improvisations) in the presence of a lady and a child.
I laid on the ground again and put my head under the bumper where I was told in possum speak to "get the fuck away from me or I will claw your eyes out and eat them". At the time, I didn't understand this, so I reached up for him again, but he didn't want to play, so he climbed up behind the freakin headlight. Couldn't see him now, and there was no way of getting him out of there. He must have felt a little more insecure there, because he came back out and into the engine compartment once more.
Back to the wheel arch I went, where I spied a little more fur and flesh to grab hold of. So I did just that. And I pulled and pulled and pulled, and eventually, after accepting that I was probably going to break this little bugger's legs in the process, gave one last tug and he let go.
Now here I was, standing on the road, holding an angry little possum by the back legs. Probably not the most secure I've ever felt. So of course, possums being good little climbers, and having good strong abs, it was little effort for the possum to curl itself up, claws and teeth ready for attack, and try to exact bit of revenge. The milliseconds cruised by and I just managed to activate my neurons to tell my hands to release the beast before he turned them into fleshy bleeding ribbons.
So...
Here we are, possum is free, and we're all standing around wondering what to do next. My little nemesis knows what he wants to do though, and that is find safety again. The safety bus, it seems, was only a few short metres away from where he was. Wonderful. My noble attempt to assist a pretty girl had evolved into my own attempt to avoid the same situation from happening to me.
The little scamp didn't realise that our trailer didn't have the nice secluded hiding spots that the last mobile hotel did. He found his way into one of the wheel arches and attached himself to the tyre. Big mistake my little drooling buddy. But I like to think I can learn from my mistakes though. I grabbed his legs again, and my screeching little pal put up one last big fight, but had to let go, else be torn in twain in the process. As soon as I had him out, I released one leg, grabbed his tail, then released the other leg before he got to me.
Dumbfounded by my new situation, and realising quickly that he couldn't get to me, I bolted. Straight across the bushland for about 100m or so, whereby we said our goodbyes and I dropped him unceremoniously on the ground. One last look up at me and he turned and walked away.
I sprinted back to the car and we jumped in and drove off as quick as we could.
I won. It felt real good. Even if I was covered in possum fur.
I waited for all the riders to finish the first stage because two of our support crew were riding sweep, collecting the bunting from the course. Once these fellas arrived, one wanted to ride the cruise stage to lunch so off he went. The other, a young lad, came with me. We saw from a distance something happening at the van in question, as our bus (the one with the trailer) was directly in front of it.
We walked closer and saw a girl prodding around with a stick under her wheel arch. For whatever reason, I though it was some type of mechanical problem, so I offered to help, and that's when things got a little more interesting. The girl showed me a glimpse of the hind quarters of the possum currently sitting up next to the engine. I prodded with the stick which only made it hide further in. We contemplated (not for the last time) leaving him in there and just driving off, but neither myself or the girl felt comfortable with that. I ran and got my gloves from our bus.
Can't leave a pretty girl stranded in the middle of nowhere, can we now?
Back I came to the van and I was just able to reach one leg through the wheel arch, so I took hold and pulled, but to say I was a little surprised at it's strength and tenacity would be an understatement. The noise that comes from these furry little creatures belies their appearance. I think we've all heard tales of possum fights over the years, but to try and remove one with just riding gloves is something I wouldn't recommend to anyone, let alone if you're lying on your back on a road and have little room to defend (run) if need be. It was when I was lying on my back when I saw the face of my enemy. Yes, Rabid is an apt description for a snarling animal who's face is covered in saliva and sharp teeth are being bared.
What the fuck have I got myself into?
I reached up (the stick was useless under the car) and to my surprise, the possum stayed where he was, and allowed me to touch him. Well, maybe he was blind, because as soon as I did touch him he screeched again, and shot up on top of the engine. Great. Perfect. Out I crawl from under the car and ask the girl to clear the passenger seat so I can lift it to get at my friend. More poking/stuffing around with the stick just moved the problem back under the engine again. I sort of chased him away from the engine when I got back under the car, but he found his way onto the tailshaft and scurried back to the diff. Not the most secluded location for a possum's summer hideaway, and I quickly scared him out of there and onto the ground, but this time he went right up to the front of the van where he climbed up between the radiator and the bumper.
Arsehole. It was quite the struggle from my part to not let fly with every known colourful word (and some improvisations) in the presence of a lady and a child.
I laid on the ground again and put my head under the bumper where I was told in possum speak to "get the fuck away from me or I will claw your eyes out and eat them". At the time, I didn't understand this, so I reached up for him again, but he didn't want to play, so he climbed up behind the freakin headlight. Couldn't see him now, and there was no way of getting him out of there. He must have felt a little more insecure there, because he came back out and into the engine compartment once more.
Back to the wheel arch I went, where I spied a little more fur and flesh to grab hold of. So I did just that. And I pulled and pulled and pulled, and eventually, after accepting that I was probably going to break this little bugger's legs in the process, gave one last tug and he let go.
Now here I was, standing on the road, holding an angry little possum by the back legs. Probably not the most secure I've ever felt. So of course, possums being good little climbers, and having good strong abs, it was little effort for the possum to curl itself up, claws and teeth ready for attack, and try to exact bit of revenge. The milliseconds cruised by and I just managed to activate my neurons to tell my hands to release the beast before he turned them into fleshy bleeding ribbons.
So...
Here we are, possum is free, and we're all standing around wondering what to do next. My little nemesis knows what he wants to do though, and that is find safety again. The safety bus, it seems, was only a few short metres away from where he was. Wonderful. My noble attempt to assist a pretty girl had evolved into my own attempt to avoid the same situation from happening to me.
The little scamp didn't realise that our trailer didn't have the nice secluded hiding spots that the last mobile hotel did. He found his way into one of the wheel arches and attached himself to the tyre. Big mistake my little drooling buddy. But I like to think I can learn from my mistakes though. I grabbed his legs again, and my screeching little pal put up one last big fight, but had to let go, else be torn in twain in the process. As soon as I had him out, I released one leg, grabbed his tail, then released the other leg before he got to me.
Dumbfounded by my new situation, and realising quickly that he couldn't get to me, I bolted. Straight across the bushland for about 100m or so, whereby we said our goodbyes and I dropped him unceremoniously on the ground. One last look up at me and he turned and walked away.
I sprinted back to the car and we jumped in and drove off as quick as we could.
I won. It felt real good. Even if I was covered in possum fur.
