It’s been great coming back to Australia this year particularly after a very tiring season like the last, a few to many things going on.

The sun’s been out since we arrived with the exception of only one or two days and with the beach literally a stone’s throw away I’ve been catching up on a few missed waves.

This was young Ryan’s first trip to Australia and at the ripe old age of 9 month we were preparing for the worst. I think the airline were also preparing for the worst too, we had our own cabin all to our selves. He was actually really good slept heaps, ate heaps and I think the only shed one tear. Stoked, really happy.

Little did we know at the time but worst was yet to come. He really couldn’t work out were he was and what time of day it was. Night time was play time! Oh man, it took a full week to bring him to Australia time. But by the end of the week he was fully dialled in and loving the beach.

Not long after we touched base last issue my new steam had our first test in Valencia. It was a two day test and the crew had only been together for a week and Brooksy’s crew had only arrived the day before.

We were still running on Barros’s old bikes but with our electronics package (Wiring, loom, engine management) so the first day was pretty much consumed by the programming basically getting the bike to run correctly. By the end of the first day we’d kicked a few goals and were sailing along through the work nicely.

The second day wasn’t very productive at all, and the main reason was my bike had already suffered a long season from Barros and she decided she’d had enough. The main reason for the team purchasing the Barros bikes was so we can begin the testing program straight away and not have to wait until the new parts, bikes etc. to arrive.

The bikes have since arrived and the boys are flat out chasing down all the components and hardware to build them up. I’m not completely sure when our next test will be and we can’t be sure until the bikes are ready. Hopefully soon, getting itchy feet!

This yea Honda Australia have looped me up with a new CRF 450, so I can’t wait to get my hands on that beast, that’ll keep me occupied when the surfs crap. I raced MX for 11 years before I turned to the tar and it’s been a while since I’ve thrown a leg over one, but I’ll try and find somewhere soft to ride for the first few outings, like the beach!

This year Christmas day is at our place so we’ve got a few stings to pull together for that. Obviously there will be beer and a drop of sparkling to get the ball rolling, then we’ll have green prawns and scallops skewers on the barby. A wombok salad, some prawn cocktails and for the main I’m going to build a bourbon glazed leg of ham followed by some of Isabelle’s home made Ice cream and a chunk of Christmas cake. Few! I can feel my stomach stretching already.

Anyways gotta fly, surfs up. 

Karl