MAIL CALL: FIRST-EVER HUSBAND AND WIFE TO JOIN THE TRAGICS!

Dear Clubby: Please find attached registration forms for my husband, Graham, and myself to participate in the 2012 Ténéré Tragics Mountain to Mountain Run. I would presume female riders are able to attend? I have been riding for 30 years and have owned my XTZ660 Ténéré for four years.

Graham and I have just completed a month on the road going out to Innaminka, Camerons Corner, down the Strez, to Hawker and then spending three days riding around the Flinders Ranges, What AWESOME riding! We covered all the tracks you guys did on the first Ténéré Tragics Run. We then rode from Hawker over to Coober Pedy where we put on new tyres (they were a bit worn after 4,500km). From Coober Pedy we headed to William Creek, then Maree, up the Birdsville Track and then, sadly, home. We did 7,333km and I LOVED every minute of it.

I would absolutely love to be part of the Tragics ride in 2012.

-- Janine Hannat, Ténéré Tragic #tba

Welcome into the Ténéré Tragics fold, Janine! And you, too, Graham. If you had such a good time on your outback trip, then you're definitely going to enjoy the ride we've got planned for next March. And hey, congrats on being the first-ever female Ténéré Tragic!

-- Clubby, Ténéré Tragic #1

MAIL CALL: TRAGIC MIKE REPORTS IN

Hi Clubby: I’m completely over the moon that the 2012 Ténéré Tragics Mountain to Mountain Run has finally been announced! Although I am already an official Ténéré Tragic after this year’s ride, I have been waiting and waiting, like so many other potential Ténéré Tragics, to see what 2012 holds.

I have convinced my very good friend Chris to enter for 2012, so here is his entry form all the way from New York, New York USA. Chris is just finalising a classic "The Americas: South to North" adventure ride on his R 1200 GS. He would have preferred a XT1200Z, but they hadn’t invented them when he bought his GS! Chris can’t wait to get back to the land of Oz and head for the Mountains with the Tragics. Anyone interested can catch his blog at wombatstravels.blogspot.com – Wombat is his GS! Here’s a photo of his beloved ’83, which he values so much he wouldn’t leave it with me while he was away!

I love the new 2012 Ténéré Tragics logo (which true Tragics would suggest is now in the ‘correct’ colours – I can hear the debate starting now). I just hope that Yamaha Australia sees the light and eventually brings the Euro white versions of the current Ténérés into the country sometime soon.

I now have to get back to rebuilding the donk in my second ’83 – I keep dreaming of shiny new gearsets, oversized forged pistons and high-volume oil pumps!

Congratulations on the release of details for the 2012 ride: we all know that this only comes after a lot of hard work and trail time. Keep up the great work on TRAIL ZONE, too!

In the Ténéré Spirit,

-- Mike Haysom, Ténéré Tragic #29

Thanks for the news, Mike, and congratulations to your mate Chris on becoming the Ténéré Tragics' first 'international' entrant! We're rapt to have him along and can't wait to hear some stories from his many epic adventures. Okay mate, get back into the workshop and get those '83s firing on all cylinders!

-- Clubby, Ténéré Tragic #1

NEWS: TRAGIC COLIN GETS THE HOLESHOT FOR 2012

With entries now rolling in thick and fast for the just announced 2012 Ténéré Tragics Mountain to Mountain Run, we've been asked a few times now, who's been first to register for the ride?

Drum roll please ... the rider getting the holeshot on his fellow Tragics for 2012 is none other than Colin Jay from South Australia (pictured).

Clearly a true Ténéré Tragic, Colin’s registration form spewed out of our fax as soon as entries opened and we are stoked to report he will once again be lining up for the ride aboard his classic 1983 Yamaha XT600ZL Ténéré.

Hot on Colin's tail were fellow 2011 Tragics, Richard Puffe from Victoria (XT660Z) and Ken Henderson from Queensland (XT1200Z).

More than half the field from this year's Ténéré Tragics Run to the Rocks in the Flinders Ranges have already registered for the 2012 ride, and we're rapt to see Paul Sitar from WA and Peter Reading from Tasmania have signed on to make the long trek to the ride. Good on you, guys: we look forward to catching up with all our Ténéré Tragic brothers again!

In the meantime, keep those registrations rolling in and make sure you spread the word to fellow Ténéré riders to get in on the good times of the 2012 Ténéré Tragics Mountain to Mountain Run.

-- Clubby, Ténéré Tragic #1

TÉNÉRÉ TRAGICS ANNOUNCEMENT:

INTRODUCING THE 2012 TÉNÉRÉ TRAGICS MOUNTAIN TO MOUNTAIN RUN!

Attention all Ténéré Tragics fans and followers: details have now been announced of the 2012 Ténéré Tragics Mountain to Mountain Run.

After the fabulous success of this year’s debut Ténéré Tragics Run to the Rocks in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, the 2012 event will take the Tragics on a five-day run around south-east NSW, the ACT and into the northern edge of the Victorian high country.

The ride kicks off from Australia's home of motorsport, Mount Panorama at Bathurst (NSW) on Monday, March 5, and winds up five days later on Friday, March 9, at Jindabyne (NSW) on the edge of the Snowy Mountains.

In between, the wandering pack of Ténéré adventurers will make overnight stops in Oberon, Tumut and Batemans Bay as they follow a course that is tailor-made for putting Ténérés and Super Ténérés both old and new through their paces.

The registration fee for the 2012 Ténéré Tragics ride is $450 and this includes official welcome and farewell dinners, a showbag of exclusive Ténéré Tragics apparel and merchandise, a one-year subscription to TRAIL ZONE magazine, exclusive discount offers from ride sponsors that include Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube and AdventureMoto.com.au, daily route-sheets, daily riders briefing, sweep rider and sweep vehicle support and non-competitive event rider permit through Motorcycling Australia.

Accommodation recommendations at each overnight stop are also provided, for riders to make their own bookings to suit their budget requirements.

The Ténéré Tragics ride is open exclusively to Yamaha Ténéré and Super Ténéré machines (be they old or new) and already riders from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia have registered for the 2012 event, such is the far-reaching enthusiasm of Ténéré fans right around the country. And yes, a flurry of riders on original 1983 XT600ZL Ténérés have already entered!

With entries for the 2012 Ténéré Tragics filling fast, please email the ride organisers from TRAIL ZONE magazine at teneretragics@trailzone.com.au to request full details and a registration form to be sent to you.

Or by all means call the TRAIL ZONE office on (02) 9905 9663 for more information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

-- Clubby, Ténéré Tragic #1.

teneretragics@trailzone.com.au