Sadly, Harvey was sensational.

When word spilled onto socials that Harvey was getting bumped for the A4DE I was a little miffed. But I took it on the chin.

I’m nothing more than a weekend hack, and not a particularly consistent one at that. So far be it from me to face-drop and tanti like a two-year-old when one of my two "must do" events for the year gets back-burnered.

To be fair, the Trail and Enduro Club never said it was cancelled. It just got shunted along the calendar a little - and then some.

Harvey in October? (insert chin scratch emoji) It wasn't going to be pleasant. But there was never a chance that we were not going to do it.

Hot's hot, but it actually wasn't all that bad.

You see, within our core riding group is a variety of riding interests: social trails, enduro, trials and Hard Enduro. But, the Capel 200 and the Harvey Adventure Rally are the two main events of the year that bring us all together.

No bitching, no moaning, no mess and no fuss. If it's Harvey or Capel, it's on for the lot of us. We start together and we finish together, no matter how well the fastest or the slowest among us is riding. That "leave no man/woman behind Full Metal Jacket" vibe - you know how it is!

But Harvey in October? (upgrade to grimace emoji) With El Niño stalking us like a reaper! We feared the worst, and clearly, the rest of the trail riding fraternity had similar reservations.

Sadly, numbers were down massively on previous years. A rough count in parc fermé suggested there was possibly less than 100 riders in the pack.

Lil' quiet at the gate - numbers were down, but that did mean less dust to eat off the blocks.

Well, all I can say is, the 200 odd riders that did not turn up to Harvey 2023 missed out monumentally. It was sensational.

Organization was 'toit'er than Jake and Amy's nups. The pre-race formalities, speeches and prize draw was hosted by CoC Stacee, who was a class act on the mic. There were so many prizes from Pilot Air Compressors, DACA Tours, Cully's, Bunbury KTM and Tyres For Bikes that even someone I knew won something, and that never happens.

Recipients of round things rolled in by Tyres for Bikes.

So on point were the T&E club, that Stacee launched us almost an hour earlier than the original program had suggested. Quite simply, the who's who in the zoo knew the that while the wind blew, we were not going to stew.

Launching off the top of the hill that is usually part of the first climb, there was a strong suggestion the track might be a little different this year? And it was! Very much so!

Oh, there were the usual burnt-out single tracks that pick their way through the junior jarrahs that are almost, but not quite, too close to squeeze your bar ends through.

And there was the obligatory powerline climbs and 'the earth really is flat' drop offs into the abyss. But none of this is never not fun.

In the past, some of these 'better used' tracks have become a little whooped out, but where were those tracks were this year, I have no clue?

All of the usual aside though, can someone please tell me where the heck those deep drainage valleys have been all my life? Check out Knights rider Matt Guerini's awesome altimeter graph of the short (30km) loop. Two thirds through it the ground just gave way, and we were death dropping into deep, dark valleys and blasting our way up and out the other side, only to plummet again before we'd had a chance to catch our breath.

Yep - shit got real in there somewhere. Cheers Matt Guerini.

These descents and climbs were epic and, had I had my time again (and I am very much not alone in this wish) I'd have done as many of the loops as I could have managed in the time allowed.

I'm not sure I have ever kicked myself so hard for packing up my bat and ball and calling time out before the final siren sounded.

But what I am sure of is that I can't wait for Harvey 2024. Here's hoping they run the same route! (insert needy eyes emoji)

Sorry, what? There's something on my face?