The ride fills every year, but set records this time by filling within ten hours of the advertised opening on www.onlineoffroadtours.com.au.

The event started in 2006 as the brainchild of Yackandandah resident Don McInnes and local policeman/tour operator Rod Lay and has been a must – do event for many riders since.  

The event has several attributes that make it unique.

The challenging terrain is routinely voted some of the best around and numbers are limited to prevent congestion and track damage, so the event is sustainable.  

The event is run by professional tour guides who know how to organise a decent hoot that runs smoothly.  

Riding ambulance officers partner with police solo riders as roving emergency service crews to assist with rider safety. 

100% of funds raised go to charity, with the Yackandandah primary school receiving more than $20,000 in 2009 and in 2010 the local CFA and SES will be added to the list of beneficiaries.   

The Department of Sustainability and Environment are partners and the event is run on their theme ‘Ride for Tomorrow’.  

200 lucky entrants will follow arrowed loops on the pristine Mt Big Ben near Yackandandah and will include an improved grass track section for 2010.  Yep, you heard right, grass track.  

The event utilises private farm land adjacent to the forest and boasts an extended virgin grass track to rival most Thumpernats events of days past.

Event coordinators Rod Lay and Don McInnes have acquired use of a new pit area and grasstrack paddock that is a huge improvement on past years.  

"The new paddock is my old Thumpernats training venue, which is undulating to hilly loamy terrain that hasn’t been ridden really at all for some time," Lay said.

"I’ve been to events all over the country and would rate this track very highly indeed."

Don offered that although the event was not a race, it would cater for riders of varying abilities and that it was unique that a social non – competitive rider had the chance to ride on a quality grasstrack.  

Some great sponsors have gelled together to support the event and at the usual post event auction a Honda CRF250X will be up for grabs.  

The bike has been hotted up with a Pro Circuit pipe, HRC bling, Force bashplate and radiator guards, TAG sprocket and a full Ringmaster Graphics kit.  

It even comes with a spare set of Metzeler competition tyres and has been jetted to suit the pipe.

Online Off Road Tours is affiliated with Motorcycling Australia, who are underwriting the event.  

Stay tuned to the MA website for a ride report and photo gallery following the event.