Sunday 5 February – Old North Road (South)

With a very broad range of excuses from the usual participants, this most excellent of rides was left in the capable of hands of Doug, Brian and Stephe – at least we all had the pleasure of driving up together (on the Old Pacific Highway, of course – Brian discovered the peculiar joy that is driving back along that road after a long mountain bike ride!).

Doug and Brian seemed to be at the peak of their fitness, and were raring to go. After the long climb (and some brief consideration of Old North Road (North) as a possibility), they hammered off across the top of the ridge towards Wisemans Ferry. Unfortunately, Stephe proved unable to catch up so was forced into dramatic diversionary tactics – falling off a perfectly good, dry and clean track into the aptly named “Sheep Dip” pothole (and no ordinary pothole (it’s rumoured to be bottomless), he managed to become entirely immersed for a couple of moments before emerging sad, cold and unhappy…).

Following that incident, and the mirth it gave rise to (for Doug and Brian at least!), the ride got better and better, with Brian leading the momentum run to the top gate near Finch’s Line. Unfortunately, giving reasonable consideration to spouses meant that the side tour to St Alban’s and the road to the bottom of Wisemans Ferry was deferred to another ride.

The trip back was just as good as the trip out (again with Stephe flagging badly at the rear), and the Old North Road has yet again confirmed its place as the pre-eminent mountain bike ride in this region!

Photos up, at this link (including both very rare Doug footage (!), and a couple of short videos whose primary purpose is to humiliate Stephe in front of wider audience!). Some snaps below (you’ve just *got* to love that profile!):