Sunday 25 March 2007 - Redhill (from Oxford Falls Weir)

Ha! All those sad wusses who figured they would stay safely tucked up in their warm, post Daylight Savings Time bed missed out on an *excellent* ride...

After a couple of late withdrawls (ah Shawn, you showed such promise; Ryan, we're missing you; not sure what's happened to Doug), Brian and Stephe drove down to the Weir off Wakehurst Parkway with a degree of trepidation. Indeed, they had actually formulated a plan to pull out if there was no-one there and it was still raining. However, Matt - the ever reliable - was already well unpacked, together with Joe and then Whisperer, and there was nothing for it but to clamber out of the car and into the elements. We found Darrell a little further up the road, and (almost magically) the rain stopped.

We rode up to Wakehurst Parkway, and into Redhill via the little pumping station. Although everyone was still cold, we made a fair go of climbing that first rocky channel to the track proper, and then sloshed our way through the puddles and mud to the bottom of the Redhill technical section. Some time later we'd managed to have a large number of attempts at each of the little climbs on that section (they all seem so much easier on the way down, instead of up!), and moved on - particularly when Whisperer pointed out that we'd only managed to travel 2kms by that point.

A fairly fun run along the track (again, with lots of water and reverse direction challenges) back to the main trail, where we turned right to travel to the playground just off Lady Penryhn Drive. We then did Jenzen's Single Track, down behind the playground to the block of units - with much entertainment as we puzzled around and over each drop off, rock step and general challenge - and then also had to deal with very tightly covering bush (all wet, of course), a wet and slippery track, and huuuuge spiders. After a great blast along the track, teetering on the edge of control, we came out at the units, climbed the hill to the next entry to the track and scooted along the power line access road back to the main Redhill trail.

Another quick diversion off to the top of the Rim Track, which was itself a serious hoot (albeit a very muddy one!), and then we arrived at the top of Sport and Rec. We must remember how much fun the Rim Track is...

Given the time, we turned around and legged it for home - pausing briefly to have some more fun on the Redhill technical section - and then back through some humungous puddles, down and up the track to the pumping station, and back to the cars.

Wet, muddy, and very, very amused. A great ride indeed.

No photos, no GPS, no record of our passing - no good. Hopefully, Doug will be back soon - not just for his excellent company, but also for his record keeping skills!