Sunday 27 May 2007 - Redhill loop

Is it mountain bike riding that makes the day fantastic, or is it these fabulous early winter days that make mountain bike riding so good...? Who knows, but today was another of those excellent ways to start off a Sunday.

We met at Sport & Rec - with T-Bone making a welcome return and joining Johnbo, Doug, Matt, Brian and Stephe.

We attempted the gully climb out of Sport & Rec (up to the end of the Rim Ride), which was always going to be a hassle given that we hadn't warmed up and started off in 5° weather! There were some amusing moments as various people tried various bits, and by the time we hit the top, most folk were now warmed up (or broken!).



The technical section was a challenge as always, and we tried a couple of new lines - with no spectacular bad outcomes (which is always handy). T-Bone claimed to have suddenly regained his fitness halfway through the ride, and then began being spectacular whenever he could...



Doug pointed out that we never seem to get a 'flow' happening on a Redhill circuit, and we do need to consider how to keep moving along on the track, while still having fun on the technical bits when they're available. That said, we did the Cross Country track in decent time, and the run along Deep Creek was as good as it has ever been.



A good, and quick ride (back at the cars by 9.30am - a 2.5hr ride), and well worth the price of admission... (which, given the water about, was probably pretty high today in subsequent bike repair requirements - Brian is looking to get a proper service, but after three years, perhaps that's not such a bad idea anyway!).

Photos, GPS, videos etc are all up here.

My favourites of the many videos are these (caution, some take a while to load):

Part of the technical section, with Brian in the background losing his rear wheel down a slope - watch carefully!

The last of the technical bits, with Johnbo demonstrating the classic 'over the bars' finish.

Matt executing a truly pointless maneuver (shouldn't be included, but sorry...).

Stephe on the single track lift (only here, because it's actually quite a challenge to some of us!)

And T-Bone doing the same thing.

Sunday 22 May 2007 - Bulli

It is clear that the cynicism with which some misguided souls approached this ride is unwarranted... Turns out, it was a ripper. Only real incident on the entire trip (around four hours or so) was 100m from the end, when Matt snapped the hanger on his brand new hard tail (why Matt was riding (or had acquired!) a hard tail is a much longer story for another day...). In any case, he managed to walk it out the last stretch, and everyone was back safe and sound, and feeling pretty healthy as well...

Thoughts from Johnbo:

A biking novices perspective:

Despite Stephe’s protestations to the contrary, a very enjoyable ride on a beautiful day. A slow ‘fitness test’ of a climb up the Bulli escarpment followed by a well earned / enjoyable easy quick descent through eucalypt and twisting rainforest track. Would have benefited from a dip in the sea at Thirroul afterwards…perhaps next time.

Agreed, not so much challenge in the technical department for all you long term die hard’s looking for the next death-wish technical challenge, but nonetheless a good confidence re-builder for the new kid on the block!


Photos and stuff up here (including some videos, sat maps, profile etc), some samples below:

Nice view from the top (Johnbo, Matt, Rees, Whisperer), and a group shot (Whisperer, Rees, Brian, Johnbo, Doug (cuuuute), Matt, Stephe):



The profile (25kms in total, lots of hill!), and some context:



It wasn't all uphill, there was some bits to play on as well:

Sunday 6 May 2007 - Dirtworks - Whisperer

From: Steven White
Sent: Monday, 7 May 2007 5:50 pm
Subject: Dirtworks....

Guys,

No time to write a decent report now, but had a 'good' ride!

Conditions were perfect, great atmosphere, and many laughs.

Did the hundred kays in 5:59, (expected 6:30) 28th in 'Masters' class, very happy!

Matt came up with me, and we hung out with the Nobmob - many laughs, several at Rob's expense (they give that guy heaps). Matt was a legend, made it look easy, coming in around 6:30.

Everything is a bit slow today, quads are a bit sore but going okay (yes had to work)

Will try and write some more during the week.

W.

Saturday 5 April 2007 - Mooney

Ah, Mooney, how we love ya!

On a rescheduled *Saturday* not Sunday ride, we arrived at Mooney as planned around 7.45am, with a slight chill in the air but nothing worse than that. The day promised good things, and we were not to be disappointed... returning to the cars around 1.30pm.

These shots show just how pretty Mooney was looking after the recent rains, and how wet!



Rees, Stephe, Doug, Brian and John made the ride (seen here at the dam at the beginning, and at "The Bucket" at the other end).



Brian was hot out of the gates, given that he hadn't been on a ride for four weeks because he was busy gallivanting about Europe (making one of the early hills in excellent style), but all the food and wine soon caught up with him. This video is harsh (being walloped on the very turf on which he was once king!).

However, to be fair, when we'd made the initial climbs, and then decided to travel on to The Bucket (why on earth did we do that?), Brian was the only one who made the hills - which was a pretty spectacular effort. Just check out this profile for a perspective on just how many big hills The Bucket represents!

Doug, of course, was the nearest challenger to Brian's climbing domination (hampered by chain suck) - Rees, John and Stephe content to walk when the hills went vertical.

At least everyone got to enjoy the downhills (even John's fairly embarrassing reflector laden beastie)!



An excellent 30 or so kilometres, everyone of them either scenically or technically beautiful, and even worth the extensive pain caused to our drive trains... (it's probably worth noting, as we returned wet and happy, Smartarse Creek cleaned us all up, just to show that it could!).

Photos, videos, profile, map and satellite shots are up here...