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Sunday saw perfect conditions for riding, the rain had cleared and the temperature stayed reasonable cool and the tracks weren’t too wet. There were utes and trailers full of bikes everywhere as we headed up the mountain, fortunately though they all must have gone the other way to us as we hardly saw another bike on the tracks all day.
The ride was a good pace and the tracks were at times tight and twisty, at one stage the overgrowth meant virually riding with your head tucked down on the handle bars to avoid having it ripped off by the lantana and vines. There were some faster open sections, some evil downhills and snotty uphills to test everybodies skill level. Well done to Old Al and Dand’s mate on the WR for getting through, (although we may have to start caling Old Al, Old Fox ’cause I think he’s foxing when he say that he’s an old fart and tires easily because he was there all the way).
Thanks to Anton, Matty and Moto for leading and to DanD and Holeshot for sweeping. I got a couple of photo’s but the camera started playing up half way thtough the ride and woudn’t focus (a bit like me really :blink: ), so unfortunately I don’t have any of the best (or is that worst :huh:) sections.
Here’s another pic
and another
Then the camera started taking shots like this
AnonymousI don’t know whether it was the excitement of my first ride since Wauchope or change in time from daylight savings but I woke up at 2am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I started to think about the ride, the route and what the conditions were going to be like and that sealed my fate of total awakeness until 5:15am when I was supposed to get up.
I logged into Old Bulls at about 4:15am to see that Husky had said he was coming. Along with Anton, a guy that Matt knows (whom I have met before also) we were looking to have 12 riders out.
After waking Matt up because his alarm didn’t go off we got the last bits sorted and prepeared to get going. A quick stop at the BP down the road for fuel and we were away.
After turning up at the Firestation in Cooranbong I soon realized that we were sharing the carpark with Bruce Hancock who was leading out a Watagan Trailbike Tour. I directed all our guys who turned up to camp area so as to avoid congestion and confusion.
We got to the carpark and all started to get ready. We had our little speech at the start telling everyone where we are going and all that good stuff and minutes later we were off.
DanD offered to sweep first up and Anton agreed to lead us down the single trail heading Southbound from the pines. The single track was tight, tricky and got the blood warmed up quickly.
I relieved DanD of sweep duties and we kept on with the single track for what must have been 10-13Kms. After popping back out onto Watagan Forest Road, and me handing sweep duties to Holeshot we continued Southbound diving in and out of the faster trails on either side of the road before eventually arriving at the top of Hitchcocks.
We headed on down the track which is very overgrown for the first couple of minutes and was a bit of chin on handlebar stuff before opening up at what is the top of the hill. We started to descend down over the multiple rock ledges and rutted out sections. There were a few stacks on this section of the ride but everyone did an admirable job and got down alive and unscathed.
From there we hit the tar for a 2-3Km’s to pick up the start of Maculata trail. I led the guys out over the faster more open trails as we again ascended up the side of the Watagan mountains. I had rounded a corner and dropped down some more rock steps and decided to pull up and wait and watch the rest of the guys as it can be a tricky little section.
Everyone managed to get down without any drama’s although Anton on the blinged out 540 KTM come in very hot and somehow recovered from what would have been a big nasty highside at the top of the rock section! And right in front of everyone too!
We continued on down to the lowest point of Maculata where the big bog hole is. Amazingly with the amount of rain we’ve had there was an easy line round. Had there not have been I would have bet that someone would have been swimming
DanD’s mate on the WR has only been riding 6 months and was starting to look worse for wear. We headed up the big long rocky hill which ends back up on Watagan Forest Rd.
After some discussion Old Al and DanD’s mate hightailed back to the cars via the firetrail. I don’t blame them I was tired too! Anton had already ridden for about 2 hours before he even met with us in the morning so he made his way back home at that point too.
The rest of us jumped across the road and down into some more single line stuff. Again, this stuff can be physically demanding at the best of times and with the recent rain the slippery angled logs across the track make it that much harder.
We congregated at the base of the next hillclimb and everyone dismounted to go and study the line upto the top. I was first up and made it without much trouble courtesy of the S12 on the back.
I went back down to the top of the first crest to help others over the rock step half way up. This was a funny part of the ride. Most made it okay or with a little shove and only a couple dropped their bikes. It was an admirable effort by all and the cheers and laughs we had made it very amusing.
Again, we plugged on, riding more of the demanding single trail before deciding to pop back out onto the firetrail and head back toward the cars as most people were pretty tired by now.
We skipped some good sections of single trail out and the hardest hill climbs and descents were missed out but we will do those on another ride soon
Me, Matt and Dave (Husky) left everyone at the Muirs lookout intersection on Watagan Forest Rd and they headed back to the cars after saying our goodbye’s.
Dave took me and Matt on some more single trail and sweet flowing trails heading down towards Cooranbong. It was great because I hadn’t ridden on a few of the tracks he had taken on us which is always good.
We rode into Dora Creek to the servo and got a much needed sausage roll and top up of the camelpack. We stopped for about 20 mins and then headed back out. Me and Matt showed Dave a few trails that we had done in the area before and had a ball. We eventually got back to the cars at around 2:30pm and I was totally rooted. In the last bits of single trail I was getting cramps in my legs and my knee and ribs were hurting after the several offs I had that day.
In all it was a great day and I loved it. I’m sore as hell today and hope I’m back and fighting fit for the Easter ride. It was nice to meet all the new faces and say hi to the old faces too.
I hope everyone enjoyed the ride, apologies to Old Al and DanD’s mate for it being a bit hard going at times.
Memorable moments in no particular order are:
• The trailer making a loud noise on the way down when a tie down rope got caught under the wheel of the trailer!
• The sweet condition of all of the trails and near perfect weather conditions.
• Me dropping my bike about 2 Km’s into the ride whilst stood still!
• Old Al stacking in the singletrail and rolling down the hill
• DanD’s mates crash shortly after!
• Holeshot not being able to fit into the tiny sweep vest that Matt brought along.
• Hitchcocks carnage.
• My stack right in front of Husky on the rock section. Stupid and it hurts still!
• Anton’s highside recovery.
• DanD’s mate hitting the wall at the bottom of Maculata.
• The laughs we had on ‘Prick Hill’. Most notably DanD’s superman effort over the rock ledge he hit at about 30Km’s!!
• Racing Matt up the firetrail heading back to Muirs and taking him round the outside at speed.
• Saying good bye to the boys.
• The new trails Husky (Dave) took us on.
• Finally getting some food by which time I was so hungry I didn’t really want it.
• Matt’s stack up a rocky hill and him almost blowing a vein trying to pick his bike up whilst I rode past laughing my arse off!
• Some dude on another ride in shorts/T-shirt and boots
• Trying to keep up with Dave on the way back to the cars, he’s got some skills.
• Murph the Surf’s wheelie past his son at the start of the ride. Cheeky cheeky!
• Tim (Murphs son) roosting the sh*t outta everone on ‘Prick hill’.
• Getting home and lying in bed feeling pretty ordinary!
AnonymousWhat a day. The single track was great and apart from a little stack and roll, more of which later, I went ok. The trip down Hitchcocks was a challange and, I must admit, was a bit out of my comfort zone. But made it down ok with a little help on one tricky rocky section where someone walked my bike down a few meters while I got my self out of a hole.
Just a short note here. I was helped by various people on the ride but am hopeless with names, so if you are one of the “someones” who helped my apologies and thanks in advance.
Had a small off on Hitchcocks more of which later!
Then around to the Maculata trail. This was a hoot, a bit rocky in places but nothing too bad. The highlight for me on this loop was the speed the fast guys came past me on the rocky downhill sections. Scary. No one should be able to ride that fast down rocky hills!
Then into the bogholes. Had an incident here more of which later!
By the time we had reached the Watagan Forest Rd again I was feeling a bit ordinary. I could have gone on but would have been a liability so decided to go back to the cars with Bob. That ride along the main drag was a pleasant experience in itself.
All up a top day and I am now paying the price. First time I have had really sore thumbs after a ride. I put it down to my struggle down Hitchcocks with the pressure on my hands and wrists. At one stage I could not pull in the clutch.
Thanks to the organises of the ride, the leads and sweeps and for the help along the way.
Now for the stacks.
First one was a beauty and no one saw it! On a narrow slippery single track with a bank on one side and a drop off on the other I overbalanced and had a slow speed get off that saw my rolling down the hill. Managed to grab a tree and stop my self otherwise I would still be down there!:lol: Anyway the cavelry came and helped my lift the bike and away again.
The second was the Hitchcocks stack. Someone was at the top of a rocky section directing riders to the left of the track which I duely took. But I went to far left and slipped down a rock, over the top and head butted another rock. Helped back on and away again. Luckily it was my head that hit, hard to damage that!
Third one was the boghole incident. I was at that stage by my self. The fasties had gone and there was a hold up behind me. I looked at the boghole and there was a narrow (very narrow) track around it. So took to the track and proceded to slip into the bog hole. Got trapped between the exhaust and the bank and my leg started to cook. That gave a bit of extra energy and managed to haul the bike off. So now I am in the bog hole and the way out was a very, very slippery step up. Had a go and almost made it but slipped back down. Had another go and the trials tyre bit in and I nearly flipped the bike back into the bog hole. Time to assess the situation. Noticed that there was another way out on the left. Had a go and the trials just hauled me out no problem.
By the way the trials tyre was brilliant in the slop. Real pleased with it.
Once again a top day but don’t mention Hitchcocks again to me.:laugh: :laugh:
old al.
Forgot to mention. Someone (there I go again) gave me an energy jelly when I was looking and feeling very ordinary down the bottom of somewhere. Did the trick and I will now carry a couple on every ride. Thanks.
AnonymousAl you can get those energy gels from any mountain bike shop or sports store. The ones called ‘Gu’ are good and you should take when you start to feel fatigued, not when you’re totally rogered. It was Matt that gave it to you
I was the one directing people at the rock step so am partially to blame for your off :blush: I forgot to mention about going back to get your glasses too. Can you imagine doing that stuff on the way to Hitchcocks without any protection for your eyes!
AnonymousMoto wrote:
Quote:Al you can get those energy gels from any mountain bike shop or sports store. The ones called ‘Gu’ are good and you should take when you start to feel fatigued, not when you’re totally rogered. It was Matt that gave it to you
I was the one directing people at the rock step so am partially to blame for your off :blush: I forgot to mention about going back to get your glasses too. Can you imagine doing that stuff on the way to Hitchcocks without any protection for your eyes!
Thanks mate. I forgot to mention the glasses/goggles too. Happened when I did my roll down the hill. When I got back up the glasses where fogged so bad I couldn’t see a thing so I took them off and put them on the side of the track. They are not prescription lenses, just glorified sunnies as I wear contacts when I ride.
You are right, the top of Hitchcocks would have been very hazardous without them and thanks for going back and retrieving them.
old al.
AnonymousWhen I sort out the Ausberg ride we will be riding up Hitchcocks and down Whitemans
AnonymousMy knee is pretty sore today and I’m limping around like an idiot! It needs to get better quick as I’ve got 2 days riding on Friday & Saturday and 4 days the next week at Orange for the A4DE.
Looking forward to getting out for a burn again soon
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