Tiny and me got to the Zig Zag railway about 7.45am to find Shane already waiting. Lithgow this time of year can be cold and although this was one of the milder mornings the air still had a bite to it. Chris turned up about 5 mins latter and it was just going to be the 4 of us.
We headed a few km’s up the road and got geared up. I was wishing I got dressed into my riding gear at home, bare skin at this temperature is not good. I rolled the DRZ off the trailer and then it hit me, F#&K, I left the keys at home. I won’t put the details up here but I’ll just say Suzuki supply the necessary hardware to start the DRZ without a key. Took all of about 60 seconds to work out.
Chris lead us off and we quickly dropped into a nice flowing single track that got us warmed up. From here we linked another single track that took us down to the MX track. There was plenty of water around with lots of large puddle full of very cold water. From the MX track we followed the power line trail down through the gully. There was a large group of 4×4’s in the gully going nowhere fast. It’s always fun to ride around these bogged bougains. The hill out of the gully took us up a trail with a big bog hole nearing the top. Find a rut and gas it up was the way to go.
Shane took us down a snotty single track with lots of slippery rocks and roots which had a nice short but technical hill.
From here we headed out Blackfellows Hands trail onto the sweet single track that goes forever. No time for rest, the trail winds it way though the trees with very little straight line stuff, just corner after corner. Left, right, up, down, I was smiling from ear to ear and sweeting under my jacket, didn’t feel cold no more. The trail was very greasy with plenty of small bog holes, I lot count of the amount of times I fired off the track and into the bush, laughing all the way.
At the end we took the gnarly single trail that drops down into the back of Wolgan gap. Shane rode this trail with no front brake, the Brembo on the VOR had lost all pressure. We stopped for a break down in the gap and this is when Shane notice the VOR was weeping golden stuff from the motor, poo.
Shane decided not to risk it any longer and head back to the car’s along Backfellow Hands trail. As he had snags for lunch we followed him like he was the pied piper. Riding out on the open fire trail was freezing. Me and Tiny took a small detour along the way but my fingers were numb by the time we got back. At the car’s Shane got out his mini kitchen and we hooked into some snag and onion rolls.
After lunch (thanks Shane) Me Chris and Tiny headed back out and took the trail that runs though the gully behind the MX track. At the bottom there is a creek crossing with a few options. Chris took the quicksand option. I couldn’t help but laugh as Chris revved the Yammy and dumped the clutch, the rear wheel didn’t budge, she was stuck fast. The water in the creek was freezing and it took the three of us too get Chris unstuck. The snotty rocky hill out of the gully had us warmed up again and this lead onto some more great single track. It was here I come across a log down on the trail, there was a side track but I went sailing past that with the rear break locked, bugger it I’ll do the log, not really lined up for it though, front over, rear spinning oh well time to fall over now.
We rode around up here just hooking up single tracks then headed over to a loop which is a definite one way, the mother of all shitty downhill’s. On the way back to the cars we went down Boulders Hill to find the recent rain and 4×4’s have completely decimated the hill. A complete rutted out slop fest, even once it has dried out I think this trail will be one to be avoided.
All in all a good days ride which had me hurting more than most 2 day rides. No photo’s but I think Chris got some video.
