Western Aust: Beginners MTB ride, 10/05/08

[Kalgrm]

For anybody who is interested in learning a few MTB skills (very basic stuff - that's all I know), I'm doing a ride on Saturday from the Dell car park (Mundaring Weir Rd, between Mundaring Weir and Kalamunda).

I'm planning on taking a couple of friends up to the single track in the area and we'll go through bunny-hops, cornering, getting up/down ledges and climbing techniques. Others are welcome to come along.

We'll leave on the dot of 2.00pm, so don't be late. Better aim to get there at 1.45, just to be safe ..... I was up there yesterday, and the tracks are magnificent now that we've had a few drops of rain. We'll get a refresher during the week, by the looks of it, so don't miss out!

Cheers,
Graeme

[gdl_gdl]

Bugger, would love to attend but will be flying to HK on Thursday and won't return until late Saturday evening. (Bomb scares and airport evacuations permitting! )

Cheers,

Gary

[HappyHumber]

aw, shishkebabs!

I took my XTC out for it's maiden fang last sunday; 8 weeks after the collarbone incident. After her being a squeaky clean living room princess for all of that time - I baptised her in some nice stinky estuary mud and sandy tracks around the river flats Riverton way... it was pretty tame I'm sure by a lot of standards but I got a taste for it, for sure!

I'm keen to hook up at some point, Graeme... and would've done otherwise this weekend... 'cept the military operation that this Mother's Day has become for me will have to prevail, I am afraid

Kym

[senator52]

Yeah as much as I would like to come, I cant make it either

[Kalgrm]

Okay,

Looks like nobody can make it except me, which is fine. If anybody is planning to go and it looks like rain, call me on 0400 340 900 to confirm that I'm still going. I hate riding in the rain and only do it if I've paid money to attend (what a tight rrsed softy! ).

I'm still planning on meeting a mate and a couple of his mates there at this stage.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Kalgrm]

Well, I turned up and rode with a mate. Less than 100m from the car park (at the start of the ride) the heavens opened up and I was soaked within seconds. So, after saying I don't like riding in the rain, I ended up doing so anyway. Guess what - I loved the ride!

The tracks, which are normally soft and gravely, were firm. The rocks and roots were a little more slippery than normal, but not enough to tip me over. The hills were more like rivers than trails: we rode upstream for the first 20 minutes and followed the flow on the other side of Gungin. The sweeping single track was a series of long puddles a few inches deep, firm under the tyres and surreal to ride through. Each one filled my shoes with a cold rush of fresh water: a good match for the water filling my gloves from swept grass-trees.

Chris and I were totally soaked and dirt-splattered after the ride, but we both loved the experience. However, it wouldn't have been a good environment to conduct lessons in, so it's a good thing nobody else showed up.

Cheers,
Graeme