Any night rides planned

[glawrence2000]

Hi all,

I'm itching to get some night riding in this coming weekend in NSW or ACT. Anyone know any events offical or otherwise where peeps are out for some night time riding I could participate in?

Cheers

[trailgumby]

There are regular evening weekday rides organised via the http://nobmob.com website, usually on trails around the northern beaches.

Often there will be rides further afield organised for the weekend, some of which stray into the evening or even overnight. Worth checking.

Edit: here's a linky to a ride you might be interested in: http://nobmob.com/node/9604

[brent84]

Hey mate,
I've just ordered some Ayups and will be heading out for several training night rides in the lead up to the Scott 24hr. If you're in Canberra drop me a PM and we can meet up for a ride.

Brent

[Hometrail]

I ride most nights in the Watagan Mountains but I'm a slow overweight geriatric Just head down Mandalong Rd to Tobins Rd and away you go !!!

[glawrence2000]

I've just ordered some Ayups and will be heading out for several training night rides in the lead up to the Scott 24hr

Oh yes, Ayups be tha bom. I've got the MTB set with a narrow for the helmet and wide for the bars, used it first race during the Mont this year and a few times a Stromlo at night.
Giving Sutton Forest a stab this saturday night, I wonder what is there, and trundle into Canberra Sunday for a crack at the CORC race in Kowen Forest.

[glawrence2000]

So here's my plan.
Re-inact parts of the highland fling (which I've never done).
Starting at the Ferndale Ovala in Bundanoon at 1600 on the 13th of June.
it's all here http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/highlandfling/route.html
and have a shot at the top right section of the Red bit, doing the loop and crossing back across the blue part to complete the circle and head back along the red.
Uncalibrated eye rekons on 20 ks round trip.
Could deviate along the blue for a while too dependant on cold, state of the track and how much Ay-up juice is left.

[Pedalhead]

Sorry, but the temps at 6pm (finish) will be 2bloodycoldforme. having said that i am racing at Appin on sunday 10am race after track recce. maybe 5 or 6C

[stu]

Yep

Mt Stromlo tonight. Do a couple of hours there then slip into some jeans & of for a couple quick beers.

Woo hoo cant wait I get to test out my new forks
Stu

[glawrence2000]

Well that was gun - even if it was by myself; met a nice couple down from Sydney like me for a ride but they were the leisurely country road type riders so declined to get wet and wild in the Penrose State Forest.
I arrived at the alloted spot (there is an amenities block near the sport field) pretty hard to miss as the rest is a bit overgrown, at just on four as my GPS put me a few ks from the desired location.
There was still a bit of light although fairly overcast.
The start of the forest is about 5.5 ks of hardpack back the way I came and mostly a steady climb which was a big bonus coming back the other way.

Can't say it was terribly challenging riding, but I didn't stray off the main track as it was all new to me, I was all alone and there was no mobile coverage - just see myself on the news a few days from now.

The route I took was wide enough for a car but only suitable for a 4wd, belting down it there were wuite a few good drops to hurl over and some really good bendy stuff with unexpected soft sand patches which were a bit of a surprise but I didn't come off.

I only went in about 10 k's coming across a vast clearing where ppine trees had been harvested. seemed that if I contiuned I would eventually find a road out as I could hear traffic in the far distance from time to time. but my Nokia GPPS didn't show any tracks heading that way and it couldn't resolve a route for me to take and with the light now faded; I thought it was best to turn around and retrace my steps.

What goes don must go up in biking so it was a pretty long climb out; but the road back to the car was great. TBC.

EDIT: Needed to look after child #1.

5 and a bit ks of nice hardpacked road, bit ordinary when two cars passed in quick succession going the other way and the dust they produced; effectively blinding me at 40K/h. But all good eventually.

I then continued on to Canberra, arriving early evening and checking in to a hotel in prep for the CORC round 3 rides at Kowen Forest on the Sunday.

Conclusion - Penrose State Forest is potentially very awesome biking and I am keen to hit it up again in earnest. Probably stay a little closer - like in Bungadoon, even take the family so they don't get too crabby with me taking off on rides.