Greetings from Tasmania

G'day. Increasingly old, increasingly grumpy man here. Mid-late 40's. As a teenager in coastal NSW I had a road and mountain bike, but when I moved to the big city, I had to pick one, so road bike it was. Now I've been in North West Tas for about 20 years, continuing to ride the road bike, but current level of fitness makes it too hard and pointless to ride on the windy days, of which there have been many. So I had a lightbulb moment end of last year and bought a mountain bike to ride in the bush on windy days. Just a reasonably cheap "introductory" bike to see how I'd go (Giant Talon 2). So far so good. I've even spent some money on some upgrades - air fork and dropper seatpost, etc.

Since I bought the mountain bike last November, I have fallen off 4 times. I've now got scars on both forearms, I've had a bruised tailbone and most recently, I've cracked a rib. I'm not trying to do anything heroic. I'm not into pumps and jumps and things, I just want to stay close to the ground, but not that close...

Anyway, that's me. Hopefully I can make some good contributions
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
G'day. Increasingly old, increasingly grumpy man here. Mid-late 40's. As a teenager in coastal NSW I had a road and mountain bike, but when I moved to the big city, I had to pick one, so road bike it was. Now I've been in North West Tas for about 20 years, continuing to ride the road bike, but current level of fitness makes it too hard and pointless to ride on the windy days, of which there have been many. So I had a lightbulb moment end of last year and bought a mountain bike to ride in the bush on windy days. Just a reasonably cheap "introductory" bike to see how I'd go (Giant Talon 2). So far so good. I've even spent some money on some upgrades - air fork and dropper seatpost, etc.

Since I bought the mountain bike last November, I have fallen off 4 times. I've now got scars on both forearms, I've had a bruised tailbone and most recently, I've cracked a rib. I'm not trying to do anything heroic. I'm not into pumps and jumps and things, I just want to stay close to the ground, but not that close...

Anyway, that's me. Hopefully I can make some good contributions
Welcome fellow Northwest Tasmanian.
Sounds like the usual MTB injuries. I have broken my ankle, collarbone and scaphoid in the past 3 years, all in separate :p incidents
Good time to take up mountain biking, Tassie is exploding with new trail developments.
I'm from Latrobe, where are you located?
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
Noice, noice.
I live in Launceston.
I ride lots of places... including Wild Mersey/Warrawee, Kelcey Tier & sometimes Penguin.

These forums are awesome... but be careful.... you might end up here a lot ;)
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
You're in the best place to take up Mountain biking and spoilt for trails. I bet seeing all the utes with tailgate mats down there got the better of you.
 

tobbogonist

a registered member
Grew up in NW Tas, steer clear of the bottom pub in Wynyard after 9 pm, it is were I obtained 100 percent of my black eyes.
Can't wait to go back and ride there one day, Tas not the bottom pub, it was all motor bike tracks and fireroads back in the olden days of early 2000's.
 
Welcome fellow Northwest Tasmanian.
Sounds like the usual MTB injuries. I have broken my ankle, collarbone and scaphoid in the past 3 years, all in separate :p incidents
Good time to take up mountain biking, Tassie is exploding with new trail developments.
I'm from Latrobe, where are you located?
Thanks Stredda!

Wow, that's some serious injuries - suffering for the craft perhaps. I'm in Penguin, 5 minute drive from the MTB park and Monty loop. Yes, I'm impressed by the amount of trails currently, and looking forward to the new ones. My favourite park is Wild Mersey, out your way.
 
Grew up in NW Tas, steer clear of the bottom pub in Wynyard after 9 pm, it is were I obtained 100 percent of my black eyes.
Can't wait to go back and ride there one day, Tas not the bottom pub, it was all motor bike tracks and fireroads back in the olden days of early 2000's.
Heh, I've been there a couple of times to see some musicians I know, but always left before it got to full or rowdy.
 

downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Fair to say it would be borderline criminal not to venture to the North East of your awesome corner of the country to ride if you haven't done so already!
 

tobbogonist

a registered member
Heh, I've been there a couple of times to see some musicians I know, but always left before it got to full or rowdy.
Good venue, not sure if they still utalise the hall out the back, I remember some great gigs there. I just used to stay around longer then I should so as not to 'miss out' on anything.
 
Good venue, not sure if they still utalise the hall out the back, I remember some great gigs there. I just used to stay around longer then I should so as not to 'miss out' on anything.
I'm not sure either, I've seen nothing advertised for a while, but I might just be out of the loop. I may have been to some of the same gigs as you. They were also trying to get a movie society happening there for a while as well.

A similar thing would happen when I left the bottom pub in Penguin before it became a bottle shop. I would leave after the music stopped, but the next week someone would ask me if I saw the fight that happened the week before, but it was always after I had left. Oh well...
 

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Welcome aboard! :) Just be wary about riding in the bush on really windy days, trees have the occasional habit of lying down without warning - you don't ant to be under one when it does! That minor risk aside, MTB is a really good way to disengage yourself from the daily rat race and tune into your natural surrounds, which as you've found can sometimes put yu back in your place! :p Enjoy the ride!
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Thanks Stredda!

Wow, that's some serious injuries - suffering for the craft perhaps. I'm in Penguin, 5 minute drive from the MTB park and Monty loop. Yes, I'm impressed by the amount of trails currently, and looking forward to the new ones. My favourite park is Wild Mersey, out your way.
Good little town Penguin. I'm president of the Cradle Coast MTB Club and our club built the Penguin MTB park and are managing the Dial Range trail builds.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
Welcome @tpuglisi, you're in the right part of the country for mtb...

Whereabouts in "coastal NSW" were you from? Assuming Puglisi is your surname, I knew a Puglisi around the far north coast of NSW (Ballina / Byron) in the 80's & 90's, would be mid to late 40's by now too. Only asking as it's a relatively uncommon name.
 
Welcome @tpuglisi, you're in the right part of the country for mtb...

Whereabouts in "coastal NSW" were you from? Assuming Puglisi is your surname, I knew a Puglisi around the far north coast of NSW (Ballina / Byron) in the 80's & 90's, would be mid to late 40's by now too. Only asking as it's a relatively uncommon name.
Thanks Nambra. Tassie is a great place for any kind of cycling really. That's partly why I've settled here. I'm originally from the south coast, Ulladulla. You are right about the surname, and we would be related to the Ballina crew - distant cousins of some sort.
 
Good little town Penguin. I'm president of the Cradle Coast MTB Club and our club built the Penguin MTB park and are managing the Dial Range trail builds.
Ah, well that's good work going on up there at the moment. I'm looking forward to seeing these new tracks completed. Depending on how I go with work I would like to try and come along to some events as well.

Also, I believe we have crossed paths before. I may have drawn some plans for you several years ago.
 

tobbogonist

a registered member
I'm not sure either, I've seen nothing advertised for a while, but I might just be out of the loop. I may have been to some of the same gigs as you. They were also trying to get a movie society happening there for a while as well.

A similar thing would happen when I left the bottom pub in Penguin before it became a bottle shop. I would leave after the music stopped, but the next week someone would ask me if I saw the fight that happened the week before, but it was always after I had left. Oh well...
You missed all the magic.. haha.
We used to sneak across the road and hang out on on the roofs of the fishing boats moored at the wharf, get out early so no one follows. I remember a band called Jesus and the Jedi, always great.
Anyway welcome, I forgot to reply earlier.
 
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