2011 an Otway Odyssey

[drfuentes]

So we were meant to go along no 1 spur track!
We had the same problem at last years interwinter in ballarat when the day before the race someone decided to grade the main "road" used to get up the hill. So when it rained it all went to shit. Prior to that it was hard baked and gravelled, after the grading it was clay soup as some of you might remember.

My two cents is that i enjoy the first 40km being mostly road as it separates the race (mostly) before hitting the bottlenecks.

It would be great to have better trail down the hill in the last ten k's. That trail sucks even when it is dry and I think that despite its fabled status no-one would miss walking up the sledgehammer.

In relation to improving the economics of the ride to the local community, could it be held on the Sunday. Apollo bay is a looooong way from anywhere and most of us still work the friday before.

Each year i have done the race the course improves little by little and RA are willing to take on feedback. We no longer ride up Tiger Lane and i certainly did not miss the boggy hike a bike section that normally starts at the ten k mark.

 

[kv1973]

It would be great to have better trail down the hill in the last ten k's. That trail sucks even when it is dry and I think that despite its fabled status no-one would miss walking up the sledgehammer.

I would have to agree on this point!! The trail leading down to the Sledgehammer inclusive of the climb itself is pretty average in the past few years. You know you're gonna be walking it. Its just not rideable. It needs some TLC on it to make it better.

 

[29er]

I would have to agree on this point!! The trail leading down to the Sledgehammer inclusive of the climb itself is pretty average in the past few years. You know you're gonna be walking it. Its just not rideable. It needs some TLC on it to make it better.

I passed heaps of people walking bikes on the trail leading down to sledgehammer. It was slippery but certainly wasnt goopy mud like higher up the hill. It was a bit hairy right at the bottom before you cross the creek and head up sledgehammer but it was all rideable if you have average skills.

The mud up higher was bollocks though and wasnt rideable in a few spots.

 

[normdouglas]

A locals perspective.

if I was John Jacoby (hosting a premier event), which is 5 years old and 'very' popular, I would invest some money and energy in cutting some quality single track into the above areas, I would apply for funding to assist and make it a multiuser walking/mtb track [connecting Apollo Bay -> Forrest], THEN in the event that we do get wet weather we will have a weather resilient course - which is 'single track' that is a mountain bike challenge to ride i.e. steep, technical. (Look how well the black gravel course held up after Red Carpet as an example).

We all want bragging rights, but walking up mud hills with jammed wheels just aren't mountain biking. I can do it and I still feel macho, but if I have to walk it should be because it's too technical or too steep!

With my most sincere voice on... I realise you might think this is just a matter of money... but trust me, you make this sound just so easy. If it was just money, then yes I would be there with bells on.

With the new Native Veg legislation about, DSE are making is almost impossible to even make a small "realignment" of an existing trail, let alone a whole new one. You honestly don't understand just how lucky we are that we can ride our bikes from Apollo Bay to Forrest basically along dirt roads. You're idea is awesome, but sadly a complete pipe dream... unless DSE drastically change their views.

Also, I was crazy enough to subject myself to the first OO and I'm sure those that were there too, will attest that there was TOO much single track. Yes that's right, too much. Rapid Ascent heard that and came up with an alternate course which was far more managable.

To be totally frank people, the RAIN was NOT what caused many of the issues with mud... rather some poorly timed grading of the 4wd trails. This coincided with the first decent rain we had had in about 7 weeks on the Friday night.
If those two things hadn't of happened... you would all be saying how fantastic the event was blah blah.

Please return to our little town soon... don't just come for a day and bring your cut sandwich... rather spend the night, have a meal, buy a beer, buy the paper, go visit the Otway Fly, etc etc etc... that's what will make the event better, and that thing is TOURISM. We need you all to return OFTEN so we become a genuine tourism destination then the government funds will flow, and the Tourism department will politely ask DSE to move aside and let us do what we need to do.
cheers

 

[Stevob]

To be totally frank people, the RAIN was NOT what caused many of the issues with mud... rather some poorly timed grading of the 4wd trails. This coincided with the first decent rain we had had in about 7 weeks on the Friday night.
If those two things hadn't of happened... you would all be saying how fantastic the event was blah blah.

I thought it was an awesome event because of the mud.

 

[Pizzaz]

...
Please return to our little town soon... don't just come for a day and bring your cut sandwich... rather spend the night, have a meal, buy a beer, buy the paper, go visit the Otway Fly, etc etc etc... that's what will make the event better, and that thing is TOURISM. We need you all to return OFTEN so we become a genuine tourism destination then the government funds will flow, and the Tourism department will politely ask DSE to move aside and let us do what we need to do.
cheers

Thanks Norm - great post... small communities all over Oz need to see that our sport is a legit way of drawing people to their area (lets face it... going to a MTB enduro isn't cheap and a fair amount of money changes hands...).

If small communities see that MTBers are a good way of bringing in $$$ then the local small businesses get into the act of pressuring governments to do stuff that makes the area more attractive and so on it goes...

There are great facilities in Forrest - one of the closest set-ups I've seen to NZ mtb parks around (which so far for me are the 'gold standard' as a combination of tracks / facilities and accessibility from decent population centres).

I'm planning for next year to bring the fam and spend a few days in the area before / after the event... (Sorry Norm, was in Apollo bay but at least its local-ish). I thought it was great that the RA rider survey (actually I could stop there... when was the last time I got a survey from any of the NSW enduros?) is trying to get an estimate of just how much the event contributes to the local economy.

Yeah I had a crap day out but that was a weather / equipment thing and the race itself is firmly planted in my to-do list...

Although next year it is on very close to Wildside... some juggling of brownie points is going to be required!

 

[velocidad]

Please return to our little town soon...

cant wait

in fact i'm looking for the OO2012 dates to book some accommodation if anyone can confirm them?

 

[mtb101]

With my most sincere voice on... I realise you might think this is just a matter of money... but trust me, you make this sound just so easy. If it was just money, then yes I would be there with bells on.

ok Norm ... nice to dream nevertheless, funny thing when you say all that ... which I agree with, is when I read the article about Forrest and the guy who started it all off - that its a vision by one guy that has instigated your mtb mecca. Bit like the guy in Tunisia, but that's another story.

Can you let everyone know in Forrest that we just loved riding Forrest and can really see the work improvements that keep making it an even more awesome place than it is. I rode with a buddy from California, he was jumping up and down in front of me laughing at every bump. He wouldn't let us leave the caravan park without booking in for next year. And this is from a guy that rides some great mtb stuff in the US.

 

[normdouglas]

Thanks Norm - great post... small communities all over Oz need to see that our sport is a legit way of drawing people to their area (lets face it... going to a MTB enduro isn't cheap and a fair amount of money changes hands...).

If small communities see that MTBers are a good way of bringing in $$$ then the local small businesses get into the act of pressuring governments to do stuff that makes the area more attractive and so on it goes...

There are great facilities in Forrest - one of the closest set-ups I've seen to NZ mtb parks around (which so far for me are the 'gold standard' as a combination of tracks / facilities and accessibility from decent population centres).

I'm planning for next year to bring the fam and spend a few days in the area before / after the event... (Sorry Norm, was in Apollo bay but at least its local-ish). I thought it was great that the RA rider survey (actually I could stop there... when was the last time I got a survey from any of the NSW enduros?) is trying to get an estimate of just how much the event contributes to the local economy.

Yeah I had a crap day out but that was a weather / equipment thing and the race itself is firmly planted in my to-do list...

Although next year it is on very close to Wildside... some juggling of brownie points is going to be required!

Sorry I missed you the other week Arran.. always good to catch up.
Just one other thing to remember about our little place, is that it is a TRUE "ride in ride out" experience. There are very few places like this in Aus, with really on the like of Mt Buller that can match it.
Hence why we have such a unique opportunity in terms of tourism, that not even Stromlo, You Yangs or Eagle Park can match. The ability to drive to Forrest, park your car and not need it again for the duration of your stay. Magic!

See you again soon.

 

[casnell]

cant wait

in fact i'm looking for the OO2012 dates to book some accommodation if anyone can confirm them?

Pretty sure it's Feb 25

 

[pistonbroke]

Just one other thing to remember about our little place, is that it is a TRUE "ride in ride out" experience. There are very few places like this in Aus, with really only the like of Mt Buller that can match it.
Hence why we have such a unique opportunity in terms of tourism, that not even Stromlo, You Yangs or Eagle Park can match. The ability to drive to Forrest, park your car and not need it again for the duration of your stay. Magic!

See you again soon.

Do you mean as far as facilities go? Riding, accommodation, Food and so on......
All Forrest needs is a bloody phone tower.

 

[btothec]

Do you mean as far as facilities go? Riding, accommodation, Food and so on......
All Forrest needs is a bloody phone tower.

The VCAT complaint that was lodged about the proposed Telstra tower being built on Caspers Access Rd has been dropped/resolved. Plans for the tower are now supposedly in full swing and it should be installed before the end of the financial year (hopefully).

 

[hilo]

I, for one, being relatively new to MTB and reasonably unskilled in technical sections--well let's just say I finished and I enjoyed the 50km Shorty even though I stepped aside to let the more skilled pass me, and perhaps I took it too easy in some parts and walked. So thanks to the organisers. It was fun, and I brought a bunch of people out for my 40th birthday (race day) to stay in Deans Marsh--so I hope that helps the local economy a bit even though it was 25km away!

Looking forward to next year!

HiLo

 

[Bodin]

The VCAT complaint that was lodged about the proposed Telstra tower being built on Caspers Access Rd has been dropped/resolved. Plans for the tower are now supposedly in full swing and it should be installed before the end of the financial year (hopefully).

In a funny kind of way, no phone access is sort of one of the things I like about the OO. It's one of those rare days in my life where I can actually be uncontactable.

I understand that it'll make logistics a whole lot easier for a lot of people, so don't take this as a complaint, but for me, it has added to the adventure along the way.

 

[jathanas]

In a funny kind of way, no phone access is sort of one of the things I like about the OO. It's one of those rare days in my life where I can actually be uncontactable.

I understand that it'll make logistics a whole lot easier for a lot of people, so don't take this as a complaint, but for me, it has added to the adventure along the way.

It's lovely to be away in a proper sense isn't it? I also enjoy that "I'm out of range" feeling

On the flipside, I'd be able to call for a lift at the end of the 100km... and there's the benefit of having the ability to cal for help in an emergency. ** touch wood **

 

[singleminded]

It's lovely to be away in a proper sense isn't it? I also enjoy that "I'm out of range" feeling

On the flipside, I'd be able to call for a lift at the end of the 100km... and there's the benefit of having the ability to cal for help in an emergency. ** touch wood **

You say out of touch, but I managed to receive a mobile call whilst racing along Red Carpet!! Dambed inconveniece as it really upset my flow

 

[singleminded]

I thought it was an awesome event because of the mud.

Too bloody right!!
Stevob and I (and a few others) happened to have the right 'tool' for the job on the day, lucky us! However the other OO event that regularly gets talked about was 2008 and guess what, it was muddy!
Not real sure what all the niggles are about. It was just MTBing with an added dimension, and isn't that what we love about this sport?
Mate of ours completed his first 100km event (this OO) and he loved ever minute of it. Best 'thumbs-up' as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Rambler]

Photos are up on the website. 100km-3 photos for me-2 at the finish. What the?????

 

[Bodin]

Photos are up on the website. 100km-3 photos for me-2 at the finish. What the?????

Skateboarding across the line without a rear derailleur, feeling massive relief at having still just beaten my original target (7 hours - was on track for 6:30, dammit!!!).

Think I might have to buy the full version of this one (and Photoshop it straight!) - still clearly remember the emotion of the moment.

 

[whale]

Photos are up on the website. 100km-3 photos for me-2 at the finish. What the?????

Less than half the pics uploaded , keep checking .