The Smiths Gully Thread

[jathanas]

there's a ride on that day for the guy (Paul) who recently died starting at 9 at general store (road ride), so car park will be busy.

Thanks for the heads-up. New start time will be 8:30. JD can you please edit the first post?

 

[Beej1]

An alternative I often do is to park at the bottom of the Ridge Rd descent. Means you finish the ride after a mega-fun bit of fast swooping descent rather than the General Store which - anyway you look at it - involves a climb. It probably helps that I'm not a coffee drinker or eater of pies/burgers post ride, however.

I'm only mentioning this in case the Gen store is indeed completely packed full of cars - I would probably want to give those partaking in a memorial ride first dibs on parking.

 

[mars mtb]

I'm curious about this part: Ridge Road->Back into Happy Valley from Clintons Rd and then back to the store

The end of the Ridge Rd descent is a good few km away from Clintons - do you ride along Eltham-Yarra Glen Rd for this part to get back to Happy Valley? I hate riding along the verge of that - stopped doing it after a semi trailer missed me by <1m while I was well off the road and he was avoiding a truck in the opposite direction, and it was in one of the parts where there's no trail to the left (north) side. I've always wanted to have the time to build ST all along this route as there's plenty of land for it.

Other parts you could include are Bunjil (turn right after Boomers and head up LG road then take a few side tracks along to Panton Hill, then through Bunjil back to LG road mineshaft area), and the Motchalls descent to Turnung/Gills Rd ... but that requires the aforementioned stretch along E-YG Road.

Depending on availability I'd be happy to take anyone who's less interested in climbing fast and simply getting to the tops of all the good descents on offer out there at a (very) leisurely pace.

Hi NP,

At the bottom of Ridge Rd after descending turn right into the gravel car park, you will see a ST entry that we have 'allegedly' built to keep you off the road, it comes out in front of Gills Rd where you cross the road whereby you next enter the next shoulder and follow the ST all the way where it spits you out on-top the top of Gills which you then follow back to Turning Motchalls etc. The bit that spits you out needs a tad more defining but you can make it out. All of the other stuff starting from Ridge Rd is very defined and you will enjoy if you haven't already done so. I think there's not many who know its there or ride it.

 

[Beej1]

Hi NP,

At the bottom of Ridge Rd after descending turn right into the gravel car park, you will see a ST entry that we have 'allegedly' built to keep you off the road, it comes out in front of Gills Rd where you cross the road whereby you next enter the next shoulder and follow the ST all the way where it spits you out on-top the top of Gills which you then follow back to Turning Motchalls etc. The bit that spits you out needs a tad more defining but you can make it out. All of the other stuff starting from Ridge Rd is very defined and you will enjoy if you haven't already done so. I think there's not many who know its there or ride it.

Thanks Mars - I'm aware of this section and have ridden it the opposite way back to my car at said gravel park at Ridge Rd after cutting a ride short. It's very nifty and when I found it I immediately turned around to the other entrance of Gills to see if the same fairies had completed something in the opposite direction along EYG road as I was talking about earlier. Sadly not. If ever any of that mythical 'spare time' stuff comes my way I'm so gonna go and allegedly do it.

 

[Coaster]

Can I crash this party? How hard is it going to be? Surely I can build up my fitness enough in a couple of weeks. I'll be tops when it comes to eating pies at the end.

Nice of everyone to reply there! Of course you can, but I'm warning you it's a pretty odd group of guys.

Even though I've never met any of the Yarra Riders (except Piston, which in turn made me ride at midnight so I'd never meet any of the other guys), and I suspect we'd all prefer not to meet, I reckon I'll be in on this. It guarantees that there will be a slow group of at least 1.

 

[mars mtb]

Thanks Mars - I'm aware of this section and have ridden it the opposite way back to my car at said gravel park at Ridge Rd after cutting a ride short. It's very nifty and when I found it I immediately turned around to the other entrance of Gills to see if the same fairies had completed something in the opposite direction along EYG road as I was talking about earlier. Sadly not. If ever any of that mythical 'spare time' stuff comes my way I'm so gonna go and allegedly do it.

Hi again, Glad you like it, it's called Wombats Head (tell you why when I see ya) yep there is another link right next to the Gills EYG road intersection, you see it on the right as you enter Gills off EYG after you cross the road from Wombat's Head starting from Ridge Rd gravel car park. It takes you to the top side of Gills where you would normally enter by turning left into. That's where it ends.

This is part of what I was going to link in to make it a bit different and preserve riders legs for something nice.

Also John U,

On behalf of everyone, yep rock on up.

 

[John U]

Nice of everyone to reply there! Of course you can, but I'm warning you it's a pretty odd group of guys.

Even though I've never met any of the Yarra Riders (except Piston, which in turn made me ride at midnight so I'd never meet any of the other guys), and I suspect we'd all prefer not to meet, I reckon I'll be in on this. It guarantees that there will be a slow group of at least 1.

Cheers Coaster and Mars

 

[Big JD]

Cheers Coaster and Mars

what about me- I set up the thread, reposted the group ride, look out for you on the Yarra thread and Im one of your best e-friends youve never met.

You can come to my group ride John U has long as you talk to me and pay out on Jackanus and Coasterboy. I will buy you a pie.

 

[Coaster]

See what mean John?

 

[jathanas]

John U, Sorry I overlooked your post.

It is impossible for any thread that is frequented by a certain ex-dictator to always be civil, however I'm very confident that you are not in any immediate danger.

As for joining up with us on the 26th, mate, it would be pretty awesome to have you along. Leaving the safety of the suburbs to ride through terrain so far from people that no one can hear you scream... What could possibly go wrong?

 

[John U]

what about me- I set up the thread, reposted the group ride, look out for you on the Yarra thread and Im one of your best e-friends youve never met.

You can come to my group ride John U has long as you talk to me and pay out on Jackanus and Coasterboy. I will buy you a pie.

Looking forward to finally meeting you big fella.

See what mean John?

Yes Coaster. Exactly as you said.

John U, Sorry I overlooked your post.

It is impossible for any thread that is frequented by a certain ex-dictator to always be civil, however I'm very confident that you are not in any immediate danger.

As for joining up with us on the 26th, mate, it would be pretty awesome to have you along. Leaving the safety of the suburbs to ride through terrain so far from people that no one can hear you scream... What could possibly go wrong?

No worries jathanas. Surely couldn't be any more dangerous than riding by myself?

 

[cleeshoy]

No worries jathanas. Surely couldn't be any more dangerous than riding by myself?

Just remember to bring your own lube :behindsofa:

would love to join you boys, but that's the weekend of the SurfCoast. Given its steep entry fee, I might have the trails to myself

 

[big gags]

Steel is real big JD…..no carbon for me as at about 102 kg I don't trust anything but steel!! I usually run either 32/19 or 32/20 out there, depending on my level of fitness at the time. You won't have to worry about SSers spinning out on the flats though as there aren't too many flat bits out there!!

Here's some GoPro footage that I took of the Ridge Road descent - I was riding my On-One Inbred 29er with rigid steel fork and all the other guys were also on SS rigs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTpYM34H5oY&list=UUAaw5htVTNe-tfAxgdIQ6nw

Cheers,

Gags

 

[big gags]

Oh yeah…….baggy shorts for me!!

 

[slowmick]

Have met both Johns and they are both charming chaps. Have a good ride gents. Gotta be a one pie minimum though.

 

[Big JD]

Have met both Johns and they are both charming chaps. Have a good ride gents. Gotta be a one pie minimum though.

I like you too Slowmick- in a manly bear hug sort of way

 

[rsclio]

Should be able to get out to this one too will probably bring the whippersnapper too
Starting at the store or bottom of Ridge Rd?

 

[jathanas]

I'd suggest we start at the store. There's a toilet there and food. The place will pack out so get there early else we'll have to park nearby...

rsclio if your whippersnapper has ridden Smiths before that's cool, but be aware that there's about 1000m of climbing over 30+ km. You don't want to smash the kid.

 

[mars mtb]

Here's another vid, this time of the midden, it was my first ever crack at running a vid on the bike then editing, we just rode steady through this but aim to do another where its balls out cock out flat out and see how that goes.

http://vimeo.com/87619188

 

[rsclio]

Jathanas Matt can handle Smiths OK
He and a couple of mates go out there fairly often You need to worry about me more than him!