Yarra Trails regulars

Pastavore

Eats Squid
Congratulations to all of you who participated in the Yarra Trails Mother's Day Rodger-A-Thon. Big thanks to Big JD for inspiring the event, I'm sure we were all thinking of you while on the job this morning.
 

Kingshill

Likes Dirt
Congratulations to all of you who participated in the Yarra Trails Mother's Day Rodger-A-Thon. Big thanks to Big JD for inspiring the event, I'm sure we were all thinking of you while on the job this morning.
I think big JD ended up pulling out on account of it being too wet & slippery.
 

sane

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Congratulations to all of you who participated in the Yarra Trails Mother's Day Rodger-A-Thon. Big thanks to Big JD for inspiring the event, I'm sure we were all thinking of you while on the job this morning.
Results on strava?
 

Big AC

Likes Dirt
Road around to the Koonung bike path, or as it is now call the Big JD Killer Loop.

The trails / fire roads aren’t too bad - wet, a bit slippery, and puddles in the usual spots but still firm so you don’t cut them up if you are doing a sensible speed. With no real rain forecast for the rest of the week they should be fine by next weekend.

The steep hill near Target Rd is actually better for the rain as it has bedded down all of the loose rocks.

The only sketchy spots are the descent down to the bike path near Tindals Rd and the descent down to Heads Rd. I locked and slid my front 3-4 times on the first one as it is seriously slippery on the rocks, the back was all over the place. The unavoidable ST run down to Heads Rd was wild. If anyone is out there and finds an ODI handlebar end cap then it is mine (grazed a tree with a two wheel drift on after sliding in a rocky bit).

The bike path between Tindals and Park Rd is essentially done so no excuse for not riding the loop now, you just have to ride the fire road or ST between Park Rd and Heads Rd.
 

Matt C

Likes Dirt
After being too lazy to go and do the Dirty Gran Fondo, I made up for it today with a ride from Camberwell to Lysterfield for a loop then over Wellington Rd for a loop before heading to Hanns from there. After Hanns I rode Yarra trails to the Eastern and bike pathed it home from there. The trails from Westerfold to the Paddock were as slippery as expected. Big AC's notes are bang on. I haven't been out to Hanns for a while but whatever you guys are doing, keep it up. There were in the best condition out of all the trails I rode today. Well done and cheers ! Also, is anyone on here known to stop for a dart half ride ? Thought I read a comment about it not long ago. Saw a bloke out at Hanns taking a ciggie break. Not something you see often.
 
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al_

Likes Dirt
Had a fantastic time Al! All the Aussies had a great time, the scenery was so amazing it was impossible not to to stop and take pics etc. so the idea of "racing" went out the window. Jeremy pulled out day 5 exhausted, you need to train on a MTB for a MTB race!

The grips were the ergo ones with short bar ends , didn't get to try them before going over but they were perfect for long days.

JD pics were on FBook, I will do a flickr set and post a link.
Glad it went well. Can't imagine how tough it must have been if Jeremy cracked though - he seemed scary fit on the few rides I did with you all. Guess successive big days of singletrack are something completely different though. Congrats on finishing and being strong enough to actually enjoy it anyway.

Link to photos?
 

pistonbroke

Eats Squid
After being too lazy to go and do the Dirty Gran Fondo, I made up for it today with a ride from Camberwell to Lysterfield for a loop then over Wellington Rd for a loop before heading to Hanns from there. After Hanns I rode Yarra trails to the Eastern and bike pathed it home from there. The trails from Westerfold to the Paddock were as slippery as expected. Big AC's notes are bang on. I haven't been out to Hanns for a while but whatever you guys are doing, keep it up. There were in the best condition out of all the trails I rode today. Well done and cheers ! Also, is anyone on here known to stop for a dart half ride ? Thought I read a comment about it not long ago.
Bloody hell! That's massive. How many km?
No darts for me. But about 10 hours into my last 12 hour race I was considering taking up smoking. It just seemed easier than xc racing at the time.
 

jathanas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I went out for a Sunday night ride and smashed a couple of laps at Hans Loop. That's life for time-poor fathers, executing taxi duties for kids doing sport, and helping celebrate mum's day.

Other than a few wet spots the trail was in very good shape! Riding with lights in the fog, with just a few roos for company was meditative. We're lucky bastards.

Peace. X
 

Matt C

Likes Dirt
Bloody hell! That's massive. How many km?
No darts for me. But about 10 hours into my last 12 hour race I was considering taking up smoking. It just seemed easier than xc racing at the time.
Haha, yeah, he looked pretty content. It was 137km, 1993m in 8 hours.
 

Big JD

Wheel size expert
I went out for a Sunday night ride and smashed a couple of laps at Hans Loop. That's life for time-poor fathers, executing taxi duties for kids doing sport, and helping celebrate mum's day.

Other than a few wet spots the trail was in very good shape! Riding with lights in the fog, with just a few roos for company was meditative. We're lucky bastards.

Peace. X
Oh peace to you too j-anas

You are a good man
 

casnell

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Glad it went well. Can't imagine how tough it must have been if Jeremy cracked though - he seemed scary fit on the few rides I did with you all. Guess successive big days of singletrack are something completely different though. Congrats on finishing and being strong enough to actually enjoy it anyway.

Link to photos?
If you want to race a mtb, train on a mtb ! He's super fit, but the rough terrain on day 4 - 123 kms of it ! - killed him. Interesting how much energy it takes just getting around, over and through rocks when you're used to a roadie.

I loved it, and those 100 km rides out to Smiths Gully to do the steep switchbacks really paid off.
 

Big AC

Likes Dirt
Oh AC thanks little fella you named a route after me- is that because it almost killed me
I figured if someone suffered as much as you did, you can have the trail name. Where is this Pizza Hut on the loop?

I still want to know how you got on with that steep hill on the SS (the one where you went on the grass to get traction when we went through there). How many turn of the crank did you get out on it before walking? I assume you walked because I’m always dying at the top with my 24/36 granny.

You out on the trails this weekend? Weather looks great.
 
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