redbruce
Eats Squid
Kids. been there about 6 weeks.
If you are on the heavy side like me, make sure you keep to the middle. Edge load limit a bit light on
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If you are on the heavy side like me, make sure you keep to the middle. Edge load limit a bit light on
Made friends with a healthy sized tiger in the peninsula loop bit of westerfolds a few minutes ago. Stopped to take a call and then noticed there was a snake less than a metre from my front wheel... got a good look at it and didn't run it over, so think we were both did well out of the encounter.
Big JD
Wheel size expert
We need photos Al
They scare the shit out of me. I have been trying to ride without a camelback- ride light and that means sometimes no phone or compression bandage and always on my own. Perhaps those items are not negotiable
I won't take the kids on trail working gigs at this time of year
A few years ago I came across 7 deadly snakes in 5 rides and had two close calls where they got pissed. I took up road riding
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Beej1
Senior Member
Makes sense. It's the sort of thing where I reckon it'd be extremely unlucky for a hostile encounter to occur ... but totally not even worth risking.
I still think about the many years I thought most folk on forums who talked of snakes having a go at them while riding were full of shit, till it happened to me last summer. But ... it hasn't made me think twice about riding down there. About the only change I made was to buy a burner phone (well ... a cheap non-smartphone) and a Telstra sim, to take with me whenever I ride. Not necessarily for Yarra Trails, as Optus has plenty of coverage both there and PG. More for Smiths Gully, where I've seen a few black & tiger coloured snakes in the past, and where I regularly get zero coverage.
As for the Yarra Trails, might try and squeeze in a loop between/around the boathouses this weekend.
Hi NP,
I'm doing the same as JD, only taking my boy on YTs early and if it is cool, otherwise no go zone til next Autumn for him. More-so as I think whilst they are learning they have enough to consider and concentrate on without having to think about what happens in the event of a close encounter.
Re Smiths I saw 1 snake about 10 years ago after a very wet period and last year I heard that someone saw a Brown just over the hwy at the small wooden cross over bridge on the loop at the base heading up to the reservoir, but other than that have seen and heard of zero. I now take my boy to SG and whilst the downhills are ok for him many of the uphills are tough for little legs and lungs.
Where have you spotted the snakes at SG and was it recently.
Cheers.
Beej1
Senior Member
Quite a while ago Mars ... summer before last I'd say was the last time. But that's mainly because I haven't gotten out there nearly as much as I used to due to fitness.
Most recent SG sighting was in Boomers, I was stopped, and heard it slithering away. Only saw the tail of it disappearing. Prob 200m in from where it runs alongside KG-StA Rd. Same thing around Rob Roy area up top the year before. Both these were black. One colourful one across the top of the trail that goes from Clintons down to Motchalls. Probably 50% of the sightings I see (on all Vic trails) are off the trail, once I've stopped and been still long enough for them to think I'm gone I guess. I stop a lot ... so I reckon I've seen about a dozen this way over 10 years. The rest are seeing them on trail up ahead, and they're long gone by the time I get there. Once I ran over a black one on .... can't remember the trail name in Yaugher in Forrest. All those incidents combined led me to beleive that the circumstances of being bitten while riding would be so extreme: falling in an area where I'd seen one off trail, or deciding to stop when you're right on top of one. It was the latter that happened on the YT's (Westerfolds, alongside the river), had a rookie right on my tail, didn't want to ride over snake such that it went for him, so I stopped with front tyre centimeters from it. Little tiger had 3 or 4 goes at my spokes before wandering off. Slight velocity change and it could possibly have been my leg. So I no longer doubt it's possible. But still .... fkn unlucky if it happened.
Most recent snake sighting was with a friend - we were having a bite to eat and a rest at the chair/gate where the Yarra Trail goes from concrete to gravel just past where it goes under Burke Rd. Looking in the gnarly mess of trees on the banks of the river, we saw a 1.5m long tiger climbing a tree. Quite elegant.
Big JD
Wheel size expert
Just riding along the Somme and see this guy standing in the middle of the trail with a helmet on. I asked if he was ok and he could hardly speak. Apparently he was riding along and came across a tiger, slammed on his brakes and started going over the bars. He jumped off his bike and over the snake and kept running 10 meters up the track. Poor guy was very shaken.
I stopped and brought two long and heavy compression bandages this morning.
I have seen a lot of tigers on the Yarra, a black at Lysterfield and two Browns at Youies
Spare tube would work as a compression if nothing else available?
I stopped and brought two long and heavy compression bandages this morning.
I have seen a lot of tigers on the Yarra, a black at Lysterfield and two Browns at Youies
Spare tube would work as a compression if nothing else available?
They usually freak me out but it was nice yesterday to have a proper look at one while stationary. It was a bit upset when I pulled up as it flattened out, but relaxed almost straight away and started moving off the trail. The danger is definitely that we freak them out by arriving suddenly.
It had no interest in being in the same place as me, so I reckon you will be ok working on the trails if you move slowly and make plenty of noise.
redbruce
Eats Squid
Needs to be wider than a tube to provide effective immobilisation of the venom in the lymphatic system.
Suspect a tube would be more likely to end up like a tourniquet (not good). Would be useful for physical immobilisation of the limb though.
We found a juvenille tiger hiding in the timber of the old berm corner into the plantation area at an earlier working bee in Candlebark and Parks ranger recently told us there is a large mad tiger in the lower dam area (near the main trail) and there is always the big brown up in the track named after it.
I have seen many Tigers below the upper switchback/lake area in the past.
Everyone should carry a phone, and a heavy (not crepe) compression bandage and know how to manage a snake bite.
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Many Tks NP I will pay attention.
Yes, off Motschalls heading through the properties twd Clintons is where I saw the snake years ago, but just recalled last year saw a baby brown under a rock when doing some trail work on the tracked that heads west out of the Clintons Rd carpark.
I also took this one 2 weeks ago on YTs about 200m after entering the gate off Bonds Rd and heading back twd Ivanhoe after we had come out of Westerfolds https://instagram.com/p/8XGT6jteQz/
Is PIM still the current treatment for snake bite or has thinking moved on since the 90s?
Coaster
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've often wondered about using a tube as a compression bandage JD....... thanks for the clarification RB.
While we're talking about sightings of things, I went for a quick zip at lunch today between the boathouses and at Dights Falls I saw a pretty big lizard on the trail, about a meter long. When it saw me it got up on it's back legs and sprinted off. No idea what type it was but it was pretty amazing to see. I had no idea that those things lived around that area.
Cheers,
Coaster
While we're talking about sightings of things, I went for a quick zip at lunch today between the boathouses and at Dights Falls I saw a pretty big lizard on the trail, about a meter long. When it saw me it got up on it's back legs and sprinted off. No idea what type it was but it was pretty amazing to see. I had no idea that those things lived around that area.
Cheers,
Coaster
CharlieDontSurf
Likes Dirt
Sorry redbruce but a tube will work if you have nothing else. It's better than nothing. Just don't put it on too tight. A bandage or ripped jersey/T-shirt will work if you don't have a compression bandage or tube. People can put compression bandages on pretty tight too with the same complications.
The main thing to remember is you usually have plenty of time (to die
) anyway so don't panic.Just did some googling and discovered there are goannas in Victoria. I've never seen anything bigger than a blue tongue down here.
I was pretty happy with my snake friend, but would love to see a massive local lizard.
velolove
Likes Dirt
Did it look like this water dragon?
http://www.ozanimals.com/image/albums/australia/Reptile/normal_R00020-001.jpg
I saw about 3 of the suckers the other day on the trails
Coaster
Likes Bikes and Dirt
That's it I think! Are they common around that area? It's the largest reptile I've seen around there, apart from the guys that hang out in the crit loop.
JD, don't suppose that was you I rode past on the road loop at Studley Park just near the golf course/ mini golf? I was heading to the pedestrian bridge and said howdy to a rider going the other way.
Big JD
Wheel size expert
No coaster I was riding up north eastern end today. Heidelberg to Hans.
One day we will meet good man
Coaster
Likes Bikes and Dirt
One day JD, one day. Have been been a slave to kids sport and knee ops over winter so haven't been out on the YT's much but getting back into it. Will see you out there soon enough!
Coaster
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Had a fantastic ride along the trails yesterday. Plenty of riders out.
We stopped and had a decent chat to the group that were working in the Bourke Rd Billabong. Really good to talk to, no negative comments about riders and were very engaging. I get the feeling they're seeing more responsible riding around the place and aren't so pissed at us anymore. Got to say that the place looks a million dollars compared to 5 or 6 years ago, they've done a great job and obviously put in a huge amount of effort.
We stopped and had a decent chat to the group that were working in the Bourke Rd Billabong. Really good to talk to, no negative comments about riders and were very engaging. I get the feeling they're seeing more responsible riding around the place and aren't so pissed at us anymore. Got to say that the place looks a million dollars compared to 5 or 6 years ago, they've done a great job and obviously put in a huge amount of effort.
Beej1
Senior Member
It was a great day for riding. Waldog and I did a loop between the boathouses - I only had an hour spare so it was perfect. Fair few walkers in the area - all quite friendly and thankful when we stopped to let them past, even along the sketchy bit opposite the children's farm (which, in the last 2 years, is pretty much the only place I've crossed paths with grumpy walker folk).
While on the topic of the sketchy bit - at or near the very top of the highest point along here, you're on a large section of rock. If you look down the cliff a little from it, it looks like the underside of this piece of rock is getting washed/eroded away. Effectively, it looks like the kinda erosion that will lead to the whole section of trail falling a long way into the river one day. Hopefully with nobody on it.