There are a few best trail, best ride threads but not all of us can hit the trails in Banff or Whykickamoocow or race in a 24 hour race or do the Simpson but still have a ride that was memorable. Maybe it was the first ride on a new bike or the time you rode beside your kid for 200m when the training wheels came off. Tell us what really gelled.
To kick off my boring ones:
On the Muru...
Took me ages to work out riding on soft beach sand. Tyre pressures, gearing, set up etc and the fact that you cannot stop pedalling. My most memorable ride after working all this out and getting my fitness to a decent level was a ride through Burrum Point Mellaleuca circuit from the camping ground to Walkers Point and back to the camp along the beach at high tide. A few carries along the way but riding sandy trails and then along the beach after was epic. Saw dolphins in the water heading back up the beach. Was really awesome and made buying the fatbike worthwhile. About 26km of soft going and a heap of fun.
On the Bronson...
Never been much of a downhill rider, lack of skills and too old for the consequences. We were camping at a friend's property out near Mr Superbus and the steamers. They have a spring at the top of their block which provides their water and have made a very basic trail to get there. Some 4wd track, some horse and cow trail and some just hacked into the bush. About 3 or 4 km all up but very steep. Too steep to ride up without wheelies or wheelspin in the places where the animals go. Took me about an hour to get to the top. Take in the vista and look out over the steamers on a sunny winter morning. Then steeled my self for the run down. Holy crap. It was so much faster than I through I could go. About 100m into the trail I was joined by two of the owner's horses who wanted to join in. Trying to keep away from them so I didn't crash or get knocked over and avoiding the hanging brush was tough. Got to a gully that I had ridden around way too fast to stop and take sensibly and I just jumped the gap without any forethought. Happily made the landing with the horses metres away. Kept going to the last section where I had to come to a stop and go through a gate which luckily kept the horses behind and then down the last bit of rutted 4wd track to the main camping area. I was absolutely shattered. What took me more than an hour to climb was over in less than 10 minutes. The horses were still at the gate wanting more but I was spent. All that adrenaline and fear meant no more riding for me. Too close to trees most of the time and way too close to crashing over the gully. I then realised why downhillers go faster and faster and faster. Was a great ride even if it was over too soon.
To kick off my boring ones:
On the Muru...
Took me ages to work out riding on soft beach sand. Tyre pressures, gearing, set up etc and the fact that you cannot stop pedalling. My most memorable ride after working all this out and getting my fitness to a decent level was a ride through Burrum Point Mellaleuca circuit from the camping ground to Walkers Point and back to the camp along the beach at high tide. A few carries along the way but riding sandy trails and then along the beach after was epic. Saw dolphins in the water heading back up the beach. Was really awesome and made buying the fatbike worthwhile. About 26km of soft going and a heap of fun.
On the Bronson...
Never been much of a downhill rider, lack of skills and too old for the consequences. We were camping at a friend's property out near Mr Superbus and the steamers. They have a spring at the top of their block which provides their water and have made a very basic trail to get there. Some 4wd track, some horse and cow trail and some just hacked into the bush. About 3 or 4 km all up but very steep. Too steep to ride up without wheelies or wheelspin in the places where the animals go. Took me about an hour to get to the top. Take in the vista and look out over the steamers on a sunny winter morning. Then steeled my self for the run down. Holy crap. It was so much faster than I through I could go. About 100m into the trail I was joined by two of the owner's horses who wanted to join in. Trying to keep away from them so I didn't crash or get knocked over and avoiding the hanging brush was tough. Got to a gully that I had ridden around way too fast to stop and take sensibly and I just jumped the gap without any forethought. Happily made the landing with the horses metres away. Kept going to the last section where I had to come to a stop and go through a gate which luckily kept the horses behind and then down the last bit of rutted 4wd track to the main camping area. I was absolutely shattered. What took me more than an hour to climb was over in less than 10 minutes. The horses were still at the gate wanting more but I was spent. All that adrenaline and fear meant no more riding for me. Too close to trees most of the time and way too close to crashing over the gully. I then realised why downhillers go faster and faster and faster. Was a great ride even if it was over too soon.
