2009: an Otway Odyssey...

SteppenW

SteppenW

Likes Dirt
Go the hundred

A mate of mine only wants to do the 50 but I rekon that if I'm going all the way down there for the weekend as well as train my ass off for the event, I may as well shoot high for the 100.
Click to expand...
Tell him to go the hundred. Last year, the half-marathoners had the pleasure of the Kokoda mudfest and gruelling climb from the coast without the compensation of the Forrest singletrack (which was really sweet). Unless they've changed the half-race course, of course ...
 
ilostmypassword

ilostmypassword

Likes Dirt
I'm not going to waste my cash on a third visit. After completing it twice- I think "I've been there and done it". Personally, I found this years event plain boring and as technical as a rail trail.

I'm off to Rotovegas for a week instead :D

Anyway- good luck to you all and lets hope its a dry one this time.
 
Last edited:
Coaster

Coaster

Likes Bikes and Dirt
SteppenW, I just read your first post and that's why I'm also going to do try to pass the 100. If I'm going to get the better half and 2 kids down for the weekend, I'd better damn do the full thing!

I know this is a bit off topic, but what's the Forrest festival like? If I manage to crawl across the line will the support crew have been aptly entertained?
 
Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
ilostmypassword said:
Personally, I found this years event plain boring and as technical as a rail trail.
Click to expand...
...and I'm sure there's plenty of other people at the 75km mark complaining about that... not.

It's 100km. It's genuine trails and it's a sh*tload harder than any of the other 100km road rides posing as MTB events, as evidenced by the fact that it takes 20% longer by the same rider on the same bike.

I'll see you in NZ next year... after I've done the OO. I'm spewing I had to work on it this year instead of ride, but I won't be missing it again in 2009.
 
MTB_KAT

MTB_KAT

Likes Dirt
I know this is a bit off topic, but what's the Forrest festival like? If I manage to crawl across the line will the support crew have been aptly entertained?[/QUOTE]


Not if they have been there all day waiting for you they wont, it will take them half an hour max to walk around and then another half hour to sit down and have something to eat then add another half hour on top of that before they are bored out of their brains, I would suggest they find something else to do up until about an hour before you are due to come back in unless they are planning on adding something different to it this year
 
soulfuelshane

soulfuelshane

Squid
Forrest festival

Well perhaps they could spend their time scouting good locations for a campsite for the kona24. Ours this year was tucked away but awsome to be able to spreadout .
Boring festival or not bring on the Odyssey. 9hrs last year , just hope the rain holds off.
see you out there.
 
B

Beechie

Banned
Forrest Festival

For a country mtb event enjoy the character and applaud and appreciate the locals who are your hosts.
 
Last edited:
Nath8

Nath8

Likes Dirt
Forrest Festival

Okay, my wife and eldest child's spin on the Forrest Festival.
If the weather plays fair, and it's not stinking hot like 07, and not pissing down rain, like 08, there is plenty to do and plenty to eat/drink. My kids had fun regardless and the wife would have had more fun if the weather was kinder. You can't beat having a little moral support from the family, especially if your not feeling the best!!
Take the family and make a weekend of it.
Cheers.
 
krizbike

krizbike

Likes Dirt
I did the 50km this year (08) and was kinda kicking myself for not doing 100.
The first 50 was all the back breaking uphill mod slogging, downhill sliding carnage. Then just as it started to get fun (love that single track) it was over for me!
I was tired and happy to rest, but this year I plan to go for the 100km. Hoping to get in shape more by then with a lot of road riding around the hills near here, and plenty of other rides/races along the way (Freedom marathon in NNSW, Coffs Mountain Marathon, etc.). And my gf is studying sports nutrition now, so that might help too. :)
I enjoyed the experience of getting through the mud and it gave me plenty of stories to tell, but I'm glad there are plans for an alternative if it buckets down again.

Chris
 
H

Hud

Likes Dirt
I didn't mind the mud last year, though it would be nice to do the 100km again - without mud tyres and without exhausting myself in the first 30km pushing up the hills. From memory though some of those first hills would've been unridable in the dry due to their steepness and length??
The worst part for me was getting in in around 10 hrs and finding there was no food left and not even a coffee van! (Unless it was well hidden) IMO the ones who get in that late have been working the hardest and are certainly looking for something, especially in the freezing cold.
Loved the experience on a whole and I'm tossing up whether to do it again this coming year or not.
 
leftieant

leftieant

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well I've gone and done it, entered for 100km of suffering, pain, cussing and cursing.

I've also beaten my personal best - now entered in 6 events at once. Might actually need to do some practice!
 
S

Some Guy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hud said:
From memory though some of those first hills would've been unridable in the dry due to their steepness and length?
Click to expand...
I don't think there was much in there that I couldn't have ridden in the dry. The sledgehammer for example was super steep and not short either, but quite ridable due to the good surface. I think I recall one hill about 30km in with a decent surface that I didn't even get close to riding though.
 
C

crosser

Likes Dirt
Some Guy said:
I don't think there was much in there that I couldn't have ridden in the dry. The sledgehammer for example was super steep and not short either, but quite ridable due to the good surface. I think I recall one hill about 30km in with a decent surface that I didn't even get close to riding though.
Click to expand...
Rideable or not, I really hope the first hilly section through private property is included.

It was by far the most fun I've ever had in a bike race.
 
leftieant

leftieant

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Think I know the hill you are talking about! At the end of some ridiculously quick double track, you see it coming, and it looks like it's rising almost vertically.

Quite entertaining listening to the screams and moans of people as it came into view, and they contemplated what was ahead of them.
 
S

Some Guy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
leftieant said:
Think I know the hill you are talking about! At the end of some ridiculously quick double track, you see it coming, and it looks like it's rising almost vertically.

Quite entertaining listening to the screams and moans of people as it came into view, and they contemplated what was ahead of them.
Click to expand...
Yep that's the one, I saw that hill coming and just thought 'wtf, it's a freakin wall!' Pedalled like mad and got maybe 5 meters up before coming to a complete stop. Awesome :D.

crosser said:
Rideable or not, I really hope the first hilly section through private property is included. It was by far the most fun I've ever had in a bike race.
Click to expand...
Oh hell yes. Challenging yourself is what it's about. Those insane hills are what made the race so memorable for me.
 
C

crosser

Likes Dirt
DaGonz said:
do it fixed and I'll throw in a bottle of grand reserve...

Cheers
Gonz
Click to expand...
You better better learn to bunnyhop like Sven Nys if they haven't cleared that ginormous fallen tree near the halfway point.

Crosser
Whose setup will be meticulous in 2009
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top