What did you do TO / WITH / FOR your bike today!

Cardy George said:
My Dearest Evie,

I am so, so, very sorry. That was a mess from the very start. I think we both knew when we found all the streams flowing down the mountain on Friday morning that it was going to be one of those races. But the way those 6 hour guys ripped up the track. Oh my Lord.

As always I'm eternally grateful for the way you carry my Dad-bod arse through these adventures. Over 150km on those trails in those conditions, we should be proud. You make me look way better than I should, especially going down. That's where we really shine together!

Speaking of shining, how amazing was that sunrise! By far my two most favourite laps of the race.

I have to leave you resting, but when I get home I'll clean you up. I think we both need the break! I can assure you a new drive train is coming, just be patient. Sorry, I can't promise to not commit the atrocity again, you do what you need to do in the heat of battle, but if I didn't lube when I did, we would not have made it.

Here's to next year, hopefully there is one.

Cardy

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What race was that Cardy?
 
Managed to get out to Wylde yesterday morning, 'twas a stunning day and the trails were in good nick. Great to see also they've finished the roadworks - looks very nice, the contractors did a very good job it seems. So the drive out on the M5 and M7 is an absolute doddle.

I decided to head out to Hidden Valley as I hadn't been out there for year or two I reckon. I'm glad I did, they've made some massive changes and the view from the top is amazing.

They've added a fairly hefty tabletop into a mini sharkfin onto a completely safe step down. So much fun. The next bit you do need to pedal a bit but there is an awesome gap jump there that looks intimidating, I was feeling the stoke from the other part of the trail and YOLO'd it, was pretty great feeling. They do need to fix the corner after it though as you come through really quick and it is easy to go off track there. Anyway hit this trail a couple of times, my confidence was pretty high.

I'll definitely head out there again next ride, the changes they've made there are great.

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The trains are finally running again after 3-4 weeks due to getting rid of some level crossings and opening a new station at Melton, so far the hip is holding up well after eating shit in the rocks at the Youies, on the e-bike this week and hoping to switch over to the gravel bike next week but don’t want to rush it.

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Cardy George said:
18 Hours of Melrose.

Commissaried by the one and only @ozzybmx

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Winner flew down from Brisbane to use it as a practice race before he does a 24hr overseas somewhere.

Plenty of comments floating around about it being the last one they'll run.
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Wow, that's massive!
Why do you think it will be the last one? Dwindling numbers?

I'm about to sign up for the Otway Odyssey as I haven't done a 100km MTB race before and as marathon races are slowly dying off it might be my last chance.
 
Stredda said:
Wow, that's massive!
Why do you think it will be the last one? Dwindling numbers?

I'm about to sign up for the Otway Odyssey as I haven't done a 100km MTB race before and as marathon races are slowly dying off it might be my last chance.
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The committee themselves were saying if we run it again we'll do (X) differently. It's a very small club for the size of event. And the financial outlay needed early on to make sure the thing actually runs. They needed a minimum of 60 riders and had 75ish race. So it was viable, but not much gain for the effort.

It's a special breed of weirdo that enjoys it, and apparently our numbers are dwindling.
 
Cardy George said:
The committee themselves were saying if we run it again we'll do (X) differently. It's a very small club for the size of event. And the financial outlay needed early on to make sure the thing actually runs. They needed a minimum of 60 riders and had 75ish race. So it was viable, but not much gain for the effort.

It's a special breed of weirdo that enjoys it, and apparently our numbers are dwindling.
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Yeah, the big races are slowly dying. I've been asked many times if we would hold another Cranky Penguin Marathon again.
1: We don't have access to the hiking trails we once used.
2: I'm really unsure if the numbers we would get would make up for all the work that used to go into it.
 
I often wonder if it possible/easier to do a "Hey, I/we are going to be doing a 24hr ride at [location] on [date], all are welcome to come along for a ride!" (ie: It's not a "race", it's just a "social ride" on public trails and if some people happen to be running timing chips that's just something they're doing for fun.)
 
Stredda said:
Wow, that's massive!
Why do you think it will be the last one? Dwindling numbers?

I'm about to sign up for the Otway Odyssey as I haven't done a 100km MTB race before and as marathon races are slowly dying off it might be my last chance.
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Definitely go experience it before it's gone.

It's victim of the "Toughen up, it's supposed to be hard so we're not changing" and was touted as the best MTB race in the country, but held on 75% gravel/4wd tracks.

They did chage the course last year, but a couple of club guys came back saying it was a shambles.

I hope it continues. I hope I get the chance to go back. But the organisers aren't helping the cause
 
beeb said:
I often wonder if it possible/easier to do a "Hey, I/we are going to be doing a 24hr ride at [location] on [date], all are welcome to come along for a ride!" (ie: It's not a "race", it's just a "social ride" on public trails and if some people happen to be running timing chips that's just something they're doing for fun.)
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FWIW that's largely the Melrose experience. We're not there for the prize money!
 
Cardy George said:
Definitely go experience it before it's gone.

It's victim of the "Toughen up, it's supposed to be hard so we're not changing" and was touted as the best MTB race in the country, but held on 75% gravel/4wd tracks.

They did chage the course last year, but a couple of club guys came back saying it was a shambles.

I hope it continues. I hope I get the chance to go back. But the organisers aren't helping the cause
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That's why I just started doing the 50km race instead, its 90% mtb trails. The other 50kms in the 100km are mostly 4x4 tracks and fire-roads. But I also quite like riding those, I'm just a pussy haha. To make up the distance I used to also do the 50km gravel the following day.
 
slider_phil said:
That's why I just started doing the 50km race instead, its 90% mtb trails. The other 50kms in the 100km are mostly 4x4 tracks and fire-roads. But I also quite like riding those, I'm just a pussy haha. To make up the distance I used to also do the 50km gravel the following day.
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I haven't done a 100km MTB race, so I'd like to tick that one off the list. Hopefully it won't be too much harder than than the 100km Devils Cardigan gravel race I did on my Stumpy a couple of years ago.
 
Stredda said:
I haven't done a 100km MTB race, so I'd like to tick that one off the list. Hopefully it won't be too much harder than than the 100km Devils Cardigan gravel race I did on my Stumpy a couple of years ago.
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I just had a look, it starts and finishes in Forrest. It'll be a decent route. When they start it on the coast and finish in Forrest its a hell of a slog! But worth it just to say you've done it.
 
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