Officer XC Race

So it was time to strap on a number plate again, the first time since the 3rd May. I rolled up to do the A grade race as I wanted to do 5 laps. Perhaps I should have started with B grade and just rolled around an extra lap. As within the first 100 meters I was hanging on as last wheel. I know with the quality of riders in the field that the pace would have been on at the front.

So once the pace settled I was 17th of 17 about 10 frustrating meters of the wheel in front of me. However I managed to finish the 1st lap 30 secs in front of James Williamson, ok so he had to stop to take half a metre of chicken wire from his rear wheel and cluster, but I will take it anyway I can. As you can see from the results the advantage did not last long.

These events are such a great way to get the race legs back. They are run well and if you like riding a MTB then you should get down and do one.




Lap 1 still feeling good even after being turned inside out by the "real" A graders.


Enjoying the support of the whole family


Finishing Lap 3, ok now its more than half over


Lap 4 and the kids are excited when I come through. Getting a big cheer each lap


And rolling up to the finish.


Me getting the low down on Jason's trouble with the Fauna with my little buddy just hanging with dad.

So after a solid hour and a half it was all over and a great warm up for the 6 hour.

Two interesting quotes from the day

When I asked Ashlyn (4 y.o) if she enjoyed the day she said yes but dad but you took a loooooong time on your last lap were you weak?!

Then after asking William (3 y.o) if he enjoyed the day he said yes dad but next time I want to get my spiderman bike and ride the tracks with you!

photos of the day

Kinglake Climb

Whilst most people hooked one of these up for the public holiday and did some jobs around the house Jas and I headed out to Kinglake.


The last time I was out in this region was in April and then it was just black and it looked as though the Kinglake area would never be a green forest again. It is amazing what a "small" amount of rain and time can do. Mother Nature is a most powerful force and in many ways cannot be stopped.


The green is starting to come through




This tree was just as black as you could imagine yet its still alive and has started its recovery.


So much black, but also so much green starting to show its way through.

And as we were on bikes I should show you a picture of what its like riding with Jas, that's him on the left of the road. We are teaming up on the 5th of July for the Forrest 6 hour, what have I got myself in for.

But first we are doing the Officer XC race on Sunday as a warm up, if you are at a loose end come along they are a great casual race to attend and get a bit of race tempo practice.

Epic Day in the Saddle Up Over Around and Home

Saturday saw another adventure with a long day in the saddle expected. I was planning on a 4 hour ride. So after meeting Rob at 6.30 we headed out along Dandy Creek trail to the base of the Dandenongs.

Its true the bike almost rides itself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


We climbed our way up the mountain on the single track and fire road until we hit Dodds track, where we proceeded to dismount and walk. This track is really really steep and the challenge is there for someone to ride it.


Its always a relief when you get to the top and can look back down the hill. And on Saturday the sun was just coming up and it was great to be out in the bush on the bike.


Posing at the top of Dodds, with slightly aching calves after the uphill walk.

So now with the majority of the climbing done we headed over to ferny Creek for a little hidden gem of a descent, that I had done once before. Unfortunetly this track had been altered and is now a great walking track, not so good for bikes anymore, so after that dissappointment we pushed on through Belgrave to Tecoma where we would pick up a link track to Lysterfield. All timings were working well.

It was a great morning, but I think I mentioned that already.

As we arrived at the picnic ground that is the start of the link track to Lysterfield we were told the area was closed as due to the Upwey fire in Feb they have closed the area to allow the wildlife some natural bush to make new homes. So we were sent on our way up a climb, that we were told would get us to Lysterfield. We were only about 1km away from Lysterfield when we got turned around so we figured it would not be too far.

So after climbing the hill, riding through what seemed like someones back yard thinking we had found the track again, going down the hill to the creek we were essentially lost, no track to be seen. We knew Lysterfield was south west of where we were so we pushed on up back up the hill out of the valley.

As we got to a road we stopped a car coming from the direction we were about to head and asked
if it was the way to Lysterfield, she said it was but it was "miles" away.

So as our 9.30am deadline passed and the 3 hour mark in the saddle arrived we finally hit Wellington road, but still had a bit of work before we got to the singletrack. As we finally arrived to a T junction I said to Rob 1 hour ago we were 2 kms to the right, we had just done one mighty loop around. Needless to say he was not that impressed

As we hit the lake track so Rob could catch up to his kids who he was meeting there we bumped into the ladies MTB skills session. After catching Rob's kids and JD I headed off for a lap of the park and home.

On the start of the Commonwealth Games Track I again met up with the 20 odd ladies doing the skills session, learning how to get over a log. 10 had completed and 10 were waiting to go, they waved me through and as I approached the log with 20 sets of eyes on me I made it with no issue, phew no pressure.


So at the top of the CGT is was almost 4 and half hours in the saddle.



The day was cool but clear, and now I was heading home, so things were looking good.

Dandenong doesn't look so bad from this distance.

So after another 20 mins on dirt to get out of the Park it was the long slog home up Stud road. The legs were feeling heavy but still ticking over. I got home after 5hrs50 mins, so it was a fair days work, and it was only 12.30.

So I will rest on Sunday and then will be back on the road bike on Monday.

Up and Over the Nongs

After another hectic week, I got on the bike at 4pm on Friday and did the commute home. I decided to take a shorter route this week and did not go via Templestowe but followed the single tracks that run next to the main Yarra trail next to the Freeway through Doncaster and Box Hill.

It was a good solid hitout and was a bout 2.5 hours on the MTB.

12 hours later I got out of bed and headed out on the road bike and hit the Dandenongs. Whilst it was really cold about 6deg and even colder at the top of the mountain.

No Views this week


There were heaps of riders out braving the early morning fog. I did a loop that took in the 1/20 climb, Perrins Creek road and the Wall, all the way to the top of Mount Dandenong.

The roads out the back were wet, but the descent down into Montrose was dry and fast.



So after a solid 3 and a half hours in the saddle and a bit under 2000mts of climbing it was off to Auskick.


Where Tahlia played her first game of AFL.

Here's hoping that next weekends weather will be as good as the weekend just past as I am hoping to get some long kms in over the long weekend.