Late start departing my place, Nelson and me, to the top of Worsleys Road and a nice cool southerly blowing through there. Rain earlier in the day, we figured maybe under the trees somewhere would be dry enough to ride. But first, we headed up the main drag of Worsley Track, marvelling at how dry the lower sections were... Further up, not so much. A lot of wheezing earlier on, and various muckfest sections later, with a little mucky walking, and we were entering the bottom of the cloud at the bottom of the Bodybag... Checked out the Park sign here and their access roadage and then headed back down and into Braille.
Fun little track, except for the bigger gap jumps. Nelson tackled the earlier ones, I tackled one or two, even going back up for a couple of them, but not really allowing myself to give them everything, due to the greasiness under-tread. Bombed on down, bypassing the worst humps, and continued on down, dropping into the lower section below the access track down towards the lower pylon, twisting and turning our way down to the end. Back up the climb-out, and then back up the 4wd track amongst Braille to the top again, chuffing away, wondering where next. Decided on another Braille run, and Nelson cleared a few more of the jumps, or better anyway, this time, me, worse than before... Decided I really need a service, my rear is squeaking annoyingly and my fork needs some fettling. On down all the way again, and we found ourselves climbing again - "Weren't we just here?"
Upwards to the top again, and this time back across towards the main Worsley Track, through the wee dip, and all the while looking left to find the track we'd explored last time we were in here... Hmmm, someone's been digging. Very nice wee fun (quite easy) track has been built here, pretty much following the main Track from just inside the trees, a good distance down. We got some nice speed through here, and there were one or two interesting features on the way. I noticed at least 2 or three alternative (less ridden or dug) lines off the left side, dropping into the valley more, so there's plenty of exploring to be done, and scope for way more trailage through this area. Popped out on the climbing track, at around about the steepest bit, and found our way down to below the powerlines, where there's a wee creek.
Climbed up through the powerline clearing, then headed left down into the jumpy track. Nelson knows this well, so let it go and jumped the jumps he was comfortable jumping, including the fence gap. I toodled around most of them, including stepping over the fence gap... On down through the last of it, ducking and diving, then dropped onto the climbing track, skirted some mud pugs, and climbed up to the final Epitaph - which I rode quite carefully on account of the slippery dirt. Nelson, not so much.
440m climbed, in 8.3kms... short and sweet.
Showing posts with label Braille. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Braille. Show all posts
Thursday, August 04, 2016
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Chooseday night, Mucky Vicar
Crafty brew session at the end of the work day, a farewell and a baby's headwetting, and Nelson joined the fun for a couple of tastings. Then we headed across town for the top of Worsley's Rd - 6.30ish?. Headed up to be greeted with mud in the gutters. Nelson only had his handlebar light. The going was tough with a quarter of a bottle of each of Pernicious Weed, Conehead, HopFed PaleAle, Renaissance MPA, and a VPA, but that soon burned off. At the 'junction' we took a wee singletrack on the west side which led up between the forest and the main track. My intention was that we head down to the climbing trail in that forest, but I blew out and Nelson got ahead and we ended up on the main track again, at the big corner just uphill from the Pylon gap. On up, both cleaning the usual rocky bit, but then further up both of us had one or two wee walks. Greasy ain't the half of it. Bottom of the 'bag and we headed up the access track.
Stopped at the top for a bit and a few rider dudes rolled up. We set off down Tommy's and had a woot of a time, me in the lead on account of Nelson's handlebar-only light. Grip was good, flow was sweet and it was a good roll down, heaps straighter than we remembered (it has been a while (February)) but then it got twisty(ish) again and in and out of the trees, over the yumpies and down down down through lower and further left than I remembered too. Then back round above the pylon, and back up to the entrance to FightClub. Here we decided further up wouldn't hurt (it did tho...), and grunt up the 4wd track we did. To the cliff top and the waxing moon was shining down.
Off down into Wayne's World, tho taking the original trail on the right, then veering right lower down onto the lower section of Wayne's and through down onto Fight Club, which was riding mint. Was expecting mucky slickness lower down but it was all perfect with the roots and rocks and off camber corners all the more washed out and exposed. Out the bottom and up the exit trail to the 'junction'.
Across the main Worsles track to where we'd gone earlier, this time taking a wee singletrack into the forest and up the one in here with all the jumpies. When we got to the pylon clearing we headed down to the 4wd trail down here, and up this; greasy in a couple of the corners, then the longer-than-you-ever-remember grunt on up to the top of Braille. Into this, checking out the jumps for a future time, bypassing the un-rollable ones, enjoying the sweet berms, and heading all the way down the the bottom in the short macracarpa forest. Climby climby back into the tall pines, onto the 4wd track we'd ridden up before, up the couple wee ups and then downs to where we'd come down below the pylons, pushed up this trail to the jumpy trail we'd ridden up earlier, and then it was the last downhill. Rolling round most of these jumps, tho the lower ones are much more rideable. Part way down here Nelson's light cut out, so we put my handlebar light on his, and we finished it off, then down the final paddock track to the carpark about 8.30. Off to Noodle Canteen for a number 3 and whatever # his Teriyaki was....
Stopped at the top for a bit and a few rider dudes rolled up. We set off down Tommy's and had a woot of a time, me in the lead on account of Nelson's handlebar-only light. Grip was good, flow was sweet and it was a good roll down, heaps straighter than we remembered (it has been a while (February)) but then it got twisty(ish) again and in and out of the trees, over the yumpies and down down down through lower and further left than I remembered too. Then back round above the pylon, and back up to the entrance to FightClub. Here we decided further up wouldn't hurt (it did tho...), and grunt up the 4wd track we did. To the cliff top and the waxing moon was shining down.
Off down into Wayne's World, tho taking the original trail on the right, then veering right lower down onto the lower section of Wayne's and through down onto Fight Club, which was riding mint. Was expecting mucky slickness lower down but it was all perfect with the roots and rocks and off camber corners all the more washed out and exposed. Out the bottom and up the exit trail to the 'junction'.
Across the main Worsles track to where we'd gone earlier, this time taking a wee singletrack into the forest and up the one in here with all the jumpies. When we got to the pylon clearing we headed down to the 4wd trail down here, and up this; greasy in a couple of the corners, then the longer-than-you-ever-remember grunt on up to the top of Braille. Into this, checking out the jumps for a future time, bypassing the un-rollable ones, enjoying the sweet berms, and heading all the way down the the bottom in the short macracarpa forest. Climby climby back into the tall pines, onto the 4wd track we'd ridden up before, up the couple wee ups and then downs to where we'd come down below the pylons, pushed up this trail to the jumpy trail we'd ridden up earlier, and then it was the last downhill. Rolling round most of these jumps, tho the lower ones are much more rideable. Part way down here Nelson's light cut out, so we put my handlebar light on his, and we finished it off, then down the final paddock track to the carpark about 8.30. Off to Noodle Canteen for a number 3 and whatever # his Teriyaki was....
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday night Jetster in the forest
Jet and me headed up top of Worsley Rd after 5.30. I's on the Turner (for a change), with the granny back onto 32:36 (awaiting a new 40t), which certainly hurts when you're not used to it, but is actually pretty rideable. Up the main rutsville main drag, all the way. Cleaned it all bar one breather. Just before the bottom of the 'bag I hung a right and headed down the Braille Trail. Rolled over or skirted round every jump, discovering that most of them you could roll - although the ones you can't roll all have big holes so it's probably better safer than sorry... All the way down across the 4wd access trail, and below (like the last time I explored it) to the pylon track, then back up both of them, not struggling too bad.
Eventually back up to Worsley's and on up the access entry track to the Tommys et al. At the usual resting spot, I found another rider. We chatted for quite a while then I went up and he headed down. I checked out Nick's new access to Debbie Does, which proved too scary steep, so walked it, rode some, walked a little more then rode on. All the way down thru the darkening forest into the taller stuff below the cliff, and just before the corner round into Alice's Restaurant, I detoured across onto another new one (something knuckle...(MOOSE)), which also proved too steep for me on my own. Walked a bunch of it, rode a little, and walked a bunch more, eventually making it to the bottom - trail junction central, bottom of Tommy's, Goat's, Alice's and Fight Club.
Up the exit trail then straight up the steep gnarly internal guts track, managing to stay on top of my gear all the way except for one gasping-breathing stop not far below the pylon gap. Onwards up from here, right on up, standing and cranking, to the cliff top lookout and light starting to get pretty damned low, straight into Wayne's World, much difficulty seeing, but going with the flow, and then blazing into Fight Club, parts of which were sweet, others, dark as hell. Dropped Jet and had to wait for him just before the log feature. Onwards down and out after 7.30 by now and by the time I made the top juncture, it was really dark in the final forest descent, out to the car and home just past 8.
Eventually back up to Worsley's and on up the access entry track to the Tommys et al. At the usual resting spot, I found another rider. We chatted for quite a while then I went up and he headed down. I checked out Nick's new access to Debbie Does, which proved too scary steep, so walked it, rode some, walked a little more then rode on. All the way down thru the darkening forest into the taller stuff below the cliff, and just before the corner round into Alice's Restaurant, I detoured across onto another new one (something knuckle...(MOOSE)), which also proved too steep for me on my own. Walked a bunch of it, rode a little, and walked a bunch more, eventually making it to the bottom - trail junction central, bottom of Tommy's, Goat's, Alice's and Fight Club.
Up the exit trail then straight up the steep gnarly internal guts track, managing to stay on top of my gear all the way except for one gasping-breathing stop not far below the pylon gap. Onwards up from here, right on up, standing and cranking, to the cliff top lookout and light starting to get pretty damned low, straight into Wayne's World, much difficulty seeing, but going with the flow, and then blazing into Fight Club, parts of which were sweet, others, dark as hell. Dropped Jet and had to wait for him just before the log feature. Onwards down and out after 7.30 by now and by the time I made the top juncture, it was really dark in the final forest descent, out to the car and home just past 8.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Saturday morning Jet in the Forest
Quick one with Jet this morning. Not much time due to things doing, so left home a bit after 9 and were hitting the trail at 9.35, parking up top of Worsleys Rd and heading up the same one Nelson and me took on Tuesday. Jet doing his usual lope along ahead. Beautiful morning, and was thankful for the shade provided once up under the forest. Rode all the way up scoping out where trails off the side were, but getting to the last big corner where the jumpy track crossed. Just looking at it, wondering where to go when a guy on a 29er came up, also only his second time up here too. Chatted a bit then he headed on up and I took off down below the main track following the swoopy jumpy track, with easy lines either side of each jump. Dropped down a ways, using the altitude well, back and forth then sort of petering out after crossing a pylon access track. Followed this down to the pylon thinking there might be another way out of there, but nope, so, back up the pylon access track, seemingly not that long back to the main track I'd left earlier.
From here I headed back down it, and checked out first one trail above it, which ended nowhere, then off another corner another pylon type track down, which I never got to the end of, then back up this, and onwards down the main track, finding a singletrack dropping down, which I followed, finding that when it reached it's bottom it turned around and headed back up, too steep to ride... back to the main track, and down hill a bit then down another singletrack, this time it was promising but didn't really amount to much and headed back across and ending at the intersection below the powerlines. So, all possibilities explored, I headed back off up hill, with roughly 15 minutes to spare. All the way up to the top, saying gudday to these young groms on the jumpy track, then hitting up the main Worsley Drag, straight up the entry to the BeeLines, and straight into Tommy's. Good swoopy blast down this, holding the right hand line most of the way down, then taking it all the way down around the bottom and coming out onto the guts track just above the pylon gap and below Fight Club entrance. Down through the gap, hung a left, kept right and dropped across the guts track and down the old favourite that had the steep droppy bit but doesn't go all the way down anymore, but pops out not far down from the Junction. Up to this, and down the final stretches back to the car. 1 hour's riding all up. A hot and happy dog in the car on the way home.
From here I headed back down it, and checked out first one trail above it, which ended nowhere, then off another corner another pylon type track down, which I never got to the end of, then back up this, and onwards down the main track, finding a singletrack dropping down, which I followed, finding that when it reached it's bottom it turned around and headed back up, too steep to ride... back to the main track, and down hill a bit then down another singletrack, this time it was promising but didn't really amount to much and headed back across and ending at the intersection below the powerlines. So, all possibilities explored, I headed back off up hill, with roughly 15 minutes to spare. All the way up to the top, saying gudday to these young groms on the jumpy track, then hitting up the main Worsley Drag, straight up the entry to the BeeLines, and straight into Tommy's. Good swoopy blast down this, holding the right hand line most of the way down, then taking it all the way down around the bottom and coming out onto the guts track just above the pylon gap and below Fight Club entrance. Down through the gap, hung a left, kept right and dropped across the guts track and down the old favourite that had the steep droppy bit but doesn't go all the way down anymore, but pops out not far down from the Junction. Up to this, and down the final stretches back to the car. 1 hour's riding all up. A hot and happy dog in the car on the way home.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Tuesday's Social Worsley Nun Guv'nor
Had left my cellphone at home today, so never got a message from Andy about riding, and had organised with Nelson for something so he picked me up from work and we cruised across to Worsley's and up the hill. 5.45 by the time we unloaded and hit the trail. This time something new. Over the gate by the carpark and up the double singletrack through the gorse and broom strewn field, past the bottom of that jumpy trail and into new country. Good steady climb on well trodden 'singletrack', stopping to check out potential trails below this track. A guy on a Pivot appeared and told us a bit about the trails, and we cruised on up the hill with him, chatting away now and then, and us in awe of this cool new area. At a big corner a trail crossed the our track with jumps visible, and it was parallel to our track the rest of the way up. I'd been in the top of this area another time with Jet. The jumpy track crossed our track once or twice, and eventually we made the top, across the top of the forest and we were on the main drag of Worsley's just below the Body Bag.
Up the BodyBag we went. I struggled to keep my lunch down, Nelson and the Pivot dude rolled on apparently effortlessly to the top. I stopped in the steepest section and breathed very heavily for some time then got rolling again and managed to clean the rest of it, wanting to puke so bad as I laboured across the carpark and just getting it in check as I followed Nelson up the entrance to the Nun. He was a ways ahead and got off to walk... Puncture number one. I rode past him and collapsed at the top of the Nun and he arrived and got to fixing the leak. Some other riders turned up and we all chatted friendly like for a bit. One was even on a Switchback, and his mate was on a brandnew XC type bike, first time ever mountainbiking. One or two other riders cruised through and these guys took off. Then another guy on a Santa Cruz turned up and was from Rotovegas and after chatting with him for a bit he asked if he could tag along. No problem, so off down the Nun I led, then Nelson, then him. Lost the chain just before the steeeep corner, so, got that on again and off down we went - keeping it in a spinnier gear. Blast down here, swoopy swoopy fun times, easy going, and Nelson sorta holding back a bit to allow the other guy to keep him in view. I paused at the halfway point, waited for them both to nearly get to me then took off again. Good blast down the lower section with no sketchy nose wheelies due to the kicker part way down. I paused again down in the lower swoopies and heard Nelson curse, then spotted the other dude, so got rolling again out to the end. Our new friend turned up and indeed, another flat for Nels. Saw him up at the corner on the road waving and fixing so we rolled on up and he patched that.
Rolled on again, up the road, and at the carpark the guy decided he needed to make tracks, timewise, so we gave him directions to the Worsley trails and said goodbye. Nelson and me headed off over into the Gov's Bay track, which was rolling pretty good. Nice and tight and close knit, it was good rolling down round that side of the hill, having been practically a year since the last time. We decided we didn't have time, again, to go lower down and explore into the valley on the new(ish) section of trail, so continued around and up, me cleaning most of it, Nelson all of it, including the very top, which I fluffed and puffed-out on.
Onwards up the road again, this time all the way, with a short singletrack detour on the last section of the walktrack above the road before Worsleys Rd. Up this, and into the the descent. Hussin' down the Bodybag, nearly losing it just below the flat (was what a quagmire) spot but just saving it. Up into the B-Line trails and on up to the top of these. Short exploration looking for the supposed trail from the top, no sight of it, and then we hit Tommy2's... Awesome blaze down here, brakes getting hotter and hotter, some sketchy moments, but good descending. Two corners caught me out, and I ended up stopping, perched off the back of the bike, barely able to climb away from it, but rolling away straight away and riding the rest out. So steep! At the bottom there was an audience, and as I rolled through announced "woosy lines, me" in case they were expecting me to jump stuff.
Climb climb climb up to the junction then up the Guts track, gasping yet again, but cleaning it all up. Another chat stop with a random under the power lines, then onwards and upwards to the cliff top. Into Wayne's World, taking a couple of weird corners but then finding the one I wanted and across and down, Nelson not knowing where he was, thinking I was leading him down the shit track descent shortcut, but no, across to Fight Club and swooping down this, relishing the pump and the flow. All the way down and through then back into the climb out, faster this time, for some reason, then into the final descent, some time around or after 8 back at the car. Good ride.
Up the BodyBag we went. I struggled to keep my lunch down, Nelson and the Pivot dude rolled on apparently effortlessly to the top. I stopped in the steepest section and breathed very heavily for some time then got rolling again and managed to clean the rest of it, wanting to puke so bad as I laboured across the carpark and just getting it in check as I followed Nelson up the entrance to the Nun. He was a ways ahead and got off to walk... Puncture number one. I rode past him and collapsed at the top of the Nun and he arrived and got to fixing the leak. Some other riders turned up and we all chatted friendly like for a bit. One was even on a Switchback, and his mate was on a brandnew XC type bike, first time ever mountainbiking. One or two other riders cruised through and these guys took off. Then another guy on a Santa Cruz turned up and was from Rotovegas and after chatting with him for a bit he asked if he could tag along. No problem, so off down the Nun I led, then Nelson, then him. Lost the chain just before the steeeep corner, so, got that on again and off down we went - keeping it in a spinnier gear. Blast down here, swoopy swoopy fun times, easy going, and Nelson sorta holding back a bit to allow the other guy to keep him in view. I paused at the halfway point, waited for them both to nearly get to me then took off again. Good blast down the lower section with no sketchy nose wheelies due to the kicker part way down. I paused again down in the lower swoopies and heard Nelson curse, then spotted the other dude, so got rolling again out to the end. Our new friend turned up and indeed, another flat for Nels. Saw him up at the corner on the road waving and fixing so we rolled on up and he patched that.
Rolled on again, up the road, and at the carpark the guy decided he needed to make tracks, timewise, so we gave him directions to the Worsley trails and said goodbye. Nelson and me headed off over into the Gov's Bay track, which was rolling pretty good. Nice and tight and close knit, it was good rolling down round that side of the hill, having been practically a year since the last time. We decided we didn't have time, again, to go lower down and explore into the valley on the new(ish) section of trail, so continued around and up, me cleaning most of it, Nelson all of it, including the very top, which I fluffed and puffed-out on.
Onwards up the road again, this time all the way, with a short singletrack detour on the last section of the walktrack above the road before Worsleys Rd. Up this, and into the the descent. Hussin' down the Bodybag, nearly losing it just below the flat (was what a quagmire) spot but just saving it. Up into the B-Line trails and on up to the top of these. Short exploration looking for the supposed trail from the top, no sight of it, and then we hit Tommy2's... Awesome blaze down here, brakes getting hotter and hotter, some sketchy moments, but good descending. Two corners caught me out, and I ended up stopping, perched off the back of the bike, barely able to climb away from it, but rolling away straight away and riding the rest out. So steep! At the bottom there was an audience, and as I rolled through announced "woosy lines, me" in case they were expecting me to jump stuff.
Climb climb climb up to the junction then up the Guts track, gasping yet again, but cleaning it all up. Another chat stop with a random under the power lines, then onwards and upwards to the cliff top. Into Wayne's World, taking a couple of weird corners but then finding the one I wanted and across and down, Nelson not knowing where he was, thinking I was leading him down the shit track descent shortcut, but no, across to Fight Club and swooping down this, relishing the pump and the flow. All the way down and through then back into the climb out, faster this time, for some reason, then into the final descent, some time around or after 8 back at the car. Good ride.
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