Spring has Sprung

This week's ride provided our first taste of warmer weather which was very enjoyable. It was very nice to go riding without so many bits of gear on and get some Vitamin D on the body.

We decided to do the old and new Murrays and keep it simple this week. Still some sticky sections but drying out nicely.

Steve managed to avoid a couple of close calls on the track but Phil wasnt so lucky and had a crash but luckily without any damage.

There are no photos this week as the photographer was too tired and emotional after the draw in the Grand Final. Actually he was planning on putting up a photo of Mick Malthouse and Nick Maxwell holding up the cup but that will have to wait until next week.

This Sunday is the trip to Mt Cole and some real mountain biking. The weather forecast is for 23 and sunny so it should be a great day for riding.

Changing Seasons

Riding conditions improved again this week. The weather was a touch warmer, the trails are drying out, the magpies were singing and the wattle is out in all its glory. However there were still a few reminders of the big wet we have experienced this year and Brett found one of the best ones when he strayed a little off line in a corner.

Brett stuck in a bog while Steve navigates a way around on foot

Mel has been inspired by her improved bike set up and gone hard on the training this week, maybe a little too hard so she took a breather at the Res while the rest of us completed the fastways section of the track. It took us a little longer than we thought with a stop for a puncture and a couple of happy snaps. Mel is also keen on lifting her fitness before the arrival of her new bike which should be any day now.

Talking of new arrivals, congratulations to Ewan who is a proud dad again following the birth of his third daughter  Emmaline.

Proud Dad Ewan showing Steve the way through the mud

After many weeks of no punctures, we ended up with a total of 3 for the day, 2 for Rod and one for me. Mine was as a result of picking up a nail  in sight of the coffee shop so I decided to run the last few hundred metres and order my coffee before I fixed my bike.

One week until the Beeripmo trip but before that there is a grand final to win. Go Pies!

The More the Merrier

The turn out for this weeks ride set a new record. We had 8 people on the ride with only Roz missing with a cold and Alexander busy planning his 18th birthday party. Rod returned from his winter hibernation to join in which was reason enough for Steve to point us in the direction of One Tree Hill. We made our way there via the track along side the water race. This is a technically challenging track, tight in places and with many odd shaped rocks jutting out in unusaul postions. There were more than normal the amount of branches and shrubs overhanging the track after the recent heavy rain and quite a few spots where we had to dismount and walk over an obstacle. After the water race it was time for a few hills. It has become a bit of a tradition to reward Rod with some testing hill climbs any time he returns from an extended lay off from the bike. Despite some tough climbing we couldnt wipe the smile off Rod's face.

Steve has named Sunday 3rd October as the date for our assault on the Berripmo Track at Mt Cole (see link above for details). Mt Cole is halfway between Avoca and Ararat and as the name would suggest invovles some climbing. So there will need to be a lift in the intensity of everyone's training to be fit enough to take on that challenge.

Here's a photo of our new larger group. Tony was worried that I had missed him out of the photo so he made me take another one but he had no need to be concerned as he was there all the time.





It FELT like the right time for a change

After being a devoted member of the GT family for the past 5 years GT and I have decided to go our seperate ways. GT got me into mountain biking and have provided me with many hours of fun and exercise (as well as a couple of big crashes) and I will always have a soft spot for them. But from the time I first laid eyes on the Felt Virtue I knew that one day I would get one. That moment finally arrived when I was surfing the net and saw an offer for a runout model too good to refuse. After a quick test ride at the bike shop I was sold and then it was just a matter of checking with the finance minister and the deal was done. The guys at "My Mountain" offer great service and do a full measure up and bike fit to make sure you are in a comfortable and efficient riding position so you can take full advantage of your new bike. The other bonus is that there are some good looking guys who work in the shop. So get in and check out them and the bikes.

I have taken it easy on my first few rides but early impressions have been very positive. The Felt is lighter than the GT which is one of my criteria that has to be met whenever I upgrade. It also has a full XT groupset and Shimano brakes. The GT had a front rotor the size of the moon so I am feeling a little down on braking power at the moment but the Shimano devotees in the crew assure me that I will be satisfied as soon as they bed in properly.

The Felt showing it is ready to take on anything the trails can put in its way

So now Phil is the only GT man left in the crew and there are rumours about  that he may be switching brands in the near future as well. We will just have to wait and see but for now we can add the Felt name to Giant, Specialized and GT as bike brands endorsed by the Sunday Morning Crew team riders.

A very wet end to Winter

Earlier in the week we were greeted with the news that the Golden Triange Epic had been postponed due to wet weather which came as a bit of a surprise. We had been riding every week and whilst there had been a few wet mornings and a few puddles to navigate it had never been a case of thinking these tracks are unrideable. That was until this Sunday. We decided to do our normal route out along Murrays and pick up the Fastways. It was as we were going along Murrays in the section before the 5 ways crossing that it became quite clear that sending 200 bikes along the trail would turn it into giant bog hole. And if the track here was this water logged I would hate to think what the track at the bottom of Brian's paddock would be like. It was wet enough last year and that's when we were still in the grip of a severe drought.

Brett navigating a particularly wet section

However the good news was that there were really only a couple of nasty spots were the water came near the hubs of our wheels and our small group of riders could make it through without getting off and walking. Did I say small group? There were actually six of us which was the best turn up for sometime. Only Roz and Rod couldnt make it out from the regular crew and our fame is continuing to grow as we were joined by another new rider Mel. Steve knew Mel from riding many years ago and after spending some time on her roadie she is keen to get back into the MTB scene. We caught up with her at the Castlemaine Enduro and invited her out for a ride so hopefully she enjoyed herself and Roz wont have to be the only lady in the crew anymore.

Taking a breather beside
the Coliban Water Race