Sunday 2 September 2007 - Menai

Folks --

A superb return to Menai, with much entertainment, despite our best guide being Stephe, with only a very cursory idea of what was going on at any one point...

Matt, Brian, Paul and Stephe were joined by Chris G. and Marc (welcome!), and set off from the end of Old Illawarra Road at around 7.15am. With announced time constraints from a couple of folk that needed to be home, we wrapped it up and were back at the cars by 10.15am.


[Chris, Matt, Brian, Stephe, Paul, and Mark]


Location:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=alfords+point+road&sll=-33.79314,151.215134&sspn=0.007017,0.014269&ie=UTF8&ll=-34.036306,151.006501&spn=0.003499,0.007135&t=k&z=18&om=1

The ride showcased some of the best that Menai had to offer, and - given the short time frame - we managed to avoid some of the more boring bits that are necessary when seeking to cover more ground in the area.



Chris demonstrated early fitness and skill (most annoying!), and Marc also seemed set to show us up, but for a great over the bars effort on the first downhill section, which slowed him down for the next 30 minutes or so! Paul continued to cite a lack of fitness for his desire to rest on most arduous sections, just so he could power through on anything technical, Matt was off his game early, but made up for later in the session, and Brian and Stephe tried hard to be good participants....

Highlights included some great work from everyone on downhill sections, Chris 'making' Matt and Stephe meander along some dangerous 'north shore' ramps, the general quality of the day and the track, and the blast on the last section home (where Chris and Matt whomped everyone else in sight (or, not in sight, as the case may be) - Brian was held up by Stephe on the finishing blast, and may have been a contender for the home coming title otherwise...



Menai - what a great track!

Photos courtesy of Mark are here...

Sunday 26 August 2007 - Lane Cove meander

Matt, John, Brian and Stephe set out from Middle Cove, through Chatswood and down to Lane Cove National Park, to meet with Jeremy, Paul and Mark "The Professor" for a short, local ride around the Lane Cove River...

It was a fantastic day for the mountain bike season to resume - perfect conditions, and the tracks were pretty well all ok, with only limited sections a little "squidgy" (to quote the professor). The warm up along the road section was useful, but by the time we'd gotten the team together and riding, was pretty well a memory...

Once we got underway, it was straight into single track, with everyone pretty well warmed up by the time we hit the first climb (now a section of stairs). Limited success, but it was clear that we were back having fun.

Matt was having a pretty good day, until he dropped the bike near the back end of the ride (he argues that it was just a slippery wooden bridge, but I reckon there's a fair bet he was in the middle of an embarrassing stunt...). Speaking of which, Stephe's attempt to pull a wheelie left him backwards over the wheel on his bum, which was the cause of some merriment.

Most of the rest of the ride was just quality riding, some great technical work, and a few sections of open riding. The occasional transition stage on bitumen was no dampener on a great local ride.

Yee ha, it's good to be back...

Sunday 12 August 2007 - Lane Cove - Hunters Hill wander

Paul Jenzen and Stephe went for a gentle wander along the river, and back. Was good...