Start: 9.00 am Launching Place car park
Route: Don rd, Panton Gap, Ben Cairn, Donna Buang,(if you still have energy left) then a beautiful ride down the bitumen to Warburton for coffee followed by rail trail back to Launching Place. Dirt bikes recommended.
Monday, November 30, 2020
Mt. Dandy ride Tuesday 8th.Dec
Start : 9.00 am Kallista Fire Brigade
Route: From Kallista - the Crescent to Sassafras – Olinda – Mt. Dandenong – Sky High – and back to Kallista whichever way we choose.
Route: From Kallista - the Crescent to Sassafras – Olinda – Mt. Dandenong – Sky High – and back to Kallista whichever way we choose.
Bush Track Special
A slightly wet day with some 60kms and nearly 900 meters of climbing to be had as we wound our way from Belgrave down to to Birdsland and into Lysterfield Park and up to the Trig point. A short cut through Police Paddocks put us on the Dandenong Creek Trail for the return trail ride to FTG & Belgrave or in Jon and self's case Emerald. Excellent ride Jurgen
Saturday, November 28, 2020
LANG LANG - POOWONG RIDE Thursday 3rd Nov
START TIME 0900hrs
Total Distance 76km.
Start at the Lang Lang community house ( next to the toilet block ). The community house is 50m. from the roundabout in the township. Turn L at the roundabout into the main drag and L again almost immediately. into the car park.
Lang Lang is about an hour from Emerald not counting road works, of which I struck many on my recce.
The ride will be over three stages in descending order of difficulty.
Stage 1 Lang Lang to T intersection with the Poowong turnoff.
Distance 28km.
We climb Heath Hill. Bummmm! It starts flat then changes its mind. This is the hardest stage.
Stage 2. T intersection to Poowong.
Distance 24km.
Hilly but ok except the last 3km. to Poowong will test the legs. The end of that stage means the hard work is out of the way.
There is no water stop until we end stage 2..
Stage 3. Lunch at the majestic, one and only, Poowong cafe (the only other building is a pub, so all is not lost), then back to Lang Lang.
Distance 24km.
The first 8km. are largely downhill with beautiful scenery. The remainder is pretty flat. Hence, a relaxing ride home.
We will be on sealed, undulating!!!!! country roads, so chose the bike you prefer for climbing? I'm taking a road bike.
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
RIDE THURSDAY 26th
Emerald to Yellingbo via sundry points, then Piggery Hill, Monbulk, The Patch, Menzies and home to bed.
Kirsten to parade her new, plastic speed machine.
Road bikes best.
0930 start
Emerald Hall lower car park.
Monday, November 23, 2020
Sandy Point Getaway
4 hardy "highlanders" took up Jurgen's generous offer of a few days away and 3 fabulous days of cycling in the beautiful Gippsland area of Sandy Point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTVlexHHmo
Day 1 included plenty of sun 70kms and a fair bit of climbing as the group completed a Fish Creek loop with some stunning views of the surrounding hilly and green landscape with Wilsons Prom standing out in the distance.
Replenished by Jurgen's wifes veggie lasagne and a few glasses of alcohol we started day 2 early with temps expected to climb into the 30's. This was a similar days ride in terms of distance and climbing as we first ventured to the beautiful beach at Walkerville
The climb out of Walkerville didn't leave us with much energy as we then descended to the Wind farm at Tarwin Lower by way of Sth Africa (see pic) !
Back on track it was a hard slog back to Sandy Point with most of us now feeling the rising heat. After a quick lunch we returned to the cool waters at the picturesque beach at Walkerville South.
A cycle, walk and a swim were enough to send us to an early bed after a lovely dinner supplied by Helen. Day 3 included a magic ride from the park gates of Wilsons Prom to Tidal River over a misty and wild looking landscape. Kirsten backed up as on road support having slept most of the night on the loungeroom floor thanks to loud snoring reportedly coming from the local Koala population
A coffee in tidal river , some lunch back at Jurgen's and it was time to pack up and return after 3 fabulous days of cycling - thank you so much Jurgen for your amazing hospitality
Sunday, November 22, 2020
The Ride to Somewhere - Tues 24 Nov 9.30 Emerald Library
We'll work out something for those that turn up
Monday, November 16, 2020
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Hazeldene Conquered
The weather forecast said windy, overcast and 33c so it was no surprise that by the time we rocked up to Kurth Kiln for our 8a.nm departure that it was cold, still and amazingly, despite lots of blue sky, raining !
With Kirstens tubless tyre bubbling away we departed KK park after first burying Kerri's sweater behind one of 10,000 very similar looking trees (she felt she wasn't going to need it on the ride ). Some early climbing took us to Hoddles creek before a magic high speed descent. Milner road made up for it though as we crossed a steep saddle to the main Yarra Junction to Noojee road where we competed with what seemed like a never ending stream of motorbikes and sports cars for road space.
Thankfully the patchy rain soon departed as we coffee'd in the one and only shop in sleepy Powelltown wondering what locals do to keep themselves occupied. Our ride back was up the beautiful but never ending climb called Hazeldene road. We finally reached some mountain peak for a welcome downhill run back to the car park to conclude a great days ride with over 1100 metres of climbing. All we now needed to do was top help Kerri to remember which tree she'd hidden her jumper at !
Saturday, November 14, 2020
TUESDAY 17th RIDE
Time for another break from dirt roads, Mountain Ashes, tree ferns, babbling brooks, 900m climbing and once more, experience what it is like to be a flatlander.
Ride... from Stud Rd. Stadium on
Tuesday 17th to
Sculpture Pk. Skye on
Road or dirt bike.
Lead by Helen
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Kurth Kiln - Powelltown - Sun 15 Nov - 8.00a.m.- Dirt Bikes
A delightful and challenging 55km ride from the Car Park at Kurth Kiln to scenic Powelltown. An early start at 8a.m. to beat the days heat. Bring a couple of water bottles if possible - shop in Powelltown. Mike organising
May The Nuns be With Us
It was time to get rid of our high altitude climbing gear and head down to the so called "Flat Lands" on a Jurgen inspired ride from Bayswater to the Covent at Abbostford. Joining our normal motley crew (ladies excluded) was one John of the "Mudgeways" a very welcome addition in his brightly coloured Banyule Bug riders top
We set off at 8 am exiting the small park some 15 minutes later thanks to works barriers and a hold up on the Kids road traffic layout (those give ways signs are a bugger). John M did an impressive "David Copperfield" somehow cloneing himself into 6 Banyule Bug replicas. When we realised the identical tops were heading the opposite direction we continued on our way
A selection of some very hilly bicycle paths followed tracing Eastlink. Jon B and self preferred the Koonung trail thanks to a missed turn off. We somehow rejoined for delightful ride along the Yarra past Dight Falls looking for any stranded mermaids to the beautiful, historic and austere looking Abbotsford Convent for a well deserved morning tea.
Looping back we picked up the Scotchmans Creek / Gardiners Creek trails to pass by Jells Park back to Bayswater where John M's face told the story of the days ride ... enjoyable but hard work with over 600 metres of climbing and nearly 80 kms travelled. Many thanks to Jurgen for leading the way and for setting an F1 pace at the beginning !
Monday, November 9, 2020
RIDE THURSDAY 12th
From: Bayswater
To: Convent Abbotsford
Start: 0830hrs
Bike type: Sealed surface, please yourself
Convenors: Jurgen, Mega, Jon
Monday, November 2, 2020
RIDE THURSDAY 5 Nov
Start Emerald Library rear carpark.
0930hrs
Enough dirt to make dirt bikes a preferred option.
Going to Kallista and I recall the 1 in 20 was talked about.
40% probability of 0-2mm rain somtime during the day.
What's a little wet stuff to us hills folk!!!!
And, the12 degrees temp. forecast will only serve to prompt a quick ride.
Whom to blame? .... Jurgen.
Sunday, November 1, 2020
7 Acre rock - A long way up !
I had overheard Jurgen indicating that the ride we were about to do was ear marked by the MMCC as a future ride .. little did i know that it was to stand for the Melbourne Masochistic Cycling Club !
With
heaps of climbing forecast the start from Gembrook was a welcome one.
We soon entered beautiful Kirth Kiln National Park before finding our
way to nearby Slip Rock Falls a delightful albeit small waterfall
situated in wild bush land setting. Well rested we then started our
never ending climb along Beenak East road where each KM not only added
to our climb tally but saw a gradual deterioration in road conditions.
The
final 7 kms to 7 Acre rock were tough going through a beautiful but
partly logged forest area to the 7 Acre rock picnic ground. A 1.5 km
scramble along a muddy path followed to our rock with its stunning views
over the Bunyip national park. We took our time taking in the
magnificent views having already climbed 90% of the days climb tally
(1400 metres !) in the first half of the ride. Our reverse route
thankfully had some downhill sections. We were never the less
unanimously stuffed by the time we finally reached Gembrook for a much
needed cuppa and sustenance. Many thanks to Jurgen who made our ride
memorable in more ways than one !
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