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I knew before the race even started how slippery the track could get. I got caught out in the rain while warming up for the first attempt at Wylde for the Round 1 race. But I wanted to race it anyway to see everyone sliding around for my own personal lols

I had brought 2 bikes with me as I was still undecided which bike I wanted to do the race on. My old Giant Yukon Hardtail with rim brakes running a 96er set up (29er front wheel, 26 back wheel) and my 2011 Giant Trance with dual suspension and disc brakes.

There’s something about Stromlo…..

My 3 DNF’s have all been there or thereabouts. The wet Capital Punishment in 2010 due to the mud, the predecessor to this event also in 2010, due to a sore back. This time, it was a HR that quickly went through the roof and refused to settle down. I should have pulled out on the first climb, but stumbled around for a full lap with plenty of rest stops thrown in and lots of spinning in low gears. Managed to finish 1 lap just ahead of the 2 lap winners.

Hello! Welcome to the first of hopefully many posts on my MTB racing journey as I approach the elite level riders in the coming year. One main race, the AMB "100" is done and gone (read about it here!) with a decent, but not amazing, result, one week until uni begins again (gasp!).

I'll keep this brief, because it was a pretty uneventful race.
Jeez, it was a hot and hard day. the track was brutal - loads of climbing, rocks with sharp edges, and then jarring descents.

I've been working on some specific tech skills over the summer because I am sick of going to Stromlo (and other places really) and getting beaten due to a lack of tech ability or just being too cautious. alweays on the 'downs'. Sure local knowledge helps, but until I allowed myself to get past that (they will always know it better than me - use that to my advantage) I was never gonna compete.

Wowzers, I am really happy to have survived that! And it really did become all about survival - the heat, the climbs and then as fatigue set in surviving the descents! Oh and surviving the 3:15 wake up.

Some highlights were - a beautiful cool lap under lights of Stromlo, including being on top of the mtn for sunrise - then bombing down Skyline and Luge! Friendly volunteers - man they were enthusiastic! Skyline, Luge, Double Dissolution 5 TIMES!

A pretty memorable day!

I write this at 9:30pm as I am sitting outside my tent at Stromlo about to turn in. It's about 16 degrees, an almost full moon with a few clouds and a light breeze blowing. This is paradise. As many rides and races that I do, few of them seem to have these type of stress free nights before them and I am deeply grateful to be able to just enjoy some peace and quiet. I sometimes wish all my life could be this stress free but at the same time, it is only because of all the stress I seem to find myself facing that I really notice the lack of it, even if only for a couple of hours.

Trail braiding at the southern entrance to Bewildered Possum. This photo is taken facing back down towards the trail entrance (opposite to primary direction of travel for riders).

Notice the trail being beaten down to the left of the photo, avoiding the rocky area.

In the weeks preceding the OMV bike festival a few Over Yonder Racing
riders ventured out to do a bit of a recy on our cyclocross bikes of the OMV trails.
That day was dry & dusty & the sun was baking hot & humidity high.
We all had a blast railing the corners & humps on our cx bikes
& were pumped for the upcoming race.

Come the 13th of December, & the conditions were much different.
In the days leading up, Sydney has received its fair share of rain,
& on Thursday, it was looking like the wet weather may even postpone the event.

After riding 5 days out of 6 I think I found the young blokes limits today. Considering he's done very little riding recently he certainly exceeded my expectations. Ah, to be 18 again!

After a couple of passes around The Dipper, and a run down The Challenge that was blocked off during logging earlier in the week, and The Roadside Challenge it was enough. Time to head back for dinner.

He was still smiling though. His verdict on the week: "tough but fun" and keen to come back. "Dad, can you buy me a Cannondale Trigger? "

After a rest day yesterday where we just pootled around town, we caught the shuttle up to ride Corners back down the mountain again.

The second time around it seemed like it flowed much better and I was picking the lines more cleanly, but I was just as buggered by the time I got to the bottom. The quads and glutes were not burning so much but the hands were starting to let me know they being worked hard keeping me connected to the bars.