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3 ambulances at the top gate


Black Flash's picture

By Black Flash - Posted on 31 March 2012

3 ambulances at the top gate of manly dam around 11am this morning. That can't be good.
The roll off at the 19th hole is ugly, mind u so is a lot of the track at the mo. Best wishes to whomever is ferried to hospital.

hawkeye's picture

That can a reflection in part of how busy they are and also of the risks assocated with the type of call-out. When The Hater took me out on Warringah Road in 2009 I had three in attendance - plus maybe a motorbike? - which struck me at the time as a bit of overkill based on the info I gave them.

I suppose with me they were being cautious about possible spinal injuries and the required manpower to manage lifting me if I needed to be immobilised, but in the end mine was really just a bit of skin off and a busted hand ... although I was pretty sore all over for a few days. Due to the dent in my helmet they were quite fierce about not moving my neck, both in the ambo and the hospital until I was cleared. Better to be safe than sorry and in the end you need to have some measure of trust in their professional judgement.

I hope that's all it was, and nothing more serious this time.

So in relation to 19th Hole, have the log and rocks been moved? They were probably the most successful attempt to date. Bugger. Sad

Black Flash's picture

No updates on the incident.
As for the 19th roll off - worst ive seen it. Its a soft clay bog capable of swallowing a whole front end. I know, i saw it! In slooooooow moooo.
Leading down to the 19th is also quite rutted out after the drop offs. Fine for me on a 29er, but if you happen to be riding a 12"kiddie bike like that guy at the Mont.... maybe thats why the ambos where called???

hawkeye's picture

I might go for a walk then.

hawkeye's picture

The news isn't good. Almost knee deep erosion gully on the fire trail coming down from Allambie to the entrance to 19th Hole.

The log-drops just after the entrance are getting bigger. My suggestion is to sight your line early and keep your speed up for the next 100m or so. The nasty little stumps in the landing areas of some of the log drops (if you take the wrong line) are sticking up even more than they were. The left line with the double log launch pad is the bigger drop but has an obstacle free landing zone. Don't take it slow.

The mud bog at the bottom of the last roll-down at 19th Hole proper looked like it caught a couple of newbies, judging by the tyre marks off the correct line that went part-way through the goop and then stopped. The correct line is still rideable and the rocks and log are still in place.

However, there is NO forgiveness if you miss the right line: you're going over the bars. I've tried to fill part of the bog with rocks so there's a better chance of rolling out of it but there wasn't much that could be done that will last very long without bigger rocks and a team.

The only long term fix is to redirect the huge amounts of water coming off the power lines access road that was bulldozed by Sydney Electricity (thanks, guys Sad )

obmal's picture

Apparently when they know that they have to lift the victim, very probable when it's a cyclist down, they send multiple ambos.

Was riding with a buddy who stacked and broke his neck last year, 3 turned up and they were absolute legends.

hope the guy is OK.

hawkeye's picture

How did it work out for your buddy? All OK?

obmal's picture

fracture of T3, 4 and 5. some surgery, screws, brackets and six months later he's just done his first spin class. Sold all his MTB stuff and hoping to get back on the road bike some time later this year.

take care out there as it can be a very very very long road back when you mess up.

highlander's picture

He is my mate, and it's his first time to ride Manly Dam. He went over the bar on the first steep rock section along the Wakehurst parkway.
It was a close call accident, the handle bar end hit his centre chest, and landed head first smashing his helmet. Yes the medical team was a true legend, we thank them very much, and we thank to those riders who stop and show concern. He went home on that night and now recovering with a punctured ribs and some bruises, his taken a lot of pain killers. Hoping he will get well soon.

hawkeye's picture

Hope he recovers quickly. The handlebar to the chest would have got the ambos attention for potential cardiac arrest, which explains why so many.

Not sure how much experience your friend's had, but I wouldn't describe Manly Dam as a beginner's track, *especially* in it's current degraded condition. Some of my experienced mates are deciding not to ride it at the moment until it's dried out a lot more, and a clear line is established again.

I'm somewhat alarmed by a Manly Bike Hire brochure I have sitting in front of me that sends conflicting messages - it says "Skill level: intermediate to advanced" ... but in the body of the text describing the trail it claims "it caters novices right up to the expert rider". Sad

highlander's picture

Thanks hawkeye, yes that's what I explained on the phone, and told them he couldn't breath properly.

He's just new in mtb but already been riding a couple of trails, but for me everything is too late that I couldn't stop him for pushing it through.

yup manly dam should be promoted properly.

Logan's picture

To much traffic, eroded to all hell.

The 19th hole was bad last year, so god knows what its like now.

daveh's picture

Firstly, sorry to hear about your mate but glad to hear that he is "ok".

I don't ride the Dam as much as I used to but that's because of all the rubbish weather. What I will say is that I am actually often surprised that it never seems as busy as I would expect it. With regards to the erosion, yes, it's bad in places but it's not ridiculously bad and everything is ride-able. In fact, after quite a lot of complaints about the dumbing down of the Dam over the years, I would say that there are a heap of parts that are actually better now that there is a little more challenge to it. Sure, it's not a flowy, XC endro style race oriented track but having parts that are a little more downhill-ish and where you need your travel makes it a lot of fun. No, I'm not saying that maintenance isn't needed and I am hanging to get in there and do some as much as many others but in the meantime it is by no means off limits.

What I would say is that it is definitely not a "beginners" track as even getting off and walking down some sections could be kind of tricky.

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