TONIGHT: Social Night Ride: Terrey Hills [Perimeter + Long Trail]

Post on the web for someone to come and look after your kids, I'm sure you'll get some kind of offer. It must be a German thing, oh no, that couple on the weekend were trying to sell their kid on ebay not find a babysitter

...whats it worth? Actually with that home brew in the fridge I may volunteer..
What are the kids like? Well after some of that home brew it wont matter. Do you have any bratwurst etc?
What time should I be there?
Craig

.. should have a mobil Nobmob childcare centre on some of our rides....
and Thanks for your kind offer, Craig!
Bernd

This comment has been moved here.

This wonderful piece of poetry - courtesy of our friends at 26 inches.

Mushrooms glow in the dark

The mushrooms glow in the dark.

Phosphorescent discs, just outside the range of clear vision. There’s no time too look. Catch one in the full halogen blast and they’re red, dinner-plate sized. Big bastards. But they don’t last more than a month or so. Itinerant. Seasonal. Like night rides.

Your world’s reduced to the dirt and bark in your halogen beam. A puddle of light, perhaps 15 meters in front…and with a bit of speed on, you can cover that in about a second. The hard bit’s following the thin stripe of dirt between the trees. It’s easy to loose the track all together and find yourself off in the trees where the only track is to back-track.

Put in the hard effort and get to the top of the hill first. Stop and look back, and you’ll be rewarded with the sight of ghost-like glows flitting behind trunks and between branches. Then the dark slams down as, one by one, they roll in and douse their lights. Suddenly, deep in the forest, it’s pitch black. Just a bunch of people, panting in the dark.

In the dark, size matters more than ever …the bigger the battery the longer you’ll last. A little charge and you’ll die in the arse before the end of the first track.
The hot-rod rig. At least 20 watts strapped to the handlebar, and another 10 watter on your helmet, so you can glimpse round the tight corners in the intestinal tunnel that mountain bike tracks become at night.

It can be seriously Blair Witch. Even trails you know backwards by day change to unpredictable mysterious serpentine stripes at night. And your perception’s all shot to hell. You think your flying, only to rock into a technical section without enough speed to clear it. Or you find yourself lost in your gears without the ability to glance down for a confirm.

And there’s the unknown. I’ll never forget cruising one night, winding down after a particularly pumping track…only to realise we were surrounded by soldiers dressed in cammo, with face paint and bloody big guns…not saying a word…just 20 of them…looking at us….us looking at them. We didn’t stop for a good ten k!! Freaky…but that’s a self-propelled night in the bush.

Night. It can reach out and grab you. A half hidden stump…that’s a broken rib. Forget to charge and you’ll brown out, forced to rely on your buddies beams. And they’ve lookin’ after themselves. Then there’s the ultimate test of ability, speed and reaction…

Blackout.

Plunged into darkness, you’re forced to ride purely on the latent image your retina captured before your bulb blew, or your wiring failed…and the four or five seconds it takes your brakes to haul you down can last an eternity.

Don’t go down to the woods alone at night. You don’t wanna wrap yourself round a tree when the temp’s on its way to minus 5. All they’ll find is cycle popsicle. Save the deep forest for a group ride, stick behind the houses. If you do go down, at least you can crawl towards the light.

Jim Trail

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Happiness is a warm shock.

Hi Mate,

Just so we know you will be able to ride safe.

The lights your are getting, are they as bright as a Dolphine torch?

Because anything less is just not safe enough to see all the bad bits.

Sorry to be so forward but we have had people turn up with lights less bright than an itty bitty book light!

Pikey

Andrew

In case you dont' have a full charge I'm happy to lend you one of my spare Ay-up batteries tonight.

Usually they charge to full within 3-4 hrs. Plug it into your cig lighter when driving to TH.

Rgds, Hans

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Happiness is a warm shock.

Cant ride a bike without forks.

I'm on the scrounge... If anyone has any spare lights I could borrow tonight (of any description) I would be really grateful. I got lured into a silly deal with T7 which has left me with lights that don't last more than 1.5 hours on both beams. It would be a real shame to have to turn back at 35 mins.

Seems there is a severe thunderstorm warining at the moment.

I'll turn up and see how it goes!

Mainly smooth firetrail, with a bit of rocky/sandy bits on long trail.

Lets hope the weather holds ...

==========================

Happiness is a warm shock.

BOM radar says it's dry up there at the moment but it's looking pretty glomy from South of the river.. I'll turn up too, at least for the beer

http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR033.loop.sh...

If its raining I will take the soft option and stay in for the night.
A bottle of red and a wood fire during a thunderstorm is to appealing.
Andrew

In Chatswood at the moment and thunderstorm has started here. Guess tonight will not go ahead then. Shame...was really up for it.

in West Lindfield at the moment.

However, just had heavy rain at belrose central, but now easing

Radar shows clearing.

Is it worth the risk?

Text me if your going

Pikey
0431 703 266

Should we try again same time, same place next week? Nothing in the calendar at the moment.

Is anyone going for a ride this weekend?

having a beer waiting for you lot. it is bone dry here. e can see stars!

I'm in danger of becoming an addict - 2 rides at the weekend, one on Tuesday, this (relaxed) one and an MTBO event on Sunday. Tops!

Hi - I've just registered and would like to join you Fri night. I'm a long time road rider/racer, until I injured my back and had 3 kids. I have taken up MTB 12 months ago. I'm probably a lower-intermediate level MTB rider and not very fit at the moment. I've just fitted a new set of Ayup's and would like to give them a run. First time night ride for me. There's a chance I won't make it - as tends to happen with 3 kids under the age of 2. So please don't wait. Looking forward to it. Cheers. Steve.

Forks have arrived so Friday it is so you all there.

We almost came over last night but went home when the rain looked like it was heading that way. Ended up going for a local ride and found some new trails in my back yard! I had to get out and try the new lights hehe, hopefully see you on Friday night