im thinking of a bit of a explore/blast on the downhill, early sat 27/2/10, never been to ourimbah before and 12+months since i halfarsed attempted some of the oxford falls tracks, either place would be good, any takers or tourguides?

Formal notification of the trail reopening just appeared on Council's website:

http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/community/mounta...

Apparently the amended trail signs are to be erected by the weekend.

For those who had volunteered their time for Operation Secret Squirrel, thanks so much for your generosity. The erection of the signs will distort what we were hoping to achieve, unfortunately, so it sounds to me like a good excuse for y'all to go use the time for a ride instead. I'm probably going to sleep in.

Dear Cycling Comrades,
OK, so it doesn't take me long to call in favours
I just had a call from Super Tuesday organisers about Warringah's shortage of human counters next week. Please see email below. This is NOT a council operation, but as you may know, Warringah Council is rolling out the Bike Plan 2010-15 right now for public consultation (out of mothballs after 12 years on the shelf). More to come on that later.
Council management will rely heavily on stats from next week's annual bike count result to fund and prioritise future cycleways.

Attention Mountain Bikers,
The Dublin Mountains partnership is extending its volunteer ranger programme to encompass mountain biking.

This is an important set for the Dublin Mountains Partnership and gives us the opportunity to be involved in helping to manage recreation through out the Dublin Mountains.

From a Mountain biking perspective it is important that we get involved and help influence how recreation activities are managed going forward.

By me at least!

I am waiting for the Inspector to call me back so that I can officially withdraw our application for the protest.

I really feel that organising a mass ride around the dam will not be a benefit to us and will just irritate the residents.

The Inspector feels this would be ‘negative publicity’ and work against us in the long run.

I just wanted to express my gratitude to all of you who turned up. I was the tall corporate looking guy in the black suit two rows from the front with the blue tie.

Your presence and and good humour made a significant difference tonight. I didn't do a count of numbers, but we did indeed pack the chamber, to the point where the mayor invited those standing at the back to take up spare seats at the side. I'd also like to thank Councillors Virginia Laugesen, Vincent De Luca, and Christina Kirsch for their support and sleepless nights spent working to deal with this issue.

Just wondering, now that the trail has been reopened to MTB's, can this ride be turned into a joy ride?

The Dam will never have seen so many riders going around the trail at the same time!!!

UPDATE: 10:54AM 23/2

The Manly Daily has requested to be able to send a photographer between 6:00 and 6:30 to the session tonite. This needs a Council resolution.

It is rare for TMD to pay overtime, so this is a BIG DEAL. We need to PACK that gallery. See below for details.
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The mayor has flip-flopped again on mtb access to Manly Dam singletrack. We need to encourage him to develop some backbone when it matters most.

Just got this, no doubt lots of others will get one of these in the email shortly too.

Manly Warringah War Memorial Park

FAQs regarding bike track temporary closure

Monday 22 February 2010

What is happening?

It has come to Warringah Council's attention that parts of the shared track around Manly Dam are not technically approved for bike riding and as such, Council had no choice but to close those stretches of track to riders until the Plan of Management has reviewed bike riding in the park.

I am looking for some suggestions about a good weeekend away for a couple of family groups with the emphasis (as far as the dads are concerned) with riding some good trails. We are thinking south from Sydney, around Jervis Bay or the Southern Highlands. Somewhere that has some good XC rides for us during the way and some nice accomodation for the ladies to amuse themselves with a glass of wine and perhaps a massage while the kids run riot. Retiring to the bar or in front of an open fire would top things off nicely.

Dropped into a bike shop in Tuncurry yesterday, and mention was made of about 30km of singletrack network at Tinonee, southwest of Taree. Trail features some low bridges and skinnies apparently.

It's about 4hrs drive north of Sydney, but I have a house we can bunk down at in Forster (my folks') - providing you promise to behave. I'm thinking last weekend in March.

I'm likely to be up for a second shoulder op in April/May so this would be last big ride for awhile. I don't know the area at all, so will probably try to organise a local guide.

Who's interested?

Does any body have a gpx file of the bicentennial trail between Jenolan caves and Aberdeen? I am going to be riding around there for Easter and I am not sure how well marked the trail is. Thanks.