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Old Man's Valley
I went for some laps this morning at the new OMV trail. Parked as recommended in the car park near the highway about 8am and thought based on the lack of cars that I'd have the trail to myself. I rode down to the trail to find a dozen or so cars near the trail head.
First impression was how smooth they had compacted the dirt and how grippy & fast it felt, similar to Stromlo when it was new before the erosion hit. There are plenty of man made objects and well placed rocks. The bottom section reminds me again of the fast flowing parts of Stromlo. There's one fast corner that nearly caught me on every single lap. It is after a steep series of fast downhill turns when suddenly it swings tight right unexpectedly and there is about a 3m drop off to the side into Lantana bush. I locked up there a few times and can't believe I didn't go over the edge.
The course is mainly intermediate level with some advanced sections (well marked using the green, blue, black system as per ski fields). The black sections are pretty damn good although that long downhill log at the start of one of them decided I was his bitch each lap...
About the only disappointing bit was how quickly it all ends. I'm guessing the trail must be about 3km long as I was averaging about 12-15 mins a lap riding at a modest pace. The map does show some dotted lines which I think are future extensions which look like about another 1km of trail.
Well done Hornsby Council who recognise the benefits of mountain biking and made the investment (using ratepayers $ of course).
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Thanks for an awesome write up Fatboy. I'm heading there in the morning.
Thanks for the pics
Very well described, I was also there this morning. Good fun and technically challenging. I stacked twice at the second black log section(first photo I think) those things really mess with your mind. Luckily no major injuries. I must've done 8 or 9 laps this morning and enjoyed the last one as much as the first. Very well done Synergy trails and hornsby council !! Cant wait for them to finish the rest of the trails
Thanks for the write up and photos Fatboy. Hopefully get there tomorrow.
Early vid follows. Will update with something less fogged-up when I ride tomorrow.
http://youtu.be/EYXIihxFI2A
I rode it Today. I love those fast bits. That corner Fatboy describes.....LOL. If it catches you out....outch. But I love those fast bits. Too far off the racing line you hit the gravel & goodbye. On strava they call that section Turkey Royal. I managed 42km/h
How compact with features is that track, so much great stuff in such little distance. Mt Annan hasnt got that much exitement in 8.5 k's Manly Dam has less exitement in 9.5.
Mt stromlo , well depends what route you take.
Yea sure at the moment its just too short but when it gets to around 6km.....if the second half is as goosd as the first half. I recon you have your best track around Sydney.
Its kind of like a BMX track thats only about 200m long. Lots of berms , jumps & things. Except its 3km long. My kids will squeal with delight when they ride this.
Well done to everyone involed to get this into reality.
Tnis is an awesome little track. yea lots of repeats will be required and that part will get monotenous.....but hopefully by then a new section will be added
Thanks for the comments guys. I love the video @hawkeye, it's made me keen for another ride in the morning.
Organised ride starting at 8.15am tomorrow if you're keen fatboy - we can smile at all the suckers going to work for the man
I definitely plan to.
In!
I took the boy out there today, did 4 or 5 circuits and had an absolute ball.
During a break a Synergy Trails 4wd drove past and couldn't help myself - I stood up and clapped them by. So much fun and for all the descending the climb is really easy. It's a great trail to hone your skills.
Here are all my videos of the Blue loop. These are my first runs through (deliberately showing that so you can see the trail clearly) .. so heaps of stops and fails. By the end was cranking it and have the scars to prove it.
http://markie.com.au/mtb/track.asp?trackid=10&track=Old_Man%27s_Valley
Double post
I see I'm not the only one whose head gets messed with by the last section of the first board bridge on the descent. You did exactly the same thing I did at 0:38
http://youtu.be/TLMKZ_F6qQw
Yeah first run ... Then last run went off at the start of Deep End. Thank God it was the start!
Good video @amarkie. I can testify you ended up with scars. @steve01 and I stopped & had a chat with you on the fire road climb and I had a chuckle as you were armoured up all over except your arms and had a nice flow of the red stuff on your forearm...
I remember many years a go someone asked Colin Bond (Australian Rally Champ) how many cars he'd rolled. His reply "none". The great Ari Vatanen (World Champ) looked at Colin bemused and asked "well how do you know your limitations then?"
I tend to wear my knee and shin guards when Im riding a trail for the first time, I'm glad I did. I wasn't going that fast when I fell in fact I'd actually just stopped to let a guy through at that big left hander before Turkey Royal. I watched him fishtail and recover then I clipped the embankment and the bike slipped straight out from under me can be seen at 0:29 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwvOpxjmuB0
Yeah, I've done that a few times. Get on the wrong side of the trail onto the off-camber bit and ... whooshka! Normally the worst that happens is a bit of lost skin or a bruise on your butt.