Winter RIDE CALENDAR
June 10 - August 10

Club Sunday rides in brief this quater:
June: <13th-t.b.a.><20th-Helensburgh><27th-Yarramundi>
July: <4th-Woronra>< 11th-Bulli>< 18th-Appin>< 25th-Awaba><Saturday 31st-Menai>
August: <1st-Wingello>< 8th-Red Hills>< 15th-Menai>< Saturday 21st-Majura Pines (Canberra)><Sunday 22nd-Mount Stromlo (Canberra)>29th-Bulli>
Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the Month
Loftus / Heathcote
(Beginners Welcome the 1st Saturday of the Month)
2hrs, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 2
Skill: 2
START TIME: 8.00am
MEETING POINT: Loftus Oval car park
HOW TO GET THERE: Driving South along the Princess Hwy, Loftus Oval is on the left hand side just after you cross the tram tracks and just before the Audley, Royal National Park turn-off.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: First Saturday Beginner's Ride
Come along and get a taste for the fun sport of mountain biking. All you need is a decent mountain bike (reasonable brakes, knobbly tires and front suspension forks advised) helmet, tube, gloves, a water bottle (hydration pack advised) and some motivation.

The tracks around Loftus/Heathcote are fun without being too technical. The ride will go for about two hours at an moderate pace with lots of time for rests/re-grouping. In general, the rides are tailored to the group's abilities.

Some previous off-road riding experience and a reasonable level of fitness (i.e. not completely out of shape) is required.

3rd Saturday
Loftus has a good mix of fire trails and singletrack. An original ride destination - Loftus is familiar, flowy and fun.

TRACK CONDITIONS: 80% Fire Trail, 20% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining the ride is likely to be cancelled. Call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jon
0407 208 193

Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the Month
Menai
2-3hrs, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 2.5
Skill: 3
START TIME: 8.00am
MEETING POINT: Barden Ridge Oval, Menai
HOW TO GET THERE: Driving along the Old Illawarra Road, Menai, turn left at the big roundabout, pass Lucas Height Community College on your right. Barden Ridge Oval is on the right hand side.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: There is a complex networks of tracks at Menai that cover just about all riding terrains. Many of the trails were originally created by trail-bike riders over the years and in recent times have become popular with mountain-bikers. The singletrack on the ridges tends to be reasonably rocky with sandy stretches. In the valleys the singletrack is generally smoother and more flowing. There are also lots of opportunities to push the skills and try out a bit of fun-park riding or tackle jumps and drop-offs.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 30% Fire Trail, 70% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining the ride is likely to be cancelled. Call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jon
0407 208 193

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****SUNDAY RIDES****

13th June 2010
No Scheduled Ride - Open for someone to volunteer a ride via the mailing list.
GRADE: Fitness:
Skill:
START TIME:
MEETING POINT:
HOW TO GET THERE:
ROUTE DESCRIPTION:
TRACK CONDITIONS:
NOTES:
RIDE LEADER:
20th June 2010
Helensburgh
2-3hrs, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 2.5
Skill: 3.5
START TIME: Call Pete
MEETING POINT: Swimming Pool Carpark
HOW TO GET THERE: Head south from Sydney down the Southern Freeway towards Wollongong and take the Helensburgh exit.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This ride includes a good mix of trail - technical to flowing singletrack and the usual joining bits.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 30% Fire Trail, 60% Single Track, 10% Road
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Pete
0409 914 431
27th June 2010
Yarramundi
2-3hrs, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 2.5
START TIME: Call Jon
MEETING POINT: Yarramundi Regional Park
HOW TO GET THERE: Hawksberry Road(in-between Winmallee and Richmond). Take the Springswood exit off the Great Western Hwy and follow Hawksberry Rd, through Winmallee for a quite a few km's. You will then go down a big windy hill and the base is a right hand turn into Yarramundi Regional Park.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Yarramundi is Western Sydney's Mountain Bike Club main XC racing track. This is a fast circuit that includes sections of sweeping bermed singletrack, tight singletrack, fast fire-trail and narrow creek crossings.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 40% Fire Trail, 60% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jon
0407 208 193
4th July 2010
Woronora
2-3 hours, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 3.5
START TIME: Call Pete
MEETING POINT: Loftus Oval car park
HOW TO GET THERE: Driving South along the Princess Hwy, Loftus Oval is on the left hand side just after you cross the tram tracks and just before the Audley, Royal National Park turn-off.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This ride starts by covering some of the Loftus Saturday ride and then crosses the highway and we drop into the Woronora Valley from Yarrawarrah. In the valley Pete takes you along some lesser known singletrack and fire trail. From near Woronora RSL the ride heads back up the valley to behind the cemetery. From here we pick up a singletrack that leads us back towards Loftus Station and the cars.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 20% Road, 40% Fire Trail, 40% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Pete
0409 914 431
11th July 2010
Bulli
3hrs, 15-20km
GRADE: Fitness: 3.5
Skill: 2
START TIME: Call Pete
MEETING POINT: Hobart St, Bulli
HOW TO GET THERE: Head south from Sydney towards Wollongong and take the Bulli exit. At the bottom of Bulli pass, turn right at the first set of traffic lights, just before you drive under a railway bridge. Park on the left.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This ride involves a car shuffle from Bulli back up the mountain to the top of Mt. Ousley. This is an exciting ride that takes in a variety of single track and fire trails across the escarpment and down to Bulli. There are also great views to be had out over the Illawarra escarpment.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 50% Fire Trail, 50% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Pete
0409 914 431
18th July 2010
Appin
2-3hrs, 6.5km loops
GRADE: Fitness: 2
Skill: 3
START TIME: Call Jon
MEETING POINT: Appin Pub
HOW TO GET THERE: From F6 take the Appin Road near Bulli. After entering the 60 kph zone in Appin, look right you will see Appin pub. From M5 take the second exit to Campbelltown (route 69), this will take you to Appin road.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This is the Wollongong Mountain Bike Club cross-country race track. As XC trails go this one is at the tricker end of the scale, consisting of mostly rocky singletrack. This fun trail is a 9km loop and we usually do a few laps.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 5% Fire Trail, 95% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jon
0407 208 193
25th July 2010
Awaba (with the possibility of riding Saturday at Glenrock SCA)
2-3hrs, 8km loops
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 3
START TIME: Call Jeff
MEETING POINT: Call Jeff
HOW TO GET THERE: tba
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Awaba is an 8km XC trail within State Forest up near Newcastle. This is a relatively new track, but is fast building a reputation as a top ride destination. Jeff describes this trail as boasting some of the best and fastest singletrack you'll ever ride. He's said that the flow of the carefully planned trail is so good that some bermed corners generate serious rider G-forces when hit at pace! So come along and find out what all the raving is about - it will definitely be worth the drive.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 5% Fire Trail, 95% Single Track
NOTES: If enough riders are interested (3+) there is the opporuntiy of making a weekend out of the trip and riding the Saturday beforehand at either Glenrock SRA our Killingsworth. As usual we will probably organise a house to rent for the night and split the cost.

If it's raining, call to confirm.

RIDE LEADER: Jeff
0410 651 779
31st July 2010 (5th Saturday of Month) )
Menai - Skills Session
2-3 hours, 10-15km
GRADE: Fitness: 2
Skill: 3+
START TIME: Call Jon
MEETING POINT: Barden Ridge Oval, Menai
HOW TO GET THERE: Driving along the Old Illawarra Road, Menai, turn left at the big roundabout, pass Lucas Height Community College on your right. Barden Ridge Oval is on the right hand side.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: You've heard the old saying "practice makes perfect"; well not quite but it does help. The aim of this ride is not to cover distance but to spend some time working on bike handling skills. We'll be hanging out at the trickier sections of Menai (at rider request) and talking ride lines, technique, strategy etc. Sometimes all it takes to master something is to stop, have a good look, and have a few planned goes at it. So if there are a few bits of Menai that always get your goat, come along to this ride and have a serious crack at them.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 20% Fire Trail, 80% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jon
0407 208 193
1st July 2010
Wingello
3hrs, 25km
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 2
START TIME: Call Clare
MEETING POINT: Wingello Township
HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Hume Highway south from Sydney and around 8km past the Penrose State Forest rest area take the Murrimba Rd exit which leads south-east to the town of Wingello. Meet at Wingello railway station and from here we will head down Forest Road to the trailhead, which is about a 10-minute drive. Allow around 2 hrs to get to Wingello from southern Sydney.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: It's the middle of winter, it's cold, but rather than stay indoors why not travel to the pine forests of the Southern Highlands and pretend you're somewhere like North America. It's been over a year since the last club ride to Wingello and we're due for a return visit. As usual, we will be following the looped route which has been marked-out by the local mountain bike club. Most of the ride is incorporated in the annual Highland Fling and I've heard some additions have been made to the singletrack in recent times. The trail includes narrow twisty singletrack, rocky fire trails, some smooth fire trail and some steep ups and downs. Depending on how things are going there may be the option of doing some further fire-trail riding at the end for endurance training.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 60% Fire Trail, 40% Singletrack
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Clare
0401 360 252
08th August 2010
Red Hills
2-4hrs, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 3+
Skill: 4+
START TIME: Call Jeff
MEETING POINT: Red Hill Reserve car park, off Lady Penryhn Drive, Beacon Hill
HOW TO GET THERE: Within Sydney, so refer to whereis.com or UBD.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This is a highly technical trail. Expect lots of rocks, drops, sand traps, and super steep ups and downs. This is a great ride to push your skill level and get the heart pounding with excitement!
TRACK CONDITIONS: 70% Fire Trail, 15% Road, 15% Singletrack
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jeff
0410 651 779
15th August 2010
Menai
2-3 hours, 15-25km
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 3+
START TIME: Call Pete
MEETING POINT: Barden Ridge Oval, Menai
HOW TO GET THERE: Driving along the Old Illawarra Road, Menai, turn left at the big roundabout, pass Lucas Height Community College on your right. Barden Ridge Oval is on the right hand side.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: There is a complex networks of tracks at Menai that cover just about all riding terrains. Many of the trails were originally created by trail-bike riders over the years and in recent times have become popular with mountain-bikers. The singletrack on the ridges tends to be reasonably rocky with sandy stretches. In the valleys the singletrack is generally smoother and more flowing. There are also lots of opportunities to push the skills and try out a bit of fun-park riding or tackle jumps and drop-offs.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 20% Fire Trail, 80% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Pete
0409 914 431
Sunday 21st August 2010
Canberra - Majura Pines
2.5-3.5hrs, 15-20km loops
GRADE: Fitness: 2
Skill: 3
START TIME: Call Jeff
MEETING POINT: Ainslie Shops Car Park
HOW TO GET THERE: Leave Sydney on the Hume Hwy and follow the sign to Canberra. Take the Federal Hwy into Canberra and then left at Wakefield ave. After about 1km this willbring to Ainslie shops.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: From the meeting point we'll follow a sustained fire trail climb up to the top of a ridge, and from here sweep into the back of Majura Pines. As the name suggests, Majura Pines is a pine forest plantation on the side of a steep hill. There is a series of mostly fast (but relatively tight-cornered) singletracks which weave up and down the plantation. This is a great ride for bustin' a lung on the climbs, and giving the breaks a burn on the down. Finish it off with lunch at the pub and you've got a great day planned.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 10% Fire Trail, 90% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jeff
0409 651 779
Saturday 22nd August 2010
Canberra - Stromlo
3-4 hours, 20-30km
GRADE: Fitness: 3
Skill: 3
START TIME: Call Jeff
MEETING POINT: Carpark at the bottom
HOW TO GET THERE: Call Jeff
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Stromlo is a favourite of Jeff's and for good reason - it's just a very fun track which has it all. From table-tops to big-bermed corners, steady twisty climbs, tight pinches, fast decents - it's all there. So come on down and get some fine Canberra dust on your bike; you'll still be grinning from the fun all the way home to Sydney.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 15% Fire Trail, 85% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Jeff
0410 651 779

 

29th August 2010
Bulli
3hrs, 15-20km
GRADE: Fitness: 3.5
Skill: 2
START TIME: Call Pete
MEETING POINT: Hobart St, Bulli
HOW TO GET THERE: Head south from Sydney towards Wollongong and take the Bulli exit. At the bottom of Bulli pass, turn right at the first set of traffic lights, just before you drive under a railway bridge. Park on the left.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: This ride involves a car shuffle from Bulli back up the mountain to the top of Mt. Ousley. This is an exciting ride that takes in a variety of single track and fire trails across the escarpment and down to Bulli. There are also great views to be had out over the Illawarra escarpment.
TRACK CONDITIONS: 50% Fire Trail, 50% Single Track
NOTES: If it's raining, call to confirm.
RIDE LEADER: Pete
0409 914 431

GRADING SYSTEM
Metro rides are graded using a two tier system to try and quantify the relative fitness and skill levels required. It should be noted that the grades given to rides are meant as a guide only and Metro takes no responsibility for the accuracy of such grades.
  FITNESS SKILL
GRADE 1: None Suitable for anyone that can turn a set of cranks. Bikes can be ridden off road? /, ie knobbly off road tires. Eg you can comfortably ride up and off a street gutter.
GRADE 2: Average Short distances and/or gentle climbs. Eg, you can ride for 60 minutes and can ride 10kms on road in an hour Some technical skills required to handle rough or loose tracks. Eg you can comfortably ride up and off a street gutter.
GRADE 3: Intermediate Moderate distances with some challenging but rideable climbs. Ability to negotiate some moderately steep descents, small drop-offs, logs and other obstacles.
GRADE 4: High Some serious climbing or bike carrying involved. These rides have larger drop-offs, rock gardens, steep descents and technical ascents, often with no clear line. Some bike carrying over tricky sections may be required.
GRADE 5: Very High Very long distances, long steep climbs or sections where the bike must be carried. Often a combination of all three. Predominately technical and sometimes high risk riding. Body armour may be recommended for some of these rides.

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