nifty's blog

dungog film festival.
Was on this weekend. The better half and I were there for the festival, and as a bonus I got the green light to take the bike as well.

7am on a Sunday morning and the thermometer has only managed to reach 3 degrees at Clarence Town.
I've suggested we try Uffington again as should be much drier than our first explore. Backed by approval from Shenno we've congregated here, including Captain who seems to be struggling with a hangover that hasn't quite had time to formulate.

Darren Berrecloth breaks his back -
Freeride guru Darren Berrecloth has broken his back while training for the upcoming contest season. The Specialized/Red Bull sponsored rider was attempting a front flip at his own backyard trails yesterday and under rotated, landing heavily on his back.

Start with:

1. a rainy morning,
2. a pair of cheap, white boardshorts from the recent Ed Harry closing down sale, and
3. an 11km cycle commute to work.

Lesson learned:

• receptionists at the dentist's downstairs from my office do not appreciate the sight of a small serving of meat and two vege through drenched boardshorts as you dismount your bike.

Here endeth the lesson.

Some exploring in the bush north of Coffs Harbour
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1054815&code=3fcf041017f...
I made it a bit beyond Gentle Annie Rd before staring at the climb up Sherwood Rd to a peak at 450+ metres. I'd run out of time to make the ascent on this day. Next time.

Nerong State Forest is looking good for further investigation.
Heaps of motorbike style single track through there and plenty of fire trails to easily get around. I reckon we'll find heaps more single track and we could easily do a 50km loop to the far end of the boundary and back down the other side of the ridge.

I reckon this bloke was drinking Cascade Stout before doing his sabotage mission.

Has many parallels with how people get annoyed with motorbike riders so it is a shame to see parts of the community have similar feeling about mountain bike riders.

It is not every evening that you can induce a carload of barely legal girls to squeal and scream in delight, but I managed to yesterday on the ride home from work.

In the recent weeks I've been the victim of quite a few 'shout attacks' where the passengers of cars shout out at you as they overtake. It shits me. I think it annoys me so much as it is a startling jolt out of the quiet enjoyment of pushing the pedals over as I ride the boundary of Tomaree National Park.

An adventure/explore session near Wagnat Rd in Chichester State Forest. Not the best trails - a lot of wet clay in the upper reaches, major puddles across the trails, soft slippery mud in other parts - but some of the downhills were glorious.

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=995741&code=0c87bfe07679...

Computer says close to 1300m downhill.

Hightlights - Toolman doing a thumper on to the clay and trying to use his lung as an airbag, Captain enjoying a dip in the tepid waters of a muddy bog, Chapstick applying a clay pack to the right thigh at 20km/h over a slide distance of ten metres.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycM-qF5c8Gg

All these stories of single track perfection in NZ are giving me the sh1ts, so Lucky Phil and I made a run past the Boulder Bay sewerage works today. (Just joking Chapstick, the stories are great - keep them coming).

I used the opportunity to try EveryTrail on the iPhone - http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=980712&code=018f51b78aef...