www.therewillbedirt.com

I've moved all this stuff over to www.therewillbedirt.com so you should probably go there instead of here. I've "remastered" all the stories/pictures from here and made it look way better. I won't add any new stuff here but I'll leave it for posterity, until the bitrot takes it.

So long Blogger. It's been real.

Andrew.

Black Range Traverse

Visiting : Healesville, Mt St Leonard, Black Range Rd, Molesworth, Murrindindi Rd
Distance : 160km
When : Sunday 24th April 2016, 7:00am @ Healesville (Beechworth Bakery)
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1025973497

This is a full traverse of the Black Range from south to north, Healesville to Molesworth and back via a different route. Most of the route is in the Toolangi State Forest so, if you haven't been riding in Toolangi before, this is the ride for you!

Fair bit of climbing, a bit of paved, mostly gravel and logging roads. CX would be fine, MTB wouldn't be out of place. There's only one resupply about halfway at Molesworth. Bring plenty of water as we'll be riding along the ridge line so won't see a lot of creeks etc.

This is a self-supported ride so bring enough tools/spares/food/water to save yourself. Oh, and bring fresh brake pads if it's wet - the Toolangi grit is a brake killer!

I don't ride fast but I try to keep stops to a minimum. I'm guessing about 9-10 hours all up for this one? Maybe? Depends on what happens on the day. Definitely bring lights (to see by) just in case. You don't want to be bombing Myers Creek Rd back into Healesville in the dark!

I'll probably ride out from Hurstbridge (early!) if anyone wants to join me. Meet at Beechworth Bakery area. Plenty of parking.

See ya there!

Kinglake Noodling

Visiting : Kinglake, Extons, Hazeldene, Jerusalem, Old Kinglake, Everard
Distance : 112km
When : Sunday 3rd April 2016, 8:00am @ Hurstbridge
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1032003989

I wasn't going to write about this ride but I ended up seeing a couple of things that are worth mentioning. Sometimes you're just out for a local roll and you get struck by the majesty and absurdity of life... This had a bit of both.

Beat The Heat

Visiting : Kilmore, Seymour, Strath creek, Hazeldene, Bowden Spur
Distance : 197km
When : Thursday 31st December 2015, 2:30am @ Hurstbridge
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/947015321

(Note: This is another solo ride from my backlog. Bear with me as I'm writing this well after the fact and my memory may be hazy.)

I wanted to squeeze in one more long ride before the end of the year so, in the spirit of leaving things to the last minute, I queued up this little spin for the morning of New Year's Eve 2015. I'd been banging on about doing a flat road ride for a while so I figured this was my chance - a simple loop up to Seymour and back on country roads. There wasn't much dirt on this one but it was a nice solid ride through some nice country.

Midnight Bullfight

Visiting : Mt St Leonard, BNT, Marysville, Keppels Hut, Mt Bullfight, Eildon, Yea, Kinglake
Distance : 294km
When : Sunday 29th November 2015, 4:00am @ Hurstbridge
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/984081101

(Note: This is another solo ride from my backlog. Bear with me as I'm writing this well after the fact and my memory may be hazy.)

It’d been a while since I’d done a good sized overnight ride. I’d been in an interesting headspace for the last few months and I was ready for a long slow solo mission. Wasn’t interested in going fast or covering the most kilometres, I just wanted a long ride with lots of climbing and minimal gear. Old terrain, new terrain, hills, flats, day, night - I tried to pack it all in. Here’s what I came up with...

Upper Yarra Loop

Visiting : Warburton, Starling Gap, Noojee, Toorongo, Forty Mile Break
Distance : ~128km
When : Sunday 28th February 2016, 8:00am @ Warburton Information Centre
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/982612837

I'm not too familiar with the country east of Warburton so this ride is all about new (to me) roads and finally putting faces to the names I've read on maps. Starting out of Warburton we'll climb up to Starling Gap then bomb down to Noojee for a refuel. From there it's up Ridge Road through some logging areas before joining Forty Mile Break for some awesome ridgeline riding along the border of the Upper Yarra Reservoir catchment area. This whole area is full of lyrebirds, eagles, roos, black stinkers, black cockies, Wonga Pigeons, Sambar Deer etc. etc. etc. Such a beautiful part of the world.

There'll be something like 3000m of climbing and the roads will vary from buff gravel to rooty 4wd track. I haven't ridden a lot of these roads but I reckon CX will be fine and MTB will be cushy. I'll be on fat tires and gears for this one and I'm guessing it'll take about 8 hours depending on how many photos I take and how many lyrebirds I stop and listen to. Pace will be slow and steady - don't expect a smashfest but do bring your climbing legs.

There's only one refuel stop in Noojee (~48km) but plenty of water in creeks along the way. Bring enough food/water/spares to save yourself because no-one else will.

We'll roll out at 8am from out the front of the Warburton Information Centre. Bonus points if you catch the train to Lilydale and do the Warby Trail commute. Double bonus points if you ride all the way to Warby from home. I'll be driving to the start because I'm lazy and want to get home in time for dinner.

See ya there!

Hazeldene Pastie Run

Visiting : Ridge Rd, Pine plantation, Hazeldene, Extons Rd, Pine Ridge Rd
Distance : ~110km
When : Saturday 24th October 2015, 4:00am @ Hurstbridge
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/900802943

(Note: I've got a backlog of solo rides that I haven't written up for various reasons. I'm trying to get through them all so I'm up to date. Bear with me as I'm writing these well after the fact and my memory may be hazy.)

This was a nice local roll to check out a few knowns and a few unknowns. I wanted to see some old favourite roads, check out some new roads and also try out a different bike setup on some decent k's. My main "road" objective was to check out Long Gully Road out of Hazeldene as a legal option to access Extons Road. My main "bike" objective was to see how my Inbred would go in fixed/flats mode on some moderately interesting terrain. All objectives were achieved...

Keppel Hut Snow Ride

Visiting : Marysville, Lady Talbot Drive, Keppel Hut
Distance : ~48km
When : Monday 13th July 2015, ~8:00am @ Marysville
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/774619357

Ok, so I had a long one out of Hurstbridge planned for this month's ride but when I saw the weather forecast and read the words "fiercest cold snap in five years", I decided to change my plans. The forecast said there'd be snow down to 700m on both Saturday and Sunday so I took the Monday off work and headed to Marysville for some snow ride action. Hilarity ensued.

Mt Hickey

Visiting : Disappointment SF, Murchison Gap, Mt Hickey, Flowerdale, Bowden Spur
Distance : ~174km
When : Saturday 11th July 2015, 2:00am @ Hurstbridge Train Station
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/758446615 (subject to change!)

CHANGE OF PLANS!

It's going to puke snow on Sun/Mon so I'm going to cancel this ride for now and come back to it later. When the weather window opens, you gotta jump through it!

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


Heading north this time, through Whittlesea, Disappointment State Forest, Murchison Gap and up to the top of Mt Hickey. Not much of a view up there apparently but I want to go see it for myself anyway. Great riding in Dissa on the way there and should be great views out northeast over Yea and beyond from Murchison Gap. If the timing's right there might be lunch and beer at Flowerdale Pub on the way home.

Nice early start time of 2am because I'm still in singlespeed MTB mode i.e. slow and steady. Also, riding at night is awesome and we should be in/around Disappointment State Forest when the sun rises which means lots of animals to say hello to.

No real planned food stops beyond lunch at Flowerdale Pub at 128km but there's also Strath Creek Pub at ~100km which might be a good resupply depending on the timing. Bring plenty of food with you! Haven't scoped the water sitz in great detail but I'd bring enough for a few hours and your purification system of choice and we'll find some creeks along the way.

It'll be a long steady day so switch it into diesel and settle in for an all-day cruise.

Oh, and email/comment/pm/txt/whatever if you wanna join me. If you don't confirm with me first, I won't wait for you at 2am at Hursty Station!

See ya there!

Pinnacles Loop

Visiting : Briagolong, Marathon Road, The Pinnacles, Billy Goat Bluff
Distance : ~165km
When : Saturday 13th July 2014, ~4:00am @ Briagolong
Where : http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/460515396

This was a ride I did last winter and, in fact, it was the prototypical slacker ride. I wanted to do a "day" ride and I wanted to see some snow and I didn't care if I had to drive a little and dodge some sleep to make that happen. I don't know why I haven't written it up until now but here it is, better late than never, my Pinnacles snow ride.