Monday, January 21, 2008

Huge Turn Out On Sunday To Meet The Three Sisters





About 11 SOBs turned up at Hanaia on Sunday morning to take a brief ride through the Blue Mountains, mainly to check out the dip on the big track as some of us are marshalling there for the National MTB CC Champs here this Sunday. The plan was then to ride the small loop. However, the attraction of the Three Sisters meant we rode most of the big lap.


Myself, the boss, Kate, Roger, Brian, Kerr, Kurt (welcome back), David and Trevor (2 new comers to the Sunday adventures) set off from Hanaia after a coffee and met George and Aaron on the way. It's hard to describe the beauty of this ride. As we plummetted and slid down the dip the air was fill of Kerr's hoots of joy and exhiliration! We all made it safely but Trevor expressed a little discomfort with the technical nature and asked if the three sisters was any steeper!!


After negotiating the beautiful first part of the Military track, clearing windfall on the way, Roger, Brian, Kerr and Aaron elected to include the second part of the Military Track while the rest of us headed straight down King Rd to our appointment with the three sisters!!


It was fantastic downhill to the sisters where we met to discuss tactics and building bravado. After explaining my technique and describing the best part of the track to attempt to get down without parting from the bike David and Trevor promptly announced their intention to walk!


I made it successfully, with one minor fall as I slid out of control into a rut, as did Kurt who also had one minor fall. Others walked, slid and rode bits.


Just after the three sisters we tooki off down the last incline when I hit a rut and was hurled over the edge of the track, through the ferns and pongs, 3-4 metres down the bank where a pine tree stopped my further slide down the cliff. The others following came across my bike on the track and no sight of me as I was hidden several metres below hidden by the undergrowth. I managed to scramble back up (without their help!!) and carry on the ride. No damage, but I was a bit shaken just quietly!


On the way out we met up with Hedley and Teleri who had ridden the Greenhorn loop.


We all met back at Hanaia after about 4 hours of absolute fun and fear. Brian was ecstatic at his successful conquering of the three sisters!

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