# Canberra for mountain biking...and everything else?



## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Hi guys. I'm going through the process of a state sponsored migration to Canberra with my family & wondering that the MTBing is like over there. I've seen the RideCanberra website, though it's hard to gauge what those trails are like. Any thoughts? Is there a strong MTB presence in the area? 

Also, I've heard that Canberra has a bit of a reputation for being...well...dull. Is this reputation well deserved?

Cheers!


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## Ben_M (Jul 7, 2008)

Pedalhead said:


> Is there a strong MTB presence in the area?


Riding in Canberra is crap, only because its a too hard to choose where to ride when you visit. It has 3 very popular trail networks (Sparrow Hill, Majura, and Stromlo) plus some other lesser known areas. All three of these areas are great riding and are quite different.

Sparrow Hill is being thinned at the moment to cut a Highway through it so that one is out for now.

Ill be visiting next weekend and I still need to workout weather I want to ride the nice tecky trails of Majura or a lap of Stromlo which I have not been to since the worlds.



Pedalhead said:


> Also, I've heard that Canberra has a bit of a reputation for being...well...dull. Is this reputation well deserved?
> Cheers!


You herd correct, but im sure you can find bright patches. 

The bottom line, it is one of the best places to live for MTBing.


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## aeroslave (Sep 5, 2009)

Lets put it this way,...its so dull you will have plenty of time improving your skills in Mt Stromlo. 

Don't get me wrong but yes...the capital is boring.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Born & raised in the capital, and the best view I've had of it was in my rear view mirror as I left for good (well ... I still visit family & friends). Having said that - family & friends love it. It is an acquired taste.

Regardless - I'm pretty sure there are more MTB club members per capita in the ACT than any other state ... I think I read that somewhere. It is without a doubt popular for MTB and you'll have lots of trails to choose from.

Wassa may chime in at some point to grace you with his pixels - I think he's a long time Canberran. Just don't suggest any group rides with him that involve outwardly encouraging each other or drinking coffee mid-ride.


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## peanuts (Feb 17, 2004)

Canberra is the centre of politics in australia. But theres only around 300,000 people so the nightlife(or lack of it) etc reflects this.
It's pretty quiet compared to most other ciites (which is the way i like it) so could quite rightly be described as dull.
But it's only as dull as you make it. The snow is around 2.5 hrs away, the beaches are about 2hrs away.
It gets very cold in winter with many clear cloudless days and usually has a hot and dry summer.

A large number of residents work in the public service, hence it is also very transient and diverse as to where people have come from to work here, so It's not too hard to make new friends, especially if you join several sporting/enthusiast clubs.
CORC is the largest mountain bike club in australia and is very proactive in running events, social rides etc.

As far as riding goes canberra is also known as the bush capital, simply because there is a huge amount of natural landscape in and around canberra, basicly the general riding is limitless, the specific mtb riding(singletrack) is more destination orientated.

I ride every sunday morning with a group and we ride a different location each week, we usually rotate through about 6 different locations and throw an occasional jaunt to other locations and the bridabella's in. it's very rare to have to ride the same place 2 weeks in a row.
The most mtb specific are sparrow,majura and stromlo, but there are numerous other locations all over the place, a good thing is the limited travel required to get to a good riding spot.
The furthest for me(in the western suburbs close to stromlo) is 30mins in the car to sparrow, most other locations take 15-20 mins to get to in the car, or i can ride for 5mins from my front door and be on the firetrail networks which go all over canberra.

If you like to ride a lot you'll love it, if you like nightlife then you may be quite shocked at the lack of it.


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## peanuts (Feb 17, 2004)

Ben_M said:


> Sparrow Hill is being thinned at the moment to cut a Highway through it so that one is out for now.
> 
> Ill be visiting next weekend and I still need to workout weather I want to ride the nice tecky trails of Majura or a lap of Stromlo which I have not been to since the worlds.
> 
> ...


Sparrow is still open, only the thinning area's are sectioned off so theres still 20k's of singletrack to keep riders entertained.
Come september theres a few more changes for sparrow riding.


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Thanks very much for the feedback guys. The riding sounds encouraging, which is a big bonus for me as I'd want to get straight into regular group rides on the good trails if possible. We're not too bothered about night life as we have two small children who killed that off a few years ago! Going a little bit off topic here, but any idea if there's much in the way of a horse riding scene? My wife is quite a high achiever in dressage & one of the things she wants to get out of the move is a place with land for horses, or at least a horse at livery and competitions to attend etc. 

We're still in the early stages, waiting for approval from ACT, but all things being well we could be out there this time next year. Coming from the UK, we are wondering if the weather will be much of an improvement, but it surely can't be any worse! Cheers. Mark.


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## MrsH (Aug 16, 2009)

The trails at Stromlo include (horse) riding trails.. I am not up to date with the Canberra horse scene but you would not need to be far from the city centre to have land enough to have a horse or two.. And even if the Canberra scene is not huge it is nearish Sydney for other events (am thinking there will be a bit going on there due to facilities post Olympics). 
Check out the EFA's website http://www.equestrian.org.au/


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## gassyndrome (Apr 14, 2010)

Pedalhead said:


> Coming from the UK, we are wondering if the weather will be much of an improvement, but it surely can't be any worse! Cheers. Mark.


Weather is great here! Clean crisp winter and hot dry summers. I can count on two hands the amount of days it has rained in the last year or two. :thumbsup:


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Canberra is OK. What makes Canberra good are the 13 wilderness regions within half a day's drive. 

Warren.


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## Ben_M (Jul 7, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> Canberra is OK. What makes Canberra good are the 13 wilderness regions within half a day's drive.
> 
> Warren.


Thats not what you said 20mins ago 

Canberra can be very lively, but only at summernats times  , which I dont think is happening anymore.... I wouldnt worry too much, one of Australians favourate past times is to put crap on our capital. Its in our blood! My partners sister moved to Canberra a few years ago and enjoys it.

There are a few horse studs around so you would think that there would be some good fascilites for them (I really have no idea about horses).


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Ben_M said:


> Thats not what you said 20mins ago


He posts with passion that's for sure. I don't think i've ever seen a post of his without a _"Last edited by ..." _ at the bottom 

If I were the OP looking to really see some Australia bush scenery, I'd find one of Wassa's rides somewhere in the hills around the capital, which have the added bonus of you not being in the capital.

And OT, but Summernats 24 is happening early Jan 2011. Before it became overrun with ********s over a decade ago, it was quite a fun thing from a family point of view, with the supercruise down Northbourne Ave drawing out thousands of spectators. But yeah - it's pretty filthy inside now. Almost as bad as Mt Panorama after nightfall during the Bathurst 1000.


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## peanuts (Feb 17, 2004)

As someone mentioned stromlo has horse trails also,however on the south western side of stromlo there is a large equestrian center, followed by another 3 in close proximity all linked by trails, at least i think they are ,as i see the horse trail signs when riding my bike.
We're only talking 15-20mins by car from the centre of canberra(matter of fact most suburbs) to get to stromlo. There are several more on the north side of town also.

Horses seem pretty popular in canberra judging by the amount of horses i see around on the edges of the suburbs as there is plenty of places for horse adjistment , like i said it is the "bush capital".


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Thanks guys, and Wild Wassa, that was a pretty quick change of tack . As we continue our research, we're hearing that it's quite hard for non-Aus citizens to get a job (in IT in my case) in Canberra. Not sure how much truth there is in that but obviously it's a major point for us.


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## aeroslave (Sep 5, 2009)

Pedalhead, what country you coming from? UK? India? goodluck mate!


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

" ... we're hearing that it's quite hard for non-Aus citizens to get a job (in IT in my case) in Canberra."

I don't think that you will have any worries getting a job in Canberra working in IT if you have a command of the Queen's English. 90% of the people in IT in Canberra can hardly speak a word of English, none can be well understood. If they are Australians, which I seriously doubt, they must have learnt their English somewhere past the burnt stump, out the back of a place like Woop Woop or Booligal.

No one should move to Canberra, unless they really like being spoilt for choice ... and being spoilt for choice is definitely the term that best describes living in this place. Canberra doesn't spoon feed those without imagination. If you expect Canberra to entertain you, don't ... just go and buy the book. If you are independent and use Canberra ... you will love this place and warm to it very quickly.

Canberra is very much, a car based city. It takes a long time to really appreciate the place if you aren't independently mobile. When people get used to the sleepy Sunday pace of this place which is an all pervasive 24/7, it is a fine place to be. Canberra is still a big country town, with a slow country town mentality but with 1st World services and amenities. The city has excellent health services. Classy museums and galleries can fill your days. There are four universities here and several trade campuses linked to the Canberra Institute of Technology.

If you commute by bike you will find Canberra to be very good. The ACT road rules give cyclists priority on every occasion if involved in an accident with a car. There are several thousand kilometres of recreational cycle paths in the city and suburbs and several hundred kilometres of high speed commuter cycle lanes on the main roads linking the satellite towns of Western Creek, Belco, Tuggers etc etc etc.

The climate here is extreme at times. In late Summer +40°C is normal and during winter -11°C happens overnight. The sun shines practically every day, year-round. The frosts and fogs clear by 11am in winter. The humidity here is generally low, and best described as scary dry in summer. The winds prevail from the NW for three seasons of the year, and the cooler Easterly sea breeze comes is at about 2pm in Summer and can stay to 9.00 at night.

Canberra is an excellent place for inland sailing. Mountain biking is very competitive here. The MTB trails are some of the best in the country. Stromlo is a World Cup course and the big races are all held here.. It can be a hilly place for riders to enjoy, if you are into High Country and Back Country riding. If you like wild, people free country, Canberra is surrounded by shiptloads it. Canberra has polished the term *open spaces* for children to play. There are cricket ovals and football pitches only metres apart in every suburb and on school grounds, I always see kids playing.

Canberra is only 150 kilometres from the coast by road and 150 kilometres by road from the ski fields. The northern spurs of the Australian Alps dominate the S, SW and W skyline.

The first thing you must do when you arrive in Canberra is to take your first weekend off to go and climb the Castle in the Budawang Wilderness. This is mandatory for new Territorians and a Territory Rule for all newcomers. When people ask, "What are you up to Sport did ya' av' a g'd weekend Mate?" Just tell them, "Hey Mate, I climbed the Castle to squiz the coastal ranges." You'll be in like Flynn with the sheilas, no worries, big cred. If you are butt ugly with ahead like a drover's dog the lack of night life wont help your cause one iota, but if you are ruggedly handsome you will be fighting the sheilas off Mate, no worries and the night life will come to you, I find.

I'm guessing that you will fall into an IT job here. The pubes here can't function with out being joined at the wrists to their keyboards, and their computers are always down. Just in case you don't know? ... a 'pube' here is a public servant, someone who has retired to a cosy government day job, while scamming a lush taxpayer funded salary, while doing very little of real value, when they are not flexing-off ... they claim they flex-off because their computers are always down. Here in the Capital, if you work in IT, the standard joke in the pubes is, IT is short for insect-tech.

Rush Hour, cycle path Lake Ginninderra.










Rush hour, cycle path Bruce Ridge.










Rush Hour, Bicentennial National Trail, Mount Painter. The BNT runs along the western fringe of Canberra. The BNT is the longest unsupported trail system on the planet.










Rush Hour, Stromlo.










Warren.


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

Nice pic of the cycle path Wassa, it's not often one can make such a comment!
Does Bruce Ridge back onto that van park that you reccomended to me that time?


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Hud, yes. O'Connor Ridge and Bruce Ridge basically are the same place, a spur of Black Mountain.










Warren.


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

I was amazed at how many mtb's were cruising the area in the late arvo and evening. There was a gate near the van park where all the riders were coming from.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Did any of the O'Connor trails get cleared when they put that 'express' way in? The GDE or whatever it was called?


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

nuclear_powered, the only change to the main tracks that I'm aware of was to the cycle path, from the hospital across to the ridge. The cycle path now goes under the Gunngahlin Expressway. That photo above shows the new section of cycle path that runs parallel to the expressway, before it links to the old cycle path going over the ridge.

The authorities tried to fence the Anaconda Track off from the cycle path, but the mountain bikers, like all good Anarchists, conveniently cut the fence to bits. The real strength of knowing the Anaconda Track is knowing all the locations where the perimeter fence is down.

On'ya'bike in Belco have put up a sign in their shopfront, that you might like to see. Canberra is becoming a really posh place to ride a bike nowadays even for we classic Huffy owners. I'll photograph the sign and and post it on this thread. It is a primitive place taking backward steps, being in a town where I can't get my Huffy-Repco hybred serviced. Mountain climbing around town wont be fun if I'm not on my Huffy with its high-end, high-speed Repco bling, and I ask you, why would anyone want to move to a place where they can't get their Huffy serviced?









































































It just isn't Canberra that is boring and soul-less as previous posters have written, the entire region is dead boring for a mountain biker and to show you how bad it can get at times, here is a cycle tour I did just after Christmas, about 90 kilometres east of Canberra, to 'Galloping Jim's Route', an old and now decommissioned travelling stock route ... https://www.sydneycyclist.com/group/touring/forum/topics/travelling-stock-route

Warren.


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

I live in Canberra and am in IT and I ride a bike. That makes me the most common type of person in Canberra. The type of person that whinges Canberra is boring is the type that likes to go to discos all night long and get stuck in a traffic jam at 3:00am on the way home (there are no traffic jams out of peak hour in Canberra at all). Or like to get really drunk and get upset at our pathetic taxi and public transport system. Seeing you have young kids I assume you don't go out getting drunk every night so Canberra should suit you fine.

My choice of trip to work can either be 19km all road route on my road bike or a 4km dirt track from my back gate followed by 14km of road, or my favourite which is a 25km route doing 15km just on dirt, followed by 10km on bike path around the lake and only crossing two roads. As I go sort of near Stromlo to do that I can always add a detour and have as long a trip as I like to work. One morning while training for a 24hr race I did 45km on dirt followed by 10km at bike path and still only crossed two roads (did feel very tired at work though).

Worst things about Canberra are
1, brown snakes
2, dry so gardens are generally more brown than green like the UK,
3, a bit too far from the beach.

Everything else is great.


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Thanks so much guys, looking & sounding quite positive. It's the work thing that's been worrying me the most lately, but that's sounding more promising from what I'm reading here. Great pics too, and most entertaining posts, thanks


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Pedalhead - if you make it come Canberra, shoot me a PM and I'll take you for a ride. Been living here for 2 and a bit years after 35 years in Melbourne. 

There are plenty of IT positions here despite recent Government reports telling the public service to stop relying on external contractors (in IT). In fact, if you know IBM COGNOS well and have some decent Oracle skills, send me your CV because I need someone ASAP.

The riding here is awesome - no shortage of spots to ride and all close(ish) to town. Varies from XC to DH but mainly favours the XC side. Not a horse rider, but I understand there is a decent scene here and there is certainly agistment and places to ride close by.

The food here is very ordinary compared to Melbourne - there are good places to eat but not the same range and quality as Melbourne. Rental accom is not cheap and not that easy to find but you'll get that sorted eventually.

The best thing about Canberra is the proximity to the bush. If you want to spend time at the pub though, head to Melbourne or enjoy what you have in the UK - there are very few places that are worth drinking at locally (my opinion, of course). 

However, if you want good riding weather all year round, come here. I've lost maybe 10 days riding in 2 years due to rain or shitey trail conditions. Sydney is about 2.5- 3 hrs drive away if you like big cities, too.


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Thanks mate, much appreciated. I'm a SAN guy (and a Service Delivery Manager) so I suspect my 20 yrs out of date Oracle Forms "skills" are probably not up to scratch these days . My wife's pretty nervous about the work thing, particular as the rental prices seem very high. I'll certainly be looking at lining up work before the move if I at all can. Having said that, we're still waiting for the ok from ACT & that could take a while longer. Cheers.


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> " ... we're hearing that it's quite hard for non-Aus citizens to get a job (in IT in my case) in Canberra."
> 
> I don't think that you will have any worries getting a job in Canberra working in IT if you have a command of the Queen's English. 90% of the people in IT in Canberra can hardly speak a word of English, none can be well understood. If they are Australians, which I seriously doubt, they must have learnt their English somewhere past the burnt stump, out the back of a place like Woop Woop or Booligal.


To the OP - one drawback about Australia is that you have to put up with rascist fools like Wassa (who has evidently met the overwhelming majority of people working in IT in Canberra and tested their language skills, or lack thereof).

Otherwise, I think you might like the place.


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## aeroslave (Sep 5, 2009)

I have a feeling the OP is Filopino...have a lot of friends that are Filopino...


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

lol not quite Filopino....British ;-)


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## twinnie (Oct 19, 2009)

oh and Canberra's official sport is Canberra bashing, lol we love to hate this place...

and as wassa pointed out, Canberra has an unusualy high percentage of "english as a second language people" something to do with 2 universitys that get there funding from it and all those embassys.

the main reason it's hard for non citizens to get a job here is most of the work is government work, and you can't do things like get a security clearance if you are a foreigner. that said there is a large British community here and as long as you're not a brummy you'll do fine... you're not a brummy are you? 

as for the rental prices with the weak pound that bit is going to hurt, but don't be tempted to save the extra 50 a week to live away from your workplace, unless you realy have to, remember Australia is BIG and one end of this town to the other is 34 km (about London city airport to the mouth of the Thames)

I think thats about all for now

Matt


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## caak (Oct 31, 2007)

Pedalhead said:


> Hi guys. I'm going through the process of a state sponsored migration to Canberra with my family & wondering that the MTBing is like over there. I've seen the RideCanberra website, though it's hard to gauge what those trails are like. Any thoughts? Is there a strong MTB presence in the area?
> 
> Also, I've heard that Canberra has a bit of a reputation for being...well...dull. Is this reputation well deserved?
> 
> Cheers!


MTB info

http://new.corc.asn.au/index.asp?IntCatId=14

http://www.theberm.com.au/

Canberra info

http://the-riotact.com/

Horse 'stuff' 

http://actequestrian.com/Docs/main/id/14

House Stuff

http://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/act/welcome

That'll load you up with info about the berra..


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Awesome, thanks!


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Just resurrecting this thread. I've got a trip booked to see family on the Gold Coast in Feb/March next year. Will be popping down to Canberra for a couple of days to scout it out for the potential move, before flying back to London from Sydney. Just wondering, can anyone recommend somewhere I could hire a decent mountainbike for a day? Gotta try out some of those trails


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

Try http://www.capitalbicyclehire.com.au/index.htm

Or if you would ride a small (around 5 foot 2 to 5 foot 6) you can borrow my sons bike and I will take you out for a day as long I am free on the day you plan to be here.


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

That's very kind of you, thanks! I'm about 5' 10" so a bit too big for that but happy to hire a bike for the day if necessary. Also have a kind offer from Marcus above so hopefully plans will align with someone! Unfortunately the travel plan doesn't allow me to be in Canberra at a weekend, still working out exact dates though.


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

No Hassles, my brother in law is 5' 11" and I took him for a ride on it, looked a bit funny but he enjoyed himself, however personally I would rather a bike closer to the right size. 
For info the bike is a 1997 Mongoose VRS3 which at the time was a great dual suspension bike, still not a bad bike now it has new forks, gears etc.

Just let us know what days you are here and free and hopefully someone can show you around. At that time of the year it is still light enough to maybe get a short ride in after work anyway.


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

*riding in Canberra*

The 5-Spot is there when you need it - hasn't been doing too many kms of late as I've been spending all my time on my Rune!

Don't forget to bring your riding shoes or you'll be riding shin-ripping DMR V-8s.


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Awesome, thanks to both of you for the kind offers! I just sold my Fivespot after 5 years of ownership so that'd be a trip down memory lane . Still working out the details but I think it's looking like March 9th and/or 10th (flying home 11th).


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## Pedalhead (Jul 14, 2005)

Hi again guys. I'm resurrecting this thread as my flights are all booked & I'm working out an itinerary for the trip. With everything else that's going on, I'm looking at hopefully fitting a ride in on Thursday 10th March, or possibly Friday 11th (although my flight leaves Sydney in the evening on the 11th so that would only allow for a brief morning ride I suspect)..Thursday is preferable I reckon, particularly as I'll be gagging to get out on a bike by then! I'm currently in training for the Tour Divide so I'm riding a LOT, and two weeks without a bike will be very strange.

I appreciate it's midweek so most people will be working, but if anyone happens to be available to show UKer (and possible future ACTer) around some trails, that would be awesome! An alternative is that I get trail details from the bike hire place and explore on my own...do-able, though not so much fun . Also depends on the distance to the trails I guess. Cheers!


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

Hi,

Not sure what I am doing at that time, yes normally I would be working but I know we are having visitors turn up sometime before saturday. If they turn up thursday afternoon how about I take the afternoon off to pick them up and then go riding with you. Anyway I am sure I can fit something in even if it is just a ride after an early finish on thursday.

Cheers
Chris


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

Hi,

Not sure what I am doing at that time, yes normally I would be working but I know we are having visitors turn up sometime before saturday. If they turn up thursday afternoon how about I take the afternoon off to pick them up and then go riding with you. Anyway I am sure I can fit something in even if it is just a ride after an early finish on thursday.

Cheers
Chris


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Have a good time in Canberra. If you think Canberra is dull, don't come. If you require a city to entertain you and can't entertain yourself here, you must be a pretty dull person ... stay home and buy the book.

"I'm currently in training for the Tour Divide so I'm riding a LOT"

That's good ... and if that is the case, don't waste your time doing the little clubby roundabouts, get out on the BNT and ride south. From Caloola Homestead along the Mount Clear Fire, join the Border Track now realigned and renamed as the Grassy Creek Fire Trail, drop into Yaouk Valley, ride up Bradley's Creek then to the top of the Lone Pine Fire Trail and then return to Caloola as an out and back ... down hill most of the way back. At Namadgi HQ, they'll have a map.

This is not just a ride it's a fair dinkum ball-tearer. I guess you must be into light-weight bike-packing? You can stay at Oldfield's Hut overnight (not far from Lone Pine) and then return to Caloola the following day. The views at the top of Lone Pine of the Jagungal Wilderness, the Main Range Wilderness, the Bimberi Wilderness and the Gooberagandra Wilderness will knock your sox off. Breakfast on the veranda of Oldfield's watching the sun rise over several of Australia's highest sub-alpine and alpine peaks .. is world class long distance MTB ... done in a day or two. There is good water in the mountains after months of good rains. On the Mount Clear fire trail, the creek crossings will blow you away. This is worth mentioning twice.

I'm heading to Omeo from Canberra at the start of March on the BNT via Jagungal. Maybe I'll beat the snow, or maybe not. I'm used to carrying the bike and pushing her.

Good luck.

Warren.

PS, Icicle my bicycle is a tricycle ... leaning on a Blakeley's Red Gum.










The same Red Gum. The trees here are magnificent.










The Divide in this neck of the bush is first class, if you like climbing mountains. The Indi Wilderness.










Warren.


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Pedalhead said:


> Hi again guys. I'm resurrecting this thread as my flights are all booked & I'm working out an itinerary for the trip. With everything else that's going on, I'm looking at hopefully fitting a ride in on Thursday 10th March, or possibly Friday 11th (although my flight leaves Sydney in the evening on the 11th so that would only allow for a brief morning ride I suspect)..Thursday is preferable I reckon, particularly as I'll be gagging to get out on a bike by then! I'm currently in training for the Tour Divide so I'm riding a LOT, and two weeks without a bike will be very strange.
> 
> I appreciate it's midweek so most people will be working, but if anyone happens to be available to show UKer (and possible future ACTer) around some trails, that would be awesome! An alternative is that I get trail details from the bike hire place and explore on my own...do-able, though not so much fun . Also depends on the distance to the trails I guess. Cheers!


I'll check out my diary closer to the date, but work is likely to get in the way.. early Friday morning or late Thursday arvo rides are of course a real possibility! 
cheers


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Joan* Marcus* Olympia *Dukakis.*

Hey* Joan*, did you enjoy your ride?

Was he as good as he spruiked and made out, or was he just another know-it-all-Canuk, by the dime a dozen. Who came over here telling us how we should live our lives in this boring place, when we actually do live here? Did he actually show up?

Enquiring minds need to know *Joan*! I hope you don't mind me calling you Joan, Joan?

Warren.


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## cowpat (Apr 13, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> Joan* Marcus* Olympia *Dukakis.*


Errh - crossed wires I think.

Joan Marcus is a photographer: http://www.playbill.com/features/article/99796-A-Life-in-the-Theatre-Photographer-Joan-Marcus
Olympia Dukakis is an actress: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Dukakis

You have a common interest with Joan, in some sense.

Casper


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Cowpat, you patronising apologist for ParksVic (shall I show this site your patronizing email to me?) ... address the issue before you get too far out of your depth sonny-boy.

Cowpat, tell us about how ParksVic is allowing grazing to recommence in Alpine National Park. When I spoke out against ParksVic offering nothing but false platitudes in the review, you sent me an email telling me to withdraw my post and not be so rude to ParksVic?

You are a apathetic apologist for the establishment. I'd rather talk to adults on this site and not to a junior intellect like you ... make no bones about that one, Cowpat. 

Are you even answering on behalf of Joan now, Hey? You do appear to be the main man, Wow again? I suggest you just go back and run to your little VicCong SS riders club ... OK! 

Cowpat, you are such an expert about where I like to ride, post some shots ...dude! 





Warren.


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> Joan* Marcus* Olympia *Dukakis.*
> 
> Hey* Joan*, did you enjoy your ride?
> 
> ...


Warren - you took a while to work on this one didn't you?

I'll cry myself to sleep tonight in my tutu wondering why you called me a lady boy... does that make you feel like a man?


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

marcus_dukakis said:


> Warren - you took a while to work on this one didn't you?


Joan, I suggest that you run that comment by someone who might care, OK! ... when I'm talking at flakes, I will take as long as I want, OK!

Anyway, tell us about the famous ride? How far did you go? ... and where did you ride to? ... and post your shots.

Joan, I suggest that you don't insult this thread OK! ... show us what you actually did,OK!

Do not attempt to play futile point scoring games with me OK?

Warren.

PS, I do like a Cadbury Flake ... or two. Please accept my sympathy.

PSS, I can almost can see the Southern Cross from here. I'm hoping some bogan VicCong will not correct me ... hey Cowpat! Where did I go wrong photographically, Cowpat? You are the expert on all thing, hey Cowpat?


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

the old bugger's in good form tonight...heheheh


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Stevob said:


> the old bugger's in good form tonight...heheheh


Steve, you deviant Mate! Joan is older than your mother dude, show her at least a modicum of respect!

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

On the 15th March I'm riding to Omeo from Canberra on back tracks and return through Snowball, Kydra and Kybean. I'm allowing 22 days down and then about 20 days return.

I'm interested in photographing wild brumbies on several of the frost plains of northern Kosciuszko... like Wlid Horse Plain, Blankets Plain and at the 6 Mile Diggings and in the Cascades near Tin Mine.

Can any of you experts from the VicCong SS Club identify these creatures? ... these creatures are common at Lysterfield?

... a threatened and endangered Bikeenyroo? A creature that is seldom seen ...seen at Seldom Seen on the Gelantipy Plateau.










Is this one of those deadly non-venomous Camel Headed Psychosuckers?










I do know this is an Australian Alpine Dingo from the Victorian High Country... Stevob, sorry Mate, I'm sure my off-road experiences aren't any where near your level of riding ... could we go to the underwhelming Lysterfield? You know all of the little clubby circuits there, hey?










Warren.


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## sabresix (Dec 24, 2006)

You guys are lucky; all I see of Canberra these days are the locals at Majura.


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## Ben_M (Jul 7, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


>


 Oooohhhh, is that an Escort in the back ground!!!! I wonder how cheap cheap is???


----------



## MrsH (Aug 16, 2009)

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!
Great thread, needs popcorn.. :thumbsup:


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Wild Wassa said:


> Stevob, sorry Mate, I'm sure my off-road experiences aren't any where near your level of riding ... could we go to the underwhelming Lysterfield? You know all of the little clubby circuits there, hey?


At least you can still make me laugh you old codger.

Keep up the good work mate. Although it does seem strange that you haven't let fly with your class act on rotorburn yet. Go on buddy, stir _them _up a bit too. I dares ya.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Stevob said:


> ... on rotorburn yet. Go on buddy, stir _them _up a bit too. I dares ya.


Stevob, I think most of the bogans only hang around Rotorburn trying to score drugs.

If you ask a question on Rotorburn like "What do you think of Australia's increasing drug problems?"

One half of the dudes there will reply about their problems with irregular suppliers and the other half think think drugs are too expensive.

I hang around Rotorburn in XC/Endurance.

If you know the 'Castle bogan Qz13 he has learnt to back off. He thinks that I'm on drugs. Two weeks ago he told me that I must been on crack for giving him a serve ... I gave him a serve, I thought he was just another overly precious Victorian. When I discovered he was from Newcastle, I sent him my sympathy card. I felt really terrible about it.

Warren.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

RB certainly has their share of the younger members, but areas like XC/Endurance are for the most part (with some exceptions) more mature, in my experience. If the kids on there (and in Aus in general) don't have much respect for their bodies and minds, well that's their choice and ultimately they will choose to learn from it or not.

I must have missed the QZ13 serve.

Don't ever change, you old fogie, or we'll get bored.


----------



## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Steve, I know I'm a mature contributor. During the Gulf War I was on a pro US war site with 106,000 pro war members as one of only two anti Gulf War detractors. I wasn't anti Afghanistan just the Gulf War oil grab.

I still haven't looked up what FOAD means .... it must be a commonly used greeting or something in the US. Many people put it in their posts to me. Mostly from ex-Marines. Rotorburn is mere child's play.

Warren.


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

Ben_M said:


> Oooohhhh, is that an Escort in the back ground!!!! I wonder how cheap cheap is???


It is! A later MK II with the square headlight facelift. A 2 ltr no doubt. You're better off reading the cardboard in the windscreen, it says 'free' there.
Wassa might even throw in his bike as a sweetener, green handelbars are bling as!


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Wild Wassa said:


> I still haven't looked up what FOAD means...


just had to look it up myself and p1ssed myself laughing.

I can understand why they use it.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Hud said:


> It is! A later MK II with the square headlight facelift. A 2 ltr no doubt.


I had a MKII panelvan with a 2 litre in it. Yellow with a custom chipboard overhead console for equalizer and speakers and crushed brown velour trim, including matching curtains.

Damn I loved that car.


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> Anyway, tell us about the famous ride? How far did you go? ... and where did you ride to? ... and post your shots.
> 
> Joan, I suggest that you don't insult this thread OK! ... show us what you actually did,OK!


Warren - prove something to me. I think you can read but not sure you can comprehend. Read the OP's post and you'll understand why your questions above are unable to be answered.


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## chris-crisis (Jul 16, 2007)

Stevob said:


> I had a MKII panelvan with a 2 litre in it. Yellow with a custom chipboard overhead console for equalizer and speakers and crushed brown velour trim, including matching curtains.
> 
> Damn I loved that car.


I had a 1980 Panelvan with 2 litre and it went very well, but chewed the petrol rather fast so was hardly any more economical than a mates HQ van with 4.2V8. My Escort caught fire in 1987 with my guitar and amp in the back. When I went to NRMA for insurance the lady saw my estimate of % of car damaged as 100% and pulled a funny face while she was entering my membership number. I said the car caught fire and she said hmm another Escort. I replied yes how did you now and she replied well I get abut two a week and they caught fire so I expect there will be none left on the road in a few years.

It was a great car but I have to agree with the NRMA lady that there are not many left.


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## waldog (Nov 4, 2005)

Oh Wassa, you really are a special specimen of humanity.

Keep up the entertainment buddy.

See you at Lysterfield, i'll wave to you from the bushes. I'll be the one spooning Steveob, but i'll also be being spooned by Cowpat.

XOXO


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## cowpat (Apr 13, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> Cowpat, you patronising apologist for ParksVic (shall I show this site your patronizing email to me?) ... address the issue before you get too far out of your depth sonny-boy.


What makes you think I have any respect for Parks Victoria's management policies?

I just don't believe that directly insulting individuals within Parks Victoria - to their faces - qualifies as "addressing the issue."

I find you amusing but not entirely harmless.

No-one cares how I may have patronised you, but FWIW:



Cowpat said:


> Wassa,
> 
> I am asking you, simply as another mountain biker, to reconsider your recent post under the subject of Alpine National Park Planning.
> 
> ...


----------



## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

sabresix said:


> You guys are lucky; all I see of Canberra these days are the locals at Majura.


What is this, just curiously? Training area or something?


----------



## sabresix (Dec 24, 2006)

Yep, it's the Urban Operations Training Facility at Majura Training Area; with the radar on top of Mt Majura in the background.

I always crave singletrack when we drive past the entrance to Majura Pines enroute to MTA.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

I'm sure the situation is not what it appears in the photo, but it looks like you're training to take on the makeshift stronghold of a bunch of militant pisshead yobbos.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

marcus_dukakis said:


> Warren - prove something to me. I think you can read but not sure you can comprehend. Read the OP's post and you'll understand why your questions above are unable to be answered.


Joan, you aren't much of a lateral thinker hey Mate? ... It is you who I predict will be the no show. I trusted you to get it ... my faith was wasted, obviously.

Wow you have been living in Canberra now for just over two years, that's very impressive. Do you ride on Bruce Ridge and O'Connor Ridge? ... my cousins and I and our friends built some of those tracks in the '60s. When we went to Watson High and Lyneham High we moved on to Mount Majura. The Bruce Ridge trails were improved when the AIS was completed, and the fire trails graded. The only roads on Black Mountain were the Old Weetangra Road and the road to the quarry. To make them safer for our Nation's Athletes to train on, the 'Department of the Interior' reworked the trails. We built those trails before Belconnen Way existed and the only road was the Old Weetangera Road that went west of Canberra. You have been here for two+ years now ... wow. Tell me all about being here. Might you know only diddly squat about this place!

I'm a racist fool am I? ... thank you for that. Your cheap shot is very much in keeping with my impression of you. Bravo Mate!

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Cowpat, I am insouciant about being patronised but I do care about being misconstrued and misrepresented by you (normally I wouldn't give a raw figs arse to anyone else) ... and don't be a fraud, and selectively edit your note to me and then post it here. You are an apologist for ParksVic or perhaps even more simple. But I can't possibly say.

Post the entire email Mate nor change the context? Did you just expect that I would accept and follow your orders? You are a patronising arse and a fraud, and way out of your depth. 

I know you are from Melbourne Mate ... but that is not my fault nor does it give you liberties, OK? 

Warren.


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## ditchart (Oct 12, 2009)

Warren, why do you always edit your posts?


----------



## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

There really are no known depths to the oddness of this man.


----------



## cowpat (Apr 13, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> ... and don't be a fraud, and selectively edit your note to me and then post it here.


I copied it verbatim from my Sent folder in private messages. Control-C and Control-V. In fact I've attached a screendump.

Goodbye Warren. You don't seem to have a great deal of integrity. Have a nice life.


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## QZ13 (Jan 19, 2010)

Stevob said:


> I must have missed the QZ13 serve..


I must of missed his serve too

All I can remember is wazz getting moderated for being a tool


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## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

nuclear_powered said:


> There really are no known depths to the oddness of this man.


Some say he is the chief bung hole tester of the inland dinghy association. :thumbsup:


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## marcus_dukakis (Apr 25, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> Joan, you aren't much of a lateral thinker hey Mate? ... It is you who I predict will be the no show. I trusted you to get it ... my faith was wasted, obviously.
> 
> Wow you have been living in Canberra now for just over two years, that's very impressive. Do you ride on Bruce Ridge and O'Connor Ridge? ... my cousins and I and our friends built some of those tracks in the '60s. When we went to Watson High and Lyneham High we moved on to Mount Majura. The Bruce Ridge trails were improved when the AIS was completed, and the fire trails graded. The only roads on Black Mountain were the Old Weetangra Road and the road to the quarry. To make them safer for our Nation's Athletes to train on, the 'Department of the Interior' reworked the trails. We built those trails before Belconnen Way existed and the only road was the Old Weetangera Road that went west of Canberra. You have been here for two+ years now ... wow. Tell me all about being here. Might you know only diddly squat about this place!
> 
> ...


Warren all you've proven to me is your inability to introduce anything of value (or substance) to this conversation. I'm sure others find your incoherent ramblings entertaining. I don't.


----------



## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

marcus_dukakis said:


> Warren all you've proven to me is your inability to introduce anything of value (or substance) to this conversation. I'm sure others find your incoherent ramblings entertaining. I don't.


I though that this conversation was about "Canberra for mountain biking ... and everything else."

I suggest that you go and jump in the lake.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

nuclear_powered said:


> There really are no known depths to the oddness of this man.


Thank you n_p. I like the idea of having depths of oddity. It sure surpasses superficial mediocroty... don't you find?

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

QZ13 said:


> I must of missed his serve too
> 
> All I can remember is wazz getting moderated for being a tool


Who ever you are, if you missed the serve you should have been there? ... and who ever you are, can you remember, anyone being moderated? I doubt that you are QZ13?

Back to the real thrust QZ13, if it is you commenting here? How does anyone get moderated on Rotorburn, by the way? Being *moderated on Rotorburn* ... that is totally rich!

I like Rotorburn because pus*y footing around the site doesn't happen. I got moderated on Rotorburn, wow? That's a total classic. I wish I had been moderated ... I'd be more than infamous.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Cowpat, you told me to do something and I didn't do it.

Then I told you to do a few things and you were totally compliant.

Have you studied Australian History? There was something called the 'Master and Servant Act'? 

Far too easy.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

ditchart said:


> Warren, why do you always edit your posts?


Be assured I don't edit after anyone responds to one of my posts, if I know that someone has posted.

I like to edit because I can. Posting is not a contest to create hot one liners is it?... which appears obvious from this Victorian SS mob.

Warren.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Wild Wassa said:


> Posting is not a contest to create hot one liners is it?


Damn...I've got this internet thingy wrong again


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Steve, it might not happen over night ... but it will happen. Just trust your pen.

I'm riding to Victoria on Monday along the Divide's. I'm coming via Hells Gate and Native Cat and the cursed McCathy Track ... but the bridge has been washed away at Dry Creek in Alpine.

ugh, you are up well on your nautical terms ... well you little snotter! I suggest you need to sail-a-head bateau boy. I'm guessing you are close-and-full and need to flake your strop. Whatever you do, you can now take two hands off the mast and stop beating to windward and trim your gronicles. Look up 'sailhead' in the Urban Dictionary ... Oscar Kilo.

Those who I haven't answered, please don't feel that you are not worth answering, I do seriously value your comments, they are very important to me. No matter how light-weight some comments are ... I'll give them gravity.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Some shots from this spring and summer past ... if you can call that last wet season a summer.

Out of the rain, at Scarborough Station on the edge of Royal National Park. I managed to ride Lady Carrington drive before the rain came. I visited Royal a few times last year.










The Royal Sea Cliffs from the cycle path on the bridge by the sea. Lawrence Hargraves Drive. I should get some slicks for my MTB going on the long term forecast which predicts more rain for much of this year.










Shots from the South Coast with more rain. The road from Central Tilba to the old Princes Highway called the Punkalla-Tilba Road is awesome for a dirt touring. Like wise Sunnyside road from Tilba to Mystery Bay.

The vibrating Yellow house, Central Tilba.










Rainy day on Sunnyside Road ... at the Princes Highway.










Warren.


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## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

Warren,
If you are offering to be the 'Cindy' in this venture I would suggest you have one of your banyan days, I think I would prefer to avoid paddy's purchase, marry the gunner's daughter and end up with burgoo on my boots than accept that.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

ugh, a "banyan day," very funny. Hard allee. What you wrote is a much telling tale. 

Warren.


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## QZ13 (Jan 19, 2010)

Wild Wassa said:


> On an important note, I'd not ever imply that a grown man who has children hanging around his bike is a child tamperer. I think it is up to an individual's own conscience to feel as it they are guilty or not ... I can't possibly say what any situation is ... but I certainly do not have children hanging around my bike.


Looks like you've been self moderating again, and digging yourself yet another hole.


----------



## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

Warren, your tales of brumbies have filled me with inspiration.

I understand that they are very hard to photograph so decided to let you in on a little secret.

If you don a disguise you can get very close indeed as i recently found out when wearing my new 'Brumby Where?' cap.









It allowed me to capture my first majestic brumby close up.









Alas I was disappointed that it was missing that spark I had heard about so I googled 'post processing'.

After a bit of fiddling i am overwhelmed with the result.









I am waiting eagerly for your own efforts and can offer assistance if required.

Little Snotter.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

lol ugh.


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## QZ13 (Jan 19, 2010)

ugh said:


> it was missing that spark I had heard about


ugh, all your fiddling has really brought that image to life


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## mella060 (Apr 19, 2010)

Wild Wassa said:


> because I'm not one for ingratiating mediocre C grade XC riders? Patting mediocre riders on the back repeatedly, is not my scene Mate. Sorry about not embracing you and your buddies status quo.
> 
> I tried but you dudes did nothing of note ... you blokes have had long enough to come good. I waited and waited and waited ... but the results didn't come despite your weekly platitudes.The results from Victoria are very sad indeed.
> 
> Warren.


Ever done the Otway Odyssey Warren ?

If C grade XC racing is not up to your lofty standards, then maybe sign up for next years edition. You could be the first person to complete the odyssey with a bike and trailer !! Wouldn't that be awesome !!

I also hear that capital punishment has returned to Canberra. I wouldn't be surprised if you were behind it all.


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## MrsH (Aug 16, 2009)

Stevob said:


> I had a MKII panelvan with a 2 litre in it. Yellow with a custom chipboard overhead console for equalizer and speakers and crushed brown velour trim, including matching curtains.
> 
> Damn I loved that car.


Oh man, you sold it?? I love Escorts.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Wild Wassa said:


> n_p, Why? ... because I'm not one for ingratiating mediocre C grade XC riders?


Nah ... nothing to do with that. I guess I just find you odd because on one side we have someone who posts this, a truly heartfelt response to something incredibly tragic and sad.

On the other side is someone who responds with varying degrees of ridicule or hostility to anyone here in the Oz forum who doesn't seem to measure up to your standards of true outback mountain biking awesomeness. I can't be arsed doing a history search, but I'm pretty sure nobody initiated any form of recognisable hostility towards you. From memory it's generally you who fires first.

But that's all just chaff.

Personally, I'm not here to please or impress anyone at all. Least of all yourself (actually ... there are quite a few people below you). But at the same time, as much as it will disgust you to hear to the point you'll want a disinfectant shower: if I crossed paths with you on the trail one day, I'd happily offer you a spare tube if you needed it, or food or water or whatever. If you didn't ask, I'd still offer. If you told me to F-off for merely offering, I'd just think "Yeah ... he really is odd."

But we're all different. Some of us are OK with that.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

ugh, you're not an imitator... you're an acolyte! To quote Borat Sajdiev, Son of Borak the Rapist, "A great success." Something is rubbing off. 

I do insist that my acolytes don't steal the photographs of others though, or pretend that the photos of others are their own.

#1 Rule; if you steal the work of others ... that's is as weak as piss.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

mella060 said:


> Ever done the Otway Odyssey Warren ?


I have too much respect for the environment ... I've seen what that race does to the Ottway streams ... when the dudes wash their filthy bikes. That race when held in the wet borders on being environmental vandalism ... that riders should be ashamed of participating in. Absolutely.

Racing the Capital Punishment in the wet is no better.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

nuclear_powered said:


> Personally, I'm not here to please or impress anyone at all. Least of all yourself


I agree with that.

Warren.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

MrsH said:


> Oh man, you sold it?? I love Escorts.


I didn't sell it, I gave it to my brother for his first car. He ended up rolling it and wrote it off, but he wasn't hurt.

At one time, there were four Escort panelvans in my group of friends. Many good memories of fun times and weekend road trips.:thumbsup:


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## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

Wild Wassa said:


> ugh, you're not an imitator... you're an acolyte! To quote Borat Sajdiev, Son of Borak the Rapist, "A great success." Something is rubbing off.
> 
> I do insist that my acolytes don't steal the photographs of others though, or pretend that the photos of others are their own.
> 
> ...


Warren,

Acolyte no hermaphrodite yes, makes it easier to comply with the most common request made of me.

I never claimed I took the photos, I merely provided the subjects. If my display of amateur taxidermy is not to your liking please don't hate.

I think your number one rule is flawed or was not overlooked by your proof reading pigeon, quality crackers will get you better results.

And a wild man once almost said 'Someone is rubbing off'

[email protected]


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## MrsH (Aug 16, 2009)

Stevob said:


> I didn't sell it, I gave it to my brother for his first car. He ended up rolling it and wrote it off, but he wasn't hurt.
> 
> At one time, there were four Escort panelvans in my group of friends. Many good memories of fun times and weekend road trips.:thumbsup:


That's cool. :thumbsup:

I've navigated in Escort and it's always fun.. Aside from the rough stuff where you're never quite sure whether the struts are going to come out through the bonnet or not


----------



## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

My first car was a Mark 1 1300xl four door. It was an auto, painted lime green and had funky lace bonnet stripes. Us boys also had a mk 2 1600 coupe for a paddock bomb. While at high school I rebuilt the 1600 motor and converted the MK 1 to manuel using the 4 speed gearbox out of the MK 2. All of it was done in a cramped shed under arduous conditions. I also had it fully resprayed dark green and did lots of other stuff to it.

I wish it had been a coupe and that I still had it...


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

A friend and I rebuilt a MkII coupe with a 2 litre 4 cyl. Fully sprayed British Racing Green inside & out, got a new block bored & honed, head ported & matched to it's manifold holding 2 x 45mm Webers, Saas racing seats, roll cage, LSD, 14x6 & 14x7 black Minilite alloys ... it was wicked. I will try and find a pic to scan.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

nuclear_powered said:


> it was wicked. I will try and find a pic to scan.


please do...sounds awesome:thumbsup:


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## bloodpuddle (Jun 15, 2007)

Need a 400m time too...


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Never raced the Esky officially. My best estimate would be near 15s maybe? It actually belonged to the friend, though I did spend enough time helping him restore & rebuild it that I was considered a 'spiritual owner', and could take it whenever I wanted. Which wasn't too often in the end, because my car was quicker: Datsun 200B (20 more mistakes than a 180B), FJ20T Twin Cam EFI Turbo engine from Japan, 3.9:1 R180 LSD (from 6-cyl 260Z), Full Bilstein suspension (knew a mate who could get cheap bars, strut inserts and springs) with nolathane bushing, 200BSX stock alloy wheels (14 x 6 or 7, can't remember), average white paint, average interior. It really busted my mates arse that after we'd spent ridiculous amounts of time (and him ridiculous amounts of hard-earned hospitality industry cash) that I simply took my neighbours car for $400, put a 2nd hand engine straight from Japan in, stock EFI & computer, and I could blow him away. It handled like crap though, hence the visit to my friend in Sydney and came home with all new suspension. Looked no different (maybe slightly lower), but handled like a race car. To me anyway.

So the Datto was quicker and I took it to Eastern Creek once in my time with it, and the best I managed was a 14.1 on stock tyres with some wheel slippage at takeoff & 2nd. Plus I could never quite manage quick changes with that turbo, always stuffing them up the faster I tried to shift it. Anyway, I reckon with practice I could've gotten into the low 13s.

Having said that, the Escort was a MUCH nicer car, looked better from every angle, sounded sweeter and was heaps cleaner looking with it's new seals and those small 2 piece bumpers on the front. Mine was simply a sleeper - period.

Have emailed him to see if he can track down the photos. A then budding professional photographer took some great snaps at sunset on Wassa's Bicentennial National Trail out the back of my house.

As for my car, a quick search has only found a shot of it after I'd given it a coat of primer. I'm sure there are engine bay pics somewhere so will try to find them all and post them in this now completely derailed thread.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Well the VicCong have seriously disappointed me again. Not that I have a high expectation from anyone from down there.

Any state that votes a party in that will allow "cattle grazing in the High Country" ... to pay off political dues, well, well done hey?

Now entering the third week, VicMaps have failed to send me the Bindi map. I didn't expect anything better from any of the VicCong.

Enjoy your underwhelming Lysterfield, VicCong. While bike riders enjoy landscapes from "Canberra for mountain biking ... and everything else."










Warren.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

> Enjoy your underwhelming Lysterfield, VicCong.


We can't, it's closed.

Nice photo though ... you old fogie


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

n_p, I like how you and Steve call me an old fogey. It implies that you think that this old fogey has lost it ... and I have not a clue about what is going on? Bravo for the knowledge that is coming from over 600 kilometres away!

Where have you two VicCong been lately ... or you still don't actually know where to go here, that isn't laid on for you? Did I need to ask? In Ying and Yang or You and Yang or push and pull or his and her's.!

I'll be in Omeo in about 5-6 weeks from now. Do you know where Omeo is? I could have left for Omeo yesterday, if VicMaps had their shhiiptt together... obviously not actually getting it together, is typical of you Southerners?

More shots from "Canberra for mountain biking ... and anything else."

A set of knockers for the VicCong knockers ... I'm so old, I have a retro-look-photo-era. These are my images, unlike another who posts here.










Or do you VicCong and the blow-ins prefer only one big knocker? .. because you can't cope with more?










If I needed a biking guide, I'd certainly use Joan from Melbourne ... well why you may ask? She knows about Sparras, Majura 'n Stromlo? ... but Joan its time, move-on!!

Warren.

PS, Next time I reply to pretentious blow-ins who know more about this region than I do, I'll say, "I'm from Barthelhona ... I know nuuuthing!"










H-high don't go thriding Mr Faulty, thriding ith-ith too thangerous th-here. Th-there are whilds thanimals in the th-the thwilderness Mr Faulty. Too-oo-oo scary snakeths.



















Too danger-oouth, Mr Faulty. Too dangerouth! A lot goeth on that scares me Mr Faulty. Joan save me Jhoan! Save me from the odd old fellow?!! ... he itth too dangerouth!!










I could post some good MTB shots from this region about "Canberra for mountain bike riding ... and anything else," ... but the two Victorians Joan and Cowpat probably have the really hot shots from here, that would put my shots to shame, hey Joan and Cowpat?

Joan aka Joan Marcus Olivia Dukakis where are you going to ride again ... maybe at Stromlo? What at Holden's Creek and Brittle gums?


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Wild Wassa said:


> n_p, I like how you and Steve call me an old fogey. It implies that you think that this old fogey has lost it ... and I have not a clue about what is going on? Bravo for the knowledge that is coming from over 600 kilometres away!


Yeah ... we can see quite clearly you're as sharp as a tack.

Ya know, I think what's missing from your colourful posts Wassa, is a little rhyming. Think you can string together a rhyming outburst for us all? Old-timer?

(P.S. Props for the Andrew Sachs impersonation)
(P.P.S. You're coming to VIC!! I'll call Omeo ... tell them to brew you a nice latte for your mid-ride break)


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

nuclear_powered said:


> Ya know, I think what's missing from your colourful posts Wassa, is a little rhyming. Think you can string together a rhyming outburst for us all? Old-timer?


*
You guys think that you can patronise me at will? 
... but you don't like being patronised by me in return? How odd?
Well, I suggest that you precious little princesses go and buy yourselves bigger blouses to impress each other, OK?
You Victorians are an arrogant bunch of overly precious flakes! 
You only find strength in the collective, don't you, hey? *

Was that poetry too subtle for you n_p or what? *Hey* did rhyme with *OK!*

I like how those who have done nothing at all here in the ACT call me an old fogey or accuse me of digging my own grave.

Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Hey Joan, you really are a lovely girl, if you don't mind me saying ... I know a old hairy bloke who wants to have a serious ride with you. Email me .

He says, you would know about dark places, like the Vines and Little Oakey Creek, because you have been here in the Territory for over two years, hey?. That's right, hey? You are another from Victoria, hey? You Victorians have done everything here in the ACT, and probably even invented this place, hey? You even take the time to tell we hicks what to do here, hey?. I love your type of Victorian. Victorians like you are totally priceless ... but unfortunately extremely common.

Tell the world wide web about riding into the Vines Joan, ... only 60 ks from Canberra? You are the two year tour guide expert? Enquiring minds want to know!

I got lost riding into the Vines Joan ... I called and called but you didn't come. I guessed that you couldn't be distracted from doing your make-up, hey? So I do understand.

I had to take a few photos without your and Cowpat's expert guidance .. I hope you don't mind?

Several photos coming ... or better still post your shots firstly Joan! Do not be shy Joan. The hairy old bloke who fancies you Joan isn't shy ... he gets out of Sunny Corner Remand near Bathurst this coming Monday. I'm going to lend him my second bike to go riding. Joan do you ride with rear vision mirror? If you don't, I suggest you do from Tuesday on! Get that rear vision mirror Joan. Are you getting my thrust?

Warren.


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

Wassa at around 2:30am...


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Wild Wassa said:


> Was that poetry too subtle for you n_p or what? Hey did rhyme with OK!


Nah Wassa, it was great. The rhyming may not have been up to 6th grade standards, but you carried out my wishes perfectly. Good work. Keep the pictures coming


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

n_p, I've changed my mind, about posting the Vines shots of "Canberra for mountain biking ... and everything else." It is now up to you and your VicCong buddies to post your shots of "Canberra for mountain biking ..." I've already posted the Vines shots here, I don't want to bore you.

... but I would like to leave you with little bit of friendly advice for when you bring your bikes here to help reduce your disappointment.










So get your Huffys serviced before you come here, OK. I took the shot above with my mobile phone ... does that make me an honorary VicCong MTB rider. Or must I also have shots of my pimped-out Huffy at Lysterfield taken with my phone?

Hud,your cartoon has reminded me of that famous quote?

*"Arguing on the internet, is like competing in the Special Olympics. You might win but you're still a spastic."*

Why would anyone want to go to bed when Stage 4 of the Paris-Nice, was on TV? Don't be so vain as to think that me staying up was about you dudes. I had to do something to keep me amused during the adds.

I've got some snacks vacuum bagged and ready for the ride through the mountains to Omeo. The snacks only weight 13 kg and my trailer can carry 30kg. I had better think of something else to take ... maybe a space blanket and a pump (Oh yes a long pump with a thrusting piston) and the map when it arrives. If it ever arrives. How long do maps usually take to arrive from Vicmap DSE, when they are ordered? Their brochure says, "Statewide Coverage," but they have obviously avoided saying prompt and friendly interstate service. It must be a Victorian thing!










The latest shot, from last week ... stopped by the 'Blood of the Martyrs Creek', Australian Capital Territory. This creek smells really bad, stagnant flood water ... but not as bad smelling as the Dulugars I'll find up the Victorian High Country. Dulugars smell worse than road kill.










Warren.

PS, if you don't know what a Dulugar is, you need to ...


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## mella060 (Apr 19, 2010)

Wild Wassa said:


> I'll be in Omeo in about 5-6 weeks from now. Do you know where Omeo is? I could have left for Omeo yesterday, if VicMaps had their shhiiptt together... obviously not actually getting it together, is typical of you Southerners?


Did you ever stop to think that maybe these maps are out of print due to lack of demand. Maybe the last man to request this map was a man by the name of Henry Longbottom back in 1865, when he drove his cattle from Corryong to Omeo.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Just make your own maps as you go Wassa. You've done that before haven't you?

Can't half tell you're getting toey to get out in the bush again mate.

Enjoy the trip but watch out for the cattle. Take some pics of them if you see some.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

Stevob said:


> Enjoy the trip but watch out for the cattle. Take some pics of them if you see some.


"Don't kid yourself Jimmy - if a cow had the chance he'd eat you and everyone you care about"


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## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

Hi Warren,

One of your photos is very revealing indeed.

I am a part time reader of auras and noticed something immediately.

I have made an artists interpretation of my vision, if you squint you can just make it out.









S.n. otter.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

hehehehehe


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

ugh, Mate, Brother artist, you are going cock-eyed watching all the aura stuff. Leave it alone.

This is my first collaborative work with an artist who displays overt penis envy ... go to the top of the Neurotic Art Movement, ugh. The way your limp wrist moved fluidly, and then went jerky, describes how you created this masterpiece. 

It isn't the quality of the art that will make you famous ugh, it is the artefacts that you create, that fill another hole in the jig-saw called world art. Your style fit perfectly within the new wave of the 'Neurotic Art' movement. 

ugh, you are a Neurotic Artist. You have started your own movement. Get a butt plug.

Warren.


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## ugh (Jan 31, 2005)

Warren,

To quote Otto Dix
"If one paints someone's portrait, one should not know him if possible. No knowledge. I do not want to know him at all. I want only to see what is there, the outside. The inner follows by itself. It is mirrored in the visible".

I understand that being the chief bung hole tester of the inland dinghy association that you may be fixated with plugs but alas I am unable to use one. That space is currently rented as a roost for a local powerful owl family.

Love 
[email protected]


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## Ben_M (Jul 7, 2008)

Hey Wazza, enjoy your trip ot Omeo, have a beer at the cool Art Deco Motel for your MTBR buddies wont ya!!



















Although I will miss being entertained by this thread while you are gone.

I have to know, where is the below photo from?



Wild Wassa said:


>


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

^ Yeah ... where is that? I'm betting it's as remote as you can get.


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## Yippee_Ki_YayMF (Jan 30, 2011)

^ +2 for that.

Wassa your are one strange cat! You're not Charlie Sheen are you? Or Gary Busey? Anyway, you take some very good photo's. Good job.

Just try not to be such an elitist try hard next time. Nonone cares if you dislike Victoria. If it is so bad, stay in Canberra. You seem happy there....


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Avoiding the distractions and the false platitudes, n_p, Ben, Steve and mella, please hang loose if you don't mind? I'm slowly catching up ... I'm still a few posts behind you guys, while sorting the sheep from the Under16 BMX flock. They are try-hards and I can appreciate that.

n_p, cows, yes cows, a great change of theme from wasting time with sheep. Cows are cool, absolutely. I like jerky. I don't think that cows take themselves seriously. The sheep could can learn a lot from observing cows.

Myrla State Forest (2.5hrs) NE of Canberra, on the way to McPhails Fire Trail aka the Cannonball Run ... where I confronted a dribbling cow, at Jacks Corner. I find dribbling calves are more of an issue nowadays. Moo.










Below the escarpment. Sorry for a lack of quality with this image, sometimes I don't take a tripod.










Ben, you have ridden sections of the Hume and Hovell south of Blowering? Blowering is an annual ride for some of your Mates? The Northern trail head is only an hour out of Canberra this side of Yass ... and there are many cows. When I first rode the track (in the track's first year), I didn't know there was an alternate bike route. Last June, I spent more time on the H&H. The track is well worth the trouble.

"I want to be a cowboy ... I want to ride a big horse ... under a big white sky." More shearers and drovers used bikes in the early days than rode horses. Neither Patterson nor Lawson acknowledged this fact as they built their myths of rugged rural toughness.










More cows at the abattoirs near the Hume Weir. Moo.










Three White Lights, Flour Mill Albury.










The Hume and Hovell is magnificent and there is even an alternate bike route apparently ... there is much to see of the rural working life of Southern NSW and Bobby's Plains and Micalong Swamp are remote places along the route. The maps for the Hume and Hovell are about $28.

mella060, I'm a fan of the unformed roads of the old Travelling Stock Routes and the extant Travelling Stock Routes. That is the reason why I'm going to Omeo. I've ridden several of the now decommissioned stock routes between Canberra and the Snowies and across the Tinderry Range and to the north of the Canberra Region










Ben, the photo was taken above the western face of the Main Range above Strezlecki Creek, which runs into the Geehi River 5,000 feet below. I'll see if I can find a better shot.

The western face if the Main Range is the dark ridge in the centre of the shot. The Range on the centre horizon is Gungartin and the Kerries (Kerries Ridge) and beyond that is the Jagungal Wilderness. I took this image on a New Years Day from the Summit Road. If you want to take on this landscape to the Kerries, you need to read page 3 of the NSW NPWS Cycling Policy, the modified 2003 version. From the Kerries and from Munyang you can cycle on the Fire Trails back to Canberra including the Jagungal Wilderness. With most of the trails closed to private vehicles and not many fishermen inclined to walk for a week or two, to get to good spots, I renewed my fishing licence, yesterday.










Warren.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Yippee_Ki_YayMF said:


> .Just try not to be such an elitist try hard next time. Nonone cares if you dislike Victoria.


I don't dislike Victoria. In fact I think that Victoria is a fantastic place. I guess you choose not to get it?

Don't mistake my dislike of being patronised by the Victorian café set as my dislike of Victoria. You are suggesting that I should just let them be as rude as they like, and really care what some here, who don't have 20 posts between them think?. ... when you get some fluff on your nuts sunny, come back, OK. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out.

How about some of you characters actually contributing to this thread called "Canberra for mountain biking?" ... unless you haven't been here?

If you knew anything about the Canberra Region of which you appear not to, you would see that I view this place as a starting point to explore SE Australia ... and not a be-all and end-all as the only place I know to ride, while having my hand held. Every place I've shown is within easy or relatively easy access from Canberra ... and can be done as day rides, to certain degrees.

The Great Escarpment is within a few hours of Canberra in several places. The Northern Budawang Ranges and Yalwal and Touga are even closer. From Tolwong you can ride along the firetrails above the Shoalhaven and Tallowa Dam. The The Southern Blue Mountains takes only a few hours to get to. From Canberra it is even closer than many places in Sydney are ... and Sunday evenings coming home, the traffic from the Southern Blue Mountains hardly exist.

The Great Escarpment.























































Warren.


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## Yippee_Ki_YayMF (Jan 30, 2011)

Wild Wassa said:


> I don't dislike Victoria. In fact I think that Victoria is a fantastic place. I guess you choose not to get it?
> 
> Don't mistake my dislike of being patronised by the Victorian café set as my dislike of Victoria. You are suggesting that I should just let them be as rude as they like, and really care what some here, who don't have 20 posts between them think?. ... when you get some fluff on your nuts sunny, come back, OK. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out.
> 
> ...


Putting all of your incorrect assumptions aside, I think the only clear thing here, is that you take yourself way too seriously.

PS When you referred to me as "sunny", did you at least wistle?


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Yippee_Ki_YayMF said:


> Putting all of your incorrect assumptions aside, I think the only clear thing here, is that you take yourself way too seriously ...


I though that I was the one who is taking myself the least seriously and I have no correct assumptions. So take your incorrect assumptions and stick them on a sign at Lysterfield.

Would it help you if I resorted to using smiley faces, like in a kiddy training aid ? ... and when I said grow some fuzz I didn't mean for a more fuzzier brain!

I like how you called me a try hard ... dude I'm close to finishing. I suggest that you try anything.

One of the most popular rides from Canberra to the Coast is the ride along the Deua River Valley across the Coastal Ranges. The Angry Doctor (I've not been on it) is a single track that can be joined (?) from along the Deua down to the coast. No doubt someone will have done it. Please post some shots this morning, if you have.

The Coastal Ranges the Upper Deua, and the wider Deua River Valley on a smoky day.




























Ben, Cheers Mate. If I make it to Omeo ... I'll certainly raise a glass. I'm not going for the ride, I'm going fishing and photographing mountains, the ride is a bonus ... the smoke coming from down south should make for some great atmospherics. Like in the Deua shot above.

Warren.


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## Ben_M (Jul 7, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> Ben, the photo was taken above the western face of the Main Range above Strezlecki Creek, which runs into the Geehi River 5,000 feet below. I'll see if I can find a better shot.
> 
> The western face if the Main Range is the dark ridge in the centre of the shot. The Range on the centre horizon is Gungartin and the Kerries (Kerries Ridge) and beyond that is the Jagungal Wilderness. I took this image on a New Years Day from the Summit Road. If you want to take on this landscape to the Kerries, you need to read page 3 of the NSW NPWS Cycling Policy, the modified 2003 version. From the Kerries and from Munyang you can cycle on the Fire Trails back to Canberra including the Jagungal Wilderness. With most of the trails closed to private vehicles and not many fishermen inclined to walk for a week or two, to get to good spots, I renewed my fishing licence, yesterday.
> 
> Warren.


Ok, im getting close to finding the trail. I know that its somewhere between Perisher and the Jagungal Wilderness. Have you got a trail name for me? Is it part of the Australian Alps walking track?


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## Yippee_Ki_YayMF (Jan 30, 2011)

Wild Wassa said:


> I though that I was the one who is taking myself the least seriously and I have no correct assumptions. So take your incorrect assumptions and stick them on a sign at Lysterfield.
> 
> Would it help you if I resorted to using smiley faces, like in a kiddy training aid ? ... and when I said grow some fuzz I didn't mean for a more fuzzier brain!
> 
> ...


Being a try hard is not defined by age...

Cool story by the way. Very imaginative.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

Ben_M said:


> Ok, Im getting close to finding the trail. I know that its somewhere between Perisher and the Jagungal Wilderness. Have you got a trail name for me? Is it part of the Australian Alps walking track?


Ben, it is a track on Watsons Craggs, to the west of Mount Twynam. About 1/4 of the way between Mount Kosciuszko and Mount Jagungal.

Over Lady Northcote Canyon to the Craggs.










On the Craggs looking towards a smoky Mount Youngal in Victoria.










From off the Summit Road, looking south over the Rams Head.










Yippy may I use your Family name MF? That's Mofo or do you prefer muv-va for short? I meant finish posting here Mate. I'm not intending to cark it for decades. If you are wondering about my age, I've just turned 84 years old (or 85 or 86? )What-ever, but I do want a letter from the Queen when I hit the ton. Not many are used to my mature posting style, perhaps including yourself yippy? I see that you have a definite immature style of posting. Bravo Young Grasshopper.

Warren.


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## Feideaux (Jan 14, 2004)

Wild Wassa said:


> "I want to be a cowboy ... I want to ride a big horse ... under a big white sky." More shearers and drovers used bikes in the early days than rode horses. *Neither Patterson nor Lawson acknowledged this* fact as they built their myths of rugged rural toughness.


So obvious that I feel guilty for posting it, but nevertheless: http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/patersonab/poetry/mulgab.html

Banjo!

Bikes in Lawson's stories as well. Ok, as you were, gentlemen.


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

Hey Mulga Bill was pioneering mountain biking while Gary Fisher was still just a twinkle in his mothers eye!


"He turned the cycle down the hill and mounted for the fray,"

A real downhillar hey, no doubt he had his seat right down.


"It struck a stone and gave a spring that cleared a fallen tree,"

A tail whip and then dropped the nose mid-air for a seamless transition. 

"It made a leap of twenty feet into the Dean Man's Creek."

A twenty foot huck-to-flat, impressive!

A great find, Feideux.


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## nzhumpy (Oct 8, 2009)

Wild Wassa said:


> Not many are used to my mature posting style,Warren.





Wild Wassa said:


> N"Arguing on the internet, is like competing in the Special Olympics. You might win but you're still a spastic."


Poor form.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

nzhumpy said:


> Poor form.


Sadly, consistent also.


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