Minyon Congestion

Saturday was a new experience riding over mainly known territory. The ride started at 6am with Mark arriving at 6:30 to pick me up on the way to Mur'bah to then pick up Rod. We were all going to attempt a Minyon Marathon (quite a stupid name, to me anyway). Mark and Rod do the 40 kilometre and I selected the 20. The starts were staggered by 5 minutes to avoid collisions between riders climbing and descending the same section of gravel road!

The 60 k started close to on time and the 40k left 5 minutes later etc. Riding from Rummery Park(300 meters) along Peates Mountain Road to about 500 meters along a loose gravel well maintained fire tail for about 3 kilometres then everyone turned down a side "track" to descend Plot Fire Road, through various undulations, to about 200 meters over 5 kilometers then circled around and climbed back to the top of Perlite Road about 450 meters  and 4 kilometres and back to the start/finish line. As I cruised through the first place getters of the 20 kilometre "race" were finishing, I'd ridden 16ks and still had a climb to go and they had finished their 20. The route was then to take a slightly technical "single track" but this was cancelled at the last minute instead the main track to the crossing of Minyon Falls was used including cars!

All riders continued up, to 375 meters, towards Telephone Road for 2 kilometres. Just before the summit the 40-60 riders split toward Boundary Road which Mark and Rod took, I continued back the finish line at Rummery Park. taking by my trip-meter 1hr 42mins but it mustn't read time below about 2 kilometres-an-hour because my time was 2 hours+, finishing just before the first 40k rider finished a good1/2 hour ahead of all his competitors.

I only got off the bike for about 100 meters of my last climb up out from Minyon Creek, not the steepest gradient but the climb with the longest steep gradient (hard to explain but I know what I mean), all that training on Jim's driveway helped but not enough. It was not that getting off would have slowed me down as many riders who elected to walk and push their bikes up the hills were actually travelling at close, within a k/h to the same speed as myself riding(?) and probably using less energy.

The knees held up and there was only one period of about 15 minutes, during the second climb, when I felt as though the boiler was going to overheat and explode still I kept chugging focused on not exerting the knees. During this climb a group of about 5 had decided to drop in behind me to let me set their pace, most of who I would not see again after the descent and start of the next climb they dropped me out the back on Minyon Fire Brk, thanks. Total climb 750 meters total descent 750 meters. (Mark did 1450 meters of up down)

As an experience it was fine, the lunch provided was good. Although the noise of a power generator as I waited for the others to finish was, after a short while, annoying. To the point of having to go for walk to get away from it.

I'm not sure if all the commotion and masses of people are required to make a ride enjoyable. This is, I have managed to undertake the same riding through the same areas without the added noise and congestion and, I think, more pleasurable! Your opinion may vary. You may prefer to ride with 270 others through the NSW's North Coast forest trails and tracks or maybe you prefer the solitude and associated tranquillity of riding in a much smaller group... different strokes for different folks.

If I do decide to go again next year I wouldn't change anything, I don't think I could!