Challenger missions at Mt York

I roll the Spark out of the dungeon and across the frost on a run to the bakery for some cross-country shuttle supplies. It's nippy. When you do early morning rides in Blackheath you need some specialised gear: sure I look like an 80's tennis star, but the woollen head band that the girfriend knitted stops the ears from freezing solid.

When I get back with the baked goods Andy's already here (he's always early), and we load my bike and head off for Mt York.

Jeff's there with the trailer and Gaby and Andrei arrive soon after us. The weather gods are smiling and its one of those clear, windless, winter days that are just made for riding in the mountains.

After some logistical discussions, Jeff selflessly volunteers to be the first driver, and takes the trailer around the Causeway and down Hartley Vale Rd to the picnic area at the bottom of Lockyers. I tell him we'll probably be about half an hour.

Fine, normally, but we've got the Flatman.

I thought it might be a good warm-up to ride the single track back to Lockyers trail-head, but what is normally a nice flowing track is now a chopped-up, muddy mess thanks to recent horse activity. Thankfully, Lockyers is in good nick and we whoop down the first section with grins from ear to ear. The first up-hill gets a few comments ("Glad I didn't bring the Glory", "I thought this was supposed to be flat"), but at least no-one's whinging about the cold anymore.

Some more fast twisty stuff, another uphill (I always forget about that one), and we make it to the rocky, tricky section. I head down first, then set up the camera hoping to capture something special.

Nothing doing.

Seeing the camera, everyone's on their best behaviour, and making it look easy. Bloody modern technology. Back in the days of rigid, I was guaranteed entertainment on every ride...

Another uphill (I usually forget about that one too), and then we're into the fast run down to the stairs. Not wanting to rip up the stair-bypass, we carry the bikes down and we're ready for the final downhill blast. I always collect a stick or two here, and wasn't surprised when I thread one through the spokes. I pull over to clear it, and get passed by some of the others. I know it's Andrei and Gaby coz I saw the blur of a green hoody and I heard the sound of a power drill, which could only have been Gaby's freehub as he smashed past. I don't think Andy's come past yet, so I get the camera out again, thinking I'll snap a picture as he comes down.

I wait.

And wait.

Alright, I think, he must have slipped past me in stealth mode, so I head down to find the others.
No Andy down there either. We finally decide to head back up to find out what's going on, and sure enough, the Flatman's got tyre problems. He pumps some more air into it and limps down the hill while we have another run at the log jump.

After that, it's a quick run to the car, where we inspect Andy's tyre. Yep, he's gonna have to put a tube in. Dunno why he bothers with the tubeless - every time I ride with him, he's putting the bloody tubes back in again...

Heading back up the hill in the Subie we amost get wiped out by a vintage car rally, and almost crash into some silly old codger who's parked his trailer in the middle of the top bend, scrounging around for firewood.

Andrei volunteers for the next driving shift, and Andy decides to sit out to fix his tyre. We've also decided to change shuttle rigs - Gaby's got this super-rack hanging off the tow-bar of his Mitsubishi Challenger, and with three on the back and two bikes on the roof it's an easier job than loading them into the trailer. Andrei and Andy disappear in the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the rest of us head off for run number two.

This time we skip the horse trail and head along the bitumen to the trail head. This run goes smoothly and we're down in good time - too good in fact: when we get to the bottom, Andy's still playing with his Minions.

Finally sorted, we load up the space shuttle and drive to the top again, almost crashing into the silly old codger who's parked his trailer in the middle of the top bend, having his fag break from scrounging around for firewood.

Jeff's decided he's had enough, and seeing as we no longer need the trailer, he choofs off home. I take the next turn at the wheel of the space shuttle and the boys head down for run number 3. I drive around the Causeway and almost smash into that silly old codger still parked in the middle of the top bend. He's got a fag in one hand and a chainsaw in the other, and I reckon he's probably a bit more practiced with the former. I pass some of the Lithgow boys shuttling White Knuckle and get to the bottom of Lockyers with just enough time to ride up to the last downhill section and take a few more photos as the guys came screaming past. No more flats from Mr Bloot, but apparently they all decided to make a mess of the tricky section now that there was no camera around to provide evidence. That's not playing fair.

And that's lunch. A late one.

We discuss options for the next run and compare curfew times. Gaby's fine for more, Andy and I have to wrap it up soonish, and Andrei's gonna get killed. So decide we'd better head back to Scribblies for a cool-down lap, and to try and win Andrei's lady a bouqet of daisies by finding Andy's lost bike computer...

A fine finish to an excellent day.

But no computer, and we don't know if Andrei's still alive.