Yamma'd again

Missed last year's Back Yamma when it was cancelled due to flooding, but this year it was dry as a bone. The tracks had been at least partially restored, although what I'd remembered as a 50km loop was this year 2 x 25kms (or 2 x 28km actually). It's now a club race run by Orange MTBC and it was a pretty relaxed and relatively small scale affair.

As a track, it's hard to beat for high speed single track racing and there few hills to speak of to slow down an old bloke like me. The first few kms are always exciting, flat out on double track and then into the single track in a long, dusty train. It wasn't until the first long section of fire road that I dropped off the back of those in front of me (hard to tell how many in the dust) and found myself riding alone for most of the rest of the race. Got passed by a handful on the ascents towards the back of the first loop and by a 25km competitor sprinting out the last few hundred metres, then only saw one other rider on the whole second loop!

Finished with an average speed over 20 kmh (a first for me), although my time was a little more than my last effort there on a shorter course. Came in 13th of about 45 starters and looks like first of the over 60's, although there were no age categories in a small field.

Only saw 5 kangaroos and, fortunately, none close up! The $2 shower from Parkes Rotary was terrific ahead of a long drive back to the big smoke.