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The Oaks Up & Back Plus Extras
Glenbrook station carpark.
This is my semi regular early Saturday morning blue mountains ride.
This ride is the Oaks up and back but with a couple differences.
Being an early start its relatively safe to ride up the single track which takes out the boring fire road ride to the bottom gate then its the standard slog up to the helipad and then on to the top gate at Woodford. Once at the top of the Oaks I take a detour further up the mountain to ride some sweet single track this really breaks up the ride and makes the ride up really worth it. The final run down the Oaks is as per normal and is finished of with a sprint down the single track and a bit of fun on the technical part before the nasty road climb out.
This ride will be at a medium pace and should take a little over 4 hours its not a training ride it will be a semi social pace but I am not planning on stopping very much as it tends to take up a lot of time if you stop at all the usual places and chat so its mostly shut up and ride but not to serious does that make sense.
While it wont be a fast ride it is a fairly long one for a social outing at 75 plus km so you will still need to be relatively experienced and fit and able to ride a decent distance with no problems. Technically its relatively straight forward with not too many suprises or overly challenging obstacles for most of the ride the only real exception is the very last technical section of the Oaks singletrack which can be easily bypassed on the road (I don’t ride up this bit in the morning).
Were you there and have a story to tell?
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Damien
Is there an option to meet the group at Woodford and just ride down the Oaks?
Cheers
Anke
On the way up I normally get to Woodford about 7.45am give or take 5 minutes then I head further up the mountain to ride a bit of sweet single track. After the single track detour which takes about an hour I head back down the Oaks and get to the top gate again between 9.00 and 9.15am once again give or take 5 - 10 minutes.
Obviously these times can be a little hit and miss and will depend on who turns up and if there are any problems along the way.
A good option for anyone not up to the whole ride would be to meet at the top gate (Woodford) best bet would to be there by 7.40am so as to not to miss me on the way through to ride the single track before heading back down the Oaks.
At this point ....Wife ....Kids ....laziness .....weather.....oterwise i will be there for sure ......and not the woosy top gate option either ....
I'm a bit like Bikeboy, but will try and make it...
Cheers, Nic
I really want to check out this single track at the top of The Oaks. The 6am start might be a problem though coming from Manly. We'll see.
... for a 6am start?
I'm not normally awake that early!
Nic
Should be ok without but I will see what its like at that time tomorrow on my morning ride its been a while since I have been up that early to ride my bike.
Im thinking I might have to come along for this ride... If I do come I will have lights.
I will see how the rest of the week goes and tick the star closer to the time. Now I wonder if I can get the SS up all the hills.
It is posible you have seen a fat old guy do it so you should be fine.
Havent been on a bike at 6.00am for a while or any bike for that matter since dirtworks this will be a bit of hard work better harden up and do an early morning ride or two before the weekend.
Re "Havent been on a bike at 6.00am for a while or any bike for that matter since dirtworks this will be a bit of hard work better harden up and do an early morning ride or two before the weekend."
That's reassuring...
Nic
I will still be on the SS and they make you work there is no grany gear to go and hide behind.
But yea it will be a fairly easy social paced ride so a good one to come along on.
well.. I believe you Damien but with the threat of Supergav going along that means more roidys..they tend to all cluster together up that way... all very stressful!
would have loved to join you all and grumble my way around and a bit miffed I am missing it but I am away this weekend...
Anke - please feel free to take my place which is constantly asking when the next stop is while wearing her ipod!
Its a good chance for Nic and Bikeboy to come on this ride as I am not in roid mode at the moment too many pies and coke and it will be there last chance before I start my secret training for the SS champs later this year.
Gavin on a SS yep that will be a hard one to keep up with but he doesnt always go at full roid pace.
Are you accusing me of Not being a roid boy ???
No never I would never do that didnt even cross my mind however if you rode a single speed you might be faster.
Honestly I dont even belong in that category compared to the real roid boys and the race times they do.
But one day i will keep up with the group ....and after the skills clinic i should be a little quicker . As for Single speed , forget it , i NEED granny gears and that aint changing in a hurry .
I will still enjoy the ride on Saturday . Have you seen the Three hour race at Sparrow Hill ?
Just wondering if you think we will need lights to do Saturdays ride or will be ok to do without . From what i can see from my place at 6.00 am it would be borderline but you were going to ride to gauge the need for them ???
I havent been up early enough to ride my bike I might take along one light and make the decision on the morning.
i have done a couple of rides this week starting at 6 (road rides), it was still pitch black and needed lights, Did not need lights after about 6.20/6.30.
I would suggest taking the smallest light you have as you will only need it for a very short time, plus its not like your going to be riding with traffic, and apart from the downhill into the causeway your going to be riding uphill for a while at a slower speed.
Don
Thanks for that when I was doing this before Dirtworks during daylight savings I just took a head lamp but only needed it for about 30 minutes or so.
Ok so it would be a good idea just to bring along one light for the start of the ride.
Nic
I could come along to this one, but can not get out this w-end.
Have fun guys, next time I'll be there.
Bernd
I have decided that after a crazy week at work im going to make the most of the weekend and sleep in. enjoy the ride it is a goodie!
Still on for me anyway its not too wet so should be ok.
See you guys in the morning.
At least once the sun comes up ......and i thaw out
Sorry to say , but i have to pull the pin for tomorrows ride as a family matter has arisen that i need to attend to . Sorry for such late notice and i was really looking forward to it
No Worries.
See you there, Damien
I REALLY needed to do this ride , But when you have teenagers at home ....
It hurts...
Nic
I didnt feel like going last night but I am glad I did.
It hurt me too.