New Year Kick Off

After an unsuccessful attempt from Keith Oliver Adams to organise this ride on January 1 , 2014 (unpopular idea I have to say, I guess most of you agree, as we've seen from the replies), 10 of us finally got up early on January 5, 2014 to meet at UTECH for a " New Year Kick Off Ride" As John Richards named it. Some of the attendants were still in a "Shaggy" state with less than 3 hours of sleep after the big show the day before. We eventually left Utech around 6:30 am. The group become complete in Gordon Town! Ten of us took the challenge: Andrew Clough, Blacks, Dean, Doc, Keith, Maurice Gordon, Stamma, Gavin , John Richards and myself. The route: Papine- Gordon Town-Guava Ridge-Quashi Gap- Content Gap-Silver Hill Gap-Section-Hardware Gap (Holywell)-Irish Town- Papine. Not the longest ride many of us ever did but certainly a ride that demands a good fitness level. The whole ride is on road. After 2 hours of climb we pass Quashi Gap and we take the first pictures with the gorgeous Blue Mountains in the background.

 From here the ride becomes more bumpy, certainly the next section requires a mountain bike. The "road" is undulating through the beautiful landscape alternating short climbs with, at places, slippery downhills. Vehicular traffic is almost inexistent, making the ride very enjoyable. We take a short snack break at Mr. Wolfs shop in Clydesdale. Here the road splits in two, the right turn crosses the river and starts climbing towards Cinchona, the left turn starts to steeply climb towards Silver Hill Gap. Maurice uses the break to take a refreshing dip in the river, as we would expect from a heart and core Fun and Thriller! This is the last time I seen Doc before reaching Cafe Blue, he sprinted up the road almost as fast as we would do it downhill. We were actually joking that probably he soon is catching us up from behind, on his second lap. Remarkable fitness level, we are all envy!

 After sliding through the muddy road to Section, we eventually reach New Castle where we regroup and take some more pictures. From here we cruise down the mountain all the way to Cafe Blue in Irish Town. Here we are all together again also joined by David, who waited on us and gave us some moral support. We are looking forward to have you back on the rides! Big up to Andy who managed to do the whole ride, also thank you for doing the Cut Throat Gully Trail with me, on the way down from Irish Town! Thank you Keith for organising it and providing driver and Gavin for giving his vehicle for support.

 This route gives you a feel of what mountain biking is about! Mountain biking is not about climbing mountains on paved roads, is about going to places where you can not go otherwise, go beyond the road’s end, taking the road less traveled. The challenge comes from the difficulty of the terrain you ride and not the number of miles you ride! Is about friendship, about sharing something unique, discover and respect nature, about getting to know places that few know its about freedom it’s about no limits, go were the few can go. Its about competing with your self, break your own limits! 


Despite this not being my favourite kind of ride, I had great time thanks to you all, for a great day!

Bogdan Simandan


 Distance: 35.07 mi Time: 4:18:21 Avg Speed: 8.1 mph Elevation Gain: 4,823 ft http://connect.garmin.com/activity/426220559#.Uswn5znDiJ0.facebook