We headed down to near Camena camping on Shanes bush block for the long weekend. On the Saturday we spent a few hours bombing around the awesome Penguin Mountain Bike Park, well I thought it was awesome anyway.

We were lucky enough that just as we got ready a couple of young guys turned up who new the track and showed us around for a lap which made the day much easier knowing where to go. The track uses all the available space and is quite technical in places. Lots of sharp corners and close in trees to keep you alert. The wooden berms and wooden drop-off added to the excitement and danger level. Several of the berms and steep sections have carpet on them to reduce the erosion problems. The track is a bit gravely and slippery in places with my worn front tyres but that may be due to the Cranky Penguin last weekend.

It looked much higher at the top!

Gets steep quickly

Wooden berm 1

Sharon had her usual connection with the ground but a carpet burn on the knee and a graze to her wrist from the handle bar were the only casualties (apart from her pride). The tree she hit survived unscathed. I got her going again but she sat out the next two laps after getting around back to the car.

Crash!

Right Leg

Left Knee

Left Arm

I had a couple of doggy moments falling off the back of a some of the berms but it was such great fun. The banked wooden berms were great fun cranked over pushed into them at speed. I had seen quite a few Youtube video’s of people braking stuff on them before we went! The large wooden drop-off had a warning sign at the top “expert only” but I ignored that and survived ok (not being an expert at all). I even managed a respectable 5th fastest time overall on the Penguin Masters Strava segment, sure to be smashed after all the ‘guns’ get up their!

Sharons Strava Ride Colins Starva Ride

We are now both confirmed for the BlueDragon mountain bike race in February. Sharon and Emily are the “Retro Rockets” and Dan and I are “Rough Justice”. Should be a great weekend if we stay injury free. Dan and I had a combined age that put us in the “Golden Oldies Male(combined age 80-99)”!!!!!!

Trying out some new Rocky Mountain bikes this week thanks to Ian at Sprung. Sharon and Emily are doing a skills session in Hobart this Saturday while Dan and I might try the North South track down Mt Wellington while they are at it, should be fun if we stay on for the whole 15km decent.