Tall tales
Coffs Harbour (NSW DH Round three) 11th June 2006 |
| Posted by Badmin (badmin) on Feb 09 2009 |
| Tall tales >> DH |
Coffs Harbour (Coffs) is the most fun DH track I have ridden. There is not much else to say really. At around 4 minutes (if you're on it) of flowy single track and fire-road snaking its way down through sub-tropical rain forest it leaves you with a huge smile at the bottom that just makes you want to do another run. Less physically punishing than Thredbo, not as technically demanding and bike pounding as Buller, more exciting than Eildon and an elevation change that makes us wish for bigger hills next to Adelaide.
Death grip open sections, a 30ft double, drops, g-outs, single track, roots, and a table top that you could hit as hard as you could pedal - this track seems to have a perfect balance. All on a nice bed of sandy loam for Velcro-like traction after a bit of rain...ahhhh I am missing it already.
After a flight to Sydney we were picked up by Adelaide ex-pat and IL website yoda Gus. We jammed 2 bike boxes, 4 bags and 3 people into his undersized Subaru for an extremely uncomfortable trip through Sydney peak hour traffic to Mortdale Bike Shed to pick up "the van".
This high roof hi-ace army green van was the power plant that transported us the 600km from Sydney to the good times and good trails in Coffs. Upon arrival, Friday night saw some serious race prep in the Planto hotel involving much beer, tequila and sambuca. Despite shady feelings the next morning we were at the rego tent bang on 8am. Joe decided the day before that he needed some new cranks so 20 phone calls later and a set of bling bling Race Face units were brought down from Brissy and fitted first thing with no loss of runs and no time to admire before scratching on the crank trailers. Nice.
We got 3 quick runs early Saturday morning and were just starting to feel the flow when the rain came. It started p1ssing down and the road turned into a river rendering the coaster buses useless. Instead everyone just piled into the 4WD utes and trailers and it was still game on. The rain got harder and the weak crowd thinned out hoping it would stop for Sundays racing action. The keen ones however kept doing mud runs, mmmm Mud!.
There was a surprising amount of grip despite the track looking more like a creek with the main problem seeing through muddy goggles. Covered in mud and cooling down, the afternoon was spent at the local car wash cleaning bikes, gear and drinking bourbon trying to dry 3 sets of riding gear in a hotel room the size of a cupboard. If you didn't smell that room, you didn't miss out on much. It was funky. After coming all the way from Adelaide, we were just hoping that no one would call off the race if it was wet...
Race day broke to blue sky, sunshine and perfect conditions. Gone was the dust, gone was the mud and it was all go for a super fast velcro grip track (as long as you stayed off the roots). Once the transport got going the 7 trailers got everyone shuttling nicely. I got 3 runs in before elite qualifying and was pumped. I was railing turns and had finally memorised the track, and sorted my shifting and braking points. The only question is could I put it all together and keep a lid on the enthusiasm that comes with travelling a long way to race...
So how did I go? Qualifying came and I got too excited, braked too late into a fast turn, pushed wide, lost the front and hit a tree. By the time I got going again about 10 seconds had ticked by so my day was done. Joe qualified in 16th with a clean run and while I hit the beers and the bell, he got ready for the final. Gus raced Expert with the other captain serious riders and rewarded himself with a high speed 'off' ending his chances of a good time and result.
After annoying the quiet spectators with yelling, screaming and the cow bell, I headed up to the table top where a healthy crowd was gathering. The fastest part on the track saw riders come into a g-out at about 70kmh and then pedal flat out into a long flat table top. It was here that most of the very vocal brissy crew assembled along with some super rowdy Sydney crew in the Pylet van (http://web.archive.org/web/20060819145608/http://www.pylet.com/). The action and atmosphere was fantastic with the U19 and Elite riders absolutely flying through the section. Although qualifying well, Joe couldn't back it up leaving some fast dude on a specialized to take the win. Download Gus' video for more action including the trip back down the hill in the pylet van.
I'm about getting sick of writing this now so I will wind it up. The Sunday night was huge at the Planto with cheap counteries, mtb flicks on the big screen, give-a-ways, raffles and plenty of bike talk over beer. Joe introduced anyone who was interested and some who were not into flaming sambucas which was closely followed by everyone being really hammered. There are many more stories surrounding the night especially some relating to a pool cue, a broken roller door, footpath wrestling, flower eating, kebab consumption and generally loitering out the front of a store but you can just ask one of us about or check the photos.
Monday saw a seedy start but a welcome return to the track for more runs free from the pressure of racing. With the ability to take our time, take some photos and do some sections-the day left us wishing for race day to be on Tuesday rather than the day before!
It was such a fun track and we were all reluctant to leave but the stupid reality of jobs and employment had to prevail. The trip back in the van was largely free of highlights apart from an unnaturally unbalanced chick in a Couger singlet at a servo?
If anyone gets the chance to ride or race the Mt Coramba track in Coffs Harbour - Do it. Even though is a farkin long way from Adelaide, it was worth every penny given to Qantas to get there and ride it.
Special thanks to those that made it happen...
1. Aaron at Mortdale Bike Shed in Sydney for lending us 'the van', it wouldn't have been the same without it.
2. Joe for convincing Gus and me that Coffs was worth the travel money to ride...
3. DHDozer (farkin ID) for organising the Coffs event...Tireless effort
4. Gus for his super cheap but no frills accommodation in Sydney. If anyone has a spare spoon or fork lying around, post it to Gus, he needs it.
5. The Formule 1 hotel in Coffs Harbour for the cramped accommodation and unlocked 24x7 channels
6. The Big Banana in Coffs for the greatest collection of schlock souvenirs in the southern hemisphere
7. The Plantation Hotel (Coffs) for cheap pub meals and a venue for downhillers to party
8. Qantas for not charging us excess for the bikes to Sydney but making sure that we got slugged heading back
9. Tequila and Black Sambucca for making things harder than they really needed to be on Saturday and Monday morning...
10.Kebabs and garlic sauce for keeping it real the next morning.
Here are some random similarities and differences between SA races a round of the NSW State Series
Rego was only on the day and cash only - the queue was epic and who has cash money these days? IL rego and admin is miles ahead....miles!
Race entry was $80. A bit more if you needed a day licence. Makes the IL $25 or $30 look like an even bigger bargain!
There were about 200 riders...A heap came down from Brisbane (4 hrs) the rest up from Sydney (6 hrs), some from Canberra, and then 2 units from Adelaide. There were 180 mostly just from Adelaide hitting the track at Montacute?
Someone other than the club organisers provided the timing (big $$$) and communication problems still reined. The IL set up is National standard and all we need is one of those $6k timing boards...All money from IL events goes back into the club not private timing companies...
There was no podium! Presentation was more of a free-for-all envelope handout drill. I think IL does a much better job of recognising the riders in front the crowd
The riders followed car parking and timing volunteer directions!!! They didn't all rock up late and try to park in stupid spots 5m from the finish line and when asked to line up or head up to the top of the hill they did! The first time they were asked! Must be something in the water...
The same fantastic fun and social environment that exists at all South Aussie DH events was alive and well in Coffs. There was a race on and some serious moments sure, but everyone was there to catch up, talk bikes, talk rubbish and have a great time which is why I reckon I love racing DH so much.
? Prizes were all cash...Hardtail winner got 160 bucks! No one expected this...Compare that to Nationals in Thredbo and the 4 yr old fox jerseys they were handing out despite the $200 entry fee...
? Expert and Sport are the serious categories of the NSW state series...forget Elite when putting sheep stations on the line, Expert is the home of the bling bikes, gear and captain serious riders (they just don't go as fast).
There was no PA or beats pumping through the valley at the bottom of the track. The music definitely creates the killer atmosphere for a super event for riders and spectators.
The dude that organised the weekend (DHDozer on farkin) was on the ball. An organised after party at the Plantation Hotel saw more celebrations, mtb flicks on the big screen and list of give aways and raffles that almost got boring there was so much to give away!
? Apart from a rowdy bunch near the table top, and a couple of over zealous SA goons with a cowbell - the crowd was tame. The SA scene has picked up their game in the last 12 months and have learned that big cheers means more fun and faster riding.
? Everyone just jumps on trailers and utes for transport. There were only 2 hire buses and the rest of the vehicles were private with owners keen to get involved. While there were coasters, when they were full everyone just jumped in a trailer to get to the top. Refreshingly old school.
· The NSW and QLD riders love going on road trips. The NSW series goes to Thredbo, Lithgow, Coffs - not just tracks within 40 minutes of the CBD
Last changed: Mar 20 2009 at 11:02 AM
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