Riding in Tom Price

[BeTz]

Well, last weekend I went for my first ride since I moved here late last year. First up I went on Friday evening for a half hour jaunt at dusk just after some rains. It was relatively cool weather and I had some fun exploring the trails just near my house (I live about 200m from the edge of town). I rode some open fire trails which criss-crossed some creek beds and were rather rocky - think 500m rock gardens on the flat - not always so easy! I came back fairly stuffed from this ride, but pretty pumped about getting out there again.

Then on Sunday I decided I needed some good exercise so I headed out again for an hour from 11:15. The day was dry and relatively cool (it was about 37-38 at that time). I set out along the same path as last time, but in the distance I saw a 33kV power line running along the top of a ridge and decided I would try and find a way up there. I rode along the same rocky creek beds mentioned above and then hooked a right along an uphill section. Unfortunately, a fire burnt through the area a few months ago and there is no vegetation left at all, which means that the sun reflects off the red rocks and really cooks you especially if the breeze drops off. I hit a small rocky climb, failed dismally and had to walk up from the halfway point (pretty much the story for the rest of the ride!).

There are some wicked descents on these fire trails - typically there are two defined tracks from the wheel marks but you need to cross the middle section to get the good lines. These were fun but pretty sketchy as I have no front brakes and the surface is rather loose on top.

I really found that I can't hack the slow steady climbs - I think I need to work on my climbing technique and gear selection along with building confidence in clipless pedals. I finally hit the ridge with the power lines, albeit with a fair bit of walking, but then it was some sweet undulating track that followed the top of the ridge heading back towards town. I ended up pretty stuffed, thought I would take 'a short cut' and ended up at a dead end track having to push the bike through bush and big rocks, more of a trials ground than a XC track! I ended up coming out of the golf course and riding back home along the fire break surrounding the town. I rode up the fire trail, but my next ride is for sure going to be the opposite direction on the fire break - there are some gnarly natural rock jumps in dry creek beds and from the excavator that look awesome. One section is about a 300m jump track of rocks and whoops on a slight downhill grade - sweet!

I ended up riding about 8-9kms in the hour and came home looking like a beetroot because I was so hot. Had to stand under the cold shower for 10 mins and I was still sweating when I came out! Lesson learnt: bring more water.

Also, if you own a canadian huck bike, you're in luck. There is a ludicrous amount of obstacles to ride off, but unfortunately I left my huck bike in Perth for my holiday DH riding...

 I'll hopefully be adding some photos in the next few days. I din't take the camera with me, but I will next time.

[Pebble]

Sounds great, I think that's the essence of why I enjoy riding, having moved pretty often I've always loved exploring the surrounding bush on my own.

From my experience any place can be great to ride, as long as it's not covered in double G's!!!!

Look forward to some photos.

[Jagman]

When I worked out at a mine North of Southern Cross I used to take my pushy out after work and ride the exploration trails, it was a lot like your described, a surprising amount of fun I used to go out any day that was below 40 degrees by 6pm and think nothing of it. Now I'm seriously thinking twice if it's 30 degrees and I'm going to pedal.

Why has it been so long before your first ride?

[flo ryda]

Hey Betz, have you been up Mt Nameless with your pushy? I've been over a few times to ride TP BMX track because ours is rank, and I have seen that there was a walking track down one side.  It's a pretty gnarley hill, would be sick if you could ride it!?!?  If you're ever in Para with your bike, PM me.  We've got a sweet little DH track about a min long up the back of town.

Jimmy

[Clippy]

+1 flo, I worked fifo in and out of TP for a couple years. MT Nameless is the go for descending fun, just need to grab a camp car on shift change for shuttles 

[BeTz]

Sweet - I'm definitely keen to head to Para to check out the DH track. I did drive up Nameless on Sunday, and I would love to ride down the 4x4 track up it. Nothing to crazy but I'd get some serious speed - definitely more than I could handle on the old VT. Probably would also want my full face helmet but that's down in Perth. All I have here is fingerless gloves, XC helmet and an old set of leg armour. I did walkk half way up Nameless last year sometime when is was in TP for work, and you definitely could ride the trail up or down. There are some bits that you need to climb, sure you could huck them if there was a landing but unfortunately the track usually does a ninety degree bend at the bottom of each climb, so you'll just end up doing 100 odd foot drops. (BTW, I have a work ute, plus my own ute, so shuttles are sorted!).

Next time you go to TP BMX track, drive to the start of the walk - there is a short drive following the Telstra fibre ('Authorised Vehicles only') which the walk goes up, and there is a lot of potential for DH riding in that area. I want to explore it some more in the next month or so.

As for the reason for not getting out earlier, well, there have been a few... mainly unpacking, also had a bit of work to do on the Hilux. I only just finished sorting out my shed on Saturday which means I can actually roll the bike in and out rather than having to carry it over half a dozen boxes!

Now that I've started, I'll definitely be heading out more often, might even try a few short pre-work rides.

[beaugiejuice]

Anywhere in the dirty Pilbara has opportunities for some really sweet single track.
We're not even allowed to have bikes at the site i'm on.

[flo ryda]

what sites that?

[beaugiejuice]

Cloudbreak

[BeTz]

Ah well, I'm now residential and can have whatever I want at my place!!! (although apparently I can't store more than 20L of flammables such as fuel or oil for some reason).

If I find I'm enjoying the riding up here I might even bring the DH bike up as well, but at this stage I'm content with just doing some XC and perhaps building something like wal's track. Unfortunately there are no logs around here though.

[flo ryda]

mad i start fifo from Para in 3 weeks..so cant wait to shred some perth tracks

[beaugiejuice]

No logs but heaps of rock gardens. All mountain heaven.

[BeTz]

No logs but heaps of rock gardens. All mountain heaven.

What, you mean something like this?

I went back and rode what I thought would be a wicked jumps and whoops section of a firebreak and creek bed but it turned out to be totally sucky on my VT and I don't know if it would have been much better on the DH bike. I did check out the BMX track and that looked sweet - definitely going to give it a crack, might have still my wife's hardtail though!

[Forge.NZ]

Cloudbreak

STINK FMG

[Forge.NZ]

mad i start fifo from Para in 3 weeks..so cant wait to shred some perth tracks

Sweet mate
I start FIFIO to Karrartha in a week. Let me know if yoju find any good freeriding tracks.