Blue Mountains mtb rides
Tracks to avoid!
The Victory Track
The Victory Track runs down into Sassafras Gully and out again, starting at Faulconbridge at the level crossing, and having a number of exits in Springwood. I was conned into this track by a mate who later confessed that when they said they'd been down there before, they really meant they'd walked the track when they were young and fit - over 16 years ago.
- "some stairs" means carry your bike down lots of stairs, and then realise you have to get out of the gully later... "a pretty waterfall with a swimming hole" means silted up waterfall... "nearly at the bottom" means "I have no idea, we'll get there eventually" "only an hour" means closer to five "good riding at the bottom" means you do get to get on the bike for up to 100 metres at a time, then get off to clamber over another chest high log or other obstruction. "watch for leeches" means lots and lots of these blood sucking parasites - I had 14 bad bites that itched for a month, let alone all those I removed before they bit.
- you know it's a bad ride when the sight of glow worms doesn't help...
Ok, so maybe I'm biased, maybe I shouldn't have let myself be talked into the ride, maybe it would have been better not to do it for the first time at night, or as my first ride with clipless pedals, or when I was already tired and in a bad frame of mind. Nah... The fact remains, the Victory Track is just not a ride, it's a walk. Don't bother unless you leave the bike at home.
Bunyan's - Martin's Lookouts
Theoretically, the track between these lookouts gives an alternative exit from the St Helena trails, and it's certainly possible. It's just not worth it. I rode this because I was told it was very hard, and, foolishly, I wanted to see for myself.
- An hour's difficult climb carrying your bike down, and the same again for the death climb carrying your bike back out. I would rate this is a strenuous, steep bushwalk, definitely not a ride. We were even holding up bushwalkers going down - until they overtook us.
- You are much better off returning to the main St Helena track and exiting via the Duckhole or returning to the Oaks track.
Don't bother if you have your bike.
another fAt hIpPy production
