Cobaw Level 1/2 26 July

Cobaw ride number 2 for me, with 8 riders along. A few back from the first ride and a few new faces. Met up as planned at the BP Calder and headed off at 12:05. Got to Cobaw and got bikes and riders ready. The Ridge road carpark works had been completed and I think has made the area better for unloading bikes. It remains to be seen if it stays a bike unloading area, I hope so. After a short ride brief on the cornerman system and tailman assignment it was time to go.

We had one extra rider meet us at Cobaw who knows the area well so let him lead out for some easy first tracks, until he had to head off around 2:30.

Sure enough after a short distance one of the Cobaw tricky little down hill sections came along to get us all onto our game for the day.

Found a good mix of tracks, most with a rocky challenges and fallen trees to ride around or over. That is a constant at Cobaw, always going to be a few rocks.

Made our way to the north end of the fire break track. I thought the north end of the fire break was going to be a challenge but found it had been graded since my last trip there and made it a good Level 1 hill. A short way along we came across some guys in a 4WD and so headed into the back tracks for some fast trail loops.

After a few hours riding and several regroups I started looking for something a bit more of a challenge. Eventually found a track with a challenging downhill section. At the bottom we then faced a more challenging uphill section. Gave the group the choice - challenge A up ahead or challenge B back up from whence we had come. After walking up to have a look at A it was decided to take the onwards and upwards route. Being ride leader I volunteered to go first (after already getting into a spot of bother at my first attempt). Got it one this time, then headed back down to assist and film.

All got up, some with help and some without. Julian showed that less power on the back wheel could be an advantage as his DR-Z rode steadily up the first section. He then gave the Cobaw mice another chance at his sidecovers as he hit the off camber corner, but this time he won the round. Micheal 1 found the 2T a little peaky on the hill and Micheal 2 found that buttons don't always work. Not sure that my credibility survived though as "no hard hills" seems to go out the window at some point. I think all agreed the challenge was worthwhile though.

By the time we finished the challenge it was time to head back. Got back to the cars and de-briefed the ride. My speedo said around 55 kms but Julians was around 44 kms. I know I back tracked a few times to check things at the rear of the field but don't think it was that much.

Thanks to all that came, I enjoyed leading the ride and will check my diary to see when I can put on another one. Will keep to the afternoon time frame, and as the days get longer will plan to stay out a little later.

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