Working Week Series - Lithgow, February 20, 2005

Lidsdale Cross Country course
Rating: 4.5 stars
Skill level: easy to moderate
Fitness: Moderate

Club Instructions

Head towards Bathurst on the Great Western Highway
Its is the first right after the Wallerawang/Portland turn off (Forest Ridge rd). Park in the Rest Area to the left (near the old concrete road). Throw the bike over the fence and ride towards Bathurst and take the first right and then the second left that will take you down to the bottom of the hill.

The single track starts at the left and the rest of the track is reasonably easy to follow if you know it.
Look for the remains of tape and cardboard arrows. The track winds its way around then comes out onto fire road for the climb back up to the fence. Once there its goes back in on the right and winds all the way back down, across and back up to the start.

Race Report

Team - Short Guy’s - John Oyston (Captain), Yarro Bailey, Richard Horsborough (sub for Peter Gibbens) 

Sunday Morning 6:30 am start from Beecroft, weather cool and rather wet, BOM showing no relief, forecast abysmal, Lithgow area under heavy cloud.  Most normal people would have given up at this stage, as usual positive vib’s prevailed and off we drove.  As we where driving along the M2, Richard asks “aren’t we picking up Peter”, oops a communication problem here, Richard is the substitute rider for Yarro, but since Peter has gone down with the flu, now Richard is it.

The drive to Lithgow was uneventful, Bell Line road is an easy drive with patches of thick fog and some rain.  Arriving at the race venue, not knowing  what to expect, was a pleasant surprise.  The parking area ran along the old part of the Great Western Highway so access to the start was an easy walk along a stretch of concert road.  The main event area was very relaxed compared to the 12hr / 24 hr events. There was ample parking in the forest around the event area.  We set up to tarp a few hundred metres from the start. 

Due to our late arrival (planned), we had to register after the race start, John O started the first lap at 9:30 am.  It had rained all night so the track was very slippery and soft.  Luckily the rain had stopped earlier Sunday morning resulting in a smooth and in sections boggy single track.  The track was just great, the downhill sections were easy negotiated ending in an easy corner exit.  There were only two steep up hill sections easily cranked in granny gear.  A steady cadence, smooth power exits from the many switchbacks  were the order of the day resulting in an enjoyable lap.  The track was 90% single track which twisted its’ way around pine trees very similar to the 24hr event in Canberra but not as hard on the body and only 9 klms. 

After completing 2 laps each,  John O, starts his third at around 2 pm, there was announcement made on the loud hailer that hail, thunderstorms were just around the corner.  It took a whole of 10 minutes and the down pour began, Richard and I were comfortably standing under the tarp trying to keep dry to no avail, the wind was blowing the rain sideways, the visibility was reduced to metres.  A positive, there was ample water coming off the tarp to wash the bikes (handy for Richard), our thoughts went out to John (for about a second).  As I stood there contemplating the next lap (cold, damp and not highly motivated), hoping for the rain to at least become a drizzle and the thunder to stop, an announcement was made that the race had been called off due to the dangerous conditions, a sigh of relief.

John returned saturated reporting that the track was just one continuous creek, the rain had washed away a fair amount of soil exposing many more roots.  After cleaning down we decided that we had had enough so around 3:30pm it was time to pack up and go to Mac-ers’  for a hot coffee and a bite to eat. 

In summary a great track and experience , we will organise a trip out on a Sunday morning around May for those that could not make it.

Yarro.