When we headed down to Ground Effect’s Sidle 73 Dig day, not only did we shoot photos and write a story (which will feature in the upcoming Issue 50 of Spoke), we also filmed a little clip to give you a firsthand look at a trail getting built over one weekend. So here it is. It’s also worth mentioning that Ground Effect are about to do this all over again. This time helping finish off the new exit to the Dracophylym Track. If you’re interested head over here to find out more.
The good and kind folks from Ground Effect love to spread trail cheer around the country, so it was only fitting they hosted a weekend of trail building, riding and good times over the past weekend. Spoke got to head down and join in the spadework and ride some sweet singletrack as well.
A good sized crew of around 35 assembled on Saturday morning and got down to work on the Sidle 73 track, a short connector between the bottom of the Broken River and the Craigieburn skifield roads, cutting out the need to pedal along Highway 73 when busting out an Edge/Luge loop. From a flagged outline to completely rideable, the trail appeared before our eyes and there was a steady stream of traffic on it by Sunday afternoon.
Of course we wouldn’t go all that way and not take our bikes, and we rode some new to us trails after we’d ditched the tools. The descent down Mt Cheeseman was a highlight; a great mix of rocks, tussocks and a steep root drop through the pine forest. Rad. I also got to ride the Hog’s Back for the first time, and it won’t be the last. There’s some epic stuff down there and there are new trails popping up and in the planning as we speak.
Thanks to Ground Effect and Zane, Cherie and Laurence in particular for showing us the goods and keeping us fed and watered.
Look out for a feature and photos in Issue 50 of Spoke.
It was a great weekend! Thanks to ground effect for over feeding us and putting us up. Snowline lodge was mint albeit shaken by gazzilion knot winds all night. I hope we get a repeat for the dracophillum track.
It was a great weekend! Thanks to ground effect for over feeding us and putting us up. Snowline lodge was mint albeit shaken by gazzilion knot winds all night. I hope we get a repeat for the dracophillum track.
ahh, Craigieburn…will never forget riding down from the chairlift – last January – in SNOW
ahh, Craigieburn…will never forget riding down from the chairlift – last January – in SNOW
Shot Caleb. Nicely put together.
Shot Caleb. Nicely put together.
Big ups to all involved….great progress and result for such a short timeframe. Lots of lead-in planning too, so heaps of work done even before the digging started. Sweet…can’t wait to ride it, been a few years since I last made it down that way. Obviously a visit is needed! Great clip too Caleb, nice bro’
Big ups to all involved….great progress and result for such a short timeframe. Lots of lead-in planning too, so heaps of work done even before the digging started. Sweet…can’t wait to ride it, been a few years since I last made it down that way. Obviously a visit is needed! Great clip too Caleb, nice bro’
Nice clip Caleb!
Nice clip Caleb!