Aussie MTB Single Track Heaven TourJanuary 29th - 8th February 2010,
11 days.
Our Itinerary as follows:
Day 1 - Friday 29 th January 2010: Pick up day, transfer to Otways and introductory single track ride
Meet at Tullamarine Airport @ 10 am
Meet at Metropole Hotel, Fitzroy, Melbourne @ 11.30
Drive approx 2 – 2.5 hours to Forrest, Otway Ranges National Park , Victoria .
Arrive at our accommodation for the next 3 nights, the family run Forrest Guest House. Our Hosts Wendy and Peter will have a late lunch prepared and then we shall assemble the bikes. The group will head out for a twilight ride into the magnificent purpose built mountain bike trails at Forrest in the heart of the Otway ranges rainforest. We shall dine in-house tonight savoring the brilliant dishes of our hostess and local gourmet chef Wendy Owen. Those who are keen might even be able to do a ‘Forrest Feral Friday' club race.
Ride Intensity: Easy – Moderate
Trail Mix: 100% purpose built single track
Ride time: 1.5 hours
Climbing: Around 300 vertical gain
Accomodation tonight and for the next 3 nights: Otway's Forrest Guesthouse.
Day 2 Saturday 30 th January 2010: Forrest single track trails.
Have a look at the trails here
No hurry today as we have all day to explore the local trail network. First up we shall relax on the verandah of our accommodation and tuck into a hearty breakfast. The local King Parrots lighten up the morning as they can be coaxed out of the trees adding colour to the morning. Today we head out onto the Forrest trails for some of the world best single track you will ever ride. Flowing MTB single track trails with load of features, that utilise the natural contours so you get maximum fun time without it being a climbing slog fest. You'll be holding back on screams of joy and excitement as you fly along the trails so aptly named: the red carpet, Yo Yo, Mariners, Foxtail, Follow the Dog and many many more. There is 65 km of marked trails and today we plan to ride for about 3 -4 hours with plenty of refueling along the way. Tonight we shall dine Aussie style at the Forrest Pub – no latte sippers here just utes and dogs parked out front!
Ride Intensity: As easy or hard as you wish
Trail Mix: 100% purpose built single track
Ride Time: 3-4 hours
Climbing: Around 1000 vertical metres
See also: http://www.rideforrest.com.au/
Day 3 Sunday 31 st January 2010: Forrest Single track trails. Afternoon trip to 12 Apostles.
Today we return to the single trails of Forrest and cover the ground we didn't get to yesterday or maybe go and repeat some favourites. We'll take it a little easier today in preparation for the next two days' epic rides.
Ride Intensity: As easy or hard as you wish
Trail Mix: 100% purpose built single track
Ride Time: 3
Climbing: Around 900 vertical metres
In the afternoon we will become Topbike tourists and hop into the Van and head to the one of the World's greatest tourist attractions the 12 apostles (100 km one way by car). We shall restaurant dine on the Great Ocean Road at Apollo Bay for tonight's dinner, and head back to the Guest House with a belly full of local food and wine.
Day 4 Monday 1 st February 2010: Forrest to Wye River ( Great Ocean Road ) point to point ride through the Otways
Another day in Paradise, and today riders will saddle up for a bit of an epic adventure to the coastal town of Wye River riding right over the top of the Otways National Park . The ride will start out on some fairly tame fire road but this will allow us to access some wild rugged ‘off-piste' single trails, utlising tracks only known to the locals. After 35 – 40 km and around 900 vertical metres we will drop down the wild descent of the Wye Track. Lunch will be at local café where the coffee is the coffee is to die for. The more adventurous can ride back, those who've done enough or sunk too many wines at Lunch can take the van home. Dinner tonight will be again with our hosts Wendy and Peter.
Ride Intensity: Moderate to hard
Trail Mix: 20% Bush rugged single track, 40% Bush rugged double track, 40% fire road
Ride Time: 3 hours (one way)
Climbing: Around 1000 vertical (one way)
Day 5 Tuesday 2nd February 2010: Forrest to Lorne ( Great Ocean Road ) point to point ride through the Otways
Today we wave goodbye to Forrest, load the vans and hop on the bikes to ride 35 km east through some of the most remote trails in the Otways National Park towards the seaside resort town of Lorne on the Great Ocean Road.
Today's ride is a through rugged Aussie bush, where very few people ever go. The ride is a mix of rugged bush fire trail (double track), single track and open fire road. Expect it to be physically demanding and technically challenging, along with some of the most spectacular scenery. If you are lucky you might avoid a head on with a bush Wallaby as you weave your way picking your line down the goat track and then climb back up to the top of the Otways prior to dropping (almost literally) into Lorne for a beach picnic Lunch and a swim in the Ocean. Those who are keen can swim the 1.2 km course of the annual ‘pier to pub' swim.
Ride Intensity: Moderate to hard
Trail Mix: 20% Bush rugged single track, 50% Bush rugged double track, 30% fire road
Ride Time: around 4 hours
Climbing: Around 1400 vertical metres
We will spend the next 3 nights in Lorne in beach front at 4 star accommodation.
That evening we will go for an after dark stroll into the Melba Gully to see the Glow Worms. Dinner tonight will be a local regional produce restaurant.
Day 6 Wednesday 3 rd February 2010 : REST DAY – surfing lesson
‘GO RIDE A WAVE'. Today we will have a day off the bike and in the tradition of Aussie surfers we will go ride a wave. You will start on the beach at Lorne with a two hour surfing lesson. For those who are keen, keep the board all day to master your skills. In keeping with the beach theme, tonight we will do fish and chips on the beach (grilled available for the health conscious) as we watch the waves lap at the shore whilst the sun goes down on a somewhat relaxing day.
Day 7 Thursday 4 th February 2010 : Anglesea MTB trail riding plus Kangaroos and Bells Beach afterwards
Invigorated from our rest day we will load the bikes for a short transit to nearby Anglesea (35 km, 30 minutes by car) and head into the local trails, riding the sandy soil composition through the ti tree and typical costal vegetation, Anglesea trails have hosted some of Australia's premier mountain bike events and are regularly used by Geelong Mountain Bike club for 6, 12 hour events and XC races.
Ride Intensity: As you wish
Trail Mix: 50% bush single track, 40% Bush double track, 10% fire road
Ride Time: 4 hours
Climbing: Around 1000 vertical metres
Day 8 Friday 5 th February 2010: You Yangs Mountain Bike Park single track, return to central Melbourne
We pack up the bikes and bags after breakky, wave bye bye to the coast and head inland to the You Yangs National Park (60 ks one hour by car). Here we shall spend the next 4 hours exploring the purpose built mountain bike park. The You Yangs is a granite rock National Park rising up above the plains just outside Melbourne . The trails are a mix of firm packed dirt, some rock gardens and Northshore sections.
Ride Intensity: As you wish
Trail Mix: 100% purpose built single trail
Ride Time: 4 hours
Climbing: Around 1000 vertical metres
After we've finished riding we will picnic in the park, then load the up the bikes for the trip to Melbourne (60ks, one hour by car), where we will stay the last 3 nights at the Metropole Hotel on ‘Bohemium' Brunswick Street (walking distance to central Melbourne ). Tonight's dinner will be just around the corner at the award winning Ladro Pizza restaurant in the Groovy Gertrude street. The owner Sean Kierce a keen mountain biker has a diverse Italian menu to suit all tastes.
Day 9 Saturday 6 th February 2010: Lysterfield MTB Park single trails plus visit to a microbrewery
Today we shall again load the bikes and head east of Melbourne to Lysterfield Mountain Bike Park (45 ks, 45 minutes by car). Once at the trail head the options are endless, as we ride our mountain bikes in a park established for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne . The Comm games course is probably the least popular trail there, as the region is full of fun, twisty, technical single tracks that are regularly maintained by the mountain bike locals.
Ride Intensity: As easy or hard as you wish
Trail Mix: 100% purpose built single track
Ride Time: 3 – 4 hours
Climbing: Around 1000 vertical metres
In the early evening we will head to the microbrewery ‘Mountain Goat' for a Brewery Tour and a sample of the local ales to quench the thirst from a hard days riding. After we will head Victoria street in Richmond and dine on a delicious Vietnamese Banquet dinner at one of Melbourne 's best known Vietnamese restaurants.
Day 10 Sunday 7 th February 2010: Main Yarra Mountain bike single track then free time to look around Melbourne
The last day of riding and we'll depart the hotel by bike, heading down to the local Yarra City Trails. Utilising the main Yarra trail Bike path, we will casually ride the path and duck into short, fast, winding sections of river flat single trail. Don't be fooled about the proximity to the city – these trails rock! There is very little climbing as we ever so gently gain up the river valley and then ever so gently descend on the return trip.
Ride Intensity: Easy – Moderate
Trail Mix: 70% single track, 30% bike trail
Ride time: 3 hours
Climbing: Around 300 vertical gain
It will be a river side café for lunch and then cruise back to the hotel for an afternoon of free time. Some of you may wish to stay on the bikes and explore the city of Melbourne. That night will be our last supper and it will be at the home of our hosts David Olle and Emma Colson. Tonight we will have a chance to look at some video and photos of the trip.
DAY 11 Monday 8 th February 2010: Drop off Day
That concludes the 10 days as we have breakfast together and pack up the bicycles. The Topbike Van will drop off to Spencer street railway station for those going elsewhere by train or Tullamarine airport.
TOPBIKE'S AUSSIE MTB SINGLE TRACK TOUR
11 days 10 nights @ $4350 AUD PER PERSON (based on twin share)
Price includes:
All meals
10 nights accomodation (guest house at Forrest, luxury beach front at Lorne and the metropol 4.5 star hotel in Melbourne )
Airport transfers in the topbike van
Vehicle (where possible) back up or guide back up for single track days
Full mechanical support (excluding parts*)
Detailed ride maps
Expert guiding with skilled mountain bikers who have local trail knowledge
Energy bars and carbohydrate drink powder
Skills tuition if requested
One ‘ride a wave' lesson (rest day) and one day's board hire
Side trip to the twelve apostles
Transit between locations and to tourist side trips in the topbike van
Some of the best single track trails you will ever ride in your life!
Certain sighting of at least one kangaroo
Probable sighting of a koala
6 piece Topbike kit: 2 bib and brace nicks, 2 short sleeve jerseys, 1 long sleeve jersey, 1 winter thermal top
(Bike hire can be arranged, contact us for a quote. Bike storage and possible drop off in Melbourne can also be easily arranged for a very small extra charge). All dietary requests can be catered for, just let us know.
THIS TRIP IN SUMMARY
This trip is catering for the serious weekend mountain biker (cross country) who lives for single track. It is expected that tour participants will have above a beginner level of skill and a reasonable fitness level, although the amount of climbing is not arduous.
The trip incorporates 3 fully maintained mountain bike parks (Forrest, Lysterfield and the You Yangs, Victoria , Australia ), with purpose built trails. There is also one day's rugged bush point to point riding and two other days on unmarked bush single trail. Great accommodation has been hand picked for both location and quality, commencing with a family run guest house and finishing with a luxury centrally located hotel in Melbourne . The après bike emphasis will be on quality meals, wine and beer. This is for the mountain biker who wants to be looked after on and off the bike!
The trip commences in the heart of the Otway Ranges rainforest, taking a side trip to the 12 Apostles, and then moving coastward along the Great Ocean Road to the seaside towns of Lorne and Anglesea. Kangaroos and loads of other native wild life will be encountered and the rest day includes a day's surfing with ‘go ride a wave'. The tour finishes in Cosmopolitan Melbourne, with your very Melbourne Hosts showing off the best places to ride, wine and dine and a visit to a microbrewery along the way.
Topbike knows mountain bikers want to ride really cool trails, but not sit for hours in a car to get there. This trip is compact, and manages to minimize vehicle time, maximize ride time but also expose you to a diverse variety of trails and locations. We love the places we are going on this trip and reckon you will too!
Aussie MTB Single Track Heaven Tour
