Cradle Coast MTB Club February 2021 Updates
The latest newsletter from the Cradle Coast Mountain bike club has some great updates on the new Burnie pump track, dial range and the new trails on the west coast. Worth a read.
A President’s Perspective: Chris Stredwick
Come on 2021!
With 2020 out of the way, I’m sure everyone is hoping for a bit more normality as the year progresses. We will be working on our 2021 goals at our next club meeting (9th March) and are looking for ideas to run events, fundraise and keep our trails running sweet. Speaking of trails, we have had huge numbers on the new Iron Tor trail with 4,700 bikes past the trail counter since November! These are awesome numbers, especially since the Iron Tor is a solid climb and not a trail for the average beginner rider. The Iron Tor and Ironcliffe trails have now bedded in nicely and have been riding great over the past few months and the improvements to the Penguin MTB Park trails have really added to the quality of the whole network. We have also had some great feedback from riders. This is pleasing to see and validates the hard work that went into their design and construction.
We have received some good feedback on signage for the Dial Trails and will be working with Parks and Wildlife to address a few issues. Unfortunately, a trailhead map and information panel may be a little while off as the Dial Range Recreational Management Plan needs to be completed before this can be designed. Hopefully, the Plan can be completed in the coming months, as this will enable further trail development to continue.
Plans are underway for a chance for our club to host the 2021 Australian Cross Country Marathon Champs. We will be working with Latrobe and Kentish councils and the Latrobe Rotary Club to put on a great race format and an epic course. Keep an eye out for this one late 2021!
One last thing are a few words on looking after out trails and trail etiquette. With the privilege we have of being able to ride in such great locations across the state, we don’t want to take this for granted. Please only ride designated MTB trails and if the trails are wet and muddy, give them a chance to dry before riding. Ride the trail how it was designed and don’t make shortcuts. Also, it’s important to take everything out you brought in, always check on a rider on the side of a trail that they are ok and give assistance if required, you never know when this maybe you.
I’m looking forward to another year of great MTB events and trail developments around the state and I hope to see you out on the trails.
What’s Been Happening in Burnie? Ivan Markota (Emu Bay Trail Alliance)
Tenders for the pump track at the View Road Reserve were received and then awarded to Ridemore, just before Christmas. Ridemore’s design includes a large pump track as well as several short gravity type trails leading into the pump track. Ridemore started building in early February, so watch this space for updates on the build in the coming weeks.
Jacob has been working diligently on drafting a Strategic Plan to present to the Burnie City Council for a small MTB trail network. The plan has been sent out to members of the EBTA group for peer review. Hopefully, the Council can see the benefit for our community, and how it will complement the pump track. We are seeking their assistance in land usage and some funding, as much of the building will be conducted by a volunteer group. This submission will include a history of mountain biking along the coast and how recent projects have been beneficial for the Kentish, Latrobe and Penguin communities. The goal will be to present the plan to Council over the next few months.
Dial Range Social Ride with the West Coast MTB Club Chris Stredwick
We capped off 2020 with a December visit from our West Coast Mountain Bike Club colleagues.
On the day we were blessed with great weather, the trails were in perfect condition and everyone was keen. Around 30 riders from both clubs met at the Penguin MTB Park and headed off through the Park and into the Dial Range. After getting to the Iron Tor junction some riders continued to complete the Monty Loop and head back to the Park, while the rest of the group headed up the Iron Tor ascent. We split once again at the Ironcliffe Ridge junction with some riders heading all the way to the summit of Mt Dial and some calling it and heading directly down the Iron Tor descent. After reaching the summit the remaining group returned via the Ironcliffe Ridge trail. We stopped at several of the amazing lookouts along the way and even did a bit of future trail scoping before returning down the fast and furious Iron Tor descent and eventually meeting the other riders at the Penguin MTB Park.
It was great to meet up with Aaron (the WCMTBC President) again and meet more of their club members, some of whom had not ridden outside the West Coast before. With construction underway of new trails on Mt Owen at Queenstown, we are looking forward to a visit later this year to see the best the West Coast has to offer.
and What’s Happening out West? Aaron Stewart (Pres. West Coast MTB Club)
It feels mountain biking is really catching on down here on the West Coast. Attitudes in the community are overwhelmingly positive towards mountain biking and It seems every second person is in the market for a new bike to give it a crack when the new trails open in Queenstown (soon) and Zeehan (later in the year). Our social rides have been really well attended and supported by both local riders and riders from all corners of Tassie. We held group rides for kids over the holidays and these were a hit, and we are super excited to see more youngsters out on the trails!
The trails on Mt Owen are coming along nicely. We have checked out everything that’s been built so far and are regularly checking on their progress. As you would expect, the trail surface is going to be interesting. Lots of gravel, but also a surprising amount of good dirt. And those views…
We’re looking forward to the rest of the year and having more trails to ride. We are currently working on building a small jumps park behind the high school in Queenstown and have a few other small projects in the pipeline. We are excited to have more convenient trails which will provide more opportunities to get out on the bikes and have good times!
The Club has been active for almost 18 months now and we are excited to see the West Coast MTB Club and local community of mountain bikers continue to grow.
Jake’s 2020 Prang Emma Lee
Just days before Covid-19 would rear its ugly head in Tasmania, we were all going about our business as normal, including preparation for the Derby round of the 2020 Tas Gravity Enduro Series. Club member, Jake Lee, an extremely experienced rider who is very familiar with Derby trails, was looking forward to this round, as were more than 200 other riders. Unfortunately, the day did not go quite as expected for Jake!
Only a couple of hundred metres into the first stage, Kumma Gutza, Jake had a horrific high-speed crash and broke his femur. It took more than 6 hours, a multitude of drugs, a helicopter with mechanical issues, an amazing rescue team and the help of a fantastic group of mountain bikers for Jake to be safely removed from the remote part of the trail.
A spiral fracture of the femur meant surgery to “nail and screw” it back together! Doctors couldn’t give a time frame for his recovery, only saying that it was a significant break and may be 12 months before he could be back on the bike. But Jake’s love for mountain biking and his fitness and determination saw him turning the wheels over just 6 weeks after surgery! Now, 12 months on, he has ridden our Iron Tor trail (faster than most of us) more than 60 times.
The inspirational part of the day were the efforts of the medical team, the first rider on the scene who stayed with Jake all day, and the 20 odd mountain bikers, still in their dirty gear after racing all day, who carried and passed him down the steep terrain. This story is a true reflection of how supportive the mountain biking community are. Just one of the reasons we love this addictive sport!
It’s Always Nice to Receive Feedback Craig Kerr
Many thanks to riders who keep the Club up to speed via online media with issues such as trail condition, improvements, good news etc. Here are a couple of recent items which we’ve received.
Just wanted to say thank you!! Your trails are awesome. We just spent a few days riding them all, we can see the hard work and love that has gone into building these trails. We came from NSW to ride these, and it did not disappoint. Thanks again. (Sarah Lewis)
A big shout out to one of your local Penguin members, Paul. He stopped me today and pointed out my front forks didn’t seem to be working properly and then spent 30 min helping try and fix them …… Whilst I was putting my bike away, he then googled it and gave me some more tips ………. PS the trails are awesome, particularly the Montgomery Loop. (David Lacey)
Membership, Meetings and Working Bees
If you would like to renew your CCMBC membership or join a new member, then please visit the club’s website http://www.ccmbc.com.au/. Donations to assist in the maintenance of our trails can also be made via our website.
We are very keen to gain new members and to have more of them at our meetings. Our meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month at Oz Rock Inn, Ulverstone. However, please check Facebook for confirmation of this beforehand. Our next meeting is 6:30 pm Tuesday 9th March and the main agenda item is planning and priorities for 2021. Meetings are generally finished before 8:30 pm.
We advertise our working bees via our Facebook page and many hands make for light work and great riding outcomes. Working bees are a fabulous opportunity to make new like-minded friends and to gain an understanding and appreciation of trail design and construction. Most working bees finish at lunchtime or early afternoon.
CCMBC Office Bearers
President Chris Stredwick
Vice President Anne Langham
Treasurer Selina Stredwick
Secretary and Newsletter Editor Craig Kerr
Feedback and Contact
Please email the club with any feedback or queries at
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