Mountain Biking on Mt Cootha

I often delve too deep inside my thoughts and forget to document the normal, recreational happenings of my life. The below story is about a little adventure I had with some friends.

Last Sunday I was lucky enough to go mountain biking on Mt Cootha (pronounced "Mt Coota"). Marty wasn't too sure if he could get a bike so I decided to drive around to his place with my climbing gear and my bike on the back. We were going to do something, whether that be climbing or riding.

I reached Tam and Marty's at about 1445 and knew I was pushing it as we had an appointment at the Regatta to meet everyone at 1500, so we were late. Tam advised me that Marty had found a bike but it was all the way over in the Valley (Fortitude Valley to all the non-Brisbanites). What a ride. That poor guy picked up the bike and rode at the speed of sound to where we were.

Before we knew it we were a riding force. Joe Frog, Cas, Tam, Marty, Keith and I rode like a posse of trouble making bikies. We approached the mount and it was then that I suddenly realised that climbing a mountain involves both mountains and climbing. Duh Nengi. I understood this was the case before hand but I didn't realise that it was a non-stop climb from bottom to top. As a smoker this concept can be hard to fathom but I strived at peddled to my hearts content - actually my hear was probably struggling :oP. My lungs were burning but I kept going. As it turns out I didn't do to badly. Not once did I walk with the bike and I reached the top with the leading pack.

By the time I reached the top I was thoroughly looking forward to some downhill style, non-peddling motion. Cas knew of a good track so we all followed the "Captain" and headed towards the local 9 network station - this was where the track started.

I had never really done any downhill mountain biking before and I was suddenly fascinated by this new found sport I had stumbled across. What an amazing sensation. The track was dirt and gravel the whole way down and within the first 100 metres I was picking up speed, heading towards the first jumps.

These jumps are, technically, used for the reduction of erosion. Now I know that environmental controls are very important but I can imagine how these conveniently natural bike jumps came to be. Imagine this, an advisor is discussing different methods of reducing erosion through the length of the bike track with a committee of council and parks types. The advisor made sure to pack his riding gloves and helmet on his bike out front. He or she conveniently covers their lycra bike shirt with responsible attire. "Now I think the best way of preventing erosion would definitely be to build up 1 to 2 foot high mounds every 15 to 20 metres". Wise advisor, hehehe and we are all grateful for this inventive erosion prevention technique.

The adrenaline is flowing and my excitement is building. I have become used to the rush of adrenaline from my climbing experiences but downhill mountain biking offers a new and intense form of adrenaline rush to me. It is an amazing feeling to grind down a mountain with nothing but dirt and gravel underneath. The wheels slide, gradually losing and gaining traction. I'm sure that at any given moment I could slip and hurdle down the coarse surface face first.

An exceptionally scary moment found us at the top of a steep section of the track. It must have been a 45 degree decline and I was salivating for the chance to take it on. My brakes were engaged constantly as I learned how to prevent the wheels from locking and sending me at an uncontrollable pace down the hill. I quickly realised that the best method for going down such steep terrain was to hold the front brakes consistently hard while varying the pressure of the back brakes.

At the end of the day I reflected on our riding exploits. It took us about 30 minutes of intense, uphill riding to get to the top. Our downward leg took about 5 to 10 minutes but it was one of the most exciting 5 - 10 minutes of downhill thrashing I have ever experienced. I'll surely be back to tackle the mountain if I can build up the courage to ride up mighty Mt Cootha again.

What an amazing day. Thanks to those that organised the ride. I can't wait to head out with my fellow riders to some larger mountains and longer down hill tracks.