Todd and I rode MGG9 (Scooter’s Century) on Tuesday. I love that route, and this time we did the full ride up to Toolangi for lunch. Old Toolangi - Dixons Creek Rd and Mount Slide Rd are sensational, and lunch at Toolangi - although not cheap - was yummy. Three bangers would’ve been a bit better than two though.
I would like to do the kind of ride you’re doing though Manatra. I know there’s a good route out to Hurstbridge, but I don’t know it yet.
Scooter’s Century is my default “I need to go for a ride” ride. Love that route. Keen to just head out on the bike tomorrow though, not deal with trains or try to be back at any particular time.
Maybe ask Tom for his Option 2 route above? Would be keen to give it a go some time.
The best laid plans, eh…
Luke couldn’t make it, but at the last minute Janie decided she wanted to come up to Westerfolds with me and turnaround there. Was nice to have some company but delayed our start quite a lot while she got ready. We ended up setting off at 9:45.
Then disaster struck when Janie got a flat around Heidelberg and we realised, in her rush to get ready in the morning, she hadn’t packed a spare tube and mine wouldn’t fit her tyres… We located a nearby bike shop but she insisted I continue and leave her to sort it out, then she burst into tears (just disappointment hitting her, I think). After a bit of consoling I continued on solo.
Tom’s route became a nice ride on quiet streets through some tough hills, which I was enjoying but was also increasingly conscious how far behind schedule I had fallen. The morning delays also meant a lot of time had passed since breakfast, and I was starting to feel the lack of energy. I was planning to be in Yarra Glen for lunch but at 2:15 I was still slogging up and down Skyline Rd and had just about wrecked myself. By the time I’d gotten to Yarra Glen and eaten enough to feel like riding again it was 3.
I ended up just zipping over to Lilydale and training home. Not quite the day I had anticipated, but was nice to ride out that far. Will have to give it a better go soon.
This sounding a LOT like a route I would like to try next week! Keen to link up Skyline Rd and Dirty Donna. Sucks it didn’t quite work out as planned manatra, any chance you can share a link of the course?
My ride to Yarra Glen following Tom’s route: https://www.strava.com/activities/545803420
(Ignore the wrong turn at Henley st; and the sign for Glynn’s road points down the wrong street so watch that too).
From Yarra Glen the plan was to ride Old Healesville Rd to Healesville and then up Dirty Donna.
Cheers manatra looks good
Any recommendations for riding around Lorne? We’re heading there for the weekend. Have Sat arvo and all Sunday free at this stage.
Reviving this one up… I have been working my way through a bunch of these routes, it’s a top resource.
Special thanks to MikeD as I did an overnighter from your route from Colac along Beechy trail to Gellibrand, Forrest, then I went on to Geelong. Mostly fire roads and 4WD tracks. Good fun but steep in parts (Mt Sabine rd) which my legs and tires struggled with a bit.
Also thanks to WTPete, stole some of your route and camped in Toolangi, getting there via Skyline Rd & Old Toolangi rd. Next day I descended onto Healesville via the incredible Myers Creek Rd then back to Melbs via the Warby/Lilydale railtrail.
Also followed your strava route manatra thanks but a thumbs down from me for Shorts rd …holy f.ck I was not ready for that.
Sketchy descent? Definitely a few pinchy climbs followed by quick, gravelly descents on that route.
Good on you for getting out there! Check out the MGG blog for a bunch of great rides. Cue sheets and GPX files all available.
Yeah that road had a steep descent on very loose gravel followed by a climb just as steep! Couldn’t get any traction or enough gears to get back out of there hahah. The rest of the route was good though.
I know I’m 3 years late on this trend and heading into the wrong season but I might look at getting some ‘gravel’ tyres if I keep this up, MGG routes making it harder to resist
Na GG season is always on don’t worry
Any good routes to climb up to Mt Disappointment near Whittlesea?
I was thinking Mahadys Rd then Cockpit rd on the west side.
I can also see a route from Jacks Creek rd to Toorourong Reservoir and an unnamed road (Road 1?) west of the reservoir that might lead up there. Anyone ridden around there?
Lot’s of that is water land so you can’t get thru, pretty much gotta go all the way to Hazeldene
It is spring … this thread needs some activity. Here is a start.
Who’s Fyxo?
#outsideisntfree
Forget about gravel dudes. Golf is where it’s at.
Gravel-golf? An all bunker golf course?
melbourne roubaix
