I rode Gahnia & Serrata trails today, meaning to link them up with Manly Dam but it was too hot and I got properly dehydrated.
Gahnia is super fun with some nice steep rollers and is much more technical than Serrata, especially on some rocky uphill pinches. Serrata is easier but also has some challenging steep rollers. I crashed twice on Gahnia & once Serrata, and didn’t clean all the uphill bits on Gahnia. There is an unauthorised but tolerated access single track trail between the 2 trails that is also fun, but I crashed on that as well and tore a hole in my tire, luckily I had a tube as the hole was too big for the sealant to seal. The way the trails flow is a bit weird’- they sort of make a figure eight with the connecting trail - it would be nice to make a loop from the school at manly dam, up to wakehurst pky, then the ‘new’ section of Manly Dam on the right of Bantry Bay rd, then Gahnia, then linking trail, then Serrata, then powerlines back up, then the rest of Manly dam - would be about 25km altogether, mostly single track.
These trails are cool, I pretty much love them and ride them all the time. I don’t even ride the Dam at the moment as these trails are so much better then that. Very technical, multiple line choices to play with and once you get used to them, both can be ridden at speed which makes them even more fun. They are building even more in the area, an official link track and the likes should be opening soon. Both scare quite a lot of people off as the Sydney folks are not used to these kind of trails and the Lycra, Strava crowd pretty much seemed to stop riding them after their first attempts. Love it! They are short though, I just ride multiple laps but I think that makes them less attractive for out of towners. But if you are here anyway give them a go.
Another reason for not doing it Sunday is a trail run happening in the area. They should be gone by a certain time but the morning should be avoided. Rode it yesterday morning again and its just pure fun especially when you have it for yourself.
Fuck me its hot…how I love these trails, rode Serratta a few times this morning and its just great how the trail gets more potential with every new run. Roll downs that suddenly turn into drops, rocks that become kickers and corners that suddenly beg to be railed. Have a great long weekend everyone!
Damn gahnia is STEEP! Only rode it once, did plenty of walking / awkward stepping up and down some parts. Pretty fun though! Didn’t make it to seratta. Next time!
I rode it yesterday as well - saw a 2m diamond python on Gahnia. I have serrata pretty much dialle dnow, just got to get faster - still a few sectins of Gahnia I can’t make - mainly the rocky ups though - the down’s are fun.
The second roller on Gahnia is pretty steep, with a nice little front wheel catching section 1/2 way down.
It rained pretty heavily on the beaches over night, we pretty much got soaked. So check the websites tomorrow afternoon before you make plans. Its possible that they leave the dam closed (as it is now). Same for Bantry Bay. Heading off to Stromlo on the weekend though, so I cant really be bothered
