Discussion: Excellent

Your route choice to #6 makes me happy someone went that way. I dare say you didn't ride down the track #6 was actually on! At least two people I know (from traces - Boltboi and Shane) came from the south on course 2 and went past the bottom of the track.

If you read my log on that link you'll see I shouldered the bike :) that was the plan once I decided on that route . My logic at the time was this is more direct and I bet I can run/jog that short bit faster than the extra distance on the flat. I feel it was a strategic error to be honest feel the longer route would have been better/faster as there would have been less climb

Ahh, didn't see the log button - just read the comment about your sunnies at the envelope.

Nice comment on not seeing your competition coming out of #2... you do realise there were a good dozen (feasible) routes to get from 1-2 don't you? :-) (if you include all the permutations on actually leaving #1) Your way was probably the fastest and simplest - although not necessarily the shortest - but had the climb at the end.

There was really only one way to go 2-3 unless you were dumb enough to go up the hill out of #2, probably the only leg of the day (other than the finish, maybe also 6-7 unless you carried your bike up the hill) with no route choice, except you came at the control from the far end of the short dash track instead of the near end.

5-6 you *almost* had the shortest route but the question is how much time is lost by walking the downhill dotted track rather then riding the longer route, something I've never really had the time to explore. I know for sure I lost time in the ACT long champs last year by taking a shorter route that had a hill I had to walk up, compared to others that I beat overall but who got me on that leg. Incidentally the better route would be to go west out of #5 then NW (rather than south) up the dashed track to the T and turn left. Saves going down 5 contours to have to climb back up them again and a slightly shorter distance too, even though it looks like you're going backwards.

Dunno what the unmapped obstruction on the track coming out of 10 was. We drove that track only on Friday and there was nothing there then.

Well done on finishing anyway, it was a tough course.

sure there is a dozen if you want to climb all day - I didnt look east because of the contours that shits just craziness.

I dont think I would have lost much time tbh I went down that hill on foot faster than I rode most climbs!

OMFG I have just looked at map and seen that WTF was I thinking! would have been a much better and likely faster option.

There was a tree down - can find the specific spot if you wish.

Thank you for setting it tbh that weekend was the best 3 mtbo races ive been in - really enjoyed all fo them - knew yours was going to be hard so had my head ready for it - sadly I am sure the bug from Will was already weakening me and lets be honest I havent been on the bike properly in months and months - so I am surprised I survived!

As I said, your route from 1-2 was probably the easiest and flattest but not the shortest by any stretch :P Such is the nature of my course setting!

Your route = 5.3km +70m (almost all fast tracks)
Shortest route = 4.1km +180m (straight up the Bibbulmun, some medium tracks midway and at the end, approach from the top rather than the bottom)

There was another route you could have taken parallel to the bottom road (first down the Bibbulmun), then tackling the hill about 3/4 through and coming down from the top that was 4.9km +110m that was still mostly on fast tracks.

Well I know 3 out of 5 used my route and pretty sure 4 out of 5 did but can't confirm the 4th

So certainly going with the numbers there

@tRicky - there was a dead banksia across the road to the east of #10 (108) - found it when I was collecting controls. We went in and out to the west on Friday when we put the controls out so we didn't see it. Only took a couple of minutes to roll it off the road, too. Bugger!

No we didn't, we came in from the east. Remember we drove past the track junction on River Road twice before driving up it (it was the first CP we put out)! Maybe it was one of DPaW's Mundaring burn offs that caused the tree to weaken and fall over.

Bryce, again, shortest isn't necessarily the fastest! Your way would/could have been quicker, just longer ;-) (maybe I should go down and test them out). This is what you have to take into account when riding one of my courses. Shame I didn't get the five people to take five different routes though :-(

I've seen from the traces on TBT (before Boltboi took his down) that course 2 had three people take three different routes from 7-8 (there were at least five potential routes on offer - more with minor variations - although one was total bollocks but shorter than the route Shane took).

I realize that but the main road was amazing with a lot less climb I would be surprised if the extra 400m wasn't more than accounted for. Would be more interes in seeing time comparison on 5-6

You mean the extra 1.2km?

5-6 had three distinct routes although the eastern option wasn't overly attractive because it was much further but had a fast, slight downhill to start then an awful climb just south of the quarry.

Courses 2-6 all had legs across there that had routes looking fairly similar going either way.

Actually thinking about it 1-2 has been tested the guy who I was consistently a similar speed to went the other way and my leg was faster :)

You should train both your legs together on the bike so they go at the same speed.

@tRicky - yep, quite right it was the first one we put out. So the banksia must have come down on Saturday morning during that freezing wind - jeez it was cold at the start for the Short. I nearly died there so I'm not surprised that the banksia gave up.

I'm just glad you thought to bring jackets for Tash and I since we were too busy to bring our own.

Yes!! Thankyou for that!!! Soo grateful!