Merida 12hr - Gordon St Cycles 6hr

Set in the state forest surrounding Port Mcquarie and conveniently located just minutes off the highway. A club house, an oval, BBQ, coffee guy, hot showers, bike wash and a whole bunch of mountain bikers sharing some of the sweetest trails from HVMTBR. The Mid-North Coast club attracted riders from as far away as Canberra and Brisbane for their annual 12hr weekend

Saturday the 20th March saw the gradual growth of tents around the tracks edges as racers and support crew prepared themselves for the race ahead. It also gave me the opportunity to complete a lap of the track. The skies were overcast, but there hadn't been any rain that day. The track, however, still had some slight wet areas due to recent rains.Later in the afternoon a Dirt Masters race was held for the kids, rego opened and the 12hr riders settled in for a short evening before they began at midnight. From all accounts the Merida 12hr riders got off to a great start, piercing the darkness with their LED lights. It was a full moon and the biggest in twenty years, although you wouldn't know due to the cloud cover, it could have been the moon that brought out the Yowies, their howls rang clear, even a down-pour of rain around 4am didn't dampen their spirits.

Arriving shortly after the rain had subsided for my 6am start of the Gordon St Cycles 6hr, I was keen to hear how the track was holding up with the changes of weather. The main focus of discussion was the timber sections on the trail, purpose made duck-boards and naturally fallen logs had become super slippery and created a couple of casualties. Otherwise the trail was said to have hardly changed, fast, compact and a tonne of fun.Six hours later I crossed through transition muddy, exhausted and satisfied in my attempt to hold Jason English's wheel, even if it was for a brief downhill section. The riders of the Merida 12hr and Gordon St Cycles 6hr had just experienced some great trails and hospitality from the Mid-North Coast club. A fun weekend was had by all and this event will be on my calendar in 2012. Thanks to my Brisbane friends for the recommendation and my support crew for their dedication.