SteveS Posted July 16, 2012 Posted July 16, 2012 Richard. The guy actually said route 3 is a total of 45km's and I am missing 2k's of it. Areas of note: At about 22km on my route the route actually splits with two arrows. If you go right it cuts out a chunk and you stay close to the river and cross over a new wooden bridge. If you go left it takes you back up to the top again and then back down to the other side of the wooden bridge. At about 29km there is a new single track cut in the grass (cut in the last 2 weeks) of 1.7km. At about 36km on the way back on the main gravel road there is a route 3 marker on the left that takes you down again and then up over a small dam wall for a further 5km's
El Dodgius Bastardo Posted July 16, 2012 Posted July 16, 2012 The new grassy singletrack section is actually quite nice
SteveS Posted July 16, 2012 Posted July 16, 2012 The new grassy singletrack section is actually quite niceI assume you were riding a dual suss. Not so much fun on a rigid single speed
RossW Posted July 16, 2012 Posted July 16, 2012 Went on Saturday on my Single speed and did the complete route 3 including all the extra detours i.e.single tracks detours (black arrows without a numbers on them) and got 43kms in total. Lots of new single track. Spoke to one of the course builders who told me that they are working on a further 10k's with the plan that route 3 will end up being 55km with at least half of it being single track. This comes off my Iphone:Richard. The guy actually said route 3 is a total of 45km's and I am missing 2k's of it. Areas of note: At about 22km on my route the route actually splits with two arrows. If you go right it cuts out a chunk and you stay close to the river and cross over a new wooden bridge. If you go left it takes you back up to the top again and then back down to the other side of the wooden bridge. At about 29km there is a new single track cut in the grass (cut in the last 2 weeks) of 1.7km. At about 36km on the way back on the main gravel road there is a route 3 marker on the left that takes you down again and then up over a small dam wall for a further 5km's SteveS, I have done the same route and it comes out at around 41km. I'm sure I didn't miss any boards so can't believe at this stage that it tops out at 45km.
SteveS Posted July 16, 2012 Posted July 16, 2012 Hi Ross You are right. If you add the grass sigle track of 1.7km at 29km to your route it ends up almost exactly the same distance as mine RossW 1
The Ghost Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 I had a look at my route, and there is a part I missed (top left of map).I wonder when they were marked, Im sure I didnt miss any signs...
RossW Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 I had a look at my route, and there is a part I missed (top left of map). I wonder when they were marked, Im sure I didnt miss any signs... You missed the BEST bit - the rocky ST near the river it seems. What you need to do is when you come out of the ST near the dam, turn hard right and head sown hill. There is a sign but it is higher up (about 15m) on a wooden pole which shows the route 1 and 2 direction and another showing route 3 down the hill. In the figure the red line shows the ST and the change in direction required. The green circle is where the signs are, approximately.
DeltaAlphaMike Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 The first time I went to northern farm I really enjoyed it. I must go there again sOmetime. Possibly even on Sunday =)
Wayne68 Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 I am looking at going on Saturday morning around 9:30ish to do route 3. Anyone wanting to join in (and show me the way) Looking to do the 45km loop......... Anyone.......is that your hand Richard? I think I saw it?.....
The Ghost Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 You missed the BEST bit - the rocky ST near the river it seems. What you need to do is when you come out of the ST near the dam, turn hard right and head sown hill. There is a sign but it is higher up (about 15m) on a wooden pole which shows the route 1 and 2 direction and another showing route 3 down the hill. In the figure the red line shows the ST and the change in direction required. The green circle is where the signs are, approximately. Thanks a bunch I'll see if I can find the spot. I am looking at going on Saturday morning around 9:30ish to do route 3. Anyone wanting to join in (and show me the way) Looking to do the 45km loop......... Anyone.......is that your hand Richard? I think I saw it?..... Mmmmmm, let me check with government 45 is also about 10km more than I can squeeze out of these legs.
DR ◣◢ Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Keen to try out route 3 on the SS. Need to get the distance in. Saturday will work. Wife is at gym in the morning.
Wayne68 Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 Richard, me neither. Most I have done is 35km, so this will be a good challenge. SIR Maxxis....so 9:30 Saturday morning....at the coffee shop? you there? Richard will make a nice threesome!! .....come on ....you know what I meant!! any other newishbees want to join?
DeltaAlphaMike Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 Richard, me neither. Most I have done is 35km, so this will be a good challenge. SIR Maxxis....so 9:30 Saturday morning....at the coffee shop? you there? Richard will make a nice threesome!! .....come on ....you know what I meant!! any other newishbees want to join? Well I would be keen to join you guys but I have already made arrangements for Saturday (going to fun gaalens). But I will be at nf on sunday
Paul Ruinaard Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 If you know the guys who build the routes then some comments. I have seen the new markers and get about 34kms with various combinations of them, but will try the longer routes Saturday.. It looks like a lot of the new stuff is really similar to what they used at the Northern Farms quickie. However if you do know the guys making teh route then some comments: 1.) If you look at CTN routes, especially the better ones where people like Meurant Botha have been working, they actually cut all the grass away and often make the route a path. This makes it a lot better, as bouncing around freshly weed eaten paths over grass clumps is incredibly irrittaing and loften really painful. Can someone point this out. The single track would be so much faster and so much better to ride2.) THose new pieces of single track, some are magnificent - like the pieces near the river, others are diabolical. They dont flow. You are continually twisting and turning at really low speeds. Surely an MTB rider builds them? Why dont they ride them a bit more and see that the flow is terrible? It seems like they build a great piece followed by a sh*te piece ? This has such potential and some of their ideas are great, but it seems like tey just miss the mark sometimes....
Keep Pedaling Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 "It seems like they build a great piece followed by a sh*te piece" My old varsity Trail Building Psychology 101 textbook. If you only build good trails the bikers will complain like women at a tea party. Be sure to intersperse good trail with intentionally constucted bad trail, and they will happy as pigs in butter.
The Ghost Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Richard, me neither. Most I have done is 35km, so this will be a good challenge. 35km had me beat there (long stretches of uphill on the 2nd half), I need to stick to 35km for s few more rides before I step up. I really don't want to risk over doing it now.
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