Gravity 12 hr

My brother from another mother and myself getting ready for my first lap!

A rainy start to a fun weekend was the call on the Friday road trip up. I have not seen rain like it for months, maybe years and it had me remembering my days in the Army. Driving to the event was long and arduous at times with the rain and poor visibility. The race area received nearly 50mm of rain in 13 hours.
The stop for some food in Benalla for the weekend of camping out proved to be weird to say the least with most of the occupants of the local supermarket checking out with a stare my rather large lamb chops.
We had some trouble locating the turn off for the event site with little signage and flew past it only to back track and find it in the failing light. We drove up the narrow trail into the site with some trepidation as we had the Subaru slipping and sliding, stopping to give way to some on coming traffic along the goat track. Once at the top of the hill the narrow track opened into a large grassed area that was to be home for the next 2 days. After locating a site we put up the tents as quick as we could in the pissing rain. Brendan our ever keen team mate arrived soon after with the family in tow and was just as quick to set up.
After checking out the area and sampling some fine brew from the Boytons catering area we hit the sack. We awoke to a clearing day with spectacular scenery around us. With race time approaching we sorted out the team order and awaited our fourth team member Sean.
The start was the usual mayhem with a Le mans style start which Brendan got through without incident. The racing was fast and by the reports coming back the trail was great fun and despite the rain some what dry. I was getting keen to get out there and cut a lap and soon enough my time came.
The course was fun flowing single track with some sections of connecting fire trail. A few short hills that let you know you were alive with burning lungs. After a sweet run I knocked over the lap in a nice time. All was good until my second lap which ended all to soon. I was whipping it down the first descent of flowing single track and as I was coming up to the start of Heartbreak Hill I felt a nice little twing and the bike stopped. I got off thinking something was wrong and saw the snapped frame in the drive side dropout. After some choice words I headed back to the start finish to get the next lap started. Luckily it all occurred near a marshaling point so the news could be sent back by radio and the next team member sent out.
I was fucking over the whole bike racing thing by the time I got back to the race/ camp area.
Nothing is more frustrating than watching others get out there and race and having a blast and you have to watch it slide by.
In the end the Flaccid Roosters pumped out enough laps to get us home in 20th place. Even Brendan's wife got a lap in for us which was fantastic to see.
The Gravity had all the good times including people cutting nude laps and plenty of single speed and 29er's on the go. It was also a great catch up with some friends of old who I hadn't seen in a year or two.
Sunday saw us cancel our plans of NZ Gav and me hit Falls Creek for a loop and head home via some breakfast at the Old Butter Factory in Mrytleford which was kick arse and the meal was something to be hold just ask Gav.
From there a quick detour to the Bridge Road brewery in Beechworth.



Trails