If you want to do a fantastic ride in prep for the Jeep 24hr race, Ferg – and anyone who wants to come – will be riding the Dry Diggings trail on Sunday 21st Nov in the arvo.
There will be two options for this ride.
Option 1 will be harder and longer and start at Vaughan Springs and ride to The Chocolate Mill near Hepburn Springs, have a coffee and snack and then return via the same route to Vaughan Springs. We will leave Ferg’s house at 1pm with the aim to be riding about 2:30. Total distance is about 40km with heaps of single track fun.
Option 2 will start at the Chocolate Mill and join the return ride to Vaughan Springs. The return ride has more descending sections including a 15minute fire road descent. Riders should be ready to ride about 4:30pm after coffee and snacks. A car shuffle from Vaughan Springs back to the start will be organised for these riders. Park outside the Chocolate Mill on the grassed entrance.
On my own, I have ridden option 2 just under 1:20 hours with a 8 minute stop. I’m allowing 1:40 for the “uphill” to the Chocolate Mill and 1:45 for the return (given option 2 will have slower riders). Return to Melb will be about 8pm.
Trail conditions should be good as we are mostly ridge riding and this type of terrain dries really quickly. It is small embedded rocks like Castlemaine and nothing like You Yangs Stockyards. The ride will continue regardless of weather. I did it this July when everywhere else was waterlogged and this trail was dusty dry.
Email or text Ferg if you want to come. Bring money for the Chocolate Mill. My garmin log for the ride is here (dont laugh at the low speeds or high heart rate and please note the elevation profile!!!!)
