MTB: Old Chevy, here we come

HOLD ON: Nigel and Maddison Robinson go through their paces at Yeah Boi Sick Race. PHOTO/MEAD NORTON

It's not very autumnal, is it?

With the exception of the weekend of Cyclone Lusi and a few showers here and there, the dry weather seems to have a secure hold.

Rain is usually seen as the natural enemy of trails. But long spells of hot, dry weather can also do damage as exposed trails break up and turn to powdery dust.

Trails like Old Chevy are mainly undercover, but the short sections that are open to the weather are chalky.

The Chev is a trail I have a bit of history with, helping mark out and build sections back in 2007. The team involved were led by Rick Todd, who was course designer of the cross-country course at the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships.

It is a bit of an exception to the way trails are constructed these days. Freelance volunteers and not the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club initiated Old Chevy. And not a single metre was built by digger. It was all chipped out by spade, rake and hoe: old school single track.

It's a trail that challenges lungs and skills with steep climbs and technical descents.

Always a test and it stays in reasonable shape whatever the weather. But no trail is maintenance free.

I caught up with Rick a week or so ago over a coffee. Part of the conversation was about getting into Old Chevy and doing some work on it early in the winter.

Every so often all trails need a full evaluation and tune up. We'll take a walk first and figure out what needs doing. Then we'll get as many of the big group who contributed to the build and head back in with the tools. I haven't done enough of that sort of thing for a while and I miss it. There is something very satisfying about building or working on a trail, then riding it.

One person who will be happy the big dry is continuing will be Murray Fleming, organiser of the Moonride.

This weekend is the 20th anniversary of the first event back in 1994, which was run by Fred Christensen as part of the Mad, Mad Mid-Winter Festival. Until this year, the Moonride always ran in that winter slot.

This year it moves to an earlier date, with milder weather and less chance of rain. Last year it was so torrential the 24-hour race was cancelled. Even so, the trails still took a pounding from the 12-hour race, though they were quickly repaired.

So let's all hope the forecast for fine weather holds - and happy birthday, Moonride.

Events like this have been major draw cards over the last two decades, bringing the spotlight on to our trails, in New Zealand and internationally. (More information on the website: www.eventpromotions.co.nz).

Last week, I got a call from Adventure New Zealand magazine asking for a story and photos from the Rotorua Bike Festival.

Writing the text and going through some of the images to make the selection was an enjoyable reminder of a great 10 days. One photo I supplied was in my top 5 from the hundreds of images shot at the festival: Yeah Boi Sick Race, Old Exit Trail: Nigel and Maddison Robinson, by Mead Norton.