A while back I overheard some MTB riders talking about a cool single track trail in the Wombat Forest that passes through an old gold mining area, with most of the track cut into the hillside and at times a steep drop down to the river on one side. Sounded great!

I had a couple of hours to spare today so headed on out with the KH24″ GUni to check it out.

Sections of the trail were deep and narrow, other sections had little if anything to stop you sliding down the hill on one side. There was also a lot of stuff left over from the gold mining days – even tunnels!

Old mining tunnel
Old mining tunnel

It took me a while to summon up sufficient mojo to cruise sections of the trail in high gear, but once I got the 24″ GUni rolling in high gear it was exhilarating!

Don't fall off!
Don’t fall off!

From what I saw today the trail would also be great on a single speed 29’er MUni due to the extra pedal clearance and speed over the 24 in 1:1. The 24″ GUni is great though in a setting like this – where the trail is too narrow with too big a drop on the side, or obstacles or anything of concern you can always puddle through it in 1:1, then get back into 1:1.5 and hang on. Good day to wear a helmet 😉

Looking down to the river
Looking down to the river

The trail winds in and out of many gullies, passing through a wide range of terrain. Once out of the side gullies the drop down to the river at times is big enough to scare you 🙂

Single track cut into hillside
Single track cut into hillside

Passing through heavily mined areas another funny thing are the old mines, sometimes right up against the trail.

Passing through heavily mined area
Passing through heavily mined area

LOTS of forest! I hope to get back here a few times before Summer kicks in as it will often be a no go area due to bush fire risk and isolation.

Lots of forest!
Lots of forest!

Out of time today, the turn around point was a big fern beside the trail.

Big fern, ride turnaround marker
Big fern, ride turnaround marker

I’m really enjoying the KH24″ GUni (Geared Unicycle). My legs and brain are definitely beginning to feel ‘re-tensioned’ for 1:1.5, making riding it off road a lot more relaxed, natural and FUN 😀

It looks like there is a LOT more old mining trail to be explored along the river. Hope to get back there in the next week or two.

2 Responses

  1. awesome, “THE TUNNEL” sounds like a dodgy sci-fi/horror flick. now if only the singletrack went underground through the old mine workings, into THE ABYSS!!!! i’ll certainly let you know when I am back in vic, i’ll bring my G-pick, hard hat and miners lamp, and we can patent a new type of prospecting….unimining!!!!

  2. hey cool Daniel. I reckon you could ride down the tunnel in the pic on a 12″ or 16″ with a head lamp 😀

    great trail, hope to head back in the next week and ride more of it.

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