Today, Rick Kidston, Eran Av, and I tackled the Brindabellas. I had my first fall—thanks to a rookie move on a steep section. A large rock knocked me off course, so I hit the brakes but kept the clutch in, so when I released the brake it caused me to start rolling backward. Realising my mistake, I released the clutch, stalled the bike, and toppled sideways. Meanwhile, further down, Rick and Eran had their own minor "lie downs."
The descent towards McIntyres Hut was incredibly steep—probably the toughest I’ve ever done. I reached the turn-off to Lowells Flat and McIntyres Hut, but the others were nowhere in sight. Eventually, Eran showed up, explaining that Rick was worried about his recently healed hand (broken just six weeks ago) and decided not to attempt the final descent. Eran and I started down the last stretch, but Eran decided against continuing, so we both turned back. We were only about 600m from the hut, but we’ll save that for next time when everyone’s fully healed and up for the challenge.
As a consolation, Eran and I rode down to Lowells Flat, then climbed back up and took Webbs Ridge Trail down to Flea Creek. The trail had recently been graded, making it feel like a hard-packed dirt highway on the descent. After a break at Flea Creek, where we met another group of riders, we finished the ride by climbing Gentle Annie Trail and then descending Curries Road back to the start of the dirt on Brindabella Road.
Tally for the Day:

• Total crashes: 4
• Broken mirrors: 1
• Fun had: X100

​Ride Map

Yesterday, some lowlife attempted to steal my motorbike. They went at the bike lock with a piece of concrete, doing some serious damage. Thankfully, a brave bystander caught the incident on video and notified the AFP. Before taking off, though, the thief threw the chunk of concrete at the bystander and bolted.
Now, I’m hoping the AFP can track them down and make an arrest. In the meantime, I’ll need to replace the front rotor and maybe the brake pads, plus invest in a stronger lock. Although my lock technically survived, its integrity is now questionable—and I've seen photos of similar locks breaking easily when the bike is rolled forward with them still on.