HMBA were disappointed that our event was cancelled last Sunday – not just because of the Presentation Day, AGM and Racing / riding that we missed out on, but also because we didn’t get to officially open our new gravity trail.
But it seems cruel to make you all wait for an official event until you are able to find it to ride it – so say hello to “Faulk Line”.
When your mountain bike park is located on the side of the Watagan Mountains range in a steeply wooded corner of the Olney State Forest it seems crazy not to have a few trails that go down the hill, and after our “Monkey” this new trail is the first in a network of new ‘flow-type’ trails destined for the HMBA home. We are so lucky to have the blessing of our landowner Visit NSW State Forests to develop these new trails on land that is really only on ‘loan’ to us.
“Faulk Line” is our Adaptive / Junior Downhill Gravity Trail that opens up the experience of steep, fast and flowing trail to a broad range of riders from the mountain bike community. It is a wide trail bed that follows the contours of the mountainside, swooping and dipping from its start location off Mount Faulk Rd all the way down to the main XC Trail Head Container – once you have ridden it you will appreciate the time it has taken to finish this trail given some of the challenging terrain that it needed to negotiate (let alone the weather). To ride it simply head back out of the park along our entrance road (Jenkins Rd) and make a right turn into Mount Faulk Road – ride up for about 1km and then turn right again into the access trail (signage to be installed soon) – head out to the platform and get ready to smile!
Trail like this don’t build themselves and thanks must go out to the multitude of people that volunteered their time to finish what was initially cut in by Synergy Trails under the watchful eye of our club stalwarts Coleen, Dallas and Rick. A big shout-out too to John and Megan from Tamaden Constructions for their work on the steel platforms and ramps – once you see this you will be impressed. Not to forget Andrew who helped to secure the grant to allow this all to happen.
Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Lake Macquarie City Council and Hunter Mountain Biking Association.
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