A QuietRush moment at CORC 24hr 2011

The CORC24hr is over and done with for another year. I'm hoping the large number of tired riders aren't now trying to do the long haul home..spoke with one soloist who was going to find a nice hotel for a big sleep! Great for the Canberra hotels to have riders like him over-nighting another night. I'm not sure they're really the Floriade type though..

As usual, event organisers put on a great ride, which was a little damp this year but made for a dust free track and some definitely dirty bikes and riders. I used the demo bike as a media coverage mount to let me get all over the mountain for some photo work, covering the team photos for our colleagues at Cordelta, who'd put in about 25 riders across a range of team categories, down a little from our field of more than 40 riders last year. Good to have a final tally of only one set of busted ribs and another very grazed rider who'd face-planted in the night. I've done enough 24hr races now in a variety of team formats to quite happily sit this one out and look after my 2 year old daughter. This was her first year at the event and she seemed pretty excited by all the bikes..a great future in 2 wheels beckons..the bike easily coped with the load of her in a backpack, though obviously ridden at a crawling pace, between car-park, team tent and some close photo-settings.

Whilst there, I had a really positive range of conversations with a broad range of riders, and had a ball getting to the top of Mt Stromlo for some night shots. Next year, a mobile tripod..too much handshake.. Enjoy the photos of the bike hanging out atop the last climb, enjoying the pretty lights of the night.

Thanks again to the organisers and volunteers of the CORC24hr for another year of adventure sport excellence and bringing in riders from all around Australia to enjoy one of the best mountain bike venues Australia has to offer.

---