There is a new and improved mountain bike track in Armidale. Right in the middle of town on the west side of the lookout is Kookaburra Crest. This has been a four-cross downhill track for about 15 years and has seen little use. NEMTB (New England Mountain Bikers) have been working hard on the old track and it has been transformed into a short course cross country mountain bike track that is a 1.7km long loop.
The up-coming summer series of races run by NEMTB starts on Monday, February 6, and these races will take place on the Kookaburra Crest track. The 35 minute races will take place for eight Monday afternoons in a row after that date.
To get people ready for this series, NEMTB will run a “come-and-try’ afternoon next Monday January 30 at 5.30pm on the Kookaburra Crest track. Club Mountain Bike Coach David Harris will show all interested riders the best way to ride the new track. There will be a number of other club members assisting. There are some rolling down hill jumps on the old downhill track, sharp turns, wooden bridges and a downhill section through the trees.
Riders of all abilities and ages are invited. To cover insurance, people who do not have a MTBA licence will need to pay a $5 social riding fee for the day. To get a licence for 12 months costs $110 for 19 year olds and over, $80 between 13 and 18 and just $35 for those aged 3 to 12. This fee means riders do not need to pay $5 for official club training days or $20 for a day license for races.
Participants will need a working mountain bike with a helmet. Gloves and a water bottle are recommended.
So come down to the Kookaburra Crest track at 5.30pm on Monday, January 30, to learn how best to ride the new mountain bike track in town.
It’s a great way to find out what mountain biking is like under qualified instruction by local experts. And at just $5 for non-members it’s cheap entertainment for the afternoon.
