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big_d
Flogged
Joined: May 24, 2003
Posts: 3,914
Location: WELLINGTON .:Johnsonville:.
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 Posted: Fri 5th Sep 12:27pm Post subject: |
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| brispuss wrote: | Is Wellington Downhill Dead?
Yes. Time to move on (to road cycling)! |
Il take my chances with tree's over Wellington motorists any day!
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Vee
Scuffed
Joined: Jun 20, 2008
Posts: 328
Location: Wellington
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 12:35pm Post subject: |
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I have $100 left on laybuy for my ff helmet and goggles which I was intending to pickup next payday.. I might just pay for them now so I can wear/use this weekend. I suck at laybuy...
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-Reaper-
Worn
Joined: Apr 15, 2006
Posts: 767
Location: Wallowing In Freedom
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 1:05pm Post subject: |
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| big_d wrote: |
Keep an eye out on this thread http://www.vorb.org.nz/ftopic-56479-6960.html
And don't be fooled by the name – There is a group of about 20+ locals who use this thread to organise rides for most weekends & we welcome people to join us. |
Yeah... I've been making as many dig days at LG as i can... just gotta wait till summer for it to all pay off i guess.
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Mark
Thrashed
Joined: Feb 11, 2002
Posts: 1,055
Location: Welly
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 1:40pm Post subject: |
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| brispuss wrote: | Is Wellington Downhill Dead?
Yes. Time to move on (to road cycling)! |
 I'm an old fart but it'll be another 20 years before things get that bad
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Mike_the_Hippy
Thrashed
Joined: May 04, 2003
Posts: 1,649
Location: Wgtn, NZ
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 4:27pm Post subject: |
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HHmmmmmmmm interesting.
I guess its at this point im guessing everyone expecting me to say something profound.
The reality is im not really sure where to start or if i will just sound like im having a moan.
Actually i dont have time to say what i want so i'll leave it till later.
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Scotty
yeahnah
Joined: Mar 15, 2002
Posts: 14,242
Location: Not quite sure yet...
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 4:42pm Post subject: |
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| Mike_the_Hippy wrote: | HHmmmmmmmm interesting.
I guess its at this point im guessing everyone expecting me to say something profound.
The reality is im not really sure where to start or if i will just sound like im having a moan.
Actually i dont have time to say what i want so i'll leave it till later. |
nah mate, you work your esra off enough already. 
I wouldn't waste your breath on here.
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tryfan
Worn
Joined: May 10, 2005
Posts: 595
Location: WainuiommMMMmmata!!
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 5:57pm Post subject: |
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| thorg wrote: |  Funny this thread appearing, when just this week I have been approached by someone looking to open up an area to MTB riders, with a road to the top and 400+m of elevation 
still in uber early stage discussions mind - but work is being done to keep things alive in welly. |
You talking about Orongoroanga's Thorgie?
I have to say - If there are enough folk keen in the hutt i could be keen to step up and organise 0r at least help get the dh track project moving.
the region has to benefit from more dh venues - it a BLOODY great big hill for a dh course and not all of us live in Wellies.
Im not keen if it's just going to be a small handfull of us digging trail with pics and without mechanical support if you catch my drift. 
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tryfan
Worn
Joined: May 10, 2005
Posts: 595
Location: WainuiommMMMmmata!!
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 6:23pm Post subject: |
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Basically there ARE good people doing good thing for welly DH. LG is a fantastic resource, a real quality play park albeit with some usage strings attatched - i would be there a bunch more if it wasn't for having a dog and mucho wainui commitments..
In brief - before people start making comments like 'is welly dh dead' they should join a club or get behind an organised group trying to do good thing and help with maintainance / dig some new track!
We are what we ride - our region is what we make of it...
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justatipple
Scuffed
Joined: Sep 02, 2005
Posts: 265
Location: Welly Or Chch
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 6:31pm Post subject: |
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HELL NO!!!. welli DH is so tech and different. ya just need ta ride wif da rite people
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Fraser
Flogged
Joined: Jan 03, 2002
Posts: 2,296
Location: Kauniainen, Finland
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 7:05pm Post subject: |
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A wake for Wellington Down Hill known to his mates as 'DH' will be held at the top of the Hills surrounding Wellington on the 6th of September 2008 at the crack of Midday. Those not attending the wake can sift around bike shops until summer, but this will be at the expense of the rider.
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iodi
Ridden
Joined: Aug 28, 2008
Posts: 173
Location: Wellington
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 7:23pm Post subject: |
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| Jono wrote: | | Oh ricky - speaking of old-school, can you remember the route of the old karori park DH track? I'm going in that way over the next couple of weeks to try and re-find it all (with a view to re-establishing it). |
I've recently added a map and description of that track at www.tracks.org.nz/track/show/88
It was used for the 1998 mountain bike championships downhill course. Though that was a long time ago, so let me know if it isn't quite right.
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tryfan
Worn
Joined: May 10, 2005
Posts: 595
Location: WainuiommMMMmmata!!
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| Posted: Fri 5th Sep 9:37pm Post subject: |
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| Fraser wrote: | | A wake for Wellington Down Hill known to his mates as 'DH' will be held at the top of the Hills surrounding Wellington on the 6th of September 2008 at the crack of Midday. Those not attending the wake can sift around bike shops until summer, but this will be at the expense of the rider. |
Nicely said...! 
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CyaNIDe
Worn
Joined: Mar 12, 2007
Posts: 688
Location: somewhere near nowhere
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| Posted: Sat 6th Sep 11:15am Post subject: |
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Well now I finally have some time to write what I have been thinking.
Personally, I do not think wellington downhill is dying. And it sure isnt dead. However I do beleive we are going through a bit of a phase.
The impression I get is that the old school "founders" of downhill in general, are starting to get a little older (no offence), and therefore are starting to lose the time they once had for developing the downhill scene. Most of them have families, work long hours in thier jobs, and have different priorities in life.
This exodus of keen Wellington downhillers has caused a shortage of experienced volunteers, to take over these roles. This in turn causes a slow down in the overall development of the sport.
The wellington MTB club is certainly not dead, however we really struggle to get the volunteers we need. There seems to be a core group of people who keep things rolling.
As Jono mentioned, as good help becomes hard to find, the priorities of trail leaders and track builders changes. They become more focused on building areas which suit them, and trails which they like to ride.
A prime example of the lack of resources is shuttle days. With the new transport rules for Long Gully, we needed to get 4x4 vehicles to run any sort of shuttle day. But at most, we could only organise 2 or 3 possible vehicles. No-one was willing to put their hand up and help out. In turn, we cannot run shuttle days in Long Gully, which in turn gives people the impression that downhill in Wellington is dead.
Another example of the lack of resources is the 420 track at Long Gully. Adrian has put huge amounts of work into this track over the years. Recently wife has had a baby. Therefore his time is less available to get up there and maintain the track. But do you think anyone is putting their hand up to help maintain it?
Mark has put in a lot of work to the race track. Now that he is building his house in Upper Hutt, he has less time to get in there and maintain the track. But once again, very little bodies have showed to take it over.
My personal opinion is that wWellington Downhill is as alive as ever. I am still riding at least 1 day a week.
To those who say that Wellington downhill is dying, why dont you get out there a stop it? Get out there and help on a trail. Volunteer to help organise an event. You young guys could convince your parents to come along to a dig day, and drive a vehicle for shuttles.
Without an increase in the number of volunteers, Wellington downhill will die.
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Mike_the_Hippy
Thrashed
Joined: May 04, 2003
Posts: 1,649
Location: Wgtn, NZ
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| Posted: Sat 6th Sep 11:17am Post subject: |
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| iodi wrote: | | Jono wrote: | | Oh ricky - speaking of old-school, can you remember the route of the old karori park DH track? I'm going in that way over the next couple of weeks to try and re-find it all (with a view to re-establishing it). |
I've recently added a map and description of that track at www.tracks.org.nz/track/show/88
It was used for the 1998 mountain bike championships downhill course. Though that was a long time ago, so let me know if it isn't quite right. |
I know that track like the back of my hand, as i remember i was one of 5 people that were mad enough to practise it in the rain in the days prior, paid of though kicked esra with a first place senior mens ,definatly one of my greatest achivements.
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Jono
High grade mental defective
Joined: Dec 25, 2001
Posts: 7,795
Location: Wellytron
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| Posted: Sat 6th Sep 1:37pm Post subject: RE: Is Wellington Downhill Dead? |
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| jumpmtb wrote: | For a while now the Wellington Downhill scence has seemed like it's starting too die out, with people giving up. Hardly any races ever on, never any news or people building wee downhill runs anywhere. I know it takes people to organise events and stuff, and I know I dont do any work there, but latly it feels like the wellington DH scence is dead, well thats just my views on the matter.
Harry. |
So harry - in response I would ask "what do you expect of the DH scene in Welly?" Do you want more races? More tracks? Different types of stuff on the tracks?
And as a follow up question, do you or are you able to help out on occasion?
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