The Women's social ride focuses on creating a supportive, inclusive and encouraging environment, connecting with other women and spending time in our beautiful local surrounds. Teen girls who are confident intermediate mountain bikers are also welcome to join us. On Sunday 31st July we will explore the northern section of trails at La Larr Ba Gauwa Park (pronounced "Lah Larr Ba Gower") in Harcourt, on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. The ride will commence from Harcourt township at the designated MTB parking (opposite CFA Building and behind the new playground) at 10:00am and go for around 2 hrs. We will ride the gentle incline up Picnic Gully Road to the trailhead and then onto Girra (trail # 2), Wilkerr (trail # 3) and Murnong (trail # 4). All these trails are rated as blue square (more difficult) and are targeted at intermediate riders. A medium level of fitness is required.  Please note this is not a skills clinic and riders must be self-sufficient with food, water and spares. You must have a well maintained mountain bike and well fitted helmet that meets Australian standards. A Rocky Riders (or other AusCycling) membership is recommended so you are covered by insurance while riding. Riders without an Auscycling membership, do so at their own discretion. If you are not in a position to sign up for a full membership the AusCycling 4 Week Free Trial could be an alternative option to cover you or you can take out a Auscycling Lifestyle Membership for the month for $9.00. In order for us to manage riders to ride leaders ratios please purchase a free ticket below. If you have any questions regarding the ride get in touch via info@rockyriders.com  

Come and join our women's social ride organiser Natalya*, for a free pre-ride "warm up" skills session. We will do a basic bike check and learn a key MTB skill. This is for Castlemaine Rocky Riders club members only. Meet at the La Larr Ba Gauwa car park in Harcourt at 9am sharp (8:45 arrival for riders to get set up) and stay for social ride at 10am.  Limited numbers so participants can get optimal feedback.  You must have a well maintained mountain bike and well fitted helmet that meets Australian standards. *Natalya is a PMBIA Level One instructor and Wilderness First Aid Responder.   

Our monthly social rides continue with an exploration of the Poverty Gully region, including some of the historic water races. This area provides a good sample of classic Castlemaine singletrack, along with some superb relics of the gold rush era.  Depending on numbers and experience of riders we may be able to break the group into two to cater for a slower paced group.   Either way you can expect a ride of 20 plus kms over some classic singletrack in varied terrain, with a duration of around two and a half hours. We have a no-drop policy, no one will be left behind. A Rocky Riders (or other AusCycling) membership is recommended so you are covered by insurance while riding. Riders without an Auscycling membership, do so at their own discretion. If you are not in a position to sign up for a full membership the AusCycling 4 Week Free Trial could be an alternative option to cover you or you can take out a Auscycling Lifestyle Membership for the month for $9.00. In order for us to manage riders to ride leaders ratios please purchase a free ticket below. If you have any questions regarding the ride get in touch via info@rockyriders.com  

Natalya is offering free individual and pairs MTB skills sessions to beginner/intermediate riders in order to put into practice her recently aquired instructor certification. These sessions are free for current CRR club members in exchange for constructive feedback (both verbally and in survey provided) and a committment to attend arranged sessions. Sessions will go for approximatly 1 to 1.5 hours on green trails in Walmer Reserve "the Bacos".   *Natalya Garden is a Level One PMBIA (Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association) Instructor, she has a Wilderness First Aid certifcate and a current Working with Children's Check.   Please bring: Helmet – Australian Standard Approved Mountain Bike in good condition, we are unable to provide instruction for the use of an e-bike  Water bottle – with at least 500ml of water in it Tools – multi-tool with chain breaker Pump Spare tubes Gloves - noting that full-finger gloves are our preference WET WEATHER POLICY Castlemaine Rocky Riders is committed to your safety. If treacherous or unsafe conditions are predicted your Session will be cancelled. All cancelled Sessions due to wet weather will be rescheduled. AMBULANCE & MEDICAL TREATMENT In the event of an emergency, you authorise us to request an ambulance on your behalf and contact emergency contact person provided. YOUR PHYSICAL CONDITION  You promise and represent on the date of the booking, and repeat such warranty and representation each time you participate in a Session, that you are in good physical condition and that you know of no medical or other reason why you are not capable of engaging in a Session or in active or passive exercise and that such exercise would not be detrimental to your health, safety, comfort or physical condition. Castlemaine Rocky Riders instructors and coaches may not be medically trained and are therefore not qualified to assess whether you are in good physical condition and/or that you can engage in active or passive exercise without detriment to your health, safety, comfort or physical condition. You must not participate in Sessions whilst suffering from any infections or contagious illness, disease or other ailment or whilst suffering from any physical ailment such as open cuts or sores or minor infections where there is a risk, however small, to other riders. WARRANTIES – You warrant to us that you: do not suffer from any medical condition which may or could affect or adversely impact your cycling or you undertaking a Session; the bicycle and other equipment which you use will be serviced on a regular basis and will be kept in good working order and condition at all times; will wear an Australian Standards compliant helmet securely fastened at all times during a Session. will be prompt to session and notify the instructor with as much notice as possible if unable to attend. will provide verbal feedback to instructor and complete a survey following session.    

This month's club social ride will be a cross country epic starting in Malmsbury and navigating backwoods trails through the Fryers Ranges to Castlemaine.  We use the word navigating in the loosest possible way of course - but there will be farm tracks, jeep tracks, some fire road to tie everything together and a fair chunk of single track to finish the ride.  In all, about 45 kilometres of steep climbs, sharp descents and everything in between - about 4-5 hours riding.  As this is mostly on more remote roads and trails there are no particularly convenient exit points. This is definitely a ride for for more adventurous riders.  You will need to be a technically competent rider with good fitness level, and possessed with a fair dose of confidence and endurance.  There is a train leaving Castlemaine for Malmsbury at 8.11am;  bikes should be welcome at this time of the day but space is at the discretion of V-Line.  Alternatively, drivers and car-poolers should aim to get to the start of the ride at Malmsbury station at 8.30am.  Riders must be self-sufficient with food, water and spares. You must have a well maintained mountain bike and well fitted helmet that meets Australian standards. A Rocky Riders (or other AusCycling) membership is recommended so you are covered by insurance while riding. Riders without an Auscycling membership, do so at their own discretion. If you are not in a position to sign up for a full membership the AusCycling 4 Week Free Trial could be an alternative option to cover you or you can take out a Auscycling Lifestyle Membership for the month for $9.00. In order for us to manage riders to ride leaders ratios please purchase a free ticket below. If you have any questions regarding the ride get in touch via info@rockyriders.com

The renowned Baco Trails in Castlemaine have been included on the Shifty Fifty calendar for 2022 with the Roll'd Gold event scheduled for Saturday 18 June.  The Shifty Fifty Series is a very specific set of Mountain Bike races in Victoria aimed at the sweet spot of mountain biking.  Each race is 50kms only! Roll'd Gold is a new addition to the Shifty Fifty calendar for 2022, and will showcase some of the fast, flowy and fun riding around Castlemaine.  There's a bunch of memorable singletrack that will take you through box-ironbark woodland areas of historic gold mining activity.  This route features undulating terrain with generally flowy trails on smooth, sometimes loose, dirt surfaces.  As to be expected in central Victoria there are some rocky sections and steeper climbs and descents. Oh and don't forget eMTBs are always welcome at all rounds of the Shifty Fifty.  Plus there is a 25km course available for those seeking a less demanding outing. This event is being delivered by Castlemaine Rocky Riders and Bendigo MTB Club. Entries via EntryZone https://www.entryzone.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1078 For a course map please follow this link.

Castlemaine Rocky Riders are hosting Round 5 of the 2022 Shifty Fifty MTB series at the renowned Baco trails on Saturday 18 June.  We are expecting 200 plus riders to be competing on the day with a lively event village and facilities for riders and supporters. In order to manage the logistics of the event we need at least a dozen volunteers to assist with the following tasks: - Car parking & road crossings (0700-1500hrs) - during the race for OHS & A/B lines (0900-1500hrs)  - Check-in / race plate issue (0730-1030hrs). Note that all registration is online - Lighting & maintaining fire drums (0700-1500hrs - subject to weather) - Clean-up / pack-up (1400-1530hrs) If you can asisst with the staging of this event please register with a free ticket below and we will contact you to discuss your role on the day.

The trails in this network are generally flowing and less technical in nature, with only a few short climbs;  some newer trails have exploited local geological and Goldfields features.  This ride will introduce some new trails through the forest. We are planning a ride of approximately 20 km that should take around 2.5 hours.  We will likely split into two groups to offer both a medium-paced and a more social-paced journey.  Riders with beginner to intermediate skills are welcome but must have a reasonable level of fitness and all riders must be self-sufficient with food, water and spares. The ride will commence at 9:30am at the historic Red White and Blue poppet head on Bells Lane Track.  Head west on the Muckleford School Road, past Jeralee Boarding Kennels and continue on Bells Lane Track to the intersection with Red White and Blue Track.  There is plenty of parking (but no coffee van).

The Women's social ride includes: all women* (both cis and trans), non-binary, gender non confirming people, LGBTQI+, people of colour, and ages.  These rides focus on creating a supportive, inclusive and encouraging environment, connecting with other women and spending time in our beautiful local surrounds. Teen girls who are confident intermediate mountain bikers are also welcome to join us. On Sunday 24th April we will ride Kens Trails in Walmer Forest Reserve, Castlemaine, on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Assemble at the Daltons/Daws Rd Car park for a 9am start.  Catered for intermediate skill level riders, we will ride for approximately 2 hours. There will be a “no drop” policy – no one will be left behind. There will be an option to follow the ride with a catch up at a local café. Women with advanced mountain biking experience are welcome to come along to contribute to the supportive environment. Please note this is not a skills clinic and riders must be self-sufficient with food, water and spares. You must have a well maintained mountain bike and well fitted helmet that meets Australian standards. A Rocky Riders (or other AusCycling) membership is recommended so you are covered by insurance while riding. Riders without an Auscycling membership, do so at their own discretion. If you are not in a position to sign up for a full membership the AusCycling 4 Week Free Trial could be an alternative option to cover you or you can take out a Auscycling Lifestyle Membership for the month for $9.00. In order for us to manage riders to ride leaders ratios please purchase a free ticket below. If you have any questions regarding the ride get in touch via info@rockyriders.com *this list is not exhaustive of the large spectrum of women living in our community, please contact us if you have any feedback or suggestions about the language used and we will work to represent those who want to ride with us. 

Bron & Kerry (our community health nurses in Castlemaine) are providing a first aid course for our local Rocky Rider MTBers who are 12years or older.  This course is not a ‘certified course’ and is not as comprehensive as a full ‘Provide First Aid’ course. However, you will still learn HEAPS and we will be following the guidelines for our certified First Aid courses (minus the exams!!) while having lots of fun. We will cover CPR, snake bite, sprains, strains and breaks, bleeding, head injuries, calling 000 and much more! We may use fake blood too �� If you’re concerned about red food dye on your skin, just let us know! Also, if you will be having lunch off site, we will need permission from parents for this. Here’s a few details about the day: Friday April 22nd from 9-2. Come around the side if the front doors are closed. Chirp Community Health – 13 Mostyn St, Castlemaine. This course is subsidised by Rocky Riders and will cost $20 per participant (plus an extra $10 if you would like a snake bandage) - payment details will follow separately Please bring: Morning tea and Lunch An exercise book and pen for taking notes Face mask Please come on time as we will start promptly! Kind regards, Bron and Kerry 0439 187 051

To continue from the Summer Dirt Crits series we are organising this social ride. This ride is not intended to be a major workout, but focused more on having fun on the bike. A number of CRR adult riders will be in attendance to monitor & provide assistance as required. Parents and carers are also welcome to join in the ride if interested. Participants are required to be self sufficient with water & snacks.   It will be a great time to meet up with like minded young people, getting the legs spinning and brushing up on the skills. We will be starting at 9am in the morning and the sessions will go for 1.5 hours max Age group 7-12 will ride for 1 hour - route determined based on age of children. Parents of younger children are are welcome/encouraged to participate in ride.   Age group 13-15 will ride for 1.5 hours - group may be split for separate ride subject to age & no. of attendees. The first ride will be held at the Baco trails. We will meet at the Daltons Road carpark (corner Daws Road) at 9:00am.