Redwoods Trail Ride – Mud, Pines and a Whole Lot of Fishtailing
Three hours on the road and a forecast full of rain led to one seriously muddy day at the Redwoods Trail Ride. While the rain mostly held off during the event itself, the damage had already been done. Deep mud, slippery climbs and endless fishtailing turned what would likely be a fairly relaxed ride in the dry into a challenging but thoroughly enjoyable day in the pines.
After a three-hour drive to Redwoods, I arrived expecting a wet one. It had been raining for several days beforehand and there was more rain in the forecast, although thankfully it never came down particularly hard while I was riding.
The problem was that the damage had already been done. From the moment I set off, the KX450 was fishtailing through the mud. I had forgotten to drop the tyre pressure before heading out, which definitely didn't help, but even after sorting that there was only so much grip to be found. At times it felt less like riding a dirt bike and more like trying to steer a boat.
That said, it was still great fun. The track wound through the pines with a few decent hill climbs and plenty of flowing forest riding. In the dry, I suspect Redwoods would be a fairly relaxed trail ride, but in these conditions even the simple sections became a proper challenge — much more than the casual rider would likely expect.
There were two loops on offer, and they ended up being quite different rides.
The 20 km Loop
The main 20 km loop was where most of the mud madness could be found.
Much of the course travelled through pine forest, generally staying on flatter ground or dropping through the valleys. Unfortunately, that also meant it seemed to travel directly from one mud pit to the next.
Some sections were slick, some were deep, and others were simply a case of picking a line, committing to it and hoping the bike agreed.
Despite the conditions, it was a thoroughly enjoyable loop. There aren't really any major viewpoints or standout scenic locations where you'd want to stop and take everything in; the attraction here is simply riding through the forest.
If winding tracks through pine trees are your thing, there is plenty to enjoy.
The 10 km Loop
The shorter 10 km loop was quite different.
It appeared to spend considerably more time following the ridges and higher ground rather than dropping into the wetter valleys. As a result, the conditions were much more manageable and there was significantly less mud.
The loop didn't open until around 11 am, so it also hadn't received anywhere near the amount of traffic that the main course had. Even later in the day it seemed to remain in relatively good condition.
After wrestling the bike through the 20 km mud-fest, the 10 km loop made for a much more relaxed change of pace.
Food and Facilities
One thing worth being aware of is food.
The organisers had mentioned that there would be a food truck at the event, but there wasn't one there on the day. Thankfully, I had brought my own food this time after previously being caught out at the Tunnels Trail Ride without anything for a midday snack.
So, regardless of what may be advertised beforehand, I'd recommend bringing your own food and plenty of water or other drinks to Redwoods. If a food truck happens to turn up, consider it a bonus rather than something to rely on.
Overall
Despite the weather and the enormous amount of mud, Redwoods turned out to be a great ride.
In dry conditions, I imagine this would be a fairly casual event — enjoyable forest riding with a few decent hill climbs thrown in to keep things interesting. In the wet, however, it becomes a completely different beast.
The mud made almost everything more difficult, but also considerably more entertaining.
I'll definitely be back.
Next time, though, I might wait for a slightly better weather forecast.