Year 10 & 11 Outdoor Education 

Mountain Bike Riding Student Summaries

During Week 1 of Term 4 the year 10 & 11 outdoor ed classes experienced mountain bike riding at The You Yang Regional Park. We were separated into two groups based on their ability and confidence riding mountain bikes. Instructions were very clear and after about 10 minutes of going over them we were on our way to the tracks. The mountain bike tracks were very narrow and had some tight turns. With the wet tracks it made it more difficult to ride certain sections, however, the two groups were determined and encouraged one another. A few faced some challenges while turning sharp corners and going over bridges, but our group were very supportive and positive. After riding the bikes, we walked the Flinders Peak track to look at the eagle constructed out of rocks (in recognition of the indigenous Creator Spirit, Bunjil and the Wathaurong Aboriginal people). The walk consisted of mainly steps which were tiring, however, the view at the top was nice.  

Charli, Chloe and Delta 

On the 6th of October we went on a mountain bike riding at The You Yangs regional park. The instructor's taught us how to navigate the bikes and understand how to safely ride and control them. They provided us with examples of what to do when we ride over large logs and around tight and slippery corners. 

Overall, the experience was amusing and thrilling. There were a few people who fell over into the muddy conditions, but everyone was okay. As the day went on, our skills improved dramatically. We all went home with a funny story to tell.  

Each of the two groups got to see different sides of the park including its beautiful scenery. The groups were catered to different needs so we could have a more relaxed ride or a quicker, thrilling experience. In the fast group it was more exhilarating, and the tracks required us to weave on the winder trials. We could feel the wind against our face and the freeing feeling of the sharp turns. The only bad side was the fast group had a large hill before the windy trial. It felt like the joy of riding fast down that hill was a reward of being able to get to the top. 

Everyone was really accepting and respectful of each-others riding capabilities while off and on the trails. Everyone was encouraging to those who had a lower riding capability or wanted to have a calm or relaxing scenic ride to give it a go and try to have fun. 

Jayde, Keira and Aimee 

After the hour trip to The You Yangs Regional Park, we started our day by getting to know how to use the bikes, what to do, and not what to do during the trails. The instructors told us about what to expect during the trails and what to do when something is on the trail. We began the trail by splitting into two groups depending on our skill level and weather we wanted to go fast or slow. A vast amount of people chose to go to the cruisy group, while a small group of students chose to go fast and do the harder and more challenging trails. We spent 3 hours mountain bike riding but this was broken up with a few breaks. Despite a few people falling over, everyone had a good time. After the three hours of mountain bike riding, we went back on the bus and headed to the Turntable Carpark where there was a bush-walking trail. The Flinders Peak bushwalking trail was an exciting but also difficult trail to walk up as it was steep and long. Once you got to the very top of Flinders Peak, there was a look out where it showed different places, how far they are and which direction they were in. Before you got to the top of the walking trail there was another look out where you could see, a big eagle sculpture made out of stones. The bushwalking trial took close to an hour.  

Patrick and Lucas