The Dirty Docker 2024

Mitch Docker; could there be a more honest, loveable and community minded person in Australian cycling at the moment?  I for one don't think so.  Between his insightful commentary on SBS, his Life in the Peloton podcast which gives an insider’s view of the procycling world, running training camps, putting time into his local Lancefield community and just doing epic shit, like riding from Melbourne to Adelaide for the TDU with a few mates and recording interviews along the way.  Mitch's enthusiasm is so infectious, that he strikes me as one of those people, that nobody can say no to, and it's with that innate trust that the Dirty Docker happened.  

The inclusiveness of the two-day festival was unlike anything we have ever seen in Australia. Twelve events across XC running races, CX races, novelty races, kids races on the Saturday and the option of 4 gravel events from 15 to 115km on the Sunday attracted a very healthy 580 entrants. Keeping that festival vibe pumping into the night with craft beers (a Dirty Pale no less), live bands and on Sunday with a DJ. Don't forget the ice bath sauna to complete the experience.

Rather than write a lengthy run down of the course, I've gone out to friends and fellow Brunswick CC members to get their take on the event, because it was an event and a half.  No prizes for being first across the line, but perhaps a self-congratulatory prize of knowing that you had a good time and might want to come back next year.  

Before we get there, I was listening to Mitch’s podcast a few days before the event, where he commented about a few surprises on the course, but gave nothing away other than pedal choice, SPDs over road pedals for a steep pinch. The next day I found myself at the MAAP lab picking up my race pack, drinking a can of Dirty Pale and thought I really should press Mitch for some more info on those surprises. I rode home lamenting not asking that question.  I wondered what that surprise might be.

Angus

After a chaotic initial 30 minutes, I entered the Cobaw forest climb with my friends Luke, Simon, Paul and Kieran. We worked together for a couple of hours until Trappist rider Stu Smith joined us and stretched the group out along a long climb. Solo from 90km until Kieran passed me on the single track and we rolled together for the final 10km. Remarkable day, perfect conditions, brutal course. The thing that gets me about gravel is the constant pedalling: Normalised power for 3:44 was 316W.

Fergus

Being my first gravel event I wasn't sure what to expect. I set my expectations fairly low but the further into the event I got, the more I was smiling. The route was fantastic; very scenic and plenty of gravel in great condition.

As for myself, I had planned to go fairly easy but soon found myself trying to tag along, following wheels to keep a good pace. When we reached the first short bitumen stretch, I pushed hard to just get onto the back of a group for the climb into the Cobaw Range. I stuck with that group until the descent where I backed off a bit because I wasn't sure of my gravel skills at high speed. The signage was good with warnings about the steep bits and tight corners. Finding myself alone, I caught another rider and then we were caught by a few more, making a group of about 5. We reeled in a few more and had a good group of 9 or so. That lasted until the Specialized sofa stop at the top of The Wall.

From there I tagged along with a small group until they stopped at the Skratch feed station. From there home I was with a few different people at various times. The single track was hair raising but I got through it without too much drama, just very tired arms and hands from all the braking. 

Overall, I thought it was a great event. I enjoyed the course more than expected. It was interesting that there was no timing for the event. For me, it did not take anything away from the event, but I'm sure there will be some who might find that irksome.

Mr Pink

It was a great opportunity to spend the day in the lovely mountains of Lancefield helping such a diverse group of cyclists enjoying riding their bikes. To be able to be cheer on my Road friends, my Mountain Bike friends, my Cross friends, and even some of my Track friends at the same time is something that I cherish.

Ben ES

A huge thank you to Mitch Docker for putting on the Dirty Docker. Sunday’s Cobawsome was an awesome, challenging 115km route on offer, with some nice fast gravel sections which were punctuated (pun intended-I felt that!) by a few gnarly climbs, fast descents and berms. How much fun can you have in 115k! Many Brunswick riders flew the colours and had a great day or 2 thanks to our life member Mitch.

Ben C

My 15 and 17 year old boys and I jumped in the family “bus” and headed to Lancefield for the Dirty Docker Gravel Ride. I’d signed up, not really know anything about the event except that it looked fun.  It didn’t disappoint. 

We all did the 40km loop, soon enough into the ride there were a few intra family bike swaps to even things up.  The ride reached its peak at the halfway mark, after a steep climb into a beautiful forest, we reached an aid station: Lamington “straight” or with Jam and coffee on offer.  Not sure if was the moment, but an expresso has never tasted better, not an ounce of bitterness and no milk offered.  Even the 15 year old loved it, not bad for his first one. It felt like the modern day equivalent of dad giving his son his first cigarette. The descent from there was beautiful, just as entertaining were the A graders finishing off the 115km event, screaming past on a deeply rutted steep fire trail on their “gravel” (=road bike with 5mm added to the tyre width) bikes.  I seriously feared I was about to witness a crash as one rider’s bike was bouncing around at such speed that his drink bottle fell out.  While a crash appeared imminent, he laughed and somehow managed to keep it in the back, it made me  laugh too.  One rider provided me with a full education on Melbourne’s best Irish pubs as we rode along.  The rest was an easy descent and run into Lancefield, crossing the line with a Life in the Peloton pale ale: Alcoholic or non-alcoholic. 

We all loved it for different reasons.  The 17 year old looked at it as a great opportunity to confirm his sporting prowess in the family league table.  The 15 year old loved the moment: Outdoors with a lot of fun loving fit, very healthy people, the ice bath at the end and the ultimate victory: a Maxxis tyres showbag raffle (with thanks).   I think both recognised they were seeing adults engaging in sport in such a likeable way: Not obsessed about winning but taking their sport moderately seriously and enjoying friendship.  The highlight as Dad was seeing them recognise that, seeing glimpses of insight on what might be important in their lives as they approach adulthood.   And I loved the ride too. 

So, a great day it was.  Back at work on Monday I found myself scouring for Victoria’s next gravel riding event….

Thanks to the organisers, I admire your initiative and spirit to create such a fantastic experience.

Tom - CX Report

The CX circuit was a 2km loop that utilised the terrain of the local pony club. It combined grassy straights, tricky off-camber corners, a tight series of turns in the dressage sand, and a trip through a pond of axle-deep water. The course was used for the cross-country running event on Saturday morning, before pulling double duty for the CX races later in the afternoon.

Feedback from the riders was almost universally positive, with participants praising the flow of the course, the use of the available terrain, and the fun, seamless incorporation of the pony club’s features (a barrier jump through a giant horseshoe comes to mind).

Cross-Vegas
Photos by Tom McQuillan

One of the highlights of the course was how well it flowed through the event village, allowing spectators in the beer tent or enjoying the music provided by MAAP’s DJ to view riders coming and going at several different points while still enjoying the village’s vibes.

A good sign that the course was well-balanced was that there were enough technical features to provide an advantage for those with the CX-specific skills, but not so much that a rider lacking those skills couldn’t close the gap with some well-placed watts.

SelfRighteousCyclist

In describing the Pint (115km event) words like, brutal and unrelenting were thrown around, both of are apt. But then when you find yourself riding around in this gravel wonderland of roads less travelled and think to yourself, how lucky am I to be here now on this picture-perfect day.  An hour later, I am cursing Mitch for the surprise of the single track and the rutted out gnarly descent.  The harder things are, the more we need to rise to the occasion. Taking ourselves outside of our comfort zones reminds us that we are capable of more than we can ever imagine. A few things didn’t make it into my videos, such as my bottle of carbs jumping out of its cage, then backtracking to retrieve it and narrowly missing a kangaroo.  Thanks to the first aiders who patched me up.  My key learning for the day was don't wear your good skinsuit to a gravel event.

For those who couldn't be there, like my friends Tiani and Tim, who drove two hours from Black Rock to Lancefield only to realise that they had left the keys to the lock of their bike carrier at home, here's some footage and a summary of the 115km Cobawsome course, so you know what to look forward to next year.

Chapter 1 The start 

Let’s just say it was on from the start like a CX race and as the course narrowed, you didn’t want to find yourself behind the big guy with the banana in his back pocket or the dude wearing the Hawthorn socks.  Around 4:15 a few riders make contact and Sam Bell from Footscray CC is caught up.

Chapter 2 The Water Crossing 

Choose your own adventure.  Go around, through or over. Fergus Fitswater takes the water option.

Chapter 3 Blue sky and perfect roads

I rode this section of Feeney’s Lane through private farmland with Sam Bell on his rim brake bike.  This was the most picturesque part of the event, with granite outcrops and fine granite roads.

Chapter 4 Uphill Grind 36km

Zig Zag Road lived up to its name and I was woefully undergeared (40x36).  Dropped by Sam, I rode solo for a while before passing a few riders, but unable to bridge across to the group in front.

Chapter 5 Going Solo 39km

Some short fast descending.

Chapter 6 Rolling turns with Max from Rye and catching a bunch 59km

I roll turns with Max from Rye in the yellow Flanders kit and we catch the group in front, just as we pass the aid station.  The bunch was made up of a few locals from Woodend.  It was nice to sit in the wheels for a while and have a chat.

Chapter 7 The Spirit of Gravel 65km

So there we all were riding in a bunch of about a dozen, enjoying the spirit of gravel somewhere around Branding Yard Lane and earth beneath us begins to kick upwards and the spirit of gravel is replaced by the spirit of competition. Those inclined to push themselves harder separate from the group.  I was joined by Fiona Morris (Alpine CC) and a few others.

Chapter 8 Back Creek Wall 80km

It’s only 750 metres, but at 10.5% average gradient was almost a 5min grind.  Riding with Fiona Morris and Craig Moore (Brunswick CC), we stay together and roll turns as best we can.  We roll past the photo opportunity and cold beer.  Sorry guys!

Chapter 9 Single Track & Rutted descent 100km

My WTF moment, after 4 hours of gravel riding, we make an unexpected right-hand turn onto some freshly cut single track, complete with curated berms, rocks, roots and drops.  Fiona being the CX legend that she is drops me and disappears out of sight.  I survive the single track, cursing Mitch Docker all the way, only to be greeted by a gnarly rutted out descent, which I would be far more comfortable on a MTB. After keeping things upright all day, my run of control on the bike comes to an end. Just a few grazes and skinsuit still in tact.  Craig Moore passes me and asks if I'm ok.  With no time to waste, I get going again.

Chapter 10 Rolling turns with Craig Moore 104km

Craig and I often find ourselves riding together at different events,  so it was great to share the moment with someone I knew.  We keep the power down as best we can in our fatiugued states and pass a few riders from the shorter events.

Chapter 11 The Finish Line 112km

The final run into Lancefield was like a reintroduction to civilisation.  All good things must come to an end and even better when served with a cold Life in the Peloton, Dirty Pale. 

Thanks to Rohan Adams and the team at Big Hill Events for a fantastic event.

If you were there and want to share your experiences, please use the comment section below.

Strava file

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