Finding Flow on The Blue Derby Pods Mountain Bike Trails

No matter what your experience of mountain biking, Scott’s assured you’ll find a state of flow on the Blue Derby Pods Ride in Tassie’s North East.

In telling this story I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this adventure takes place, the palawa people of lutruwita. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present.

Highlights

• The pure joy of Derby Trails
• Crisp clear blue skies of the Tasmanian off-season
• Mouth-watering local food and craft beverages
• Warming your body by a fire at the end of a day mountain biking
• Falling asleep in your very own pod under a canopy of trees and a clear starry sky

Finding a Flow State

What is flow state? It’s a mind state point in which there’s a fluidity between your mind and your body. You’re totally absorbed. In this state, there’s often a transformation of your sense of time, with a focus beyond the point of distraction. Time slows as you engage in the present moment of your surroundings. If this sounds attractive to you, you best read on.

The description of flow state originated with psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who says;

‘The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… the best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.’ 

To break it down, building a flow state requires a heavy sense of concentration, a sense of clarity, clearance of obstacles, and a good feeling that leads to a sense of happiness.

What better place to practice flow state than a luxury mountain biking and unique pod accommodation adventure experience in Derby Tasmania?

Derby and Blue Derby Pods Ride are worthy destinations at any time of the year, but during the wilds of the Tassie off-season is when this adventure experience really shines, in crisp winter light.

A Sense of Clarity

‘Your body and mind will know what needs to be done without having to think about it.’

The Blue Derby Pods Ride can be found nestled in the Blue Derby World Class Bike Mountain Trails. This is a unique accommodation and adventure with a true sense of clarity. The overarching first impression of the development of this Blue Derby Pods Ride experience is a sense of purpose – knowing what needs to be done without having to think about it.

This purpose is from the first introduction to your adventure. Your guides, in conjunction with local bike shop Roll Cycles, dial in your ride and step you through your personalized fitting. From here, it’s a private shuttle ride out through the beautiful North East countryside of Tasmania to your destination, Derby.

A Heavy Sense of Concentration

‘Focus on the work without getting distracted leads to a higher output of higher quality work.’

Once you arrive at the Blue Derby trailhead, the guides step you through the process of commencing your mountain biking adventure, regardless of your previous riding experience. This morning’s instructive ride takes you through the basic skills of mountain biking, gradually building into your first trail experience as you make your way into the trail network to your first view of ‘The Pods’.

This architecturally designed accommodation, nestled in the mossy forest, provides a private focused centre, allowing for the removal of distraction to engage in the present moment of your surroundings. Linking the pods together is The Hub, which acts as a central communal location to socialize, dine, and finish your day with a hot shower and a beer or wine by the fire.

A Lack of Obstacles

‘The thoughts and feelings that generally cloud our minds, such as stress, worry, and self-doubt, take a back seat.’

Blue skies, crisp winter light, and frost crunch under your wheels. Fresh air fills your lungs. Stress, worry, and self-doubt are lost in the present moment of honing your mountain bike skills. The obstacles of the mind are replaced with navigation of the trail obstacles. This is a guided flow state brought about by the ebb and flow of the Blue Derby trails.

The experience is tailored to our needs for different states of flow. For some this comes in the form of a more technical trail, for others this will be an immersion into the rich history and natural beauty of Derby or perhaps the warm calm and bracing cold of a lakeside sauna, followed by a plunge in the lake. Cold clear days are welcomed with clear minds.

Happiness

‘The type of happiness gained from being in a flow state goes beyond a temporary high — it’s a general sense of well-being and a lasting sense of happiness and fulfilment.’

Tasmanian produce provides a local food experience that leads to a pure state of fulfilment. A local focus with seasonal fare is warming and hearty, making it the perfect accompaniment to your winter experience.

This sense of well-being is coupled with craft beer and local wines, providing a relaxed atmosphere for good conversation next to the warm glow of a fire.

Feeling Good

‘Being in a deep flow state is often described as an intrinsically positive experience. There’s no superficiality driving this force, it’s just the pleasure that comes with being in the moment and doing something that you are immersed in and or are passionate about.’

Blue Derby Pods Ride leaves you with an adventure experience that requires a heavy sense of concentration and in return, supplies feel-good and happiness. It removes the obstacles of the mind to provide the best of moments – mountain biking in the wild winter of the Tasmanian off-season. The Pods are an accomplishment in something difficult and worthwhile, a chance for you to tap into the ‘Experience of Flow’.

Essential Gear

• Warm clothing appropriate for a winter adventure
• If you have your own bike bring it. It’ll love being on these trails as much as you

How To Get There

Blue Derby Pods will pick you up from Launceston in Northern Tasmania. Travel time from Launceston to Derby is 1.25 hours.

Leave No Trace

The Blue Derby Pods Ride is eco-friendly and off-grid. All waste generated by The Pods is dealt with in a sustainable and considerate way.

The trail and surround are gorgeous. At We Are Explorers, we reckon it’s a good idea to keep it that way – so make sure you take all of your rubbish with you, minimize your plastic use as much as possible, stick to the trails, shred lightly and try not to disturb the area or animals. Mother Nature will thank you for it.

Photos by @scott_mattern and @ness_vanderburgh