Fried, eh, Birthday afternoon off.

took off from work early, and got over to Chris's at 2. we jaunted through a heavy police presence down Barbadoes and then on over waltham and wilsons to the Crapaki. wandered up this, keeping a reasonable pace, but neither of us were feeling that on top of our games going up, peaking in a pretty average time.

off to the left, over Witch Hill, enjoying the rocks, up road, and it was CastleRock time. awesome blitz down here, me sticking to Chris's wheel all the way down til the up when he got away from me.

round the road and up to John Britten, Chris getting faster, me getting tireder. Then, into Greenwood, pushing a tall gear up up and round, and then just before that lone tree (that drips in the mist) my attention wandered and so did my wheel off the track then a reaction catching a lip and i went down into the tussocks... nicely cushioned, not a scratch on me or bike, but pride slightly perplexed.

regrouped at the usual spot (just over the 4wd track), nibbled a one-square, then it was off again, flat tack down over the yump, squirrelling through the rocks, round the corners, richocheting off boulders, floating, flowing, popping and weaving our way down. interupted by a phonecall from T in Lyttelton with a car problem (pressurised gas line causing over-rev), then on and on down and down. very good run down, one of my best in a while, and definitely one of Chris's best evah.

Rang T at Evans to see how she was going and she was on her way with the boys up Evans so i said keep and eye out for us on the Thomas. We got into that and my balance was all skew-iff, tho, the first techy i came over the top to see Chris running down it, i cleaned that bit okay, then the next one that i never get we both walked, and then spotted the fiat, which tooted, and parked up to watch us ride the next bits, much to the joy of the boys til we disappeared round the corner. excellent blast out from here on, me taking the lead after the gate and flying down, catching air and having a blast, not a pedestrian in sight (which sure makes a change from Sunday Mornings...).

Then, popped into the movie theater and grabbed me a ticked for

Follow Me - Anthill Films - OFFICIAL 2010 MTB Trailer from vas entertainment on Vimeo.

which looks pretty good. theres even some NZ shots in there. hopefully the boys will all get tix too, otherwise i'm gonna be nigel nomates.

met T and boys at Cave Rock, had a beer, then dropped Chris on way through town, watching him commit a legendary trackstand at a really long red light, then home. I'm now officially middle aged. the age i said i'd wait til before i got a full susser... now, where's that spare couple grand i need for that!?