Sunday Out East In Up Back

Nelson picked me up and we met the rest of the crew: Steve, Wayne, Tony, Andrew, Warren, Marie, at Evans Pass.  We were on time, and they were ready to go.  Off up Godley, straight in cold, hard yakka first climb which i blew and Nelson cleaned, then it was a sweet meander out up the rest of it.  Bit of a regroup at the fence, all dribbing and drabbing in, then Marie came through and carried on.  The rest of us stopped for a wee while and she got good and far ahead of us.  Good blast down to Livingston, keeping good time and pace and finally catching up with Marie on the climb out.  Some other dudes had gone past when we were back at the saddle, and as we climbed up to Steve's crash spot, one of them crashed right where he had.  Perfect example of nearly what happened to Steve...  Anyway, on over down to Breeze, speedy speedy.

Then it was above the road, climb climb climb nicely nicely and a new-to-me sidle around the hill. Very nice!  Blast down to end of road and onto singletrack coming back.  I was chasing Nelson but on the climbs he just has some sort of motor that accelerates, whereas I can just keep going but not accelerate.  Bah.  So, on the climbs he gets away and on the sidles and flats i just keep the gap, closing slowly maybe, most of the time...  Back to Breeze in good time and once we'd all dribdrabbed in off we toodled upwards.  Not a bad climb this, Nelson and me got the lead for the descent and had an excellent run down, as did the rest of them, then it was Livingston climb up.  Was okay, then i stopped and chatted to Tom on his new bike, and the others all got ahead and when i got moving again my chain snapped...  So, had to fix that with a couple links i had spare in my bag (thought i'd put that spare Powerlink in...nope).  Got moving again, and found the rest waiting for me way up on top by the fence.  Big group of Chch Mountainbike Club met us there and chat was exchanged and onwards we blazed.  Nelson and me had an excellent run back up and down this section, was my most flowy for the day, was very much on form.

Into Greenwood climb, hard yakka but honest and not that bad, good gradient and only one or two real grunts.  Was going okay for a while, but up above the top hairpins every rock seemed to screw me up.  Regrouped at the ruins and Nelsie and me headed to the top while the rest skived rested and headed down ahead of us while we struggled to the top and had a sweet run down, no stops.  I was keeping the gap even all the way with Nelson til Gloomy Gulch, where i think i usually need a rest, but, with no rest my back was getting sore and i was getting tired, so the gap increased and try as i might i could not shorten it.  Other than the pain experienced under the rocks at Gloomy, i had a good run the rest of the way, including cleaning the little pinch that usually gets me out.  A relief once finished lifting bike over the fence.  Coffee at DotCom.