Tuesday night up down up down up down

Rode from work to Nelson's work slightly earlier in an attempt to beat traffic, which we just about did.  Made our way across to the hills then around them to Quarry Park, parking up in the shade of the hebes (now called Veronica, i learned recently) and then rode upwards through the fields to the bottom of C2.  Nelson had only ever come down it, once, and i'd only been up it the once, so off up it we went.  I was grunting even back in the fields, let alone when the real climb began.  What is it with me and climbs these days!?  Anyway, made our way up it then up Crocodile to the start of Kennedy's then on up the singletrack, peeling off at the pond next to the tank and taking the oldskool way up to Siberia.  Blatted over that then back up top of singletrack and down down down.  Good run all the way down, no slowing down just flying hard out flat out fanging, then into C2, the wee climb stuffing me, and leaving me non-plussed for the lower section, which, i have to say, i'm not that impressed with.  a couple of the berms just aren't high enough, so you have to tenderly go round them much slower than you want to, and pretty much the last one, before the dash down to the wee jumpy before heading across the open bit, has no camber at all, and a bloody great root tracking through it.  Anyway, first time down, so maybe i just aint got the flow yet, maybe.

Round two, we headed up the original track, ie, not C2, and were much faster, even with the descent and extra climb into the 'crocodile' switchbacks.  Clambered on up up up, this time staying on the singletrack all the way (past the pond and tanks), and on the usual steep grunty wee section, SNAP, there goes my chain...  picked it up, pushed my bike up to the kennedy's proper, and walked on up to meet Nelson at the gate.  Turned out it was my Sram Quicklink, again.  second one in a year, or so.  Spliced in a couple extra links i had spare in my bag, and Nelson did a quick blat of Siberia, chasing a young whippersnapper on a crabon 29r who was doing laps, with his dad doing slower laps.  I finished my job and we headed over Siberia and were overtaken by said whippersnapper on the climb back up and then i led down the singletrack flat tack full speed ahead.  all the way down and down the old version, pausing on the bridge to let Nelson pass me, then i proceeded to clean the climb, yay!  On down, losing my cool on account of the climb, and really botching the lower switchbacks before the end. 

Round three, this time, back up C2, faster this time, even tho i was more tired, seemed to be getting into more of a groove.  Up up up, starting to struggle near top of Croc, then we went up the granny inducing oldskool kennedy's climb.  hah!  not bad, but a grind.  all the way out to the gate.  No Siberia this time, i just couldnt be arsed.  Then it was down time again.  Nelson in the lead, flat out, full tilt, yet again, rolling all the way down, and sunstrike proving a bit of an issue on the worst of places, where that nasty rocky pinch used to be.  Nelson nearly lost it i think; lost sight of the trail for a good long second.  My visor and sunnies were working a treat, but it was close.  then second round down C2 this time, a little better, but i still reckon you have to slow too much for the berms, and that final corner really needs some work.  I guess winter might sort it out a bit.  The final climb i was faster this time than the first, but it still hurt, and then we rolled out to the car for a well earned stretch. Sun was just sitting on the treetops as we cruised homewards.