Sunday Fatter than the Green Captain.

Sunday morning ride, met Wayne, Mark and Marie, Pete, and Warren at Ferrymead.  Tones, Andeez, and Steviant were all in absentia.  Mark and me were representing the fatbike community - me, mainly cos he'd said he was riding his, but also cos of the derailleur on the Spot.

So, following Steviant's suggestion, we headed up St Andrews, Marama, Cannon, up through the park and on up Major Hornbroke.  Seemed to take a while, with lots of stops and chatting.  Up through Britten and down round the road into the Greenwood 'old' entrance.  Good grip round here and at the 4wd crossing we stopped for a bite and I relinquished a little air from my rubber balloons.  Pete led the way, with Wazza and Mark(?) and then me for a while with Wayne and Marie behind.  As expected, I took a battering on my rigid framed machine.  Kept on the faster boys tails for a while then eased up just past Gloomy Gulch and had a wee rest, maybe let some more air out.  Here i think maybe Mark passed actually, then I followed down and Mark flatted on the flatter bit before swoopy switchbacks Dangerous Dave used to work on.  I stopped with him for a bit, Marie went past, and the others were all waiting down the bottom.  I let yet more air out of my front tire here too. I thought he was pretty much done so took off and got all the way down and he was still up there...  We all waited down the bottom and eventually saw him get moving.  At this stage it was like 11.30 so we decided not to do Godley and the Conda so took the Captain instead.  Half way down Pete flatted so Marie sidled by and after a bit I took off too.  Down in the switchbacks I took the new line off the 2nd lefthand switchback.  Got a couple nice wee corners in it.  Met up with Marie at the bottom.  I put back the air I'd let out earlier, and we watched for the others for quite some time, then eventually they came into view.  Down the road to Dot Coma.  Mark and Marie went shopping in Slumner, and the rest of us had a good blast round the causeway all peeling off at the bridge.  Andy's van was parked up next to Wayno's car, so he musta been out there somewhere, and i was home by 1