Saturday Fat Loop with Travis Planting

Rained all night and was looking to fine up a bit but with showers, so Steve called off the group ride via Bottle Lake to the planting at Travis which was meant to leave his at 8.  Was raining at his place cos of the hills, but not really at mine so I headed out for a spin anyway, and figured I'd swing by the planting if it wasn't cancelled, which in the end, it wasn't.  Left home 8.30.

Headed out from here, round the river, then up Banks Ave on the singletrack, then Archilles and Ajax past the Mall and round Horseshoe Lake Rd, detouring alongside the reserve for a bit, then over into Lakewood Drive and then north on Burwood and into Waitikiri Drive entrance, to find a Robbie 44 chopper, and a bunch of high viz Civil Defence and Police and LandSAR folk all assembled.  No one would tell me what was going on but none of them stopped me, so I went on my merry way (turns out it was this guy).  Into the forest, and hung a left and on through to the pond, releasing some air on the way.  Past the pond and took the lesser used trails, stopping in here to lose a layer.  Second section through then found a fence and gate at the corner of Lima and 20th Ave Closed "due to logging" so had to back track along an old track for a while til it was a bit blocked by windthrow.  Hung a right on Kilo Rd and moseyed north, following the blue walking track signs.  Eventually at 15th Ave headed down and met the Mtnbike track, travelled the "Wrong Way" on it for a block, then along muddy road, aka 13th, and then on the 2 way trail towards Spencerville.  Took this through with a bit of off piste, then turned right and across the top out to the dune trail and followed that back south.  Took my usual detour off the top of the dune along the top for a while, checking googlemaps for the best route to Travis then tucked back into the forest when the sandtrail ran out.  With my route planned, onwards I cruised, cut through to the right and out parallel with Ascot Drive then through Broadhaven Park and a couple of back streets to Inwoods Rd, south directly to Travis. Walking track to the main base, then followed the signs through the middle where I spotted Steve just riding across the paddock to where everyone was assembled to plant.  Planted a bunch of plants, with a southerly shower or two coming through on us, it was cold,  Finished the planting, rode back to base, ate some saussies, then took my leave and rode back through the middle again, past the planting and out, Bassett St, round the river, then redzoned through to McBratneys and home along the river.

Mapped: 30 odd kms, 1 hour 36 minutes riding time.