Wellington 2: WainuioMiramata

Into the van early, 8 am, and off to Wainuiomata.  Headed for Wainuiomata Mtnbike Park to meet up with Nelson's friend (and Craig's brother) Brendan.  He turned up and led us up through the climbing Jungle Gym, then up Labyrinth, and finally Towai Traverse to the top of Freewheel, which was a hoot of a downhill, even with the heinous northerly howling across the tops.  One point on Nelson's tail, he caught a little air and moved a good metre sideways before he'd landed.  Some mechanical with Marie's bike in a switchbacky section, and then not far below this we were out again at the beginning of Labyrinth.  Up this again, and then where Towai Traverse takes off we headed down 491 which was a neat downhill, lots of rough and a couple of interesting features.  This joined Spoonhill, then peeled off on Nga Tuna, ending down on the Wetland Loop.  Hung a right and rode around past the bottom of Snails up Directa back onto Jungle Gym and up.  Labyrinth again for a little bit and off down Snails, then around Wetland Loop to Directa again and this time jumping onto the lower half of BeeLine down and back to the vehicles.  Good couple hours spent, with 15odd kms travelled, but only 413m gained. Wainuiomapped.

Drove up the hill and at the top all but the drivers jumped out and did the downhill.  This was fun.  Back in the vehicles and Pete (supposedly) mistakenly took a wrong turn taking us back up the hill again.  No U-turn possibilities at the top so over and down around the round about at the bottom and back up to the top.  So this time 2 volunteered not to ride and Pete and Steve got to experience the downhill themselves.  Another excellent run down, except for Nelson's spectacular crash off the trail.

Then it was back into the vehicles, exiting the correct direction across the waterfront of Petone and back down the motorway to Wellington.  Lunch had, and off to Miramar trails for a play.   Up Conviction, which becomes near the top Bootleg and or Juvenile Delinquent.  Bit of a mess about at the top and I took upper Bootleg down while the others all went down the jumpy dual slalom course.  Bit of a look around on the top around the water tanks and off down Jail Break.  Losing Nelson somewhere in the process.  Some confusion around. Around Repeat Offender back onto Conviction up for another blast. Down Bootleg again and this time down Solitary while I think the others went down Jail Break again.  I think I was on my own here.  Waited around, was this when we lost Nelson?  Unknown.  some of them pulled out here, and I went back up for another blast of Jailbreak whereas not sure if others did Solitary or what.  Then we all rode out and it was realised Robin was missing, and somehow he'd totally missed us all riding out past him while he was in waiting to take photos of us riding past...?  Miramapped