Big one tonight. Firstly, I was home all day with the boys on school hols, so I rode to Nelson's work for 5 o'clock. Then we trafficjammed it across town and parked at the main gates of Halswell Quarry. Rode up the drive and then through to the mtnbike zone, popping down Download before climbing C2 up onto the Crocodile. I was gasping. Felt I had no energy. However, I was testing my new oval 30t chainring, and it performed admirably. It felt like I was getting more drive for each pedal stroke. This I was noticing most later once we were further up the top. So, it was a long way up. The Low Road was wet as, so we headed up onto the main track and rolled up that, Nelson riding with some XC guy while I struggled on behind. Through the gates and the long climbs began. Hard. Work. Eventually, cleaning everything, we made the top.
Hit the Summit Road around to Worsley's and up to top of Flying Nun, (debating with then ignoring the Track Closed sign - how bad could it be?). Not that bad. Into the Nun and the fun begun. Bomb bomb bomb, taking it reasonably easy in case of slick, which there wasnt much of. Bailed out at the road, and headed back up it.
Just past Worsleys turn off we headed onto the Crater Rim (/360) walkway; climbed up to the top, nice views to be had and trail in good condition. Black sheep around, only evidence being their eyes in the dark. Stopped for a snack then headed onwards and down. Fun descent, with flaxes whipping faces all the way down. Across a carpark and into a techy wee climb, rocks and a bit of steep that Nelson ploughed up and I stalled on. Walked a bit then back on for across the top and around about and down, flowy poppy down.
Then, opposite where you used to enter Kennedys, we continued along the crater-rim, a section neither of us had ever ridden before. It was steeep (but I still managed to stay on top of my new gearing), and climbed for waaay higher and further than I'd have thought was possible given the terrain I didn't realise was up there. Eventually we got to a junction. We could have turned right - down to Kennedys; or straight ahead we chose - towards the Bellbird. Excellent singletrack resulted, a few techs, but nice, rocky and through bush the odd step, a fair bit of speed. Then at a rocky saddle, we could have dropped to the road just below, but we continued up, pushing bikes over rocky bits, then a bit more riding, more rocks, more riding, a good sized surprise totara, to eventually the Bellbird carpark.
Across the road, decided to try the trail back to Kennedys from here. Down a ways and into tiiiight forest singletrack, not much room. eventually a wrong turn and we ended up at the road, so over the fence and onto this, along a bit, and "hey, there's the track" so, onto this and along, more super tight singletrack, then more open and climbing and descending to, through a gate and over the stile, top of Kennedys. Time for a bomb. Seats down, suspension opened up, and away. Super speed down, warp speed catch up. Down, down down. Insane speeds reached, lights the limit of visibility. Over the stile and climbing then into the singletrack, bit of slop but mostly okay, and down to the Crock avoiding any water on the track, down into Murphs, droppy drop into there ducking and weaving, then last climb out killing me before finally down through the Quarry Reserve and back to the car...
Quite big in the end, 22 kms and 777m climbed... (oh, plus the 4.6kms from home to Nelson's work).
Hit the Summit Road around to Worsley's and up to top of Flying Nun, (debating with then ignoring the Track Closed sign - how bad could it be?). Not that bad. Into the Nun and the fun begun. Bomb bomb bomb, taking it reasonably easy in case of slick, which there wasnt much of. Bailed out at the road, and headed back up it.
Just past Worsleys turn off we headed onto the Crater Rim (/360) walkway; climbed up to the top, nice views to be had and trail in good condition. Black sheep around, only evidence being their eyes in the dark. Stopped for a snack then headed onwards and down. Fun descent, with flaxes whipping faces all the way down. Across a carpark and into a techy wee climb, rocks and a bit of steep that Nelson ploughed up and I stalled on. Walked a bit then back on for across the top and around about and down, flowy poppy down.
Then, opposite where you used to enter Kennedys, we continued along the crater-rim, a section neither of us had ever ridden before. It was steeep (but I still managed to stay on top of my new gearing), and climbed for waaay higher and further than I'd have thought was possible given the terrain I didn't realise was up there. Eventually we got to a junction. We could have turned right - down to Kennedys; or straight ahead we chose - towards the Bellbird. Excellent singletrack resulted, a few techs, but nice, rocky and through bush the odd step, a fair bit of speed. Then at a rocky saddle, we could have dropped to the road just below, but we continued up, pushing bikes over rocky bits, then a bit more riding, more rocks, more riding, a good sized surprise totara, to eventually the Bellbird carpark.
Across the road, decided to try the trail back to Kennedys from here. Down a ways and into tiiiight forest singletrack, not much room. eventually a wrong turn and we ended up at the road, so over the fence and onto this, along a bit, and "hey, there's the track" so, onto this and along, more super tight singletrack, then more open and climbing and descending to, through a gate and over the stile, top of Kennedys. Time for a bomb. Seats down, suspension opened up, and away. Super speed down, warp speed catch up. Down, down down. Insane speeds reached, lights the limit of visibility. Over the stile and climbing then into the singletrack, bit of slop but mostly okay, and down to the Crock avoiding any water on the track, down into Murphs, droppy drop into there ducking and weaving, then last climb out killing me before finally down through the Quarry Reserve and back to the car...
Quite big in the end, 22 kms and 777m climbed... (oh, plus the 4.6kms from home to Nelson's work).
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