Had to bike home to feed the dog after work, then drove across and parked at Nelson's place. We rode up his street, into the first cul-de-sac and then up the 2 steppy walk track sections (I walked a lot) up to Huntsbury Ave. A very direct route, and although steep, is like an elevator, you miss the worst bit of Parklands Drive too. Up the road to the top, and over the stile onto the singletrack - steep little bugger it is, up the jumps then over the gate, and up under the cabbage tree rocks around to the fence and onto the landing strip, then up the gravel grovel. Into Vernon, nice descent, only having to pause/pull-over a couple times for climbers before bombing the final skittery gravel mix. Straight through Rapaki-top and clambering up onto the Witch. Nelson got the drop on me here, and I was struggling around the front when I could see him already flying out the last section. Legs. Just. Wouldn't. Push...
Across the road and we rode the first section of singletrack to the gate. Over this and we took in the view of the valley (Avoca) below. Nelson was saying this is all Council land now...? Wow! Scope for trails is massive. Climbed up the steep farm track to the top of the ridge, climbing over the fence to look for the trail to the rocky top, which we couldn't really find cos of all the tussocks. From the top, the trail is obvious (kinda), and after a coupla pics we hit the down. The Mary Duncan (this almost exactly a year since we first ever did it). Feck it's a steeep-arsed descent, in places. A few splits where there's awesome (or mad) techy lines, but always a bunny route next to it. Nelson crashed on the first truly tech rock drop, hitting something he thought was just grass (that was solid). Picked himself up and rode it again. Then we're down the ridge for a bit. STINKY bloated dead cattlebeast carcass just over the fence, and Nelsie rode a couple of bits I didn't. Then down next to the rocky knob and took the tricknical trail off to the right, up onto the ridge. Here's some awesomely steep rocky technical shit, down the razor back ridge. Just before a super hard rock garden, I see Nelson lying upside down bike on top of him on some bushes. He'd stopped, put his foot down and it'd gone into a hole... He extricated himself and I rode down next to the rock garden and watched him ride it. Then on down more awesome tech, then nearly lost the trail but found it again as it headed down the face towards the pylon, several interesting (but not as hard? as last time) techrock droppy bits.
Over the gate and across into the forest, weaving back and forth, staying a bit higher up on what seemed to be cow or sheep trodden bike track. Had a bit of an explore in here, pushing up and riding various jumpy sections, then off down the final trail, rooty exit to the grassy straightline out to Port Hills Rd. Onto the road and round to Centaurus. We explored up Stonehaven, where I'd never been before, climbing to the top, then cutting across and seeing if a dirt sidling track took us anywhere (it didn't). Back down and over Centaurus, Nelson powering up it, me not so much. Then bombing down past Rapaki-bottom and across the flats. One last climb, up View Tce. Never been up this before either. Fricking steep pig, up to Huntsbury, and finally blast down to Nelson's.
Good sized loop, with extras... 16.3 kms, and 703 m climbed.
Across the road and we rode the first section of singletrack to the gate. Over this and we took in the view of the valley (Avoca) below. Nelson was saying this is all Council land now...? Wow! Scope for trails is massive. Climbed up the steep farm track to the top of the ridge, climbing over the fence to look for the trail to the rocky top, which we couldn't really find cos of all the tussocks. From the top, the trail is obvious (kinda), and after a coupla pics we hit the down. The Mary Duncan (this almost exactly a year since we first ever did it). Feck it's a steeep-arsed descent, in places. A few splits where there's awesome (or mad) techy lines, but always a bunny route next to it. Nelson crashed on the first truly tech rock drop, hitting something he thought was just grass (that was solid). Picked himself up and rode it again. Then we're down the ridge for a bit. STINKY bloated dead cattlebeast carcass just over the fence, and Nelsie rode a couple of bits I didn't. Then down next to the rocky knob and took the tricknical trail off to the right, up onto the ridge. Here's some awesomely steep rocky technical shit, down the razor back ridge. Just before a super hard rock garden, I see Nelson lying upside down bike on top of him on some bushes. He'd stopped, put his foot down and it'd gone into a hole... He extricated himself and I rode down next to the rock garden and watched him ride it. Then on down more awesome tech, then nearly lost the trail but found it again as it headed down the face towards the pylon, several interesting (but not as hard? as last time) techrock droppy bits.
Over the gate and across into the forest, weaving back and forth, staying a bit higher up on what seemed to be cow or sheep trodden bike track. Had a bit of an explore in here, pushing up and riding various jumpy sections, then off down the final trail, rooty exit to the grassy straightline out to Port Hills Rd. Onto the road and round to Centaurus. We explored up Stonehaven, where I'd never been before, climbing to the top, then cutting across and seeing if a dirt sidling track took us anywhere (it didn't). Back down and over Centaurus, Nelson powering up it, me not so much. Then bombing down past Rapaki-bottom and across the flats. One last climb, up View Tce. Never been up this before either. Fricking steep pig, up to Huntsbury, and finally blast down to Nelson's.
Good sized loop, with extras... 16.3 kms, and 703 m climbed.
No comments:
Post a Comment