Fam time visit, and O mowing the lawn again, so I rode from Joys. Up the road, and up the walk track over the bathtub fence, then up Britten, around the front, across the road and up the zigs and zags to the top of Mt Pleasant. Chatted to some peeps up here, then dropped into the fun down, rocking the groove. Straight through and down Greenwood, making some of my best time ever I reckon, absolutely fanging it. Brief pause after Gloomy, then on down, and dropping the drop properly for a change. Down and around, keeping good pace the whole way and off the ground a lot.
Out the bottom through Evans Pass and headed out Godley Rd for a bit, enjoying the view and the nice day all the way, then thru the new bike-cattlestop at the gate we always use and up the farm track to the mtb track where I turned back towards Evans. Received a quick phone-call from Tra'y which informed me of changes of plans: they were off to Lyttelton. I didn't commit, but said I'd be in touch when I was at a crossroads further up the hill. I continued on down Godley to Evans, having a good bomb, finishing by passing a bunch of oldfolk walkers who were sitting down to lunch next to the walking track section just above the end/start of the track (which I was on).
Next, it was up the Summit Rd under Greenwood, good pace, watching the age old battle between a harrier and a magpie for a good while before Jollies Bush, then at the Richmond Pines, over the stile and into the climbing singletrack up to original Greenwood entrance. Here I rang Tra'y and decided to go that way, so, rode in the old Greenwood entrance track, then up the 4wd track to the gun emplacements on top of the ridge. Straight into the descent down the ridge walkway, cleaning more of the rocks below the stile than nighttime wetness in winter usually allows, and then at the saddle struggled to find Chalmers Track...
Found it, VERY overgrown, (closed, apparently) but headed into it, and man was it steep, at times entirely unrideable, and full of stinging nettle - every stop I'd find the nettle at face height, and millimetres from my elbows, knees, shins.
Amazingly, no stingings received, and lower down more riding than stumbling-avoiding-nettles, then out the bottom through a couple gates and the final super speedy bomb down the streets into the town for a delicious huevos rancheros at Lyttelton Coffee Co with the family.
Out the bottom through Evans Pass and headed out Godley Rd for a bit, enjoying the view and the nice day all the way, then thru the new bike-cattlestop at the gate we always use and up the farm track to the mtb track where I turned back towards Evans. Received a quick phone-call from Tra'y which informed me of changes of plans: they were off to Lyttelton. I didn't commit, but said I'd be in touch when I was at a crossroads further up the hill. I continued on down Godley to Evans, having a good bomb, finishing by passing a bunch of oldfolk walkers who were sitting down to lunch next to the walking track section just above the end/start of the track (which I was on).
Next, it was up the Summit Rd under Greenwood, good pace, watching the age old battle between a harrier and a magpie for a good while before Jollies Bush, then at the Richmond Pines, over the stile and into the climbing singletrack up to original Greenwood entrance. Here I rang Tra'y and decided to go that way, so, rode in the old Greenwood entrance track, then up the 4wd track to the gun emplacements on top of the ridge. Straight into the descent down the ridge walkway, cleaning more of the rocks below the stile than nighttime wetness in winter usually allows, and then at the saddle struggled to find Chalmers Track...
Found it, VERY overgrown, (closed, apparently) but headed into it, and man was it steep, at times entirely unrideable, and full of stinging nettle - every stop I'd find the nettle at face height, and millimetres from my elbows, knees, shins.
Amazingly, no stingings received, and lower down more riding than stumbling-avoiding-nettles, then out the bottom through a couple gates and the final super speedy bomb down the streets into the town for a delicious huevos rancheros at Lyttelton Coffee Co with the family.
An excellent, 20.5 kms, with a surprising 742 m climbed (but 900 descended due to starting the ride ~150 m higher than the finish).
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