Treadled up the valley and around into the Pines for the climb. Nice and shady in here, so wasn't bad going. Sure was hot tho. Up through the Orange Rhyme, then through the gates above the Outdoor Ed centre and up through the gums into the douglas fir, climbing, walking a bit, very overgrown and lots of stinging nettle about. Not so bad when climbing, but took note of any really sketchy bits. Eventually made the ladder-stile, clambered over this and continued on up, into the open paddock, and up to the cabbage tree corner.
Rested in what shade I could glean and then headed downhill, back the way I'd come. Fast blast through to the ladder, over this and bombed down, instantaneous plant recognition skills coming into effect. "Is that a mahoe/kawakawa/foxglove or an onga-onga?" all the way down. Ducking and weaving through them all, and positioning feet to avoid the low level ones. Not long and I was out tot he gums and down the field to the gates again.
Into Mississippi, back and forth like all the ss's in the name, around into the climb for Zanes and my back tire was weaving all over the place. Stopped and pumped it up, then bombed on into it. Fun and weavy, fast when I could, but visibility from all the overgrowth was tricky. Stopped and pumped the tire again, and rode some more and out the bottom. It was getting worse, but I wondered if I'd make it, so headed into Totara Valley (below Pines) and squirrelled my way down. At the bottom I bit the bullet and flipped the bike, got the wheel out and chucked a new tube in. Pumped it hard to get it seated, and go rolling, hot and bothered from the pumping. Down down back to the car.
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A measly, but steep, 7.8 kms, with a hot 289 climbed.
Got home and took the two boys out to Roto Kohatu for a nice fresh swim.
Got home and took the two boys out to Roto Kohatu for a nice fresh swim.
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