Sunday, March 03, 2019

Sunday Post-party Car Pick-up

Band gigged at Joy's party on Saturday night, and we left our car behind, so, my job was to collect it.  Was rather tired, but got two-tired and got rolling. 

Usual route to town, funnily, at Heaton St I ended up a few metres back (far enough not to slipstream - cos that would be lazy), from another mtnbiker dude, who was keeping the same pace.  I was behind him all the way to where I peeled left on Disraeli, where I zigged and zagged to Wordsworth, then on through Opawa to bottom of Rapaki, where upon he was exactly the same distance ahead, all the way up Rapaki.  Back was killing me on the grind... We both turned left onto Taramea Loop, and I started to catch him a little.  Then, on about the 5th switchback he stumbled slightly, and I over took him.  I dropped him a bit on the down, but then he caught me again a bit further round, but never quite kept up.  Back at Rapaki I kept on up the Full Monty, and he was gone - I can only assume back down? 

Up the Full Monty, steep bastard that it is higher up, but got it all bar one steep rock I stalled on.  Phew, the top of Rapaki, and left onto an easy going Witch Hill, stopping for a well earned break at the usual high point.  Off down to the road and then stuck to it around and up to Castle-top.

Awesome descent, usual rocketshipping to the first corner, good between hairpins, and then not bad start to the climb.  The top of the climb was a bit of a drag, then okay to finish.  Onto the road and around under the gondola, bumping into Connor and Jade along here.  Then climbing up to the cutting, past fire engines, ambulance, and the contents thereof up on the hill carrying a stretcher down from the bluffs, with the ambo repositioning itself as I rode past. 

Into Britten, and out around the front of the top.  Nice roll this way, and last of the climb nice and easy up towards the main entrance, before descending at sometimes ridiculous speeds down the fun, yelling at the sheep to get out of the way.  Around and back, under the pylon and across the front, bombing down into the descent down the rocks and under the last pylon, over the fence and down Longridge onto Mt Pleasant Rd for the bomb do the car.  Ambulance passed me as I was getting in the car, not in a hurry either...

Long and tiresome 29 kms, with 722 climbed, and a smidge under 200 less descended.

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