Sunday Summit Hailing McTrollface

Wintry blast teeming through so got out for a gravel roady on the Troll.  Up Vic Park Drive, then through the Skidder and up the gutser, walking most of this - gearing and tires overwhelmed.  Brief chat to an old friend Doug up here, then on up through Brake Free and up to the top Thompson.  Down this singletrack, good fun, then up onto the road and a nice coast down to the Kiwi.

Across the Dyer's and up, up around Marleys, onwards out the summit.  All fine, no snow, but lo! - Bradley and Herbert were dressed in white about a third down from their summits, right across the tops there.  Further round I could see low on the plains as well - Oxford / Sheffield kinda ways, and squalls marching across the plains too.  After a nice descent I pulled into the Bellbird and had a snack and tidied a little of my clothing for warmth.  Big hail storm came in, so I was in the perfect place for it.  It buttoned off a little and I hit the road again, not really knowing how far I might go, and at one point even considering all the way down Gebbies to Motukarara and taking the rail-trail back to Lincoln, Taitapu and back round, but figured it'd be well dark by the time I made it home from that adwenture and my lights were already showing the red spots of low battery.  

Continued along the summit, climbing into the wind, descending into the wind, the occasional sheltered bit.  Popped up to check out the Living Springs summit, had a wee look in the bush track on the top there  ("rescuing" a seedling for my garden).  Rode again.  Hail again.  Eventually, Gibraltar Rock hove into view, and Omahu Bush, which I'd never explored before.  Popped down into the top zigs, parked the bike and walked (and slipped) down to the bush edge.  Bumped into Douglas again here, I swear the dude was following me, random.  Looks to me like there could be some good riding in this Bush, at night perhaps... Hail through again while I was in the bush.  

Back on the road, headed for home, tail wind (tho not so's you'd notice), more down than up.  Saw another (gravel or road bike?) rider at that water fountain thingy.  Moved a (dead) possum off the road a bit for the hawks.  Up and down, hail storms coming along and moving on.  Some lovely long rolling coasts, then easy ups.

At the Kiwi I could see the traffic was just starting to move, green light, so I bombed down, then they seemed to be stopped, one car having trouble, so I passed them all and jumped in behind the one car that made it past these guys who were struggling and so I had the whole length between the lights and beyond to myself.  Peeled right into Vic Park Drive, Climby McClimbface up to the 19th and then rolling home free, some good speed on that final descent, then brake checking hard and into the driveway.

23.43 kms Trolled with 772 altitudes.