Keep on pushin' on. Out on my own tonight; only chance this week. On the Rocky, headed up through Vic the usual route, pushing quite hard, and overtaking a group of 4 on the road (who, granted, were taking it pretty easy), then up through the usual grunter and around onto Worm leading me to the Traverse. Good push across here with quite a few tail-winds helping me along. Clambered up onto Vernon and had a nice blast around and down to Rapaki-top, feeling smooth and flowy. Popped across here and straight into the Witch, cleaning all the way around to where I stopped to have my first break and a small snack I hadn't realised I needed. Interestingly, the Summit Rd Society has bulldozed some tracks into that Avoca Valley block, scarring the land big-time. I wonder what their intentions for those are?
On the road now, climbing around up to top of the Castle, passing a group of youth out walking, just before the top. Dropped in and flowingly bombed it all the way, warp-speed in the lower reaches before the first hairpin. Around this and picking up speed again, then easing off after the next corner on the last bit before the climb, which proved quite jolly. Over and down to the Bridle Saddle, and back into the climbing, back up the road towards the Tors.
The youth walkers were climbing up onto the peak above Castle and Tors track as I climbed, and were in residence as I pushed then rode up to the track. There were also a group of 3 Gravellers (one on a Krampus) at the Castletop donning jackets for their ensuing descent (of the road!). I had a bit of a stretch, then into the groove of the Tors track, clipping the odd pedal in the tussockzone but flowing better down into the rocktech. ONE spot got me this time. I've gotten over all the older baulkers, but cant seem to get my head around this last one. Good bomb down the last rocks as an E-biker cruised under me on the road... Across onto the wee-singletrack-above-the-road. Chucked on my jacket (which I'd had strapped to the frame), the breeze just getting a tad too chilly. Got riding and had a nice tool around this tight wee trail. Across onto Witch, still climbing really strongly, and feeling good. A breather at the high point then another fun blast around and down to the Rapaki.
Straight through and into Vernon singletrack climb, pushing, ever pushing and managing to hold onto the pace. Up around, blitzy blitz down the last and then dropped the (newish) rock gappy drop thing down for the first time. Kinda clipped the pedals, so need to pop more air next time... Around the Traverse, rolling nicely on the downs and still with the power on the climbs; feeling surprisingly good. Into Vic top and all the jumps, then See Saw, first section BrakeFree and out, down Rabbit into Rocks, Gums, flowy flowy bomb bomb bomb all the way out to 19th, then below the road, this time all the way down to try out that drop-off and down a couple of wee guts to the Harry Ell, then climbed back up to the road on the Corner where Tawhairanui starts, still coping well with the climbing! Coasty coast down the seal to Dogpark Carpark and straight in - under the tree, then one of my fastest down here. Wetspots still greasy, especially the Oaks. Across into the last bit, then took the walking track exit out to VicParkDrive and final bomb home.
Just shy of 20 kms, and over 750 climbed... Not Bad At All.
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