Sunday Thomas Green Thomas

Good ride in the heat today (summer returned for a day).  Bit of a late start, met Nelson in Scumnervale at about 11.30.  We treadled off down the street, and took a cul-de-sac through to the redzone to get to the bottom of Capt Thomas.  Around the fence and along back of the gabion wall, stopped to eat some blackberries and Andy and Wayno turned up for a chat, just finishing.  Pete was nearby too.  

Into the climb and a wee walk, with more blackberries as we passed, then riding, climbing, good pace, good times and nice in the shade for the while.  Around the head of the valley and out onto the open ground, sun pounding down on our backs.  Clamber clamber, up the hill we went.  I was nearly to the point of puking by the time we got to the gate.  Took it easy to the road and we headed up it to the Richmond Pines.

Over the stile and into Sheepshit Alley (new name on the sign, cant remember what).  Up this, nice cruise and onto the road, around up to Broadleaf, and up this.  Road wet under the pines up here due to overnight cloud flow (I'm imagining).  Up the gravel and there were a few people around up top.  

Into the descent, soon overtaking a couple, the woman of which was obviously in over her head - really struggling with the rocky tech.  I led the way, and was fanging, bombing down through the weave of tussocks.  Easy across the flatter bits.  Then down into the Greenwood proper.  Nelson leading this but I stuck to his tail the whole way, until Gloomy Gulch where I was finally getting tired.  Stopped for a bit of a break usual spot before bombing off down through the rocks.  Again, tight on his tail, great run down.  All the way gaining on a dude who'd gone past while we were resting.

Last blast, into Captain Thomas, both on top of the speed all the way down.  Good tech, good vibes.  Into the old exit, around the valley head, lovely singletrack, lots of very nice flow.  Blasting down the last bits just as the trail splits (walking down, bikes to the left) there was a couple picking blackberries here, and at the junction Nelson clipped a rock and went full summersault over, ending up off the track, on his back, still attached to one pedal.  Incredibly he was unscathed.  On from here good last blitz down the steps and back around to the cars.

A parching 15 and a half kms, with surprisingly 637 m climbed. (considering our peak was 500 m, where'd the extra 137 come from? just the lower end of the Captain??)

Went and visited David.