Friday's Unparaparallelled Saturation

Parked at the usual spot just off the estuary and headed up the main road, only a small number of cars passing on the km and a little, then onto the steep gravel. Gate ride open and I climbed. One car up. Took the little top single-track loop up some switchbacks back onto the road, one car down, for the bigger push over and then down to the descending single-track. 

Rain actually falling now, and the downhill was wet foliage galore. Super grippy but slow and careful was the flow - very enjoyable! Down and down and down, heaps of pig sign lower down then across the creek and along around the swamp to the dam. Looped it around the dam, honking every time I touched the brakes. Bit of a wheely-walk one overgrown section, saturating legs even more, then out onto the track back across behind the Rintoul. Took a look down the quarry then off down the steep rooty and rutted down, across the front of the quarry and hard left onto the cruisy fast, finally(!), descent. Fun for a nice while and then another stream, crossing and big hole, with a very friendly eel.  Last but of trail, step climb to road, down and out to the car.

Jam packed 8.4 km and a whopping 266 m clambered.

Aorere Gold Sluicing Sweat Equity

Parked at Devil's Boots and headed in the access track on the fatty, then up the 4wd track. Steep and not too hot. Passed the turn off to the caves thinking there was another one a little further up for the dam, but I was mistaken and when I looked at the map realised I was way up the trail beyond it, so I kept going. When I reached the turn off to Johnson's Battery I decided on a little explore, headed down this track on foot, steep as can be. Found a tunnel, eery, kept going but turned back. Carried on heading up to the trig, then turned back down til I eventually got to the turn of again and headed the you'd and downs through to Druggans Dam.  Bit of a rest and watched a dragonfly and an eel then headed off down the waterrace trail, fun times, past the caves and an even more fun bomb down. 

Exciting 16.6 kms but what felt like a lot more than the measly 409 climbing points that were hard allocated

Quick Dog Run

Quick up on the Troll with Jet last night, testing out my new tires.  He was gagging for it, even tho his old man hips were gonna be screaming at him later.  We cruised up the walking path, and into the bushy one, then up between road and dog park to the carpark, straight across into the trail.  He faffed around a bit and then some riders came through, then a couple of runners who I let past.  Then we got going, stopping a couple of times to let him catch up.  Jumped the tree branch, waited, then through oaks, up to the right, up around to dogparkbottom and down, into Charles' Track.  Nice and broad now, easy riding, will use more often.    

Then headed left out the side (cos there were some people with a dog going up on the other side), and down across the grassy bits to home.

Not even 2 km, and (by my own calculations) 86 m climbed. (MMR says it was only 55, but that's bollocks, lowest point, 222 m, highest point, 296 m, descended to 259, climbed again to 271, and back down...)

Saturday Captain God, Snake Escape, God Thomas

Awesome long ride with Nelsie tonight.  Chucked my bike on his roof rack at his place and we headed for Slumnervale, parking around the corner from usual at the cul-de-sac we've been riding out the last couple times.  I'd had a busy day followed by a snoozy hour before leaving home and unfortunately too much sugary chocolate and a bowl of chippies, so was feeling a tad pre-diabetic

Steep up the steep, but into the groove once on the 'level,' clambering around and needing a good rest at the seat where the trail comes up from the valley.  Riding again, usual steps through the rocky stuff, and riding out the top no problem, only meeting one guy on an electric dirtbike (naughty!) on his way down.  

Onto the road around out towards Scarborough top to ride up farmtrack to Godley, for a blast of a blast down towards Livingston.  Smooth and flowy, bike feeling reeeaally good.  Through the col and up around, Nelson bollocksing some rock feature.  I continued on, assuming he wasn't far behind and as I rounded the furthest hairpin realised he wasn't there.  Over pfmtbc rock and down rutsville to the road and waited.  He turned up eventually saying he ended up doing a couple of goes at the same feature.  

Up the road a little ways and dropped into Anaconda from the top.  Excellent blast down this, flowy flowy again, feeling the drift-into-catch on the corners, almost all the way down.  Tidied up once into the Tail and nice blast down and straight into the up-valley climb out on the Escape.  Drawn out affair this, with the gulch in the bottom the hardest most painful part.  Good once further up.   There was a guy ahead on the hairpins at the end of the valley so Nelson started chasing, gapping me completely.  He ended up taking him at the top of the last hairpin over Taylors, and I was juuust about catching him before the final final hairping, but not quite.  

Back up the road from Livingston and then up onto Godley again via the farm track, this tiem turning right to hit back to Evans.  Nice fast blitzy blast all the way back.  Tech rocks.  Bike handling wonderfully.

Finally, into the Captain for a glorious descent.  Primo conditions and feeling really good now, finally on the down.  Speed and flow were our closest companions.  Very good for us.

Couple and a half hours, 20kms and nearly 800m climbed. All good

Thursday Morning Singlesped Power Three-quarter-hour

Up and back blast to get the blood flowing this mild nor'west morning.  Set off about 6.30, up the walking track just above the road, gasping for air in no time.  Onto the road at the first carpark and chuffing still.  Straight in past the 19th and into the grunter for a short walk.  Then up zig and zag out and up to Thompson's #1 for a lovely hoon down to the climb back to road.  Seat down, dropped in, down around the jumps and blast down rabbit into rocks, cleaned, into gums, flow flow flow, out to road, then turned back up towards skidder, and onto the over-19th trail.  Dropping out beside the rangerstation and down around the road.  Into the dogparkcarpark, trail now trimmed tidy-like and flowy as all fuck.  All the way down to H'Ell.  Clamber to road, and home.  7.15.  Sweeat!

Underwrought 6 kms and 200 m climbed

Sunday Troll with T (on the E), Summit, Kennedy's, Library and Quarryman's to car

Needed to collect the car from P&J's after Paul drove me home after our gig last night.  

Rode up Vic Park Rd on the Troll with T on her E.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her down towards the Kiwi and we hit the Summit Rd climbing up and around, all the way to Kennedy's.  She wasn't sure, but managed fine, rough ride down, all the way to the end of the trail (I took the singletrack from the Siberia gate, then onto the road smoooooth flying.  Headed along to Te Hapua Halswell (that ends well) Library, where we got some books, and then snuck backways into the Domain and rode through this to meet the Quarryman's trail which we rode all the way, into the wind, to Pioneer Park where we caught up with P and J who were having a wee community planting lunch picnic.   Tracey rode home via Bengal while I chucked the Troll in the back and brought the car home.

Nice little 20 kms and I did 374 m climbing, (T added another 220 to that riding home)

Off to balmy Lake Poteriteri on Tuesday, so, no more rides for November...

Tuesday Night Bowenvale Loop

On my own on the Jeht, off up to top of Vic, feeling dreadful...  up to top and down around the jumpies, hanging hard right into Worm and climbing to Traverse.  Around here, uneventful other than stopping at the first high point and for a rest and to delayer when 10 dudes all rode past...  Glad I didn't meet them on-trail.  Nice blast from here, dont think I met anyone else.  Stopped for a rest at the top of HuntsDH and made up my mind where to go.  

Down.  Blitzy blitzy droppy drop down over the jumps in the ruts and then across the landing strip, twistier version, and dropping down AliExpress this time continuing down.  Baulked at the worst bit, and walked it.  Then a little lower down baulked at the highline, walked back and did the lowline, then good blaze the rest of the way.  Cautious Colin through the pylon switchbacks tho, for some reason, not liking the overgrowth of grass and narrowness.  Brief pause at the usual resting spot then off for the blast.  Feeling pretty good now, weaving the frame down through the trail.  Very nice.  Lower sections were fast and slow, and at the bottom I went straight into the climb back up the valleybottom.  Feeling not that bad now, getting into the groove.  Cleaned up to Hospital no problem then cleaned all of the steep start of k2 no issues either, considering how many times I've walked it in the past!  Around into the trees and it's easier in here now (someone's sawn off a thin tree that was a pest on the roots).  Up around the Texaco and on up the 4wd track, breathing a lot.  Met a couple of walking women up under Pono's and then past the 40fter and up through the rad zone climbing no problem.  Weird.  

At Skidder I thought, why not, and kept climbing - making hay while the sun still shone (was 8.10pm or so, and sunset was at 8.39pm), up to Brakefree then on up to the very top again!  Mad.  Down over the jumpies and then blast down rabbit paddock (through an attractive couple's photoshoot) and into the rocks, gums, fun times all the way to the 19th, then below road, fast through the woods,

Then road coast, spectacular heavens above, into empty Dogparkcarpark for an overgrown entry and then weavy blast all the way through, jumping all the jumps and taking it all the way to the bottom.  Excellence.  Clamber to road, and home, just before the sun actually set.

A bemusing 13.2 kms and 560 m strove.

Windy Wednesday Singlespeed.

Limited time blow out needed, so hoofed out on the BFe up through Vic, over 19th, and up the grunter to the top, via Worm (which is good on the SS).  Down Thompson's #1 and back up the road chuffing away, then dropping in, down around, past the jumps, down rabbit paddock, rocks and gums.  Peeled out to Skidder and headed off down Shazza's all the way down it's 'new' extension and then walked back up K2 steeps...  Back over Skidder into the lower gum track back down to road, below road, lovely drift through the forest and then back up to road and coasting into Dogparkcarpark dropping through the overgrowth for a sweet hoon all the way through to the bottom.

Six and one quarter kilometres, and 230 m chuffed.

Sunday Solo Traverse Upper Hunts

On the Jeht, I headed off up the hill - feeling exhausted the whole ride - up through usuals and into Thompson's 1 and 2, upon the 2nd of which I nearly shat a runners pants. We discussed civilly. "Ya gotta slow down!" "So sorry bruv, I came in off the road a little hot."  We moved on. Climbed back up the road, down round the jumps, back up the Worm onto Traverse for the haul across. Breathing was strugglesome. Whole way round I was thinking I had covid.  Long rest at top of HuntsDH before finally dropping in, excellent run down, then all the way down to top of Ali express. 

Climb back to top of Huntsbury, grind grind, stretch-rest here, no-one around. Then off around the Traverse, again meeting no-one. Top of Vic, jumps, rabbit paddock, rocks, a wee douggie rest in the pine top of the gums then fun down all the way, below road from 19th, down into dogparkcarpark trail sweetness groove fest. All the way down onto the lower H'Ell, clamber to road home. 

13 hard pressed kms, with 460 well wrought metres climbed

Saturday Troll and Epic-nic

With me on the Troll and Tra'y on her e-commuter we rode up through Vic to the top.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her at the bottom of #2 where she was waiting.  Through the pass and up and around all the way to the Bellbird looking for a sheltered spot to sit for a picnic.  At the Bellbird we popped over and up to a nice stone seat out of the wind and had a magnificent-salad picnic.  

Back the way we came, she went down Dyer's Pass where I rode up top and down the gums etc out to Skidder and down.  Good run.  Then I took the dogparkcarpark trail down, cutting out the walking 'To Harry Ell' track.

Not much under 16 kms, and 475 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Thomas short Godley Captain

Sweet wee bomb with Nelsie tonight while America slides into fascism. 

Picked him up and we trafficked around to park at Sumnervale and headed downstream a little then around and up the old skool Captain.  Once up on the 'level' it was good going, and I felt pretty good.  Quite mild considering the beasterly blowing at home and elsewhere.  I even cleaned the upper section before the gate (where I often end up too knackered).  At Evans the view was amazing, with the low grey cloud cap over us, and bright sunshine beaming in to the otherside of the harbour.  It was here I realised I'd forgotten to turn on MMR...  Oh well.

Along the road, always a little further than you think, and lots of biggish lambs around, headed up the farmtrack to the Godley and I led the way back, keeping a pretty good pace, and enjoying the way the bike handled, actually getting some of the famed 'feel' I was looking for in this machine.  (even more so lower down).  Across the road and we dropped into the Captain, and as mentioned, the feel came in droves.  The bike kinda dimensionally warps around certain corners.  Tis sweet!  Into the old skool section and so much fun.  I kept on Nelson's tail for the first bit but a little further in I was struggling to reel him back in.  Managed a couple of times, but then something would slow me.  The rock roll-over gave me a bit of a fright, in that I really thought my left side bar was gonna slam the rock.  Survived tho, and it was a good descent.  

Rolled around back to the car and (then forgot to turn off MMR and ended up turning it off in Monck's Bay, but have editted that bit out.) headed home.  For what it's worth, from Evans to Sumnervale via some trail, 7.5 kms, but in reality based on previous rides, 11.something kms and 420 or so climbed.

Tuesday Quick Singlist

A needed single-speed, indeed.

On the BFe - new (to me) 2.5inch tyre up front now, up the road, good chuff, over 19th, the usual push up from Skidder, a group of mtnbikers riding up past me (not that much faster than me walking), rode the rest to the top and into Thompson's for a lovely flowy, bike feeling amazing under me, cranking it through the two hairpins, then cruise up the road.  Questioned where to go here, but decided to just drop on down.  Down around (past) the jumpies and through rabbit into rocks and pines. 

Nice down gums, flowy flowy sweetness, then out to the road, into the track below, flow flow, right, over and up to the road corner, up around, coasting down and into the carpark, straight in, getting a bit overgrown in there (time to do some trimming, might walk the dog up today).  Flowy flow, a little damp in one spot, then (with an audience of a couple of groms) jumping over the jumps and flowing through the oaks and into the lower reaches, bomby flow.  Out onto Ell, clamber to road and home.

6.3 kms and a smidge under 200 m climbed.

Couple ebike rides over the weekend

As per the title... 

Saturday, T and me rode to brunch on our ebikes - down Dyers, Hackthorne, Lady Polson to exit down Bengal, across onto the Uni-trail, flowing through past Pioneer, then back streets and across the alley to Domain Tce, up past Hillmorton, under the motorway and hung a right, down along the bike track all the way to Lincoln Rd, where we went to Maxine's for delicious yum cha brunch, eating entirely too much.  Home via Addington back streets, out to cross Collins/Simeon crossing of Brougham, then Simeon all the way through cemetery park and Studholme to cross river, thru Thorrington and up the hill home.  Didn't map it - but it was around 17 kms.

Sunday, up through Vic, Summit Rd to Mt Pleasant, then Upper Major Hornbrook, down through the park to Cannon Hill, through past Ferrymead around the river, lots of nice squirrelly singletrack, then onto the bikepath all the way to Tannery where we saw stopped and went to the movie Lee at the movie theatre, then home the usual way across the back streets of Opawa, St Martins, Beckenham and up the hill, home.  

30 odd kms (see I started it up around the 19th), over 700m climbed. 

Hallow Thursd-ween Night Weirdness

Up on the Jeht, no idea where I was going and not feeling up to much, but wanting much.  Bulk hayfever around and lots of other riders. 

Ground to the top of Vic, following a couple of guys who I'd gain on then not, then gain...  Passed them when they were getting grass out of one of their derailleurs just near the entrance to Thompsons - down which I went, just after an ebiker.  Onto road, lower Thompsons and then through the pass and up the Summit Rd, grinding away, ebiker disappearing into the distance.  Over taken up here by another 2 ebikers, thinking, "lazy cunts."  Followed a grom up to top of Nun and chatted briefly, then dropped in.  Not too bad a run, bike handling nicely.  All the way to the bottom then through the pass again and up Summit to top of Vic.  

Dropped in down around the usual jumpies, over the see-saw and hard right for a pleasant cruise up the fenceline.  Lugged over this and dropped into Pedalfine, which I did not pedal particularly finely.  Grabbed the first left and fucked up the log, fucked up the first corner nearly losing it.  Handled the jandal down an across the wee bridgey thing, then dropped onto the access track across.  Dropped into one of the trails along here, but then failed and climbed back out.  Not feeling good.  Headache and low energy.  Along a bit further and dropped into Razza's which I rode pretty good, biffing and baffing my way down.  Stopped for a long rest here wondering where the hell to go and what to do.  A couple of guys cruised past (from coming out of Dazza's) and one commented on "Cool bike!" and "wait! what are those brake pads!??"  

I made up my mind and dropped down Razza's extension into Brentzone, sidling as far across as I could.  It's getting well worn out in there, and was still pretty damp.  Out the bottom and hard left up into Corporate Ladder which really got me huffing.  Had to stop for a rest at the big limby gum.  Out top to Sneaky, still pondering, up??  down??  Down.  Into Sneaky Ridge, dropping down and hopping out onto Bridges and Nu-Bridges down to the valley.  Turned up here on K2, got half way up the first bit and decided, nah, fuck it.  Turned back down and took Hidden Valley Bonus climb, clambering well up onto Old Skool.

Nice blast down Old Skool, blitzy blitz, and at the bottom, again with the indecision.  Up?  or the bus??  Really didn't have that climb in me so settled on the bus.  Down Bowenvale, across to Landsdowne, Centaurus, Cashmere to PMH where I sat down, chilled out for about 5 minutes and the bus arrived.  Nice.  Stopped my MMR here.

Overall, 15.7 kms, with only 405 climbed (plus from bus stop to home) - and must be around 600 or so descended. 

Labouring on Labour Day

Hard work on the hill today - I really struggled, but kept on pushing.  Up from home via the usuals, with a bleeding nose kicking in just as I got to Brake Free, so stopped to quell that with the help of the water fountain.  On up to the top and straight into the the jumps, everything a little soggy under the trees after the 2 inches of rain we got a few days ago.  Straight into Worm and up onto the Traverse for a many-times-interrupted flow across.  I welcomed the stops for breathers to let others through, but there are still too many people who haven't got the memo that downhill gives way.  

Up onto Vernon, good blast down here with only a couple of sidles to let climbers through, jumped over the Rapaki-top and straight into Witch Hill ("closed" according to the signage - Pah!).  Cleaned it all and had a breather at the high point before launching in to finish and hit the road.  I truly considered turning back here, it was all just too much, but I perservered and got to Castle Rock feeling okay.  My rear wheel loose-spoke squeek on every rotation was annoying so I flipped the bike and tried to find the culprit - to no avail.  

Launched into the descent and held rapid speed and flow, ducking and weaving the rocks across the slope.  Some nice tidying lower down, but speed was good.  Brief breath at the hairpin and then eased back into it, and the climb was goood.  Straight onto the road and climbing, grinding my way back up to the top.  Clamber clamber onto the Tors and, "damn!" some walkers on their way up it.  "oh well..." off I went and they were young enough not to be bothered by me, and even stepped out of the way.  I let their tail ender come through cos she was puffing and I said "no, you come through, I'll probably fall off and embarrass myself."  This was just as the steeper tech started, all of which I cleaned until the last-worst.  As I was getting going again nearly lost it over the bars, but kept rolling down foot not clipped.  Onto road and coasting cruise back to Witch for the clamber to a nice long rest at the high point.

Rolling off again, fun blast to Rapaki-top and onto the road for the climb (too tired to do the trail), slowly reeling in a rider ahead.  He stopped at Huntsbury and I rolled straight past into the Traverse for a good hoon around here.  Really puffing tho.  Good times had and into the trees, jumpies, straight down to Rocks, Gums, not too greasy, lower section below Skidder had the usual wetspot, then out down the road into 235 which had some grease, that's for sure.  Jumped the tree and the next one not greasy in there, then across and all th eway to the bottom, nice flow all the way.  Onto road and home, wiped.

A typically substantive 20 kms, with a leg-tiring 731 m climbed.

Post number 1450

Sunday Urumau Ups'n'Downs

Met Nelson around 8am on Fosters Tce, Lyttelton for a steep, as usual, blast around in Urumau.  

New climbing trail (that I'd exited last time, but it's finished) up onto the sunnyside-lowers cross-trail, back up to the usual zigs, all machine widened now, deviating onto the looper back and forth to the top.  Nice climb. Into Stormer for a start, biff baff boff, taking a bit to get back into the groove of the place.  Warmed up a bit into Grommies and jumped off the log like usual, but missed the lower end steep rock bits.  Onto Sloanstar for the grindy climb.  Ugh.  Back up and around and up the zigs, this time taking the top all the way to the top.  

This time down Jackasaurus over the steep drops and jumps, tho, both avoiding the jumps this time round.  then down into the Zombie Lurch, lurching from one feature to the next.  Stopped to explore a new/old looking sideline, but continued on down, corners getting more and more insane for me.  Both avoided the log drop, rolling down through onto the boardwalk log thing and then it was time to climb again.

Up up up, Nelson getting ahead, but then taking the longer way to both meet at the regroup breather spot, before we headed around again and then up the zigs.  Looper top and Nelson decided he wanted to do the rockdrop bit next to Sunnyside.  He did, i filmed.  Then back up and over Jackasaurus and back down Stormer, bombing it better this time and meeting some walkers with a couple GSPs and this time taking the right hander into the steep rock zone, which scared me into baulking the last drop.  Climbed back up to where the couple with dogs were and then climbed again, this time Nelson completely dropping me and disappearing completely until the regroup breather spot.  Final blast down the way we'd entered, fun back to the cars and off to Lyttelton Coffee Co for some refreshment. 

Hard work, only 7.26 kilometres, with 440m climbed.

Saturday"s Mal-Pheasant-ries and Pleasantries with some Green Wood

Quick catch up with Steve at the Travis Planting, Jeht in the car, headed from there over to Mt Pleasant for a nice little solo spin.  Parked up just next to Kaikoura View.  Toodled up the road, up into the old bathtub entrance and across Britten, climbing climbing.  Around the front and up to the cattlestop, over the fence and as I climbed here a reasonable sized grey bird was running through the grass ahead of me.  A duck? No, has to be a pheasant!  When I hit the main track she flew from cover down across the road.  Nice!  Climby climb climb to the top of Pleasant where I had a brief gasping rest with some rams, then off down into the gnarr... Weird riding down through here, felt like every rock was pinged off and stalling me.  Down in the tussocks I caught and passed a couple of walkers and then down the long straight bit got caught in a rut and the ground angled up to hit me...  owch.  Right knee and shit took most of it but the saddle somehow pinched my left inner thigh, and the handlebars got slightly off skew with a bunch of grass caught in the brake lever.  Straight back on and down to the farmtrack where I stopped, readjusted, tightened and cleared, and got rolling again, around a family with two small kids and a poodle.  

Into Greenwood, rocky blast this, slightly put off by my fall, adrenalin still lagging out, was not riding on form.  Lower down I suddenly noticed a rider on a switchback above me.  I put on a burst of speed and kept him at bay but I had to stop from exhaustion just after Gloomy like I usually do.  He wasn't that far behind.  Older dude, the type that's probably done every single Coast to Coast since it started.  Fit but old.  I said gudday as he passed and gave him a good gap before I took off again.  Turns out I was slowly winding him in but before the final switchbacks to Evans he turned around and headed back up.  Fit bastard.  I thought about it, but didnt do the same, hit the road and started the climb.  It was a grind.  Though, in the gloomy corner, I spotted another female pheasant flying...

At the pines the family with poodle were loading into their car, I headed up Sheep Shit Alley, onto the road again, around to Britten and the blast down this, across and down the usual.  Good roll, tho very wary of ruts-villainry.  I'd parked lower down thinking I might ride Kenton, but by the time I got there I was too stuffed, so just took the path and road back to the car.

A malpracticed 13.6 kms with nearly 600 climbed (given I'd started the mmr late).  

Tuesday, post Africa, Singlespeed Hour of Power

Excellent HIT SS (SSHIIT?) spin (29r front again) and walk up through Vic tonight.  Limited time, and really needing a blast after a very-sitting African adventure, riding the ebike to work hadn't pepped me enough.  I clambered up the road getting the breathing going and up over 19th through the skidder and the requisite walk up the grunter.  Onwards up with another short walk in the pines and over into upper Thompson's.  Sweet wee blast down here then seated climbing up the road.  Dropped down around past the jumps and see-saw then trundled alongside the fenceline up to the top of Pedalfine etc.  A grom was just heading down over a new jump on this.  I headed down Upper Fence line, interesting but entirely doable on the SS.  Down around, one close call handllebar clip with post.  As I rolled past the top of Cool Runnings and was heading up I hung a left up a steep track and zigged back up to the jump on Pedalfine then up to the fence to see-saw, a bit of brakefree and down the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, funtimes, all the way through out, then below the road from 19th, road coast to dogparkcarpark, straight into the bliss trail flying humming bombing, both jumps excellently cleaned and flying through the oaks, twisty groove all the way to bottom.  Clamber to road, and home.

A diminutive 6.4 kms and only 242 m escalated, but still a good hour of power.

Saturday Nun other than the Guv'nor

Excellent spin today. Up through Vic, 19th, Skidder, Worm and top. Thompson's 1 and 2, through the Pass and up the road to top of Worsley's, and down the Nun. Across the road onto the Governor's Bay track, dropping merrily down all the way down through all the bushy zigzags, across the driveway onto the DH here down more, around into the valley, a couple of wee ups and downs then on the ridgeline before the last zigs and zags I turned around and climbed back up. 

A fair bit of walking but some good steep riding too. Across the driveway again and tried a new track off one of the earlier hairpins - obviously built for the planting that has been going in there.  Slightly too steep to ride a lot of, I walked a lot and rode a little, all the way up to the last hairpin on the OG track up there before the road. 

Onto lower Nun to the Kiwi, up onto the road, through Dyers Pass and up the Summit then the usual blast route down through the rabbit paddock, Rocks, Gums, all the way down onto road, 235 to the bottom, clamber back to road and home

14 kms and a tiny smidge over 600 m

Thursday Quick Up and Back before the Weather

Grabbing what opportunity I could, knowing the weather was about to shit itself, I took the Jeht up into the Vic.  Up the road, over 19th, through Skidder and a peaky wee blast down the Razza's.  Then, climby climb climb back up to Skidder and up the gruntsville to the top.  Down around the jumpies, bypassing the see-saw, first section of Breakfree, cutting out and heading down into the rocks - taking this pic just before: 

Into the gums, fanging all the way down through the lower bit and out to the gate, back up towards the Skidder, hanging a left to head over 19th again, then nice coast down road to the 235, screaming through here, jump, jump, oaks, hard right up to road again, popping out as a massive peleton of gravellers were coming up, chatting to one who told me their route (similar to what I did on the Troll the other month - whether the weather shat itself or not).  I peeled off under the dog park and smashed the blast down behind the houses, home.

Surprisingly little, 5 and 3/4 kms, and a disappointingly minimal 170 climbed. I'm sure it was more than that. It certainly felt like more than that.

Oh, and the weather didn't really hit until much later...  Those gravellers would have gotten home pretty dry.

e-Sunday Redwood Springs e-planting-lliot Sinclair

Took the Trek hard north to plant 50 odd Cyperus, Carex and Phormium next to the Styx River just upstream from the Redwood Springs and under the main trunk railway line.  The other side of the river I would think of as hell, although, I guess their outlook will be nice.  Nice cruise along the motorway trail and the various usual commute and northbound cycle routes.  Bottom of the hill I was still on 50% battery, 30% when I got home.

Thirty-two and a third kms, and a grand 274 m climbed. 

Saturday Troll with some e-Ladies

With Tra'y, Pia and Natalie on ebikes, I rode the Troll, and we headed up through Vic and along the Summit Rd to just past the Bellbird. Parked the bikes off the road just inside the bush and went for a short walk to check out the totaras and then the view of the harbour.  Back to the bikes and we rode all the way back. On the way up I took both Thompson's, and on the way back the girls went down Dyers while I went up to top of Vic and down all the usuals and we all met up again at 19th where I said goodbye to the visitors as I bombed off and took all the single-track home.

A groovy 16.4 kms and not a bad wee 491 m climbed.

Tuesday After the Rain Singlist

Running H's front wheel, and using all the gears of the BFe: sitting, standing and walking, I hoofed up thru the park, over 19th, Skidder, walked up the grunter, grabbed a drink then up a bit of Worm and then walking track to cross the road and up to the stone shelter where I took this:  

Then it was time for the bomb back down - all the single-track I could muster.  Around past the jumpies, down the rabbit into the rocks and gums for a nice cruise, then out to the Skidder and up over 19th again, road briefly and into the 235 for some slickness to start.  Took the left lower line down and if not for one stupidly placed jump it's riding pretty good.  The lower reaches have been cleared out a bit more, but the little fuckers have built themselves a mansion in there, with corrugated iron and wood...  Doubt the rangers will let that lie for long.  Across the oaks, mucky in there, and then out all the way down to H'Ell.  Climb to road and home. 

The 27.5+ x 2.8inch rolled pretty good, I must say. And there wasn't all that much grease around, either - considering we'd had 19mm of rain up til this morning. 

Marginalia, 5.4 km with only 166 m of upness

Sunday Troll to the Witch

Headed up on the Troll, usuals, 19th, Skidder, a wee walk on the gruntsville.  Into Thompson's number one for a nice wee jaunt, then back up hill on the \Summit Rd, staying on this all the way to Mt Vernon.  Up onto the single-track, taking the tech line and sketching the traction down at surprising speed to Rapaki-top, and straight into the Witch.  The tech was interesting on the Troll - surprisingly rideable, and I wondered why those mountainbikers on the road down there weren't riding the mountainbike track when I was managing perfectly finely on the inappropriately-tyred Troll. 

At the end of the Witch Hill singletrack I turned back up the walking track, riding a little, then pushing, then pushing steeper - a fair way up towards the summit, leaving the bike and climbing all the way to the top. Discovered the cool old stone chair up here, with excellent views.  Had a chat to a magpie who was hanging out to check me out, then clambered down back to the bike. 

Back down on the walking track I did a little explore along it back towards Rapaki and found it to be quite amenable until the last tech rocks that I walked the bike on its back wheel down - will ride in future on a 'proper' bike. Riding again, up around Vernon on the road and onto the Traverse, for a good bombing around this, relishing the feel of the bike, even with the minimal traction. Lovely flow all the way.  

Into the top-of-Vic forest, past the jumps, down the rabbit paddock, into the rocks - finally stalling here, then biff boff baff down through the gums, and below - all the way out, onto road at 19th, into dogparkcarpark bomb, a little slick in places, and out To H'Ell, onto the road, blasty blast home.

15.75 kms and 532 m climbed.

Thursday Night Old Skool Lights

Choice old skool ride tonight. 

Up through Vic, 19th, Skidder and grunt to top.  Down quick spin around the jumpies and hard right into Worm, onto and across the Traverse.  Good around here, my climbing slower than Nelson's but the downs were fine.  Tired from a bad night's sleep.  

Top of Huntsbury/Fourpause, leaped off down.  Front wheel clanged on one rock leading me to worry about losing pressure, but it held.  Started down the fast flowy section below the jumps but Nelson realised his mistake and we rode back up to the 'proper' curly techier version, down this and over the edge onto the newer sections of AliExpress, down through the cattlestop and over more of the edge.  We dropped down the first tech to the next where we both baulked, it's become such a wheel-eating hole drop now as to be a bit scary, oh, and the wind!  Pushed back up to where AliExpress back-and-forth bits were out to the side, very un-ridden and full of twin lambs and mums ewes-ing the shelter of the tussocks and hill, and a few of them on the track, and poo everywhere.  Bopped and wove over this and then down the usual byways, wind slamming into us and at one point rutting Nelson almost off.  Rocky grinduro down and down then onto the barely cambered back and forth above the pylon, down onto Old Skool.  

Brief stop here at the highpoint before I launched off first and led the way.  Took some weird lines, nearly losing it on the cattlestop midway.  Got my groove on lower down, with a couple more massive pings off rocks.  Sure is bony at the moment.  At the big corner out towards the end we pulled up cos i noticed that the trail beyond had been well used.  Decided to go for a little explore.  Followed it along and found trails, then exploring further found a massive jumps park in the trees, higher up, below the Vineyard property.  Loads of sculpted clay berms and gap jumps, enormous gaps.  Completely invisible and hidden.  Amazing.  I was getting antsy about our bikes alone on the trail so we headed back and finished off the Old Skool and headed up valley.

Long and grinding climb ensued.  Cleaned and rode everything tho, that's a first for a while, especially Hospital K2 steeps (tho I did stop for a breather).  Eventually skidder, over 19th, down Tawhairanui, dogparkcarpark/235 all the way out to the H'Ell, clamber, last of the road home.  

A laudable 13.2 km, 544 m climbed, evening outing.

Sunday to the Castle and back

Excellent empty stomach solo blitzkrieg across the top and back, taking in Vic, Traverse, Vernon, Witch, Castle and the Tors, there and back identical to a certain March ride of this route.

Grunted up the usual, gasping on the steepest bit.  Climbed all the way up to the top where there was a massive crowd of teens making a huge noise, some sort of organised walking trip.  They let me past and I boffed around over the jumpies and peeled right into Worm climb, out to Traverse whereupon I met many riders coming the other way.  Good blaze around here and then up onto Vernon for a biff boff baff down and around, not so many riding up this.  Straight through Rapaki-top and into Witch for a techy dab-free climb.  Stopped for a well earned breather at the usual high point then bopped off down to the road, railing the berms like a happy thing.  Onto the road and climbing, cruising, keeping up the pace, up to Castle where I stopped and had a tiny nibble on some One Sq.  

Now, the crux of the matter, Castle Rock track.  Keen to test the Jeht here and I was not disappointed at all.  Railing blast of a flight down it, superlative handling.  Good climb in here then final bits of rock and onto the road at Bridle-top and straight into the climb back up to the top, and ebike hooning past me.  At the top a couple of runners above held me off from pushing up to the Tors Track.  Then waited for them to get low enough I wouldn't catch them, then off I set.  Cleaned more of it than usual, the usual dab points ridden right over, until I found a new one.  Rode unclipped for the last bumpy descent then flew off down the road.  Along here, I got a nose grab of petrichor - the beautiful bushy, musty, dank smell you encounter at a certain perpetually shaded point on the Summit Rd between Witch and Tors.

Onto the Witch, a few riders coming through towards me as well a couple of walkers, cleaned the climb and then hooned over and down to Rapaki for a long slog climb up the road, around to Traverse again, good blast around here, catching a couple of women just after the pond, and then a good flight to the forest, jumps, see-saw, first few berms Brake Free and out down Rock garden, gums, through where I cut the other week and all the way down.  Onto road, into dogparkcarpark for the slightly greasy but fun 235 and blasting out to the very end, clamber up to road and home.

Over 20 kms, and 720 m altituded, felt good.

Saturday Captain Thom Godley

Blustery hoof up The Captain and out the Godley Rd to climb up and ride back into a gale on the rocks and back down hauling.  

Drove to Nelson's, bike barely fits in the Toyota.  Bikes on his roof and we headed around to Sumnervale, knuckling straight into the climb.  Very warm.  Good climb, once past the nasty start it's a great cruise until further up on the rocks.  Clambered and climbed and gasped for air, finally out the top and the wind was blustery as hell, watched a crazy whipperwhirl of dust rise up from the hairpin bend on the road while we sat at the gate along there.  

Cruised along Godley Head Rd out to where we climb up onto the trail proper, then headed back towards Evans.  Jeht behaved beautifully, felt really good over the rocks, and I reckon I could feel the extra 10mm of travel in the rear.  The wind was hard work tho.  Took the highline end down and then it was time for the Captain.  Excellent blast down here - tail wind pushing us along to rocket speeds. All the lovely tech down below, and we were done.

A glorious 11.something K, and a sound 418 m clambered

Quick Father's Day Trail Maint Singlist

Late afternoon hoon on the singlist up to take out the log across the gum track.  Pushed from Skidder, diagonally up across Sesame and dropped into where the log needed removing.  

Before (kinda, during, you'll see it's already started)

Hacked away at it with my tomahawk and then shunted it out of the way.

Then pushed up through the rock garden from here, across the paddock to my sunset seat where I enjoyed the last of my August, call it the 32nd of August.

From here, a blast back down through where I'd fixed, barely needing to duck under the high log, and blitzed through all the good trails, singlespeed performing beautifully.  Down 235, really flying, even jumping the jumps on the rigid, then out down through to the very end, giving quite the fright to a young guy as I appeared out of the bushes.  Clambered up onto the road (nice light weight) and home.  

Exquisite 4.6 kms with 145 m escalated

Saturday a.m. Up Across Down Up Across Down

Quick blat across and down Huntsbury and back.  First coffee, then I hit up the hill on the Jeht.  Up through usuals, 19th, Skidder, Gruntsville and up to top and into Worm onto the Traverse for the hoon across here.  Uneventful, a few oncomers but early enough that there werent many around.  Stopped for a bit of a rest at top of Hunts-DH.  Chatted to a slightly older dude who said, "Have you done the Ghost Rd?"... yep, "is it harder than this?"  They were relieved when I told him it's wider and less tech than sections of this (other than below Ghost Hut).  They left and I dropped.  A lot of wind about, bit gusty, but the first jump was all good.  2nd is almost inaccessible now due to rutsville, then 3rd and last couple are excellent.  Out onto the landing strip section, I mistakenly stayed on the straight-ahead and flowed out through it, but bailed off it an back up the landingstrip to taken in the more technical flow over rocks and around and down, then on Aliexpress all the way down to the gate below (for Old Skool).  Back up the climb for this pic.

On up and up the grind of the gravel to the top of Huntsbury Track, and onto the Traverse the opposite direction.  Good blast with some nice tail-wind sections.  Back all the way and enjoyably through the jumpies, down through the gate (as oposed to the seesaw), into the first section of brakefree, railing the new berms, then out onto rabbit paddock and down the rockgarden, gums, blitzy blitzy out the bottom and then rolling down the road into a very busy carpark, weave through cars to hit the fun trail, all the way down and out to H'Ell, to clamber back up onto Vic Park Drive and home. 

Whole lotta fun - 11.7 km and 420 m climbed

Thursday Night Victorian Nun

On the tail end of a bad cold, had a choice spin up the locals tonight with Nelson. 

Up the usual route, over 19th, skidder, gutser and up onto the Thompsons one and two.  Through Kiwi and up Summit, pulling onto the walking track (to avoid the BoyRacer action (lots out last night hooning)) from where the Nun meets the road.  Good climb up here, cleaning lots of steep and stepping up the odd bit.  Up Worsley's Rd to top then along the access trail to the Nun.  I dropped in first and missed the first peel off but got the old one and the big rock wall corner that I slipped on last time, cleaned out but lost a bit of speed through caution, which I soon made up for.  The new bike handles it all so nicely and on the faster straighter section was a fucking rocketship.  Hauled ass, and Nelson said he struggled to keep up.  Trail riding pretty good until lower down, but even that was okay.  All the way down to the Kiwi, Nelson saying the dust I was chucking up towards the end was chokey.  

Across Dyers and an event free climb up to the upper Thompsons, I dived into the little shortcut, only to find my way blocked by a fallen spruce branch.  Around this and into the cruise and slowly steepening climb, evil pincher towards the top where a dude (familiar face - see him on the trails regularly) was waiting for us to exit.  I was maxed out so needed a good breather up here.  Off into the around and down descent, over the jumpies, over the see-saw and hang a hard right along the fenceline up to the end.  Over the fence and lined up for Pedalfine.  Biff boff baff down here, left into the unused duffy trail dropping down with minimal traction and peeling left along the slippery wee bridge and some green mossed dropover onto the cross track 4wd.  Across and into Razza's, dropping through some climbers on the next cross track down, dropping into the tech with gusto.  One of the corners near the end has turned weirdly nasty, a tree root looks to be ready to be a pedal grabber, as it's come loose from the ground attached at each end.  It'd stalled Nelson (don't actually think he caught it, but stalled nonetheless), and so I stalled too.  Managed to get going again into the next droparound corner, and boffed it out the bottom (where 4 ebikers were waiting).  We started climbing and they climbed off ahead of us.  Up to the junction and off over into lower Pedalfine, dropping down the next section, then we rode up the 4wd back to the bottom of Razza's, and took, effectively the continuation of it into the Brentzone, across to the far side of this and down into the bottom.  

From here was time to introduce Nelson to the Corporate Ladder, climbing it's steepness (which made me stop to breath twice! (still getting over the ffing flu, afterall). up onto the start of Sneaky, where we climbed on up to 40fter and back up where we'd climbed before, around into the steeperer and up to Skidder where we ran into Mel and her friend.  Up over 19th, dropping down (nearly crashing where we hit the road, skidded slideways onto the right drop over, then down Tawhairanui up to the dogparkcarpark and into my 235 for a very nice flight, swooping through the bush and over the first jump realising on landing how greasy soggy it's been since last rains.  I baulked around the 2nd jump and we flowed all the way out to the very end, with the carry from H'Ell up onto road and final blat down home.

Well worthy 11.65 kms and a piddly wee 435 m climbed.

Saturday, Too Easy

We headed out with Dave and Jana and looped out Easy Rider... Dropped down Easy Rider all the way, staying on it this time (not taking Perserverence), cos it's the level at which Jana could handle.  Eventually got to Snakes'n'ladders and T and me took that eventually meeting Dave up at the corner.  T chased off after Jana and Dave and me rode through to Camp Track and back along past the DOC base and through the tech challenge zone, intending to meet the girls at the bridge.  They werent there.  We headed up the road a bit, no sign, then back and lo they were on T and my picnic table from yesterday.  Headed back to the house from here.

Started MMR a little late, so around 10km and 100m climbed.

Friday Hanmer Fat ride.

Sweet and slow, both of us exhausted from a week of sickness, we toodled around a few trails in Hanmer.  Cruised up Bristol St and dropped over to the pond and up to Swamp for a cruisy climb.  Really fatigued we both were, utterly spent.  And climbing's not T's forte anyway, so was good for her to get into this.  Down Swoop for a fun descent, fatty handling the whole thing beautifully.  Then it was off around Western Link track and over down through past the DOC base and through the tech practice zone to the road bridge.  I bombed back up to the car and grabbed us some eggy pie which I rode back up a different street, down to Dog Stream and back up to T on a picnic table.  From here we headed off down Easy Rider, fun down stream through onto Perserverence through to it's end.  T had had about enough now so we headed back along Easy Rider, then climbed back up to the streets and back to the car.  Hot pools soak and steam infusion followed and we were toasted.

An easy 14.15 kms and nearly 200m climbed.

Saturday Morning Jeht Up Down and back Up

Local shake down of the new ride.  And it was good.  

Gorgeous day, sunshine and in most places no wind. Headed up into the park from home, climbing at no different a clip to previously.  New bars and stem definitely making a difference in the way it feels, over 19th, and up the grunter, cleaning it no problem all the way (with one rest).  First difference noticed, climbing steep is easier - not having to focus on the balance point between leaning forward to keep the front down vs the back wheel losing traction, the long wheelbase keeps that back wheel planted and it just keeps chugging.  Puffing hard, up through Brakefree where there was a working bee, topped up my water and kept on to the top, dropping right on Thompson's #1.  After clearing a couple of walkers it was a nice wee spin then back up the road and dropped around down through the jumps, flying nicely, then down the rabbit paddock into the rocks and gums.  Excellent down here, even if lamenting the loss of my old, now log-blocked, route (i'll bring the axe and pruning saw up soon).  Out to skidder and up into top entrance of Razza's, dropping and rolling sweetly down through this, the baulked corner from last time cleared nicely, handling impeccable.  Climb from here up to the corner for a breather, then photo-op... pre drop in.

Dropped from here into lower Pedalfine, dropping down and down into the gully.  Straight into Corporate Ladder, climbing back up around this and up onto Sneaky Ridge with lovely kereru flapping about above me.  Dropped off down Sneaky with the bike handling everything immaculately, boof boff down through around and out over the fence onto Flow immediately behind a couple of other riders who I rapidly caught up to and undertook on the lower trail, stating what great nick that trail was in.  Off down nuBridges at mostly a great pace and then zapping down valley, hauling up to hang the right into HiddenValley bonus climb, and clambering up this, cleaning all the corners wonderfully with my new climbing mojo (with one rest before the last two).  Out onto Old Skool and stopped at the highest point for a good long rest, helmet off and some chugging of the water.

The two riders I'd passed earlier came along and I was just about to take off, but offered if they wanted to go first but they said, "you look better than us." So I said, "I'll try not to embarass myself!" and took off, blasting.  They never caught me, didn't see them til i was on the traverse back across they were above me.  Nice blast down through the rest, bike handling it all with aplomb.  Straight into the climb again, up valley, what a grunt.  All the way up to Hospital Corner no problem, really revelling in the climbability of this beast.  Up the hospital rocks and then a short walk on the steepest bit, then riding all the rest, even over the roots.  Past Texaco and onwards, nice, nice, nice...  Under the pylon, up past 40fter, through the Rad zone, out to Skidder, then quick drop down the 'park' entrance zone, peelign right and out to 19th, below road for nice roll, then back out and coasting roll to dogparkcarpark dropping in for a railing berm ride, jumps, steep right up to lower dogparkcarpark and down from the microwave tower behind houses fast, home.  

Yes, it's heavier then the Rocky, but just climbs so much better.  And on the downs it's SO planted.  Feels awesome.

Sweet as!! A valid 11.7 kms and 480 m climbed.

New Bike Day!!

The Jeht arrived last week and has had the Rocky components transferred to it over the weekend by Josh. Picked up last night and Tra'y forced me out of bed this morning (cos I'd been thinking about doing this) to ride up to top of Vic with her (on her E-commuter) as the sun rose.  Riding position a little awkward given the stem and bars not quite being right for the lonnnnng frame, so I pushed her bike and she mine up the steepest part of the grunter.  On up around to the top.  She headed off down the road and I rode the single-track back, around over the jumps, nice, then down into the gums.  The rocks were smooth and fast and my favourite line has a log across it now so I had to take the steep left hander.  Further than I remembered it and quite fun.  Out all the way on single to the 19th where I waited for T and we rode the next bit of road down to the carpark where I peeled off and flew into the greasefest.  Sweet rolling down here and the bike just felt so planted.  Very nice.  Jumped both smoothly and then careened all the way down to the bottom.  Brief jaunt on H'Ell then lugged up onto the road and home.

Sooo Lonnnnnnng compared to the BFe

Enjoyable way to start the day, 5 kms and 156 m climbed.

Update: Deity stem and bars ordered, should be here by end of week.  Weekend will see me riding proper trails to see how it shakes out!

Sunday, Fatty and Skinny ride Reynolds Valley, Bossu Rd, Railtrail

At the bach for the weekend and I'd planned to ride with Nelson, so I drove back out to Little River and met him early Sunday morning.  LAk was in the fog when I left, but up valley I came out into basking sunshine.  Pigeon was full of fog too, but Akaroa not, it holding off at the heads.  Down into LR and it was cold - frost on parts of the old railway carriages.  We got riding and headed around into Okuti Valley.  We met one car down here and no more for a long time.  Up valley then into Reynold's Valley, steep and narrow, very smooth packed gravel and a tunnel of bush.  Beautiful.  Lonnnnng climb - maybe an hour and a half to get to the top.  Was quite good, a few steep pinches with flatter gentler bits in between.  Ends up very high up on the ridge, and then climbs around a couple more corners some more once on Bossu Rd too.  Little bit of frost in shady places on the way up and up top.  

View out to the west...

At this stop we were overlooking Te Oka and the Devil's Gap to the left, Okuti Valley to the right, the Southern Alps right the way across.  You could see the backs of Bradley, Herbert, Fitzgerald, Sinclair, all the way across to Mt Pearce and View Hill top of LA.  I heard voices, then spotted some Gravel riders on their way up Bossu Rd.  As we took off down and came to them they were saying "ice" (i thought they were saying 'nice' about my bike) and sure enough around the corner, ice on the road.  No biggie.  Some speed and a couple more riders, and more speed, fun blasting down, and chilly!  Views were spectacular.  Approaching Kinloch Rd spotted some motorbikes coming up.  We hit the climb (on much deeper gravel) from here and they caught and overtook.  Further along they were stopped for photos and we got ahead of them then.  Lonnnng bomb down down down, sheep encountered, all the way down.  Such a long way.  Quite heavy gravel so not really trusting cornering traction much.  More amazing views half way down, looking straight up the Little River main street.  Then dropping down over towards Birdling it got very cold, with fog rolling over the township.  Down to past the cool homestead and onto the flat, across the bridge and into the gravel, bogged.  Walked a bit, then eventually it firmed up enough to ride - you'd never get a 2wd car through it.  

Onto the road, a km or so to the rail trail then the slog along this, eventually me slipstreaming behind Nelson, getting totally knackered.  We stopped at Caton's Bay for a snack and then rolled on the last 3 kms at a flying pace.  Back to the cars at 11.40 or so.  "Nice".  

A tenable 33.6 kms (or probably more like 34.6 km, cos MMR was being a pain in the ass in LR and wouldnt start til we were around the corner) and rather good 960 m escalated.

Sunday Explore and SS spin

Tray and me out for a spin, both a little worn from yesterdays' big circuit, her on her E bike and me on the Troll this time.  

Bombed down Dyers, into Hackthorne, hauling up and hard left into Lady Polson, down and around the dirt/gravel bit into Chittagong, left up the rest of Bengal and down through the greasy wee path to the top end of Shalamar driveways.  Bomb down this, through the Stone House, out to Holmcroft, right on Worsleys, left into Hurunui, down here, right into Opihi and out onto Cashmere Rd.  I took her on a wee detour through the park and along the creek, across Penruddock, along the creek again out into Croftfield Pl, into Willowdell Reserve for a steep climb we both failed on out to Happy Home Rd.  Easy coast down here and I spotted an entrance to the new Te Kuru wetlands reserves across the road.  Big old meander around in here on the nicely chip-gravelled paths, eventually finding out way out onto Sutherlands Rd.  Up here to Milnes, through exploring new slobdivisionings when T said to me, "can we go home now?" 

So off we headed, more direct return, Sparks for a bit, into the Sparks Rd wetlands, bumping into a fellow LA-er, Geoff, walking his dogs, then slipstream time, me tucked in behind Tra'y setting the pace back along Cashmere Rd, around and hard right into Bengal for a steeeep climb for me, back up the way we'd come down except Hackthorne the rest of the way.

Down, about and back up.  17.2 kms with 265 m climbed.

Sunset Singlespeed Spin

After a bit of an afternoon nap had ensued, at 5 I decided I really needed more, so I headed out and up for a bit of a burn on the Singlespeed.  Clamber clamber, over 19th to Skidder then cut right across into the firs for the descent back down to road, across from skidder below for a bit then back up onto road to drop into Dog Park Car Park into the greasy fun, feeling good, singlespeed a perfect wee hack, both jumps in the oaks, even had an audience on the lower, then cut through and all the way down to Harry Ell.  Clambered back up onto road, fast bomb home.  - a proper groove.  Less than 4 kms, but an additional 100 m added to the day's total.

Saturday E-Summit, Sumner Loop

Tra'y, Lynne (on Hugo's) and me all on ebikes, leaving home around 11am, up through Vic to Summit, all the way across the tops, glorious day, but cold, even some frost on the road in the shade of Scott's Knob.  Lovely blast down to Rapaki-top then through up to Castle and down over Bridle-top and under the Gondola.  Stopped for a picnic at Cavendish Saddle, overlooking the LYT, then back on road up through the cutting and downhill alllll the way down Summit Rd to Evans, super fast blast down (over 80kph) to Sumner where we stopped at Beach and had an Espresso Martini each.  Back onto the bike track here, boardwalk past the surf club and onward around, first time for Tra'y, following the bike track around the Estuary and causeway and across the road at Ferrymead beach.  Squirrelly muck behind Ferrymead, under the motorway to the cutting, over the footbridge and back along to the otherside of the river to ride the rooty tree vibes around Heathcote opposite the fish factory and joining the Cycleway (T and me rode weekend before last) at the tankfarm, then along Tannery and then stopped into La Voute.  From here, usual routes home, Hawford, bridge, past the supermarket, roundabout, Buxton, bridge, Eastern, Corson, Malcolm, and up the hill.  

Bike said 41kms, MMR a little less...  over a grand in altitude too...

Thursday Night Taylor-made Breeze

Good ride from Taylor's tonight.  Cruised up the valley, making the big escape.  Bit sloppy and rutted in the head of the valley in the steep shit, once past that just a few dabs and mostly a very good climb.  Spotted a moggy up near the top of the switchbacks.  Cleaned out to Livingston Col and over the fence.  Onto Godley and outwards, then at Breeze we headed above the road further out, taking the little sketchy narrow sheeptrail and finding it much petered out.  Got a little lost and then found where it used to be, and then out to the WW2 bunker and over onto Breeze Bay.  Lovely spin down around this, excellent riding, then up the road a little and dropped into Anaconda top and bottom.  Bombing...  The narrow sheeptrail had stuffed my freewheel with grass seed and so I was experiencing a few chain catch issues, but we were nearly done so I put up with it and will deal with it later.  Back to car.  Good spin.  Nice and warm up on the hills and hardly any wind.  Cold in the valley

Ziggy Zaggy, diggy daggy, only 9.9 kms with just over 400 climbed, but good.

Sunday E cruise with T

T and me both out, up, across, down, across and up on our ebikes yesterday.  Thick fog from Sugarloaf all the way until we came down to house level on Mt Pleasant, was spectacular.  Then lovely and sunny down on the flat.  Little supermarket shop at St Martins then coffee and a danish from Bohemian Cafe, which we took to the river outside Beckenham Park.

Around 35 kms, no mmr, with according to google 630m climbed.

Sunday Lap of the Harbour: Summit, Bayview, Ferry, Bridle Path and Summit

Biiig ride today on the Troll.  Bit drizzly around the tops and so I wasn't wanting greasefest riding in Vic or elsewhere so I headed up on the Troll, not really sure how big or far I would go.  Up through Vic, walking the usual section and then tentatively negotiating the traction free Thompson #1.  

Onto road and rolling, through Dyers and upwards along the summit.  Drizzle at times quite heavy, so ended up pulling over and swapping out some clothing.  On around the ups and downs of the summit, eventually pulling over to the Living Springs seat, but there was a foul wind howling through the saddle so I bailed back up into the bush for a bite to eat.  Some walkers turned up from below.  Said our pleasantries and I got rolling again.  Nice cruise around over Omaha Bush, pulling into Ahuriri for a wee look.  Then back onto the descent, lovely long rolling fly down the 'bastard' to Gebbies, still undecided which direction I was heading.  At the pass, I could see Motukarara basking in sunshine, vs less so, but still some, in the harbour.  Got my maps out and worked it out.  Via Taitapu was going to be further distance, so I turned left.  

FAASSTT down Gebbies, so fast.  Then kept a good pace rolling across Teddington flats, turned right and headed towards Diamond Harbour.  The climb from Loudon over to Charteris was longer than I recalled, but was good to cruise down, and across Charteris around the water front, for some weird reason I decided to take Bayview Rd.  Steep bastard.  Up and up, stopped to commune with kereru, then finished the climb.  Nice drop down through the gully and then climb again.  Past Elaine's place, and the first turn off to the left, dropped into the next gully and took a walking track down, meandering very level gentle descent slightly greasy, thinking I was on the next one over and thinking I'd come out Whero Ave, I was suprised when I didn't recognise anything as I exited the trail.  Ngatea Rd it turned out to be, curved down and around onto the main road and onwards I progressed, dropping into the next valley and climbing past Whero Ave dropping down past the Mt Herbert track crossing and up to Waipapa Rd.  Flew down this and straight ahead into where Godley House used to be, down the pathway.  Filled up water at the loos, then took the sealed walktrack down to the steps, budump budump budump down to the wharf to wait for the boat.

Across the harbour and into Lyttelton, climbed up Oxford, across London, up Hawkhurst into Ticehurst acrosss, riding all of it ugh, and then into the Bridle Path, walking from here, all the way to the top.  Ugh.

Summit Rd, good climb to Castle, then the bomb.  Wind caught my helmet visor and slammed it down onto my face, briefly blinding me.  Tail wind and descending very nicely around under Witch Hill then climbing began from Rapaki around over Farm Track and up onto the singletrack - Traverse around, quite splecky from the earlier rain and drizzle, then down through Vic, greasy, and down the grunter, fast through Skidder, and out onto the road for the final speed blast down home.

Extensive 47 kms ridden, trod and bombed, with 1446 m vertical ascended  

Short Sweet Saturday Local

Up from home on the Rocky, usual route up over 19th, through the skidder and up the bastard grunter.  Chuff chuff, been a while it seems.  Up to and into Thompson's #1, and back up the road, dropping over the jumpies, see-saw and straight down the rabbit paddock through the rocks and down thru gums.  Peeled right at the bottom across the Skidder and up into Razza's, down which I had a fear and couldn't seem to ride one of the rooty corners in the second half.  Dropped through the rest of it and out, across the 4wd and into it's continuation faffing across onto lower Brents zone, keeping a high line and out into the gulch.  Here, I could see the new climbing track I'd been told of, called Corporate Ladder, which I climbed.  Not bad.  Rearranged a hose that had washed onto the 4wd bit, and then onto the second half which spits you out at top of Sneaky Ridge.  From here, up past the 40, and around up the usual steeps to skidder, into the CAP drop down trail, peeling off that out, down the road into 235 for a slightly greasy flow, surprised at the lack of sog in the oaks.  Up, onto road, and straight down home due to limited time. 

Fleeting 6.7 km with 273 m altituded.

Thursday Night Pleasant Castle Britten Kent

Worked from home so got to Nelson's early and we rode up the hill by daylight!  Very cool breeze from the south that we came into as we climbed.  Brrrr...  from his place, up Santa Maria, Assisi and Drayton, Belleview and Hornbrook up to Upper, into Britten and climbing climbing climbing.  Feeling like I've been fighting something, turns out was probably just the usual July/August hayfever.  Trails in good nick.  Across top of Britten and up Broadleaf, just the usual grind.  

Dropping into the singletrack towards the Gondola.  GREASY as fuck.  Damp dirt, turning rocks slick, and my tyres were too pumped - we were both pinging all over the place on the rocks, and the ruts were not helpful either, not to mention I only had my headlight, no handlebar light, so visibility not great.  And to top it all off, the light was wobbling/shaking everywhere for the whole ride.  Slowly got into a better groove once the straighter bits turned up towards the end, albeit shortlived.  Into Cavendish Saddle and up onto the Crater Rim under the back of the Gondola building it was, as to be expected, southfacing slope, even more greasy, rocks like ice. 

The steps blop, blop, blop down had greasy tops but weren't quite as bad as I'd expected.  One of the routes we used to use was almost impossible to find and a lot rockier than memory served, but we made the top of Bridle eventually and it was time to climb.

Into Castle Rock track, some speed ensued and it was a generally good run.  A couple of expected wet spots, but in good nick mostly.  Into the climb and Nelson had a very good run up it, me, not so much, but not terrible.  I was feeling unexpectedly good, powerwise, most of the ride.  Out onto the road, and around under the gondola, stopped to watch some interesting fog rolling over parts of the city.  Climbed up through cutting and dropped into the Britten across and around the front - different in the dark, we got to the end of the 'round the front' fast.  

Time for descent, again, wary of the grease and ruttage, bombing, trying to keep pace with Nelson but under-lit.  Across the front and we found the second half of that to be difficult to find, then found a massively stupid popper gap jump being built mid slope.  Stupid kids.  Down from here and down into the pylon finish, over the stile and into Kenton Track for a techy, grease-fest.  Cleaned a lot less than I did when I rode this in May - darkness and greasiness getting the better of me.  Nearly at the end, I spotted a gate on the right.  So, up through this, and out onto Rockview without having to carry up all those steps!  From here, down the Major, Belleview, Pleasant, Drayton, etc back to base

Chilly 16.3 kms and a pleasantly surprising 665 m climbed.

Tuesday Wet Streets in the Squall

Exhausted when I got home from work, I was very willing to bail on riding.  We'd organised to go from Nelson's and the southerly had been hitting that end of the hills all day, so figured it'd be pretty dank over there.  Decided to pull finger anyway and druv myself over to Nelso's kinda late, planning on a street ride, getting on towards 6 by the time I got there.  Closer I got to his place, squall after squall were hitting and I was thinking this is gonna be a bit shit, do we really wanna be doing this?  Turns out, we did.

I had the 'guards on the Troll, so at least my undercarriage wouldnt be wet!  Out from his and up Santa Maria, over and down to Maffey's, super steeping.  Across the road onto a wee singletrack that took us around the edge of MacCormacks Bay and rugby fields - greasy for inappropriate tyres, then around into Redcliffs along the wrongside footpath ducking up the first Cul-de-sac Raekura Pl, wondering if there'd be a secret redzone path along the cliff - nope.  Back out, around and into, and around, Taupata, avoiding Egnot, but heading up Augusta to as far as we could go.  I walked a bit towards the end.  Rain and squalls, in sheets of wind, were regaling us with glory.  Back down the hill, faster-pushed by the wind, around past the old New World (why are the lights on all the time!?), into Barnett's Park carpark, then back out, and up Wakatu, then Bay View to the end.  Back down, and along to and up Cliff St and Emily Heights.  Woo steep, bit of walking and some steep ass riding.  Good view from up here.  

Bombed back down and next up it was Mulgan's.  Nice.  I pushed heaps, Nelson rode most.  Out Kinsey, down a little onto Clifton, and up again, this time to the Zig Zag, nice drop down this, tight corners - always different to memory, and tricksy steps at the bottom.  Out and across the road, in next to surf club and onto the bike path and headed towards home again.  Major wind and squall, particularly around Shagged Rock corner, buffetted all over the place, rain slicing and dicing. Then along the water front all the way around and back into MacCormacks bay to head back up Maffeys, just for shigs and gittles.  Surprisingly, I made it quite a way up into the steep zone, until a wind gust stopped me in my (very slow) tracks. Walked a good portion while Nelson cleaned it all in 4th gear! (his 5th, we reckon, was about the same as my low).  Going got easier again and I rode the rest over and down to his.  Good, albeit slightly moist, spin.  

Amazingly, 14.3 kms, with a pretty good 476 m scrambled.

Friday Melbourne Ebike Cruise

Fun spin with T and sis on rental Cannondale ebikes from VeloCycles Melbourne.  Great wee bikes, 20inch wheels and 'hidden' batteries contained within the not-that-fat downtube.  Rear wheel-hub drive motors - which meant relatively easy riding with power off (something I discovered towards the end when I ran out of battery).  

Starting at the bikeshop, we headed along the Inner Circle Linear Park towards Merri Creek trail.  Such good cycling infrastructure, we cruised downstream for ages.  Just past where my sis used to live (which was near where I started the MMR) we stopped to check out a bunch of rainbow lorikeets bathing in the creek - very pretty.  A wee climb out of the creek and onwards, the trail occasionally dropping down and back up cruising.  Dropped down to check out the Yarra Falls, then back up on trail and pulled into the Abbotsford old Convent (where sis has a studio) and went in for lunch at Cam's, which was very nice.  Back on the bikes we wound up having to detour a bit onto streets cos they're working on the trail downstream from here.  Meandered through the Carlton Brewery zone, quiet streets or bike lanes, eventually back onto the river, which just kept giving.  Down down down stream, seemed to go on for ages, eventually cool boardwalks and floating pontoon sections alongside (below) busy motorways.  Popped up onto road again and up Exhibition St, where up top they're still building the new cycle lanes.  Out to the big Exhibition gardens, no bikes allowed, so we toodled along the bottom of them and up to Gertrude where we went down to the Builders Arms and had a couple of drinks.  From here my battery was flat.  We rode up Gore then across to Canning which was a lovely quiet bike route all the way up to the Linear Park again and back to the shop.

26kms or so (missed the start km or so forgetting to start the MMR) with just 170 m climbed.

Saturday Some Summit, Vernontroll

Took the Troll out, up through the usuals, 19th, Skidder, then walked up the diagonal (through the gap jump below the Sesame wallride) into the Gums to top pines and then, riding again, up rabbit paddock to top of Vic.  Dived into Thompson's #1 for a nice blat, then back up Summit Rd from here, brief rest up at the stoney shelter, and back on the road heading east into the wind.  Around and out, heading to the top of Vernon, carrying bike on shoulders to top, for a bit of a stretch and no view to be seen with the cloud capping the peak.  

Off down to the north, walking the techy rocks (that'd I'd definitely ride on the Rocky, then some sweet swoopy singletrack down the rest of the way to the mtb trail, hung a hard left and climbed back around to top of Huntsbury.and along Summit to Vernon, carried to the top in the cloud, down the front, some lovely trail, then Traverse all the way back to Vic.  Troll was riding super smooth and fun.  Down through the rocks and gums right through to the road and below this for a blit then onto road through the corners and coasting to the dog carpark and dived straight into the squirrelly squiggly fun times, then climbing straight up to road and fast coast home.

Legit 11.8 kms distanced and 387 m altituded.

Bony Pleasant Thursday with a Shocking Blowout

Rode from Nelson's place tonight. Up Soleares, which happens to be a right bastard steep (worserer than Vic Park Drive from mine). Right on Belleview and then left up Major Hornbrook - Kaikoura View, then up through the parky bit and up across the Long/Clear/Ridge-Views to the Upper Hornbrook entrance of Britten.  A nice night up here.  Zig and zag across the front of Britten and around up to top, then around the front and out the exit by the cattlestop/cutting.  Over the fence and up through the long grass narrowed trail onto the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Nelson dropped me up here, whereas I wasn't doing so bad lower down, boosting to catch him every now and then.  Up ehre on the rocky bits I just kept hooking feet or stalling on the rocks.  Bit of a break at the top of Pleasant.  

Into the descent, nice rolling but fucking boney.  Much worse than last timast time, which was bony af then.  Good times through the tussocks thought and I think for the first time meeting all the new fences at the bottom of this...  Down into 'Knapsack', where I found I had no idea where I was going - hussing around blind hairpins into unexpected turns, and then towards the far end I just had no idea and it seemed to just go on and on...  Climbed up the 4wd trail (diagonally towards the gun emplacements) meeting the new fence/gate across this, and eventually (it's always longer than I remember) got to Greenwood OG entrance trail.  Across this, fun times, removing the stupidly placed (metal) trail closed sign that was perched in the middle of the new cattlestop, then dealt with all the rocks across the top here.  Next we dropped into Sheepshit Alley.  Droppy fun descent then a short climb and at the top of this on a corner I heard a weird skreek.  Not the kind of noise a rock strike makes, almost a cracked frame type sound, but bike was riding fine so carried on, tho noticing handling was getting a little weird.  Anyway, when I finally got to the bottom (again, longer than memory served), pulled up and thought "why is my waterbottle leaking?" "wait, that's not water, that's OIL!"  Pissing out of the top of my shock all down over my bottle and frame...  Huh.  Air was staying in so it was still springy, but no more damping.  

From here rode up the road back to Britten, bouncing a bit, and dropped into here bombing down, bike feeling pretty much fine.  Bombed down the way we'd come up tho turned off down Madeley Rd to Mt Pleasant and bombed down Soleares back to Toledo.  

Shockingly good 14.6 kms hastened and 537 m vied. 

Later follow up...  damper shaft broken in the shock, not just an o-ring.