Wet evening so not really any off-road options available, as such, it was decided a 'roadie' ride to be had. I headed to Nelson's in the car with the Troll (still wearing its mudguards) in the back - useful for the conditions.
Off we headed up the hill - Santa Maria - Selleck - Assisi into Drayton and then up Mt Pleasant, grinding away to the top. Nice climb and there wasn't really any rain, nor traffic, around at all. However, once we headed down the Summit Rd into the fog (headlights too bright, handlebar okay) the rain started to spit a bit. Down to the big pines and through the gate and over the fence. Sticky but surprisingly good traction track down to stile and then down to some more. Mucksome track, it was. Decided against Frog Pond and took the more ridge based track. I walked a couple of tech bits, not trusting my traction, but Nelson boffed off down them no probs. Took the lower exit to Clifton and headed up Revelation Drive to explore, as far up as we could, then back down to Galilee Lane, dropping down a wee ways, but not that far, before clambering back out. Then down Panorama, surprised how far down York's old place was, and dropping down his old (private access!) driveway passed his house and dropped to the watertank, around this and then walked down the steps. Then we were on Tuawera Tce and couldn't quite work out where the 'secret' alleyway was down. Went too far down here, then turned back and decided to hit the driveway that led us to it - dropping down this (i walked the steps) onto Kinsey Tce, and it was left down Mulgans. Tricknical cornering (dab, dab, dab).
On the flat again, around Moncks and then up Augusta, all the way to the top, trying to work out where a shortcut through I found once was... Ended up taking a driveway up (much to the chagrin of a dog) and around to a vacant lot but couldn't work out how to get across to Challenger Lane so back off down, around into Taupata, then up Egnot and Challenger, steeeeep. Zigging and zagging on the road seemed to help, but it was definitely walking up to Daring Lane, onto Glenstrae and upwards, more zig zagging and Monck's Spur top, riding no problem, and out to Mt Pleasant Rd for a sweet descent down, Drayton etc back the way we'd climbed.
Good ride, nice loop. Over 15kms and 670m climbed, a little of which I had to walk
No comments:
Post a Comment