Saturday Local Quick Stooge

Pumped about 40psi into the rear slow-flat and hoped for the best.  Was probably still 39psi when I'd finished this ride - so slow as to only be noticeable after several days.  

Up and back with a bit of up and back in it. Plastered up Vic through 19th, Skidder Grunter and into Thomsons #1, stopping for a bunch of floater-walkers, then back up the road and dropped down around the jumps, down through rocks and gums all the way down, then back up to Skidder and into Razza's dropping down the tech for some goodness, then climbing again back up and around, dropping down through below road, up, coast, into dogparkcarpark and biffing down through here, taking my meander and all the way out the bottom and home.  Nicely nicely, good to get some exercise before Em's wedding and our gig.

Three-quarters of an hour of paua, 6.21 kms, and 205 m pried from the rock.

Sunday Stoogin' CAP

Shortish doddle after yesterday's meat-engined epic distance.  

T was off for a walk with Megan in CAP, so I fixed the snakebite on the Stooge and took it up into Vic, over 19th, then dropped into the CAP entrance myself.   Ate a couple of blackberries on the way down the entrance track, then sidled into Locomotion for a nice wee blitz across to Loess Rider.  Fun, fast blast down here - it really is quite long, then down into the carpark.  Rolled along and saw our Leaf still parked there, so rang T, and her and Meg were up at the cafe, so I popped up to say hi.  They were largely done so I headed off to the uplift.  Very quiet still, due to so early, so solo seating for me!  Boffed off down the Summit Connector, keeping the groms behind me behind me, and catching the ones in front of me slowly.  Missed the first entrance to Nun, so I stopped and went back to drop in.  Rocky snot down through here biff baff boff, lots of work, but fun, and then blasting all the way down to the bottom, staying down to hit the Old Dyers/Choir Boy.  Disappointingly the new trail, Zero Ultra, was closed, so I continued down, overtaking a family (that turned out to be Nick S.), finally deciding on Gung-ho after tackling a few blackberries just before the entrance.  

Dropped in and railed the berms, negotiated the tech with aplomb, and blasted on down and through, biffity boffity baff.  Good run.  

The lift was a lot busier this time and so I had to share with a dad and son.  Mild chatting to them, then off down Connector again, Nun again, and out to Kiwi, up road, taking in both lower and upper Thomsons, which was more enjoyable than I usually recall, then zipped down around through the trees, popping the new jump and cleaning the usual, then down into the rocks, (possibly dislodging or newly pinching, my earlier fix - or there's just a very slow leak), through the gums, nice fun, then all the way through (tree that was across CAP track long gone (I'd noticed that when dropping in the bypass earlier)), out to 19th, below road, then rolling to dogparkcarpark and dropping in here.  Nice rail (tho was starting to suspect tire going down) and took my new line, out and down to H'Ell, clamber, road, home.

Moderate 16 kms with a single kilometre of vertical (obviously 0.8 of which was in a chair).

Saturday Moveable Feast, Tour de Bridges du Heathcote

T and me had a hoon. Her on the E and me on the Troll. Down Dyers and Hackthorne, Lady Poison, out to Bengal and then across the Ferniehurst Bridge, #1.  From here, we crossed every single bridge across the Heathcote River from Cracroft(ish) to Ferrymead.  All told, 31. (tho, technically 30, because the Heathcote Cut bridge isnt necessarily over the Heathcote River as such).  It was fun.  We alternated sides all the way to Hanson's Park where we were stymied by a closed trail along the frontages of those houses, so we went back over that bridge (Steiner school - #20) and popped over and back on the next footbridge (Aynsely Tce - #21).  Continued the alternate-sides thing from there on down.  Diverting, first off the river to Stuff Woolston and the Salatore Armani, on Ferry Rd, then over the next 'couple' of bridges, to La Voute on Marshall St.  Back to Cumnor to roll around and detour into the Tannery.  Had very moderate feed on Sushi, then down for a drink at Cassells, then a little more shopping and it was time to ride again.

Bridge number 28, Garlands Rd and immediately right onto King Edward Tce then around the back of all the factories on the inside of the loop (stopped for a small feed of blackberries and rearrangement of baggage at the start).  What a lovely trail along here.  Lots of well-grown native planting, quite real singletrack, some roots, nice fun.  Then, Long St, bridge, singletrack again along to the Tunnel Rd Bridge, under this, to then salmon back over it towards the roundabout and along the towpath trail the rest of the way to Ferrymead Bridge (#31, tho technically #30), crossed this, used the lights to cross Main Road and then back over bridge to ride along the estuary and into Charlesworth Reserve (man the plantings are coming up!), straight shot up Linwood Ave to the cemeteries and moseying through the dead's zone.  In hindsight we took a wrong turn here, heading across into Cypress Garden Reserve and up into Ruru Lawn, onto Ruru Rd, then McGregors up to hit Kerrs. (should have stayed in Bromley Cemetery then gone Keighleys and McGregors Rds to Linwood Cemetery (for future reference)).  

Straight shot up Kerrs Rd, to Kerrs Reach, finding new landscaping and fenced off areas, stopping us getting onto the new tarmac path in there.  Found a way in, then out, and followed this new, amazing, path from here over the first new bridge, through Dallington Loop, all our old redzone dog running grounds, beautifully planted up, cycle crossing across Gayhurst, more plantings augmenting the old garden plants, new bridge into our main old dog running loop, amazing, looping around this and over the new Medway Bridge then up the new closed off River Rd towards our old streets.  So great to see it all coming up so beautifully.  Along past Riverlution and then stayed on this side of the road following it to Fitzgerald into into Poms for some imbibement and fries.

Kilmore St and then around the river through Victoria Sq, then along the strip, locking the bikes and checking out Kanoshi for some kai, then we headed for Electric Ave, meandering around the outside edge of it (another bridge involved) and checking out the vibe.  Certainly getting later now.  Continued across Hagley and around past the hospital, all on bikepaths, and then took the Antigua, Strickland, Colombo straight shot home.  Hard yakka up the hill for me.  I kept telling T to go ahead and get home, but she loyally stayed with me all the way.

 

A rather fun 44.87 kms, with 314 m climbed (220 of which were hard chuffed).

Sunday Summit Troll

Still hadn't fixed the Stooge flat; still waiting for the suspension part from Cotic; so resigned to take the Troll (didn't even occur to me to take the fatty or the BFe...) out for a nice blast out and back. Rode some nuts single-track and a bunch of road. 

Up through all the usual, over 19th, Skidder, short walk up the grunter and then riding the rest to the top of Vic.  Popped up to my stone shelter to see if there were any blackberries (they were all scody), then back onto the road and stuck to it all the way to Huntsbury-top, hitting Vernon singletrack from here.  Nice flowy slowy bomb down, keeping it sketch, then through Rapaki and stayed on the road from here to top of Castle.  A youngish couple arrived and I said, "You heading down?" "Yep, but we'll be slow"  I said I wasn't sure what I was doing but then I decided on the spot to head down too.  Dropped in and proceeded to flow where it was flowy and slow where it was slowy.  Went pretty well, including only one dab due to traction loss on the climb.  Onto the road and climbed back up, seeing the couple riding slower than I had down the trail...  Up the road and down, fast coasting roll through towards Witch, decided to take the Witch Hill trail and proceeded to climb up it no problem at all, bar that one rocky section.  Breather at the high point then dropping around cleaning all the tech carefully to the end, and up the road below Vernon.  Annoying head wind up overlooking Dry Bush valley.  

Into the Traverse and hoofed it around here pretty nicely.  Love the standing-in-the-pedals-cranking mode on the rigid machines.  It's a very lithe bike.  All the way around the Traverse I was slowly winding in a rider ahead.  Caught her and a few others right at the end.  Into the trees, dropped down through, onto Brake Free then peeled left into the Pines, and dropped down through the Gums, exiting at the Skidder (figuring the trail below to still be blocked).  Up towards 19th and passed a guy on an interesting looking rig. "Is that an Evil Sovereign?" "Nah, it's a Marino" which I misheard as Merida and was surprised, until I realised what he'd said.  It was one of the Sick bikes of the recent past.  Slack and low, sweet steel.  I realise now I've seen it out there before.  Anyway, we chatted for ages.  Then I headed off down and through, into the DogParkCarPark, overgrown to start, and a little damp.  Peeled onto my new line, and appalled to find the water in the woods emerging even higher up.  Bloody Council slack-arses.

Lithely provocateured, 20 odd km, and up 710 m

Thursday Spinal Shakedown Stooge, flatted at 19th.

Back had been a bastard all week (after Saturday's wrecking) so I was just gonna stretch it and test it.  Plan was to meet Nelsie up top somewhere and ride back to mine (or Arlo, for beersies), so he'd left his place at 5.41 and I got home from work about 6, got changed and out the door on the Stooge by 6.20pm.  He'd just peaked Castle Rock not long after that.  I headed up the road (loads of water oozing out of every bank), straight into the Skidder and up the gutser, up through the Worm (quite wet) and onto the Traverse, cruising around here at a reasonable pace.  Met lots of riders the other way, and perused the evidence of the earlier-in-the-week's 150mm of rain (as measured at our house).   The hills were still pouring water out of them lower down.  I'd just climbed over past the Lavaflow and the HuntsburyDH/Fourpause when he hove into view.  

We turned back along the summit and I led the way, keeping a reasonable pace but never shaking him.  Into the trees and I baulked at my lack of entry speed for the jump and waited there for him to pile through, then down the Rabbit paddock into the rocks and gums, weaving around through here and all the way down.  A tree was over the 'CAP link' track, so we lifted over and broke off as much branchage as we could, then continued on down to the gate.  Back up towards skidder from here and up over 19th, somewhere within which I flatted and we parked at the memorial and tried in vain to inflate my rear tire.  Decided it would take longer to fix than to just run/walk down, so Nelson took off down to take in the DogParkCarPark track and I walked (and jogged a couple times) down home.  No trip to Arlo, decided to just have a couple beers at home.

Better than nothing, and back feeling better, even with the walk down, 9.35 kms, 313 m escalated.

Saturday Summit Packing Horses and Breaking Brad(ley)

How to wipe myself out?? Get on Stooge, ride up from home and follow the Summit to Mt Herbert saddle... Fuuuckkkk... 

Started out lovely, up through Vic, Thomsons both, through the Kiwi and on along the Summit Rd.  Great bomb down the Bastard to Gebbies then onto the Packhorse Track, which I hadn't been on for a few nearly 7 years(!).  

Trail riding pretty good again, with all the logged bits now re-growing and trail reinstated. Met a couple of families walking out.  Then met some nice folk (with ebikes) at the hut and chatted for a while.  They headed off and I headed up the back of Bradley.  Crikey.  Looking into this photo you can see the zigs.  They finally end up at the bluffy bit near the top!...

Some riding, nice patch of regen bush before the climbing really started, met a walker on that first zig past the bush, photo back to Packhorse here,

then rode that first zig, pushed the next, rode a little more then more pushing, and more pushing, and lifting and pushing, and lifting up the tightening zigs and zags until at well over 700 m it finally hits a sidle.  

But, that's still not rideable.  It's composed of either wine-box sized, or larger, angular boulders, or bog holes for the first half, with step-downs and climb-ups interspersed.  Occasionally, you'll find a sweet little bit of trail to ride, but 10 metres later there's another rocky step-down.  Some great views, unbelievably high up (peaks at about 780m), I wish I'd taken more pics along the back here.  I could see View Hill... Near the start of this hellscape, I met a walker.  He warned me about "a wooded bit, that is quite rocky."  Well!  It certainly was, but it was vertical down, rocks, slippery roots and rocks, down.  One point I had to lower the bike by it's back wheel to below an outcrop, all-the-while leaning on a tree, make sure it was perched well (and not going to go tumbling off down into the vertical bush), then climb down around the rocks to get to it.  I stopped for a rest not long after, had something to eat in this nice bush.  And really hoped it wasn't going to be another vertical face upwards to get out of the forest like I'd come down to get into here.  Thankfully it wasn't, it was a sequence of rocky, rooty step-ups and not nearly as high.  Once out of the woods it got a little better, mostly down, some riding, some scooting to navigate rocks.  And then finally a nice roll down to a stile and onto the saddle.  Basically, two hours of hell and that was nearly up.  

Finally, down to the saddle between Bradley and Herbert, harbour, looking down on the Port Hills from above,

and into Orton Bradley on meh mown farmtracks, quite a few walkers up here, heading down.  Then Konini (where I called Otis to see if he'd pick me up, he couldn't, but Gryph would, so arranged that).  Harakeke track, steep fun(ish) descent, quite different to Konini, steep, descending, and then finally, in the valley bottom, sweet sweet forested lovely single-track, cruising down familiar (but fresh again) trails in nice shade with nice forest. I was toast and glad to be down.  Rolled down through Orton Bradley park, past all the campers and a wedding (bride and groom having photos taken on the road as I cruised by "congratulations!"  Out to the road and waited under some shade.  

Super glad I had a lift out and didn't have to ride to Diamond Harbour, wait for the ferry, then negotiate getting home either by bus or pushing up Hornbrook or the horrible Bridle Path and riding the summit... 

First half: sweet;  middle half: brutal;  descent: meh, until the valley bottom and a lovely finish - 30.9 kms, 1269 m climbed (+ extra 220 m ( = 1489 m) descended)

Waitangi Saturday View Hill Stooge

Hot ride up the valley, passed by scores of amazing old barnfind-looking Indian motorcycle club bikes from above Misty Hills for the rest of the way up.  Spectacular, but stinky-smokey, many of them, making me struggle to breath clear air often - stopped many times, in shade or not, for rests.  

Then round the Summit Rd to the paper road, over the gate and across the ridge, mostly pushing, a little granny gear riding, chatting with the steers giving me the eye.  Hard work, all of it, with the lush grass and rocks. Stopped in the shade of a small Totara up at the top gate to flip the struts on the 8pack (I'd installed them the wrong way around).  Then continued across the sidle - so much of this section could be tidied to a fully rideable state. I really should do that - just needs a few rocks moved, maybe a tiny bit of digging.

Picked my way around then into the climbing, through a corridor gap in the totara/horopito matrix, riding up the farm track to the hairpin and then walking a bunch up the next section before the final ride up the ridge top to the peak. 

Took in the View then it was downtime. 

Bombing down the ridgetop, detoured across to the View Hill Moab rock then into the main track.  Stayed on the main zag from the hairpin and ended up on a dead end (which I'm sure I've done before, years ago) then picked my way down the hill, steep but grippy, sometimes following sidle tracks sometimes not, yellow flowers everywhere.

Dropped down onto the main track and Speedbomb from here, getting faster and faster the further down I got until insane speeds on the lower reaches of the gravel and a glorious coast down from Chorlton, ripping through the valley bottom past the beach and final wee chuff pedal back to Little Brook. 

Fullsome 17.26 kms and 784 m undertaken

Wednesday Stooge Local Descents and Climbs

Out the gate and immediately turned left, up behind the houses to get me lungs going.  It did.  Then, it felt easier the rest of the way, the usual to 19th and Skidder and up. Top of Vic, right into Thompson's #1 for a nice wee blast, then back up the road to drop-in, down around the first jump then hard right into Worm, climbing back up to Traverse and wondering where to go...

Decided to drop down Upper Fence line, biff baff boff, out the bottom, around to Bridges. Bombing through here I heard a shout, "is that a Stooge?!"  "Yes, it is!"  I stopped and chatted, then got rolling on down into the valley, Nu Bridges, so smooth and flowed, then down valleybottom and straight into Hidden climb towards Old Skool.  Stopped and scoffed some blackberries, then followed a dude who'd just passed through.  At the start of Old Skool I added a a twist, heading up from below the pylon, grinding up the zigzag 4wd track.  Cleaned it, which I don't think I've ever done before, but then had a go up AliExpress as a climb. This was not so good. 

Out the top, and up the Huntsbury gravel, an emtbike passing me at the castle stop.  He headed into the Traverse while I was still below, and then I headed onto the Traverse and I'd lost sight of him.  A nice tail wind around here.  I spotted him on the climb above hidden valley as I came over from Lava-crossing, and by the time I made the pond he wasn't far ahead.  Reeled him in the rest of the way and caught up to him at the top of Vic. 

Down rabbit paddock, rocks, gums all the way, below road from 19th then road coast into DogparkCarpark for a nice blast.  SO MUCH WATER in there now, took my line zigzag up and down above the wet, then all the way out to the end, clamber to road, home

Assuaging 11.56 kms but surprisingly only 510m climbed

Sunday Portering Lyndon from the Back

Tough ride today. Absolutely wrecked me. The altitude, the sun, the scree, all conspired to remove every vestige of energy from my body. At the time, it was hellish. But I'm glad I did it. 

Nelson picked me up from mine and we drove out to park at the lake. Just before 10 when we got going, cruising the main highway along the 3 kms to the Porter's access road. Once on the gravel we only met 2 vehicles and got to the trailhead meeting and chatting with a family that looked like they were about to embark on it (we never saw them again).  Down to cross the creek, dodging spaniards, and no good rocks to step on so feet wet from this start.  Singletrack meandered up the valley, mostly rideable.  Met a couple of walkers coming down.  Across the creek again, narrower this time, and I topped up water cos looked like we were leaving it and may not meet any more.  A few zigs and zags and we were at the Colleridge Saddle, what a view!

My derailleur had almost eaten a dracophyllum earlier, I thought I'd caught it, but had found granny tricky so had been avoiding it.  As we started at the saddle, I found granny was attempting to put it into my spokes, so a re-adjustment was made (and I discovered I'd left my toolkit at home).  From here we climbed up to the left.  I was starting to get a bit tired, and walked a bunch, but Nelson was off a bit too.  Then it meandered into a basin and short descent across a scree slope led to a long zig and zag section eventually topping out on the ridge.  Long and hard, and I was getting pretty stuffed and uncomfortable.   Here's Nelson miles ahead...

Once on the ridge there was about 3 or 4 peaks we had to traverse, with drops between.  Kinda lost the trail a few times, meandering around on the tops looking over the sides to see where connections were made.  It all worked out, and we seemed to find the main line each time.  My exhaustion expanded on each climb - symptoms probably akin to heat-stroke.  Muscles just so weak, and cramps sometimes when I'd pedal wrong, not that I pedalled much.  Lots of walking and every time I got on or off I was more tired.  Twice Nelson parked up and walked back to take my bike for me.  That was kind.  Even without the bike I was trudging like a zombie.  Finally, he got to the cairn marking the descent and we waited while two women walking approached.  (they were looking for an ice-axe lost during winter).

Into the descent and the joy returned.  We stayed on the bermy weavy flowy mainline pretty much all the way this time, and didn't take any straight-down-the-hill fall-lines.  The view while riding this was spectacular, with the lake seemingly directly below us (600m or so) and all the vehicles and boats/jetskis looking like toys.    Fantastic.  At the bottom we followed a couple of orange triangles and zigged and zagged out and back to the bottom.  

Final drudge around the lake was hard, but with the end in sight somehow I made it...  We then entered the lake and let the cold water do its thing.  So refreshing.

In the car on the way home I ate the 'lunch' I should have carried with me, and consumed my entire spare litre of water.

Monumental 24 kms and 1150 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Brit Cavendish, Castle Pleasant Kenton

Sweet solo ride tonight.  Nelson was away and had asked me to feed Maude, so I drove from work to Major Hornbrook and parked up above Madeley.  

Headed up through the Long-Clear-Ridge-Views to Upper HornB then into Britten, climbing the first bit a weird way.  Usual chuff up, and filled my bottle from the tap at the intersection.  Then back into Britten and around the front, dabbing a bit, over the road/fence, long-grass climb to Crater Rim descending to Cavendish Saddle.  Up and around the back below Gondola building (Crater Rim, not the zig zags to top) and dropped down the steppy rocky tech to Bridle Path-top. 

Realised when I got to the road that my rear-end had been locked out!  No wonder it'd felt a bit dodgy.  

Cruised up the road, spotting a rider on the trail below, and we both reached the top of Castle Rock at the same time.  He was with 3 others, one of which had been motoring (literally) up the road, whereas behind him were a meat powered and another eMpTy-B.  I awaited the latter two's arrival, chatting meanwhile, and then dropped in.  Nice smooth run down the Castle, flowing good, tho never felt exponentially fast.  The climb section was smooth and nice, then dropped off down to the Bridle-top again, and headed along the road.  Sitting up, no-hands, all the way around to the Gondola and a headwind struggle up the climb.  Stopped and oiled my chain at the gate, then headed up and back into the reserve to climb the Crater Rim where I'd come down, deciding to push myself a bit and not take the easy route.  

Climbed to top of Mt Pleasant and dropped off over the other side.  Nice bony run to slightly smoother lower tussocks, tho some of the line choices left something to be desired, nearly crashing once because my body was saying 'left line' and my brain was thinking 'right' resulting in a bumpy tussocky rut-ridge line.  Not ideal.  Down the 4wd section and into the OG entrance line around and out to the road.  Bony as all get up in here too.

Up the road, and into Britten, dropping down, flowy flow, across the front and dropping down under the pylon.  Popped over the stile and boffed off down Kenton.  What a great track - one of my favourites for flowy tech.  Exited the small parky reserve, rather than up the steps, and the climbed out Rockview and back up Major Horny to the car. 

An assiduous 14.6 kms with a smidge over 600 m vertical.

Drove down and fed Nelsie's cat then picked up the new German from climbing.

Saturday Terrible Timing

Left it too late and only managed to get out the door on the Stooge just as the rain started.  Thankfully, it wasn't too heavy, initially, so I figured riding under trees might be dry enough for a time, and indeed it mostly was.   Climbed up the road, and dropped off down from the lower dogparkcarpark into the Oaks, then up through my new route above the wetness, I peeled through the wee zig-zag and my rear tire picked up a stick which flicked through the frame a couple of times so I stopped, and had to physically pull it out of the tire...  Seemed to be holding so I started riding again and then a couple of corners up the rear was getting decidedly soggy.  Bugger.  The stick I'd pulled out was from some of the stuff I'd cut the other day, therefore a flat tire caused by my own handy-work. Flipped the bike, got all my stuff out, chucked on my rain-coat, and got to work.  Last patch in my box, so patched it, it held, pumped, reinstalled, and got riding again. 

Continued up through to Skidder and decided to drop into Shazza's.  Swoopy groove down here, through the 'new' bit and then out to the 40footer, along a bit and dropped down into the continuation below Razza's dropping down thru here into Brent's zone, across, baulking on one untidy offcamber dubious traction piece, then across and down the new bit eventually around and climbed back up Corporate Ladder.  Back up out past the 40footer again, then instead of turning right at the Radzone, I continued up towards Cool Runnings entrance, right back across through to Skidder again and up the Grunter.  Through Brake Free and up into the top pines.  Before I made the very top I checked where T was at (shared location) and observed that the rain at the top of Vic was getting a bit too much, so I bailed down thru Brake Free, into the gums out to Skidder, over 19th, dropped below road, swooped through, considered Tawhairanui, decided agaisnt it, and coasted down the road, spotting my grrrl T walking along side the top of Dog Park.  Stopped for an intimate moment, then I dropped off down into the woods, flowy flow, took my new line, lowspeed zig and zag, then down, out into Oaks, and onwards all the way through to the bottom, clambered to road (thinking I might see T, nope) and home

Sullied 5.9 kms and 243 m climbed

Wednesday Quick Stooge Before the Storm

Up many of the ways down, with drizzle slowly increasing as I rode. 

T was out for a walk so I kinda thought I might run into her somewhere.  With that in mind I headed into the To Harry Ell track and then climbed on up my usual downhill route into the oaks, dabbed through the (now) wet spot in my cut-through, then clambered up the steep rocky bit then through the swoopy corners to the dogparkcarpark.  Up around and onto the where I'd usually come down through the trees and there was my grrrl!  Gave here a bit of a fright too...  We were both staying on the west side of the hill due to the howling (and increasingly drizzly) easterly.  Took my leave and headed up out to road below 19th and up to skidder, climbing the grunter through and up, around to Thomson's #1, then down into #2 for a nice blast.  Turned around on the road here and dived back in, climbing back up

the both ways I'd just come, a surprisingly good change.  

Top of Vic, popped out to the carpark and back down around the jumps, down to drinking fountain, then turned back up to drop into Brake Free, swooping through here to peel off Sesame-top into the Gums for a sweet descent through the usual ways, all the way down and out to 19th, quickly turning around here to pedal back up to Skidder, and peeling left up onto the 'over 19th' track, falling in behind some other riders.  Struck up a convo with them, and stopped with them at the top.  We discussed ways down from there (they were heading over the pirate trail into the valley from here) and one of them looked at my bike and said, "nice stoogie" (with a hard G, which I didnt correct).  I peeled over the top towards the Ranger Station then dropped hard left down off the road into the forest just there, dropping to where I'd met T on the way up and then sweeping through into Tawhairanui, flowing nicely through until I spotted some dog walkers, so I pulled up and stopped to wait for them to exit before I rolled out through the carpark into the trail, buzzzzing pylon, and swoopy swoop down through.  Stopped at my corner to have a look at another line, tentatively cut a few branches a wee-ways in, but then gave it up and rode up the zigzag line I cut last week.  It actually flows quite nicely once on the descent.  Final flow through and down all the way to H'Ell, then clamber, road, home.  Bike was a little splecky and damp from drizz so I gave it a sprinkle down and now it is clean.

Gratifying 6.43 km with 200 climbed

Sunday Pleasantly Green Thomas McCormack

Parked up Nelson's and we hauled up Mt Pleasant Rd into the Upper Major entrance to Britten.  

Chuffed up around VTwin and then around the front (hard to find) and around onto the road.  Over the fence and overgrown climb to the singletrack up the side of Mt Pleasant where we dropped on into upper Greenwood, technicalia ensued then lower down it was railing-fast in the tussocks.  

Into Greenwood proper and rocks were the name of the game.  Very rumpty but we carried our speed the whole way, smooth(enough) riding and I was on Nelson's tail the whole way, pretty much.  Good rest after the lung-burning sequence of Gloomy then got moving before a runner caught us.  Great rail the rest of the way down to Evans.  Both of us seemingly on fire.  

Across the road and into Thomas, lots of walkers for a change, on their way up.  Cleaned everything that needed cleaning, into the OG section and rock and roll.  Heaps of flow and groove.  

Off down the road to Dot Com for a coffee and slice, and then around the bikeways, lots of people about, and headed into and up the McCormack's Bay / Drayton Reserve trail (over 3 years since last up here!), steeeeeeep and lung-burny.  I dont remember it being that steep...  Hung a right after the bridges for a nice groove across to the last couple switchbacks (which required walking) before popping out on Drayton Rd.  Then we finished on road, down through Assisi etc to Nelsie's. 

Superlative 20kms with nearly 700 m climbed

Sunday Stooge Trail Cut

Rode up to top of Vic, Thomson's #1 and dropped back down, stopping in the oak-flood forest to cut a new line in. It's a weird one but it's a start, and avoids the wet spot - with a bit of work and some riding I reckon it could be something...

Minimalia 5.8 kms, 201 m climbed.

Quick Saturday Morning Stooge Pre-Heat

Limited time and fixing for 30+ degrees.  T had headed off on a walk earlier, and I needed to ride before the heat, but had Paul coming at 9 to get his brakes bled.  

Headed up the usuals thru Vic.  Took in both the Thompson's, nicely flowed, then back up road to top.  Down around the jumpies, Worm back up to Traverse.  8.35am, I thought, I'll ride 5 minutes each way on the Travers, see if I can see T.  Headed out around to the first high point, stopped and rang her, no answer, rode a bit more then spotted a black figure walking up.  Cool.  I'll ride to her.  Stopped to let a rider through around towards carpark stop and it was Fiona from work, brief chat then I jetted to T just below the pond.  8.40, left her, bit of Traverse - 8.45 at top of Vic, jumpies, into the pines and gums, all the way down, Dogparkcarpark, brief look for new line, nothing that didn't need lots of cutting, then all the way out and down to H'Ell, clamber to road, 8.55, rolled back down to home a couple minutes to 9 - to find a text from Paul just come in saying "i'll be 15 minutes".

Continuing the 8ish km theme of the last couple, 8.76 km and 292 m climbed.

Wednesday Coupla Livings Laps Sprung.

Nelson collected me from mine, and we headed over through Gov's Bay to Allandale. 

On the bikes, and up through the farm, into Totara Valley, climbing away, and gasping.  Warm and humid.  At the top of what was Rhymes-with-Orange we decided to head up above the Outdoor Education Centre, climbing up this technical, onga-onga infested steepness.  I walked a bunch.  I feels like a different section of trail every time I ride it.  Eventually out the top and we headed up to the big cabbage tree to take in the view.  I didn't feel like climbing higher, so we decided this was the top.  I could hear shining cuckoo below us.

Down, dodging a badly placed gorse bush and then on the edge of the forest Nelson clipped a nettle with his hand, getting him through the glove.  Through the gate and tech, tight, narrow, glorious descent.  Such a lovely wee piece of trail, tho hard!  No time flat back to the Outdoor buildings and back into the main loop.  Around, wending through Mississippi then climbing (ugh) up to top of Zanes and dived in.  Very fun.  Neither of us were ready for the tight turn into steep climb half way down and I nearly ran into the back of Nelson.  Got going again and flowed on out.  

Around the bottom and climbed back into Totara, slightly slower this time, but feeling okay until the last of the steep.  A harrier was making a lot of racket above us, and further up we saw it hassling a pukeko.  around into Mississippi, slightly smoother than previous lap, then climb to Zane's and dropped in, faster still, fun fun fun, both of us prepared this time for the brief climb and cleaning it, then flowing out the end.  Around the bottom, into the start of Totara Valley and as we swooped into here I felt like my back tire was going flat, washy washy, but it held and we blitzed out the bottom back to the car. 

Less kms and only very slightly marginally more ups than Tuesday's Stooge ride.  8.06 kms, 370 m (Nelsie's said 381 m)

Loopy Stooge, 1st Tuesday of the year

First ride for the new year, after a couple of weeks no riding, minimal walking, lounging in the Koh Samui heat, with uncomfortable plane rides at each end.  Nice to get out on a short(ish) mega-loopy up and down in Vic Park tonight. Up some sections a couple times each but seldom down the same way.  Fun times and tech-levels increasing for the Stooge too.

Usual climb over 19th, skidder, gutser.  Hard work on that, given the long break off the bike, all the Pad Thai, Pad See Ew and Chang beers consumed over the past fortnight.  Tried a wee jiggle of an approach just below Brakefree, that didn't really work, but no matter.  Up to top and into Thomson's #1 for the flow and back up the road.  

Dropped into and around the jumps, flowing all the way down Brake Free and then out the bottom of it (rather than into Sesame) and across back up to top again.  Down around the jumps and into Worm climbing to the Traverse to drop down into PedalFine, bailing left off that and climbing back to the track across below the see-saw, first section of Brakefree again, bailing out to drop down the rocks into the Gums, taking my right hander down and out to Skidder again.  

Into the middle entrance, dropping into Rad to Razza's, trying out the new line to the right in here, baulking and walking two drops (which shouldn't be a problem next time) and then continuing down below into Brentzone trying to work out how to get down across to the new bit next to Corporate Ladder I found last time.  Didn't quite get it right, but now know where to go next time, down this, then back up Corporate Ladder and up the usual around Radzone back to Skidder.  

Back up the Gutser just to the Sesame turn-off I (jiggle-)climbed earlier and flowed on through into the Gums to take the left hand line this time, dropping down through here (rutty!) and then all the way below to the road at 19th.  Below road from here, flowy flow, coaster to Dogparkcarpark and flowy fun down through here.  Took my line to the right to avoid the wet and it's fucking worked its way up into my trail and is mucking that up too!  (will have to get up and cut a higher track...).  Nice flow from here though, down and out to H'Ell, clamber onto road.  

Rather than dropping home from here, I headed back uphill, dropped into the 'To Harry Ell' track, then back up to the climb-exit to the lower Dogpark carpark (by the comms tower) and headed down into Charles' track, tight(!), then out from the halfway point, behind the houses for the hoon home.

Well wreathed 8.3kms, with 362m scrambled