Sunday Ashley Forest Clubbing

North Canterbury MTB Club had an open day (organised by Committee member Darryn (of Chainreactioncycles, Chch). Total sausage fest (pic, me in the back, Nelson running late) - 40 or so guys (and one woman...)

Headed up Mt Grey Rd (which we'd not entered on before (much easier!), and then up to the top of the jumpy 'bypass' track at the 2km mark.  Then the group split into two, with a bunch of us heading down Sam's downhill track to a skidder site.  I got stuck behind a couple of XCers who were fast on the flats and climbs, but bloody slow on the downs. - mildly annoying.

From the bottom we sidled/climbed across a singletrack on an Access Rd to the bottom of the main one we've headed down a couple times (called Stu's according to Trailforks) and climbed up this (meeting the other group on their way down), out the top to the Tires on the road, along and into the flowy extra trail (that was covered in thinned trees the first time we were here).  Then across the top part of Stu's sidling singletrack and back out onto the road.

Crossed to the Tires and headed into what they were calling Rally Sprints.  Fun blast down this and then back up the road and into the flowy trail around to the sidling single Stu's and all the way down the way we'd come up earlier, and then continuing on down to the bottom on Single Track One, ending at Thomson's Rd.

Headed up this and onto the skidder at the bottom of Sam's, and up the (NCCC) zigzag climber to the top.  Parted ways with the group here as they were just gonna head up to do the Bypass again, then down Rally Sprints.  Nelson and me hit Sam's DH again, then around the singletrack Access sidle, climbing up a slightly different climb (spotting Jack and Jill on our left) up to the Tires and headed down Rally Sprints again, jumping and flowing better this time.  A few of the group were still at the gates.

14kms with lots of up and down resulting in a measly 350m climbed (also a few crappy MMR straightlines action due to lack of coverage and phone in pocket for the first half). Weird that.

Wednesday Night Ashley Trails

Parked up on Forestry Rd Barron Ave corner (after finding Barron Ave to be a 'private' road and 'tenants cars only'). Rode up Forestry, steeper than you'd think, and through the gate into Purple Heights where we entered last time. Climbed this up, longer than memory served, to Mt Grey Rd at the 2km marker, and then, just like last time headed just over and onto the open jumpy connector track. Hung a right at the end of this and went back up Mt Grey Rd for a second lap. 

At the bottom we turned left (unlike last time) and were faced with a choice.  Figured taking all the trails we found from left to right would be the best bet, so headed left and it took us down a really fun steep twisty descending trail. This ended at a couple of jumps and a skidder site (which I ascertained (as per my map-in-the-headedness) to be approximately somewhere we'd passed by last time we were in here, and next to Thomsons Rd. Figured, how far can it be, so we headed left up this and found out it could actuallly be quite a long way, pretty much mostly climbing up eventually to the Mt Grey Rd, this time at the 3km marker. Nice roll (but waste of altitude) down this, all the time looking for trails off to the left.  One short detour to a skidder site and some beehives to see if there were any hidden trails, but no, so back onto Mt Grey to the 2km marker. 

Down the jumpy, third time lucky, and left to try the other option.  This time wee found an xc style descent that seemed to go for ages, eventually meeting the first descender at the first jump and the skidder site again. Decided it was probably designed to be a climber, so we climbed back up it, (took me a while, but Nelson loved it!) and then across back to Mt Grey Rd again. 

Left down this and into the zone we rode with the locals last time.  This time we checked out the trail that had logs all over it, finding them cleared, so bombed down it.  It was fun and flowy, but then it took a turn upwards, and in no time at all got us back onto the trail we'd ridden last time.  We fanged down this flowy, mostly down, but sidling slighty, trail, always on the look out for other tracks.  Missed one turn off (on what I think we must have taken last time), then ended up at an intersection (of the cross-forest track we'd ridden from the jumps skidder site first time), and it was a bit mucky here, so we took a right and knew pretty quick it was probably the wrong way.  Through a barrier fence, and we ended up at the top of Courtney Drive. Headed down this onto Barron (which didn't look familiar at all!) and back to the cars.  Considered a 2nd lap, but it was nearly 8pm, and we were both feeling a bit hungry. 

Bailed down to Rangoon for some Thai.  Nom nom.

14kms on the dot, and just a smidge under 300m climbed...  felt like more to me.

Wednesday Night Ashley Forest Exploration

Met Nelson in Rangoon and we met the locals at 6.30, making a posse of 7 all told - mostly older guys, one on an electric.  We managed (with very little wheedling) to convince them to ride in the hills - as opposed to the river tracks.

Headed north over the Ashley Bridge, then a right onto the (eastern) Loburn road along here (Carrs Rd), right into Mowatts Rd, then left onto Boundary, mostly climbing all the way. Up this to a gate we jumped onto Forestry Rd (Purple Heights?) which took us up to Mt Grey Rd at the "2km" mark.  From here it was over to a cool wee section of singletrack, with a few nice whoopdedoos, finishing down on another cross road, then short ways back to Mt Grey Rd (lower down than the 2km mark), and along a little way to where singletrack-city started.  Started off into a section that had trees across the trail (thinning), so turned back and dropped into a fun section that meandered for a ways, sense of direction completely blown.  This section finished and we were off down into another section, with roots galore, nicely made trails all in forest.  finally down this long blasty section and we were at the corner of Thomson, Barron and Laurence where a locked gate sits.  Electro man was supposed to be here, so we rode back up Thomsons and met him coming down.  We continued up and took a side track that had several singletrack diversions until it met the last trail we'd just come down, down this again, shorter and faster than first time round.

Now it was onto Barron, down this, crossing Forestry onto Gories, to Boundary, down to Downs (with a bike bridge across a creek) across to Marshmans, spinning like crazy down this to Ashley Township.  Down High St to the river and along the river singletracks back to the main Loburn Rd bridge, and zoomed back into town.  Lots of fast (me absolutely maxed out in my low top gear) spinning, spinny puffy puff puff spin spin pufffffed.

All over, 25 kms with 276m altitude, maybe 15% singletrack, and roads 45 % sealed, 40% gravel.

Sunday Grey

8am at Rangoon, then transferred to Nelson's car and headed up thru North Loburn to Paringa Rd.  Couldn't drive the ford so parked on the corner and rode through it, getting wet feet.  Over the gate and the climb began, still nice and cool at this point, but as we rode along Banks Rd the occasional gust was full of warmth.  We diverted from our path a couple of times, looking for possible ways across the valley to the next ridge to avoid climbing all the way up to the high point of Banks/Paringa before the big descent back down to the river, but to no avail.  However, we did find lots of yummy blackberry goodness which we gorged on multiple times.

Bomb down Okuku Rd past the beehives and over the gate and down a short ways before ducking right, up onto the Mt Grey Nature Walk.  This proved fun, and nicely graded, with a few interesting features of tight corners and short steps.  Stopped and moved a big log off one place too.  Cool descent down to the camp ground.  Through this and across the ford, and up the long and winding road.  Stopped for a rest at "Lake" Janet, then got into the steep clamber.  Once into the zigs and zags it isnt so bad, cleaning most tech features if not the tight corners.  Gaining altitude quickly we made the tower in good time, then headed up the singletrack from here - broom getting a bit unruly in some sections, but a nice climb to the summit anyway.  Sat in the lee of the hill (out of the strong NorWest) and had a snack, before heading off down the trail.

Fun descent began.  Met the odd walker or runner, couples too, and stopped and moved rocks into a boggy bit while still above the treeline.  Cornering seems easier on the Pipeline than the 5-Spot, and I was really getting into the lefthand switchbacks, nose wheelying, swinging the back wheel around then proceeding onwards.  Righthand switchies, not so much.  Most of them I reverted to my fatbike technique of planting the inside foot and doing the nose-wheely then.  Still quicker than any other method of cornering those tightspots.  We stopped and cleared a couple of big logs across the trail too.  Excellent blast down through the forest, into the pine section, then back into the bush.  Was a fun blast.  Landed back at the ford splecked in muck and smiling.

Now the brutal climb began, just after 12pm, sun beating down, luckily some shade in patches.  Stopped part way up to eat blackberries, then more further up.  Finally peaked Okuku and up Paringa for the last climb, before bombing the gravel back to the car.

None of the chasing of the daylight like last time.

Just under 30kms again, with 1105 m climbed... fairly hefty.

Monday Night Big Hot and Grey

Met Nelson at Rangoon after work and we headed up thru Loburn, checking out Journey's End first, but finding lots of No Entry; Private Property; Tresspassers Prosecuted signs, so back down to Feathers and up Mt Grey Rd to park at the bottom of Paringa.  Had a brief chat with a local and his pitbulls then around 6.15, headed up the road, over the locked gate and up a bit to hit up Banks Rd.  Two wheel tracks, slightly overgrown in places, nice surface, easy rolling, up.  It was pretty hot, but mostly in the shade climbing up here, so not bad.  Then a nice rolling descent down to the Okuku Rd intersection, which then led steeper down past beehives, more beehives, another gate, and down to the campground and ford/bridge at the bottom of our singletrack.  The next and longest climb began...  Up up up to Lake Janet, about one hour in, then, instead of up the singletrack, (somewhat misguidedly) we chose the road to climb (thinking the switchbacks would be in full sun and HOT).  This road seemed to go on for ever nearly killing me, but at least it was shady.  For once I actually used my 'lock-outs' front and rear.  They worked pretty good, tho the rear had weird clunkiness when I stood and cranked.  Had a rest at the turn off to the fire lookout, and then headed up to the singletrack.  This was steep but eminently cleanable til much higher up, in the shade, good to concentrate on, and we made the top of the hill at 8.10 pm.  50 minutes left til sunset.

Into the descent.  I got super skittery on the gravel as we hung a left onto the main track, nearly losing it, but dropped a bit of air out of my front wheel and chased onwards, Nelson long gone.  Was a little careful down here, feeling super sketchy, but after the worst (of only 2) boggy bits, caught up to Nelson and we continued on down.  He was trying out his new gangnam switchback stylez the whole way, getting better (and quicker) all the way down.  I had variable luck with mine.  Nose wheelies with a flick to re-align.  Definitely the way to go...  Down through the spectacular forest singletrack, delightfully rocky and gnarly and the usual cornflakes scatterings.  Near the bottom of the pine section Nelson popped a jump and landed sideways giving massive blowout of goo and air.  From here on down, the lower we got, the more bugs Nelson was stirring in my path and the more I was having to contend.  By the last km to the bottom it was getting really bad, and I was having to ride mouth shut and blinking like crazy.  Made the camp site at 8.50, 10 minutes of sun left...

Stopped and chatted with some campers who'd asked for directions while we were climbing and then got climbing.  Long slog, but nothing on what we'd already done earlier.  Finally made the Paringa turn-off, then followed this all the way up (higher than Banks), and then bombed down.  Gravel road flying, well over 60kph and finally arrived back at the car at about 9.15 - 3 hours, of which 2 1/2 hours was riding time.  Not much mucking around...

A whopping 1115 m climbed, over 28 kms