Phat Easter Sunday Afternoon Barnicoat Widdershins Involute, caught in the Rain

We'd gone to the Mapua Easter Sunday Market for a good portion of the day but were back early enough that I figured I could get a ride in before the forecast rain hit. 

Jumped on the Fatty and hauled my weary ass down the Locking St walkway, Kawai, then across behind (or in front of?) the Hospital on Tipahi, onto the 'rail trail', over the Bishopdale saddle, over Ridgeway and up Marsden Valley.  About a 25 minute commute.

Hit the singletrack (a walktrack section I'm not sure I've ever actually hit before) and a grind began, back and forth a couple of times, one way stymied by a slip, then out onto the main forestry/4wd track - and granny for a good 45 minutes, following a guy walking with a german shepherd from about 200 m away, most of the way.  He turned back at the last switchback before the leg across to Widdershins.  I called Doug up on the phone and the rain was starting.  

Widdershins was longer and had more climbing and more tech than I recalled of it. Awesome riding tho and the rain wasn't really getting thru the vegetation around it.  - Cornflakes

Finally made the top, about an hour of steady climbing since I left the road, and it was familiar to me.

Into Involution, whoooeeeee.. What a descent. The Fat bike handled it so well. Roots rocks switchbacks repeat. About half way down a large bird flew across in front of me.  I was like, "huh!?"  Stopped, walked back up and there it was, a ruru sitting on a tree fern frond under the shelter of the rest of it trying to stay dry and giving me a sardonic look.  Another was calling nearby as well.  Nice!  

It got wetter and greasier the lower down the hill I got, spat me out onto a 4wd and across into the jungle section around the creek, not very long.  Then fast blast down gravel to gate, and onto the road again.  Rain really setting in now and as a result (and due to the time) it was starting to get dark. Long haul back to base finishing with a steep walk up to the house, tho faster than the way out (due to more it being 'all down hill'). 

Bit of an epic, with over 25kms with 870m altituded - thoroughly saturated when I got back.

Saturday Barnicoat Widdershinvolutionary

In Nelson, so took Jet for a spin round the Barnicoat Widdershins Involution loop. Surprised how short it is, clocking in at under 12 kms, but plenty of altitude (around 600m), all climbed in under 5kms, which means the descent is longer than than the climb...  and serious climbing it was.  Near the start a rider passed me coming down.  Mostly a gravel access road, about 45 minutes in granny or 2nd or 3rd at times, up through pine forest.  I was overtaken by a van load of parasailers heading up for launch, and there were a couple of them floating around in the spectacular views to be beheld west of me, over Richmond.  Up under their launch zone, enjoying the cool breeze they use for lift off as I passed by.  Not long after this I met a woman and her doggy.  A bit further up and around and maybe even a short descent and I got to the start of Widdershins.  Last time I rode up this way (with Stu) this wasn't here and we'd followed the road along the ridge to the top of Involute.

The view from start of Widdershins...

Open singletrack to start, then into the bush, and a few ups and downs and quite a few nicely rounded hairpins.  Good climb just below the ridge and finally out to the top of Involution where I had a nice rest on a log and put some water in a bowl for Jet.

 

Off down this, remembering it from the last time and finding it a lot of fun.  I'd blast ahead down the straights and then slow on the corners and wait for Jet to trot into view, big panty smile on his face, and then I'd blast off again.  This proceeded all the way down.  Heaps of fun.  Didn't meet another person til right near the bottom, and older guy walking his dog up.  Across the 4wd track and into the trail either side of the creek, splash splash, then out onto the final descent down to the car.  A couple getting ready for their ride.  Loads of cars, but I don't know where anybody was, cos I sure didn't see them.

Lots of up, and long winding down... and only 1 hour 12 minutes riding!?

Saturdaze volition to Involute

Stu picked me up from Flamedaisy and we rode up Waimea Rd and round the Ridgeway to Marsden Valley Rd... all the ups hurting me like nothing else. hit the Barnicoat, and clambered away in granny for nearly an hour. ugh, my tired from yesterday legs struggled and struggled, but we made it in the end, then its up and down a few times along the ridge before hitting up the native bush. the views are spectacular, but the climbing is damned hard work.

Involution. yowser. talk about fun. switchback city, reminded me a bit of Nichols switchbacks in Dunners, but rougher, bonier. some amazing long swoopy sections into a corner and back across the slope. met one walker on her way up, and overtook two girls on bikes on their way down. trail just seemed to go on and on, but eventually, crossed a 4wd track and then got nice and twisty down through a couple of stream crossings and then pops back up onto the 4wd, which you then scream down to the gate at bottom.

struggled back round all the ups over bishopdale and down back into town. sweeeeet.