Thursday Night Stoogin' 'round Taylor's -- 1500th Post!!

Sweet ride out there with Nelson tonight.  I'd popped out to Josh's for one last tweak (and photos for his insta), cutting another cm or so off the top of the steerer, and to collect my remainders.  Then headed across town to Nelson's and parked there, loading bike on his roofrack and we headed for Taylor's.  

Chilly in carpark, but as soon as we got over the cattlestop to hit the Escape it was balmy warm.  Stooge rode well up here, I love the low gear and the direct application of power through the rigid frame.  I led the way, overcooking it to start with but settling into an only slightly hurried pace, chatting all the way (mostly Nelson talking, me puffing).  Out the top at Livingston, and onto the Godley for a nice techy rock climb and then he led the way down to Breeze, faster than me, both of us still getting used to our new steeds.  

From Breeze Col, out the OG-below-road trail to the end, nice fast ride through here, love the way the big wheels hold onto speed, then climbing up the grassy trail to the concrete where I lit the landing and Nelson jumped off...  Then around Breeze Bay, nice smooth rolling fun-times.  Love it in this direction.  

Up the road from the Col and into the upper Anaconda.  Whooo-eee, rough.  This is where the rigid doesn't sing so much.  It was quite the beat-up, but still fun as hell.  I was no where near as fast as Nelson but not that slow either.  Main problem was the 2 finger braking set up at the moment, not having enough grip on the bars, and also the lower bottom-bracket I was super conscious of not smacking my pedals which made me flow less good.  However, I definitely prefer this trail on the Cotic...  Still, good to know that now, and know what the Speedbomb likes vs not.  The lead-in to the Snake's Tail (above the walking track) was sweet and flowy and rolly, and even the Tail itself was pretty good, none of the rocks as daunting or drops as harsh as higher up.  

We headed back up valley to try out the 'new' Te Onepoto trail down the other edge of the valley.  This was flowy and fun, and ended up in the wee Tagaste/Native forest above/alongside of the carpark.  Nice.

A shard under 12 kms and an ostensibly prevailing 423 m accessioned. 

Scorched Sunday Thomas the God Botherer's Captaincy

Took myself out to Slumner with the Jeht on board and parked up in some shade before Scumnervale. Headed up the OG Captain and it was hot. Really fucking hot. Many times I thought, "it's too much" but each time I continued. Scorching, bit of walking right at the start then not so bad from there on out with the usual rocks needing the foot-use.  Sumner Triathlon was on and there were cones and signage and people all over Evans Pass, with Godley Head Rd closed to traffic, I headed out there with the knowledge there'd be no cars.  Climbed up the grass onto the trail - utterly surrounded by a kaliedoscope of butterflies (or was it a whisper of moths?).  Breather at the top here and chatted to a bloke on a Santa Cruz here (that I'd seen from below the wondering whether he'd been through or not by the time I got up there).  He asked about the trail, it'd been a while since he'd been on it, and then I gave him the lead off and waited a bit longer.  Off down after him and had a nice blast. Then at Livingston he was waiting at the big gate, opening it for me but (to him) I'd disappeared behind the rock, and was at the small gate (where the old cattlestop roll-over used to be).   

I felt better from here up and over, cleaning all the rocky tech on the up, nice flow down around, over pfmtbc rock to Breeze, then took the Breeze Bay walking track around the back, with literally a good breeze coming up off the sea round here. VERY Needed. Caught some walkers before the stile - giving the guy a heck of a fright. Over the stile ahead of them and bombed down to the carpark where I filled up my water. Then, around the front on the OG Godley section, enjoying, and crossing paths with the Santa Cruz dude again.  At Breeze I intended to head back on the road, started out that way but where the top Anaconda entrance is I climbed up the paddock to the Godley trail again.  Nice from here back in this direction over the techy rock and missing the wasted descent on the road to Livingston (which would have been a nice rest, I guess).  

From Livingston stayed on the trail and climbed it. My figuring was, it's the same altitude gain as if I'd ridden the road and up track. Hell of a lot more effort tho. Oh well. Received a compliment from an American-accented woman who'd stopped to let me tackle the wee bridge thing at the head of the gully up here. Impressed with my body-English manoeuvrings methinks... I didn't know what to say I was so toasted. I said, "no worries" like she'd thanked me! Then realised my error and said, "thanks, heaps" and continued on my merry way, then wondered if I should have stopped to chat...build some community, like??  Looking back a little further up I could see someone following me, way back, who'd pulled over to let her by.  He was present in my mind, chasing, for the rest of my ride (but didn't catch up til I was on the road next to my car). Blasted the tech rock all the way back to Evans, tho one sticky situation near the end that resulted in a nice lump on my shin/ankle.  My right foot was violent smacked out of my pedal by a rock at almost exactly the same time as my left foot hit a bigger rock, all-but stopping me in my tracks.  At the second foot-strike the pedal from the first intersected with my ankle...  ouch.

Through the pass and straight into Captain Thomas for a rip snorting descent. Had an audience in a couple of the crucial moments, a trio of walkers and dogs above the two rock dropdowns, and a runner who leaned out of the way with a big grin on her face as I dropped down the second of those. Cleaned all of everything except the short climb after the rocky techs, but made it higher on that than I have in a while.  Down in the OG section I stopped to have a single chat with Doug at the bridge and T rang wondering where I was.  Cleaned all the rocky roll-overs lower down here, and had a lovely lively jaunt down the trail.  Dusty finish, and across the road to the car. 

An efficacious 18.4 kms and 765 m climbed, unanticipatedly.

Resolute to ride more as this climbing lark was hurting me...  My playing-up knee survived nicely 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.

Tuesday night Boulder Gods, Breezily De-scaped

Met Nelson in Taylor's a bit after 6 pm.  We hit the gaspy climb of the Snake's tail, along which I remembered to start the MMR (at 6.30).  Trails were gonna be wet so we were poaching walking tracks, and found pretty much everything to be pretty firm.  

Boulder Bay track out to the end was fun.  I really like the exposure of the cliffs and sea surging and smashing on the rocks below.  Grunty wee climb up from the bay and we hung a left at the Asbestos signs, heading all the way to the gun emplacements, which are all barricaded off.  Snuck over the fence and over the Head onto the zig zag down the other side, a lot of water on the track in places, but nothing soggy.  Up the steps and the buildings are all fenced off (pretty half-arsedly I might add).  We navigated up around them then back on the main track back up to the Godley Head carpark.  

Up the ridge from here to the Breeze Bay track around the back.  Spectacular lights of Lyttelton shining in our eyes on this fun section around and back down to the col.  On the road from here, no cars met, all the way to Livingston Col and onto the Taylor's Escape.  This was in pretty good nick.  Most sections were sweet as, but some very soggy boggy bits wherever gully streams encountered it, and we walked all of these.  One at the top, then a couple of bits down in the bottom gulch.  Sweet sweet riding, tho under lights is not something we've been used to this winter at all...

A laudable 11.something kms with (I assume) just over 400 m climbed. (given I started MMR late).     

Thursday Night OG Captain T to the Gods; Around the Breeze and Back

Good spin last night.  Met Nelson in Scumnervale and we trundled down to the old "OG" Captain Thomas entrance - accessed from the redzone, behind the gabion wall.  On the way down we passed a group of riders getting ready at their cars who we would see a few more times.  

Into the steep climb, walking the steps and stopping to scoff the blackberries.  Yum!  On the bikes again, good treadle up on the interestingly narrow weaving through the trees and into the woods. Great climb all the way up.  Rounded the top of the gully and Nelson teched up all the techy rocks, while I lummocksed my way over them, walking the worst chunk.  Onto the traverse across the face to the short descent, where we caught up with the dudes from down on the road.  Proceeded to get stuck behind one, then the next, then the next for a while.  Finally their fastest rider pulled over and let us by and we finished off the last stretch up through the gate and around to the Summit Rd.  Bit of a break here watching them riding up, then headed across onto Godley.  

Up the first steeps, I blew the rock, my power was out, but got my mojo back occasionally along the main face up there.  We peeled around to the windy ridge, a hawk cruising away at our level, and stopped for a breather.  Eventually the other group turned up, (mute?) guy with dog first.  We took off and had a hair-raising run down to Livingston.  I was never more than a few metres behind Nelson.  I swear my bike handles better now.  

At the saddle we hung a right around the 360 crater rim walking track.  The other fellas continued on and we didn't see them again.  Heinous climb got the better of me and I walked the usual bit.  A break at the stile and then off down the steep lumpy steps, glorious run around and down the next steps, some interesting rocky features and cornering, and then across Breeze Col, rocky!, and onto the Breeze Bay track.  Sweet climb around this, some nice rolling, then over the sunken bunker and onto the skinny narrows track, overgrown as hell.  Slow, blind, tech.  Eventually onto the wide open track and bombing down to the Col again.  Onto Godley for a nice climb and fun descent then Livingston up.  Some paragliding dudes floating around, or at least trying to, just next to the track.    

Bomby rocks to Evans, then all the way down Captain, including fun OG section, good blast.

A sterling 17.3 kms rid, with 735 m elevated

Thursday Night Captain Windy Sketchville

Awesome ride tonight.  

Met Nelson at Slumnervale and we headed into the Closed Captain Thomas.  Not too greasy, a few wet spots, ie, too wet to ride down, but fine going up without destroying the trail.  Gasping for air as usual, we stopped at the top of the hairpins and I really struggled to breathe.  Didn't help that I could SEE the motes of pollen in the air either...  Up through the rocky sections, I walked once or twice - grease and rocks getting the better of me or my lungs not up to capacity.  Upper section was good and we made the road.  

Headed up into the Godley, but once up the nasty rocksection we got our clamber-walk on and pushed up the ridge fenceline walking track, wind starting to pick up a bit as we climbed this exposed section.  Some riding, some pushing and eventually made the top.  Short break and around the top over the edge towards the darkness that was the harbour.  Nelson found it entirely unfamililar thinking he'd never ridden it before but I knew he had, last year even, and before that in 2017.  Neat drop down, not as techy as I recalled, but around the back heading across towards Livingston it was pretty greasy, water running on the track a bit.  Bomb down the ridge to Livingston Col and familiarity returned.  Out Godley from here, good riding, with only the final paddock to the cattlestop at the end the usual quagmire which we attempted to skirt widely after pfmtbc rock.  Stopped at Breeze Col in the 'breeze' (read, gale), and watched as several spaced out riders came down the road and past us. 

We dived into the OG Godley, below the road, and headed outwards.  It's been tidied and benched better and rode pretty well, very few wetspots.  At the road end we headed up the 4wd track towards our bunker, wind pushing at us hard making the climb harderer than it would normally be.  Then across and over the stile onto Breeze Bay track.  I ducked behind some tussocks here cos the wind was doing my head in.  Nice break and snack here then off around the track, out of the wind, spectacular riding, easy going cruisey as.  Into the teeth of the gale at the stile here, nearly blown off, and pushing hard into the wind to get to the road.  Then it was back along the Godley Head Road, pushing hard into the gale, but once, eventually, around above the new Escape trail we got the tail wind pushing us uphill to Livingston, nearly plucking us from the bikes across there, then a bit of work up the rest to the Para-launch place, into the wind around then pushed all the way back down to Evans.

Down into Rapanui bush, definitely ridden it wetter in the past, and techy goodness around to Scarbluffs track.  This was tricky with the wind, and felt dangereux with the exposure, but mostly a pretty good run out across towards Scumner then dropping down the tricky hairpins, water running down the track towards the road.  Across and over for the last blast down below the road, fun times had.

An interesting and quite spectacular 16.44 kms, with 701 m climbed.

Thursday Night Taylor's Escape and some Snake

Nelson and me met in Taylor's.  It was not as cold as expected, but the wind had a little bite in it.  

We headed up the new Escape track.  Mostly in very good nick, the new benching really helps, but the deep gully is dank and soggy.  Gonna need a little boardwalk maybe, or a bridge and some re-direction.  Good climb; kept a good pace most of the way, I was feeling better and even breathing better than I'd expect given the lurgy that's sitting in my lungs still.  More switchbacks than we'd remembered.  Stopped at the road and yarned and watched a couple riders heading down towards Livingston Col.  After they'd passed above us (while we rode along the road to the Col) we got on the trail and hung a right, out above the major exposure and along the walking track.  Climbed this surprisingly well too, tho just prior to the first hairpin got the better both of us - Nelson via traction, me via lung capacity.  

Over the stile and into the descent, steps and besides, me not trusting the grease factor, which had the potential for offness.  Good blast tho, and then right across Col, fun tech, to the Breeze Bay track.  We climbed this cruising around, it ending sooner than I expected, over the ladder-stile, and out onto the lookout bunker roof.  Neither of us jumped from it this night.  

I led us into the skinny track, around, very tight, good skillzone, then into the bomb down back to Breeze Col.  Then we decided to climb up Godley to above the new entrance to Anaconda, nice climb still feeling good tho my legs were starting to tire.  Over the fence and dropped down choosing an interesting way down to the Conda and then Nelson led the way, bomb bomb, bomby bomb.  Great run down, tho not the fastest ever, cautiousness getting the better of me on the damp clay surface.  No slop, surprisingly.  

Long break chatting overlooking the sea here, then into the Tail, for a final blast back to the cars. Good tech.  

Felt like further than 9.6 kms, with a reasonable 386 m climbed.

Thursday Night Narrow Tech

Met Nelson in Taylor's and we headed up the Escape... 

Nice cruise up the valley bottom, and stopped a the first rock feature where Nelson proceeded to move and manhandle a bunch of rocks in an attempt at making 'a line' over a nice boulder.  I wasn't game enough to tackle it, the envisaging of a nasty tumble getting the better of me, but he cleaned it a couple times.  From here the climb got steeper and steeper, and quite nasty.  Then up in the head of the valley it strikes out across the slope, and needs some digging, big time.  

Off camberness clipping the uphill pedal something wicked, and grip?  Meh.  Kinda good grip, teeth of the tires digging in on the sides.  Will be good once it's dug, but right now is rather tech-knuckle.  A right, a left around the head then up onto the side, getting easier as you climb a couple zig zags, then a lonnng sidle climb til you're waaay above the car park and settlement, then a bunch of zig zags and another long run back up to the road.

Rode the road to Livingston, then decided on the walk track around the back overlooking the harbour.  Never noticed the exposure along here so much.  hmmm...  but great ride, and climb, I even cleaned to higher than I have in the past.  Up over then over the stile and the fun stepped descent ensued, blasting down to Breeze Col, across the tech slower rocks up to the Breeze Bay track all the while on the harbour side of the fence.  Climbed around Breeze Bay, lovely track this, and stopped at the Observation Battery No 1 for to film some jumps committed by Nelson.  (have footage on my phone).

Around the skinny run back towards Breeze Col above the road, quite fun in this direction, with a good blast to finish, then it was up the road back towards the new Anaconda entrance, bypassing this and bombing down the road to the Taylor's Escape entrance.  

Into the descent, lonnnng sidling, when into the wind I was eyes-full of dust, but back up valley was better with the wind behind.  Nice run in this direction.  The off camber gave me the willies, where I wasn't all-trusting of the grip my tires were actually perfectly capable of providing.  Nelson had no trouble at all, and even cleaned some rather tricky tech in the head of the valley.  I had the willies, but managed to stay aboard and the blast down valley to the rockfeature was damned good.  Nelson cleaned over this, but I held back, and then we blitzed back onwards down to the cars.  Good blast.  

An exuberant 11.2 kms, with 354 m ascended.

Wednesday Night Captain Godley Conda Godley Captain Anti-clockwise Alt-route Loop

Awesome ride tonight.  Did a core strengthening Abi yoga in the morning, and as a result the entire ride I didn't get a sore back!  Fantastic.  I'd also remembered to have an asthma puff in the car while I was waiting for Nelson to arrive in Scumnervale, which saw my breathing working well all the way through as well.  AND, I was suffering the beginnings, or skirting the edge, of a cold - scratchy throat, slightly sore sinuses.

Up Captain Thomas, Nelson telling me all about his Enduro event last Sunday, which meant he held back a bit so that I could huff and chuff along behind him.  Still, even tho I was talking occasionally too, I felt better for longer up this climb.  Once up onto the levels and after the short down, he cleaned the first of the tech rocks, which was astounding.  Good jaunt up the rest of it, me only just starting to wane near the top.

Reasonable length rest at Evans then across into Godley, clambering.  Too low a gear for me on the first rocks, then blew out again on the next, but cleaned up the whole rest of the track.  Really feeling stronger and no sore back and more power.  Yoga is good!  At the high point above Scarborough, another short rest, then decided to head up the ridge to the top trig.  Nice views from up here...
A different view of  Evans Pass:

1
Then down, awesome descent, with some great tech rocks and a lovely flow around the back, harbourside, across the slope towards the final very narrow steep singletrack descent on the wrong side of the fence back to Livingston Col.

From here, took the walking track around the back, harbourside again, towards Breeze Col.  This is a great section of riding, except for the nasty switchback climb, which I cleaned all of for the first time, albeit with a breathing break at the first hairpin.
Me just after that bit:

Someone had mowed past the stile, so we ended up on a narrow sheep track before we realised we'd gone too far.  Turned back, over the stile, and down the steps and rolling.  Across the Col, fun rocks, then climbing the Breeze Bay track, meeting a couple of runners and some walkers further round.

Next it was the skinny singletrack back to Breeze, around the front above the road.  Long grass made it a challenge, but fun, finished with a fun dropping down to Breeze.

Onto the road for a short section to get into the 'new' entrance to Anaconda.  Waited for a guy climbing this, then dropped in, swoopy downhill funtimes.  But eating Nelson's dust wasn't very tasty.  Fast and smooth swoopy swoopy through the 'Conda, blitzing it all nicely, and STILL my back wasn't sore!  Awesomesauce.  Down the 'tail, and Nelson a fair ways ahead now, I was coming around above the baches when I saw him rolling across the paddock...  not toooo far ahead.  Bomb, pop, and roll across the paddock myself, to fill up water at the fountain (where we ran into Nixie from work and her partner).

Into the climb up the road, then up onto the singletrack 'Sumnervale' track, only walked a little bit by the fence, then up onto the road, up the climb to Godley and into the return.  Best run back to Evans on Godley I've had for ages.  Every rock feature was just a floating roll over or pop.  No baulking or stalling like other recent rides.  Bombed down out the end, and across Evans-summit to the Captain.

Bit of a rest before dropping in.  Bit of dust again from Nelson, but a good run down and after the peskygate I could still see the trail under the dust (unlike last time!).  Awesome bomb down, just flowing and cruising, cleaning everything except the climb (which Nelson tried again, and got with just one dab).  Final blast across and down through the switchies, cabbage tree slippery, last descent, nearly losing it onto the bridge, and finished.  Nice.

A staunch 19.43 kms, with a bonza 858 m climbed!

Saturday Hot Muggy Morning Taylor's Godley

Nice ride from Taylor's today.  Dropped O off to do some work in the bach garden, and Nelson joined me for a ride.

We headed up the road and into the walkway, zigging and zagging up to the Godley Head Rd.  Was steep and bloody hot and humid with a hazy overcast but sunshine too.  Dry AF as well.  I cleaned everything, but did have to stop a couple of times for breathers.  From the road we headed up the usual 4wd track to the singletrack and decided to head back towards Evans Pass.  Good bomb around this, down, passing 2 couples near the end.  Then couldn't be arsed, in the heat, to ride the tech-rock back, so took the road back around to the climb, up this again, and a bit of a rest til just after the 2 couples had ridden past.  Gave them a gap and then bombed it down to Livingston, passing them having a break before the last full tilt descent to the saddle. 

Straight into the climb, moseying up and around.  Nelson waiting for me at the top, as usual.  Straight into the descent, bombing around and down to Breeze.  Here, we headed up the trail above the road, taking the barely visible skinny track around the sidle.  Long, dry grass, but good purchase under-tread.  Onto the emplacement, then up onto Breeze Bay track.  No walkers onboard, so a good hoof around, pea-gravel proving interesting on off camber corners.  Back into the skinny climb and sidle again, this time more visible thanks to our previous tracks.  Then a super fast bomb down to the Godley carpark, where we found snacking the 2 couples from previous.

Across onto the below-road mtb track, bombing around back to Breeze Col, then up the Godley singletrack climbing to the cattlestop, then over the fence (ants on my hands from the post) and down to the top entrance to Anaconda.  Swoop swoop, bomb bomb, into the old, more swoop, yumps and bombing, into the tail and fang wallop bomb to the bottom, spectacular jumps over the final grate.

Final road climb back up to the cars, and a good ride done.  A grand but sweaty 17 kms, with a bloody good 730 m climbed.

Tuesday Night East End Triangle

Parked at Slumnervale and in no time Nelson turned up.  He had is XCWhippet, I had the Rocky.  I changed and we headed up the Captain.  Mucky in spots and beautifully dry in others.  Stopped for a dose of Asthma below the cabbage tree trail exit, and continued on, hoping for relief from the lack of air.  A worthy climb, I chuffed and huffed my way, feeling weak in my legs and gasping for oxygen through the lungs... 

Crossed Evans to Godley and started climbing.  Nelson cleaned away the whole damned thing.  I struggled and dabbed and walked and then lost my light and fixed it and was miles behind.  Regrouped at the top and then headed for Livingston.  Teddington Shit section annoyingly bad, but the rest of the trail sweet as.  He let me past on the lower swoops to the bottom, and we headed up for Breeze.  Around and down, the last paddock below PFMTBC Rock a sucky mucky quagmire piece of crap.

Where to from here?  Lets go check out the new section that leads into Anaconda from above.  Back up the road a to the second corner, and found a wee solar light marking the start of the new track.  Hmm, lets come back via this way.  So, back down to Breeze Col and into the climb for the skinny track.  Again, gasping, but once on the narrows I was okay, around, tight, then up to Breeze Bay track.  Huh, another couple of lights.  Oh, gudday Daryl.  Stopped for a chat with Daryl (Ex-Cactus GM) and a mate on road/cross bikes.  We carried on, bombing around the Breeze Bay trail, fun descent, a couple of wee climbs, but all good.  Finally over the stile and back down to the road.

Up to the new entrance, and into it.  Barely built, lots of nice swoopy corners down the sunny (dry) ridge, til they ran out and it was off camber, just sketched into the hill, but leading down to a natural entrance onto the Conda.  Good blast down here, mostly dry, tho a couple of sections with running water, and in the lower wobbles, one or two bloody awful bits, but no damage, and onwards down the 'Tail.  Nice, and then across and I really needed a snack at the Carpark.

Final Climb, ugh, somewhat of a second wind towards the top, dropping down a couple gears and standing and cranking for a bit, made the top and into Nicholson's Park we headed, down the steeeeeps, slightly slippery on the rooty, and then down onto the Flowers, and down the alleyway out to Whitewash, bomb to road, and ride back up, picking our way back to our cars.

Ended up being 18 kms with a very respectable 763 m climbed

Thursday Night Mostly Solo East End Loopies

Left work earlyish (4.30) and parked up Sumnervale. Nelson still got a bad back so was on my own.  Headed up The Captain, getting the usual asthma on the first climbing section even tho I was on my lonesome.  Stopped and de-layered and puffed inhaler below the cabbage tree, then got going again, a bit better.  Rest of the climb was good, with it just getting dim enough to nearly need the light by the top, but not quite.

Across into Godley, requiring some lighting now.  Mostly cleaned up all the rocks, but dabbed a few times, pesky lack of vis and struggly tiredness.  Once into the smoother sections got rolling quite nicely.  Bit of a rest at the top, before getting into the bomb.  Full lights mode.  Nice to Livingston, good climb out and better to Breeze.  Straight through this and across to the climb, getting into the narrow-skinny-tight tussock sidle.  Around and up to top of Breeze Bay track.

Nice flow around this, the lights of Lyttelton BRIGHT.  Careful bomb through that last off piste corner, over the stile and straight across into the Conda.  Easy flowings around to start, slowly winding up the speed, til the lower curves I was flying.  Nearly lost one of the corners from looking too far ahead and mis-judging the approach, turning in too soon and flying over tussocks through the inside of the corner, lucky there was nothing out of hand in the way.

At the bottom of the Conda-proper, hung a right up the walk track towards Boulder Bay and climbed, climbed up the new walk track and half way up my gears made some clickety sounds.  I checked and found a broken link.  Kinda squeezed it together thinking it might be alright but 5 pedalstrokes later and it all unravelled.  Tried to fix with just the chainbreaker but these newfangled chains have a big (relatively speaking) flange on the pin, and try as I might I just couldn't get the narrow bit of chain into the wide bit with the pin.  Really wished I'd had my glasses too.  All the detail was so blurry! Then I found a 10spd quicklink in my bag, removed the offending pin pieces and chucked in the quickie.  Perfect fit.  Rolling again, with a slightly tighter chain, and up to the road, and along this, mostly climbing and very dark. About 3 cars passed, all dumbarse boyracer shits.

Past the paraglider launch ramp and around through the cattlestop and up the climb, seeing a couple of lights up ahead just getting to the top.  As I approached I saw a red bikeframe in their lights and yelled out "Warren and Wayne?"  "Nope, Buggs and Dozer - is that you Steve?"  "Yep,..."  So, caught up and then we rode.

Excellent flow for me, I was just flying over everything, making for a smooth and fun descent - putting heaps of gap in between us.  I took the walking track ending at Evans, and waited a little for the other two to roll in.  Wazza's rear tire was too hard so he'd been pinging all over the place, and he was trialling a front rack (doing the Heaphy soon).

Then it was into the Captain.  Another smooth flow for me, bombing everything and gapping the boys again.  Awesome descent, feeling really good.  Feeling the benefits of my new yoga routine, I think.

Just over 20 kms, with 825 m climbed.  Not bad for a solo night ride.

Into the cars and off to Cassel's.  The rain started just as we started driving and got heavier and heavier into the evening.  Good Timing!!!

Wednesday Eastern Excellence

Mint ride tonight. I started off slow but warmed up pretty good by the end.

Met at Slumnervale and moseyed up the Captain.  Usual gasping for air and my legs just had nothing in them.  Seemed unable to put any power down.  I put it down to lack of sleep and massage yesterday and insufficient nutrition through the day, but maybe it's just 'getting old' or some weird pre-diabetes bollocks.  Anyway, moseyed up, and was starting to get a bit more groove towards the top, tho still walked a tiny bit before that last sprung swing gate.

Into the Godley, cleaned a surprising amount of the early-stage rocks.  I never stopped moving and at least one foot was always clipped in, such were the dabbages that propelled me through the few tech spots that I blew out on.  It got easier towards the high point, where we took a brief rest:

and then we blazed on down the blastzone, speed and lack of traction our friends.  At the squirrelly swoopy bit towards the bottom, we stopped and Nelson set up his phone to film. 
(overlooking Taylor's)

Then we rode back up the trail a bit and dropped back in, whooshing past the camera and swooping back and forth below.  I bombed out the bottom and Nelson turned back to collect his gear. 

At Livingston, headed out around the CraterRim/360 track, nice bit of tech to start, then steeeeep bastard steps and a couple of hairpins that Nelson cleaned and I didnt.  Brief respite at the top:

before dropping down to the stile, over, and on down.  A few tech-steps and lots of nice rolling, droppy, interesting trail to enjoy, with spectacular views and stunning light out across the harbour and heads.

Across Breeze Col to Breeze Bay track, climbing on the pea-gravel, up, up, up
(me looking stuffed, as usual)

and around,then nice roll around to the stile with a hawk cruising the currents above us.  Around to the Lookout bunker where Nelson did the wee gap jump a couple of times, and then into the tight narrow long-grass sheeptrack around above the road back towards Breeze Col. 

Awesome in this direction with the tightness easier to handle.  Nice blast down to the col and straight into the Snake.

Shitty gravel on the first bit, but once into the Anaconda proper we were going a nice pace.  Not quite as fast as last time, but still pretty quick, and it was nice not being dropped by Nelson and also not being too far back through the whole tail section.

Up the road and into the Sumnervale Track, climbing up steeply (cleaned it all) to the deer fence which Nelson rode the whole length of, but tired legs as usual got the better of me - making me walk maybe 50 m.  Up the gravel Scarborough track to the parasailer launch spot and around and back up onto Godley.  Awesome blast down this, my chain coming off about half way down the techy-est rock sections towards the end, but I kept my flow and pace and made it all the way through to the end.

Finally, the blast down Captain Thomas.  Very fine it was.  Cleaned everything bar the usual climb, and had lots of fun doing so, tight on Nelson's tail the whole way too.

A rather respectable 19.3 kms, with 765 m climbed.

Tuesday Night Moonlit Godley

Drove to Nelson's after work and parked up, then we hooned in his car, with Fatty and skinny bikes onboard, to Taylor's Mistake.  Got riding, straight into the grunt, up the Tail, pausing at the cattlestop to chat to a friend of mine (Fiona) running her dog, then on out the Boulder Bay track.  A couple of photo ops along here,

Scar, bro.

and then took a singletrack down into Boulder Bay, slightly more interesting than the highway, but ending in overly tech rocks before dropping into the macracarpas behind the houses.  Steep climb out of here, back onto the main track, then the usual climb up the zigs and zags, round to the full-arsed moon hanging out just above the horizon.  Parked up at the gun emplacements and took a couple pics,

MooonZooom

then rolled on up to the the end.  Over the top and down the other side, zig and zag and zig and zag, then up the steps and climbing again back up to the old buildings.  Phone call and more pics from in here.

Arty farty had a party...

Then it was out to the carpark to watch a massive posse of riders bombing down the hill and onto the trail below the road back to Anaconda.  Nelson and me climbed up the hill and around onto the Breeze Bay track.  Fun times around this and as we got to the stile the big posse were heading off down Anaconda (not very fast, we thought).  Next, we took the skinny fun trail above the road around, stopping to enjoy the view for a bit just before that weird half buried shed, then onwards around and instead of down the 4wd track we went a little bit further towards Breeze Bay track again and headed down the walking track back to the car park, along the fence, and over the road onto the original Godley section below the road.  The climb from the bridge slowed me up and Nelson got a big lead on me.  I had a nice run around until the last slight climb to Breeze Col.  Ugh.

Finally, into the 'Conda.  Good blast around here, and it was surprisingly dry considering the rain we'd got over night and this morning.  A total beat up on the Fatty, rocky sections pounding through my arms, and a bit of a battle with the steering in some of the narrower slightly rutted sections.  Out the bottom and onto the tail, this REALLY beat me up, with all its pesky rocks I'd normally just flow over on the full-suss.  Oh well.  Got to the bottom and felt like I'd had a ride, for sure.

A good 13 kms, with just over 500m climbed...  Nice.

Thursday Night Godley Meanderisations

Met Nelson in Sumnervale and we headed up the Captain. First time since February, for some reason... I took off while he faffed his MMR on and I was a wee ways up the singletrack above the stile before he caught up.  Instantly I was set to with wheezing, struggling to breath from here on up.  Bloody dire, and I've GOT to remember to take my ventolin inhaler when I ride.  Up round the bends and up over the rocks, wheeze wheeze wheeze.  Started getting into a groove the further up we got but was still struggling even at the top, and muppetting quite a few sections I'd not normally.

Across Evans and onto Godley.  Not bad going up here, a dab lower down but cleaned the rocky platforms before the going got better.  Nelson was doing good for a start but then blew it on a rocky bit, got out of my way and I cleaned up over it, leading from here til the break on the ridge.  Into the descent, a little muckhole right on a corner after the second of the boardwalk things, and slightly greasy down the Teddington Shit section, but from here on down we were smooth rocketships.  Absolutely fanging down through the curvy stuff before Livingston Col - felt like the fastest I've ever done (who knows!?).  Up the next climb, gasping again, then down to Breeze, all good. 

Up onto the tight narrow sheeptrack-singletrack around then return on the Breeze Bay track, this is rolling very nicely now, fast and getting a little narrower.  Still no tech, but fun.  Into Anaconda, and a nice roll through the top section, speed building, til, tight on Nelson's tail, we were rocketting down and through.  Around into the valley and !WHOOAH!, Nelson bailed, (his wheels had chosen different ruts and gone different directions),  I managed to pull up in time.  We bypassed the nasty muckhole and the rest of the way were a little more cautious, with no problems.  Then it was onto the new walking track to climb.  Always further than memory allows, but a good solid climb and back up to the col in no time. 

Now it was back up Godley, climbing, descending, and knuckling in for the last climb up from Livingston.  Into the last section, speed right from the start.  We both had fast and smooth runs down here, popping and floating over the rocks and no snarls.  I took the high line to finish, Then it was down through Rapanui Bush and around the tricksy wee walk track onto the Scarborough Bluffs Track.  Bit of a rest here, and then onwards, fun times flying.  Nelson failed on the techiest bit (he'd cleaned last two times), and neither of us did very well in the corners.  Nice riding tho.  Across the road and down the last zigs to the bottom of the Captain and then back to the cars. 

Grabbed dinner at the wee Indonesian Street Food place.  Not bad, tho gammy guts since.

20kms and 815 climbed...  Pretty good.

Sunday Mucky Fatty Jetty Slowy, lotsy off Pistey

Beautiful morning to be out early. Parked up Evans Pass and on the fat bike with Jet poached in on the (closed) Godley track. One or 2 mucky spots but the fat tires do no damage and leave little trace of having been through.  And I walked on several of the mucky bits (as well as some of the techy bits) anyway.  A good run down to Livingstone, only a bit splecky on the Teddington Schipt bit, with smooth fun sailing, no puddles or muck the rest of the way down.  Jet struggled with the cattlestop, and a runner helped me out with the little doggy gate, and then we headed up and over to Breeze - again, no mucky bits, tho I was cautious on that last paddock ruttsville zone before the final cattlestop, not to mention the cattlestop itself.

Next, it was across to the stile and onto the Breeze Bay walking track.  Jet seemed to know we were going that way and led the way to the stile, over it, and off up the track, without any direction from me.  Nice to ride in this way, mostly climbing, and the gravel is starting to be grown into by the surrounding grass, so the trail is getting a better feel.  Still way less tech than it used to be, ie, none now.  Over the stile at the end, and I stopped to take a couple of pics.

(in the glare behind the Kaikoura Mountains were in their full glory...)

From here, treadled across to the bunker on the hill, then headed up towards the trig, zigging and zagging a couple times. Over the fence, across to the higher bunker and up to the trig where I was tempted to take more pics.  View up Lyttelton Harbour and over Chch to the mountains and out to see spectacular all around.  A runner grunted up here and past, stopping to take in the view but completely not engaging with me...  I headed off down the fenceline for a start, then had a second thought and went back over the fence and back up the hill, then over down, where sheepshit flew off my tires and onto my face.  Nice and fresh it was, all over my lips, nose and mustache, nearly in my mouth - eeewwwcchhhh..  Took a bit of wiping to make me not smell it any more.  Continued down and met with our usual wee tight narrow singletrack above the road back towards Breeze Col.  This was fun. And tricky. And quite slow.

Through Breeze Col and off up the road, then decided to ride a sheep trail below the road (above the Anaconda), and along this to the first corner which when I rounded, decided too many sheep to not freak them out with Jet, so climbed back up to the road.   Stayed on this, around past Livingstone, up past the Para's launching spit, and around above Scarborough to the usual gate (now moved) to head back up to the Godley Track.

Climbed up and crossed over this and continued up the 'landing strip', all the way to the top, nice long climb, and joined the 360 trail up here, ready for the descent to Evans.  Excellent downhill this - couple of rocky tech sections that were too much for me on the fatty, but fun bits in between and in no time I was back on the rock part of the trail, then I continued with the walking track section above the entrance, and dropped down to the final stile (dog gate for Jet) and back to the car.

Very happy dog, and me well satisfied with my micro-adventure.  A 13kms round trip, climbing around 520m.

Wednesday Night Godley Wander

(Replaced the zip-tie holding my brake-pads in, with a short length of spoke, elbow at one end and bent at the other, excess length being ziptied to the hose)

Nelson arrived at mine after work and we had a bit of a feed with the family before we headed to Taylors, arriving there sometime after 6.30. Took Jet with us in the car too. Got set up and headed up snake's Tail, quite a tech wee climb, for a starter, then just at the end of the Anaconda we headed down onto the walkway and climbed and descended and rolled out to Boulder Bay, Jet having a lovely time running ahead, beside and behind depending on the upward or downwardness of the trail.  No tech to be found, and not really any wetspots either.

I delayered at the hairpin before the big climb and we headed up over round past the gun emplacements then up to the lighthouse Head.  Through the DOC zone and then down the other side, ziggy zaggy, followed by climbing back up past the barracks and up to the carpark.  Jet had a big drink at the tap.  Next up was up to the Breeze Bay track, over the stile and into it, best in this direction, around the back with the glow of Lyttelton scorching orange in the low clouds ahead.  A few spots of rain started here, but we figured it was just a shady-side of the hill effect.

Over the stile and onto the around-the-front-above-the-road-skinny-trail, which was tricky, as parts have gotten very deep and pedals strike good.  Rode to the end and across to the Breeze Bay track stile again, working out what to do.  A plan was made: to ride back around the skinny, then back up the Breeze Bay track, so off we toddled.  Skinny trail better in this direction, with more down, but still tricky in places, with slickish rocks spitting wheels sideways occasionally.  On the final downhill the rain got heavier so at Breeze Col we decided to bail down Anaconda, knowing it would be greasy as crap lower down and figuring we'd just deviate around it or walk or whatever.

Once off the gravel 'road' (that is now the start of the Anaconda), we were down through the first few corners and decided to just go straight down the steep walking track pretty much from cattlestop cattlestop to the Tail and the gate on the Boulder Bay track, and so we did.  Steeeeep down, total brake control the whole way, not so much grease that we'd skid, but the wheels were certainly not turning quite as fast as they should have been.  All the way down to the main walking track, and decided to just roll down through the rocky walkway we used to use and through the back of the houses, back to the car.

Grand totals of 11kms, 460m climbed and a very happy dog on one hour's riding time. Good to get out.

Tuesday night eastern loopage

Countdown Moorhouse carpark pick up around 5 in the big blue van and off out to Evans.

Feeling the cold, got changed and hit up the trail, gasping for air in the first 100 m of Godley, then slowly getting it under control and very shortly no longer worrying about the cold either.  Lights off for a start. Then Nelson crashed off, caught his pedal on a rock which propelled him off backwards down the steep hill.  I emerged around the corner to find him clambering back up to his bike... Trail is definitely a bit bonier than recent past, musta been all the rain washing the dirt out from between the rocks.  Decided it wasn't really light enough to not have lights on.  A few more muppetries and we were at the top, into the descent to Livingston, I struggled to find my groove, dimness of vision contributing to this.  Next up over to Breeze, a good climb and spin around and down over PFMTBC Rock, Nelson launching it as usual.

At Breeze Col, were considering straight down Anaconda, but I suggested a zig and a zag, out the skinny trail above the road, then headed across towards the stile for Breeze Bay track, hanging a left just before this and straight down a direct fast track to the carpark, through this and onto the original mtbike track below the road.  A couple of holes and tricky sightage with long grass glaring in lights blocking the view of the track ahead in places.

Back at Breeze Col, off down Anaconda, gravel boredom to start (but word is here at work a whole new mtbike trail to be build in this area), not trusting the dirt after the gravel into the fast corners, Nelson putting some insane burst of speed, while I was cautious Colin blazing around and nearly crashing in the first ruts I came across.  More careful after that with adrenaline pumping.

At the bottom we hung a right and headed out the Boulder Bay track, fun little blast, then up the climbs to the gun emplacements and over and around the head.  Met some riders descending to the head before we climbed up to the old buildings, taking some stairs down into a room with no exit, then on up to the carpark, and back up the way we'd descended earlier to the stile into Breeze Bay track.  This trail is completely non-technical now, even riding under that flax is easy.  There is however, a very loose off camber corner on the last stretch down to the stile.

At Breeze Col again, headed back up the Godley Track, long climb over to Livingston, and then a rest on the hill here, before the final plod back up the trail to the high point and a final bony blast down to Evans to finish.

Quite long for a week night... 21kms, and 800 odd metres climbed


And, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Blog...  12 years old on the Cinqo de Mayo.

Tuesday night Godley Grease

Countdown pick up with a bit of weather around so thought we'd give the east a look.  Drove through Sumner and parked up at Evans Pass.  Headed into the Godley to find mostly good conditions aside from a bit of slickness and grease applied to the rocks.  Made for some interesting times.  I was puffed as all hell after the first couple of efforts, as always struggling from a cold and intense start.  Eventually got into a kind of groove and we struggled onwards.  First ride for Nelson since our Packhorse meander, him having had some tropical Samoa times in between.  After it's leveled off a bit there's a couple of very rocky sections and these were trickling with water and muck, making them diabolical.  Beyond that tho was pretty good.  Around past the 'landing strip' and into the downhill, trail in good condition and no wetspots from here on down, but I was still Cautious Colin on the lower sections before Livingston Col - never quite trusting the slip - and finding the dim light quite tricky.

Climbing over to Breeze was a breeze, but again on the descent I took it pretty easy, and even rolled around PFMTBC rock.  Again, the low light was really making me struggle with speed.  Down the hill and into the col.  6.15 here.  Debated Anaconda down and up, but figured it'd be mucky, so decided to head around the recently gravelled Breeze Bay Track, finding it quite the nice all-weather surface.  This'll be a good one to combine with the Taylors to Boulder Bay (and beyond) track in the middle of winter when everything's closed.  No technical skills needed at all.  Still managing all this without lights, when we got to the end and parked up on one of the look-out roofs, it was pretty much dark enough.  Lights on and into the wee narrow track back towards Breeze Col above the road.  This was fun, but tricky with balance under lights still taking a bit to get used to.  Back to Breeze, 6.35, and we hit the road for the next stretch, re-entering the singletrack at Livingston Col for the climb.  First part is a grind,but the further up you get the better it is.  6.50odd at the landing strip so got cruising and proceeded to slip and slide the rest of the way back to Evans.  Man, how tech is greasy wet rock?  Quite.

All up another shorty, just under 12 kms, and 429m climbed.  Back in time to grab dinner and head to the TFC trust meeting dead on time.

Wednesday Night Godley circles

Usual pick up from work and traffic, Moorhouse to Ferry, to Causeway and through to Sumner, then over the hill and parking down in Taylors, we got riding up the Snake's tail then onto the chip surface and out Boulder Bay track.  Nice we spin, hardly technical, but a good place to ride when everything's closed.  Climbed up past the gun emplacements finally having a rest (and me stripping off the jacket) at the barbed wire fence.  Off again, over and down the zigs and zags, then climbing again back up past the barracks etc, and finishing up at the carpark, while the ranger was locking up the gate.

Off up the climbing 4wd trail and onto the narrow wee sidling track we usually ride in the other direction.  Quite good in this direction, back towards Breeze Col.  Quite greasy, especially the rocks, tires glancing off them on occasion, and my descent down to the Col was sketchy.  From here, back out towards the Head on the old skool trail below the road.  A couple of quite wet spots along here, but mostly pretty good.  Climby climb around and out, then down and over the cattle stop to the road. 

Off up the 4wd track again, but peeling off to the left half way up, to the stile for Breeze Bay track.  The work there'd been a little of last time we rode this has come all the way through it now.  They've dug it wider all the way, even removing the nice rock feature we'd built.  The surface was damp dirt, so rocks were sketchy as, but there's not that many of them anymore.  Our once techy wee challenge is now gone.  They'll probably bloody put a gravel chip on it next.  Ugh.  I took the final blast down to the stile carefully.

Onto the Anaconda, starting off easy, and continuing that way.  Half way down, on the corner I once crashed on, my front wheel started to do the same as that crash, washing and threatening to take me down.  Was VERY close but managed to keep it rolling and adrenalin kicked in a little further down the trail.  Into the valley, back and forth, a couple of real water flow ruts.  Around onto the tail and Nelson was no where to be seen, he'd blasted away ahead of me so far.  Into the planting area above the beach and over a rock and whallop, my seat smacked me in the balls, causing excruciating pain.  I had to stop and get my breath, and the ache lasted til we were back at the car.  Needless to say the rest of the ride down the final section was tentative, and I was groaning.

13kms, 480m climbed, all in just over 1 hour ride time.