Sunday Celebrating Andy's Birthday, with me on the Stooge

Left home on the Stooge at 7.30am, pre-sunrise, up into a frosty Vic to the Skidder and headed down Shazza's, flowing into Brent's, nicely nicely. Out of the trees, looking up the hill to see if I could see Tra'y who'd left 40 minutes before me.  No sign, so off thru the Bridges and down valley, then clambered up into Hidden bonus onto Old Skool for a grease infused hoon of fun.

Freezing cold, feet blocks of ice and colder still down Bowenvale Ave, around Centaurus to Rapaki 10 minutes early, trying to thaw my toes.  Brrrr!

Wazza, Andy and Jenna, Nelson, and finally Wayne, all turned up and off up we went. Jenna hooked up with her friend Avril who runs and we saw them again up top of Huntsbury.  Us boys went up the zig zag climb, Wayno suffering the remnants of a lung lurgy.  Boy the Elevator climbs high.  Down to the main track and on up the rest to the top.  Onto climbing around Vernon, soaking up the sun while chatting with Jenna and Avril, then off around the Traverse, good pace, especially by Nelson and the Electric Wazza.  Regrouped just before the Vic trees, and into the Thompson's and holding up just after the Kiwi, letting hoards of chain-free kids who were enduro-ing Pork'n'Puha. We followed them into Choir Boy and found them all clustered on the short climbs.  Past Pork and Puha the way was clear again and we headed down Gung Ho.  This wasn't familiar to me because it'd been years since I'd ridden it, and I think the only time(s?) I'd done it I'd peeled onto Askins part way down...  Anyway, the  Stooge was awesome, surprisingly so, keeping speed and handling all the rough with finesse.  Final valley bottom we were in amongst the chain-free groms and not holding them up. 

Coffee and brownie at the CAP then I bought myself a 10-ride pass and headed up the lift to finish with the Slummit Connector, onto the road, then up to and down through Vic. My usual go-to in the gums has more than a bunch of trees across it so I had to take the steep line to the left, which was actually pretty fun.  (Gonna be a fair bit of cutting in my usual... I could see at least 3 sizeable logs in the way, possibly more further down.  May well be easier just to haul my chainsaw up there)  Out to Skidder and down the road into DogParkCarPark which was wet and soggy in the oaks, but fun blast to the bottom and clamber to road to home.

A hard wrought 30kms, with an actual 717 m climbed (1117 m total (of which 400 were lifted))

Sunday Afternoon Stooge-about the Locals

Bit of a grimy day but enough of a lack of rain to get up the hill on the Stooge. Half'n'half clip-in pedals now installed, these aided control very nicely.  Good climb up.  On the road section I heard a couple of bikers catching me up from behind, talking away.  I was gasping and wondered, and as they passed, the first guy I saw was on a regular bike and I was, to myself, 'young fit fella's' then I spotted the second guy was on an ebike and giving the other guy a hand...  "Oh! I wondered how you were conversing so freely" I startled.  I kept crossing paths with them as I journeyed too.  Over 19th as usual, (boys at the skidder) then up the gutser and up to Thompsons #1 and #2, back up the road, dropped in, around, then down the rabbit paddock (the two boys bombing through Brakefree) to the rocks and gums, out to skidder (the boys jumping through), into Shazza's for a nice groove down and all the way down into the Brent's zone into the valley bottom here. 

Nose started bleeding badly here, and took a while to quell.  

Once sorted, climbed up the Corporate Ladder, and then up past the 40footer and around up through the Radzone, (where the boys popped out of Raceline or something and dropped on past), and I continued to the Skidder.  Then off over the side and down to the road at 19th, and below road for a wee hoon and out, clamber, coast, and into the DogParkCarPark, lovely flow through here, jumpings and out all the way to the bottom.  Schlepp up to road and home. 

A little over 7 kms and 275 m climbed.

Hallow Thursd-ween Night Weirdness

Up on the Jeht, no idea where I was going and not feeling up to much, but wanting much.  Bulk hayfever around and lots of other riders. 

Ground to the top of Vic, following a couple of guys who I'd gain on then not, then gain...  Passed them when they were getting grass out of one of their derailleurs just near the entrance to Thompsons - down which I went, just after an ebiker.  Onto road, lower Thompsons and then through the pass and up the Summit Rd, grinding away, ebiker disappearing into the distance.  Over taken up here by another 2 ebikers, thinking, "lazy cunts."  Followed a grom up to top of Nun and chatted briefly, then dropped in.  Not too bad a run, bike handling nicely.  All the way to the bottom then through the pass again and up Summit to top of Vic.  

Dropped in down around the usual jumpies, over the see-saw and hard right for a pleasant cruise up the fenceline.  Lugged over this and dropped into Pedalfine, which I did not pedal particularly finely.  Grabbed the first left and fucked up the log, fucked up the first corner nearly losing it.  Handled the jandal down an across the wee bridgey thing, then dropped onto the access track across.  Dropped into one of the trails along here, but then failed and climbed back out.  Not feeling good.  Headache and low energy.  Along a bit further and dropped into Razza's which I rode pretty good, biffing and baffing my way down.  Stopped for a long rest here wondering where the hell to go and what to do.  A couple of guys cruised past (from coming out of Dazza's) and one commented on "Cool bike!" and "wait! what are those brake pads!??"  

I made up my mind and dropped down Razza's extension into Brentzone, sidling as far across as I could.  It's getting well worn out in there, and was still pretty damp.  Out the bottom and hard left up into Corporate Ladder which really got me huffing.  Had to stop for a rest at the big limby gum.  Out top to Sneaky, still pondering, up??  down??  Down.  Into Sneaky Ridge, dropping down and hopping out onto Bridges and Nu-Bridges down to the valley.  Turned up here on K2, got half way up the first bit and decided, nah, fuck it.  Turned back down and took Hidden Valley Bonus climb, clambering well up onto Old Skool.

Nice blast down Old Skool, blitzy blitz, and at the bottom, again with the indecision.  Up?  or the bus??  Really didn't have that climb in me so settled on the bus.  Down Bowenvale, across to Landsdowne, Centaurus, Cashmere to PMH where I sat down, chilled out for about 5 minutes and the bus arrived.  Nice.  Stopped my MMR here.

Overall, 15.7 kms, with only 405 climbed (plus from bus stop to home) - and must be around 600 or so descended. 

Thursday Night Victorian Nun

On the tail end of a bad cold, had a choice spin up the locals tonight with Nelson. 

Up the usual route, over 19th, skidder, gutser and up onto the Thompsons one and two.  Through Kiwi and up Summit, pulling onto the walking track (to avoid the BoyRacer action (lots out last night hooning)) from where the Nun meets the road.  Good climb up here, cleaning lots of steep and stepping up the odd bit.  Up Worsley's Rd to top then along the access trail to the Nun.  I dropped in first and missed the first peel off but got the old one and the big rock wall corner that I slipped on last time, cleaned out but lost a bit of speed through caution, which I soon made up for.  The new bike handles it all so nicely and on the faster straighter section was a fucking rocketship.  Hauled ass, and Nelson said he struggled to keep up.  Trail riding pretty good until lower down, but even that was okay.  All the way down to the Kiwi, Nelson saying the dust I was chucking up towards the end was chokey.  

Across Dyers and an event free climb up to the upper Thompsons, I dived into the little shortcut, only to find my way blocked by a fallen spruce branch.  Around this and into the cruise and slowly steepening climb, evil pincher towards the top where a dude (familiar face - see him on the trails regularly) was waiting for us to exit.  I was maxed out so needed a good breather up here.  Off into the around and down descent, over the jumpies, over the see-saw and hang a hard right along the fenceline up to the end.  Over the fence and lined up for Pedalfine.  Biff boff baff down here, left into the unused duffy trail dropping down with minimal traction and peeling left along the slippery wee bridge and some green mossed dropover onto the cross track 4wd.  Across and into Razza's, dropping through some climbers on the next cross track down, dropping into the tech with gusto.  One of the corners near the end has turned weirdly nasty, a tree root looks to be ready to be a pedal grabber, as it's come loose from the ground attached at each end.  It'd stalled Nelson (don't actually think he caught it, but stalled nonetheless), and so I stalled too.  Managed to get going again into the next droparound corner, and boffed it out the bottom (where 4 ebikers were waiting).  We started climbing and they climbed off ahead of us.  Up to the junction and off over into lower Pedalfine, dropping down the next section, then we rode up the 4wd back to the bottom of Razza's, and took, effectively the continuation of it into the Brentzone, across to the far side of this and down into the bottom.  

From here was time to introduce Nelson to the Corporate Ladder, climbing it's steepness (which made me stop to breath twice! (still getting over the ffing flu, afterall). up onto the start of Sneaky, where we climbed on up to 40fter and back up where we'd climbed before, around into the steeperer and up to Skidder where we ran into Mel and her friend.  Up over 19th, dropping down (nearly crashing where we hit the road, skidded slideways onto the right drop over, then down Tawhairanui up to the dogparkcarpark and into my 235 for a very nice flight, swooping through the bush and over the first jump realising on landing how greasy soggy it's been since last rains.  I baulked around the 2nd jump and we flowed all the way out to the very end, with the carry from H'Ell up onto road and final blat down home.

Well worthy 11.65 kms and a piddly wee 435 m climbed.

Short Sweet Saturday Local

Up from home on the Rocky, usual route up over 19th, through the skidder and up the bastard grunter.  Chuff chuff, been a while it seems.  Up to and into Thompson's #1, and back up the road, dropping over the jumpies, see-saw and straight down the rabbit paddock through the rocks and down thru gums.  Peeled right at the bottom across the Skidder and up into Razza's, down which I had a fear and couldn't seem to ride one of the rooty corners in the second half.  Dropped through the rest of it and out, across the 4wd and into it's continuation faffing across onto lower Brents zone, keeping a high line and out into the gulch.  Here, I could see the new climbing track I'd been told of, called Corporate Ladder, which I climbed.  Not bad.  Rearranged a hose that had washed onto the 4wd bit, and then onto the second half which spits you out at top of Sneaky Ridge.  From here, up past the 40, and around up the usual steeps to skidder, into the CAP drop down trail, peeling off that out, down the road into 235 for a slightly greasy flow, surprised at the lack of sog in the oaks.  Up, onto road, and straight down home due to limited time. 

Fleeting 6.7 km with 273 m altituded.

Saturday Local Loopies

Nelson came over for an 8.30 start but there was a bunch of drizzle around, so we took our time getting ready, oiling and cleaning drivetrains etc. We headed out the drive and got a little way into the initial climb when I realised I needed my inhaler so we turned back home.  Once there, the rain kicked in harder so we stopped for a coffee and the weather had gone when we'd finished so off up the hill we went again.  I felt okay, given it was my first 'proper' ride since the covid (other than the Troll rides).  Plodded up, usual way over 19th, and up from skidder.  Nasty bugger this but I cleaned it and was breathing pretty good.  Up to very top and then down around the jumps and down through the paddock to the rocks and gums.  Greasy as trail in here, 2 wheel drifting.  I pointed out my log cut and we sidled out to skidder.

Dived into Shazza's, given the steeper ones were gonna be greasier.  Shaz's was not too bad.  It's been tidied a bunch at the bottom, directing you into Pono's which we didnt do.  Headed across into the Rad zone, and dropped down what could be considered the continuation of Razza's.  It is easy and sidles into Brents, to chuck you across to the far side, so down through the Macracarpas we flowed.  

Out onto Flow - Bridges - Nu Bridges, some tapes up for the Enduro happening on Sunday.  Down the bottom and into Hidden Valley Link track bonus up to Old Skool.  Dabbed in the top second to last corner.  

Old Skool was sweet.  Nice flow, nothing too drastic but a good pace.  Into the valley-bottom back up the trail.  Climby climby climb.  I managed all the steeps in the valley, but from Hospital Corner I had to walk a few metres.  Up under Texaco, then on up the 4wd, walking one little bit, then eventually up in the Rad zone another bit. Up to skidder and talked to a guy scoping out for the Enduro, then off into the singletrack to take us down to the road, then below road for a bit, and then cruising and into 235 for a fun blast in here.  Bit mucky on the downside of the first jump.  Then climbed up to Microwave and down the final blast behind the houses, home.

A well spent 10.7 kms, climbing a indubitable 442 m.

Waitangi Monday Climby Loco'Loopy

Heesh, what a buncha climbing. 

Grunted my way up, 19th over to Skidder, up gutser to Vic Top.  Brief sojourn down the fun jumpies, over the see-saw, top first section of Brake free and then down the rabbit paddock to the Gummies.  Usual route through here, then out to the skidder and into the exit to the left of the gutser, left into the ^Sick entrance, and left over the lower exit into steep, fun, rooty, and slightly damp Razza's.  Down past the 40footer, assuming Sneaky Ridge would be too greasy, headed down into the dark macracarpas of Brent's, staying high on the left mostly, and being a bit middle aged, as in not totally caning it.  Out the gulch bottom onto Flow - nu bridges down into a fast blast down the valley bottom and a right into the Hidden Valley Bonus.  

Climb-a-climb-climb up the usual steeps, cleaning all the corners and out under the pylon.  Then, instead of straight into the Old Skool, I headed up the 4wd for a ways.  A few zigs higher to the 2nd to last singletrack exit (as you're coming down), peeling into this and riding the techier line along the ledge, across the 4wd into the new rocky sections dropping down and into the off-camber corners then into the Old Skool.  Great blast down here, jumping lots and pumping through, around to the lower section, swerve corner weave, and exiting up valley.

Climby McClimbface up Bowenvale Valley bottom, then into the steep bastard K2, ugh!  Zig across under the 23footer then up it's side and then across onto the rest of it.  More ugh climbing up to pylon, more and more to 40fter and up the last two steep little bastard grunts to the Skidder.  Into the usual 'lower gums' down to 19th, jump, then road down, peel into 235 for a good blitz, not too greasy, and jump landing dry enough, then hooked a right up the wee access track up to road, up to dog carpark into the final down blast behind the houses, home.

Pretty honed 11.5 kms, and 450 m extricated from the gravity well in numerous bursts. 

Saturday Victorius

Quick spin up down and up.   Up the road from home, and dropped down the connector just before the Dog Park, climbing up 235.  Up through 19th, then up the gutser, chuggalug, all the way to the top.  Around and down, yumpity yump, then see-saw, top end of #nuBrakeFree and then out and down Rabbit to Rocks, Gums #MyWay, across the Skidsville and into the Shazz.  Poppity Pop down here, a squizz at the Sick and then ploughing through the Brent, long time since last time.  Out of the woods and across Flow, a few mucky splotches, around and down, nuBridges all the way down.  

Hidden Valley Bonus climb, said closed, but it's been a while since rain so figured it'd be fine.  Steep bugger forest, good clean then around and into descendy mode.  Untrusting of slick so careful careful bopping and popping my way down.  A few walkers climbing, but no other riders (people abiding the signs?).  Straight into the climb back up Bowenvale valley, usual chuckles, then into Kfucking2.  Managed it, but did stop when it slightly levelled before the last few metres to the turn-off to the right.  That sidle was good, then the 23fter, and more nasty grunt, possibly the worst spot, good to the pylon, then more yuck, then a bunch of folk at the 40, and more shitty climbing.

Over the Skidder and into my usual connector, bopping on down to 19th then rolling rolling rolling down the road and into the 235, bomb slick bomb (kinda chasing another dude who rolled through the carpark at the same time, but I never saw him after I said You go first...

Down the road, tire cleaning, and home.  A worthwhile 10 and a half kms, up 437 m.

Saturday arvo, before and during the rain

Plan was Nelson'd finish work at 3 and we'd meet across at the end of Bowenvale Ave for to ride up the hill.  Paul d'Sp' was joining us too.  Meet we did, but the rain was sort of looking like it was getting a bit more serious, so Nelsie decided to bail (on account of not wanting to get all mucky and have to clean his just-cleaned bike again).  So, Paul and me (and Jet) headed on up the valley.  Going was good, up the valley-bottom track, and then we headed up the walking track to the left, riding, pushing up steps and riding, up to the stile on the Old Skool / Hidden Valley Link trail.  Down this, around the first two hairpins, then hung a left onto the walktrack that sidles across above the lower section of the trail.  Once or twice having to get off, cos rocks were slickity slick.  Then down the rocks and steps to the valley track (bottom of Lava Flow), and up this valley, climbing as per the Thursday Night crew of several months back.  Clamber clamber, off a few times and riding some more to the intersection where we hung a right, sidling down valley this time back down to the start of Bridges, up this to the bottom of Brents. 

Here it was a choice of up around to the right of Brent's, or up the valley.  We chose the latter, cos I'd not been up there for ages, negotiating our way up the steeeeep 4wd trail crossing through Tilted Sally and Cool Runnings then up to the corner start of Rad ^ Sick and on up to the skidder site.  Been many many years since I'd climbed any of that.  From here it was up the main grovel of a climb (K2 extension?) and up past Brake Free into the rabbit paddock where the extent of the fires could be seen.  Grass had burned (but already had green fresh growth), and the trees on the west side of the hill above the (see-saw) fence.  Climbed up through this, the burnt smell everywhere, and the trees immediately above the see-saw were fine (except for a couple) and the native plantings on the right (below the top track junction) were all burned through (cabbage trees should survive?), and then Thompson's entrance was 'Closed' and everything from there on was burned.  As well as above the road here, up towards Sugarloaf - those few big pines all cut out, nothing but black stumps now.

Turned downwards here, towards the Traverse, then around in the trees and back across above the see-saw, fast blast down the rabbit paddock and into the rockgarden.  Slick-as through here, and fire had burned to this point too.  Into the gums and they were all intact.  Around, greasy greasy, and then into my little favourite lefty, blitzing down this and careful on the steep corner (it's got some roots (wet) I'd never noticed before), and across and around and back and then back around out to the edge (where that jumpy trail is) and the fire had made it to there too, but hadn't got the gums (altho we could see some of the tops had burned) - man that was close. 

Back to the skidder site and into Shazza's.  Careful down here, and then down to Brents, careful in here too.  Mostly dry under the trees tho, so all those roots weren't actually that bad.  Then into Bridges, and starting to get pretty slick here, the wetness was visible on the surface of the clay.  Around this and into Flow, under the trees dry enough but that last rocky corner was dodgy.  Down valley here to Hidden Valley Link and up this, climbing climbing, rocks slick out, but dry under the trees. 

Finally, onto Old Skool.  Pretty good at the top but the rain was increasing and the lower we got the more mucky the trail was, mud actually making splecky sounds under tires.  Traction was never a major issue, slight drifts around corners and the requisite rockslips but all good.  Finally down the last and back to the cars, filthy bikes, filthy people, and a dirty wet dog...  Smiles all 'round.

Less than 10 kms and only 374 climbed (felt like more, what with all that steepness).