Wednesday Burnin' the Craigies

Nelson met at mine and we drove to meet Pete and Alistair at the Yaldy for to convoy to Broken River carpark. Grey day in Chch, drizzly on the plains side of the pass then gorgeous day in the valley. 

Parked up, a few but not so many campers, but lots of bikers in place, we headed off up Sidle73, taking it a little easier on the first climb as I remembered it usually catches me out with the lungstuff...  Cruised around this to CV road and up for a whiles.  Very warm to boot.  Stopped at the bottom of our Ante-Luge entrance and chilled for a bit, some other rider dudes riding through heading for the Edge.  We set off, Nelson first, didnt see him again (tho he tells me he could hear me for quite a while), in for a gutbusting climb.  I stopped several times to breathe and get the heartrate down but cleaned all but one rock.  Thought I was suffering angina or something at times.  Bastard of a climb.  Re grouped at the intersection, a couple walked through with their bikes, riding further up, and then Nelson cleaned off and the rest of us rode and pushed (a bunch of) the next section before riding out into the open and good to the saddle. 

Luge was fun fun fun but initially felt slow for some reason. I got a pinchflat on the front tyre from a misplaced root. Tubed it, pumped it and onwards. Trail got funner - real fun.  Ended sooner than memory would serve too.

Next, climb to Dickson's, all the way up to top of Bridge where we over-the-stiled and blitzed it.  Nelson lost the track briefly, Alistair and me got past, bombed for a bit, then regrouped and he took the lead again, then Alistair lost it and I got past and it wsa all on from there.  Railing the lower open stuff, super funtimes. Superb riding. Finished along the road back to the cars where we ate some grub.  

12.5 kms with surprisingly only 505m upped.

Into the cars and drove around to Cheeseman Rd. Gravel to Texas Flat (where there was bikes and people and cars and camp and stuff) and a little bit further, parking below the bottom of Cockayne Alley. 

Climbing climbing climbing, such a long steep crawl. Riding for a time with a youngish dude from QT who peeled off at Cuckoo Creek.  Also met the dudes we'd seen on the CV road.  They wondered how we'd gotten so far ahead of them, they'd done Edge, Luge, Dracophlat, and were up for Cuckoo too.  We continued to climb.  And climb.  Eventually we broke, admired the view, and dived in for the fun to begin and we blazed it.  Across the face, then swoopy swoopy, jumps, down through the tussock, then the whole thing changes and into the steep rooty awesomeness.  Hands and forearms cooking, quads getting sore.  Stopped a couple of times for a bit of a regroup and allowance of blood back into arms. Again, super superb!

This time the riding was only 7.63kms and again surprisingly only 465m clambered. Both sure felt way longer and higher - musta been the thin air at altitude, right?

Boxing Day Craigiecheeseburning. Edge, Luge, Dicks On, then Cocaine Alley

What a ride... Journeyed out to Broken River in Nelson's wee Clarion-Vitz and headed around the Sidle73 to the CV road, climbing off up this.  Long haul up, with pursuit, two guys on our tails most of the way.  We seemed to drop them towards the top.  

Nice long rest at the skifield and they arrived, a son in his 20s(?) and his dad on a rigid singlespeed.  Nice!  They took off ahead of us on the Edge, but we caught them up sooner than we should have given the lead we gave them.  The dad first and then found his boy a long way further on waiting for him...  the screes were slightly nerve wracking but rideable (except for a tiny gulch on the last one (for me) and sooner than expected it was over.  Time for the climb of the Ante-luge.  Ugh.  I walked a bunch more than I ever used to.  Not sure why, (writing this long time after the fact so cant remember exactly why I wasn't feeling strong).  

Rest at the top of the Luge and then into it.  Nice run down this, good rooty bomb - again, different from memory.  Nice long enjoyable bomb.  

Next up, the climbing for the Dicks On DH.  Hot work, dropped over the first bit of ridge (rather than up the top, which we'd forgotten about) then in for a jumpy cambered crazy shot down.  Nelson lost it after one of the jumps giving me the lead for a bit.  I let him by as we headed into to the beech and we climbed briefly before dropping down through the scrubby section.  Some guts and ruts in here including wet muddy bits (where everything else was dry).  Down to the road fence.  Following along the singletrack to the gate then onto the road for the final push along and down to the car.  

Routed, 19.5 kms with 840 climbed...

Scoffed a nice healthy feed (by Nelson and Kirsty) here then drove back towards Cheeseman.

Up the Cheesy Rd parking at the bottom end of the Cheesy DH / Cockayne (cocaine) Alley.  Up the road, past the two other trails up here and super steep and long up to the corner we head across from.  I had to walk, my legs were just toast.  But, got there in the end, and across the traverse track for a while before a fun open frostlands roll down to the top of the forest.  In here it got steep and fun.  Super rooty.  Would be hell in the wet.  Loads of fun that just kept coming and coming.  Eventually, we popped out at the road and were like, wow!  

Coked out, 6.88 kms with only a 440m climb.

Saturday Mounting Mt Lyndon, and Looping The Luge and Dixon's

Biiiiig day.  Nelson got to mine about 7.30 or so and had a coffee then we were off.  Got out to Lake Lyndon after just after 9am and hit the trail.  Across the lake edge and into the the climb...  What a climb.  I carried from the get-go, but Nelson pushed his heaps.  I pushed a bit, but then carried more.  We carried for a good hour or more,
(zoom in, I'm down there pushing somewhere)

eventually riding bits of the ridge, and pushing a bit more towards the top.
(Nelsie riding the wrong way!!! overlooking the Castle Hill Basin)

Fantastic views off the top, 360 degree magnificence.  Gorgeous day, no wind at 1500m, calm as calm.
(Lake Coleridge, Rakaia River, and various icefields in the distance).

Then it was into the down...  Explored bits around the top a bit and found the trail, jumps, drops, weaving back and forth, steepness, looseness, sketchiness, fun, exposure...  all good.  Kinda not hard to lose your way, but kinda loads of options you wonder if you should have taken.  We stuck to the main route all the way but where we ended up we weren't 100% sure where to go next.  Took a slight wrong turn following our noses across to an exit track, but that was fine and a nice blast out.  Looking back up, we could see several options we could have chosen.  Oh well.

On the flat, and gravel road, back around the most of the kms back to the car.

Over 760m climbed, in less than 9 kms.

Then bikes back up on top of car, and off round the road to Broken River carpark.  Straight into the Sidle73, climb puffing me up as usually, then down around to the Craigieburn Rd and up this to the Anti-Luge, clambering on up this.  Nelson cleaned the whole damned thing, whereas I was so toasted I walked more than I've ever walked before.  I just had nothing left in the tank for the climbing...
(me looking stuffed)

Eventually we made the saddle.  Phew.  What a wreck.

Into the Luge, what a trip.  Awesome blast.  I held onto Nelson's tail most of the way, until that seat half-ish way down, and then he just vanished.  I tried to speed up but couldn't.  A slight moisture on the roots kept them bloody interesting.  Passed a girl, and then a guy, nearer to the bottom, and we blazed out the end and hung around til they arrived.  They'd bitten off more than she could chew, and so were heading back down to their car.

We headed off up the road, a slow grind for me, but not too bad.  Along above the Envt Ctr and then up around the new(ish) sidling trail climbing onto Bridge Hill and into the new Dixon's entrance.
(me looking stuff'der)

  Cool.

Awesome blast down this, jumping jumpies, or not, and then I lost my chain just before the one little uphilly bit, putting a bigger gap between us.  He'd stopped in the bush part for me to catch up, and from here we had an excellent run down to the finish, roosting and railing and wailing.  Singletrack along the fence to the 4wd climb track, and we hopped the gate and headed back along the road to the car...  Me?  Toasted.

Total 13.2 kms loop, with 490 m climbed.

Grand total, 1250 m climbed for the day.

Saturday Craigieburnt Posse - Dickson's, Sidle, Ante-, Luge, Draco, Hoggage

8 am departure from home in the Fiat, heading for Sheffield meet-up.  On Riccarton Rd I spotted a truck a couple of cars ahead with 4 familiar bikes onboard, so by the time we were on Yaldhurst Rd I'd tucked in behind and followed them the rest of the way, assuming the 4 owners would be there too.  Arrival in Sheffield found the TFC truck and the red Stagea waiting, and only 2 got out of the S&T truck...  hmmm.  Then up Wayne and Pete rolled in two big Holdens (a genuine Walkinshaw, and a supercharged Monaro thing (600hp!) - being delivered back to their owners from the Coast, meeting half way.  Off they headed first then we all followed, eventually Nelson and me leaving our cars at Castle Hill Village, transferring bikes to TFC truck and heading through with the Steviant, Andy (3 knees) and Tones.  Caught up with the others at Craigieburn and headed up the road to park at the top of Dracophyllum Flat Track.

Off around towards the Environment Centre, Nelson had a plan to go on the walking track to climb up to where the Dickson's climb started, so off down in the opposite direction to where we wanted to be for to go up and around.  This put the pressure on the boys with steep climbs getting many of them off and half killing Robin.  His blood pressure and heart issues making the riding bloody hard for him, so we left him here, and he was gonna rest at the trucks a while.  Off up the climb and into Dickson's.  A lot moister than last week when Nelson and me did it.  Made the clay in the dead forest really sketchy, but the flow through was still good.  I had Pete breathing down my neck most of the way, but he backed off a bit for his own lines and we all regrouped just past the jump in the open before the final scrubby descent to the road.  Steve got a wasp sting on the thigh on this descent.

Now it was a km or so along the road and into Sidle73, after I'd administered an anti-histamine to Steve.  First grunty climb grunty as usual, and then it's flowy flowy around and about.  Lost sight of Nelson and rode the whole thing on my own, catching him on the gravel road and the others appearing in short shrift behind.  Regrouped at the gate (in the shade) then got on up the road, longer as usual and into the singletrack.  Nelson spun out a couple of times before getting it.  I got it, and continued to get the whole thing all the way up, which was mint, cos last time I thought I'd never do it again!  2 dabs, one on that rocky outcroppy thing, and one on that angled smooth log near the top.  Heavy breathing and lots of sweating involved.  The crew all arrived in no time and snackage had then on up the pinchy climb for the top.  Cleaned everything bar about 3 metres - w00t! So much better than last time.

Lyndon Saddle and there were some rookies heading off down Mistletoe Track ("you're going the wrong way..." - "try the luge next time, it's heaps better").  Regrouped and then off.  I led the way, and had Nelson and Pete tight on my tail the whole way.  Not as slippery as I'd expected, but one or two spots I felt the wheel slipping but never too bad.  I had one pile up where I couldn't steer fast enough and was stopped abruptly by a tree - Nelson having to take evasive action behind.  The going got steeper and rootier and we were flying.  I was being pretty careful, but it was still super fast.  Finally into the bottomlands and cruising through to the bridge and done, hands utterly pumped.  3 riders here heading off up ahead while we waited the late arrivals, Andy, Wayno, Wazza, Steve, and finally Tones.  Up the road to the trucks and a text from Robin saying he'd gone on ahead.

Into Draco-Flat Tack Track, Nelson then Pete then Me.  Following Pete I was thinking "how the fuck is he doing that!?" then realising I was doing the same!  Kept him in reasonable sight for most of the descent, having a few moments and close calls in the process, but he disappeared round the final corner pretty quick and I only had glimpses of him ahead on the final blaze down towards the river.  I could sure hear their braking as I approached the bottom tho.  Pete was stopped on the bridge adjusting chain(?) and Nelson had jetted on ahead, so I just moseyed on up the climb, again only walking a short section before managing to continue on up.  All alone across Dracophyllum Flat, Nelson long gone, and I's about a third of the way across when I looked back and could see Pete.  Cruise cruise cruise through down around and into the climby bits.  Eventually, on one of the first tight hairpins Pete was behind me and followed me up the final climbs to the Solar repeater thing where Nelson was snacking.  Everyone rolled up in (pleasantly, surprisingly) short time, tail end Tones last.  And we could see Robin's top making it's way up the Hog's Back in the distance.  Into the ride again, Nelson leading and Pete pushing me along, swoopy fun section though this forest, then over a boardwalky bridge thing, pinch climb then descending again around and down across flats, fast blast down in and out of trees, then around and down to the river crossing.  Another regroup and Nelson and Pete getting water, then Steve, Wazza and me led the climb up, grunting our ways up the steep.

Up Texas Flat and Nelson, Wazza, me taking the lead on the Hog's climb.  First time ever, I think, cleaned the whole damned thing.  Grinding away, the pain nearly insufferable.  Finally around the corner, through the tree'd switchbacks then on up the back of the 'Back and the seemingly endless stretch to Picnic Rock.  I'd spotted Robin just disappearing as Nelson got up there.  Then once the others arrived we all watched his red shirt in the distance for some time.  Nelsie led off and we chased, blazing down through the moonscape and into the forest, fun and fast.  After the bridge on the long descent we met a 3 girls and a guy climbing, the guy getting back on right in front of me and having to get off as I swept through, "Sorry...!" I remarked.  Down and around some more and then splooosh through the ford and scramble scramble up the climb to Robin.  Yet another regroup here and the view of the trail ahead showing us the last climb.  Jetted off into the rolly descent then around some woopdedoos and climbing again, past the dead tree and up the very final steep and off down the ridge, ruts-villainy, before dropping over the side into the forest and rocketshipping down the trail.  Wheels scuffing as the braking is unweighted as you're flying over a lip.  I came round one corner and 'oh shit' there's a kid and a dad, bikes just to the side, I'm in the air, brakes on, landing and reining in the speed to sweep past them 'safely', then on into speed mode again, passing the next kid and flying onwards.  Fantastic fun.  Out onto the road, then Pete, who was raving about that last kid, who was the next to arrive, with great style.

Final blast down to the car and I loaded up and got going, Nostalgia Fest to be enjoyed in the sun with the Chch-massive, Phoenix Foundation playing a bloody good set.

Just under 30kms, and just under 900m alt.  Good ride.

Thursday Sidle, Anti-, Luge, Dickson's, Draco, Hog

One of the hottest days of the year in Chch, over 30 degrees of exhausting nor'west heat.  Nelson had a measure-up job at Castle Hill, so the plan was to meet at Sheffield and proceed out there in one car to have a ride after the job.  But, I struggled to get out of town, getting gas, checking tires, grabbing a beer from Punky Brewster, so by the time I finally made the Old West Coast Rd he was pretty much already out there.  He went ahead and I followed on all the way out.  This ended up benefiting us, as we could leave my car at Castle Hill.

Drove round and parked at Broken River and proceeded into Sidle 73.  First grunty wee climb and I found myself struggling right from the start.  Cruised down to the Craigieburn Rd and headed on up the coarse gravel.  Into the Anti-Luge, steeeep little start catching me out immediately, and the struggling began.  I felt utterly ratshit and had no strength or power and head was spinning and unfocused and I just felt weak, from here onwards, and on every single climb we did all the way out.  I walked a few bits I was so weak and rode, and eventually Nelson was waiting at the intersection, then it was up towards Lindon Saddle, first steep rooty bits making me walk, but managed to ride more further up.  Into the Luge, I led the way with Nelson filming behind, but I dropped him as I rocketshipped away from him, because he was struggling with a stiff back from working with his sheep the day before.  Wonderful flowy speed, leaping over root sections and railing berms, felt on fire, and marvelous.  Seemed to be no time at all and I was into the steeper rooty bits lower down.  Stopped a couple of times for Nelson to catch up, but rocketted away from him each time.  Fantastic descent. and over so soon, across the boardwalks and bridge to finish.

Up the road, my climb-grovel beginning to kick in quickly.  Longer than memory serves, but made the top of Draco and headed left for an explore, towards the Environment Centre, staying on the gravel road around above this and up to a wee saddle.  Then it was up a new singletrack (which we could see in the distance) and sidled around to another wee saddle just off Bridge Hill.  Nelson, obviously, was ahead and headed on up to the left, to the top of this hill and here we looked for Dickson's Downhill track.  Eventually I pulled out my phone and loaded up a map and discovered we'd passed it at the last wee saddle, so, back down to here and into it.  MINT. This track just kept giving and giving.  First, across a slope with a (from a distance) intimidating fence gap jump (which wasn't), and into a dying/dead forest of poisoned pines, not losing too much altitude and with whoopdedoo jumps here and there, and one mucky bog hole, then through grassland and across frostflats with awesome drops and the into tight beech forest for more descending at ridiculous speeds.  Dusty at times and I was tight on Nelson's tail the whole way.  Eventually down beside a ridge, and through shrubland back and forth and finally across the flats at the road.  Over a fence and along the road a bit and into the old (closed) road to the saddle we'd started at above the Envt Centre...  Steep granny grovel through more poisoned pines, about 15 minutes for me (took Nelson 10).  Bit of food and refresh here then back round the gravel road above the Envt Centre, mostly down, but small up, and we were back at the top of Dracophyllum Flat tack Track.

Into this I led, and bombed down it.  Leaping whole sections of roots, catching air on boosters, railing around corners, flying.  At one stage a cross blackbird was caught by surprise and panic-flew alongside for 10s of metres.  Caught at least one tree with my handlebars, scuff! and powered on.  Nelson did a better job of staying on my tail this time, slowly winding me in as his back loosened up.  Last few corners slowed me down a bit then it was down the fast loose descent towards the river.  On the bridge, breathing hard.  Nelson passed me by and headed on up the climb while I hit it and died.  Off, walking for a while through the steep switchback section, finally riding a bit once it mellowed out, and onto the actual Dracophyllum Flat.  Much nicer condition to nearly 3 years ago when we last did this, in the muck.  Flowed across the flat and into the trees, and climbing around through more flats and into the forest again, climbing and descending a couple times before climbing finally up.  Walking again, NOTHING in the legs.  Eventually I made it out of the forest and across to die next to the solar panel repeater boxes.  Another small rest and off down, following Nelson towards Texas Flat.  Bomby flow down through the jumpy forest, nearly overcooking some bits, but managing to survive, and across the boardwalk, dying on the wee climb following.  Down again, slowly building up speed, Nelson well and truly on form now, rocketting away from me.  Flowy flowy down, down then around and down to the creek crossing and the nasty grunting climb, most of which I walked.  Then the cruise meander up towards the start of the Hogs Back, Nelson in the distance and disappearing straight up into the climb ahead.

I stopped and drank some of my Ovari Juice before tackling the climb, which had me off walking in no time.  Combination of dehydration, heat-exhaustion and maybe a little worn out from the running is what I reckon's caused it.  The pie from Sheffield probably didn't help either, not giving me any accessible carbs to work off.  No power.  Finally rode again after the steepest bit, and up to the corner where Nelson was waiting.  From here we had the next climbs through trees and across the open lands up towards Picnic Rock where I wanted to collapse. Less than a year since I was last up here was on the fatty, with the boy.  Into the descent, Nelson in the lead and me following, staying on his tail for the first downs, popping and weaving through the sketchy frostscrubbed land and into the occasional trees, but at the very first up I practically stopped, where he somehow managed to power on.  Fast descents followed by slow climbs proceeded through the next sections, crossing the two river/creeks, one by bridge, the later one by ford, out of which I stumbled, walking up to find Nelson waiting.  Snacked up a little more here, with the end practically in sight.

Just one more section of fans to cross then the last climb, most of which I walked, to the dead tree and ridge before our final blast down the ridge and into the forest, where warpspeed was engaged and our highest speeds overall were found.  Blasting down through the forest, passing a walking woman, and finally reaching the end, for a cruise down across the flats and back to my car, Funk Estate Sophisticuffs awaiting.  I struggled to enjoy the beer, as I was so utterly spent.

Biiig ride.  Nearly 30 kms, and over 1000m climbed.  No wonder I's so knackered.