Sunday Morning Codger's Dog's Firball, 51 Horses

Hot ride in Nelson today. Plans were malleable and changed as I rode... From base, down the walkway and then out across behind the Cathedral and then up my usual entrance to the Brook, via that nice path along the creek then a bit of a zig and zag up to bottom of Codgers.  Climbed on up here, not that many people around and yet still a few.  Into Tasman Journeys for a zig and a zag up to Jacks then up to Middle road, grannying along the steeps.  Jeht was in 29:29 guise, and riding pretty nicely.  Blessing was so far all of it was in the shade, and there was still some cool dampness in the air from the night, tho was fixing to be a bit of a scorcher.  Stopped at a picnic table for a short break and look at Trailforks to work out where to go.  Decided on the top of Lollipop and see where from there, thinking maybe Hotbox then try the climb up from Maitai over that side.  Got to Hotbox and Beer Bottle climb and another rider rolled up and we talked then I led off up Beer Bottle, cleaning it nicely.  I went all the way to the very top (view from here)

The other dude had headed off down Top Dog from the corner.  Had a wee look down Lolli but nahhhhh...  and Hot Box had closed tape all over it, figured best not to annoy the trailmakers, so took Top Dog and proceeded to enjoy the bejeebus out of it.  Reminded me of the sections of Great Expectations that are in the pines, tho a little more tech than that.  Was too soon over and I was on an access road.  Headed up this passing the top of the climb trail, then DIVAs (compulsory gap jumps - nah), then Hotbox (closed tapes all over, so no go there) so continued back up to the skid (at top of Take me to your Leader), proceeded back up to the main Fireball Skid, then up Firball climb to access the Trig.  Even better view than top of Top Dog.   

I'd spotted a new trail on the map from this Trig, and had been aiming for it, Koata Whetu.  I'd done Koata Marama last time I was up here so this was a good option for heading back down.  It was fun.  Popped and weaved, up top wider and less steep than Top Dog, through a bit of regen native, a few pines near the top and then across the grassy scrub around to eventually join onto the bottom of Fir Ball.  Boffed down through this then through the saddle and climbed up to Whanake and into P51 for a nice rolly back and forth, a few nice tabletops, one cased bollocking (OUCH), then down through into the bottom.  Chose Crazy Horse instead of the bottom of Firball based solely on that it was shorter slightly shorter than Firball (figured it might therefore be steeper and more fun).  Not that great, anyway.  At Container Skid I stupidly didn't take Young Codgers instead climbing up back onto the main Coppermine trails and headed down this against the traffic flow.  

Rolled back down through town (swinging past the Gallery to see if Anth was there for a coffee) and got hot and bothered climbing up Locking St and the walkway back to base.  

Somewhere in the vicinity of 18 kms, and around 600 m climbed (recalculated because bloody MMR straightlined it from the top of Firball to the top of Whanake... (at least 100 m altitude from saddle up Whanake))

Sunday Old, Young, and Dog Codgers Codgering

In Nelson for QE2's birthday holiday.  Was hoping to ride the new Aorere trail, but after a bunch of rain on Friday night, didn't think it'd be very do-able.  Sunday morning, resigning myself to a Codger's Loop, headed out with O and Jet, usual route through town and up the Brook into Codgers. Up the main drag, lovely sunny day, lots of people about, but we were mostly faster.  Bypassed the (new to me) Tasman Trails climb, opting for the Pipeline, up to Jack's (arriving ahead of the family that had entered Tasman as we passed), a few steep grunts on this, then up Middle Rd to the main skidder site.  Various lazy arse e-bike riders showed up (dicks).  We ignored them deliberately, then headed up to Firball Trig - nice steep wee singletrack to top.

Chatted to a dude at the Trig for a while then hit the down.  Firball - I wasn't trusting of the surface, as it was a little bit damp, so took it a bit easier than last time Nelson and me were up here.   Great bomb down tho, with O on my tail most of the way and Jet not far behind whenever we stopped to wait for him.  Out onto Middle Rd to finish, and climbing again to the little skidder site.  Contemplated the lower entrance to P51 and also Viral Flow, but decided to climb Whanake to the top.  Into P51, bombing through, surprisingly catching a couple, overtaking, jumping jumping.  One jump I even hit a tree branch with my head.  Further down, more jumping, rounding corners, jumping, catching up to 2 couples, both going slower than us, then lower down still and into Crazy Horse, taking this with it's few jumps to the bottom.  Not as good as lower Firball, methinks.  Then down the final 'Young Codgers' to the exit, and the tired-dog-slow-meander back to base.

Chilly to start, 16 kms with 417 m climbed.  Woof woof.

Monday, Trip Day 4, ride 2. Codgers - Firball, P51, Firball

From the Free House we headed back up the Brook and up the Codgers climb, and into Jack's. Split here with the boys on Middle Rd, with them heading down and across to P51, while Nelson and me headed up to the top and up to the Fireball Trig. We hit it, hell-for-leather down, getting more and more floaty on the jumps galore, having a stoker of a time. Then it was across and climbing up the track that starts with a W, up, and into the top of P51.  This gave us more speed and jumps, flying down through, into lower Firball, more old skool this, and out to the Brook and down through town and back up to base

A nice 17 kms, and just under 400 m climbed.

Top of the South, Day 5: 629, rain, Codgers

Txting with Ian who'd taken me up top of 629 last time (then up Sunshine and down Peaking), we arranged to meet at the bottom Tuesday 22nd, at 9.30.  Only a few takers for this trail, which Ian assured me had changed somewhat and wasnt as bad as it used to be...  The takers were, Pete, Nelson, Mark, Alistair, Nico and me.  The rest of the crew went off up Sharlands Rd, and down R&R etc.  We saw Stu riding into Sharlands as we passed.

Ian took us up the track we'd finished on the day before, which was a nice gentle climb and around the pipeline track to the first forestry road off up to the right.  This immediately kicked in as granny steep then walking, around a corner, a little riding then more walking, Nelson pretty much cleaning it all.  Alistair was struggling with the weighty Diablo.  Up and up we went, a few pinches, a few ridings til we got to Bob Taylor Rd where Nelson was waiting for us and we had  good rest.  A few spits of rain were starting to threaten, but they held off for a while anyway.  On up through the forest (a section very similar to the steep in McVicars), and onto the fire break.  Nelson cleaned the first bit, i got a fair bit, Pete did pretty good.  Nico put in a damned fine effort.  Otherwise we walked some, then some more further up.  Eventually we made the top of this bit, quick descent then up the last bit to top of hill, 629m above sea level.  We'd started at about 100.

Into the descent, first Ian, then Nelson, Pete, Mark, me, and Nico.  All good to start, steep and rooty, no worries.  Following Mark and seeing the others ahead cleaning everything made it all possible.  A couple of sections came up that were just so steep, even Mark hesitated, which put me off and to stay safe, i walked down them.  Cleaned up heaps more tho.  Then the last bit before the road had a heinous rocky drop, with a rideable line but i only saw the drop, and had major trouble even walking down it...  Ian warned us about the entry to the next section, and sure it was steep, but we all rode in and cleaned it nicely.  Down into the bush, more steepness, then out into the recently logged and replanted open area.  Ian warned us of "a series of three switchbacks" which were actually like a squiggly bit down a cliff...  anyway, i walked these, then cleaned up heaps more with only one or two more walky corners.  the rest of the trail rode really well, and was much fun.  Nelson somehow crashed off a couple times.  Lower down it got back into bush and was awesome.  then crossed the main track and shot down briefly below and then out across the bottom and onto the road.  All up, about 2 and a half hours?  2 of which were climbing.

We drove down the valley and passed the others' cars and txts were sent as we went to Sprig and Fern on Milton St for beers and takeouts from next door.  The rain set in good and proper by now too, pishing down for the afternoon.

In the evening the rain stopped in time, so a good sized group of us, minus Steve, Robin, Mark and Marie, and the boyz, met Norm and some other locals in town for a quick blast up in the Codgers area.  Rode up Codgers, Pipeline, Jack's.  then up to top of Sharland's Hill, and down Firball, which was a hoot.  quite greasy in places, from the rain, then across and down P51, and down and out.  then to Sprig and Fern Hardy St for a couple beers.  I picked up Noodle Canteen on way home and feasted.