Friday Night, up and down

Nelson picked me up from work just after 5 and the traffic was stupidly slow until we got across Brougham, then it wasn't so bad and we got to Worsley's Rd, parking next to the poplars on the flat before the new Park's entrance.  Rode up the road, round the corner and into the climb on the grass next to Fluffy Sheep.  At the top of this, we dropped into 1TrickLucy, boffing it down this, swoopy, clippy, yumpy, cruising.  Didn't look very well ridden, lots of overgrowth starting and just all a bit unkempt.  At the bottom of this, Nelson led off jetting down the switchbacks into the bottom of the valley, and we climbed up the lefthand (true right) side, steep little mother this is.  Levelled off and then through a gate, across a brandspanking new bridge, up some steps, then up a nice new gravel track, couple of switchbacks and then level-ish for a bit, then up a couple more switchbacks and then across the new slobdivision zone back onto Worsleys Rd, for to climb, up the singletrack bit then on up the seal to the top.

Into Worsleys proper, figuring the alt-route from the gate might be slick as shit like the other week.  We headed over to the left hand side through the trees to check out whether we could see anything of the new Park works.  Not really.  Rode up this singletrack to the water tank, then on upwards eventually finding ourselves IN the park, behind the sign.  Over the fence, and across the main track to ride up the 4wd mess-up-zone next to the jumpytrack forest.  Off camber as fuck up here, then on up and back onto the main drag in the big corner.  Cleaned the next few sections, really enjoying the challenge and just blazing up stuff I would have struggled with not that long ago.  Dunno what it was, but wasn't feeling all that bad.  Eventually got to the top, ie, the bottom of the Body Bag, and sat down for a rest, and to wait for darkness to get more in.  We'd ridden all the way to here without lights on.

Heard a couple of voices and spotted some lights over at the top of Braille, so we headed down and dropped into the little valley here.  Two guys with a boxer dog, parked up.  Brief chat, and we headed off into the newby singletrack here.  We had a nice blat down, I led the way, and we were keeping an eye out for any trails on the left.  Eventually, found one, but it proved a dead end in short shrift.  Meanwhile the two guys rode past, as we pushed back up to the track, and found what was really actually a droppy wee track just metres further down.  Couple of filters at the top but the rest of it was sweet, zigged and zagged steeply down onto the 4wd track in here.  Climbed this up to Braille and climbed on up.  Nelson gapping me, and then finding another newby off the right-hand side of this at the top.  Checked it out, no go, and another further down, no go, then back onto the climbing track to the top again, meeting the two guys and the boxer again, chatting longer this time.

They led off first, dog chasing hard, one of them took the jump line, and so we all got ahead of him and then when Nelson dropped into the steeper left hander lower down, the dog followed us down this, while the other two guys fanged off down the rest of the the trail, calling for the dog.  We hooned down the 4wd trail to their exit (quite along way further down), and then the dog turned up.  Down, and we spotted a trail exit on our right, so Nelson rode it and I pushed up it and eventually we found it's another new exit for the rest of the new track up there...  Back down this from where our droppy track started and out the 4wd all the way, getting caught, at speed, by the slickmud...  Nearly lost it, but managed to scrub enough speed, get back under control and follow on down the rest of it, spraying clods off  the tires.  Up to Epitaph, and down this back to the carpark.

Zoom down the road, bits of hard mud flinging off cleaning the tires, singletrack, then into Fluffy Sheep for a swoopy speedy descent back down, onto the road and back to the car.

2hours22 total time, just over 15kms and 578m climbed.

Sunday afternoon Farside Jetting

Short ride for me today after a big night prior.  Jet and me headed across to Worsley's Rd and parked just on the bottom corner.  Didn't bring tools or bag cos figured I was only ever gonna be 5 minutes from the car.  Headed up and rode the trail next to the road that used to be overgrown but is now clear.  Jet had a lovely time running ahead and pissing on everything.  First lap I went down Farside, the middle trail.  Some muppet had left a bunch of manuka branches just down from the entrance, but the rest was good.  Really enjoyed this trail, lots of swoopy ups and downs and good fun.

Back into the climb, going a little better this time, climbing in 2nd gear all the way.  This lap I headed down 1 Trick Lucy (2nd left) and it was good, a couple of interesting and tight features to start, then twisty turny in the trees.

Up again, climbing well, and into Utopia this time.  Sweet run down here.  A couple of the wee ups a little tighter than Farside.

Climbing again, and this time into Valhalla, 1st on the left.  Takes you quite low into the valley with some cool droppy bits, before climbing back out to the exit.

Once more, up again, and this time it into Fluffy Sheep.  Fastest of the trails, and most direct route down too.  A couple of the corners were a bit weird and a nice jump at the end.

Finally, one last climb, and back into Farside, which today I think was my favourite...  It's got everything in it.  It swoops up and down, isn't overgrown or too tight, but keeps it really interesting.  Final blast out the bottom, through the fence and back down to the car - total riding time 47minutes.

Grand total of 6kms, less than 1 km per lap, and only a bit over 300m climbed...  negligible but needed.

Thursday night Worsley's Nun Worsleys

Out and about so made my way to Nelson's work and awaited his return.  We negotiated traffic in both our cars to Worsley Rd and parked by the poplars on the flat.  5.45 by the time we got rolling, up the damned hill, chuffing and puffing, him powering away from my gasping self.  Rode up Fluffy Sheep and then on up the new 'singletrack' mowed in above the road.  Above here we were passed by a heap of bikes on cars and arrived at the carpark to see shitloads of #enduro groms.  Straight through the gate to the right and on up that singletrack, climbing ever climbing, gasping for air and chuffing.  Nelson disappearing as usual, and me plodding away, legs burning.  Caught up to him chatting to some blokes, and we rolled on ahead on and up.  Where the exit climb out of the bottom of Braille turns up we caught some girls who'd come up from there, and a dude.  We both overtook the girls and the dude followed on my tail all the rest of the way up to the main track.  Chatted a bit with him here, and then we all headed up the BodyBag.  Puke making, kinda.  Got nearly all the way up there, but me and the new dude walked the top section. 

Then, up into the Nun.  We were gonna show him the corner where the link from Nun to Goat peels off, so he followed us down.  Nelson set a searing pace.  We followed and our new friend sat on my tail.  I pointed out the corner then said "you wanna pass me?" but he was okay.  Then, before we got to the carpark exit he'd backed right off, with a flat we found later.  On down the lower Nun we were flying, first time down here for me since September.  Burning forearms and hands and feet and calves at the bottom. 

Back up the road where we met our new friend finishing off fixing his flat, then the three of us headed up the old 4wd track that bisects the Nun, grunting up the climb, to the corner where Ghost track cuts out.  Ice Cream container lid for a sign post.  Over the fence and a little riding then climbing over logs, then walking and then a bit more riding and a couple dabs and walks and more riding out to Throw the Goat.  Nice.  Our friend was planning on heading the other way from here so we said catchyalater and headed off down the Goat.  Nice descent, dusty as hell.  Jumped the first log no worries, and rolled on down, then second log, pulled up.  Nelson went back up a bit and rolled/jumped it while I watched.  Then we poked our noses down Yoda.  Nelson decided he could ride it, and did.  I scrambled down, struggling to get the bike down, but then rode lower sections no problem at all.  Got to a sign Chutes'n'Ladders, and off to the right Raiders of the Lost Rockface.  Bloody Hell!  Vertical rockface, we walked down to look, no way.  Chutes was almost but not quite rideable for me.  Nelson struggled too.  But the lower section was fine, and wham, we were at the bottom of all the trails - goat, t2, alice's, fightclub etc... 

Climbed out of here and headed up the guts, ugh, but I cleaned it all nicely and survived and we met again on the cliff top.  From here we headed down old Waynes World line, jumping to an audience with much whooping, then cut across to the old line into Fight Club and then fanged it down here, awesome blast down.  Back up the exit climb and then across the main track and into the trees for the jumpy trail.  Nelson showed off how he does all these gap jumps now and I popped a couple of the easier ones.  Then he showed me how the fence gap is done, and I rolled in several times and nearly did it but bailed each time getting the fear more and more each time.  I'll do it one day.  Down the rest, jumping many, nearly taking out a clusterfuck of groms in the lower section, then out onto the descent track we'd climbed up to start with.  Then up for Epitaph for a final blast down to the carpark.  Caught up with our friend here and actually introduced ourselves, Quetty, or something, was his name. 

Down the road, over 50kph, and onto the 'singletrack' then down to the Farside trails, choosing 1 Trick Lucy (second left) for a change.  It's changed slightly, but is still tight as anything in the trees lower down.  Madcore.  Then out and down the road back to the cars.

18 kms, over 700m alt.  followed by yummy burger and beer at burgers'n'beers...

Scorching Wednesday Night mechanicals

Nelson picked me up from work and we waded across the city's traffic flows to Worsley's Rd.  Parked on the flat by the poplar trees.  Still about 30 degrees, so energy sappingly hot.  Up the road, slowly does it, then into Fluffy Sheep for the climb.  Nelson gapped me and I struggled.  Should have checked, but I was having a few niggles with my shifting... (had been on the way to work as well).  On up the road and then through the gate and up the sort-of-singletrack in the long-grass then into the trees, where the shade was helpful, but the heat was so overbearing and was making me really struggle.  All the way up I had to hold back so's not to puke.  Nelson wasn't waiting for me until the top of the B-Line tracks.  I felt like shit.

On up the further climb, past Debby/Alice's, and on up to top of Tommy2's and Throw The Goat.  Another nice rest here chatting to a young(ish) dude on a nomad.  Nelson was trying out his chest mounted Go Pro so followed me in.  After the first couple of pedal strokes I went to change gears and they dropped straight down to top gear, with no response from the shifter.  Hmmmm...  Continued all the way down, fanging and weaving, dust plume choking back Nelson from my tail.  Good run all the way down, altho the pedalling was a bit slow...  We got to the bottom, arms pumped with braking, and quads burning with the non-stop descent, and proceeded to work out what to do with my gears...  ended up with this fix:

 pulled the cable through and out, and then attached it and wrapped it around the chainstay to hold it in 2nd gear (for the climbing).

Got rolling and it was super low for those bits of climbing, but got me up eventually to the junction (where there were heaps of peeps).  It slipped into 3rd as we entered the Guts track, so I rode as far as I could and then had to walk.  Rode again at the pylon gap and kept on up for a while past Fight Club and then walked again up to the clifftop.  There were some others walking ahead of me so I didn't feel too bad about it.  Nelson was waiting at the cliff top, (where some dickhead 4wders had recently had a fucking fire! dumbshits).  On up the Original B-Line catching the guys that'd been walking, me managing to ride all the way to the rocks that always get me.  Onwards and all the way to top.  Then on further up again (walking this time) and we hooked into the newby with the canyon.  Good run down the top bit then Nelson had a flail on the log, breaking yet another of his flash blade spokes!  Onwards down, through, under, around and back into lower Tommy2's and the dust storm blast down here.  Final climb out, slow for me, then across the main drag and into the jumpy trail in the trees.  Normally quite pedally this one so I was slow down it, but got a couple of good jumpies near the bottom.  then around, Nelson peeled off up to do Epitaph, while I just rolled down the grassy 'single' track.

Onto the road, and rolling rolling rolling down, taking the new grass 'singletrack' on the left of the road where it flattens off and heads around the corners, then down and into the Farside trails.  I chose Utopia, and it was good.  Swoopy swoopy, not too much pedalling (not that I could) to do, kept speed through corners and it was a blast.  Finally, out onto the road and down back to the car, the last hundred metres or so rolling very slow.

693m altitude, 15.43 kms...

Thursday night Worsley ups and downs

Usual pick up from work and through to bottom of Worsley's, parking on the flat next to the poplar trees (just by what will be the entrance to the new park).  Craig turned up on his 1988 Yeti, crazy classic, mint condition, and we trundled on up the hill.  Hopped onto Fluffy Sheep for the climb up, them bowling on ahead at speed and me left behind gasping for air.  Plugged some asthma gas in and still gasped but made it up and then up the road from here.  Through the gate on the right and into the climb on the right hand side.  Beginning of the steep there was a fallen over bushy vine covered tree, leaning into the gorse on the left.  Had to get off and push through it, then, ugh, breathing killing me up the steepest, and a little greasy in here too.  Finally out to the leveling off, mini stream crossing, then more steep and the other two were awaiting me at the top, Nelson on the phone.  Quick descent, then climb again, but easier, and then another small descent and more climb, around over Braille track and on up up up, a couple of groms wafting down through the jumps next to us as we ascended.  Out the top and onto the main drag, seeing some guys that'd been at the carpark when we rolled through.  We duly ignored the Forest Closed sign and headed up the entrance, then on up the route to Tommy2's.

Took the first left, into Debbie Does Dallas, nice roll down here, into the dark and on down, Craig really enjoying it, then into Alice's Restaurant.  First few sections all good, but then when the going got steep I got chicken and walked a few corners.  Below the rocky wall I got my groove back.  Just before the next creek crossing, Craig lost his front wheel over the edge of where Nelson crashed back in May, breaking a spoke on his nearly 30 year old wheel.  Rolled out the rest and up the exit track to the junction.  Craig bailed out here on account of the wheel... heading down.  Nelson and me headed up the Guts track, cleaned it all, overtook some groms up top at the clifftop and then we rolled on up the old Original line.

On up the Tommy2's access track and all the way to the top (cos Nelson thought the uber-Enduro dude on his tail was me...).  Chatted with him for a bit and another group of huckers passed through and then we headed back down to our new trail down the funky boulder strewn gulch and through the dark forest, a couple of whoopdedoos, then (a trail seeming to come in here from the right (note to self: explore next time...)) following the stream a bit, then out into the open (below Deb's), around the rocks now, then back into the forest, sidling, seemingly just above Alice's, off cambernation, on across the slope to the 2/3rds down Tommy2's, railing and nailing this all, blasting down to the bottom.  Back into the exit climb, light getting a bit dim now, catching 3 guys Nelson knew, chatting with them a bit, before heading on down the outgoing trail, me baulking on the log again, and Nelson smacking his derailleur on a rock just before it, and it somehow locking the switch on it!?!?.  Rolling again and out the finish, down the wee singletrack from the upper carpark.

Down the road and into the Far Side trails.  Utopia appears to be no longer, and light was failing, so Fluffy Sheep, out in the open, it was, back down again.  Swoopy swoopy, popping yumpies at the bottom and down round the corner and down back to the car, streetlights on by this stage.

Noodle Canteen and a BOOM to finish.  

Mapped, nearly 16 kms, and just over 680m altitude climbed.

Tuesday Lapping up the laps

An hour or so to use tonight, before a PFMTBC trip organising meeting at Pete's, so Nelson picked me up from work and we twisted and turned through heavy traffic to Worsley's Rd.  Parked up just round the first corner, at the bottom of the Farside tracks.  First lap, up the old skool dirt track close to the road, puffing like crazy, gasping in fact.  Then took Valhalla, first time down here, not having any idea where it was taking us or how.  Steep few off camber corners, dropping quite a bit of altitude, close to the old original zig zag track that used to be in here, then it peeled across the slope, dropping now and then, and climbing a little towards the end.  Lots of interesting features, but quite low speed on account of the off camberness.

Back onto the road and up for lap 2.  This time, the next track on the left, 1 Trick Lucy.  I'd been down the top of this once before, but peeled back across to Farside that time.  This time, all the way.  Somehow it squeezes in between Valhalla and Farside and finds it's way down in a similar nature to Valhalla.  A few very cool wee features on it, lots of fun.  Ends up joining Farside towards the end.

Back onto the road and up for lap 3.  This time, skipping over Farside, and taking Utopia.  Woot.  Had done this once before with jet back in November, so it felt vaguely familiar.  It blends into lower end of Fluffy Sheep which we got onto the next lap.

Back up the road for Lap 4.  Into Fluffy Sheep this time, the first time either of us had been down this (tho I'd been up back in Nov.)  Sweet wee blast down here, quite flowy and swoopy.  A couple of really small 'jump' features, and smooth.

Lap 5, into the original Farside.  Bloody brake ruts in the first steep section, but the rest of it was alright.  Usual woopdewoops and squirrelly drops.

Lap 6, gave Valhalla another go, with me in the lead this time.  Good spin down here again.  Gonna take a while to get used to those off camber corners tho.

Lap 7, final lap.  This time 1 Trick Lucy again.  Haha, this time, Nelson missed the entrance, so I led the way down with him well behind me.  Had a good run down and finished it in no time.

Each lap was about 5 minutes or less up, and 5 minutes or less down.  Seven round trips done in 1 hour.  Total altitude of the trail network is around 60 metres, so we did a bit over 400 m in total.  Not bad for an hour's up and down. (updated with more accurate information from the boys doing it a week later and MapMyRiding it, measuring the altitude more accurately(ish) than my Topomapping guestimation).

Grabbed Noodle Canteen and a couple of beverages on the way to Pete's and made it there only minutes late.  Wellington seems to be the go for the Annual Trippage this year...

Sunday Worsley & Far Side Jet sprints

Needed to keep it short this morning, and nearly got out really early, like 8am, but eventually what with one thing and another it was about 9.20 I found myself over near the bottom of the hills, heading for the top of Worsley Rd with Jet in the back.  Parked up and headed up behind a couple of motorbikes.  Clamber clamber, with the newly working forks working bloody well.  These are the white 55s that gave me so much gyp on the trip - Josh chucked in a coil instead of the positive air component, and she works a treat.  Up the grind, and before the powerlines came across one of the motorbikes.  He was fiddling around in the front of the bike, and it wasn't going...  rode on up, eventually catching up and passing a young running/walking couple, her giving Jet lots of pets.  Ground out to the top where the other motorbike was waiting and he asked about his mate and I said it looked like trouble so he was gonna head back down..

Then off up the entrance to the B-line talking a bit to a dude who'd just come down bodybag.  Him and his mate went down, I went up, grindy grind to Debbie Does Dallas -lead in, and fanged off down here.  Slow to start but gradually speeding up, and then down past the ruins and into the Douglas fir darkness then out. Below the big cliff stopped and had a wee look at a trail being built just above this one.  Got going again down the steeps into Alice's Restaurant where I baulked the usual couple of corners cos they're just so damned steep.  Saw 3 riders across on T2 briefly, and then spotted them on the climb out.

At the junction I followed these guys up the guts track, riding all the way, but they'd lost me by the time I crossed the pylon gap.  On up to the cliff top, a young DH couple hangin' out sayin' hi.  Sat on the cliftop for a bite to eat and a wee rest before heading off down Wayne's World and then across and down into Fight Club (passing the young couple pushing back up on the way).  Fight Club was a blast, suspension just soaking everything up beautifully.  Out the bottom and back up the exit track to the junction.  Nor'west wind was starting to pick up, so figured the forest might not be too safe any more, so we headed on back down the usual to the car.  Loaded the bike on and we drove down the road.

Just before the bottom corner I pulled up and parked.  And rode up one of the new downhill tracks in the Farside network...  Fluffy Sheets or something.  Anyway, decided on the way it wasn't that great for climbing, but stuck with it.  At the top I explored, first, off down 1 Trick Lucy but it descended in a direction I didn't like, and looked like it was gonna leave me in the bottom of the valley, so, pushed back up onto Farside and pushed to the top of that.  Into Utopia I flowed.  Very familiar feeling, like farside, with some sweet wee swoops and dips and off camber corners, and then it spat me onto Fluffy Sheets near the bottom.  Back up the usual next-to-the-road off-road track, meeting some very tentative riders coming down, and cleaned out the top in no time - much better than going up Fluffy Sheets.  Here I dropped into Farside and had a real blast down this, arriving back at the car in no time, 11am-ish and headed with my hot and tired doggy, home.