Wednesday Night Brit Cavendish, Castle Pleasant Kenton

Sweet solo ride tonight.  Nelson was away and had asked me to feed Maude, so I drove from work to Major Hornbrook and parked up above Madeley.  

Headed up through the Long-Clear-Ridge-Views to Upper HornB then into Britten, climbing the first bit a weird way.  Usual chuff up, and filled my bottle from the tap at the intersection.  Then back into Britten and around the front, dabbing a bit, over the road/fence, long-grass climb to Crater Rim descending to Cavendish Saddle.  Up and around the back below Gondola building (Crater Rim, not the zig zags to top) and dropped down the steppy rocky tech to Bridle Path-top. 

Realised when I got to the road that my rear-end had been locked out!  No wonder it'd felt a bit dodgy.  

Cruised up the road, spotting a rider on the trail below, and we both reached the top of Castle Rock at the same time.  He was with 3 others, one of which had been motoring (literally) up the road, whereas behind him were a meat powered and another eMpTy-B.  I awaited the latter two's arrival, chatting meanwhile, and then dropped in.  Nice smooth run down the Castle, flowing good, tho never felt exponentially fast.  The climb section was smooth and nice, then dropped off down to the Bridle-top again, and headed along the road.  Sitting up, no-hands, all the way around to the Gondola and a headwind struggle up the climb.  Stopped and oiled my chain at the gate, then headed up and back into the reserve to climb the Crater Rim where I'd come down, deciding to push myself a bit and not take the easy route.  

Climbed to top of Mt Pleasant and dropped off over the other side.  Nice bony run to slightly smoother lower tussocks, tho some of the line choices left something to be desired, nearly crashing once because my body was saying 'left line' and my brain was thinking 'right' resulting in a bumpy tussocky rut-ridge line.  Not ideal.  Down the 4wd section and into the OG entrance line around and out to the road.  Bony as all get up in here too.

Up the road, and into Britten, dropping down, flowy flow, across the front and dropping down under the pylon.  Popped over the stile and boffed off down Kenton.  What a great track - one of my favourites for flowy tech.  Exited the small parky reserve, rather than up the steps, and the climbed out Rockview and back up Major Horny to the car. 

An assiduous 14.6 kms with a smidge over 600 m vertical.

Drove down and fed Nelsie's cat then picked up the new German from climbing.

Sun-Daylight-saved More Down than Up around Cavendish, Castle and Pleasant.

Great wee ride tonight, first of the non-Daylight Savings, Winter is Coming, ride.  I drove to Nelson's and chucked my bike on his roof and we headed up the hill, parking at Summit / Mt Pleasant Rds intersection.  

Headed into Britten and around the front, then rather than up onto the singletrack for the ballbearing descent, we headed down the road through the cutting to Cavendish Saddle, and climbed up the zigs and zags to the back of the Gondola building.  Off down the steppity-steppity-steps and rocknical techery through to the Bridle top and onroad to top of Castle.

I led down Castle Rock, keeping good pace and ducking and weaving the rocks and sketch.  Nice blast down and around then around again and climbing, slower than Nelson's usual pace on this bit, meeting an ebike guy coming the other way.  Onto the road again to head around under the Gondola, up to Cavendish Saddle again and this time onto the trail for the steeper-than-we-ever-remember-until-it-levels-off-a-bit climb up and around.  Between a couple of rocks I got stymied, wedged, feet not clipping out fast enough, and ended up toppling off and tumbling, leaving my bike standing.  Rolling again balance was all off, and I struggled up the rest, cleaning waay more than I'd expect, given those conditions.  Up to top of Mt Pleasant, couldn't see Nelson so assumed he'd ridden around the building to the top and over, but once I was up there I could see him down at the top of the trail...  I bopped down to where he was and he was gone, oh, there he is, up towards the trig.  

Dropped into the top of Mt Pleasant descent, biffing and boffing down, stalled and nearly otb'd on that 2nd corner, but survived and rolled on, struggling in the stoppiness of the rocks, and then getting my groove back in the grooves lower down.  Down above the ruins and hauling ass across the OG (original greenwood) entrance to the road again.  Up around to the car I suggested we leave and drive back for.  

Down Britten (V-twin) and across the front, then exploring all the techy rock features down the left hand side, eventually dropping down and entering ("i didnt see the any no bikes sign") Kenton track, for a fun, tech, speedy bash.  Excellent cleaning of the trickery, eventuating at the bottom of the steps up to Rockview Pl.  From here, Belleview, Mt Pleasant and Soleares to Nelson's.  He put his bike away and I chucked mine on the back of my car and ran him back up to his.

Good vibes, 13 and a half kms, with 420 m climbed (+ an extra 300 m descended).

Thursday Night Pleasant Castle Britten Kent

Worked from home so got to Nelson's early and we rode up the hill by daylight!  Very cool breeze from the south that we came into as we climbed.  Brrrr...  from his place, up Santa Maria, Assisi and Drayton, Belleview and Hornbrook up to Upper, into Britten and climbing climbing climbing.  Feeling like I've been fighting something, turns out was probably just the usual July/August hayfever.  Trails in good nick.  Across top of Britten and up Broadleaf, just the usual grind.  

Dropping into the singletrack towards the Gondola.  GREASY as fuck.  Damp dirt, turning rocks slick, and my tyres were too pumped - we were both pinging all over the place on the rocks, and the ruts were not helpful either, not to mention I only had my headlight, no handlebar light, so visibility not great.  And to top it all off, the light was wobbling/shaking everywhere for the whole ride.  Slowly got into a better groove once the straighter bits turned up towards the end, albeit shortlived.  Into Cavendish Saddle and up onto the Crater Rim under the back of the Gondola building it was, as to be expected, southfacing slope, even more greasy, rocks like ice. 

The steps blop, blop, blop down had greasy tops but weren't quite as bad as I'd expected.  One of the routes we used to use was almost impossible to find and a lot rockier than memory served, but we made the top of Bridle eventually and it was time to climb.

Into Castle Rock track, some speed ensued and it was a generally good run.  A couple of expected wet spots, but in good nick mostly.  Into the climb and Nelson had a very good run up it, me, not so much, but not terrible.  I was feeling unexpectedly good, powerwise, most of the ride.  Out onto the road, and around under the gondola, stopped to watch some interesting fog rolling over parts of the city.  Climbed up through cutting and dropped into the Britten across and around the front - different in the dark, we got to the end of the 'round the front' fast.  

Time for descent, again, wary of the grease and ruttage, bombing, trying to keep pace with Nelson but under-lit.  Across the front and we found the second half of that to be difficult to find, then found a massively stupid popper gap jump being built mid slope.  Stupid kids.  Down from here and down into the pylon finish, over the stile and into Kenton Track for a techy, grease-fest.  Cleaned a lot less than I did when I rode this in May - darkness and greasiness getting the better of me.  Nearly at the end, I spotted a gate on the right.  So, up through this, and out onto Rockview without having to carry up all those steps!  From here, down the Major, Belleview, Pleasant, Drayton, etc back to base

Chilly 16.3 kms and a pleasantly surprising 665 m climbed.

Sunday Trails Along the Summit to get the car

Bandi-Gig last night at Greg's on Bridle Path Rd and neither T nor me could drive home so we left the Leaf there -  and I rode from home today to collect.  

On the Rocky, I headed up through Vic, taking Worm to the Traverse.  Not bad run round here, bit of a head wind, pulling over a few times to let people through and having the same courtesy applied to me a coupla times.  Onto Vernon, good descent, fast in places, leaping through the usual Rapaki-top and hoofing it up into Witch, clamber clamber.  Bit of a breather at the highpoint then down to the Summit Rd and a-cruising up it to Castle Rock for a very fun blast down, railing, weaving, wending.  Clamber clamber it's up bits, back onto Summit for the roll round under the Gondola and climbing climbing up to the cutting and straight into Britten.  Around the front - dont often do it this way, was alright, then bombing down the socalled VeeTwin blasting and railing, across the front to the down track - missing one section of the across the front track cos it's seemingly been unused and I couldn't see where it went, down, connecting back onto the main across track and descending rock section under the pylons to the bottom.  Over the stile and onto the technical Kenton ("walking") track - fun times had, popping over most tech issues, but dab-scooting through a couple too.  At the steps at the end I headed down, bike on rear wheel then riding a little, dab-scoot or pushing through the techest of the tech and descending all the switchbacks and steps down the Heathcote Quarry track. Great technical ending, and finishing directly where I'd parked the car.

Close to 16 kms of sweet (mostly) off-road goodness, with 574 m escalated and a coupla hundy metres bonusly descended. 

Thursday Night Convoluted Topspin

Great wee ride tonight with Nelson, staying up high and looping about Mt Pleasant.   We'd figured ridgelines would be best given the amount of rain we'd had a couple days ago...

Parked on Parkridge and headed the usual byways entering Britten at the gate on Upper Major and singletracking up from there.  Zig and zag then at the top we hit the road and coasted down to hit the OG (Original Greenwood) entrance, peeling left into Sheepshit Alley for a nice cruisy descent.  This always has more upwardsness than I feel it did (considering the climb it is the other way), but a nice blast down and took the 'Moab' line towards the end.  

At the bottom we hung a right and cruised up the farm track, noticing for the first time a bulldozed fence line being put in.  Continued onwards all the way to the gun emplacements.  Bit of a tootle around here then rode and explored the closed Bluffs track to the point we couldnt.  Turned back and bombed down to the OG line across, me leading and juuust making it through all the tech bits.  

On the road again and back up to Britten for 'around the front' and then across the road at the cutting and up over the fence and up the very overgrown long grassed (especially for this time of year) zig and zag climbing all the way to the top of Pleasant.  Very pleasant to get to the top for a bit of a rest and snack.  

Dropped in, me in the lead, and pinging all over the place but enjoying the rocks and the down.  Carved our way through the tussocks and then out to then end.  Down the farmtrack briefly then dropping into what Trailforks calls Titus (Previously the Greenline/Greensticks/Swoopy).  Hero dirt stylez down here, carving back and forth with great gusto and grip.  Fun times.  Then climbing (what Trailforks calls) Knapsack but I call Sheepshit Alley back to the top for the final stretch along this road.  

Dropping into Britten, Nelson took off like a rocket.  I was not far behind but wasn't quite as gungho.  Good across the front then he missed a turn and I took the lead for the drop down, then we explored out to check out the rocks.  Back on track we bombed down the steep section (that freaked me out last time I took the Troll down it) and over the stile to hit down Kenton Track, this time all the way.  It was mint.  He led the first bit but took the high line (towards where I exited last time) and I went low, leading the last section.  Some awesome tech in there.  Finally, up the steps, pushing up alongside houses then out on to Rockview, and up Major Hornbrook to the cars.

A very pleasant 13.8 kms with 520m climbed.

Wednesday Night Loner

Good hoon out tonight.  Headed up around Belleview and up Major Hornbrook to the end, through the park to the bottom of Britten.  Rode up under the pylons, steep getting the better of me walking a couple of the worst tech or steep.  Riding up across the reserve finding a sheeptrack on a better angle, to the mtb track then climbing up around the front and along to the Cutting exit.  Over the fence and back and forth and up and round up to the aerials at top of Pleasant.  All before needing any lights on.  6.30 or so at the top.

Into the descent, light on - just the headlamp tonight.  Good blitz down the rocky bits then weaving down through the tussocks, not quite as fast as usual, lambs scattering out of the way.  Spotted a horse rider over in the gloom near the gun emplacements, and as I rode down the 4wd bit passed a farmer looking bloke with a couple of dogs.  Around and down to the main drag, bomb bomb bomb.  Pretty good, not as fast as daytime, but still some good paces.  A little bit of slop across the flatter face towards Gloomy, but then all dry in there.  A big slip had crossed just after here, but the track had been repaired, then it was into the droppy rocky pop and weave down over the drop and around into Dave's zigs big corners.  Around into the gully, and the slip that's always been there has expanded, and been repaired.  Dry now.  Fast blast down the last and then a slow back and forth to the road.

Up the road, long drag, but kept a good pace, and peeled into the Sheepshit Alley, climbing, back on road, up to Britten and in.  Fast, around then off the corner across the hill following, just, the line all the way down then onto the main and under the pylon, much faster than on the Troll the other day, suspension doing what it's meant to.  Over the stile and down Kenton track, new, tech, rocky, and nicely edged, with massive exposure off the left, lights picking up rock then black black void.  Definitely want to explore this further as I peeled right and found myself just at top of Major Hornbrook.  So bombed down here, two stretches then into Belleview and round to home base. 

Supreme 15.43 km and 635 m escalated.

Sunday Morning Troll Rolling

Out and up on the Troll again. Up past Longridge and then up the wee zig zag (pushing) to Ridgeview, over where the bathtub used to be and rode up thru Britten from here.  Trail officially open again, apparently since last Sunday (so Karen last week was only one day out).  Hit the Summit and boffed off down and into OG Greenwood entrance, hanging a quick left into Knapsack aka Sheepshit Alley.  Nice roll down this, steel frame softening the rough and lack of tire grip entertaining.  Couple of mtbguys hanging chatting here, said my gudday and straight over the stile by the pines and back up the road.  Bumped into the boys (Wazza, Andy and Wayno (on a new YT)) just above the Greenwood entrance and had a good chat with them on the roadside.   

Parted our ways and I stood and pumped up up and around, staying on the Summit, to the Cutting singletrack entrance to Britten.  Good blast around here, tech rocks ridden carefully, around the front then bombing down 'Vee Twin' down all the way, taking the lower trail across (not from the first hairpin), across over and down the techy rocks below the pylons.  Never notice how rough it is down there on the Pipeline...  certainly do on the Troll.  From here, I bombed down the walking track to Major Hornbrook, all the way down and into the park, taking the fun techy line I took the other week, out the bottom onto Canon Hill Crescent.  Fast as hell blast down this, really picking up speed below Gum Tree Grove, rolling out onto Bridle Path Rd, and treadling up this to Greg's place, pushing up into the Heathcote Quarry Reserve steps.  

Pushed up the steps, had a wee look down towards the Quarry, but continued back up the main track, taking turns wheelying on back wheel or pushing it by my side.  Picked it up and carried one section then pushed a bit more.  Had another look up another trail, being built recently, but back to bike and on up the main trail, climbing, big time, carrying the last few hundred metres, then up the stairs, and exiting at Rockview Place.  Onto Major Hornbrook, Belleview and down to 'home'.

An enjoyable, but tough, 12.8 kms, with 540 m climbed.

three days of christmas...

so. Sunday the 23rd, met boys at dot com 9.15. Derek and his friend John had biked out making the group pete steve matt wayne tony me and them. good bunch. up capt thomas, and at evans the others decided they needed to just go out godley, whereas derek john and me wanted more, so we spun up the road to top of greenwood and bombed down that. lots of fun. then out godley. missed the first rock up, but cleaned the second. good spin all the way out to end, tail wind back to breeze, then down anaconda and up over down nicholson. 

 boxing day, rainy wet mucky, we were going to G G's for lunch, so i biked across town, up rapaki, which was extremely soggy and power sapping, then left round the summit, first section good, castlerock section awesome, but the hail and wind were mildly off putting. then up road to John Britten reserve, hoofed down it to top of mt pleasant , found Kenton's track round western side of the houses to the stepped trail down to heathcote quarry, i popped up the last steps up to major hornbrook and down through park and down cannon hill cres... 

 cold and wet yesterday, dinner at my folks, so i biked across and up the new oldschool bowenvale, cleaning all of it except the one steep rock bit and the few steep steps just after the fence. then all the switchback 4wd section in one go no stops... then round summit to vic, down through gums, all the way to road, down road, up to slide down next to dog walk areas, to bottom of them, then through the lower of them into the pine trail down round on my favourite secret track onto longhurst... then haul up the road to my folks.