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 his 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 Gilded Gloaming (predominantly) Singletrack

Good night out for a ride this evening. Drove to Nelson's and then in his car we drove up to Upper Major Hornbrook to find a bit of an easterly blowing, but once riding it wasn't too cool. 

Rode up through Britten, me leading and, as usual, pushing harder because not wanting to hold him up.  Took a new sidle onto the 'round the front' track from just before the top, all the way around and out the "Cutting" exit.  Across the road and over the fence and up the overgrown grass (I rode the other day) to the main track, this time turning right and dropping, ball-bearingly, down to the stile and then down through Cavendish Saddle, climbing up the Crater Rim for a start, then hanging a right through the wee gate onto the old zig zag climb up to the Gondola building.  Checked out the view then down around behind the building and up to the left-hander for the dropping down steps and steps and rocks and good flows.  Tricknical down, taking the main trail (due to the old line down to the fence being overgrown now) and nearly losing my front end on one bit.  Through the top of Bridle Path and we stayed on the crater rim trail climbing up around above Whakaraupo track and then up to the top above the Castle and then dropped down below the Tors for yet more techy goodness - very hard to see the trail in the gloom of sun ahead, shade below the long grass and tussocks - "where are the rocks!?".  Nelson had a close call down near the bottom, tipping somehow off, but saving himself well. 

Back up the road to Castle, into the single-track at inordinate speed, flowing smooth, railing and bombing, slowly reeling Nelson in, but also wanting to stay back a bit to avoid the dust he was raising.  Around the hairpins and into the climb, started well but I started to really lose steam on the last of the climb, while he just blazed on ahead, disappearing from my sight and waiting for me on the road.  

Onto the road, around under the Gondola and into the wind, that seemed to get stronger the closer we got to the gate.  Then it was howling through the Cutting, and we dropped into Britten, I was feeling my way on the singletrack cos tussocks were overgrowing.  Nelson picked the high line and we went up over (below Broadleaf) rather than around the front, then onto Vee Twin as usual for the bomb down, peeling off the usual corner and across the front.  Once across we explored sheeplines, some interesting connections here, and ended up above the last dropdown to pylon and exited the park at Longridge, climbing back up to the car via Clearview and Ridgeview.   

Unquestionable 11.79 kms and peculiarly only 487 m shimmied

Coincidentally, Andy, Wahayno and Wazzah had parked near us and were riding Greenwood at approximately the same time.

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.

Wednesday Night Off the Beaten

Bit of a hoon about the tops tonight.  Nelson came over to 'mine' and we headed up around Belleview, Major Horny through the Ridge/Views to Upper and into Britten.  Trail pretty dry for the climb, so we stayed on it around the front and through to the cutting.  Over the fence and clambered up where I clambered the other week, this time turning right and bombing down to the stile where we stopped for a short break while he scoffed a bit of kai.  From here, down to the Saddle and up the back onto the 360/Crater rim behind the Gondola.  Amazingly, Nelson cleaned all of the climbing and all of the steep bits we'd never cleaned before.  I didn't.  A little greasy on the shady side of the hill, but not too bad.  

Down the steppy bits into the rocky zones, picking our way with usual aplomb across the top to the Bridle top.  Up the road from here towards Castle, peeling up onto the Crater Rim again at the next saddle, turning back down across and then climbing towards Lyttelton around the top.  Nice view down into the harbour.  A fun descent down the singletrack, narrow, flax and broom and cleaning all the techy rocky bits several of which used to be too steep, but somehow no longer are.  

Onto the road again and around under the Gondola, climbing back up to Britten to go around the front but dropping down the main front fast descent, eventually peeling left for the fun rocky bomb down under the pylons and out.  From here, fast sealed descent down Hornbrook to Belleview again.

Irrefutable 12 kms with 526 m upwardly.

Sunday A Circumnavigation of Sorts, the Pleasant Tor-Pirates

Great ride today with Nelsie and Pete.  We met at Ferrymead bridge (Nelsie and me in our cars, Pete having ridden from home).  Reminding me of the PFMTBC days, we headed up St Andrews Hill, right on Marama then continuation up Canon Hill Crescent to the park, up through this (the steep way) then on Major Hornbrook up through to Long/Clear/Ridge/-views, over the fence where the bath used to be, and on up through the cute wee lambs on Britten.  Pete not been on the bike a lot in the last 6 weeks, neither had Nelson really either (still a whippet tho)... 

Around the front of Britten at the top and over the fence for the short climb up onto the descent of Mt Pleasant track down to Cavendish Saddle.  From here, up the steep walk track for a start (old lower zigs overgrown), cutting right, through the tightly sprung gate onto the old zig zags, more of them than I ever remembered, up the back of Mt Cavendish and over through behind the Gondola building.  Onto the steppy track, I took the lead, and we bomboed down, then took all the lines through over, cleaning all but a couple of spots, to the Bridle-top.  Through here and straight up the road.

At Castle we schluffed up onto the Tors track and took a short break - snack, feast on the view, and to allow a couple of runners through on their track.  Off again, I led the way, and we headed across and down through the good tech - dabbing the usual(s).  Across onto the walk-track-above-the-road, enjoying it's flowy tech around til we got to the gap in the fence to climb up to the top of the Pirate Duncan track.  

Picking our way over the top, was bloody hard to see where the line used to go.  Obvs not many people are using it of recent times.  The worn-in track near the fence seems to have seen some use, but the tech offshoot lines not at all.  Nice run down the easier bits, then we diverted up to do the wooden feature which Nelson dropped, I detoured around and Pete baulked up on.  Down then sidle up onto ridge and fun tech rock Alex' stylez.  Very enjoyable.  Lower down, into the grassy bits, really hard to work out where the lines were, found a couple features we used to drop down but no way to piece them together.  Over the fence into the trees, a well trod line down through the right hand top across then down into jumpszone.

Out the bottom, down next to the horsey paddocks, mud, then split from Pete around through Heathcote under the railway down past Ferrymead, brief play in new pumpzone and back down BridlePathRd to bridge and cars.

A rather interesting classic style, up around and down - 16.36 kms, with 713 m elevated.     

Thursday Night Lights Foggy Delights

Caught up to Nelson as we were both driving up Mt Pleasant Rd. Parked on Parkridge. Fog was building on the top of Mt Pleasant, half way down Britten (whereas the rest of the hills were clear, d'oh)  

Got riding up the tarmac and in through the Upper Major Hornbrook entrance into Britten, good climb up here, into the fog, amazing light as the sun was setting as we rode, glowing through the fog behind the Macrocarpas as we cruised around the front.  Dusty.  Across the road and up over the fence above the cutting, dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, getting confused by trails here, but taking the non-zigzag Crater Rim trail (that i rode last time i was up here) behind the Gondola.  Down the steps, blop blop blop blop, then rocky tech fun down and along fencelines etc to the top of the Bridle Path top.  

Up the Crater Rim walk track, climbing til we couldn't anymore, then walking a bit, then riding like being drunk through lack of light induced loss of balance.  Light finally failing when we stopped for a break at the peak.  Fog had followed us to here, making it super moody.  

Lights on, low (to save battery I didn't know how much of I'd have), and down the poppity steppy rocks, baulking on one, but rolling the rest nicely...  Into the climb, I think I made about the same progress as Tuesday, heigh-wise, meanwhile Nelson clambered right up to the corner...  Rolling again, trying to use minimal light, and thereby failing a bunch, finally lighting up good and rolling down around and up to the entrance from Castle.  Into the Tors descent, fun times, dabbing a couple extra times to Tuesday, Nelson blasting out ahead.  Definitely bonier than the past.  

Up the road and into Castle Rock.  Excellent blast down this, not quite as raily as Tuesday but not far off.  Climb was slower but smoother.  Out onto the road, no lights for a while, just basking in the glow of the city, but under the Gondola we started seeing things and so lit the scene for the rest of the way to avoid riding off the cliff.  Through into Cavendish Saddle, and up the trail towards Mt Pleasant, dropping down to the road where we'd come up earlier.  

Around original line of Britten staying below the road, then into the descending blast.  Dust and fog, left at the hairpin across the face and dropping funtimes down down rocky tech at the bottom and out to the cars...  

Good spin, 12kms, worthy 455m climbed

Let it be noted here that I had not a single night ride in 2020 (due to my back).  This was the first since September 2019

Wednesday Night Squiggly a f

All about the tops tonight.  Parked up top of Major Hornbrook, below the usual Parkridge park, riding up through the park then up Clearview, Ridgeview and Upper Major to the non-bathtub entrance to Britten.

Around and up the singletrack, first of many climbs for the night.  Around the front and across to the cutting, then up onto the single, hanging a right and dropping down to Cavendish Saddle.  Climbed up something I'd never been on before, but it says bikes are allowed now, so gave it a look.  Too steep, so some walking, til the higher gate, and then it's quite good.  Around under the Gondola building, slightly lower than usual, with nice views out to the harbour, then into the usual steppy rocky descent down.  Took a couple of different lines this time, which bogged me up a bit, but got to the Bridle Path eventually.

Across, and up the walking track, climbing climbing, cleaning to further than usual.  Walked a bit, rode a bit, walked some more, before finally riding nicely to the ridge.  Around and fun fast descent, feeling pretty good on the bike.  into the climb, and climbing higher than the past, but still having to walk a bit Nelson's cleaned several times, up around and then right through the Tors track, dropping down and having a blast.  Same dab as last time, and then back up the road to Castle.  As I rode up here I could see a guy carrying his bike along the Castle Rock ridge.  Back and forth he went, checking his phone whenever he came back.  Then I saw the drone.  So, he's making some fake-arse footage of him epic'ly carrying his bike across the ridge???  Fake news!

Dropped into Castle and blasted.  Absolutely blazed it.  Smooth, flowy, awesome.  Around and up, climb feeling good last drop to road and around.  Nice cruise under the gondola and up.  Back into Cavendish Saddle and climbing up the back of Mt Pleasant.  Cleaning all and still feeling good, all the way to the top.  Did some yoga stretches here, pigeon for both legs, and some spinal twists...

Droppin' in, through the gate, over the stile, and flying, southerly wind pushing me a long down through the tussocks, line nice and clear, fast, raily.  Excellent bomb.  Taking it a little easy to the end, not really pedalling, then dropping down to Greenwood middle entrance here.  Short rest, ate the rest of my OSM and then hit Greenwood down.  Again, smooth and flowy, fast and furious.  Blasted down, lower back not getting sore at all.  Didnt even need a rest after Gloomy, just bombed on through, dropping down the rocks and flowing through the rest of the jumps and berms, all the way down.

Onto the road and climbing, long slog.  Getting a bit warm, delayered on the way up here.  At the pines, thought I wouldn't be a mountainbiker if I didn't get onto the trail, so over the stile and climbing.  Then short road, fill up bottle, and into the Britten.

Flying down through sheep and then across the front, same as last time.  Checked out further over onto some rocks.  Definitely scope for lines to wend down to the trail from there, but turned back up onto the regular final drops and rocketted down through this, over the fence, and on down to the car, nice big jump just before the road.

Convoluted ups and downs of a 20 kms, with 900m climbed - similar scale to last week.  A lot for a weeknight.

Tuesday Pre-Trust Meet Cavendish Castle Pleasant Feat.

Quite intense Yoga session at work today, made me think I might not have much left for riding.  Headed up and parked on Parkridge.  Rode up to the Upper Major Hornbrook entrance of Britten and took myself for a bit of a tootle.

Up through Britten, dry as dry can be.  Around the front, and out the 'cutting' cattlestop, across the road, over the fence and up the singletrack to what's usually the climber to the aerials.  Hung a right and bombed it down to Cavendish Saddle, then attempted to navigate the overgrown switchback trail up the back of this.  Ended up walking the bike on it's back wheel up to the gate.  Rode most of the rest up the back and then through under the eaves of the Gondola Building.  Steppy descent to rocky descent, picking my way down and across to the Bridle Top, then off up the road.

Castle Rock, into the sweet sweet singletrack, flowing beautifully, weaving good speed into the whole shebang.  I think the yoga earlier had cored me up nicely.  Climb was quick and powerful, across and down the last onto the Bridle-top again.  Around the road this time, climbing around under the Gondola and up to the Saddle again, then back onto the singletrack and climbing up the back of Mt Pleasant.  Still heaps of power, balance, control.  Clambering well, and right to the top for this rather gloomy (it wasnt!) view. 

Awesome bomb down from the top.  Pumped good flowy speed out of the it all, then sidled around across above the ruins, and straight into the Greenline or whatever it's called.  Nice flow around this and climbing to the pines, then up Sheepshit Alley, still feeling good.  Topped up water at the tap and headed into Britten for a fast bomb down and across.  Found another new line off the hairpin, taking me waaay further across the reserve than last time, staying higher before dropping down and finding may way onto the original rocky fast descent under the pylon. 

Back at car dead on 7.  Phoned ahead for a meal, picked it up and went to my meeting.

An excellent 14.16 kms, with 621 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Solo - Britten Cavendish Tors Castle Pleasant

As per the title... On my own. In the dark. Really wasn't sure where to ride, but Nelson was out due to sickness from flu shot, and I'd had a massage from 4 til 5 (not necessarily the best idea, but only spot I could get), and I'd hit Buynow on a Surly Dirt Wizard on Tardme in the morning and finally got the email to collect in Moncks Spur Rd, so that decided me where to ride.  Parked on Stoneyridge.

Up through Britten with an empty water-bladder onboard heading for the tap at the top.  Spotted some lights heading up above me and so chasing i caught them at the top.  Went to tap to fill, but to no avail, i'd left the lid in the car!  Drank a couple cups and rode on, back into Britten and around the front, then across the road, over the fence, and up the trail.  Hung a right and bombed it down to the stile, this section way shorter than i remembered it.  Down through Cavendish Saddle and climbed up the horrid overgrown steep zigazag, to the top.  Under the Gondola building and time for some down.

Nice bomb down here, slightly greasy under tread on the steps due to dew and due-south aspect.  Good going over the rocks, and found my way into the fence/trap-line trail easier than ever before.  Humped over the rocks and down to Bridle-top.  Headed up the walking track from here, all the while thinking "nah, rather be riding this the other way," so once in the broom, over the first rocky bits I turned around and bombed back down, onto the road, and up for Castletop.  At the top, I climbed up onto the Tors track and had a wee rest.  Noticed here the lightning popping beyond the mountains.

Awesome descent down the Tors, cruising the flatter section, and fanging the steep tech.  Onto the road and back up to Castletop, and straight into a grunty descent.  Good speed, good flow, good climb, and out.  Quite a few people assembled up here, some sort of event - Rogaine, I guess?  I continued on around the road, lots of wind along here, under the Gondola and up to Cavendish again, into the trail and climbing up Mt Pleasant for a well earned rest at the top.

Into the down, excellent flow, still, down here, bomb bomb, whooah, nearly lost it on that rut, but onwards down bombing through and around.  Above the trees (above the ruins) there was a guy with a camera on a tripod - "Hello" and on down into the swoopy zigzags across, flowing good above Jollies Bush and noticing my light getting a bit wobbly.

At the pines, into the climb and, huh, that's loose as.  Stopped and repaired light.  Was fiddly and took much longer than you'd have thought, but got there in the end, and continued climbing up to Greenwood entrance, onto the road, up, grabbed a drink, and back into Britten for a zpeedy descent.  Fun times.

A handy 17 kms with a smidge under 700 m climbed.

Saturday McBritten CavenTors Duncan

Nelson worked til 3, and I had some errands, dropping O off at a party and his wheel off to Josh.  Also stopped into Josh's shop to get some MarshGuardness and have a yarn.  Met Nelson at Ferrymead Park, and we treadled around to McCormack's bay, heading up the valley in the heat.  Thought I was gonna suffer the dreaded heat stroke again at that rate.  But, managed to stay on top of it, drinking heaps of water throughout the climb.  Walked a couple of the stretches in the upper switchbacks, heat just taking it all out of me.  Up the road, and up the walking track in the gully, spitting us out up to climb over the fence by the bath water trough.  Up onto the main Britten track and climbing, into fog.  Rushing fog.  This cooled a bit, but also because it was so damned humid it kinda didn't too...

Finally I made it to the top, and we headed around the front, all the way in the fog.  Then around to the end of the original and across the road over the fence into Mt Pleasant reserve, breaking out into the sun, climbing then dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, for to climb up the sketchy switchbacks up the back of the Gondola.  These are obviously not seeing a lot of tires over them.  Nice long rest taking in the views at the top, with quite a few people around from the Gondola.  Then, back on the bikes and down the steps towards the Bridle Path.  Bomb bomb bomb and for the first time I found a good line into one of the bits near the fence we've always struggled with getting into.  Across the ridge and finally to the Bridle.

Into the climbing walking track up the ridge from here, me cleaning more than I've ever cleaned before.  Pushing a bit up through the broom then riding heaps, and around the top and fun descent down to the saddle, then the push up and then ride around towards the Castle Rock ridge for a quick rest before the best descent down below the Tors.  Love that descent, especially the super tech towards the bottom. 

Onto the singletrack above the road, cruising through this around to the end, then a new way, over the fence and up the farm track to the top, quite steep, and over the fence and finding out line through the tussocks to the rocky top, then into the descent.  Fun trail, descendy and descendier, steeper and steeperer, techy and techier, all the way down to the pylon, then around into the forest and dropping down through the massive jumps then out past the horsies and onto the road, heading around under the motorway and up Heathcote Valley around and down towards Ferrymead and across the park back to the cars.

On to Twisted hop for some chips and a well earned beer.  Yum

Similar size and distance to other recent rides...  18.5kms, with 716m climbed.

Tuesday Night Overgrowth and New Places

Countdown pick-up and down Ferry to the mead. Parked in the park and rode around to McCormack's whereupon we trundled up the hay-feverish asthma-inducing hill - me walking more than usual but then getting all but one of the upper switchbacks. Up the roads into steep under-the-pylons Britten.Up top, long grass overgrown round the top front trail; long grass up to our ballbearings.  Not much better once we were below the road with hidden rocks jumping out to catch us multiple times.  Up, across the road over the fence and quick zig to zag up to the Mt Pleasant trail, flying down this over the stile and across Cavendish Saddle, to climb the zigs and zags up the back of the Gondola building.

The signs up here now say that Mtnbikes are allowed on this section of the 360 trail, including the stretch down back to the Major Hornbrook track and Cavendish Saddle...  Anyway, down the steppy bits and on down the rocks cranking and clushing through to the Bridle Path.  From here, climbing up the walking track (Crater Rim / 360), up, up and around, brief jumpy-off-rocky descent and into a grovelly climb up towards the ridge above the Castle Rock.  Bit of a break here out of the (blasting) (b)easterly, and then into the fun descent below the Tors, cleaning the techy descent rock bits near the bottom, but not the poppy-over bits, which required small dabbages of foot on rock.

Down on the saddle, horrible wind powering through, and just before the walking track above the road starts, we jumped over the gate and headed up the ridge up a cattle track for the top, eventually pushing through the tussocks to a high point of rocks, where I found 'the track'.  Started off, a nicely scratched singletrack heading off down to the right side of the ridge, progressively exploring more and more interesting droppy features over natural rock.  This is Port Hills mountain biking at it's best.  Sketchy, techy, steep and interesting. Down then to the left of a rocky knob, with Nelson checking out a super sketchy wooden feature up on the right.  On down, a little further finding the trail to the right which took us down more techy drops, and on down the ridge.  Super long descent, at surprisingly low speeds, arses over back wheels.  Nelson rode most of the super techy stuff, while usually I found ways around.  Eventually, we got to the bottom, a big pylon, and fences and gates.

Proceeded over these, and followed a singletrack around towards the block of pine forest on the right, in which we found an insane number of trails and jumps, yuge jumps.  Down we meandered finally cruising out along the bottom edge of Mary Duncan Park, onto Port Hills Rd, under the motorway, then Martindales, Trustcott and through the park to the car.

18 kms, 710 climbed...

Thursday night Greasy Scramble

Had to pick up H from school so Nelson came to mine after work.  We had a small dinner (that I'd cooked) with the family then headed out, parking up Mt Pleasant in scudding mist, on Parkridge Pl.  Wind was fair howling through, and quite cold to start with, fast moving clouds providing a spectacular view of the full moon, clouds speeding past it in the foreground.  Up into Britten we trundled, via the 'new' track under the singing-pylon and across, me getting a good dose of asthma and having to walk a bit on the steepest parts there at the start.  Up around, trail not quite greasy, but certainly not dry - but no soggy wet areas like last time.  Headwind near the top, but stopped to have a puff of the inhaler in the shelter of the rocky outcrop just shy of the top, then on we went in the fog.

Down around to the Greenwood entrance, and then onto the new trail below this.  Cool little blast down this, tho I had one close call.  Quite wet grass all around, and foggy, but not too bad.  Next into the trail from the big pines up to the ruins, back to Greenwood, sidling and climbing zig zags up, fog getting slowly thicker, then up the 4wd, barely 6ft visibility, commenting on how lost you'd get if you didn't know where you were going.  Up the trail to Mt Pleasant, just before the rocky sections started we rode out of the fog, leaving it behind.  Sketchy as greasy rocks climbing up here, dabbing and walking several sections through sheer lack of grip, and the wind didn't help along the exposed ridge either.  Finally at the stile, fog miles behind, tried out the new sidle across to the road gate, instead of climbing all the way to the top.

Across into the descent, I was feeling sketchy, so took it pretty easy down here.  Got some flow, but not fast.  Down and around to Cavendish Saddle, then climbing again, up the back of the Gondola, ziggy zaggy, struggling for grip and air.  Peaked here and I tightened up the new cleats on my new Shimano shoes (which are fantastically warm (and goretex water'proof')).  Then off down the slippery slope.  Wooden steps greasy, but fully rideable, and some interesting moments lower down on the less than predictable rocks.  Bit of dabbing through our 'rideable' detour around the worst stepped and rocked area, then on through to the Bridle Path top, and straight into the walking track climb,with lots of walking up through the tight broom and greasy track.  My right foot seemed to struggle to clip in up this stretch, making me think my cleat had come loose or was in the wrong position.  Over the top and fun descent, jumping off the rock steps, and then through the saddle and up towards the tors, bit more walking, then finally, Nelson miles ahead, I actually looked at the pedal I was struggling with, and found it had come loose.  Rode down to top of Castle Rock and proceeded to try to fix it - to no avail (the spring was pushing it out - ie, needed a clamp or vice or something to hold it).

Off down Castle Rock track, taking it pretty easy due to the greasy rocks, but I was surprised how dry it all was otherwise.  I was going slow and carefully the whole way - not feeling confident in my lighting view, but Nelson had a really good run.  I noticed on the climb how bony it's all become, and then it was off around the road.  Tail wind assist under the gondola, then around and up, headwind in Cavendish, tail wind up through the cutting and onto Britten, wind chasing us around here.  Around below Broadleaf, and Nelson bollocked himself in a small off, I arrived to find him painfully nursing his privates on the ground.

Off again, final descent, excellent speed and I finally felt like my light was set right, so I was smooth and fast, keeping tight on Nelson's tail.  Around and back and around and under the singing pylons across the slow, and down through the fun rocky steep descent under the last pylon and back to the car.

All up, 15.6 kms, and 575 metres climbed - 1 hour 20's riding...

Thursday Night loopy loopy convolutey

Nelson picked me up from mine and we headed east not really knowing where we might go - considering Lyttelton or Mt Pleasant localities.  Low easterly cloud (that had drizzled earlier in the day) was scudding across the hills, and for some reason we headed up into it, parking up on Parkridge Place.  Some sun to the west but also fast moving dampness ploughing in from the east, we headed up the new track I'd come down when riding with the boys (that they'd missed) back in November.  Quite a crunty wee climb, with even Nelson having to get off and walk a little, then across the face of the park and onto the old well trodden path up.  We held a good pace up here, ensconced in the fast moving fog, grass and tussocks rather damp, and Nelson only dropped me a couple hundy metres from the top.  Around the 'long' way across the top of Britten with the tail wind pushing Nelson off the trail as we rounded the top of the ridge, I took the lead from here through to where the climbers park their cars.

Across the road and up the Mt Pleasant access climb, but turning right and bombing down the steep single to the stile and over and down and into the ziggy zaggy climb to the Gondola building.  Sunglasses had to come off as they were steaming up big time.  Grunt grunt and clamber, up we went, the fog chasing us, and spectacularly swirling out over the bridle path.  At the gondola building we headed down the Crater Rim steppy section towards the Bridle Path top, with the fog starting to burn off and the sun shining through.  Good bomb down here, seemed bonier than usual, and we struggled to find a good way onto our sidling-around-the-munty-bits track (that hugs the fenceline just above the road).

At the Bridle-top we headed up the Crater Rim / 360 degree track that we've come down a couple times now, and found it quite good most of the way.  Further up than we remembered coming down, but got up through the overgrowing broom and steps.  We took a break on the way up and watched some loony riders climbing the Bridle Path, doing well.  Around the ridge top and downhill began back towards the Tors and CastleRock, nice flow down here with fun rocks to jump off.  Then across a light saddle and climbing again, up around to above the Castle Rock, final fun little descent down to there.  Sat and snacked and watched the loony climbers climbing up Castle Rock track, all three of them cleaning it to the top.  Chatted with them a bit, they'd come around from Gov's Bay, and were the builders of the steep singletrack over there, the reknowned "Governors Bay crew"...  They took off and a guy that'd chuffed up the road dropped into the trail ahead of us so we gave him some space and then Nelson led the way in.  I mumbled my way through the first descent and rocks, but once around the bend I started to flow, and quickly reeled Nelson in gaining on his tail before the first hairpin.  Around this and chasing again til the climb when I started to drop back again - just not enough oomph up the hills.  Easy roll out to the road and he was really huffing as we started our way along the Summit Rd under the gondola.

Around the bend just after the gondola the winds funneling through here nearly had us stopped.  SO strong.  Battled our way up around and into the singletrack at Cavendish Saddle, climbing up the steep mother and onwards up to Mt Pleasant, fog now but a memory, just damp tussocks and a little bit of dirt to show for it.  Straight into the descent from the top of Pleasant, fanging down through the rocks and over the stile.  From here, looking down on the Greenwood entrance, I spotted a new ribbon of singletrack coming up the hill to that entrance, filing it for later...  then onwards down, awesome blast down the singletrack, weaving through the tussocks and out to the 4wd track.  Into the Greenwood, but only to the first jump, where we peeled off to the left and onto the new trail I'd discovered last time up (the other week).  Great wee weavy trail, ducking and diving across the slope towards the big Richmond Hill pines, we had a very hurried and urgent time.  Out to the gate and 4wd, and found the entrance to the new climbing track (back up to original Greenwood entrance) that I'd spotted from above.  This was a great wee climber, zigging when it needed to, and looking quite established and like it's been there a while.  How we'd ever missed in the past I don't know.  It's even got gravel in places that would have been wheelbarrowed in.  Made our way up (and would be a fun down too) to the original Greenwood entrance and onto the road, climbing back up this short stretch to Britten.

Bombed into Britten, me tight on Nelson's tail the whole way, til the sun came piercing into our left eyes as we rounded down to the corner...  This sun made most of the rest of the trail quite tricky, but we found the left hander easily enough onto the new stretch of trail and absolutely flew across the slope and down the new techy bits back to the car.

A hard won 16kms with over 600m climbed, nearly all minty singletrack.

Monday night Brit Cavendish Castle Green Pleasantries

Nelson picked me up from home after work and we headed for the Upper Major Hornbrook, parking down the end by Ridgeview.  As we were getting ready, the sun slipped behind the mountains, a minute before 6, so we had a bit of light for the climb.  Over the fence next to the bathtub and up the singletrack, climbing and wheezing, me lagging behind for a while.  Nelson lubed his chain at the turnaround and we headed around the 'new' trail out around the ridge, enjoying the post sunset lightshow.  Around to the road, across, and over the fence.  Climbed to the singletrack and hung a right for a change dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, careful on the last bit before the stile.  Over this and lights on here, down then into a greasy (to start with) climb for the gondola, zigging and zagging upwards to the top, climbing getting better as I progressed.

Brief stop behind the Gondola building, snack, view of flat-calm harbour, then off down, not quite knowing what to expect slipperynesswise.  Not so bad, down steps, and then over some rocks, and one horridly mucky bit then the usual rocky descending.  Worked out the way into the 'good' line along the fence (on the right - instead of over the left side with the hairpin and tight bits), and then a little further down Nelson was stopped and grabbed a baby rabbit...  We held it a bit then let it go, and headed across the top and over to the Bridle Path. 

Up the road, plod plod plod, and into Castle Rock.  Not much muck about, a couple small wet bits up top and one or two further down, but mostly pretty good.  I took it very easy, quite relaxed, just cruised on down around across around, cleaned the climb nicely, and cruised over the last bits.

Back up the road and before the top - up through the tussocks onto the Crater Rim track, and back towards Lyttelton (which we'd explored back in June).  Good round here, climbing all the climby bits, up steps etc.  Nelson stalling at one point and toppling off.  All I saw was him 'running' down the hill below the track, and tumbling.  He garked his shin and knees quite well on a rock and had to sit there for a bit to get through the pain.  Then, off round the ridge and above Lyttelton, cruising down the steppy, not so slippery, and better than remembered, trail down to a final bomb towards the Bridle Path.

Next up, around the road under the Gondola back to Cavendish Saddle, and up the singletrack grind to the top of Pleasant.  Nice break up here, no wind around at all, and off down the trail, much better than last week in the wind, but splecky mucky disgustingness on the section overlooking Lyttelton near the top.  Not so bad down through the tussocks.  Way betterer without the wind.

Brief pause above the ruins, where I said "I'm not sure I can be bothered going down Greenwood," to which Nelson replied, "Well, I'm keen."  So I changed my mind and we did.  It wasn't too bad, except leading around to Gloomy Gulch, and then Gloomy Gulch itself...  Those bits were yucky, but not as bad as I've seen it in the past.  Drainage efforts really are doing the job.  Bit of a break just after Gloomy Gulch where I used to always top, and then off down the steeper rocky bits and nice flow ensuing.  At the new drop, Nelson did it.  I rolled up and looked at it, and no, you cannot 'roll' it...  I walked back up a bit, and Nelson came back up, and we rolled in again, and he dropped it and I chickened out, >buk buk<.  Onwards down, one corner in Dave's section was a muckfest, but the rest of the trail was all good.  Me taking it pretty easy the rest of the way down.

Onto the road and the climbing began again.  Always further than memory would have it, but I felt better than last week, and managed to keep the pace up all the way up.  Last blast down Britten started off easy and got more and more rapid as we flowed, and sketchy in places too, feeling both tires juuust giving way a few times. Last little section of singletrack down to the bathtub is quite sketchy, tight, and not very fast...

All up, 21kms, and 850m climbed...  didn't feel like that much, but it was...  nice.

Tuesday Night meanderisations

Rode from work to meet Nelson at Rufus's Back Alley bikeshop, and we cruised the busy roads eventually getting to Mt Pleasant and parking up top of Major Hornbrook.  The PFMTB-Crew were meeting at 6.30, and it was 6.07 as we hit the trail. I led off, leaving Nelson faffing with something, figuring I'd get a head start as he was gonna catch me anyway, but he wasn't feeling 100% on form so stayed back for quite a while, catching me at the loop at the top.  Off up the rocky bits on the original Britten around under Broadleaf and on to the cattlestop, sun well and truly set.  Over the road and fence and climbing up to the Mt Pleasant track, hanging a right and skidding down the gravelly chip to the stile and over and then into the Mt Cavendish climb.  I took the wrong line for a start but then found my way back onto the 2nd hairpin in behind Nelson.  Clamber clamber, through the gate then back and forth we went to the top and over around behind the Gondola building.  Straight into the downhill down the steps, boppity boppity bop, and then wandered around on the rocks til eventually we found the right lines down along the fenceline and then along the ridge and rocky trail to the top of the Bridle Path. 

Up the road, and at the top we could see the string of lights on Britten track that we knew were the boys.  I led the way off down Castle Rock, starting slowly and not putting much effort into slowly accelerating til reaching sensible speeds, feeling pretty smooth, but not overly fast.  Little bit quicker towards the first hairpin, but wondering why the hell I was so handlebar-light focussed, and realising my headlamp was only on low, whereas the handlebar one was on med...  Upped the headlight and much better hurtled towards the 2nd hairpin, around, and down, then Nelson caught me in the climb up and around then good flow down to the end.

Along the road, around under the Gondola at a good pace, now 'chasing' the boys.  I didn't think we'd catch them at all, figuring by the time we were on top of Mt Pleasant they'd be on the road heading around ready to climb Broadleaf, so I didn't push too hard.  From Cavendish Saddle, up the steep bastard climb around then up the nice face onto the gravel road.  Through the gate and I could see lights down on the trail below, and Nelson hadn't hung around at the top so straight down the shorter cut and muppetted over the stile and then fanged it, definitely chasing now, able to see a few lights on the trail below.  Flew down through the tussocks to the end of this section and we caught up with everyone - Pete, Steve, Wazza, Andy (on his newly built-up Keewee) and Robin - all in good form as usual. 

Got going down and around the top section of Greenwood towards the road.  I stayed tight on Nelson's tail, had a few whoopsies but managed to keep it under control, eventually rolling out onto the road, regrouping and then riding up to Britten again.  Into the singletrack, and a wee ways around I decided to dive off down the lower track.  Nelson followed, but none of the others.  It was sweet, really flowy and smooth, losing altitude nicely, keeping speed, around below the rocky knoll of the hill, then an easy climb back around to the rest of the singletrack.  The boys were just over the gate heading for Broadleaf as we climbed back up to them, over the gate and were with them before the first corner of Broadleaf.  Up the gravel and here we made a choice.  Nelson and me were feeling like we needed a bigger ride, and the boys all headed off down towards Cavendish to finish.  So, said our goodbyes, and headed up the top and off down again.

Better run down here this time, blazing through the tussock sections, tho still missing a couple of corners.  Brief rest and then into Greenwood, half choking on Nelson's dust.  I had a pretty good run, kept him in sight for a good while, but he was like a rocketship, slowly gapping me.  Into gloopygulch and could see some lights below, but before too long realised they were stopped, climbing.  Nelson wasn't that far away as I descended towards them, and they were well off the track as I flowed past.  Round the bends and eventually through the cattlestop and Nelson was already on the final blast towards the rocky-ups.  I was a bit slow round here and my usual fast section I was really shit, realising at one point i was nearly stopped!  Picked it up a bit, juuust dabbed through the first rock, and then blasted through the rest of it.  As I rolled to a stop at the final stile I turned off my light, had a stretch, then went to turn it on and it was dead - perfect timing!

Up the road, at a pretty good pace, climbing hard for a long time.  I had to slow a couple of times, but we pushed it, figuring it was the last blast and just bashing it out.  Felt like forever to make it up the road, but finally got to Britten and handlebar lights only I had some interesting moments, with the trail vanishing behind tussocks several times.

All up, over 22 kms, and over 800 m climbed.  Bloody good.

Tuesday night Pleasantries.

Picked up as usual from work and we cruised Moorhouse and Ferry, up St Andrews and parked up top of Upper Major Hornbrook.  The boys were meeting up here at 6.30, giving us about an hour ahead of them.

Pushed off at 5.25 and hoofed it up the Britten Reserve, around the top then back along the road and up Broadleaf.  Into the descent down to Cavendish Saddle, then up the trail towards the gondola.  5.50pm as we went through the new(ish) gate here, then on up and over, both taking different routes lower down.  6pm at the Bridle Path, then the climb up the road to top of Castle Rock.

Sun had just come under the nor'west arch, and was shining through before it set.  Awesome light.  Into Castle descent, Nelson first, speedy speedy, no flats this time.  Good pace down and around, him dropping me on the climb over and then off round the road under the Gondola.  Climbing around and then into the Mt Pleasant singletrack up to the very top.

6.30 here, so rang Steve to see where they were, just starting out.  Lights on, we set off, intending on meeting them top of Britten, but Nelson suddenly noticed the top cap on his fork was missing!  He was splattered in oil, his bike was too, and we followed the oil trail back up the track to not far from the start and he found the offending piece.  No idea how it fits in there, wouldn't screw in or anything, so electrical tape to hold it in place.  Txtd Steve to say we were gonna bail.  Off we set again, bombing on down the descent, down into the Greenwood entrance, using it as an exit.  Thought we saw the boy's lights at the top of Britten from around here, but maybe not.

Decided to keep riding, so headed up the road and around past the bottom of Broadleaf and then at the cattlestop grabbed a new climbing trail just weed-killed into the hill (that I'd noticed the other end of earlier), and headed up this, first txting Steve that we were chasing.  Up the singletrack, again, and found the boys at the top.  Off in a strange order, but was good.  Steve first, then Wazza and me, then Wayne and Nelson and Robin.  Better bomb down here this time for me, following Wazza with his light leading me and also it fresh in my mind from previously.  Nelson led the way around the Greenwood exit then up the road again around, and back up Broadleaf.

Climb climb climb then descend descend descend.  Wazza got the better of me on one corner but I got him back on the next.  Fanged down around the hill, in the dark this time was trickier and couldn't see the undulations in the trail quite as well as before.  Flying down the last final bad-traction descent, through the little shortcut and wham! lights out for me...  Couldn't see a thing, and had to scrub off speed without knowing what I was riding over or whether I was even on the trail...  Managed to stop without incident before the stile and followed Nelson's light down the hill and onto the road.  Up the road through the cutting, and at the start to Britten, Wayne kindly lent me his light, on the handlebar.

Good spin round Britten and up over then down the main drag, troublesome seeing for me, light never seemed to be pointing in the right direction.  Finally back at the cars,8pm or so  Quick pint at the Twisted, and then home.

21 kms, with 690m altitude played with, all in an hour forty of riding time.

Thursday sunset night time ramble.

Nelson picked me up from out front of work, as has become our custom, and off to the top of Mt Pleasant, Upper Major Hornbroke to be precise. Cold easterly blasting through here, made getting changed rather UNpleasant.  Off up Britten we treadled, cold wind pushing us about a bit, and trying to get into our bones, but by the top we were warmed up enough that it wasn't such a bother anymore.  Around below the road, nice sunset lowering the sky, photographers seemingly everywhere.  Onto the road and backtracking to Broadleaf Lane, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains just before we headed up here (which would make it 6pm on the dot).  Considered cutting across to the singletrack just past the gates, but then decided just to climb on up and get it all in.  Still light enough not to need the lights, down to Cavendish Saddle and then up the trail to the Gondola.  Biting wind across the top, we headed down around the front of the Gondola building, through the new gate and onto the No Bikes (is that a new No Bikes sign, or was it always there...  it used to be there, eh?).  Seats down and down the steps, bompity bompity bompity, manualing the last couple and it was starting to get harder and harder to see, but still no lights really necessary - better on the west facing side of the ridge, line sussing, then across the top and down to top of the Bridle Path.

Hit the road here and it was getting darker, but good moon out and still no need for lights on the road.  Sat down for a 1 square at the top of Castle Rock.  Nelson led off down this, lights on, and I slowly reeled him in as we jaunted around the hill towards the first hairpin.  Once I was on his tail I pulled up and adjusted my handlebar light (which was shining up the hill) then got going again.  Around the first hairpin and I could see Nelson had had a moment on the rocky section between corners, and so caught him a little, then round the next hairpin and down then into the climb, him dropping me rapidly.  Clamber clamber and over and down and back to the road.  Moonlight nice and bright on the road, off around back around under the Gondola and into the wind up to Cavendish Saddle, then clambering up the singletrack to Mt Pleasant, me lagging behind.  Up to the towers and into it.  Me taking the lead momentarily when Nelson stopped to unlock his fork, but relinquishing it again at the stile.  Greasy rocks and wind blown tussocks were the order of the descent, trickiness making for a bit of muppetry.  A couple of times I completely blew corners in the tussocks cos I just couldn't see where the track was going!  Final bomb down to above the ruins was okay and we had a breather on the connecting farmtrack.

Into Greenwood, down through the ruins and I had the strange sensation of finding myself riding through clouds of dust, even tho the ground around the trail was damp.  Past the ruins and that first rocky section blew Nelson out of his pedal, squashing is dick on his seat, and nearly crashing.  Caught up to him and off we went again him getting away and me slowly gaining speed.  Seems a hell of a lot more boney all the way down here now.  Winter has removed a heap of dirt, exposing the rocks more and more.  Mostly good run for me and Nelson was on fire.  Round through Gloomy Gulch was greasy as, so care was taken.  I took a wee break at my wee break spot and Nelson was miles ahead.  Got going again and couldn't see his light anywhere ahead.  Down where it flattens off he was waiting, having just had a gnarly near miss.  Off again and this time really fanging down through Dangerous Dave's corners and pumping round into the wee valley, then the last blast down to the rocky ups, Nelson cleaning and me choosing too low a gear, one dab, and the the final swoops down and around above Evan's Pass Rd, where loose gravel on the inside of the corner gave me the shits by drifting both wheels  in a way that had me puckering.  Rolled it out and just about shaking rolled down to the stile.

Onto the road and a steady pace all the way up up up up up around and up, seemingly forever til finally back to John Britten and off down, good blast back to the car.  Txtd Wazza here and he rang back, they were just up top of Mt Pleasant, about to head down Greenwood and the Captain.  Loosely arranged to meet at the Twisted Hop, where we went and had beer and food.  Wazza txtd about when we thought they'd be there saying they'd had a flat and were just leaving Sumner and wouldn't make it to the pub.

Gale force Tuesday Pleasant Green Castle

Nice early departure from work to beat the traffic and make my TFC meeting 7.30 deadline, Nelson collected me from outside work not long after 4.30 and we got across town and up to Upper Major Hornbrook around 5.  Looked at my watch part way up John Britten Reserve and it was 5.15, I was wheezing and Nelson was gaining ground on me, but it wasn't long and the top was got and around into the blustery nor'wester we treadled.  Off-pushing to say the least, whenever we were on a crest facing the wind, which was most of the ride, we were in it's powerful grip, being pushed and bolshed and steered awry.  Around Britten and onto the road, fast descent then up the Cavendish zig-zags, with a fucking fence and gate smacked in the middle of them... That's going to kill the buzz on the descent, not that anyone probably does that now that the road's open.  Visibility decreasing.   My gears were playing up, throughout the ride, with anything in the middle range being self-shifty, never quite able to stay in the gear I wanted...but seemingly okay in low gears or high.  Over the top, and lights on.  I led down the walking track steps and steeps and the wind pushed us about and we got lower down the ridge.  The odd dab due to windage.  Snack break at the top of Bridle Path, and then up the road, nearly blown to standstills on the final approach to the top.

Into Castle, wind behind once or twice, but mostly beside and pushing.  Nelson was forced off the track a few times due to the bladed spokes.  I had trouble, but otherwise a pretty good run.  The climb was wind-assisted making my gear trouble less of an issue.  Onto the road and around, side wind, head wind, tail wind, mega headwind under the gondola, then no wind, then extreme tail wind pushing us up through the gate and through the cattle stop onto the singletrack.  Granny climb, with buffetting and then around the corner and pussssshhhhheddd up the corners to the top.  And pusshheed up through the gate and the towers on Mt Pleasant howling.  6.15 here.  Plenty of time.

I led the way down, on account of Nelson being pushed around so much with his lightweight bike and lightweight body, and the bladed spokes of course.  Me; heavy bike, heavy bones and good-living weight allowing gravity to do it's thing against the pissant gale.  Good run down through the tussocks and then around and fighting the wind down to Greenwood.  Into this and pushed about a fair bit with, again, tail winds, side winds and head winds, seemingly coming from all directions as we descended.  Sometimes Nelson would be on my tail, sometimes not.  Mostly good run down and no stops, just blazing.  Down through the fence and a hundred biker lights riding up the Captain below us.  Massive long string of them.  Bombed it on down and onto the road.  Hit the climb, I managed to get a gear I liked that didn't shift itself out of itself and just ground that up the hill. Nelson sometimes dropped me but then would slow up a bit and let me catch up and then drop me again.  Only one vehicle passed us going up.  Seemed to take a while, wind not too affecting on most of the climb and then we hit Britten and bombed on down, getting to the car at 7.

Thai Talay, Pahd Thai for me, Red Curry for him, and off to TFC to scoff it down all in time for the 7.30 meeting.  Perfect.

early Sunday morning along the tops.

Solo for me this morning.  The crew were all meeting at Steve's at 9, but cos my boys had been away all week, SWMBO thought I should do some family time, plus we put a bit of effort into the garden this weekend, so she had me lined up for that too...  So, left home at about 7.40 and ripped across town, beautiful day, and up Ramahana, Aotea and on up, making the top of the tarseal about 8.  Then up the gravel, kept a close eye on the magpies hanging out up near the pylons.  They didn't buzz me, thankfully.  And on up good pace rolling along and up.  Mostly runners around, not that many other bikers at all.  Onto Vernon and a nice wee blast down here.  With the perfect weather and no wind (the Opawa Gib factory steam plume was totally vertical - a rare sight), the roll down here was sweet, sound of tires scratching gravel chip.  Took the old line with the couple switchbacks, and bombed down the lower half, to the audience of a few riders assembled at the top of Rapaki - where I didn't stop and just rolled straight into Witch Hill and cleaned it all up, catching a runner half way round and then bombing onwards.

Up the road to Castle Rock and stopped here for a wee rest, then spotted a rider coming up, just on the first hairpin, so figured I'd wait for him.  In the mean time eating a soft-dried banana and sorting out my sounds.  He rolled past and I rolled in.  Awesome blaze down here, the Spot soaking it all up nicely, and it's been cleaned up a little, just tidied in places, which makes it flow really nicely.  It's still pretty boney, but not as bad as the recent past.  Down, round and up and over, then down again to the Bridle Path roughly 9 oclock here.  No stopping, straight across the 'car'park (no cars up here for a while now!) and straight into the trail for the Gondola building.  I noticed there's a "Mtnbikers Give Way to Walkers" sign at the start now, which makes it all nicely official.  Walked the first couple of rocks, then rode heaps i've stepped over before.  Walked a bit in that kinda switchback bit, then rode a bunch, then walked the long steps upwards.

Back on the bike and up the trail round the back of the building and then over and down the switchbacks to the saddle and straight into the climb up.  Over stile and grunting up the steep, then cruising round and catching a woman runner up near where I crashed due to a spaniard once, all the while in here listening to Trinity Roots song Home Land and Sea, the chorus of which was epicly playing as I crested the top and there was my Home, the Land and the Sea, sun reflecting off it's calm surface.  All very moving...  On up to the top of Mt Pleasant and another wee rest, now Lou Reed came on singing what a Perfect Day it was, which it was, and I thought I was glad I was spending it with my bike, and how my bike kept "me hanging on, you just keep me hanging on" as I rode down the rocky section to the stile and over and downwards.  This trail, I think, is best at this time of day, with the light perfectly picking up the trail and the bends and tussocks.  Awesome blast down here, smooth as, then round and down towards Greenwood, nearly losing it from checking over my shoulder for some reason...  Onto the upper section of Greenwood for a bit of a climb and round and up and down and down to the road.

Steady pace up here, with no sign of the others as I was looking across at the top of Britten, expecting them anytime due to the timing.  Onto the singletrack and down down down, good speed and flow, arriving at the gate and spotting a few riders below.  Recognised, one, then more, and figured time for a break and a snack and a chat...  So, they all rolled on up in 2 groups of 3: Wazza, Mark and Marie, Wayno, Andy, and Tony, then tailenders Steve and Pete.  Brief chat and off I went downwards leaving them about 9.55, down the wee valley connecting to the road, then blaaast down the road and into MacCormacks.  Rather overgrown, but trail in mostly good nick.  Awesome float down this trail too, cleaning it all except the top steps, and brake-free down the final straight, flying, then onto the road and up for the slog home.  At Ferrymead I ducked into Charlesworth Reserve behind Mitre10 and rode the trail through here then along next to the Humphrey's Drive canal, then Linwood the rest of the way.  Home well before 10.30.

All in all a good ride, rode well, lots of good trails, and a fair bit of distance for the old fitness.

Thursday's Pleasant Jaunt.

Good ride tonight with lots of ups and downs.  Pick up outside work then trafficking to Sumner, couple short stops on the way, and up to Evans Pass wherefore to park.  Pretty much dead on 6 as we treadled our ways up the road (me stopping for a ventolin blast cos I knew I'd be wheezing up a storm within minutes) and into the cloud, moody scenes or total engulfment from about Jollies Bush Reserve on up.  Wet road from cloud drip under the pines, and then from every other tree we met, especially later on Britten Reserve and up also Broadleaf.  Anyway, up round the road and onto the Britten singletrack all the way, stopping for a couple of unsuccessful shots of the sunset over the Alps beyond Sugarloaf through swirling cloud.  Onto the road and down through the cutting, then a change of mind, turning around, back along the road and up Broadleaf, wherein my breathing got the better of my legs.  Up the gravel and we hung a right onto the singletrack, lights on, cloud ripping across the top here, but dissipating soon beyond.  Off down the trail, balance wonky and a few tussocks blocking the view, possibly related.  Good bomb, though, down the last bit, me tight on Nelson's tail, watching as he briefly left the trail before the tweaky corner.

Over the stile and down then into the climb for the Gondola building.  I was gasping within seconds, dabbed off, got restarted and managed to clamber up the rest, with each hairpin becoming progressively easier.  Peaked out, rolled around and back to the shelter of some flaxes where we had some kai.  Then into the descent, wind tearing across the slope, blasting every second hairpin as we battled our way down.  Through the saddle and up the walking track entrance to the climb, steeep into steep, over the stile and on up steeply (for me) grinding away as Nelson gapped ahead.  I reeled him in briefly but then over the top and up to the gate he dropped me again.  Regroup at the top of Pleasant and then off down, quite dark now and cloud all lifted away.  A blast of wind grappled with Nelson's bike as he went over the stepladder fence crossing before we blazed on down, me tight on his tail watching his rear tire pinging off every second rock.  Into the tussocks and the trail flowed better than ever before.  Down to Greenwood and on at it, good pace all the way, sheepshit starting to impinge on the track, and ewes and their lambs getting out of our way through the ruins.

Great run down Greenwood, upper rocky sections are pretty bony now, but the whole run around the hill before Gloomy Gulch was tail wind flight mode.  Very nice.  Through gloomy and clamber clamber to a rest near the regular rest spot, stretching of the back and relaxing of the forearms.  From here down was sweet.  Roosted and boosted, down then round and back and forth and round some more, into the gully and down for the final run, through the two rocky ups cleaning both very well, and swooping down the last to the stile.  Back a bit sore at the bottom, but not as bad as the old days.

Down the road and into Godley, Nelson in the lead. I gasped my way up the start and then watched as he cleaned the rocky climb.  So, into the right gear and I knuckled in, took a line I'd never meandered onto before and cleaned it through.  Onwards and half way between that feature and the next tricky bit had to stop for a breather, lungs running at full bore.  Got my breath and cleaned the rest of it out, gasping still.  The rest of the early rock sections were hard work but fun and once again Nelson gapped me on the climb  Rode all the way round to the 'airstrip' then turned back, tail wind and mostly downhill, for an awesome blast back to Evans Pass.  Superb run, 5.Spot eating up the rocks, and on the gnarly rocky section towards the end I took the line we climb on for a change, which certain was different.  Back to the car about 8 where Nelson realised he'd locked all his keys inside!  Wandered around and both eventually found some wire, all to no avail.  Some helpful other bikers, a couple, rolled through, no help tho, but suggested AA. Call made, "$195 to join." No thanks...  bit more google searching and a call made to 0800LOCKEDOUT and he turned up about 9, and had us in the car within a minute.  Money for jam.

Delicious Taj for dinner consumed at mine.