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.

Thursday Night Across the Crest, Poached and not

Sweet ride tonight.  Nelson was still at work at 5.20, and therefore bailed, so I was out on my own.  Fog was rolling over Huntsbury as I was getting ready and had ploughed into our place as I left home, making me think it was cooler than it was.  Rode up the trail (not road) and it was wafting overhead, and then I got above it just after the Dog Park.  Peeled off onto my over 19th route, down through skidder, and hit the climb, getting super super warm climbing, and so at Thomsons entrance I stopped, sat, and peeled down a bit.  That let me settle down a bit too.

Got going again, feeling fresher, around the Traverse, pushing ever pushing, the city a pool of fog and me riding towards the sunshine.  Rather nice up here.  Met one or two oncomers, giving me short rests, and got to Huntsbury-top no problem.  DH mode on, dropped in, bombing with an audience of riders up the maindrag, jumps performed nicely, then down and out the landing strip section, rolling up to the edge of the fog, a wall, seemingly full of voices (wafting up from the maindrag just over the ridge).  I turned and rode back up towards the sunshine, staying ahead of the talking group and catching another dude by the top.  

At the road I turned right, and headed up onto Scotts Knob, over the "no-bikes" stile, and up into the forest, nice section of trail this.  Amazing sunset shining through the trees, just before the trail got interesting for the bomb down to the next saddle.  Very brief jaunt on the road then up onto the next climb, steeper and a few unrideable (upwards) steps or rocks (but eminently more rideable than it used to be).  Once up in the trees tho there's only one rock corner I couldn't manage.  Then the descent was awesome, rocks, roots, tech good bombo down down.  Another very brief spell on the road (near the pond) and up onto the next section, and into fog!  Getting darker too.  Good climb on this trail, lovely surface, one mega-tech rock, then over, lost in fog, took a left without realising it and into Mitchells Track, not realising it was what it was.  Some fun techy, and greasy rocks and dirt, lovely bush, good smells.  I could barely see anything so lights on and fog made for tricky vision.  Got to a fence/gap, and I knew this trail gets super techy beyond this, and it wasn't going in the direction I wanted (I'd initially thought I was on the upper trail, and would skirt round the front of Sugarloaf), so I turned back, less rideable in this direction, and popped out at the carpark.

Across the road for the last section of Traverse, nice cruise, then before the trees, dropped down through the fence and into the entry of Pedalfine/Cowabunga and Old(?)Nats DH (or upper fenceline if you stay hard right).  Looked down Cowabunga but decided on Pedalfine, finding sweet steep tech.  bomb and drop, drop and bomb, then whoooah!, wtf is that!?  Super steep rocky section straight down with a dropover at the bottom.  Obviously a good run out, so couldn't be too bad.  Backed up a bit, rolled in again and baulked, again.  Decided to walk it, which proved difficult.  Then I heard someone behind me, so dropped into the next section and found a rather intimidating looking drop over, stopped and he rolled through below me.  

    "Good to see someone who knows this trail - It's my first time down here," I said.  

    "Yes, this line is somewhat easier," he replied.

I sidled over onto that line and proceeded to roll over a super tech rooty drop, with him watching, proving myself perfectly capable.  We stopped below here (on a sort of 4wdish track) and chatted a little, me quizzing him on where we actually were, and these gnarly lines, a couple of which dropped off down below us.  In the end he headed off down the '4wdish' track we were on, over a jump, and I followed a moment or three after, finding myself popping out at the entrance to Rad^Sick where Raceline crosses!  Huh, here!

Up the steep grunt 4wd, catching him near the steepest corner, then I decided to peel off down that bonus track (before Dazza's) I rode a couple weeks back.  Cleaned it all perfectly this time, nice!  Crossed the Rad^ bit and dropped over down through a section I'd never seen before, which ended up spitting me into Brent's zone, back and forth a couple times out here and I was somehow riding up into the valley, then down a non-track, sconing my helmetlight something wicked, and out to the top entrance of Bridges.  Turned upwards and grunted my way back up steep bastard 4wd trails ughhhh through Rad^zone and out to Skidder, sweating and breathing heavily.

Over onto my usual downhill (lower gummies?) and then below 19th onto trails below road, up onto Tawhairanui and through dog carpark into 235, peeling left on the new line, but finding it changed and weird, and through to unfinished bottom of it, then dragged bike through branches and folliage out to the soggy oaks, then through and all the way down the new line to Harry Ell and down it, down the last steps, Dyers Pass, past Takahe and up home.

Long post for 12 3/4rs kms, with 540m climbed.   

Monday Super-short Quick Single69

Commiserating the end of Lock Down (ish) with T by bunking off work (a little) and taking a nice walk in the afternoon.  

Then later, after chucking the 29r wheel on the front of the singlespeed BFe Cotic I got out and went for a quick short blat with Go-go on O's bike.  He struggles with asthma so was a wheeze'n'cough on the way up, but it was only to the dogparkcarpark to come back down all the not-so- and new singletrack.  Sweet wee blast.  Riding up the hill on the singlist was sweet, and the 29r front end sure felt nice.  

Looks enormous here! MOdeRn gEoMEtRy!

Geometry is better with that, but - next step is get a 180 disc (or two) and then I can run the 27.5+ wheel off T's bike in there and have some 'squish'.

Not even 2 kms, and 61 metres elevated.

Sunday Locals Climb Descend (climb, descend)

Crappy night's sleep, worrying about Legionaire's Disease, of all things, after gardening / compost on Saturday, also maybe hayfever.  Anyway, was after 11 by the time I made it out the door and up the hill.

Up Vic Park Drive as usual, steady pace, by-passing my '19th' detour staying on the road then up through the skidder and straight into the grunter climb.  Good pace up this too, muscle memory working well, keeping the puff and chuff at reasonable levels.  Up through the top and into Thomsons #1, (after waiting for a walking family).  Fun bomb down through here, then easy climb out, coast down road and bombed into the second, feeling the grip down through the trees and felling smooth.  

Down through the Kiwi ("huh, it's open," I thought) and up the Summit Rd, round up Worsleys and up to top of the Nun where I needed a rest.  Another (older) guy was here and we chatted a bit, then I launched off, enjoying the fang.  Boney, but bomby.  Felt good for most of the way, but always the rocky sections before the GromPark crossing wore me down.  Into the lowers, could hear either the guy or another dude on the trail above, so I kept the pressure on.  Into the lowest Gnarly section shortcut then the proper Lower nun, rolling and popping and bombing it nicely, eventually clambering out the end, and back through under the Kiwi.  

Up the road to top of Vic, dropped into the good flow, around for the jumps, 3 groms bombing through below me, following them over the jumps (they didn't do the 2nd one which I do now), the peeled over the see-saw and entered Brake Free, one of the groms having to bail up for me (I apologised), then peeled out to head down through the gums.  Over the rocks, into the trees, dropping down my usual fun way, bomba bomba bomba, exit through the gift-shop over to Skidder, climbing the middle road over through to about Shrooms, watching and listening to other bikers all bombing through these DH tracks in here, then riding back and dropping into, for the first time, Upper Rad^Sick, not really knowing where it would take me.  With a bit of practice I might pop most of these jumps, but took the nana lines on each, and ended up down on the 4WD track, climbed and dropped over to the right, into the track that's kinda parallel to Dazza's (but before it on the way up).  Nice steep tech, fun roots, drops you out at the Rad^Sick zone, so climbed back up Access tracks back to skidder, over Skidder into the tail out below the road to 19th.  

Below 19th, dropped into the old bike track, down round up onto our walking route, out to corner of road, and up to loos for a coast down the road.  Straight into 235, hooning through this, taking the new line to the left all the way down, loose!, then walking back up it cutting over to the main line, across the oaks, and into the new route here, following it across the walking track (H.Ell access) all the way to it's end out onto Harry Ell proper on Dyers Pass Rd.  Climbed a short steep (dragged my bike up) section to the Vic Park Drive, and bombed home.

A gratifying 11.57 kms, with 375 m altituded.

Wednesday Evening Solo-loco

Out on my own tonight.  From home, down first and round Longhurst to Harry Ell Drive, up this steep bastard climb, then up the dirt track to the bottom of the Dog Park, skirted, then up Vic Park Drive.  Up from Skidder, ugh, cleaned, and up to top of Vic Park to hit the Traverse.  

Lots of pulling over to let riders through on this, tho on one climb I wasnt budging and tosspot arrogant dipshit had to stop to let me through.  He should have stopped further back to let me through and was so obviously expecting me to just get out of his way.  fuck him.  Good blast around, feeling pretty good, but ready for a break when I got to the top of FourPause where there was a dude waiting.  

He insisted I go first, so I dropped in, and had an awesome blaze down.  A group of girls were walking up and timed it perfectly to see me jumping the second to last jump, perfect air and landing.  Swoop on down through the landingstrip and then on through the cattlestop.  Bit of a detour here looking for that Rocky Ridge track, but no go, got lost in the tussocks so I just got back on the main drag and kept on going.  Started seeing more and more small groups of people, Orienteerers again, this time they were starting from the top of Huntsbury Ave, so I had a big audience as I descended like a wildthing down, and witnesses to my jumping prowess.  haha.  At the bottom, I hung a left and meandered around and climbed the way Nelson and me did on Saturday.  Slightly different route once up under the pylons, then stayed on trail all the way up, ugh climbing to the top of Huntsbury for a short rest at the start of Traverse.

Back along the Traverse, still holding a good pace, enjoying.  Pulled over a couple of times to let people through, or not, and cruised around to Vic.

Dropped down over the fence and down the fenceline, around into Upper Fenceline, enjoying the steepness and flow, longer than my memory had it, around and back into the trees, swooping around and back, down, bypassing a couple of DH tracks, and dropping into Cool Runnings, which I'd not done in ages.  The entrance is smooth as now.  Bomb bomb, swoop swoop, around and down and around and around and down, not making any of the doubles properly (speed must be so high for them!) and out the bottom.  Then, it was a section of fucking horrible climbing, getting better til about Rad^Sick, then last steep grund and up to Skidder.

Down the road from here, taking it nice and easy coasting, and into the upper dog park carpark, dropping int, swoopy swoop fun times, jump and across, climb, road climb, and into the last blast down behind the houses, blasting to the finish.

A veritable 15 kms, and 540 m climbed.

Saturday Cracker Day

Nelson met at mine and we climbed up Amherst, through the empty section, up to the Dog Park Carpark and on up Vic Park Rd.  Past the Finish Line for the Port Hills Ultra.  Skidder, and up, me doing pretty good not blowing out, but huffing a lot.  

Top of Vic and around the Traverse, past the badly parked BMW that'd wrecked off the road I guess the night before and onwards.  Good run round here and into the Huntsbury DH, fourpause first, nearly landing on a couple of old ladies who'd taken it upon themselves to walk down the bike track.  Across the tussocks, through the new cattlestop and around rocky ridge and down, jumpity jumpsity jumps and swoop to the bottom.  Checked out a new climbing trail off on the west side of the ridge, lot of potential in here, bit of pushing up through tussocks, then continued our exploration on the westside up to the cattlestop and then on up Huntsbury, clambering out to the top.  

Across the road into Vernon, good blast down here, pulling up once for climbers, then straight into Witch Hill, one dab, good climbing.  Brief rest then onto the down to the road and up the road to Castle.  Port Hills Ultra signs everywhere.  Wicked blast down CAstle, me on his tail all the way, pushing hard, til the climb when he just powered away as I got bogged down in the rocks.  Still felt good tho, and climbed out, then we headed up the road.  

Stayed on the road, coasting fast (runners on the Tors track) til the little singletrack above the road, tech goodness around to Witch, and climbing this, brief breather, and on, blast down to Rapaki, and up the road from here.  

Onto the Traverse, good blast around, still plenty of power, but by the time we got to Vic was starting to feel it a bit.  Down over the jump, over the sea-sore, into Brake Free, water top up, then into Sesame.  I baulked the big jump, rolling over the left side of it but yumping the rest of everything til the gap, then taking a lefthand slowlane down to skidder.  Cruise down the road, and into the DogCarPark funtimes, swoopy swoopy down and across, picking too high a line but getting out and climbing up the short bit of road again, before blasting down behind the houses, and around home.

Grand total of 24kms, with a whopping 892m climbed

Thursday Evening, more Testing of the Limits

Met Nelson up thi hill at what will be our new house in a few weeks time, for another test run on my fitness for riding.  I've been riding to work every day this week so was already a little tired so wasnt expecting massive results, but was surprised with how it came to pass...  

We headed up through Vic Park me only remembering to turn on MMR in the approach to the Skidder Site above the 19th and Ranger Station... (all that altitude wasted!).  Up the grovelly K2 next to Sesame St, nearly getting the better of me but I chuffed on through it.   Nelson is at 'race weight' at the mo, just with a little less strength, so he hauled ass up the hill.  Up past Brake Free and on up to top of Vic.  Thomsons, 1 and 2, and then up the road heading for Marleys.  My ass was starting to get rather sore on this climb.  Slow up the last bit of road then big stretch and rest at the top before heading up the entrance to Nun... 
Into the descent.  Felt pretty good, but trying to get my head around holding my body differently to how I always did, and this affected traction, balance, weight distribution a lot.  Tricky getting used to all that.  Good blat down and we pulled out road for a break and to let some Park rubes down ahead.  Once they were clear we dropped in and I was amazed at how sore my forearms were getting.  Really sore by the bottom...  Got a lot of condition to get back.

Up road, drudgy climb and into top of Vic, down around, dropping through rock garden into Gummies, taking the old line (which gives way more bang for buck than the droppy swoop trail i did the other week) then out to Skidder Site and up top of 19th again, dropping over down and out next to the Ranger Base.  Around the road and into the top Dog Park carpark, finding the new-to-us trail in the bushes, which, super fun, swoops back and forth down into the oak forest above the 35 corner Harry Ell track.  Into a brief climb up to the lower Dog Park carpark and then the last blast down the back of the Amherst Pl houses.

So, if you add in the extra bits, about 10kms with 360 or so metres climbed. 

Sunday Morning Shorty and Jetty.

Headed across and parked up top end of Bowenvale Ave with Jet and O. We rode up the valley, Jet on the lead the whole way.  I delayered at Hidden Valley Link track, and we headed up that.  Nice new bridge at the bottom now, much easier than that pesky creek crossing was.  Let the dog off the lead once we were in here.  Good climb up.  Otis walked a couple of bits, cos his gear isn't low enough.  Got up to the fence and over, bit of a rest, then up under the pylon and up the 4wd zig zag track. Bloody steep.  We both walked a bunch, little bit of ride, then walk.  Up up up to the gate, then rode on up to the landing strip.  Here we headed down, onto the fun descender, back to the gate in no time flat.  Over this stile and down all the best lines, Otis managing everything with aplomb.  He rocks it, no trouble.  Jet was very happy, panting and running, big smile on his face.  Then down all the rocky bits and around the off cambers, and into the Old Skool, for a flowy bomb down this.  Awesome run, stopping a few times to see how O was going, and make sure Jet was still in pursuit.  Family fun!

Only 6.7 kms, and 323 m climbed, but they were mostly a pretty steep 323.

Sunday Midday Mid-level Loner

Before noon headed over and parked at my often spot on the river below Bowenvale Ave. Headed around Centaurus, passing by the Major, Whaka and the shops, to the Huntsbury Walkway and headed up this.  Managed to ride the whole of the first leg, getting pretty steep near the top.  Then it crosses a couple of driveways (at the end of a cul-de-sac) and climbs steeper still for the next couple bits, so walked all the first, and most of the second, finally riding out the top onto Huntsbury Ave just below Aotea.  On up the usual route at a nice cruise. At the top of the seal I got a txt from Paul (I'd invited him earlier) saying he wouldn't make it, and I checked in on my MMR. It said 22mins, 336 calories, 0.00 kms, and had me parked on Colombo St in Sydenham (wtf?), so I deleted it, restarted it, checked it was going, and continued to ride on up, under the pylons, wind humming in them, onto the singletrack, up the landing strip, turning back to look for the rest of the new trail, found the line, but it's pretty rudimentary, back onto the last of the landing strip and on up the gravel to the top.  Strong wind buffetting me around.

Up to top, tailwind on the short section of Traverse, and then dropped down the fun upper Huntsbury, jumping in the wind proving interesting, and then down the landing strip, hanging left into the new bit, scoping the line I'd scoped before, finding it easier with gravity on my side, then dropping down into the valley, over the stile, down all the fun stuff, and cleaning ALL of it for the first time (ie, not scooting through the two hard bits).  Down through the off camber corners, and then I hung a left around onto the Hidden Valley Link. 

Down the first couple switchbacks, and left onto the walking track section.  Forgot it climbed so much.  Across towards the Lavaflow, and down next to the steps into valley.  Climbed up into the gorge, up onto the traversing trail and around to where you normally come out of the trees below Brent's. Onto Flow, chasing a young grom (and catching up to him) and into Nu Bridges, but cutting left onto Old Bridges after a couple of corners, (has been years since I've ridden this bit) across to hospital corner and dropping, dropping, down. 

Back into Hidden Valley Link 'Bonus', bollocksing the creek, crossing, but climbing and cleaning the rest of it. Finally, a flowy bomb down Old Skool and back out to the car.

First bit was 22mins and 220 odd metres climbed to where I restarted the app, then 55mins, 10.7kms and another 300m...  so a total of 520 or so m climbed.

Sunday Arvo Jet Spin

Like a week or so ago, took Jet across to Bowenvale Ave and headed up Major Aitken again. Huntsbury up onto the singletrack, then up the landing strip and on up the gravel to the top.  Bit of a rest and a stretch here, then onto the Traverse to just through the first cattlestop, before the Lavaflow, and down the new fun ridge track, jumps fun, and then for the first time in ages, down the old skool entrance to Old Skool.  Further and faster than I remembered to the first gate, where another rider rocked up and it was Matt (Tom's brother).  We caught up chatted a bit and then I led off down the zig zags, looking at, but not exploring all the old singletrack shortcut lines (grass waaay too overgrown).  Jet was a bit slow down here, so needed to wait for him, so when we got down to the pylon I sent Matt off on his way.  Didn't see him again.

Good run down Old Skool.  It's running really fun at the moment, with all the new air and rearranged rocks.  Jet plodded along at a good pace behind and I'd stop at the odd corner for him to catch up.  I's pretty concerned for his over-heating, so I was giving him plenty of drinks from my camelback too.  Into the bottom of the valley and back down the road to the car.

Looks like stupid Map My Ride fucked up again.  Must struggle to get a good signal in Bowenvale Valley and then not kick in until up the hill, cos looks like it only found me at 179m altitude, roughly where it found me last time.  And also there's lots of jumps/steps - gps failures.  So according to it, 8.2 kms, and 235m gained, but considering it started me at 179m, i'm calling it more like 420m, and closer to 10kms.

Wednesday Windy Windy Ridge Ride

That's both pronunciations of windy...

A week out in the bush, walking 10-15 kms each day off-track through usually wet forest.  Nice to get out and ride again, and all that walking seemed to helped my stamina, or something.

After work last night, Nelsie picked me up usual Countdown Carpark and we headed and parked at top of Huntsbury, Headed up, and hung a left, over Vernon, through the clusterfuck that is Rapaki-top, around Witch Hill, onto the walking track above the road (they cant actually put No Bikes on that, cos it's in the Public Road Reserve...  Up to Castle Rock and a good run down this, me in the lead, then from Bridle Path top took the singletrack climb up around the knoll, then down to the saddle and up around to the Tors track.  Bombed down this and cleaned all the droppy bits but not the up-and-over bits, then back onto the walking track above the road, excellent cruise down this and back onto Witch Hill.  Tiresome climb, good bomb down.  Straight through Rapaki-top again, no stopping, and into the Vernon climb which hurt.  Then across Traverse and into the new descender down to Old Skool 4wd start, across landing strip, over fence, down jumpy Huntsbry and back to the car...

15 or so kms with 620 m of gain

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...

Quick Short Fat Wet Wednesday Jet Shorty

O and Jet and me headed up Mt Pleasant into the fog and driving mist to ride a little bit of trail. Parked up top of Mt Pleasant Rd, and headed down to Greenwood entrance, Jetty galloping alongside, til he came unstuck, or got stuck, in the cattlestop...  Greasy start to the trail, and we peeled off left onto the wee new one. Nice wee bomb down this, O had a small off, and if I got too far ahead I'd lose all sight of him, the fog was so thick, and wet - droplets building on eyelashes and clothes damper by the minute.  Down to the bottom the big pines next to the road dripping like crazy, and then we headed up the other one, sidling and climbing around and up to the ruins.  Stopped here and I explained what other options we had, and O decided we should go back the way we came, so, turned around, enjoying this trail back the other way, mostly down hill and quite flowy, then at the dripping pines, headed up the way we'd descended.  All the while, Jet having a lovely time and not hassling sheep whatsoever, not even showing any interest in them.  Good boy. Good climb back up, easier near the top, til the last couple of grunts, and we were back.  A couple of riders came through, with completely clean bikes - not for long.  Once on the road an posse of about 20 riders, male and female, came bombing out of the mist down the road and into the trail.  We headed for the car, and headed home.

A whopping 150m of altitude, in 5kms.

Tuesday pre-meeting blat.

New office, downtown now, so skedaddled and met Nelson in the Countdown carpark, Moorhouse. Limited time having to get all riding in before the 7.30 TFC meeting.  Traffic hell til we hit the hill, parking up same place as the other week on Parkridge off Longridge. Headed up the steep new single, both cleaning all of it this time (and gasping for air as a result). Around and up the usual Britten then around to and up Broadleaf Lane.

At the top we walked up to the Trig to have a look into the Harbour, seeing fires burning behind Governors Bay - not to mention all the smoke and choppers working.  Back on the bikes and heading down, the steep start here loose as and almost traction-free which threw me out a little but propelled Nelson pretty much off trail.  Battered our way around to the stile and over.  From here it was smooth flowy blazing.  I was tight on his tail all the way, weaving and grooving down and across through the tussocks.  Down the 4wd and into the original Greenwood entrance as if heading back up towards Mt Pleasant Rd, keeping a really good pace around here we turned onto the new trail we'd climbed last time, finding it to be quite a cool flowy wee descent.  Flew down this and into the other one we'd only descended before, finding it to be a really fun climb, with really not that much climbing, ending just up above the Ruins.

From here it was back up the Greenwood entrance, out to the road, up the road and into Britten, for the fang down here, me leading and keeping a good pace, railing around the bermy corners and then across the way we'd come up, flying down the steep descent and back to the car.  My watch said it was about 7.15, (but Nelson's car said 6.40something, which he thought was really slow), so we headed down and made it to TFC dead on 7.30... (nelson's car saying 6.56)... gates were locked and I was very confused, rang Steve to see what was up, and him saying it's only 7!...my watch had somehow wound itself ahead.  Oh well, gave Nelson and me time to get some food, making it back just in time for the meeting...

So, all up a short ride, but was intense and fun...  under 10kms, and only 320m gained.

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.

Tuesday night Captain GreenHeat Pleasant and back

Nelson picked me up from work in his big blue van and we went to Craig's place to pick him up.  He had a very flash new Commencal that he'd only built up the night before.  Nelson had forgotten his shoes (in his car) so grabbed some regular pedals off Craig.

Hot nor-west day, blustery winds and sunshine, we parked up in Sumnervale and headed up the Captain Thomas.  Craig took the lead and set a really pleasant pace that even I could keep up with, which meant the three of us stuck together all the way up.  He made various adjustments to the new bike as we proceeded.  Cleaned everything we'd normally clean and not those we don't.

At Evans we headed into Greenwood, the first 'new' 50m or so fricking steep, the rest a nice cruise.  This is a great climb, and with Craig setting the pace again I got ahead of Nelson cos he was struggling on rocks so much with not being clipped in.  We stopped for a break at the top of the steepest rocky section (just before Gloomy Gulch) and then got going again, cleaning most until some of the rocky bits up in the corners section.  As we approached the ruins I spotted a new trail over to the right.  I'd heard something of this but had looked for it in the past and not seen it, but there it was, so we headed on up to take it in.  Craig decided here that he was tired and wanted to go home so he headed onwards and Nelson and me headed down into the new trail  Sweet rolling flowing wee trail takes you across above that bush reserve below there and then across to the big trees on the Richmond Hill corner.  From here we headed back up the 4wd track, chatting to a bloke on a big Yeti most of the way.  We peeled right and he headed off down Greenwood.  Around to the road and met another guy here (on an interesting Banshee Paradox (29r Hardtail)) we chatted to for ages - watching roadies struggling on the newly sealed and chipped road, up which eventually we headed into Britten.

Around Britten the overgrowth making it perilous and once on the west side the wind and overgrown tussocks making for some even more bloody tricky riding.  Across the road and into the climb, tail wind helping here and all the way I was in the lead and feeling pretty good.  Clambered up to the top of Pleasant and sat down for a snack.  Up rolls another rider, older guy, but fit (on some crabon 29r HT), just climbed up from Greenwood and proceeds to chat away with us for a good while, laughing about how someone's been feeding the rocks something to make them grow bigger.  Talk about a friendly night out...

Into the descent.  Lee of the hill or tail winds, made for fantastic riding, quiet, just the sound of freewheel, tires scuffing dirt and rocks, and flowy.  Had a really awesome blast down, grip in corners was magic and blazed down through the tussocks to the 4wd.  Then down into Greenwood, again, fast, and in pretty good form.  Some stumbling in some rocky sections, Nelson would catch me up, then I'd drop him, only to have him catch up again, then drop him again.  Was a game of cat'n'mouse with him never quite getting me, being pinball pinged rock to rock and losing his footing.  Took a break where we'd breaked before and (stupidly) I let a little air out of my tires.  Off again, blazing down, Nelson dropped the drop (and finding it bigger than he remembered), and then down through Dave's corners, I was thinking my rear tire felt a little washy, but figured it was just grippy...  til through the fence, fssh fssh fssh...  damn!  Quick turn-around replacing the tube and putting plenty of air in, then checked my front axle and found it loose - another thing contributing to the washiness of earlier...  On down, steaming down to the first rocky up, wrong-geared, and then out the rest at speed.

Across the road and I gave Nelson the lead, and we blasted down the Captain.  There was a couple further ahead I'd spotted, but they were miles ahead.  Cleaned everything beautifully and at speed and then both wrong geared on the climby bit, then blasted out the rest, catching the woman of the couple as we entered the cabbage tree detour, (the guy was a little further down, but behind us when we got out of the detour), then fanged it down to the bottom, amped at 9pm.

1 hour 36 riding time, 600m climbed in 18.7kms

Saturday Worsley Jet Loner

Finally got out for a ride... A week in Fiordland, then family time all week.  Couldn't join Steve and others on their meander today, so got out a little later after dropping H off at a friend's.  Parked just above the hairpin on Worsleys Rd and headed up the singletrack next to the road.  Hung a right and having a look found that there is no longer an entrance to my old favourite, Utopia.  So, jumped into Farside for a quick blast down.  This is still fun, and less open ground so less overgrown than OneShotLucy (which I rode down later on).  Fun to the bottom and then back up the grinding climb, this time continuing on up on the grass beside the road and up the next bit of overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and then up the road proper, Jet loping along side me all the way.

Headed through the gate from the carpark and up the singletrack-doubletrack up into the relief of some shade in the trees.  Ground up the steeps and clambered onwards and upwards, noting all the exits from above as I climbed.  Up round and through Braille and up to the top to find a whole bunch of bikers resting, including a dog (and it's accompanying rider) Nelson and me saw another time right here.  I headed off down the newby that travels below the Worsley main-drag, bombing down and ticking off the entrances to the alternative routes down, choosing number 3 (or 4, depending), and blasting down it.  It's one of the shorter ones, spitting you out onto the 4wd climber in no time.

Back up the 4wd climbing track, and back up through Braille and there're all the riders again...  Jet talked to the other dog this time, and tried to have his way with her - dirty boy.  Back into the singletrack again and a sweet blast, all the way on the high line all the way to the end this time, finding some of the riders at the bottom again (weird).  I walked up the steep walking bit to the jumpy trail entrance and the blitzed down this, popping some of the jumps but not the big ones and not the fence gap, again.  Down through the lower section, more popping and weaving and out the bottom then up to Epitaph and riding down this to the carpark.

Jet got a nice drink (belonging to the other dog, methinks), from an icecream container that I kept refilling, and he had a wee rest here too.  Then I made him follow me down the road, not rocketship fast like usual, as I didn't wanna get too far ahead of him, then down the overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and down the roadside into the Farside zone, this time blitzing down OneShotLucy, all the way.  Man, it's overgrown now, moreso than the other week with Nelson.  Finally the last climby bits and back down to the car.  Hot and bothered, jetty panting happily but me a little worried about his heat.

Only 12.35 kms, and only 468 m climbed...  but they wuz steeeeep(ish)

Wednesday Evening Worsle None Guv

Usual pick-up from work with the usual traffic issues getting to where we were going.  Parked by the poplars next to the Adventure Park entrance, and we headed up the hill. Next to the road for the first steep, and up the singletrack beside the road higher up too.  Finally to the carpark and then on up the main drag, meandering out left of the trees overlooking the park again (like last time) climbing the singletrack to the watertank then on up, this all way more overgrown than last time.  Then over the fence and up the main rutted usual Worsley old skool track.  Nelson pulled ahead, chasing some other rider, and passing a walker, who I took ages to catch, dabbing out in lots of the technical stuff, til finally I passed her and kept on rolling.  Brief stop at the bottom of the Body Bag, deciding where to go, and choosing the same, heading on up, with me dying a slow death up here til eventually I had to walk. 

Over and up to the top of the nun, chatting to some folks up here before following them in. Not a bad run down here for me, with Nelson pulling over to add air to his rather soft rear-end, and so I flowed and popped and wound my way down.  Pulling out at the half way(ish) stop and watching as Nelson came down the hill.  

We crossed the road here and headed into the Governors Bay trail, down this, with a close call for me (nearly launching myself off the trail) and then around the hill and up the grunty climb, most of which Nelson cleaned (seemingly effortlessly), while I cleaned heaps, but just blew up towards the end, dying on the final steep bit that I'm sure wasn't there last time.  

From here we headed up onto the Crater Rim walkeway above the road, walking the first few rocks then riding the rest nicely, back to the start of the Gov's Bay track, then across the road again, and onto the next section of Crater Rim walkway, walking all the bigger steps and steeps.  Up to Worsley Rd and over the top and down the fang-worthy Body Bag, keeping on top of the rut-ridge at speed is tricky, and I couldn't see a thing as I approached the big launchy jump at the bottom due to Nelson-raised dust.  

Down a little and off to the left, into the 'new' trail in the forest before the Braille entrance.  Into here and, 'huh!', a new track peeling off to the left not too far in. Explored this and it flowed quite nicely, with one or two wee pops but eventually it petered out (in an area we'd explored before), and so we rolled on down through the sort of trail to the 4wd track, and climbed this back up the 4wd thru Braille, nearly getting taken out by a speeding youngster who was ripping down Braille (obviously fast enough to clear all the gap jumps).  Finally reached the top and headed back into the 'new' trail.  Nelson took the wrong turn towards the jump (that's too big), and I blindly followed him, then got back on track and led the way down, keeping the gap a reasonabl size.  Great flow down here with nice wee jumps over roots and some rocketship speed zones and skiddy loose rear endage.  Kept on the highline all the way down, and dropped out onto the 4wd just above the wee creek.  

Peeled right here, and walked and walked up the hill (under the powerlines) to the jumpy trail.  Nelson did the first really big double, and I followed him through most of the other jumps pretty well, but baulked, as usual, on the fence gap.  Good speed through the rest, tho I pulled over for a grom who was bombing through, and then over the last few jumps and down onto the 4wd again.  Peeled right again, climbing up to do the final Epitaph and out through the gate.  

Down the road tucked into speed mode, grabbed One Trick Lucy - which was a little on the overgrown side.  I got loose in the lower gummy/wattle area, and Nelson got past me, then this vine got all tangled in his rear wheel, so we stopped and cleared that, then lower down everything was really overgrown, hard to see the trail ahead.  Final wee climb out and bombed down the last dirt trail and onto the road at the corner, rolling fast back to car.

17 kms and 700m gained...  all good
What wasn't good was listening to the US Election coverage on the way home.  What a bunch of fucking morons.

Saturday morning Hanmerlicious

Hanmer for the weekend.  Got out and did a short loop with my boys, about half an hour, then dropped them back at the house and took off for my own ride.  Together we did Swamp and Swoop, H doing well on the climb, and pretty cool on the descent, and O just flying the lot of it, both really enjoying the downhill.

Dropped them back at the house, and headed up Chalet Cres, finding my way firstly down a long drive to a house, turning around and then cutting through onto a walking track down to the end of Swoop.  From here I went up Timberlands, huffing and chuffing like crazy, then up Jolliffe Saddle Track, gasping and grovelling the top few tens of metres.  Had a rest at the top here, and then headed off down Upper Dogstream to the first bridge.  Awesome descent, with some really tight trees for the wide bars.

Across the bridge and up to Bigfoot, climbing away zigging and zagging like crazy up through the forest, then ducking out into the open on every second corner whilst gaining more and more height.  Descending, this trail with it's aspect and views reminded me a lot of K2 in Rotorua, except there were none of the log-droppy challenges that K2 had.  Heaps of fun, and had me wondering when it was gonna stop it went on for so long.

Out to the road and down a little to the entrance of Detox.  As usual, seemingly long climb up and around then I had a nice rest and ate the only food I had in the shade of a tree.  Off again, and a nice blast down, nearly having a mishap or two, but not quite, and blitzing it down, and across the road straight into Mach 1.  Nice ups and downs along here, kept my speed up and pedaled hard on the climbs.

Across the road onto Camp Track, and finding a brand new trail off here.  Headed into it, freshly gravelled, and under-bermed corners meant keeping speed was hard, but it was quite fun, albeit very easy.  It seemed to go for ages, looping out then back, with a couple of nice descents, very short, and short climbs back up to the level.  Eventually it spat me back out onto Camp Track, and so headed along here and then up the Dog Stream Track to half way or so, and up the road to Jolliffe Saddle again.

From here, headed into Red Rocks, climb climb, false descent, final climb, then bombing...  rocks and fun.  Grabbed Eeny Meeny, then chose Meeny this time (had taken Eeny the last two times (and just now realised these last two options should be called Miney and Mo)).

Back out to the road and decided randomly to head back up Swamp, then stupidly all the way up Pawson's Rd, which was a nightmare due to the logging that's gone on - think: extremely churned up mud by big machinery and logs, turned hard by drying out...  nasty.  From here it was Tank Track down, swooping and weaving and launching, lots of fun, and then straight onto Flax Gully Trail down.  Don't remember ever riding it this way, (but may have back with Al years ago), short climbs, but mostly nice, and back out to Jacks Pass Rd, and bombed down (nearly 60kph on the gravel) back to town, straight to the bakery to fill my starving belly.

24.5 kms and 600 m gained.  Felt like more, I guess cos the climbs are mostly pretty steep, even tho never that long or high in themselves.  Highlights are Bigfoot, Tank, and Red Rocks...  all three by far my favourites up there.  I considered doing two laps of Bigfoot, but alas...  Was feeling really good the whole way, even tho I was a bit seedy to start, but climbing Pawsons really killed me, made me starving and tired.