Saturday Morning Stooge Date

Had a date with T. Rode up to the upper dog park carpark with her then she went over and I went up. Dropped into the woods to climb then up all the singletrack I usually descend. Had to walk a couple corners, and the rocks, but surprisingly little. Thomson's #1 down and back up then jumpy into Worm and on around the Traverse, stopping a couple of times to let riders through. 

Tracked where T was and dropped off down Huntsbury DH to find her down AliExpress... Rode back up the 4wd with her to where she turned off (into where I'd come down), and I headed up the main track to the top of Huntsbury/Vernon and grabbed the Traverse back. Caught her again above Lavaflow (a few riders riding through as we spoke) and then we went our separate ways. Chased the riders for a bit, basically catching them up, then stopped to give them some space.  Nice flow rest of the way, straight into the jumps, Rabbit, Rocks Pines Gums, all the way down. Then across into the Newby for a lovely hoon home.

Nearly 12 kms and 438 m climbed.

Monday Observed, Sunset Stooge Stretch

Painting the roof all weekend has left my body sore and twisted, so I thought a wee jaunt on the Stooge might be in order. Must say! I went further than I thought I would.  

Up the road, 19th, grunter, "is that a Jones?" - took me a sec of processing to realise the reference and that he was talking to me, "oh, ah, no. It's a Stooge." From which followed a conversation. Interesting stuff, and I recognised her, but not him... 

Up onto Thompson's both, and return on both. Very nice. Then around the jumpies and down across the rabbit paddock to the sunset seat. Chat with Doug and a There Will Be Signs, my favourite beer this year.

A glorious pause of just stretching and easing out of the day.  Suddenly realised the sun was getting pretty low, so climbed back out across the paddock and dived on into the pines'n'gums, lovely flow all the way out to the gate. 

Then it was dropping in time into the new home trail. Love it. Getting to know it now and carrying speed thru sections I previously slowed on.  And one section has received a name, a lovely handpainted sign, "Sleepy Hollow."  Sweet!  Carrying the buzz through the glorious sunset light and surprised to see it gone as I did the clamber home.

A lugubrious last one for April (?), 6.3 kms and just shy of 200 m

Sunday Stooge Illustrious

Good hoon out on the Stooge again today. Buncha water blasting to start with then T went for a walk so I followed about 40 minutes later.  

Up to dogparkcarpark, dropping in and around the first few swoopies, then off down through the firs cutting around left to the new trail.  Climbed up here, only having to walk one little steep root section and then up the dappled light paths to 19th, and straight into Skidder and up the grunter.  

Top of Vic I called T and she said she was just at top of Lavaflow, and was taking the bike track, so I rode the road to the Sugarloaf saddle carpark and dropped onto the trail here.  Met her near the top of the climb and we chatted for a bit.  Then she headed down to go down valley, and I headed on around towards Vernon.  

While T and me had been talking a rider couple rode under us, and at Lavaflow I was riding past them and the guy was, "it's R isnt it?"  I had no idea who they were, but once we got talking, I knew exactly who they were.  Last met when I was on my first Troll attempt to LA a few Christmasses back.   Jovial chat with them for a while, then I continued on to the end of Huntsbury, turned around and headed back.  Nice flow around, (they were still there, getting ready to drop into Lavaflow) so I continued on around the Traverse, keeping the flow on, and enjoying it greatly.  

Into the top of the trees, and across over the jump, down Rabbit, Rocks, Pines where I ran into Doug, then Gums and out, tucking into my Newby, flowing down the first section and then at the end of it, climbed back around and took a second go at that top end again before flowing down the rest of it, all the way out, clamber, home. 

Venerable 11 kms acrossed with 372 m upped

Saturday Stooge Brief Interlude

Short hard local again, this time on the Stooge.  

Busied the day water-blasting the roof - ugh, my neck was dying after 6 hours of it, so figured a ride would straight me back up.  

Climbed up the road, and over 19th, through skidder and rather than climb, headed straight over into Razza's - nice drop down through here, Stooge performing admirably in the tech and rooty goodness, boffed out and decided to continue down through into the Brentzone, down and across and taking in that extra wee over bit to then hit Corporate Ladder back up to top of Sneaky and then back up the 4wd trails, across at Radzone climbing to Cool Runnings start, where I met a random guy and we chatted a while.  He didnt know his way around that well, but kinda knew some trails, so rode with me up and I sent him off down Razza's to find his way to Sneaky Ridge (which he knew he liked).  I continued into Skidder, hung a left and took the cypress descent down and out to the road, and into the new Newby section, biffing and boffing down here for the fun to the very end.  Clamber and home.

Shorter and steeper than yesterday, 4.8 km and 207 m, 

Friday Rapido (heartrate)

Much needed nice little blast on the Jeht tonight, first ride of April (on account of Tasmania) this late in the month!  

Up to top of Vic, dived straight into both Thomsons - both ways, down and down (nearly running into a couple groms who were very apologetic (as was I, "dont worry bro, it's a 2 way track!"),, turning straight around on the road and climbing back up, then diving into the upper and climbing on up here up to the top.  Spin around in the carpark and straight back in, down around over the jump and then down rabbit paddock through into the rocks, Gums all the way down and out to the 19th gate. When I hit the road saw a rider heading in somewhere unexpected. Hmmm...  I followed over and she'd stopped, and it turned out to be Rachel (from Hackthorne Rd) nursing a wrist in a splint.  She'd been told about this trail and on account of the wrist let me drop in first and it's awesome.  Fun, interesting, not overly hard, but loose enough to keep you on your toes.  All the while keeping you above H.Ell.  Exit onto an access track, then just up from that exit is the rest of the "Newby" newly added to my repertoire.  Down this all the way, and home.

Short and sweet, high intensity, just over 6 km, just under 200m, 37 minutes. Tight and twisty

Sunday Trail-Clearance Stooge

Gardening and house maintenance (hot waterpanels) most of day but got up on the Stooge with the pruning saw to clear that tree. Up road, then into the dogparkcarpark entrance rolling through the overgrown pylon-meadow and finding a dead tree almost blocking the track.  So, I set to it, to bust a bit, cut a little and shove a bunch, moving it out the way - cleaned up and got rolling again.  At the fir tree section, I peeled left and headed down onto the new track to head up that.  Stopped and cut one potential handlebar-grabber branch, then continued up to the big mess.  Set to it with the pruning saw, making pretty good work of it, and getting extremely sweaty in the process.  Cut through what I needed to, one thigh-thick trunk and 3 arm-thick branches on the main tree, plus a few other broken/fallen trees all arm-thickness, pushing and pulling and shoving everything out of the way.  

Before.... 

And after....

Then I headed on up trail, riding up the nice forest gentle slope to all the way up to just below 19th, where I turned around.  Off to the left (downslope) I spotted a way down from here, which took me to the connector trail (from H'Ell to Infocentre) where I climbed back up to the trail I'd climbed.  Then moseyed down and up to the picnic table, and stopped where I'd crashed.  Here, I sawed off the tree that got me.  

Finally, down into the newby, through my clearance - in an instant, and then a nice, interesting ride down and out, through oaks and then all the way to the bottom, all with a nice bit of a flow.  Clamber to road, and home.

Nice ride, but short - 3kms, 88m climbed

Saturday Morning Studied Speedbombing

Nice we spin this morning. Nursing the concussion of last Thursday all week, finally had a good night's sleep, so I took the Speedbomb out for a test ride. Not coincidentally, T was out for a walk so I rode to meet up with her at Vernon.  Took the road up Vic, through to skidder (not diverting over 19th).  Up the guts was okay, SO much tree-trash around after the gale winds we had Thursday-Friday.  Balmy, calm day today, post tropical system coupled with nor'west warmth.  Spectacular.  

Took the Summit Rd around to top of Lavaflow, and spotted her down just below the Huntsbury, so onwards around the road, and down the gravel, full noise to meet her just below the gapjump.  Turned and rode up with her.  At Summit I hit the Vernon track for a bit and she summited the peak.  I pushed through lonnnng grass to the trail up the front and rode to meet up top.  Shared a few dates and then turned down.  I rode all the way down to the Summit trail and then left towards home.  

Climbed around Vernon to Traverse, and started caning it along here.  Caught some women with a dog about the same time an e-rider caught me, so I let him past then waited at the highpoint for them all to get further ahead.  Then I had a free-speed bomb-run down, catching up at the pond, following for a bit, passing 2 of the women, then taking a rock-tech freeline just before the 4wd bit, passing the ebiker and the last woman and dog.  At the sign, the Ebiker passed me, then I was on his tail the whole way.  Climbs he'd only go slightly faster, and descents I was having to hold back then catch him, hold back and catch him.  At the last high point I could see a couple walkers and dogs ahead, so I stopped and let them all get further along.  That way I got the free-speed bomb-blast again, down through, past the walkers on the last flat stuff, and then into the trees.  

First jumpie good, then flow through, hit Brakefree - splecky muck in between jumps, off into Pines, Gums.  Moved a few sticks and one tricky fallen tree as I descended through here, otherwise just a lot of scrap on the ground.  Down into the cypresses and through to the CAP track, and on down to gate.  Below road here, rolling nicely down around. "What are you photographing?" to guy on side of track with camera contraption, "Fungi."  "Nice!" as I turned up towards the picnic bench adjacent to the crash last week.  Here there was a steady stream of parents and children out on a big YMCA adventure.  Waited a while.  Then down again, noticing the tree that got me, and then down to the new, as yet uncoined, trail.  In I rolled, stopping a few times to kick sticks off, then then found a blockage.  Most of a big snapped off tree right across the track.  I'll take the pruning saw and hatchet up tomorrow, or later?  Negotiated my way around it through the bush and then continued my trail.  Very nice.  Tight.  Not fast.  A couple of climbs.  I enjoy it profusely, feel like it's "my" trail, even tho someone else made it.  Through the lower reaches then oaks, and last blast to the end, smooth flow.  

Popped out onto H'Ell and followed, very slowly, and at a distance, some walkers down to the high point where I clambered to road, and home.

Call it 13 kms, with 432 m climbed.  Brain, not too rattled.

    

Saturday On the Top and CAP

Pretty good ride tho I'm knackered now.  Bad night's sleep - brain still processing from the smack on Thursday.

Up from home on the Jeht and straight into heading across the Traverse towards Nelson and Kirsty who were riding up Rapaki.  I had a good run across the top here, stopping for quite a few in the right places and not budging when it was my turn.  Parked up, tired, at top of Huntsbury and sat for a bit and as they weren't appearing I headed up onto Vernon and rode across the first flatter section, parking up just above with a view to the road below.  Not long after they appeared and Nelson recognised me above and waved.  I rode back and met them.  Kirsty took the road from here and I followed Nelson around.  We had a pretty good run, not bad pace, tho stopped for a breather above that weird solar-weather-station-electric-fence-looking thing, then got moseying again down around to the top, straight into the Thomson Twins and rolled through to meet K at the Kiwi.  

Up summit road from here, I lagged along here but they were kind enough to wait up a couple times.  Up Worsleys Rd and into the Body Bag - been a while.  There was a moment half way down I thought I was gonna come a cropper, a nasty slump hole eating the rut I was running.  Managed to pop onto the grass to the side and no harm done, but that could catch the unaware easily.  Nelson was spooked by it too.  

Through the gate and steeeep climb up to the chairlift top.  Kirsty went green and we went Bako, rough and tumble down, it's pretty mumpty, and so long.  Got nice and smooth when we eventually hit Duncan's, then we headed into Loose Connections and waited at the start of Omnishambles and, not long after, Kirsty arrived.  She took SnakeObs to Active Rest, and Nelson and me dived into Omni for a start then peeled into the Down Low soon after, weaving our way down this.  Again, quite bumpty and dusty.  I like the reminiscent feeling I get down in the trees near the bottom where it's recognisably part of the old DOHC end.    

We had coffees and I had a not-very-good cookie, then we parted ways.  They rode back to their car at Rapaki and I caught the lift, Summit Connector, lower Nun, up Summit to Vic and down my usual ways.  Brain wasn't functioning properly and I had lost my flow on the way home.  I was stuffed.

Capacious 22.5kms with 560 m climbed under my own steam, lift accounting for the 960 m total

Thursday Flying Nunnery to Flying Off

Good ride on the Jeht tonight until I crashed hard, taking a bit of a knock to the head.

Nelson turned up at mine, and we headed down Amherst and around up Vic Park Rd (due to plumbing works on the driveway).  Reasonable pace but I was getting pretty huffed.  There was a group of chatting younger folk behind us, so we kept ahead and dropped them once it'd flattened out.  Up over 19th and up the grunter.  He piled on up keeping on a couple of fasties while I ground away on my not-low-enough gear.  Massive pile of bikers at the waterfountain.  We rode on by and up into Thomsons #1.  Nice roll down here, then even better in #2.  Onto the road, through the pass, and up to top of Nun, grind, grind, grind.

Dropped in, Nelsie in the lead, and we railed and biffed our way down.  Jeht was riding very nicely, it is an awesome bike.  I was staying on his tail, or catching him, lower down.  We stopped at the Park exit and then I took the lead for a bit cos he was feeling a little off, keeping good pace on.  Then, below the road, my front wheel had a PING on a rock and then under certain loads I could hear the fisssshhhh, but it stayed up for a good while, then was too low and I hauled up and we positioned ourselves at the top of Drainpipe to patch (on account of me carrying around a holed tube (d'oh!))(only had one patch too, and so had to 'borrow' one from Nelson).  Patched, being checked on by everyone riding by (including the last patrol letting us know the park was closing), and including Mel, the ubiquitous.  She stopped for a wee chat (we'd seen her riding down from the park on our way up to Nun, so she'd hauled).  

Tire fixed and we headed down the rest and through the pass and up the Summit to Vic-top.  I led down around the jumpies, down rabbit, into rocks, across gums and down through below all the way out, then below road from 19th and just after the wee up to picnic table and over, handlebar smacked a branch I thought would give (quite thin!), which didnt, and wham, down I went.  Hard.  Really smacked my head.  Picked myself up with a scrambled brain, dejavu on thoughts I thought I was thinking before the crash (or maybe they went through my head as I was crashing!??).   Pulled myself together and we got rolling again, down onto my new-find, which I led through and enjoyed through the pain in my leg and weirdly frazzled brain.  All the way through and down out to the bottom, then clamber to road, and home.    

Negligible 10 kms, and one-third of a km climbed, but light was fading. 

Sunday Jehting about the place, and a discovery

Most excellent ride today... Left the house with Tra'y and toodled with her until the lower dogparkcarpark and then said my good bye.  Ploughed on up through 19th and over to Skidder and up the grunter, pushing hard.  Out the top of Vic to the road and wondered where to play.  Hopped off down around the jumps then Worm back up to Traverse and moseyed around here, seemingly stopping for everybody (bar a few).  

At top of Huntsbury DH I looked at T's tracker and saw she was below, so texted her and I could see her down there, so I headed down, jumpiddy flow rail and then down the more tech of the landing strip variants on AliExpress, then down all of the zigs and zags with sheepshit as bonus spleck, meeting her half way down/up.  

We caught up and then I continued my rocky way, dropping down into Old Skool and having a mighty fun fang.  Blip bloop blop all the way down into the valley and started the clamber back up into Vic.  Stopped a couple times to scoff on some berries, then worked my way up K2, steep gasping bastard.  Into the trees below Texaco, nice climb around in here then up past the jump and on up the steep bastard of a track.  

More berries up near Pono's and then up through the Rad Zone, dropping over then up a shitty steep to Cool Runnings entrance, hanging a right and moseying around and up.  This way is nearly right.  I think the way I went last time was better, but needs a little work.  Less steep than going up the usual.  Out to Skidder, and left across to the lower 'gums' track, stopping for a rest in the shade here and organising my day.  

On again, riding out to 19th, below road then back up at Tawhairanui entrance, road, DogParkCarPark dropping down checking out the mud, then realising there's a way across the mud at the bottom where it's dry.  Hmm...  back up to the rocks, found my way through and onto the lower old trail, which looked more used, and lo and behold, found and followed this all the way up back up to the steps below the Tawhairanui start.!!!  Fantastic.  Now I have no need for the road anymore, from 19th, all the way to the bottom of H'Ell.  Wonder what the trail should be called?

On fleek 12.85 kms, with 562 m climbed

Wednesday Night Loner

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

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

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

Supreme 15.43 km and 635 m escalated.

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.