Satur-heated Greenwood Godley Taylor's Godley Captain

Scorcher today. Parked in McCormack's as Nelson pulled up, and we took his car to top of Mt Pleasant Road.  Into the OG Greenwood entrance, diverting into Sheepshit Alley for a weird descent, then climbed around up to the ruins.  Into the bony-arse Greenwood. Heesh it was bony.   Pinging descent, ruts catching me weirdly.  My whole game was off, because I's in my new(ish) Ride Concepts shoes, and I've installed the cleats too far back, so my whole centre of gravity was off.  Kept catching my toes too.  Then into the rocky Godley start from Evans, not something we've done for ages, and quite hard work for the first few hundred metres, but gradually better as you go. Ruts were particularly problematic today.  Good blast once in the descent for Livingston - weaving okay, but never quite letting it all go.  Over to Breeze was a breeze. 

Then up the road a little to hit Anaconda in full, tentative and sketchy in the upper reaches, finally letting it go a bit lower down.  I seemed to keep ending up on Nelson's tail for a while, but he got away on the Snake's Tail.  Down into the Taylor's Carpark, loaded up some water, considered queuing for an ice cream, but I got water instead.  Incredibly busy down here.  Next, we toodled around the carpark seeing if there was a new entrance for the new trail up, but it was just the old exit for the entrance, so hit up the new MT1 and MT2, which were very good.  At the top we headed up the old walking track we used to ride regularly (last time was 5 years ago) to the paraglider launch site - it's getting some development so hopefully they'll chuck in a few more zigs and zags, cos fuck is it steep at the top.  

Along the road a little, and back up into Godley.  My brain was starting to fry and weakness was setting in hard.  Muppetted back to Evans, not terrible flow, but exhausting, then dropped into The Captain for the win. So exhausting but good riding. Finally around the flat back to the car. Chucked my bike in the back, Nelson's on the back and up the hill we went to drop him back to his car at the top.
 

Unmitigated 25 kms, 770 climbed -with bonus total 1170 descended

Wednesday Night's Captain Greenwood, I Presume

Up into the fog and back down into the darkness... 

Parked at about 7pm at Slumnervale and headed into the OG Thomas climb.  Walked the usual bits, and dabbed a few others.  Pretty mild down here, and overcast and foggy on top so quite humid.  Good enough climb, struggling with my weight and feeling every inch of belly fat.  Onto the road, decisions to be made - up into the fog? or out Godley...?  Upwards.  Locked out the squish and pushed a good pace up the road.  Into the clouds just up and around a little.  The big Richmond Pines were making their own rain, and I climbed over the stile and went up Knapsack/sheepshit alley.  This was nice.  

At the top of this I was debating heading around the road and up Broadleaf for the full run, but it was 8pm so I checked sunset on Met which said 8.20, so decided against the top of Pleasant - instead, hung a left and rode the OG Greenwood 'entry' and then proceeded to enjoy, thoroughly, the descent of Greenwood.  Bony. As. Fuck. But Jeht responding and performing laudably.  A couple of short rests and in the lowest gulch (before the last blast to Evans) it was 8.15.  Hoo-boy, 5 minutes to sunset...  Blitzed out the rest, down to the road (with audience in the boy-racer carpark) and straight up onto Captain Thomas, the overcast sky getting dimmer as I descended.  Stopped a couple of times to get blood flow back into hands, otherwise cleaning all of the trail, loving the tech.  Light was still good even once into the bushy sections, but man, visibility was hard once into the piney section in the lower reaches.  Feck'n'ell.  Managed to cleane out the nether reaches and then back along behind the gabbion wall and through the park to the car for around 8.30...  Nicely nicely.  

As close to 14 km as you can shake a stick at, and deliciously, 575 m climbed.

Saturday Morning Mucky Greenwood

Practically a month since last ride, due to Galapagos. 

Sweet ride up and over from Nelson's this morning.  Up Santa Maria, Selleck, Assisi, Drayton into the Reserve, greasing up the zig zags and onto the road, all the way to Upper Hornbrook and Britten. Good climb to top and down the short bit of road to OG Greenwood entrance. Squirmed across here then I led into Greenwood proper, overreacting to every little bump, too much braking and not enough flow.  Still, made good speed into the Gloomy Gulch where I had to walk the worst of the rocks. Nelson caught up here having had a little slickness trouble earlier.  Cautiously down the next section of rocks, which weren't as bad as I thought, then some fun flow through the usual fast section, drop that I rolled and around the big corners, back and forth, grooving through the grooves. Through the fence and it was the worst I've ever seen it. Greasy rut city. Then, north facing fast and fun... And last corners before the road were not great... 

Where to from here? Settled for up-the-road, plodding all the way to the Richmond pines, and onto Sheep Shit Alley.  Nice climb here but man were my legs tired. Took it easy with a break and also a nice long look at a section of trail that needed drainage.

Back into the road briefly back into Britten, out the front on the 'new' trail (that's not). Dropped down here for some great flow, stopping a couple times to check where we were then off to the left to pick new lines down rocky sections. Fun exploration. Finally out the bottom and flying down the roads back to his place.

Remarkably, 15 kms with 620 m climbed

Fri Day-after-Waitangi, Wood of the Captain Green.

Took the Jeht to Scumnervale and headed up Das Kapitan. 2 weeks since covid and as a result of this I struggled pretty much the whole way. Especially up the road above and then even worse up to the top of Pleasant.  Climb was uneventful, apart from a horse between the gates on the OG Captain.  I gave him a wee fright rolling over the beside-the-stile fence rock roll.  Luckily, he turned around and had his head at the trail (rather than the kicking machines), and I talked nicely and let him sniff me to know me as I passed.  Up from here was nice.  Up the rest was alright, but struggling began in earnest higher up.  Then, up the road, and by the time I made Jollies Bush I was a bit toasted, then up Sheep Shit Alley, and back onto the road and around Britten, the longer way, then up over the fence from the cutting and it looks like no one rides there anymore.  Grass all overgrown to buggery.  Onto main trail and it looks like a trainload of bikes has been through (- an event?).  Clambered and had a rest at some rocks, ate something, then moseyed on, struggling away.  Utterly spent by the top, thankful it was downhill(ish) the rest of the way.

Trails really look like some event has been through recently, do they still hold the Crater Rim enduro??  Top section, rocks, more rocks, and then some rocks thrown in for good measure.  Down through the tussocks was alright.  Lots of new fencing, and through Downhill got better and better as I descended to the point where I was very much enjoying myself.  Good roll down all the usual techs, and into the OG zone, very nicely indeed.  Horsey McHorseface had gone when I came back through.

An undiminutive 16.78 kms and wondrously 663 m upwardly mobile

Saturday's Mal-Pheasant-ries and Pleasantries with some Green Wood

Quick catch up with Steve at the Travis Planting, Jeht in the car, headed from there over to Mt Pleasant for a nice little solo spin.  Parked up just next to Kaikoura View.  Toodled up the road, up into the old bathtub entrance and across Britten, climbing climbing.  Around the front and up to the cattlestop, over the fence and as I climbed here a reasonable sized grey bird was running through the grass ahead of me.  A duck? No, has to be a pheasant!  When I hit the main track she flew from cover down across the road.  Nice!  Climby climb climb to the top of Pleasant where I had a brief gasping rest with some rams, then off down into the gnarr... Weird riding down through here, felt like every rock was pinged off and stalling me.  Down in the tussocks I caught and passed a couple of walkers and then down the long straight bit got caught in a rut and the ground angled up to hit me...  owch.  Right knee and shin took most of it but the saddle somehow pinched my left inner thigh, and the handlebars got slightly off skew with a bunch of grass caught in the brake lever.  Straight back on and down to the farmtrack where I stopped, readjusted, tightened and cleared, and got rolling again, around a family with two small kids and a poodle.  

Into Greenwood, rocky blast this, slightly put off by my fall, adrenalin still lagging out, was not riding on form.  Lower down I suddenly noticed a rider on a switchback above me.  I put on a burst of speed and kept him at bay but I had to stop from exhaustion just after Gloomy like I usually do.  He wasn't that far behind.  Older dude, the type that's probably done every single Coast to Coast since it started.  Fit but old.  I said gudday as he passed and gave him a good gap before I took off again.  Turns out I was slowly winding him in but before the final switchbacks to Evans he turned around and headed back up.  Fit bastard.  I thought about it, but didnt do the same, hit the road and started the climb.  It was a grind.  Though, in the gloomy corner, I spotted another female pheasant flying...

At the pines the family with poodle were loading into their car, I headed up Sheep Shit Alley, onto the road again, around to Britten and the blast down this, across and down the usual.  Good roll, tho very wary of ruts-villainry.  I'd parked lower down thinking I might ride Kenton, but by the time I got there I was too stuffed, so just took the path and road back to the car.

A malpracticed 13.6 kms with nearly 600 climbed (given I'd started the mmr late).  

Bony Pleasant Thursday with a Shocking Blowout

Rode from Nelson's place tonight. Up Soleares, which happens to be a right bastard steep (worserer than Vic Park Drive from mine). Right on Belleview and then left up Major Hornbrook - Kaikoura View, then up through the parky bit and up across the Long/Clear/Ridge-Views to the Upper Hornbrook entrance of Britten.  A nice night up here.  Zig and zag across the front of Britten and around up to top, then around the front and out the exit by the cattlestop/cutting.  Over the fence and up through the long grass narrowed trail onto the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Nelson dropped me up here, whereas I wasn't doing so bad lower down, boosting to catch him every now and then.  Up ehre on the rocky bits I just kept hooking feet or stalling on the rocks.  Bit of a break at the top of Pleasant.  

Into the descent, nice rolling but fucking boney.  Much worse than last timast time, which was bony af then.  Good times through the tussocks thought and I think for the first time meeting all the new fences at the bottom of this...  Down into 'Knapsack', where I found I had no idea where I was going - hussing around blind hairpins into unexpected turns, and then towards the far end I just had no idea and it seemed to just go on and on...  Climbed up the 4wd trail (diagonally towards the gun emplacements) meeting the new fence/gate across this, and eventually (it's always longer than I remember) got to Greenwood OG entrance trail.  Across this, fun times, removing the stupidly placed (metal) trail closed sign that was perched in the middle of the new cattlestop, then dealt with all the rocks across the top here.  Next we dropped into Sheepshit Alley.  Droppy fun descent then a short climb and at the top of this on a corner I heard a weird skreek.  Not the kind of noise a rock strike makes, almost a cracked frame type sound, but bike was riding fine so carried on, tho noticing handling was getting a little weird.  Anyway, when I finally got to the bottom (again, longer than memory served), pulled up and thought "why is my waterbottle leaking?" "wait, that's not water, that's OIL!"  Pissing out of the top of my shock all down over my bottle and frame...  Huh.  Air was staying in so it was still springy, but no more damping.  

From here rode up the road back to Britten, bouncing a bit, and dropped into here bombing down, bike feeling pretty much fine.  Bombed down the way we'd come up tho turned off down Madeley Rd to Mt Pleasant and bombed down Soleares back to Toledo.  

Shockingly good 14.6 kms hastened and 537 m vied. 

Later follow up...  damper shaft broken in the shock, not just an o-ring.

Thursday Night Convoluted Topspin

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

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

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

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

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

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

A very pleasant 13.8 kms with 520m climbed.

Sunday Morning Troll Rolling

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

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

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

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

Sunday Thomas Green Thomas

Good ride in the heat today (summer returned for a day).  Bit of a late start, met Nelson in Scumnervale at about 11.30.  We treadled off down the street, and took a cul-de-sac through to the redzone to get to the bottom of Capt Thomas.  Around the fence and along back of the gabion wall, stopped to eat some blackberries and Andy and Wayno turned up for a chat, just finishing.  Pete was nearby too.  

Into the climb and a wee walk, with more blackberries as we passed, then riding, climbing, good pace, good times and nice in the shade for the while.  Around the head of the valley and out onto the open ground, sun pounding down on our backs.  Clamber clamber, up the hill we went.  I was nearly to the point of puking by the time we got to the gate.  Took it easy to the road and we headed up it to the Richmond Pines.

Over the stile and into Sheepshit Alley (new name on the sign, cant remember what).  Up this, nice cruise and onto the road, around up to Broadleaf, and up this.  Road wet under the pines up here due to overnight cloud flow (I'm imagining).  Up the gravel and there were a few people around up top.  

Into the descent, soon overtaking a couple, the woman of which was obviously in over her head - really struggling with the rocky tech.  I led the way, and was fanging, bombing down through the weave of tussocks.  Easy across the flatter bits.  Then down into the Greenwood proper.  Nelson leading this but I stuck to his tail the whole way, until Gloomy Gulch where I was finally getting tired.  Stopped for a bit of a break usual spot before bombing off down through the rocks.  Again, tight on his tail, great run down.  All the way gaining on a dude who'd gone past while we were resting.

Last blast, into Captain Thomas, both on top of the speed all the way down.  Good tech, good vibes.  Into the old exit, around the valley head, lovely singletrack, lots of very nice flow.  Blasting down the last bits just as the trail splits (walking down, bikes to the left) there was a couple picking blackberries here, and at the junction Nelson clipped a rock and went full summersault over, ending up off the track, on his back, still attached to one pedal.  Incredibly he was unscathed.  On from here good last blitz down the steps and back around to the cars.

A parching 15 and a half kms, with surprisingly 637 m climbed. (considering our peak was 500 m, where'd the extra 137 come from? just the lower end of the Captain??)

Went and visited David.

Thursday Night Windy Pleasant Greenwood

Blowy evening's ride tonight.  Nelson and me met at Parkridge and headed around and up, over the fence where the bath used to be and across.  I was really gasping, struggling with the climbing and breathing, mainly due to sleep and maybe hayfever issues.  Bloody annoying tho, considering how I'd been feeling like I was doing alright when riding on my own...  Maybe it's just cos Nelson's that much quicker, I was pushing to keep up.  Anyway, up Britten, then across into the gale and over up Broadleaf where he took a call to organise his weekend, and on up the gravel to the radio towers.  Still plenty of light til this point, I think I took my sunnies off up here.  

Dropped over into the descent, a good blast, but man she's getting bony, and the wind was pushy at times, good on the tail, but from the side - nearly off course a couple times in the tussocks.  Down to the start of Greenwood, we hung a left out the original entry across, pushing hard into the wind around and then dropped into Sheep Shit Alley, tail wind dropping down nicely nicely and around into some shelter from the wind beyond the pines.  Sat and took in the view of the ships and sunset lightings with a snack.  

Into the traverse across towards the ruins, up the bastard climby cornerers up to Greenwood again.  Lights on medium to start, and dropping in.  Wind, Rocks, Visibility, I was struggling.  One point I clipped a rock and it nearly stopped me dead, the impact resonating right up through my bones and jarring me something wicked.  Was almost like I'd blacked out for a moment, and nearly threw me off.  Helluva shock.  Picked up the pace a bit after that around, catching Nelson as he squirrelled on an angled rock, then he dropped me across towards Gloomy and obviously had a great run through there, ditching me.  I didnt, rocks fatiguing me, but got my groove back on the steeper descent, popped the drop at the bottom and Nelson was waiting for me here.  Into the lowers, Dave'sZone, blasty blasty, good pace down and out.  Gale winds massive at the bottom just before Evans in those last corners.

Up the road, lonnnnnnggg grind, then into Britten where I led for a change and we had a good blast all the way down, wind died down a bit now, but still pretty strong on the final face.  Super bony down to and under the pylon, and finishing at the cars.

Windy windy ziggy zaggy, 14 kms with 611 m gained.

Wednesday Night Richmond Frog Pleasant Green Captain

Great ride tonight. Watched NZ win the America's Cup then jumped in the car and skedoodled around to Scumnervale to meet Nelson.  I had a plan that didn't involve going up Captain Thomas.

We headed down into Slumner-proper and around into Richmond Hill Road, riding up this grunter, and to punish us more, a headwind up the main ridge, me surprised at my ability to nearly keep up with him.  I didn't flag and we made it up to the top with no issues, stopping a couple of times to check out For Sale signs.  Dropped down the stormwater catchment reserve, and onto singletrack climbing into the valley and then upwards out of the valley towards Clifton Tce, then around and up the rooty trail no-longer under trees.  Quite exposed here, with the southerly ploughing across the Gethsemane Gardens.  Into the Frog Pond climb, both cleaning the entrance which I'm pretty sure we used to fail on (due to overhanging branches of the trees that aren't there anymore).  Good climb up the rest of it, up around and on up to the pine tree stile and then up the rest to the big pines.  Across into Sheep Shit Alley, climbing climbing, feeling good and strong the whole way.  

A break on the road at top of old Greenwood entrance, then off up the road and up Broadleaf Lane, into the gravel and still feeling good powering up this climb.  The hill work I did over the weekend, clambering for work on the Hawkdun Range, definitely benefitting me (since the pain of Tuesday had gone).

Wind singing in the tower guys, we hit the trail down.  Excellent blast, I was on Nelson's tail pretty much the entire way, following closely.  Surprised myself how well I held on, but once heading around towards Gloomy Gulch he lost me.  I just couldn't keep up, then I took a weird new high line before the boardwalk section, but stayed high too long and basically couldn't get down, having to dab down onto it.  Luckily he'd stopped around the corner and we had a break while watching a crew of 6 or so down the trail below.  Jumped on and got fanging, bombing the rocks, wafting the walls and dropped around into Dangerous Dave's squiggles, flying, and maintaining my tight-on-his tail position all the way down.  

Across the road and onto the Captain.  Another excellent blast down this.  Again, really holding on all the way down.  Wicked blast.

A moveable feast of 13.75 kms, with a veritable 561 m climbed.

Wednesday Evening Pleasant Weavening

Nelson and me met at McCormack's bay and headed up McCormacks.  Usual gasping for air, and for this time of year, as usual, stopped to crop the blackberries.  This was at the bottom of the burned zone, from a fire a few weeks back.  Whole side of the hill up to the switchbacks (lower) was burned.  Here's between the switchbacks...

Walked the 2nd, then rode the rest of the way, I couldn't get over how damned steep this bloody thing is, especially, just after the bridge it just seemed to go vertical - I'm sure it's never been that bad in the past.  Anyway, cleaned all the little bridgey hop ups, and all the switchbacks until the 2nd to last one before the steps at the top, which is better going than usual.  Out Craigieburn and up Mt Pleasant Rd, to the wee park on the corner, steep clamber up that to Ridgeview then over the fence where the bath used to be.

Up through Britten, good climb, Nelson gapping me something fierce.  Around the front, and across the road to the climb.  Zig and zag and up we went cleaning the way to the aerials.  Nice break here before heading down into the down.  Light proving slightly tricky, I needed to keep my distance from him for the dust to settle and me actually seeing the trail ahead.  Down through the tussocks at phenomenal speeds, nearly losing it many many times tonight.  Above the ruins we headed out the old Greenwood entrance, and around into Sheepshit Alley, now called Knapsack (Knutsack more appropriate), a good bomb down this, and I took the rock ride near the end jumping ahead of Nelson.  Into the other trail around and back up, grovelling switchbacks to the ruins zone.  

Brief walk up to do the wee jump and berms entrance above the track, and off into a dusty, bony, rough as fuck descent of Greenwood.  Fast, and rough, nearly losing it multiple times just on the edge of reason.  Nice rest after Gloomy, then onwards down, blazing it.  

The Captain next, again, fast, rough, dusty, loose.  Full tilt.  Good blast.  

And around the road back to the cars, to end a prodigious 20 kms, and having climbed 740 m. Not bad for a school night.

Windy Wednesday Evening Oriented Pleasantries

Parked on Parkridge behind Nelson's car (discovering I'd forgotten (after fetching it and forgetting it multiple times before I left) to bring my water), and we headed up into the Orienteererers...   

Climbing Britten with insane winds, tail to start, round into a nearly-stopping headwind, then pushed the rest of the way around and up to the top.  Around the 'front' "long way," me in the lead, battling the worst of the wind on the nor'west face, nearly hammered off the bike, then pushed like an e-bike towards the hill, to finally battling across to the cutting, wind attempting to push us onto the rocks, me going hammer and tongs in the lead, trying to stay ahead of Nelson (he said he could barely keep up (yeah, right!)).  Through a clusterfuck of orienteerers at the road and over the fence. 

Climbing up the side of Pleasant tail wind mostly pushing, pushing, pushing, but not pushing me fast enough to keep up with Nelsie.  Finally at the top some stretching was necessary and a rest out of the wind ensued, a few orienteerers  wandering through from time to time.  Into the descent.  Lovely push down, first few rocks below the stile nearly getting the better of me, but we stopped (for a picture) in an area with NO wind.  Amazing.  Then moving again, around and into it, Nelson surprising (read, nearly taking out) a situationally unaware Orienteerer.  Blazed across the tussocks to the end, then I reminded Nelson, or at least pointed out to him, the jump and berm exit back up the trail a bit.  So, treadled off back up a bit to drop in, over the jump and then around the thistle infested berms before leaping down into the start of Greenwood. 

Bombing.  Tail wind pushing all the way down the first stretches, we flew, railing the rocks, Nelson nearly losing it in one bunch, me tight on his tail  but then he started to get away.  Around the front and when it flattened out, so did I.  Thankfully Nelson had stopped just after Gloomy, so a good rest had here, watching and contemplating the few gungho hardcore Orienteerers who had scrutinised this side of the hill.  Let a couple through, before heading down.  Man the rocks have boned up.  Mega, at that point.  Better flowing lower down, rolling the drop, then back and forth, flying through Dangerous Dave's zone, around into the gulley and then down the final slope, very quick.  Finishing off to Evans, and resting in the carpark overlooking the Quarry.

Climbing, road.  Grinding away, feeling pretty good, though.  At Jollies Bush we talked ourselves into riding it, walking steps then riding across and up, over the fence, and into Richmond Pines track bombing down across then into the Sheepshit Alley climb, Nelson dropping me big time.  Onto the road, final climb, big slurp of water from the tap, then down Britten (Vee Twin (pah!))...  At the corner I helled and yolla'd to Nelson and pointed, and kept going straight across.  He turned up and followed, and I led him down my 'new' way, bombing across and down down down, back to the cars.  

A good ride.

A laudable 13.2 kms, with a veracious 551 m surmounted 

Tuesday Night Pleasant and Unpleasance; Malfeasant Peasant

Dinner at Joy's so we got going from home early and the fam dropped me up on Parkridge... Rode around and up, chuffing along quite well, to the bath (which is gone!), over the fence, and across and up onto the trail now known as V-Twin (meh).  Climbed this, horrendous easterly wind blasting across the slopes, tho, around to the first hairpin it was sheltered and quite nice, then tail wind to the next hairpin then nasty headwind climbing up and blasting across as I climbed.  Around the front, with the tail wind pushing me nicely around onto the other side of the trees, to find all the sheep sheltering there.  Lovely clean run through the rocks up to the cattle grate and onto the road.

Straight up over the fence, climbing up and around and up, cleaning all of it surprisingly nicely, and feeling pretty good.  I think that so much time off the bike has left my muscles packed with glycogen, whereas previously, riding every day to and from work plus the mtnbiking, my legs have always been a tad depleted.  So, after all this rest, seem to have some power.  And stamina - to a point.  Plus, my back wasn't bad at all and again I'm asking myself if I really need surgery (until I do something else, or bend over too often or forget to take my pills... - so, there is that).

Rode around the building and up to the top, where surprisingly the summit was super calm.  All the sheep were hanging out up here because of it.  I negotiated with them my route over the rocks towards the trig, then I hit the down.  First the gate, then shortcut down and across, flowing beautifully across the rocks, and up to the stile.  Wind howling through here, and yeehaa, down I blasted, swoop swoop, battling the wind, float, squirrel, blast.  Down on the last long grassy straights, I noticed, too late, a jump off to the left.  So I stopped, turned back up the hill a ways, then back down into the line, jump, around a big berm, around another, jump, maybe 2, with nice landing faces if you had the speed, then g-out and into the first jump of the Greenwood.  Swooped over that landing it nicely, and down through the first few corners.

Cut off under the trees and rode back up to get into -  what Trailforks calls  - The Green Line/Greensticks/Swoopy.  Got into this but after the 2nd left-hander, my right pedal smacked a rock so hard it pinged me a metre and a half to the left, nearly toppling me off the bike.  Ouch!  Kept riding and immediately could feel my pedal axle was bent, foot wobbling as it rotated.  Got some crazy speed on, pumping through the (usually) swampy section and kept on cruising after that.

At the pines, headed up Sheepshit Alley, climbing away, overtaken by a couple of fucking fast electric bikers (wankers) who I'd seen coming, and thought how much fun the climbing must be on them, but also jealously thought they were dicks for having all the fun while I was suffering old-skool stylez.

Onto the road, and climbed around under the cafe-house and up into Britten for the final blast.  And what a blast.  So flowy, so much fun blazing down the hill, tail wind across the main face, veering off on the first hairpin and continuing across the hillside, all the way, blasting down and then finally under the pylons.

Then, last bits, down the track next to the houses, ooh, a jump off to the right, next time, and speeeed down Major Hornbrook and right into Madeleys, left and blitzing down to Joy's.  I was tempted to drop into the zig zags and pop down that, then up to Drayton, but I was done with climbing.

Hoo, long post for a short ride...  9.2 kms, with 300 m climbed and 90 extra metres descended (albeit, on the road).

Wednesday Night Squiggly a f

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday Pre-Trust Meet Cavendish Castle Pleasant Feat.

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

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

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

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

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

An excellent 14.16 kms, with 621 m climbed.

Thursday McCormack's Pleasant Green Captain Coincidental Groupings

Good ride last night.  Met Nelson after work at McCormack's Bay, and we trundled up Glenstrae onto the hot dirt.  Sun beating into here and no wind meant for instantly exhausting conditions.  Stopped and tried to reach a few blackberries at the usual spot, then got riding again up, down and up up up.  Usual walk of the second hairpin, and then further up, in the upper zigzags I dabbed out on the 2nd and 3rd, but got the rest.  Nice breeze once up on the road.  Up this and up the reserve on the corner onto Ridgeview and over the fence at the bath trough.

Up through Britten, spotting Wazza's, Andy's and Bobbin's cars parked on Upper Major, so figured we wuz chasing...  Up around the front of Britten, spotting what looked like familiar riders on the singletrack above the road.  We hit the road there and headed back along the road and up Broadleaf, seeing the boys up at the gate, and actually beating Robin to it.  Our previous plan of heading over Cavendish and doing Castle and Tors out the window, we joined these dudes and got into the bomb.  Fanging like usual down from the top, dust obscuring my view of the trail in places.  Regroupling and then around above the ruins, then decided on a lap of these upper trails, down towards the pines, and back up Sheep's Hit Alley, clambering to the top.  Robin bailed here on account of his detached hand tendons hurting too much.

The four remaining headed back across old Greenwood into Greenwood proper, and proceeded to bomb like nothing else down.  Hoooned.  Nice rest after Gloomy, beautiful night just there out of the wind, and got going again for a fun filled rapid descent.  Hit the road, and Nelson and me were gonna take the Captain, while they were heading back up for their vehicles.  At this point a massive posse of riders appeared out of Rapanui Bush (reserve in corner of hairpin below), and turned out it was the Thursday Night Crew of old, and old (2016 ago!)....

Hooked in with them, Nelson leading the way in, and the others putting the pressure on, hard.  I got in about 5th and had Nelson's mate Mark on my tail, and I kept the pressure on the dude in front of me (Paul, maybe?).  We hooned big time.  Dust was a problem, breathing and seeing, the bit after the gate I just pointed and hoped, not being able to see anything with dust lit by sunshine.  Mental!  Around, bombing all the usual rocks and interestingness, and as I rounded towards the big boulder (before the rockydrops) I spotted Nelson retrieving his bike from below the trail (below the rockydrops).  He was just up onto the trail when I got there and he jumped in behind as the dude who was ahead of me cleaned the entire wee climb here.  Somehow I'd lost Mark along here.  We got rolling and chasing and fanged out the bottom.  When Mark rolled we realised why I'd lost him.  His chainring was majorly bent, so the chain wouldn't stay on.

Rolled on down to Sumner, to their cars parked on the Esplanade.  They all went to the pub, we tootled off, around the new boardwalk and bike path (that practically dead-ends at Shag).  Back to the cars at McCormacks,

A good effort, 21 kms with (according to MMR) 750m climbed (don't believe it, cos our peak was only 500 and we didn't do that much extra up and down (- there's always that weird spike around Moncks Bay)).

Sunday Hot Stuff Thomas and Bony Greenwood

Otie and me met Nelsie at Slumnervale and we fixed O's gears and rear brake before we got cracking. 

Off up the Captain, O coping well on most of it, tho getting off for some bits of steep.  Hot work until finally we were in some easterly breeze which cooled nicely.  I was feeling surprisingly good considering my Friday night epic - surprising what one day of recovery yielded.  Hit the Scummit Road and toodled, hot work and then the shade of Jollies Bush was a real relief.  At the Richmond Pines we headed over the stile into Greenwood, and O didn't want to go all the way to the towers, so he headed up the 4wd track towards the gun emplacements, and Nelson and me headed up Sheepshit Alley, then into Britten, around the top and straight up Broadleaf.  Nice views from the top of Pleasant, and chatted to a nice girl from who'd only recently moved to Chch from Rotovegas (with her nice Weimarana who carried her own water in a wee doggy backpack).  She was keen to know more about Chch trails.

Off we headed down, zip zip zip.  Hooked up with O then headed into Greenwood proper.  Excellent blast.  Bony bastard rocks lessening O's enjoyment.  Thankfully Nelson had stopped after Gloomy and we had a bit of a rest before blasting off down the rocks.  Fang fang, pop pop, clatter clatter.  Fun times.  Across Evans and into the Captain.  Woot fest, speedy dusty descending, tight on Nelson's tail til my phone rang, then off again and blasting.  Cleaning everything except the usual uphill, and blazing away down the dry dry dusty clay lower down.  Nearly lost it in the rut on the last big corner. Then, over the stile and down through Slumnervale park and back to the cars.

A delightful 15 kms, with 585 m climbed.

Thursday Night Captain Green in the Parlour with the Candlestick.

Tires.  Tires, tires, tired of tires...

In the morning, the back tire was flat, so, thinking it was just a slooow leak (as it had been prior), I pumped it up and chucked it in the car and headed for work.  Parked, rode to C4 to get some beans and on the way there it slowly deflated, becoming too low to ride just as I arrived.  Borrowed a pump from one of the guys there, but that didn't work, so I walked myself and the bike to work.  End of the day, the pump in the bikeshed at work didn't work, so, walked to car.  Drove to Sumnervale.

Nelson arrived just after me and his front tire was flat too.  His was a valve-core issue which he couldn't fix so he left again.  I replaced my tube, and patched the one I took out - 15 or so minutes.  I started riding, and my tire got flatter and flatter...  I stopped up on the grass just off the cul-de-sac (before the stile) and patched this tube.  Another 15 minutes or so.  Then, as I removed the pump the whole fucking valve-core came out.  WHUUSH,  I struggled and got more air back in, got riding even tho the tire was a bit too low, at least it wasn't getting any lower.  Got up round all the switchbacks and sat down on the seat to pump it more, and the valve-core came out again, so I spent another 15 minutes or so messing with it, also discovering a loose spoke, which I tightened by hand.  Found that part of my chain-breaker managed to fit the valve-core, so got it good and tight, re-pumped and finally got riding.  It was getting close to 7 o'clock by this stage!

Good climb, finally, up Captain Thomas.  Cleaned everything I usually clean, and walked all the usual bits. Rested at the annoying gate, letting a couple of girls ride down through.  Headed up the Summit Rd, as far as the Richmond Pines.  Over the stile and up the 4wd farm-track to Greenwood.  Hung a right on this and stopped again, flipped bike, and got the spoke-tool out and tightened up several spokes.  Got riding again, up, around and hung a tight right on Sheepshit Alley, bombed down this, then around 'the Greenline' climbing back up to the start of Greenwood from the 4wd track.

Into it and bombing.  Nice bit of work done on the edges all the way down, a tickle since the Enduro?  Smooth popping through the top rocky sections, cruising and bombing in turn.  Around, pumping okay towards Gloomy, but getting bailed up on the rocks just after.  Then rested the spine before the rocky descent, good flow through this and the airy bits, and off the drop, then slow to start around into Dave's zone, speed ratcheting up as I was bombing and flowing, feeling pretty good.  Wind got stronger as I headed into Evans Pass, gale across the saddle.

Across the road and back up into the Captain, and bombing into the flow again.  Rocked all the goodness on this, having an excellent run, except the usual climby bit just after the last of the rock drops.  Flow and ping the rest of the way down and back to the car...  After a bad start, a good finish, solid solo, 15 and 3/4 kms with 12m shy of 600 altitudes climbed.

Sunday Solo Brit Green God nuSnake God road Brit

Parked up Parkridge and got riding at 8.30. Up Britten, into the clouds, everything grey and a little damp. Down the road and into Greenwood OG entrance, where shortly I took the Sheepshit City trails down around towards the Richmond Pines and then around and mostly climbing back up to the Greenwood ruins.  9 am on the dot, into Greenwood proper, and down (seeing reasonably fresh tire tracks on the odd rock (but no sign of anyone ahead)).  As I rounded one of the first corners I noticed a guy chasing me down.  Huh! I thought.  Better put the pedal down, so I started honking a bit harder, and increased the gap.  Around Gloomy and through I looked back and I'd made the gap massive and he was dab-walking through the worst of the rocks up there.  Got bombing on into the next rocky descent and swooping through the swoopies and off the drop jump, and around into Dave's Zone, and then looking back he was way up there.  Kept the pressure on, blasting through the turns, all good, even where there was grease.  Around into the wee valley and then the shot for the end.  Dab through the first rocky up, and then down to the new end, passing a climber in those lower reaches.  Across Evans and a wee breather break, 9.10am..

Into Godley, climbing and (nearly) cleaning the first rocks.  Slightly better luck most of the rest of the way, just one or two dab-scoots.  No one else about at all.  Over the top and blasting down to Livingston where I passed a couple of runners (one was Meg - James and Caro's daughter).  Climbed up towards Breeze to just before Breeze descent where I peeled off for the new entrance to Anaconda, dropping down through the open gate next to the cattlestop, little triangle of paddock above the road, across, and into the newly signed downhill.  Swoop swoop, all finished now but needs more tires riding it.  Fun, bar all the sheep shit, and lambs jumping out of the way.  Onto the old Anaconda and a sweet bomb, jumpy jumpy, around into the valley, back and forth, nearly lost it in one corner, front wheel squirrel, then out onto the walk track a the bottom and climbing up the new walktrack back up to the original snake entrance, Breeze Col, and back up the road for a bit.

Up the triangle of paddock I'd come down, walking, then onto the singletrack again, heading up and over to Livingston, then the grinding climb up, up, up.  At the top I looked at my watch, and discovered it was 10am, 1 hour since I'd been at the top of Greenwood!  Continued on, having a great run down Godley to Evans, roughly 5-10 past the hour at the pass, and climbing again, for the long slog.  Towards the top my left leg was getting a bit peaky sore.  20 minutes the whole climb took me to the top of Britten.

Final fang down, easy to start then ramping up the boost as I descended.  At the hairpin corner, went straight ahead, exploring a new line, which took me all the way across, nicely flowing, and down to just before the final droppy descent under the pylon to the bottom.

Back to the car 10.37 or so, and home just after 11 am.  Nice.

A rather lengthy 23.5 kms, with 999 m of altitude gained...