Boxing Day Craigiecheeseburning. Edge, Luge, Dicks On, then Cocaine Alley

What a ride... Journeyed out to Broken River in Nelson's wee Clarion-Vitz and headed around the Sidle73 to the CV road, climbing off up this.  Long haul up, with pursuit, two guys on our tails most of the way.  We seemed to drop them towards the top.  

Nice long rest at the skifield and they arrived, a son in his 20s(?) and his dad on a rigid singlespeed.  Nice!  They took off ahead of us on the Edge, but we caught them up sooner than we should have given the lead we gave them.  The dad first and then found his boy a long way further on waiting for him...  the screes were slightly nerve wracking but rideable (except for a tiny gulch on the last one (for me) and sooner than expected it was over.  Time for the climb of the Ante-luge.  Ugh.  I walked a bunch more than I ever used to.  Not sure why, (writing this long time after the fact so cant remember exactly why I wasn't feeling strong).  

Rest at the top of the Luge and then into it.  Nice run down this, good rooty bomb - again, different from memory.  Nice long enjoyable bomb.  

Next up, the climbing for the Dicks On DH.  Hot work, dropped over the first bit of ridge (rather than up the top, which we'd forgotten about) then in for a jumpy cambered crazy shot down.  Nelson lost it after one of the jumps giving me the lead for a bit.  I let him by as we headed into to the beech and we climbed briefly before dropping down through the scrubby section.  Some guts and ruts in here including wet muddy bits (where everything else was dry).  Down to the road fence.  Following along the singletrack to the gate then onto the road for the final push along and down to the car.  

Routed, 19.5 kms with 840 climbed...

Scoffed a nice healthy feed (by Nelson and Kirsty) here then drove back towards Cheeseman.

Up the Cheesy Rd parking at the bottom end of the Cheesy DH / Cockayne (cocaine) Alley.  Up the road, past the two other trails up here and super steep and long up to the corner we head across from.  I had to walk, my legs were just toast.  But, got there in the end, and across the traverse track for a while before a fun open frostlands roll down to the top of the forest.  In here it got steep and fun.  Super rooty.  Would be hell in the wet.  Loads of fun that just kept coming and coming.  Eventually, we popped out at the road and were like, wow!  

Coked out, 6.88 kms with only a 440m climb.

Saturday Mounting Mt Lyndon, and Looping The Luge and Dixon's

Biiiiig day.  Nelson got to mine about 7.30 or so and had a coffee then we were off.  Got out to Lake Lyndon after just after 9am and hit the trail.  Across the lake edge and into the the climb...  What a climb.  I carried from the get-go, but Nelson pushed his heaps.  I pushed a bit, but then carried more.  We carried for a good hour or more,
(zoom in, I'm down there pushing somewhere)

eventually riding bits of the ridge, and pushing a bit more towards the top.
(Nelsie riding the wrong way!!! overlooking the Castle Hill Basin)

Fantastic views off the top, 360 degree magnificence.  Gorgeous day, no wind at 1500m, calm as calm.
(Lake Coleridge, Rakaia River, and various icefields in the distance).

Then it was into the down...  Explored bits around the top a bit and found the trail, jumps, drops, weaving back and forth, steepness, looseness, sketchiness, fun, exposure...  all good.  Kinda not hard to lose your way, but kinda loads of options you wonder if you should have taken.  We stuck to the main route all the way but where we ended up we weren't 100% sure where to go next.  Took a slight wrong turn following our noses across to an exit track, but that was fine and a nice blast out.  Looking back up, we could see several options we could have chosen.  Oh well.

On the flat, and gravel road, back around the most of the kms back to the car.

Over 760m climbed, in less than 9 kms.

Then bikes back up on top of car, and off round the road to Broken River carpark.  Straight into the Sidle73, climb puffing me up as usually, then down around to the Craigieburn Rd and up this to the Anti-Luge, clambering on up this.  Nelson cleaned the whole damned thing, whereas I was so toasted I walked more than I've ever walked before.  I just had nothing left in the tank for the climbing...
(me looking stuffed)

Eventually we made the saddle.  Phew.  What a wreck.

Into the Luge, what a trip.  Awesome blast.  I held onto Nelson's tail most of the way, until that seat half-ish way down, and then he just vanished.  I tried to speed up but couldn't.  A slight moisture on the roots kept them bloody interesting.  Passed a girl, and then a guy, nearer to the bottom, and we blazed out the end and hung around til they arrived.  They'd bitten off more than she could chew, and so were heading back down to their car.

We headed off up the road, a slow grind for me, but not too bad.  Along above the Envt Ctr and then up around the new(ish) sidling trail climbing onto Bridge Hill and into the new Dixon's entrance.
(me looking stuff'der)

  Cool.

Awesome blast down this, jumping jumpies, or not, and then I lost my chain just before the one little uphilly bit, putting a bigger gap between us.  He'd stopped in the bush part for me to catch up, and from here we had an excellent run down to the finish, roosting and railing and wailing.  Singletrack along the fence to the 4wd climb track, and we hopped the gate and headed back along the road to the car...  Me?  Toasted.

Total 13.2 kms loop, with 490 m climbed.

Grand total, 1250 m climbed for the day.

Thursday Family Sidling

On our way to Hoki for a holiday we stopped at Broken River for a quick leg stretch.  Unloaded the bikes, me with the fatty, T on her new midi, and the boys, and headed into Sidle 73.  Everyone did good on the starter climb and then we sidled around the trail.  Jetty ran and panted and had a great time.  Rode through to the gravel Craigieburn Valley Ski Rd, and headed up to check out the start of Coal Pit Spur track.  Rode down this to where it heads over into the Craigieburn Cutting, and then turned back.  Nice roll back through and down, meeting more family peoples climbing, loads of kids on really small bikes, and then down across the creek and back to the car.

Started the MMR late, so, was probably closer to 5 kms... still, only 20 minutes actual riding.  Profile's got some weird dips there that arent real neither.

Thursday Sidle, Anti-, Luge, Dickson's, Draco, Hog

One of the hottest days of the year in Chch, over 30 degrees of exhausting nor'west heat.  Nelson had a measure-up job at Castle Hill, so the plan was to meet at Sheffield and proceed out there in one car to have a ride after the job.  But, I struggled to get out of town, getting gas, checking tires, grabbing a beer from Punky Brewster, so by the time I finally made the Old West Coast Rd he was pretty much already out there.  He went ahead and I followed on all the way out.  This ended up benefiting us, as we could leave my car at Castle Hill.

Drove round and parked at Broken River and proceeded into Sidle 73.  First grunty wee climb and I found myself struggling right from the start.  Cruised down to the Craigieburn Rd and headed on up the coarse gravel.  Into the Anti-Luge, steeeep little start catching me out immediately, and the struggling began.  I felt utterly ratshit and had no strength or power and head was spinning and unfocused and I just felt weak, from here onwards, and on every single climb we did all the way out.  I walked a few bits I was so weak and rode, and eventually Nelson was waiting at the intersection, then it was up towards Lindon Saddle, first steep rooty bits making me walk, but managed to ride more further up.  Into the Luge, I led the way with Nelson filming behind, but I dropped him as I rocketshipped away from him, because he was struggling with a stiff back from working with his sheep the day before.  Wonderful flowy speed, leaping over root sections and railing berms, felt on fire, and marvelous.  Seemed to be no time at all and I was into the steeper rooty bits lower down.  Stopped a couple of times for Nelson to catch up, but rocketted away from him each time.  Fantastic descent. and over so soon, across the boardwalks and bridge to finish.

Up the road, my climb-grovel beginning to kick in quickly.  Longer than memory serves, but made the top of Draco and headed left for an explore, towards the Environment Centre, staying on the gravel road around above this and up to a wee saddle.  Then it was up a new singletrack (which we could see in the distance) and sidled around to another wee saddle just off Bridge Hill.  Nelson, obviously, was ahead and headed on up to the left, to the top of this hill and here we looked for Dickson's Downhill track.  Eventually I pulled out my phone and loaded up a map and discovered we'd passed it at the last wee saddle, so, back down to here and into it.  MINT. This track just kept giving and giving.  First, across a slope with a (from a distance) intimidating fence gap jump (which wasn't), and into a dying/dead forest of poisoned pines, not losing too much altitude and with whoopdedoo jumps here and there, and one mucky bog hole, then through grassland and across frostflats with awesome drops and the into tight beech forest for more descending at ridiculous speeds.  Dusty at times and I was tight on Nelson's tail the whole way.  Eventually down beside a ridge, and through shrubland back and forth and finally across the flats at the road.  Over a fence and along the road a bit and into the old (closed) road to the saddle we'd started at above the Envt Centre...  Steep granny grovel through more poisoned pines, about 15 minutes for me (took Nelson 10).  Bit of food and refresh here then back round the gravel road above the Envt Centre, mostly down, but small up, and we were back at the top of Dracophyllum Flat tack Track.

Into this I led, and bombed down it.  Leaping whole sections of roots, catching air on boosters, railing around corners, flying.  At one stage a cross blackbird was caught by surprise and panic-flew alongside for 10s of metres.  Caught at least one tree with my handlebars, scuff! and powered on.  Nelson did a better job of staying on my tail this time, slowly winding me in as his back loosened up.  Last few corners slowed me down a bit then it was down the fast loose descent towards the river.  On the bridge, breathing hard.  Nelson passed me by and headed on up the climb while I hit it and died.  Off, walking for a while through the steep switchback section, finally riding a bit once it mellowed out, and onto the actual Dracophyllum Flat.  Much nicer condition to nearly 3 years ago when we last did this, in the muck.  Flowed across the flat and into the trees, and climbing around through more flats and into the forest again, climbing and descending a couple times before climbing finally up.  Walking again, NOTHING in the legs.  Eventually I made it out of the forest and across to die next to the solar panel repeater boxes.  Another small rest and off down, following Nelson towards Texas Flat.  Bomby flow down through the jumpy forest, nearly overcooking some bits, but managing to survive, and across the boardwalk, dying on the wee climb following.  Down again, slowly building up speed, Nelson well and truly on form now, rocketting away from me.  Flowy flowy down, down then around and down to the creek crossing and the nasty grunting climb, most of which I walked.  Then the cruise meander up towards the start of the Hogs Back, Nelson in the distance and disappearing straight up into the climb ahead.

I stopped and drank some of my Ovari Juice before tackling the climb, which had me off walking in no time.  Combination of dehydration, heat-exhaustion and maybe a little worn out from the running is what I reckon's caused it.  The pie from Sheffield probably didn't help either, not giving me any accessible carbs to work off.  No power.  Finally rode again after the steepest bit, and up to the corner where Nelson was waiting.  From here we had the next climbs through trees and across the open lands up towards Picnic Rock where I wanted to collapse. Less than a year since I was last up here was on the fatty, with the boy.  Into the descent, Nelson in the lead and me following, staying on his tail for the first downs, popping and weaving through the sketchy frostscrubbed land and into the occasional trees, but at the very first up I practically stopped, where he somehow managed to power on.  Fast descents followed by slow climbs proceeded through the next sections, crossing the two river/creeks, one by bridge, the later one by ford, out of which I stumbled, walking up to find Nelson waiting.  Snacked up a little more here, with the end practically in sight.

Just one more section of fans to cross then the last climb, most of which I walked, to the dead tree and ridge before our final blast down the ridge and into the forest, where warpspeed was engaged and our highest speeds overall were found.  Blasting down through the forest, passing a walking woman, and finally reaching the end, for a cruise down across the flats and back to my car, Funk Estate Sophisticuffs awaiting.  I struggled to enjoy the beer, as I was so utterly spent.

Biiig ride.  Nearly 30 kms, and over 1000m climbed.  No wonder I's so knackered.

Saturday Muddy Mountain Madness

Another mission out to Craigieburn and the Hogsback today.  Tom was at mine just on 8 and we headed for Sheffield to arrive at the pre-specified time of 8.40something.  Met Nelson for transference to his car and the onwards drive to Castle Hill.  Pete and Steve were in the Falcon and Warren, Wayne and Tony were in Steel&Tube.  And so we met and left Nelson's car and transferred bikes and headed round to Broken River, nice clear day and a good hard frost.

Into Sidle 73, Nelson and me at the front riding crunchy ice around to the road and the endless climb to the snow.  Grind grind grind, meeting a bit of snow before the hairpin at the top, progressively getting deeper til the top where there was maybe an inch or two well deposited.  Regroup and layer changes here, sitting on tussocks, then off down the Edge...

Bit wet in places but mostly pretty good, all the scree faces were good to go, bit of snow on the first few.  Then Tom got a flat in the middle of one, fixed that and on we rolled.  Getting some pretty good speed up for a while, through the forest, when suddenly it was all anchors as we bailed up for the log.  Over this and on again, faster and faster, down, through where they've rerouted the trail, Nelson flying down the rooty drops and losing it on the bottom corner.  Next up it was some tight edges, then the last scree and into the climb for the saddle.  Ugh, this climb always gets me.  One section of steeper roots seems to always get me, walked it, and then got going again, getting to Nelson and Tom at the saddle, and waiting a shortish time for Pete and the rest of the crew to roll up.  Bit of a break for some kai and a chat.

I led the way into the Luge.  I was feeling pretty good, letting it roll nicely flowing down the way, opening up the throttle occasionally and not seemingly bothered by the slick roots.  I felt like i'd dropped the rest of them, and at one stage looked back and there was Nelson a wee ways back.  In the lower section, after the seat, it gets a fair bit rootier and that was when i felt the pressure building behind me, with Nelson and Tom both audible behind, but i offered Nelson the lead and he didn't mind.  Got to the bottom eventually, amped, and so everyone else rolled in, amped.  What a descent!  What a trail!

Climbing again, up to Jack's Pass to the Dracophyllum Flat Tack Track.  Some hesitation as to who was to lead, so Pete jumped in front and I chase in on his tail.  Was keeping him on a leash for a while, wondering about some of his dubious lines over the roots, til one of the roots got my back tire.  Nelson noticed it first - thought he heard hissing and commented but then thought it was something else, but then I noticed the wallowing rear and pulled up...  Nelson and Tom stopped to keep me company while the crew all bombed on past chasing Pete.  Once re-assembled we three got blazing, me leading down to the bridge, then the shitty little climb hit us and I let them pass then got completely dropped.  Made Draco flat and could just see Tom disappearing down through the scrub, no sign of Nelson, and so began the mudfest.  Fleck fleck splecking up and around all over everything and barely any control, barely needing to steer...  Into the bush, out of the bush again, back into the bush and climbing again, i was gasping, legs burning, struggling, tail end Charlie.  Finally out of the bush at the top and two women parked up and then across to the radio antenna tower and the crew all scarfing down some eats.  Another break here...

Then, Tom in the lead, followed by me, Nelson, Pete, blasting off down the hill into the forest and swooping.  Tom SO close to losing it in the first forest section, pushing across the not quite so muddy open land and in and out of forest in a long swooping section before turning round and heading down for the stream crossing.  Splish splash and through, the steep getting me letting Nelson past to chase Tom, Pete holla'ing he was stopping to film the others. Walked a few metres then got rolling again, round and up to the carpark, past the two women and on up the nearly greasy climb, mudweight adding pounds to the bike.  Wee walk due to lack of traction and lungs, and back on bike to top where we rested til all arrived. 

Next it was the hogsback switchbacks climb and out and up and up and up, bikes heavier and heavier with muck, trail with less and less traction as tires carried it all away with us.  Picnic Rock, greasy disgusting mucky mud and the descent began.  Not so bad in the moonscape, different spleck sounds at least, then a very greasy exit.  I saw Tom nearly lose it and thought 'what?  that doesnt look that bad?' then proceeded to lose it myself, greasy two wheel drift round a bend and onwards down.  Nice forest run for a bit then out in the open spleckings again and forest and bridge and long open greasy downhill some good jumps even, then around through forest and eventually creek crossing and climb to catch Nelson, and the women just taking off.

Bit of a regroup before the final traverse of some nice terrain, scree-gravel-creek-fan lack of mud being the highlight, and the final climb which started cramping my hamstring.  i stopped by the big dead tree to stretch and Pete went by and then I got moving again and the downhill started off slowly but accelerated til eventually dropping into the trees and had an excellent run down through them, into an open grease fest, then back into forest and eventually rapidly catching up to the pink woman and getting stuck behind her for the last 100 metres or so of trail.  At last, down the road to the car and a much needed rest.

Once again, lots of photos on PFMTBCblog, courtesy Stevo

Saturday Craigie Luge Draco Hog Mission

Spectacular ride yesterday.  Drove the Fiat to Sheffield, overtaking the two marked carloads of the crew on the Old West Coast Rd (Steve, Marie and Robin, (in TFC) and Warren, Wayne, and Andy (Steel&Tube)), met Nelson and transferred to his car then on we drove, the others coffee-ing up in Springfield, us gassing up, then all continuing on to Castle Hill.  Gorgeous cool autumnal day in the hills.  From Castle Hill, transferred us each to their vehicles, leaving Nelson's car for the later shuttle, and drove through to Broken River carpark.  Marie headed in ahead of the rest of us, and once everyone else was ready, we headed straight into Sidle73.  Nice lung grabbing initial few switchbacks then, as the name suggests, a good sidle round to the Craigieburn Rd.  Easy grind to start with, eventually turning into the usual granny grind, with my now usual right calf giving me gyp.  Cooler and cooler it got as we climbed up towards the snow, which had dusted the tops overnight.  Nice and chilly at the skifield carpark, where we all layered or delayered or relayered accordingly.  Last wee grunt past the lodges and up to the lifts and we were ready for the descent.

Nelson and me out front, and most of the time, Warren following us, we rocked it and blazed it and cruised it and it was sweet.  Sweeter than I've remembered it before.  The first screes weren't bad at all, only dabbed coming into one, where straight out of the forest there was a loose climb, and of course the final one.  All the forest singletrack roots were slick but I only felt sketchy once or twice.  The climb to Lyndon Saddle was a steep little grunt as usual, and i had to get off at one point cos my legs just didn't have it in them.  Ground out the rest of it tho.  At the saddle, Nelson said, Up Helicopter Hill!.  I was the only taker, so we left the crew and hiked and pedalled and hiked to the top.  On the way up I was like, no way, and Nelson was like, hell yeah.  On the way down I was like, Hell YEAH!  Awesome views from the top and an awesome downhill, techy and sketchy and fun and fully rideable.

We got to the bottom and found our crew had changed into a smaller and totally different crew - who said ours had taken off already, so we headed straight in for the chase, tho, given that they were probably already at the bottom was kinda pointless...  Awesome descent of the Luge tho.  Tight and rooty as always, the 'modern' wide bars nearly getting the best of us both a couple times.  I was tight on Nelson's tail all the way down, having to consciously back off a bit so's to see enough trail.  This I found myself doing again and again later.  At the bottom, grins smeared across our faces, we found the crew, and we all headed off up the road towards Jack's Pass and the Dracophyllum Flat (out!) track.

Nelson led in, but after about 50m got a wasp sting on the leg, so I took the lead and blazed.  What a descent.  Different to what i remembered, it's been so long and details like the wee climb in the middle and the ever increasing steep bit near the end, and the off camber corner BEFORE the off camber corner at the end all gone from memory and having to be reinitiated.  Last blast down to a nice new bridge and another nasty wee grunty climb up to the ' Flat' ensued, giving my calf gyp again. Another regroup here and we got going ahead of the crew of 29er guys following us.  Nice blitz across the Draco flat, swoopy swoopy then through a forest bit, into more frost flats, and into the forest again.  In here the new climb switchbacked us up across the old sloggy rut that used to pass as the track, and spat us out slightly east of where the track used to take you across to the ice-rinks.

From here, another regroup, this time letting the, now interspersed with us, 29er dudes go ahead.  Blasted off, popping little jumps across the flat and into another forest section where the trail swooped and railed around down and through out across Texas Flat, with some really nice sections before railing round into a wee descent to a creek, where we found a couple of the 29ers walking through the creek.  Nelson powered through the stream splashing the other dudes.  I pulled up, changed down while they finished crossing, then rode through and out and up, past the other 2 then one of them on my tail made me nearly wanna puke on the climb.  On up along the terrace top and out onto the Cheeseman access road.

The Slogs Back...  Tired legs grinding, calf muscle screaming, on the zag after the zig I walked about 20 metres, then got rolling again and struggled up to meet Nelson on the corner.  Here we sat, and watched, as first the 29ers then finally, what? Steve, then Marie, and Robin were visible then climbed on up to us.  But where were the other three?  Finally they turned up, new pads being slipped in by Wazza at the creek crossing.  Supposedly at the top, we then climbed a couple short sharp switchies in a wee patch of bush then out into the open top, bit more climb, relief of descent, then yet more climb to Picnic Rock Lookout...  Another regroup before the best descent of the day, ripping down through a moonscape then into and long edge of forest ever sidling and descending, somewhere a bridge, then more descending fast and furious, back into forest, shredding!  Another creek crossing, with walkers, "you're doing well" they said(?).  Pinchy climb, then across a few scree washouts and the final climb of the day up to a big dead tree.  Nelson roosted, i sat, and we watched til the others came into sight, and then it was Warren and Steve the first to get to us, so as they were the drivers we all continued on and we ripped it up down the long open pedally ridge before blasting down through the last patch of forest out to the end, lots of neat jumps and near misses with trees...

An exhausted pile of bikers eventually rolling in, while the three drivers went off to get the cars...

Steve's posted on PFMTBC, with lots of pics taken by Robin's camera!