Sunday Walk-Ride Stooge

Headed out and up for a date with my girl. We stuck together all the way to the Skidder then she headed down a big dog leg to meet me where Eastside track meets the mtb track. Then she followed me down NuBridges. 

Up valley from there with much cleaned and some walked. One small tumble, tripped by a flax. Then it was the lovely flow back towards the bike track gulley and into Uprooted. Lovely climb, first time on the finished product. Next it was over Skidder and into the singletrack.  Met T at the gate and we headed down the heavenly Heavenly Creatures and Sleepy Hollow. 

Only 5.6 kms and 242 m uprooted.

Sketchy Stoogilicious Sundowner

Groovy ride. Rapid departure from work and home in no time to leap on the Stooge to ride up and meet T on the Summit Traverse for a Sundowner. I had a nice DVB Wizardry and took her a Go-Go Juice. We watched the sun sink behind the mountains then I was racing the darkness home. Fine in the open, but getting dark in the macs top of Vic and then super hairy times in the woods as I got closer to home. Hairy times... 

Sketch a f, 7.4 kms, and 255 m escalated.

Nice pick from start of Gums rockgarden.

Sunday Sweet Date Ride Walk

Rode with my sweet, walking. Worked surprisingly well and gave a reasonably low impact Stooge treatment for my injured knee, with good company. Finally got to show her my new locals, too.

We headed up from home, not really planning to stay together the whole time but then it just worked out that way.  Up the wheelchair track over the info-centre hill knoll (what is a bike if not a wheelchair? It's got a seat; it's got wheels!), then up over 19th the way I always go, then up the steep from skidder, Tra'y walking along with me the whole way.  Then up top of Vic and we cruised along the Traverse.  It worked pretty well, it was slow for me along here, but all the climbs were pretty even, and I'd just stop and let (very few out) riders or runners (lots of them) through and then wait for T to catch up.  I took this picture just before the Lavaflow and that's where my MMR stopped. 

Continued around, rolling downs, coasting ups, stopping, waiting, rolling together when possible.  It was really nice.  At end of Traverse we went across the road and into Scott's Knob.  I realised how much I like this trail.  It's got some interesting tech, especially when greasy.  On the second knob we stopped and checked out the rope net.  Amazing, cellular looking literal sculpture.  

At the pond we popped across the road and back around the rest of the Traverse to Vic.  Worm down to rabbit, and I showed T my usual way through the rocks, pines, gums, the steepest bits proving tricky for her, but mostly good.  Then down from gums to gate, she didn't necessarily know this route.  Then, across the road and into Heavenly, she'd never been through before and I think quite liked it.  Finally, the last section, I showed her my tree clearance, and the way to Sleepy Hollow - which she dug.  Then at the 'to H'Ell' track she peeled off, I finished off my favourite ending and we hooked up at the neighbours' driveway again.   

MMR stuffed up when I took the pic. A very similar route to this one, this one from a few weeks back just minus the bit where I rode back along the Summit Rd, so more like 11 or 12 kms, and similar 400 odd m climbed. 

Tuesday Night Jeht Hoon

Sounds like some Korean dude: Jet Hoon... Another night another ride, different bike similar trails. Nice fun, Tawhairanui, singletrack, pushed my way up Pop'n'Fresh - man it's big! There's a lot of space in there but an uphill trail would be tricky to place. I reckon there's a way but it would probably have to meander back and forth across Popnfresh, skirting into Gums a little, and the top bit would probably need to cut into the sidling entrance I usually take across from the Rocks below the pines. Could work.  Another option would be to chuck it through the fence and zig and zag up in the grasslands beyond.

Next it was up the rabbit paddock, up onto Thompsons both, both ways, down and back up, then around the jumps and back down Rabbit into rocks pines gums. Exit over Skidder, dropping down Razza's, Sneaky, up the usual down and into Uprooted for a good hard climb. Then over Skidder again into the Heavenly blast on singletrack home. 

All in all a good time. I had a lot of interactions with possums tho. Should put some effort into taking a few out... 

7.17 kms and 296 m clambered

Monday After-Dinner, Mint Stooge

Stooged about on the hill tonight. Nice wee hoon, not too high but some sweet climbs and fun descending.  

Up the walking path just above the road, over onto Tawhairanui, then back up the wheelchair track to the Info Centre, then down the back of that and up over the 19th.  At skidder I took the middle road across to the exit of Fenceline, explored down Flow-Rider but found it a tad double-black, pushed back up and hit Cool Runnings which was a bit of fun, tho not very jumpy cos I just dont know it anymore.  Out the bottom and up Uprooted, nice climb, checking out where it hits Razzas this time.  then over from Skidder and down the usual, into Heavenly Creatures for a very flowy and fun bash.  All the way down, with good speed.  Clamber, road, home.   

A smidge over 5 kms and a peaky little 188 m climbed

Sunday Stuffed Short Sixteen-Hundredth Missive Stooge

Nice quick planting this morning at Wilmers Rd and still feeling the effects of Gryph's 21st on Friday night.  

I hauled my aging carcass up the hill on the Stooge. Air pumping into my lungs and oxygen burning hard in the meat wrapped around my bones. Gasping, I was. Up the usuals, road, dogparkcarparkstart, climbing sleepy out up walktrack to 19th, skidder, grinder to top of Vic.  Blipped off down both Thomson's, and back up the top one, up to the carpark, then down around the jumpies, peeling into Worm and realising there was nowhere that way I actually wanted to go (couldn't be arsed going out the Traverse, or Fenceline, or Pedal...), so back around for a second go on the jump and into the rabbit paddock, down through rocks pines gums, exiting out through Skidder and over into Shazza's, all the way down through the newer bit and instead of heading into Brents or Macros hung a hard left towards Sneaky, and tight into Corporate Ladder, down this for the first time and it's not ideal.  Down into the valley and up Uprooted (nearly finished! - it's amazing), over Skidder again into the trees and stopped for a wee break where I often do just to take in the airs.  Drinking much water and a half-half-a-one-square, then the rest of the singletrack from here and into Heavenly Hollows, all the way, and stopped right near the bottom to try to work out my new exit option...  (I think I've got it). 

Stoogelicious 7.7 kms and 320 odd climbed.

The 1600th post

Sunday, Necessary Short Jeht.

Should have got out earlier but didn't. T and me headed up and parted ways at the dog park carp ark. I bopped into the forest down and around onto Sleepy Hollow and climbed from there. Was really tired from yesterday's Hanmer jaunt, I guess?  Up to 19th, then through gate and took the singletrack along and up, checking out the options for the climbing route, then back across to the bottom of Sesame and onto the grunter part way up.  Up to top of Vic, taking a breather at Thomson's turn-off before heading up over down around the first jump, peeling right onto Worm.  

Got rolling across the Traverse and pulled over to let a guy coming towards me through, at the same time as letting a dude on a titanium rigid looking flash thing through who was going my way.  I said, you're going faster than me, and off he went and I proceeded to stay on his tail until the top part way up that first climb.  I didn't care, he was way younger and fitter than me, but I did feel old and fat at that point.  Continued, with nice flow, around, and had a near miss on the corner around below Sugarloaf (after the down, before the pullover sign), skidding and just avoiding a rider coming through "Sorry about that!"  At the sign I checked on T's whereabouts and then could see her way down on the Bowenvale Valley track, so figured I'd give her time to get further up and so headed along the Traverse further.  At the high point I could see she'd turned around so I rang her, we waved, the weather was coming in which was why she was turning around, so I did too and headed back.  Nice flow back around to Vic, straight into the trees, jump one and two, down to fence, down rabbit, into rocks, pines, gums down and around.  Where you dive left rather than out to Sesame near the bottom (where I'd climbed out), I stopped and cleared a bit of foliage that's been annoying me for a while now.  Cleared the sight-line.  Onwards down, into the conifers and down around, stopped here to clear some foliage too.  

Then it was time head home.  Down the singletrack, gate, over onto Heavenly for a lovely baff down, nicely nicely.  After the oaks, and on the last stretch to the H'Ell, I stopped again, this time to scope out the possible route for a new exit out higher.  I reckon I've got it.  When things dry again, I'll head in with the pruning saw.

Only 8.6 kms and 282 m climbed, but worth every penny.

Thursday Night Nun Victorian

Good ride with Nelson tonight. Felt like I was showing off all my new toys...

Rode out from mine, headed up the road (following a group of 4 others), peeled into the dog park carp ark and down the newish line onto Sleepy Hollow, then up and out to the walk track.  By the 19th I'd determined that Nelson hadn't hit the new one from here, so we popped off down there for a lap.  Back at 19th, through the gate, and into the singletrack climbing from here, then out to Skidder for the grind up the grunter.  A couple had been ahead, and were stopped at the water fountain chatting, we rode through and up to Thomsons, where they arrived as we were deciding where to go.  Nelson led, I followed.  He had some gear problems at the end.  Then down into #2, I led, and we flowed, and through out to the road.  Down through Kiwi and up the Summit, with the 2 from the fountain catching us up slowly, and finally pulling ahead just before Worsleys.  Didn't really talk to them much until the top of the Nun.  They dived in first.  

Nun wasn't as greasy as I was expecting, but I still trusted nothing.  Had a good blast down tho.  Then the lower reaches were closed due to the logging below.  We flowed out onto the road, then dived in the lowest from part way down where you can access it.  Good blast down here too.  Out through Kiwi again and I noticed the moon! - not the pest pic, but it was above Charteris/Diamond Harbour, just come up over the hill.

Up the road and at the top there was a group of about 6 young dudes on expensive bikes.  They were chatting so we headed off down, Nelson leading, round through and over the jumpies, then down Rabbit where I led into Rocks Pines and Gums, taking the left down steep, I'm pretty sure a new bit, and out to the corner, out over to Skidder where there was a massive group of riders, including the guy and girl from earlier, and up rolled the infamous Mel, friendly as she always is.  They were all climbing and we headed off down Dazza's.  Ages since down here and hooweee it's steeeep and rooty.  Fun!  Rolled out across the last of the nuShazza's flowing around towards Brents, and then hitting Macros down down out to Corporate Ladder ending and then into Uprooted, Nelson's first time.  Good climb.  One extra corner that wasn't there earlier, and then out the top (a little more progress?), onto the 4wd, out to Skidder and over to the singletrack we'd climbe earlier for the last blast down Heavenly Creatures and all the way home.  Nicely nicely.

Cogent 12.13 kms and a tenable 465 m vert.

No Skool like the Old Skool on a Beautiful Sunday

Took the Cotic up to dog park carp ark and dived into the bushes, under the pylon and down to Sleepy Hollow to climb up the nice paths to 19th. Up through into skidder and up the guts to top of Vic. 

Down around the jump, hard right into Worm, onto Traverse for a good hoon across here. Boffed off down Huntsbury 4Pause, avoided the bottom jump through lack of speed, left in the tussocks down the older line, then into AliExpress dropping down, weaving through the sheepshit and rocks down to Old Skool. 

Excellent flow down here, flow and groove, spiralling down to the bottom and turning straight into the uphill. All the way up the valley, past Hospital and the bottom of NuBridges, climbing the walk track, walking a few bits up the top, then right on the traversing track across to the MTB forest exit, clambering up here and into the New Climb Trail. Beautiful, but still a granny grind... And they've finished up a couple of the corners above the 4wd but no further. 

Out to skidder and over to the below-gums. Short break in here for a breather, then out. Dropped off into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely jaunt, all the way down.  Sleepy, pines, oaks, last bit, H'Ell, clamber, road and home. 

12.1 kms 524 m ground out. 

Wednesday Night Limnal Minimal Stooge

Quite a short one on account of needing new brake pads on the Speedbomb. 

Rode up into Vic, first, just above the road on the walking, then dived across into carpark and into the old line, dropping onto the new line (under pylon) and down around through to climb Sleepy' 'Creatures, out onto walk track and up to 19th, all the while the odd spot of rain was drifting about.  Up the grunter, slow and steady, only stopping to pick up someone's trash, then up into Brakefree zone where I stopped and checked the radar; which told me the spots of rain I was in weren't gonna be about for long.  By the time I made the top of Vic they'd pretty much stopped.  (Sugarloaf in the back there)

Plan was to drop down through gums, down into the valley to climb back up somehow to the new climb, but dropped down, jump, rabbit and into rocks, gums and flowing through here, around a corner and brakes started making awful noises, including when I wasn't applying them...  Oh well, I'll just bail home, I thought.  Stayed on down through the cedars, last bit to gate, and across into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely flow down, other than the racket the brakes were making.  A little slick on a couple of sections, but mostly good.  I saw a mouse!  Ran across the track and I got a good view of it when it froze on a branch.  Onwards down. Cleaned nicely all the way out and down - I really must cut a trail out to Vic Park Rd somehow for finishing.  By the time I got home the brakes had kinda sorted themselves.  Still replacement time tho.

Sub-limnal 5.08 kms alonged, 180.5 m upped.

Wednesday Night Solo Poachy Wee Stooger

Sweet wee ride tonight on the Stooge. Hit up a few walkie tracks and popped a bit of bombiness. Bashed about and had a thoroughly good time. 

Up the walking track next to the road all the way to dogparkcarpark, dropped over into Tawhairanui for a nice cruise through, then stayed on walky tracks up through to 19th, hung a left, climbed up my usual way over top of it and through to skidder.  Up the gutser, and through up to Thomson's #1, flow, road, Thomson's #2, turned around and dropped back into this, climbed, into #1 again, climbed, out to top of Vic.  Turned around on the carpark and dropped back in, down around the jump, encountered a couple of guy with bikes'n'lights on their way up, breezed past them and straight round into Worm climbing up to catch them.  Onto the Traverse for a nice cruise around, pulling over several times to let trains of bikes through, the last couple still a ways off Lavaflow, so nice free ride from there, all the way to the Huntsbury end.  

Across the road and over the stile into Scott's Knob reserve, nice climb up through the conifers and fun rooty rocky descent, then into the next climb, off for a couple of steps, and climbing still, one small detour loopback, and on through, nice long flowy (due to reasonable unfamiliarity) cruise, droppy rocky rooty descent towards the end, especially in the natives.  Staying on that side of the road, up over the sidley track on Tracey's Knob to the carpark.  On road here, bombing back along the Summit, standing and cranking a lot of it, feeling good.  Last leg up to the 25kph sign above Lavaflow and dropped down to the fence, over (a group of 4 passing under me while I waited for them), and down onto the trail, and heading for home.  Cruising, climbing, cruising, seeing the group ahead and slowly winding in the tailenders past the pond, where the rest of the group was waiting (at the sign).  They offered for me to go ahead, but I said, nah, you're good, i'll give you a good gap and have a rest.  Gave them ages, and headed off again, definitely winding them in, but they were all regrouped at the entrance to the trees and I just rolled on through, up a bit and then pushing down into the jump with speed.  

Straight down through the trees, rabbit, rocks pines gums for funs, all the way down through to the gate, and dropped into Heavenly Creatures.  So much leaf and bark and stick carnage from windy couple days, and the rain has shown me where's going to be an issue come proper winter (just after you cross the access track, where the trail is kinda built up).  Great flow through, climb, into the last long leg, rolling goodness, and climbs, Sleepy Hollow, flow flow flow, oaks, last fun to finish.  Clamber, road, home.

 

Surprisingly nearly 14kms and a nice 443m climbed - further than I'd thought I'd do.

Sunday Long Haul Kennedy's and CAP home

Big ride today on the Jeht. 

Up top, took in both Thompson's #1 and #2 (father with noise cancelling headphones and baby on front totally oblivious to my presence behind him...), out onto the road and through Dyers for a nice long cruise up the Summit and around to Kennedy's.  

Rapido descent, very rough, Siberia, LowRoad, Crocodile peeling off onto Deviation and exploring out onto the new one - Redmund Spur.  It was okay.  the bermy jumps are fun, but a bit of cattle damage and lots of poos.  Not sure where next, decided on Spurious which was fun, steep little trickies, then into Upload and down through the dog park, onto the road, dropped through empty section onto Withers Cres, Spalling, Sutherlands and into Te Kuru, the big wetland park, aiming for the Westmorland Pylon.  Into Happy Home Rd, dropped down to Cashmere Stream, following this all the way to the end of navigable territory, then Holbrook Way, to steep climb to Hadleigh Lane, next steep climb up into Westmorland East Valley Reserve, pedalling up the steeps and zig in the natives below Farside, over onto Westmorland for a drop down and through into the CAP for an uplift. 

Summit Connector, finally grabbing the first OG entrance to the Nun, bombing down this, feeling pretty good still, hard push up the Summit - where the hell did all this energy come from?  Into top of Vic - usual way down, jumps, rabbit rocks pines gums, across into Heavenly Creatures, lovely flow, Sleepy Hollow, and home.

Quite large, 27.77 kms, just over 1000 m climbed (of which 600 were naturally aspirated).

Saturday Sunset Jeht Jaunt

Feeling a bit underhung so had a lazy morning and early afternoon before heading up the hill for a clean out on the Jeht.  I'd missed the working bee on the climb track this morning, but wanted to see where they'd got to, so dropped over Razza's and down through the little bit of Rad left, then Macros, the wee extirpation above Corporate Ladder, and out the bottom of Brents.  Into the new climbing trail from here, nice boardwalk, built-up corners, bridges, gradient not so bad. It's a great wee ride, and they've come so far up already, right up to the Rad wall, and the 4wd track Razza's spits you out on. I reckon one or two more sessions, and it'll be to the road Shazza, Dazza and Razza all come off - already marked out. Unknown whether they intend to take it higher, but I really hope so!  It climbs well! 

Thought I'd not really done enough to give up and go home once at Skidder, so headed up the gutser (hard!) and up to Thompson's#1, back up road and dropped into jumps, top of pines, gums, peeled out to the left to see if there is scope out towards the pylon - I reckon there could be. Back onto the usual trails, across into Heavenly Creatures (new name! (now retro-filled back through this blog)). Nice flow down this and popping up onto the road home just as the sun dropped behind the mountains - perfect.   

Only 6.59 kms, but a reasonable 268 m clamberated.

Sunday Stoogesbury Hunts Traverse

Groovy ride out today. First off, took the Big Mama off the Stooge and replaced it with my Bonty XR2 - far bigger capacity, with a new tube in it too.

Grunted up through the forest and up top of Vic, across the Traverse, Huntsbury DH, exploring the old rocky route, which was nearly impossible to follow, then the rest down the jump-strewn descent and up that alternative climb through the gums

and tagaste, pylon, tall tussocks and some ridge pushing through the sheep.  Through the bike cattle stop and kinda along the fenceline over to the old climb we used to use to get onto the singletrack.  

Up the rest of Huntsbury to the Summit. Convo with a couple of guys on eebs about the Stooge, then I let them lead off, gave them a good headstart and proceeded to chase, catch, overtake, chase and catch again... "You're pretty quick on that thing!" :: "It's tiring!!" 

I then had an excellent run the rest of the way round to top of Vic, straight in, jump, rabbit, rocks pines gums through, gate, over the road and into the the sweet tight local flow.

A flunky's 14.4 kms and 530 m ground upwards

Saturday Climbing Track Dig Day, Sunday Shortstuff.

Fair bit of bike related activity this weekend...  Big Bike Film Night was on Friday, usual inspirational stories and footages.  Favourite was the Tall Bikes film...  was so good.  Petor who runs Bespoked was super cool dude.  And Annie Ford was cool too.

Saturday, got there slightly late, but rode the Stooge up to find no-one around the Ranger Station, no-one at the Skidder, so made way down through the trees eventually finding people gathering at the bottom of Brents/Rad etc, to build the new Uphill track in the valley there.  A bit lost at first, I found my niche, kinda at the front, tentatively scratching the way in, absorbing the wisdom of the old-hands, learning on the job and.  We got so much done, it was amazing. Ranger came up and said, "Time gentlemen, please" and so I walked back down with my tools to the bike and it was incredible the progress that'd been made.  Rode it up and out, what bits I could at least.  BBQ at Skidder, good talking to new people, then hit the trails home the usual ways.  Ride (and grubbing) was only 5.8 kms.

Sunday, up with tired legs on the Jeht, across the summit where I ran into Pete, caught up for a bit then along walks Hubby and Dee (who's name I couldn't remember).  All the while talking I could see Tra'y on the Bowenvale Valley track walking up, following her progress until when eventually Pete and I went our separate ways I got round to the Sugarloaf sign/stop/carpark area and she was heading up the ridge, not that far from me, so "TRA'Y!" caught her attention and she came down to me.  I was feeling jaded so I headed back, but dropped down Upper Fenceline, across top of Cool Runnings, popped up into my little bridged exit of Pedalfine to see if there was scope for part of the new climbing track, pushing right up until I spotted where the big tree had fallen and the re-alignment of Pedal.  Turned back and then baulked on one of the corners...  Dropped into Razza's, then ground my way back up to skidder, and just for the punishment, climbed up from Skidder again, ugh.  Across and then detoured into top of Pines, had a wee break, then dropped in, Gums, best-fun-newby down home.  Sweet 9.4 kms, 382 m of mostly steep.

Then later Tra'y and I rode alternative byways to my folks' place, and I forgot to map it back.  oh well.

Saturday Nun Gov Ultra Vixen

Good wee spin on the Jeht, with an uplift.  

Climbed up through Vic, over 19th, Skid, Grunt.  Realised at the water fountain I didn't have a bottle.  Bother.  Oh well, drank some and kept rolling, into Thomson's Both, Through Kiwi and up the Summit, Worsley's into Nun.  Bit of a stop a the top and 4 old buggers on eebs turned up, we chatted, then I let them go off, and gave them some time to get ahead.  I dropped in and eventually caught the tail-end Charlie.  At the corner closest to the CAP he let me past and I railed the rest of it.  Felt like I was riding pretty good.  We all set off down the next section and I was having to hold back on the same dude's tail, but I bailed at the road, crossing over to hit down the Governor's Bay trail.  Slick in places, but fun.  Down around, and into the climb, cleaning more than ever, just seemingly having the power.  Walked a tiny section to the road, crossed over, finished off the lower Nun, and popped out at the road.  A mum and kid bikers rolled up and I asked if Zero Ultra was open, "Yes.  Yes, it is."  

I dropped in a little after one of her grom kids and proceeded to stay on his tail, reel him in even.  Then peeled off into Zero for the first time down.  It was much as expected, a few pops that would be giant air if you were carrying the speed, scenic (not that I got to see much - too busy focussing), loved it when it got into the trees, fast, jumpy (not that I did), and then one by one other tracks joined in from either side then I recognised the last sections.  Down to the fountain, drink, up to the lift.

Nice chat with nice peeps on the lift, then off down, pulling over to let them haul-arse through (all practicing for the racing tomorrow), all the way down lower Nun and through the Kiwi and up the road, dropping into Thomsons the upper.  Topped out, jumpies, see-saw, Brakefr-- out to Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, then into fun Newby Home track having a good session down here.  Really enjoying this trail, it's so tight.

16.3 kms travailed, with 846 m ascended, of which 400 odd were chaired. 

Hiker's Wool Delivery Service

Call from T. She was out walking with Layla who got a blister so I hoofed it up on the Troll. Nice HIIT climb to meet them on the road out of the Skidder site.  Delivered the goods, then I rode up to the 'CAP entrance' track, peeled off that down and popped out at the gate (where the other two were just arriving), then across the road and into the local Newby singletrack descent, for a most interesting wee hoon down through here with no dropper post.  FUN

Short but intense, 3.4 kms, with a measly 80 m climbed.

Friday Date Before Sunrise

Awake at 5, so T suggested we exercise. I was reluctant at first but then thought what else am I gonna do?  She headed out the door on foot, while I fed the dog, got my shit together and headed up on the Jeht. It was insanely warm (19 degrees - warmest place in the country!).  

Puffed up the road and then poached the Tawhairanui, nicely nicely, then stayed below the road up thru the woods to 19th, then up to the skidder where I layered off down to a merino singlet.  A green light appeared, and I'm like, wtf? then it moved, and then another light showed, up.  A dog (green) and it's master.  

Up the gruntster, where I needed a breathing break half-way, but cleaned up the rest ok.  Dropped over Thompson's #1 and back up the road to top of Vic whereupon I checked T's positioning... Ok - got ya..  Surprisingly, a few runners around.  So dropped off around the jumpies, straight around into Worm, up and out of the trees and onto the Traverse and I could see her coming up the valley. Gave her a flash or two from my first high point then rode around, and then down the walking 4wd track to her. We rode/walked together back up to the pond, over the fence, across the road, then she went up the steep and I sidled around and up the ridge and we met on top of the knoll - heretofore to be known as Tracey's Knoll.

Photos taken

and off down, techy rock to the carpark, across the road and onto the Traverse for a lights off blast around towards Vic.  Into the trees and ooh! dark!  Lights back on brights, into the jumps, one and two, then down the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, across to drop into the new local for a lovely twisty hoon home. All before the sun actually lifted above the horizon.  Nice!

Nascently resplendent 9 kms and 322 m climbed

Saturday Morning Stooge Date

Had a ridey-walky date with T. 

Rode up the back of the houses, then on up to the upper dog park carpark with her and we went our separate ways.  She went over and I went up.  

Just round the corner from the next carpark I dropped into the woods to climb up under the trees, across at 19th, then took in all the singletrack I usually descend to this point. Had to walk a couple corners in the gums, 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