Sweet Sunday Stooge

Quick chuff up on the Stooge tonight.  

Cruised up the road, lovely mild late afternoon after a morning of working, and tired laziness after a late night.  Dropped down into Sleepy from DPCP and cruised up this, then up to 19th, backtracking to pass over the top of it, then through Skidder and took the 4wds across to pop down Cool Runnings.  Some funnings, then straight into Up-rooted, all the way to the top of both, then up to the carpark at top of Vic - basically saw no-one in Vic Park the entire time (there were a couple people rode down through Macros as I climbed, but no-one else on the trails).  Some ladies in the carpark were the first I'd encountered.  

From here, dropped off down, first jump, then down rabbit, into rocks, pines, gums, nicely nicely, then cedars, through to 19th, into Heavenly for a lovely buzz down through here.  

Out the last and up straight into the lower half, good flow, Sleepy Hollow then climbing, attempting a little bit of line building in the climb to the pylon, then down oldskool 235, new line, around onto old, drop, oaks, and final blast to H'Ell.  Clamber, road, home - in other words, all the usuals.  

A nice local schmooze about.  A needed, and welcome wee blast of 6.77 kms and 285 climbed

Wednesday Evening Local Loopies

Mellifluous spin tonight taking in all the tight (and right) local singletrack and putting together a nice loopy pattern. 

So cool tonight to realise the various works being done in the below-dog-park-carpark-zone have made a sweet wee extra loop.  Basically, the bit I've been diving into recently, before heading up the Sleepy Hollow section, is actually meant for climbing - and loops around under the pylon to head down what was the 235 - I'd been puzzling the nature of the curve under the pylon.  This now turns left before dropping down the rocks towards the wetzone, peeling back and dropping into the lower new section just below where it peels off above.  It's very cool (and reflected in the end of tonight's ride).  

So, headed up the road and dropped down into the oaks and up across the wetzone through the bypass track I'd cut (which is drying out, seemingly (finally!)) and that's where I found the new connection from the rock drop.  I headed in this, meeting and chatting with a runner and dog, climbed up into Sleepy, meeting and chatting with another walker with dog, then out and up the forest track to pop out at 19th.  Back along the road here, up and over 19th into Skidder, and into Upper-rooted, a bit more work done in here, then up to top of Thompsons #1.  Dropped down here, nice flow, down into the #2, with a good blast here too.  

Down through Dyers and up the Summit to the Nun saddle.  Left off over onto the Governor's Bay track for an interesting wee blast down here.  It's becoming a little overgrown in places, the natives are doing too well.  Across the level bit and into the techie climb.  Did really well for a start then started muppetting, cleaning some, walking a little, and clambering out the top.  

Dropped then, over onto lower Nun, finishing this off then back through Dyers and climbed up into the Thomson twins, topping out Vic.  Brief puffing loop around the carpark, much to the bemusement of the groms up here, and straight in, down for the jumpies, but!!! my brake hose came unstuck and started buzzing (grinding, more like) the tire.  Grahh!  Semi-repositioned it, but didn't trust it, so rolled down to the drinking fountain and asked some young'uns here if they had any zipties...  nope, but one girl had some excess electrical tape!  Yuss!  

Sorted, I headed down into the rocks/pines/gums for some fun times, then across Skidder and into Dazza's-start, peeling right into Razza's (bazzas) and popped off down these steep droppy roots, across the 4wd into the continuation, down through Macros and up onto the sideline, stopped to move a tree, down some newly cut bench (part of what turns out to be a walk track they're building from that new bridge Nelsie and me encountered), and straight into the bottom and into Uprooted ahead of a couple of young women.  Clamber clamber here.  Once up to the first corner, the girls had started and I felt their pressure (even tho I gapped them) all the way up.  Young and fit, obviously - cos they were chatting away.  Up at the Rad zone 4wd crossing a group of fellas entered the next section of Uprooted ahead of me and I followed them the rest of the way.  2 non- plus one e-bike gapping ahead, and another non-e rider struggling to stay ahead of me.  

Out through Skidder, across, and dropped into cedars for my usuals home.  Excquisite blast down Heavenly, it's really been trodden and scuffed, so nice and free of leafy detritus, great flow.  Out and up for the continuation, then great flow and into Sleepy and beyond, where rolled into the 'new' climb from the pines, up to the pylon (only one little section of a switchback levelling needs adding), and around into the oldskool '235' for a lovely hum down here and around and back and around the new onto the lower sections to roll down all the way through the oaks and then the last fast blast beauty out to H'Ell and my clamber to road (where I ripped out the broom bush growing on here) to rip down the road to home.

 

Transcendental 10.5 kms with 411 m upped

Saturday to Bain's Bay and Back

Staying at Moana with Steev'n'Meeg, 

Steev'n Me headed over the Arnold and along the lakeside Scenic Trail. Fun ride. Cruised until there was no more to cruise, washy deep gravelly sand impeding us to a walk, and we explored a little further, but couldnt see whether there was a way beyond.  Sign said "Track Closed from this point due to bridge removal."   Not really sure if this was true or not, but we weren't getting the next step to Mitchells.  So, Bain Bay it was.  Then we turned back and hooned.  

two bike pics, nice swampy forest ponding reflections behind...

Nothing tech, just a nice cruise. 20 odd km, with sweet F. A. (115 m) climbed.

Sunday, Speedbombing the Ghosts of Lyell.

Packed out of Carter's Beach and hooned up to Lyell to take in the first 11 kms of the Old Ghost. Very nice it was too!!  

We treadled our way up and up and up, in and out of valleys, checking out the historic sites all the way.  I was remembering back to the very first time up here on one of the boys' bike trips, a trail of lore for me at the time, and just started-on as what is now the Old Ghost Road.  At the time they were barely even across to the Ghost Lake and wondering how to get the next stages built.  

Tra'y loved the ride, the e-power helping her so much.  I just plugged away at it, remembering the first day of my full Ghost trip with Nelsie and the Wellingtonians.  They'd let me lead and I'd felt the pressure from behind and tried to keep a stupid pace in a far too hard a gear, blowing up in about 10 minutes.  Someone else took over and pretty much grannied it and we all slowed down and it was much easier.  I took that advice this time and kept it slow and steady.  I was therefore surprised when I spotted some riders ahead, and proceeded to catch them up!  Overtook; a couple of slightly older ladies from Wanaka, heading for the Lyell Saddle Hut; and left them behind.  Maybe a couple of kms later, we made it almost to where I'd gotten the first time with the PFMTBC crew, nearly to the slips, just past the 11 km marker.  Stopped in a sunny aspect, had a snack, and then turned to head back.  

In this pic, I'd stopped for T and she'd ridden past and I just caught her (see the red)

Not long until we passed the two ladies again and the bomb began.  What a flow.  Speedbomb lived up to its name.  It handled gloriously, so much fun.  I'd rocket forward, careening down the straights, hangin' on around the corners, always keeping an eye ahead for climbers (none).  The most fun possible.  I'd stop at the bottom of a straight and wait for Tra'y to appear, check she was good and then blaze again.  Sometimes there was minimal wait, she was loving it too.  Sometimes there was a long wait and I'd wonder if I was gonna need to turn back to see, but then she'd appear.  Fun times, and then they were done.  Across the bridge and back up to the car.    

Amazingly, somehow, 1129 m of climbing over a total altitudinal difference of maybe 800 m (really not sure where the rest of it came from).  Gloriously beautiful.

Coastal Kawatiri, Carter's to Charleston with a Comeback on a Cooperating Wind

Left the unit at 9.30 and headed out to the beach into the wind south to take in the Kawatiri Coastal Trail.  

Composed of a few quite long, quite boring sections of farmland, but also some very lovely regen bush bits full of birds and reportedly with kiwi in them. Some spectacular coastal formations, incredible seascapes, and lovely bush.  First bush section was from the Cape Foulwind was very nice, as was the largest bit in the middle.  River crossings were pleasant swing bridges, and there were various shortish sections of nice boardwalks too.  All very nice.  

Only complaint; in the bush at one stage the overwhelmingly disgusting smell of dairy effluent permeated everything.  It somehow got into my nose and just wouldn't shift.

Heading home was incredible.  The tailwind just powered me along and we made very good time considering the distance and how rinsed I was from the Mokihinui the day prior.  

Super easy trail compared to yesterday, reflected in the 68 kms with only 489 m climbed. Head wind was hard heading there but the tailwind home was perfection. Home at 4.45, so a pretty long day. 

Friday Ghosting Forks, Mokihinui GOATs

Awesome ride today, with Tra'y on the Electric Cooker and me on the Stooge. We were the only car to park at the Mokihinui end of the Old Ghost Rd, and in we rode. 

Initial climb followed by instant bliss.  "This is the best thing in the world!" I holla'd back to her.  So nice.  Then, onto the end of the road, down to the gate and onto the trail proper.  It was beautiful and spectacular and the weather held and the river roared, or was eerily quiet. It all felt so good.  Even the climbing wasn't terrible.  Not horribly tech.  Speedbomb loved it; it carries momentum so well, rolls over everything so nicely.  Couple hours to the Specimen Hut, so many good views of the river, roaring or quiet and sedate, quite varied.  Steep drop offs, in places, and Tra'y had a few scary moments.  She ended up with some quite juicy bruises from nooby mistakes.

Managed to get all the way to Forks Hut. Ostensibly 20kms in (but our total of 37 might beg to differ slightly). 1226 m climbed tho, so that's quite something given the lowest point was 22 m and the highest was 188 m. Long tho, Started at 8.30, 11 at the Forks Hut, 11.15 departure, 1.55 back at the car. 2.5 hrs each way, pretty much... 

Follow-Up Rooting

Short rest at home post eeb ride, and decided I needed some more, and I was keen to see how far the Vollies got on the next section of Uprooted. So, headed out and up on the Stooge for a wee jaunt.  Popped into the DogParkCarpark entrance to climb Sleepy and up to the walk track, then below road to 19th.  Up through the gate and climbed the singletrack to Skidder, then straight into the new Uprooted extension.  Wow.  Surpassed expectations; incredible job. I do regret not joining in, but it just wasn't gonna work. Other priorities, ie a TFC Planting that would have taken my volunteer precedence, but that also got overridden by time spent with T on our interesting urban exploration. 

I climbed it to as far as they got, and then pushed up the steps of the walking track it parallels, then up the top of the grunter out to Brakefree then last climb to the top.  Loop around the carpark and back in, down over the jump, then usuals, rabbit, rocks, pines, gums all the way down.  Heavenly Heavenly, then sleepless Sleepy, Hollowed out all the way down.

Sweet f a travailed (5 kms) and 178 units of bugger all climbed.

Saturday, Ride of 2 Parts

Up with Max, and Tra'y trying out the turbocharged Charge. Went really well for her. I was on the Stooge and had a nice time. 

Up thru Vic, Max doing pretty well, walking a bit of the grunter.  Topped out then headed around the Traverse to the Bowenvale saddle carpark where we got onto the road, taking this around to Huntsbury/Vernon. The trail riding was maybe a little hard for Max, but Tra'y was rocking it. Hit the Traverse back around, both only walking the rock at top of Lava and that one bit just before the pond. Stopped briefly in the macs just after the jumps, and Nick from work rolls up, brief chat.  Then it was thru Brakefree, into Pines, and what I thought was 'easier' gums, which turned out harder than I imagined for them (steep corners), but out the bottom was okay.  At the gate we said goodbye to Max who was knackered, and hadn't expected mountain biking to be so hard.  T and me headed down Heavenly Creatures all the way home and she absolutely caned it!  Very proud I am.  

A reasonable 10km and 320m climbed. 

Then I was home and hankering to ride a bit more so I headed back up. Dogpark carpark into Sleepy climb, over 19th, up from Skidder and topped out.  Hit the Thomson's -both, then back up the road. Bumped into Nick again at top of Vic then dropped in round the jump and Worm, Upper Fenceline, Rome - piecing something quite cool together. Up Rooted, then weirdly up from Skidder (3rd time today), and down Rabbit, Gums and all the usuals home again. 

8km this time with greater upward mobility, 350m   

Sunday's Stooge, Full of Bluster

Bit mucky in places, up for a scramble. 

Topped out Vic then hauled the Traverse, mix of both tail and head winds, blustery nor'west peeling all over the place. Biffed down Huntsbury then sheepshitty-Alley Express, mums and lambs, tech rocks slow and considered. Into top of Old Skool for a snack in a sunny and just-breezy spot.  Headed down to start with, with the expectation of turning back due to muckiness, which in short measure, I did - climbing what I'd normally only descend and finding it ok. Around under the pylon and surprisingly fun descent around into the trees, dropping down and finding extra muck, all the way from Lavaflow through to the valley bottom. 

Climbing now, usual steeps, struggle street. Up and over just a little bit to check Pedalfine - still needs a saw (which I might tackle soon). So, back up and dropped onto Raceline down a couple of bends and popped off onto Uprooted, climbing this out, then up the gutser for 2nd haul, and a run at the gums and the Creature, Hollow down home, flow. 

Propitious 11.3 kms, 489 m 

Sunday Rail Reynold's Bossu Trail

Ride with a couple workmates today. Parked up at Kaituna Quarry and honked it around to Okuti Valley at quite a clip.  Things were splecky, and I think we may have gotten one shower - otherwise we were extremely lucky.  These boys were fast, young, and on light weight xc machines, and I was working hard on the Stooge. 

After flushing a large flock of kereru out of some tagaste, we hit the Reynold's climb, and I was almost instantly dropped.  After a couple of corners, they powered on ahead, soon disappearing from view, and I just continued my own pace, plodding my way up that massive climb. They were waiting in the 'bothy' out of the howling wind at the top, and there was the forgotten extra climb to deal to. We stuck together on this, tho I was lagging before it's top.  Man the view of Kaitorete from up here is amazing.

Then it was down time. I set off first, but in short order Mike powered past. My top gear wasn't tall enough so I couldn't spin to keep up. One small level and minimal climb and we regrouped at Te Oka top.  Next was another last climb. They dropped me again and then I cramped. Even had to walk a bit so they got a massive gap on me. I slowly wound in Callum, finally coasted, tucked, past him and we met Mike at the bottom. 

Across the gravel and onto the road to trail trail again to return. More cramping... 

A cramping 45 kms and 980 m (😮) climbed

Friday Night Stoogilla in the Mist

Nice we spin up on the Stooge after work, due to no commitments, to take in a bunch of my favourites.  Fun times, if a little greasy in places.  Dropped into the bush from dogparkcarpark, looking at the old route to start with, wondering about the connection into the new, in the clearing below the pylon.  I'm guessing the intention is to ride up around into it?  Anyway.  Nice climb up through Sleepy and then up the walking tracks to 19th.  Up around the back of it, then up from skidder, grinding, out to the top.  Down around past the jumps (too greasy) and down Rabbit, rocks, Gums, out to skidder, and off down Shazza's, Macros, into Uprooted, climbing away, and then back over into the singletrack and down, into heavenly Heavenly Creatures for a lovely biff down here, all the way home.  Lubbly jubblies.

Just about 6 kms, and two-fiddy metres honked

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. I took Shazza's flowing into Macros then out the bottom and around the newly re-furbished Flow.  Stopped and waited (quite a while) for her at the walktrack interseciton.  When she arrived we headed the same way with her following me down NuBridges to the valley-bottom. 

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.

Sunday Late Afternoon Loop

Quick pint at Moon and left T and Nik there to walk home.  I got home and jumped on the Stooge to ride up to the Skidder, down Shazza's, into Macros, and out onto Flow, New Bridges, and all the way down out the bottom of Bowenvale.  Down the road, left into Wedgewood, Landsdowne, then along the river.  Stymied at the library, back over the bridge and around, then chasing the girls down Colombo to Wherstead corner and catching up.  I then took myself down Wherstead, through to Ernie Clarke and along a splecky riverside, following the river up to PMH and cutting in next to Hackthorne to climb up the steeper and steeper dirt track to get up onto the Sassalong Sidle.  Lady Poison, MacMillan, then up Whisby, down to Kidson climbing up here then up our zigzag and home.  I beat them home too, strangely.

Eveningly 12 kms and 330 m climbed. 

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. 

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 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.

Saturday Dawn Raid on Tombstone, baby

Sweet ride on the Stooge on a bunch of new-to-me trails. Tombstone is really fun and perfect for the Stooge.  Left the bach with T just before 8am, dawn - pretty much, and headed up Lucas Lane into the new to both of us trails.  Grabbed CV Express and I left her here rolling ahead faster than her fast walking speed.  I kept passing above her on all the switchbacks which was nice.  Eventually I lost sight of her and then not long further got to the top of Tank.  Good climb, will be nice once all the trees grow back up.  

Dropped into Tank, which was a hoot.  The Stooge performed really well, no sketch, no dice.  Climbed out the end and then into the Yankee Zephyr climb, which was longer than I remembered, maybe because last time I did it was 2019 and the trees have grown considerably.  At the kind of skidder site I peeled into the new (to me) Tombstone, which has a very nice climb.  Some nice native under the larches and patches and generally a good grade, never too steep, but steady.  Eventually got to the top of the climb, nice view up to Isabell, and it was time for the descent.

and what a descent...  Glorious flowy trail, just brought joy to my headstate.  It was mint.  Some of the most zen fun I've had for years.  Super fun, able to get some speed, then some nice tech sections that keep you on your toes but aren't terrible.  So much fun!  Out the end and down onto the Dog Stream trail, where I headed back into the bridge (and noticed that the old descending line to the bridge is now closed.  Headed up onto the road and up towards Big Foot.

Actually started into Big Foot but then looked at the time and thought, nah, I'll just take the Fir Trail.  Well remembered from the 12 hour event many (25?) years before, it's obviously changed a bit since then.  Nice flow down, then left for the last few corners of Big Foot.  Down from here, across Dog Stream for a waste of altitude loss down to Joliffe Rd, climbing up here who should appear but T, running!  Hi!!!  We parted ways again and I headed up to Red Rocks, all changed up here with the whole Timberlands face logged (and a new trail in there for descending).  I peeled onto Red Rocks and rode it, thinking I'd take Eeny Meeny, but found myself heading all the way out to the end.  Around onto Western Link and climb cruising around to bottom of Timberlands and into Swamp.  Long climb up here (the road would be so much shorter!) and out top over onto Flax for a start then into Lower Flow, for a flowy groove, with again, lots of good speed and zen mind state.

Nearly 16 kms and nearly 500 m up. Hanmer always feels way more climb than it ends up being. What is that?

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.