e-Sunday Redwood Springs e-planting-lliot Sinclair

Took the Trek hard north to plant 50 odd Cyperus, Carex and Phormium next to the Styx River just upstream from the Redwood Springs and under the main trunk railway line.  The other side of the river I would think of as hell, although, I guess their outlook will be nice.  Nice cruise along the motorway trail and the various usual commute and northbound cycle routes.  Bottom of the hill I was still on 50% battery, 30% when I got home.

Thirty-two and a third kms, and a grand 274 m climbed. 

Saturday E-Planting Travis

Took the Ebike to Travis Planting. It was good for a bit of an explore of our old hood and a stop at the library on the way home.  Meandered a very seat-of-the-pants (but mapwise very direct) route there, enjoying our old sections of river and seeing how it's all changed/grown/developed.  Planted lots of plants and threw my back out on the last couple of plants I put in, scoffed a couple of sossies, and then got riding again.  Back around and dropped into Shirley Library to grab a couple of books from my list, then down past our old house and my old commute route into town before riding my current commute route home (nice and familiar).  Traffic is insane all the time now.

30something kms, again used most of the battery (from fully full to just under 30%)

Saturday TreE-Bike Planting Southshore

With 100% battery I rode into a foul easterly, usual byways to Opawa then Hargood to cemeteries, past the poo processing to Bridge St, and along the estuary edge trail all the way to the planting (bar the block or two you have to use the road).  

Planted lots of plants, shifted woodchips, made up the little cardboard surrounds, chatted to people, filled out the GEOG309 survey, ate a couple sossies and it looked like rain, even a few drops...

Headed home via Rocking Horse Rd, then left onto the estuary edge and similar return route, arriving home with 26% battery left. 

MMR claims 33.57 kms, but the speedo on my bike measured 18.9 or so kms each way... 305 altitudes predominantly powered by the motor...

Brisk Sunny Day TreE-bike for Canterbury Planting

TFC planting at Englefield Reserve in Northwood, so left home just after 9am into the brisk wintry cold.  Colombo, Stickland, Antigua, Rolleston, Hagley park, where I found the first frostiness, some ice on the path towards the pinaster pines.  Rossall, Strowan and rail trail to the end, and beyond, riding the slick muddy channel along the side of the tracks to Sturrock's Rd, into Barnes Reserve, moseying through to cross Barnes Rd into Aylsham Reserve cutting right to Primrose Hill Lane, out to Regent Spark Drive, then across Styx Mill Rd and up into Northwood to take the meandering straight shot to the park.  

Dug and planted and chatted and had a good sense of community good, ate my sossies and then hit the trail again.  Same way in reverse to Sawyers Arms Rd, where I hung a left and rode home via the Rutland Trafalgar route to Colombo for the straight shot home with a quick detour drop into Stupormarket hell at PaknSlave.  Home and up the hill.

33 or so kms, left me with about 20% battery... (marginally more kms and less battery than the planting Styx couple weeks back)

Sunday Planting Styx

Took the Ebike across town to a planting at Styx and back.

Annual planting, sponsored this time by Hutchison Ford, at Styx Reserve.  Good turn out, and we put in 1000 plants before enjoying the quality sausages.

32 kms round trip.(MMR doing something weird, no map...) (left me with 38% battery from full, using Tour mode most of the time...)

Troll from Bridge to Planting return

TFC planting at South Shore today, errands run prior, I parked on Bridge St and rode the estuary edge to the planting, planted lots of plants and rode back the same way afterwards.

A very flat 9.5 kms 

E-Planting Stix at Stycks

A few of weeks prior to this (15th May), I'd e-biked to the Charlesworth planting too... (didn't post it cos I didn't MMR it)

Took the E bike all the way across a chilly town, straight shot, Colombo, Trafalgar, Rutland through to Northlands, then Sawyers Arms to Railtrail, Tuckers and Cavendish out to the planting...  Planted lots of plants then headed home via Mitre 10, Pap Library, then straight shot down Railtrail, Kilmarnock, Harakeke, Mandeville to Torp7 (for some new brakepads for this bike), then into the park, Grove, Church, Collins to hit the usual Simeon, Cemetery, Studholm, Thorrington route home.

34 kms, and used 91% of my battery!  On 'auto' the whole way except fullbore up the hill.

Sunday Stelliot Pincair Slyx Aunting

If the kids had been skiing (as planned - but, weather), or I'd communicated with T better (ie, me knowing that I didn't need to 'rush' back home to 'parent'), I had been planning to take the Fatty in the back of the car to the planting then heading to Mt Grey for to ride it, then was possibly going to head further north for a visit to the Sanctuary. 

Instead I ebiked to the Elliot Sinclair sponsored planting, planted lots of plants with some very nice people, scoffed a couple sossies, then ebiked home via a slightly different, and surprisingly (slightly) longer, route.  Going, I took Strickland - Antigua - Rolleston - Hagley Park (where there was a running race clusterfucking the bikeway, making me ride on the grass which made my bungy unhook which could have caused all sorts of carnage for me.  Rossall St, then up the Railtrail allll the way, and beyond, up the gravel block, into an assortment of wee park trails to Regent Spark, straight to the planting.

Fun riding at walking speed through to the actual site, til it got too soft of dirt...

Then Homewards, same route back through Regent Spark, but at Sawyer Sarms Rd followed that bike route through Pap, Rutland, Trafalgar to complete the entire length of Colombo home.  

15ish kms there, 16ish kms home again

Sunday Planton Bradley

Met for the 8.50am sailing to the Harbour of Diamonds.  I arrived to find the Bush team and Pete already on the wharf, then Nelson and Kirsty rolled up once we were on board.  

From DH we headed up and proceeded around the road.  At Whero St I said, "lets go up to the high road" (not knowing that Whero was a dead end, but then discovering at the top a nice singletrack that led all the way up.  Nelson and Kirsty disappeared.  She'd stopped to delaminate and when they got going again couldn't figure out where we'd gone...  ooops.  Never de-group guys.  Pete jetted down, couldn't see them, jetted back up and we proceeded around Bay View, steep down followed by bloody steep up that nearly killed me given my Troll gearing.  Up under Elaine's house and then it was mostly down from there, down into that nice Hunter Reserve valley, short climb then bombing down down down, Pete and me (J9 taking it easy and Steve sticking with her) to the main road and around to Andersons to regroup.  

Nelson and Kirsty turned up with the Bushes again and we all rode together up over Andersons', fast bomb down the last with Pete in the lead, onto the main road and into Orton Bradley.  The planting was just off the main route in after the tollbooth, off up to the left on a very muddy (to start with) track through oaky forest out to some farm country - a small gully being fenced around a creek.  Chucked a bunch of trees in the ground meeting some nice people, then back to the School Room and a cuppa then back on the road again.

Around the road and a steady pace, Pete and me out in the lead.  Above the yacht club we took the wee walk track drop down and up then steps and stopped for a regroup.  Then climb climb climb around and some nice downs back to DH, getting down to the cafe just before the 12 o'clock ferry was ready to leave, Bushes and Pete bombed and caught it while I waited for Nelson and Kirsty and we caught the half hour later one, 12.30.

Forgot to start the MMR til we were up top of the Whero singletrack, about 1km in and 120m alt, but the rest of it was 11.85 kms over 270m climbed (so, total 13 kms, 390 up). (mmr website playing up at this point)

Sunday Rides, Planting Charlesworth, then To Dinner Across the Tops

Planting

In the morning I e-biked to the planting at Charlesworth.  Just under 9kms each way.  The planting became an 'In Memorium' for Tracey Turner, long-time employee of Trees For Canterbury who died suddenly last week.  Got lots of plants in then scored a wee Coprosma give-away, and then grabbed a Meulhenbeckia astonii and a Leptinella from the nursery, which I skillfully packed in my carry bag on the rack for the journey home. 

Riding

Then, last thing in the afternoon, timed perfectly for arriving asap after sunset, a nice 1 hour and 9 minutes of blasty single-track across the tops to Joy's for dinner.  Up through Vic Park, a squeaky spoke bothering me to the point of stopping at the Skidder site and tightening it, then gasping like crazy up the gasper, around onto Worm and hitting the traverse, sun behind me, blasting along feeling pretty strong the entire journey.  (nearly) Bumped into Kerry from work, me a silhouette against the glaring sun to her and her companion.  Dumbifuckation of the trail towards Vernon is in full effect, and not as pumpy as when going the other direction.  

Onto Vernon, good climb, better descent, felt really on form and controlled and flowy.  Flew across Rapaki top and into the Witch, switching down through the gears so smoothly and weavingly cleaning all the rocky tech, hooning around the front and bombing down the backside onto the road.  Cruise cruise cruise, climbing gently up to Castle and straight in, making good time.  Fantastic flowy bomb down this, really enjoying it and getting some wicked speed before the first hairpin.  Around, good pedaly flow, and then climbing plenty of power up thru to the Bridle top.  

On the road around under the Gondola, easterly making it's presence felt a bit more, especially at the corner, climbing up grinding to the cutting and finally into Britten.  All the way around the front and back to the top of Vtwin, then into the bomb.  Cruisy flowy faster and faster, blazing down across then off the main onto the traverse flow down down around to the rocky last and bombing down to the gate, juuust catching a guy in orange who'd been below me as I was approaching the Vturn at the top.  Not sure which way he'd gone.  Then, down the walkway to top of Major Hornbrook, blasting down this, right on Madeley, and down to Joys, in perfect time for a quick change, beer and dinner.  

An excellent 15.3 kms, with a boosty 582 m climbed.

Sunday Crotchal Planting in the Groyne

First off, have put the Surly Sunrise bars off the fatty onto the Troll (and will either buy another set or retrieve the ones off the Little Ak bike to get some back on the fatty), and I must say, they've really buttied up my Troll.  It feels like a giant BMX commuter now.  Firm, surefooted and strong.

Left home after 9 and met Steve and Pete at Northcote Rd / rail-trail juncture, to head for the planting at the Groynes.  I left home earlier than necessary, and thought they'd probably come via the Trafalgar St, Rutland, Northlands, Sawyers Arms route, so after a few laps of the bmx/pump track I waited facing Sawyers Arms direction.  Ring-a-ling from behind me, and they had indeed traversed Northcote Rd.  Got trundling along at the fancy pace of Steve's leckie and we cruised Tuckers round up Cavendish to the Cosy Cafe.  Coffee, and onwards upwards through Regent Spark and across to Northwood, through here, Englefield Park and up Connemara to Johns and around into the Groynal region wheretoforeto plant the Trees for the Canterbury.

Easy digging, lots of mulch and I seemed to be able to put my back into it..,  Anyway, couple and a half thousand plants and we were done by midday, so pretty good going - largely thanks to the Phillipino Brotherhood bros.  Troopers, they are.

Scoffed some sossies and hit the road home, same way, dissecting at Northcote again, and I skipped home via St James Park.

8.9 kms there, 8.5 kms back again.  With (a pointless even recording) 12 and 14 m of altitude gained respectively.

Saturday Planting South Shore, Nearshore to the Foreshore, for sure

A year or so since my last planting...

Drove in the frosty morning to Steve's and from there the two of us biked to the South Shore Planting. 

Stayed on the true-left of the river all the way there (except for McBratneys Rd to cut a long loop shorter).  Was good, kept a good pace with him on his Electric Moustache.  The trail continues through what were once houses now all the way along the estuary side.  A mint 12.8 kms. 

Dug lots of holes, Steve and me both, given neither of us can get down to plant.  Ate a few sossies and hit the trail back.  Crossed the river at Bridge St and took that side of the river all the way up til the Avondale Bridge.  A whole km longer than the way there, because we detoured around a squiggly bit before and near Andy's old 'hood.  A bit bumpier in bits, 13.8 kms.


Saturday night, T and I went to friends for dinner and one or five drinks.  Left H there (with Roddy), and got an Uber home.  So, Sunday afternoon, I biked across and picked up the car.  Quite a good zig-zaggy backstreet way - 7.8 kms.

Sunday Groynes Planting

Moseyed out to the rail trail (where I then realised to start MMR) and slowly, eventually, made my way down to Wroxton Tce before I saw the crew coming my way from Fendalton Rd.  I waited there and we (Nelsie, Andy, Petey, Stevie and Jenna-ey) headed north at a nice pace.  I was feeling rather seeeedy due to consumptiousness evening previous, but somehow survived the thrall.  Railtrail, then at Tuckers the others peeled left while Nelson and I explored the singletrack to Sturrocks, left and met them at the Cosy Cafe.  Long black settled my nerves a bit, then onwards again up Cavendish, Styx and up Main North to Northwood, meandering through and around this and up Connemara to Johns, under the new motorway and into the Groynes.

Planted lots of Trees for Canterbury plantages.  I amazingly survived, and then the double-fisted Sossies helped a lot.  Robin's speach done, we headed and off again, south.

Back the way we came except explorational explorages through various other ways in Northwood, through parks and back streets, finding future pathways eventually through a shortcut to the Styx Mill intersection.  The future will also, in my book, see explorings through Regent Spark, cos there are ways to be had through there too.  Back onto the Rail trail and cruising nicely, tail wind, which I then turned into when peeling off through St Jame Spark, Dalriada, Windemere and home.

I managed 23 odd kms, with no real altitudinal gainage.

Sunday Orton Fattley

Met Pete, Steve and Nelson in time for the 8.50 am ferry.  I 'adjusted my suspension' (pumped some air into the tires) and we headed up and had a coffee at the cafe.  Then we hit the road, cruising, up, down, up, down, around to the park. Up the driveway, to the end of the 'park' bit, and met Ian (manager) who told us where to go for the planting.  Lucky for us it was pretty much at the top end of the MTB track. So, off we cruised, mucky and puddly in places, with a bit of dynamic straightlining (squirrel factor on high).  Fun little climb up and around. Stopped and helped water off the track a couple of times and then down, and we parked and climbed the fence and planted super quick, given the easy digging soaking wet ground and good sized crowd of people.

Back on the bikes and down, enjoying the cruise, to another site where we put in a totara forest - 150 totara trees planted in no time, all up a nice corner of hillside.  Will be amazing in a few years. Then off down again, brief stop at the loo, and on down. Steve tootled off ahead while we raided the Krispies and Gingernuts before the rest of the punters got anywhere near them, decided time was too short for a cuppa, so set off in chase of Steve.  Nelson ditched Pete and me, powering ahead, catching up to Steve, then Pete and me caught them eventually just after the fire-station.  Down to the wharf, and 12.30 ferry back to the cars..

Mildly respectable 20kms, and surprising 443m climbed...

Sunday Planting for all we're Charlesworth

Hoofed it to the Charlesworth Planting and back Sunday.  12 kms each way.  On the way there hooked up with Nelson at Aldwins Rd Linwood Cnr, and on the way home I passed through that little sealed pump track in town, and managed to plough into a little kid...  His dad was not happy!  Neither was he much - poor wee guy.

There. And back again.

Sunday Styxed Townie

Met the crew (Steve, Pete, Nelson, Wazza, Wayno and Andy) on the rail trail (I'd backpedalled down stream for a couple of blocks to meet them) and we skedoodled north to Cosy Cafe for a quick beverage before proceeding up Cavendish and into the reserve to the planting.  MMR fucked out on me there, not recording my wandering around planting, carting mulch from pile to plants, and then riding through to the bbq and about a bit, before heading home, via Cosy Cafe (expecting to meet the family there), which turned out not to be the cafe the fam were going to, so then rode Cavendish to the cafe on Sawyers Arms Rd, then riding home with Jet through back streets.  Quite the combo.. 8.5 kms there, including a bit of the wandering about, then 5.8 kms home via that backstreet way.

Saturday One Million Trees

Jumped on the Troll and headed for Travis to plant the millionth tree.  Was a bit of a head wind.  Meandered a bit, but got there faster than Google said I would.  Very soggy and mucky planting site.  Glad I'd carried my gummies on my front rack.  Planted heaps.  Family joined us for the ceremonial gathering.  Pete and me helped the mayor plant one of the ceremonial trees.  We scoffed some sossies.  And then I rode home, a slightly less convoluted way.  Alls goods.

Flat as a pancake (with a whopping 48m altitudinal gain), 22kms there and back (including wandering around on foot at the planting and ceremony) .

Sunday Otukaiplantingkino

Treadled down to the rail trail and slowly rode towards town (pre Rossall St) til I saw Andy, Jenna, and Wayhayno coming towards me and we headed back north to Sawyers Arms Rd, out this, and thru Roto Kohatu, finding lots of people parking, Steve, and under the tunnel through past Omaka and down to the planting site.  Planted lots of plants, a million and hundreds in fact, and then scoffed us some sossies and lollies and then rode back the way we'd come.  I peeled off at St James Park and rode through to home.

Nice 17kms there and back again, with an almighty 49m climbed

Sunday, Sh'Orton Fattley Planting

O and me drove into drizzle on the hills and over Dyers Pass and down out of the drizzle at about Teddington to get to Orton Bradley 15mins before the planting was to begin. Andy and Jenna had ridden from the ferry and were sifting around, so the 4 of us headed up to ride the loop. I had the Fatty.  It's is a fun wee loop, only 4 kms, with (supposedly) 85m of climb, so not much of a ride really. Definitely worthy of a few laps, but we only did the one then hit the planting, which took like 5 minutes - 500 trees with 70 people.

 (with the phone in my pocket, MMR has some pretty screwy results - top speed of nearly 300kph)). 

Sunday Trees For Charlesworth

No rides this week cos from Tuesday to Thursday was in Wellington (Tues), then Hamilton. 

Trees planting at Charlesworth Reserve, so took the Troll across town.  Rode, Windemere, Railtrail, Rossall, across the Park, Armagh, Colombo, Gloucester, Linwood there.  Took me 31 minutes, 12.4 kms.

Got there, did the planting, lots of people, good vibe.  Ate a couple sossies and off again home, this time same route back through town but the nor'west was getting up so thought I'd stay in the park and do the railtrail the whole way, but next to the golf club figured, "haven't been up Garden Rd for ages", and peeled off across towards Helmores Lane bridge, and then Holmwood, Garden up across Wairarapa, and then through to Rossall again, and home via the school and Condell.

24.7 kms all up, no Map My Ride cos it's stoopid.