Wednesday Burnin' the Craigies

Nelson met at mine and we drove to meet Pete and Alistair at the Yaldy for to convoy to Broken River carpark. Grey day in Chch, drizzly on the plains side of the pass then gorgeous day in the valley. 

Parked up, a few but not so many campers, but lots of bikers in place, we headed off up Sidle73, taking it a little easier on the first climb as I remembered it usually catches me out with the lungstuff...  Cruised around this to CV road and up for a whiles.  Very warm to boot.  Stopped at the bottom of our Ante-Luge entrance and chilled for a bit, some other rider dudes riding through heading for the Edge.  We set off, Nelson first, didnt see him again (tho he tells me he could hear me for quite a while), in for a gutbusting climb.  I stopped several times to breathe and get the heartrate down but cleaned all but one rock.  Thought I was suffering angina or something at times.  Bastard of a climb.  Re grouped at the intersection, a couple walked through with their bikes, riding further up, and then Nelson cleaned off and the rest of us rode and pushed (a bunch of) the next section before riding out into the open and good to the saddle. 

Luge was fun fun fun but initially felt slow for some reason. I got a pinchflat on the front tyre from a misplaced root. Tubed it, pumped it and onwards. Trail got funner - real fun.  Ended sooner than memory would serve too.

Next, climb to Dickson's, all the way up to top of Bridge where we over-the-stiled and blitzed it.  Nelson lost the track briefly, Alistair and me got past, bombed for a bit, then regrouped and he took the lead again, then Alistair lost it and I got past and it wsa all on from there.  Railing the lower open stuff, super funtimes. Superb riding. Finished along the road back to the cars where we ate some grub.  

12.5 kms with surprisingly only 505m upped.

Into the cars and drove around to Cheeseman Rd. Gravel to Texas Flat (where there was bikes and people and cars and camp and stuff) and a little bit further, parking below the bottom of Cockayne Alley. 

Climbing climbing climbing, such a long steep crawl. Riding for a time with a youngish dude from QT who peeled off at Cuckoo Creek.  Also met the dudes we'd seen on the CV road.  They wondered how we'd gotten so far ahead of them, they'd done Edge, Luge, Dracophlat, and were up for Cuckoo too.  We continued to climb.  And climb.  Eventually we broke, admired the view, and dived in for the fun to begin and we blazed it.  Across the face, then swoopy swoopy, jumps, down through the tussock, then the whole thing changes and into the steep rooty awesomeness.  Hands and forearms cooking, quads getting sore.  Stopped a couple of times for a bit of a regroup and allowance of blood back into arms. Again, super superb!

This time the riding was only 7.63kms and again surprisingly only 465m clambered. Both sure felt way longer and higher - musta been the thin air at altitude, right?

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.

Saturday Craigieburnt Posse - Dickson's, Sidle, Ante-, Luge, Draco, Hoggage

8 am departure from home in the Fiat, heading for Sheffield meet-up.  On Riccarton Rd I spotted a truck a couple of cars ahead with 4 familiar bikes onboard, so by the time we were on Yaldhurst Rd I'd tucked in behind and followed them the rest of the way, assuming the 4 owners would be there too.  Arrival in Sheffield found the TFC truck and the red Stagea waiting, and only 2 got out of the S&T truck...  hmmm.  Then up Wayne and Pete rolled in two big Holdens (a genuine Walkinshaw, and a supercharged Monaro thing (600hp!) - being delivered back to their owners from the Coast, meeting half way.  Off they headed first then we all followed, eventually Nelson and me leaving our cars at Castle Hill Village, transferring bikes to TFC truck and heading through with the Steviant, Andy (3 knees) and Tones.  Caught up with the others at Craigieburn and headed up the road to park at the top of Dracophyllum Flat Track.

Off around towards the Environment Centre, Nelson had a plan to go on the walking track to climb up to where the Dickson's climb started, so off down in the opposite direction to where we wanted to be for to go up and around.  This put the pressure on the boys with steep climbs getting many of them off and half killing Robin.  His blood pressure and heart issues making the riding bloody hard for him, so we left him here, and he was gonna rest at the trucks a while.  Off up the climb and into Dickson's.  A lot moister than last week when Nelson and me did it.  Made the clay in the dead forest really sketchy, but the flow through was still good.  I had Pete breathing down my neck most of the way, but he backed off a bit for his own lines and we all regrouped just past the jump in the open before the final scrubby descent to the road.  Steve got a wasp sting on the thigh on this descent.

Now it was a km or so along the road and into Sidle73, after I'd administered an anti-histamine to Steve.  First grunty climb grunty as usual, and then it's flowy flowy around and about.  Lost sight of Nelson and rode the whole thing on my own, catching him on the gravel road and the others appearing in short shrift behind.  Regrouped at the gate (in the shade) then got on up the road, longer as usual and into the singletrack.  Nelson spun out a couple of times before getting it.  I got it, and continued to get the whole thing all the way up, which was mint, cos last time I thought I'd never do it again!  2 dabs, one on that rocky outcroppy thing, and one on that angled smooth log near the top.  Heavy breathing and lots of sweating involved.  The crew all arrived in no time and snackage had then on up the pinchy climb for the top.  Cleaned everything bar about 3 metres - w00t! So much better than last time.

Lyndon Saddle and there were some rookies heading off down Mistletoe Track ("you're going the wrong way..." - "try the luge next time, it's heaps better").  Regrouped and then off.  I led the way, and had Nelson and Pete tight on my tail the whole way.  Not as slippery as I'd expected, but one or two spots I felt the wheel slipping but never too bad.  I had one pile up where I couldn't steer fast enough and was stopped abruptly by a tree - Nelson having to take evasive action behind.  The going got steeper and rootier and we were flying.  I was being pretty careful, but it was still super fast.  Finally into the bottomlands and cruising through to the bridge and done, hands utterly pumped.  3 riders here heading off up ahead while we waited the late arrivals, Andy, Wayno, Wazza, Steve, and finally Tones.  Up the road to the trucks and a text from Robin saying he'd gone on ahead.

Into Draco-Flat Tack Track, Nelson then Pete then Me.  Following Pete I was thinking "how the fuck is he doing that!?" then realising I was doing the same!  Kept him in reasonable sight for most of the descent, having a few moments and close calls in the process, but he disappeared round the final corner pretty quick and I only had glimpses of him ahead on the final blaze down towards the river.  I could sure hear their braking as I approached the bottom tho.  Pete was stopped on the bridge adjusting chain(?) and Nelson had jetted on ahead, so I just moseyed on up the climb, again only walking a short section before managing to continue on up.  All alone across Dracophyllum Flat, Nelson long gone, and I's about a third of the way across when I looked back and could see Pete.  Cruise cruise cruise through down around and into the climby bits.  Eventually, on one of the first tight hairpins Pete was behind me and followed me up the final climbs to the Solar repeater thing where Nelson was snacking.  Everyone rolled up in (pleasantly, surprisingly) short time, tail end Tones last.  And we could see Robin's top making it's way up the Hog's Back in the distance.  Into the ride again, Nelson leading and Pete pushing me along, swoopy fun section though this forest, then over a boardwalky bridge thing, pinch climb then descending again around and down across flats, fast blast down in and out of trees, then around and down to the river crossing.  Another regroup and Nelson and Pete getting water, then Steve, Wazza and me led the climb up, grunting our ways up the steep.

Up Texas Flat and Nelson, Wazza, me taking the lead on the Hog's climb.  First time ever, I think, cleaned the whole damned thing.  Grinding away, the pain nearly insufferable.  Finally around the corner, through the tree'd switchbacks then on up the back of the 'Back and the seemingly endless stretch to Picnic Rock.  I'd spotted Robin just disappearing as Nelson got up there.  Then once the others arrived we all watched his red shirt in the distance for some time.  Nelsie led off and we chased, blazing down through the moonscape and into the forest, fun and fast.  After the bridge on the long descent we met a 3 girls and a guy climbing, the guy getting back on right in front of me and having to get off as I swept through, "Sorry...!" I remarked.  Down and around some more and then splooosh through the ford and scramble scramble up the climb to Robin.  Yet another regroup here and the view of the trail ahead showing us the last climb.  Jetted off into the rolly descent then around some woopdedoos and climbing again, past the dead tree and up the very final steep and off down the ridge, ruts-villainy, before dropping over the side into the forest and rocketshipping down the trail.  Wheels scuffing as the braking is unweighted as you're flying over a lip.  I came round one corner and 'oh shit' there's a kid and a dad, bikes just to the side, I'm in the air, brakes on, landing and reining in the speed to sweep past them 'safely', then on into speed mode again, passing the next kid and flying onwards.  Fantastic fun.  Out onto the road, then Pete, who was raving about that last kid, who was the next to arrive, with great style.

Final blast down to the car and I loaded up and got going, Nostalgia Fest to be enjoyed in the sun with the Chch-massive, Phoenix Foundation playing a bloody good set.

Just under 30kms, and just under 900m alt.  Good ride.

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!

Craigieburned it up.

huge pile of us, ten in fact, assembled at Steve's. incl: Steve, (abba)Steve, Andrew, Pete, Nelson, Tony, Wayne, (hel)Mark, hubby and myself. drived there, weather looking ominous, but turning out good.
previous trips, once on way home from Kaniere (pre blog), then May06-marys-first with al.
March07-luge-draco-cheese-taboggan with harry from work, and
Jan08happy-new-yeah with nelson (hard to believe that was the last time i did it... )

parked up, and headed up the road to the Luge... i led off, cleaning heaps but walking some of the steeper rootier sections that plague the lower 1/3rd. having not ridden for a couple of weeks meant my lungs were struggling. sat for a spell on the bench 1/3rd of the way up, and regrouped, then headed on up. granny for a start but middle ringing the top 1/3rd no prob. Lyndon saddle, and off i led blasting the way down to Craigieburn access rd. absolutely flew that section, i think it was my best riding of the day. even nelson couldnt seem to keep up. he put the camera on from the turn off and followed pete, who said he had trouble staying on my tail down to the road.

then the grind began. well, not really. the road is sweet to start with, middle ring most of the way, but after the ford/bridge the steepness begins. nelson cleaned it all middlering, but i grannied/2nd it all the way up, the straights looking not that bad, but biting nonetheless.

regrouped in skifield carpark, bit of drizzle drifting in, lotsa wind about. climbed up and hit the trail. the edge. of reason. here's me on it... right near the top, when i was feeling okay about it...

i led the way, but soon felt out of my depth. cleaned lots of tricky stuff, but dabbed in so many places i shouldnt have. was just feeling very very careful i guess. anyway, sections of absolute brilliance followed by sections of near shitting myself rounding corners with shitscary drops off. the final scree was washed out on what it was last time we rode it. nelson nearly offed, pete cleaned lots of it. most walked bits, including me.

then the climb, back up to Lyndon Saddle, and at one point i stopped, rocked backwards slightly and heard this 'ting' from my front brake. the pads were so low that the spring that holds them apart had caught on the disk and bent. rode it to top and got to work. tried bending it back, no good. so new pads installed, (with me being given a hard time for no apparent reason other than holding everyone up - tho, it didnt take me THAT long...), and off we rode. pete, nelson then me, then hub. me breaking in my new pads... hauled up at the benchseat, hub continued on, and then off we all bombed again. pete then me then nelson and the rest. mostly an excellent drop down, tho i dropped my chain near the bottom which slowed me up a little, tho not that much, more of a nuisance than anything else... then talk of climbing up and doing more, but instead we bailed... through gales on the drive home. andrew's car got all chipped up by blown gravel.

happy new craigie-burnin'

after minimal festivities seeing out the end of 2007 (party at Pete's which we took the kids to and left about 10), new year's day 2008 - nelson picked me up in the van (Nissubishi or Mitsubissan) and we headed for the mountains. (last times march07 and may06).

parked up at the Broken River Day shelter carpark (800m) (observing all the hung over travellers waking up and getting into the beers again!), and headed out onto the road for Craigieburn access road at 9.47am. slogged up the access road, gear troubles for me limiting me to big or second cog down on the back, middle or granny up front for the climbing. not to worry, that road pretty much just needs to be tackled in granny most of the way anyway, so's to conserve your energy for later in the ride. made the skifield (1300m), looked about a bit then headed down 'the edge' or 'the wall' depending on which skool (old or nu) you come from. beautiful and dangerous. nearly all down hill, flowing beech forest singletrack sections interspersed with evil drop corners and awe inspiring screeslope crossings... here's me hangin' it out on one... its steeper than it looks, obviously, or i wouldnt be dabbed out.

didnt take long to get down to the right hander(1040m) up to Lyndon Saddle. grunted up there (1140m) and had a feed. then headed down the Luge. flow flow flow, yumpy yump, hello to a total of 4 walkers, all had been warned of our approach by the whooping and the clattering of chains on stays. onto road (860m).

then headed up the road to top (950m) of Dracophyllum Flat track. flat tack down that seemingly endless descent, ending finally at the river(790m). then tackled the climb out up to the actual 'Flat(850m). cruise down across the Flat then through (830m) bush and the weird clearings with nothing much growing in them(850m-810m)), then bush climb to the cheeseman icerinks(940m). we were still feeling pretty good so we headed up the Cheeseman Access road and did the (1000m) lowest bit of the 'taboggan' track, then headed back for broken river. now, this trail is much better in this direction. loads of beautiful down hill sections, easy climb back up dracophyll-flat, then fun steep techy descent to river, and then the climb. i got cramp in the back of my thigh on the first climb, making me walk for a bit, then rode some, walked some rode some back up to the road.

headed along the road (970m) cos Steve etc had said there was a neat little nature trail starting from the Environmental Education Centre carpark. missed that and got onto the "Hut Creek Track" instead, cos it was heading down. well. it didnt head down for long (940m), and pretty soon we were climbing again, heat of the early afternoon sun sapping our already blown strength. climbing climbing til (1000m) eventually we were looking back and down at where we'd started with a road connecting us to there. so. what the heck, turned round and bombed back down this track. all through spruce and fir and pine, one or two beech bits. it was in here i missed seeing a fallen tree (due to folliage) across the track and took a helluva whallop to my head. >smack!!!<, nearly knocking me off, and jarring my brain somewhat... dazed, continued down and when we got to what would have been the climb back to the Environmental Education Centre, (940m) there's this hardly-used track heading down, so, took it instead. it flowed through gums and weird sloped meadows to some huts and then out to the road (860m). nice... in future we'll just ride up the road to the top of this trail... for one final downhill... then the last descent back to the van cooling us off nicely. altitude grand total of 1280m climbed and descended, back to town by 4pm... not bad for a day's play.

Craigieburn Luge Dracophyllum Cheeseman Taboggan shute

early early sunday morning, 6.30 to be precise, i lumbered my gear across town to opposite my old highschool on Memorial Ave... jumped in a car with a guy from work Harry, and headed out of town. One other, a guy called Al, was in the car, and another car with three others (Paul, John? and ??) were also travelling... out to Craigieburn. Stopped and put mine and Harry's bikes on Paul's car, left Harry's at the Cheeseman gate, then continued on to the Craigieburn Rd. parked up.

kitted up, and started riding. nice clear sunny day. beautiful conditions, hasnt rained up there for quite a while, so the tracks were dry dry dry... Headed up (granny ring) to Lindon Saddle, beech forest singletrack, the best..., 830m odd to 1140m or so, then "the Luge", descent, beautiful, rooty, twisty, fun, down down down as much alt as previously gained. then up (middle ring) Broken River access road to top (~950) of Dracophyllum Flat track, flat tack down that, even better, more open, faster, with pops and dips, one very close call with a tree, i was heading right for it, but braked and leant with finesse avoiding it beautifully. then it turns hard right and down the side of a steep gulley, gotta get the speed riiiight off as there's a very loose section right at the top that would shoot you out into air air air then trees trees trees... awesome wee descent down to 'the' Broken River (at 800m contour) with a log bridge (dont think you'd wanna ride it). then gnarley steep, granny ring, wee climb out up to Dracophyllum Flat... nice wee blast across this, and into more forest, through a clearing or two. the track would be hard for the untrained eye to find in this bit altho there is the odd marker about (more than last time apparently), then into forest again, across a stream (Cuckoo Creek) and up up up a nasty wee granny gear climb (800m to 920m) that blew me juuust before the top. then across the edge of the bush and clearing to the Ice Skating rinks below Cheeseman.

then we went up the Cheeseman access Rd to the "middle hut", climbing from 950 to 1300m. dunno how long it took, but it was solid, much of it was in the lowest granny possible, to the point where i was going numb in my feet and bits of my legs, just from the slow solid spin spin spin grind grind grind... then a traverse followed, across an old track line, minding out careful like for the Spaniards... then an off piste descent across trackless (follow the cairns) tussock and daisy strewn landscape, down a ridge, and into the bush, where the track hung a right, and down... steep as they come, ass nearly on the back wheel, just holding on... managed not to skid much, the taboggan track, one hunk in the middle unrideable, almost difficult to even walk down with the bike, but the last bit down to the road was wicked, then below the road it continues down to the Ice skating rink, steep and shutey. nice. then we coasted and sped down the access road out to Harry's car... probably about 3 hours riding. over a kilometre of altitude climbed, with about 1200m of descending over roughly 25kms...

home in time for Fat Freddy's Drop at the Cheap as Chips gig... nice.

Eventually, there's gonna be a connector through from Cheeseman road to Castle Hill Village. i cant wait for that, and the opportunity to get a group together, get a bach in the village, go up early, ride right through to craigieburn skifield and back most of a day probably, then party up for the evening. nice.

Craigieburnin', Marys first ride

Fresh and early saturday morning, first frost of the year pretty much, al and me split town about 8.30, headed up the plains. gorgeous sunny day unfolding in front of us. crested Porters Pass and rolled down into an icey valley fog, quite thick, which engulfed us all the way through to the Day Shelter at Craigieburn Forest Park, and filled the valleys most of the day.

parked up, rugged up into the appropriate clothes, and headed out onto the road, rougly 10am, low visibility. i was wearing my new Hoodlum, which proved very good for these conditions. my windstopper gloves (Krapmandu) were very good too. then we headed up the gravel road that is the access to Craigieburn Ski Field. starting altitude, 800m. this road winds up the side of this steep sided valley, through beech forest. there's a couple of major scree slopes that cross the road on the way up. its relatively steep, middle chain ring, second or third down on back. and up towards the top you have to slip down into granny and haul. snow on the ground from around 1200 m alt. there were a couple of vehicle tracks in the snow on the way up, and a few people working on the skifield, two on the roadside 50m from the carpark and then a 4wd with chains, heading up.

Mary bars first ride, felt that they made the front end a little lighter, but felt good in general, on the way up.

we got ahead of it and so were riding on virgin snow, apart from some Hare tracks. snow provided pretty good traction. then onto the singletrack descent... fun. had to layer up tho, cos there was snow dripping and dropping from the trees. the track is in and out of the trees, crossing a few big scree slopes. very good riding. swoopy and flowing in parts, then technical and dabby for a bit then swoopy and flowing again. couple of sections with a lot of roots, but mostly fantastic.

Marys very comfortable on this descent. good control, natural hand position, thought they needed rolling back a smidgen.

then a wee climb up to Lyndon Saddle, where we had a wee stop with a small hike up for some view and eats, then onto what they call the Luge... all down, nice rooty drops, swooping singletrack, down down down, all in forest. beeaauutiful. worst roots, slippery and dodgy in the lower third, then out onto the road and quick descent down that back to the car.

found the Mary bars very very comfortable on the steep technical stuff, and in general, i like their feel. still a little bit of getting used to to do, and i've tweaked their position slightly for next ride. i think there'll be a couple of tweaks and i'll be loving them

Total ride, 2 hours elapsed, rougly 600 m alt up and down in about 18 kms.. broken down: 8.5 on the road up 500m alt, ~4kms sidling down 250m alt, just under 1 km up 100m alt to saddle, then almost 3 kms singletrack descending 300m, then around 2 kms down (80 or so metres) hill road back to car, 12ish. had a feed, loaded up car and drove home, arriving around 2. still plenty of day left.