Tuesday Lapping up the nun

As is often the case, Pete picked me up just before 6 and we Falconned up to the Kiwi, finding Steve, Tony and Warren. Off up the road we headed, Pete and me both a bit more enthusiastic than the rest. Felt easy and smooth riding up the road, regrouping just before we hit the dirt.

First descent, got going, and immediately felt a bit wobbly, steering all over the place, but the recent trailwork made for smooth runnings and plenty speed. Popped the odd jump and swerved my way down. At the halfway mark I figured i'd just keep at it, and bombed it on down the whole way. Looking back up the road i could see the others all pulled out at the halfway exit, so i started my slog back up the road to catch the others. Pete was waiting and we caught the others just up round the corner. On up the road, a little more tired this time.

Second descent, I put my seat right down, thinking it might improve my form. it didnt. too low there's nothing to feed off. anyway. Not a bad run, possibly faster in bits, possibly not in others. Popped out the halfway exit and we regrouped for the climb back up.

Third descent, seat at its usual just lower than climbing height and it was much better, except this time I had wobbly balance issues, twice nearly losing it into the bank, one time even having to slam on the brakes and nearly dabbing to a stop. Otherwise there was speed and fun to be had, tho in the lower rocky section I wasn't as on form as the previous runs. On down the lower section, not nearly as good as the first time, blew a couple of bits nearly losing it, but got out the end safely.

Regrouped and drove home. Lots of other lights out there tonight. Good to see. And the new work on the trail is sweet, to the point of the only thing holding the speed back was light.

Short Sunday to Planting

Early start, i drove to Charlesworth St with the Singlespeed and parked up. Jumped on and rode to Steve's for the 8.10 start, meeting him, Tony and Wayne, followed soon after by Pete. We headed back the way i'd come, hooking up with Andy and Jenna along the rugged slumped and cracked riverside opposite Charlesworth St. We rode on round behind the Ferrymead industria, enjoying the skipping and dodging of the cracks all the way round.

Then it was round to Mt Pleasant Rd and up. Nice crank up here, Jenna doing very well for her 3rd ever hill, and thinking she wasnt going to make it.

At Craigieburn we pulled off and headed down. Fun wee descent, bit greasy in places, with mown grass detritus greasing it up moreso. Brief stop on the bridge halfway down, allowing Jenna to tumble off, and we were off again, down cleaning up the switchbacks and blazing down into the sun on the last bits, cautious about cracks tho.

Then it was round McCormacks Bay, and then back round the Ferrymead Historic side of the river, along the path and then back to Charlesworth St to Trees For Canterbury to grab some gloves before heading to the planting. T dropped the boys off and swapped cars and we helped plant around 1300 plants.

Toosdy Blottle Spin

Picked up Pete and we met Wayno at Burwood end carpark. We spun into the forest under a wickedly cool full moon and did the loop. was fast at times and slow at others. we didnt stop too much, and the stink from the post-earthquake chemical toilet and liquefaction piles was with us along the middle part of the beachfront section. New section of singletrack leads us back into the main trail and gives more singletrack which is good. i took most of the b-lines which were well needled and sketchy. good spin, and then it was to Pomeroys for a MashUpCollabo beer and a Pot Kettle Black and an unimpressive Kaimai Bitter...

Thursday night uphilling Mark showed us

Put my boys in bed, read them the requisite number of stories then headed out the door about 7.25pm, picked up Chris and we headed for Maries. Mark was to lead. Marie and Ben headed off first and we followed, down Whareroa, then down the steps to first Rossmore then on down beside more steps to Holliss, then it was round Gunns to Landsdowne and Wedgewood and up Bowenvale.

Stopped at bottom of Oldskool and Mark showed us a jump and couple of lines he'd built, then on up to where Mark showed us the wall ride he'd been mastering, then on up to where Mark showed us the rocks he'd repositioned to ride, just above the creek crossing (where that guy died), then we headed up a track that used to be a DH track but is now a walking track. Bikes going UP walking tracks aren't really an issue, and well after 8pm you're not really likely to meet any walkers. lots of not being able to ride bits, and lots of bits attempted a few times. Then eventually onto East Side Bush Track, where Marie and Ben peeled off onto the 4wd (old nats) track, while us three went up the new DH line above the 20footer, across above the old cave rock drop, along eventually up the Nats track under the pylons and then up Ponos. Some pretty soggy bits in there, but we all got most of it.

At the 40footer we cruised up the 4by to top of Rad^sick where Mark showeds us the curly bits and log ride. Him and Chris played a bit and then we headed on up the rest of the 4by to the skidder site where we all had a play at balancing on rocks. Ben and Marie headed home from here.

Us other three headed up the walking track next to the 4by track, crossing over to Sesame St at the Wallride, then across into the gummies, and up the rockgarden. Chris got it. i nearly got it, and Mark i'm not sure cos he was behind me and i was puffing blind.

From here we headed up the rabbit paddock, to top of Thomsons, nice cruise through there, both bits, then navigated past a big fence, and over a massive hole in the road (where the slump at top of Harry Ell was), round the next gate, past the Kiwi and up the road to top of Worsles. From here it was down with a most enjoyable detour within much playing was done including even some rock rearrangement, and one crash that tweaked Chris's brandspanking new xt derailleur.

Then down the road, sidelining the lower reaches then we down into the stinky coldness of the valleybottom temperature inversion. Cracroft riverside, round infront of Princess Maggie's and up her left side up up up through a quite cool area i'd never been through next to ringlaser caverns and onto Lady Poulson's shrubbery snobbery, finishing off with the ups and downs of MacMillan back to a cool stick insect and a few biting ones at the car.

quick stop at mackers (mainly for Chris) and home pretty damned late.

Tuesday night Worsley muckfest

Pete picked me up in the Falcoon and we roared across to Worsley Rd, finding foggy mist at the top. No one else showed, so we headed on up the trail, the mud slowly building up on our tires, traction getting less and less as we climbed, to the point where we couldn't actually ride any more... this added with fog half blinding me led to spates of on, spates of off, but finally we managed to get to the bottom of the body bag, my tires looking like Surly Pugsley wheels - the mud being scraped off by the fork arch to make a nice big (heavy) rounded form.

A little further up and we began our descent, picking up some very interesting lines. Halfway down we turned around and rode back up again, to a highpoint, just for the fun of it, and then back on down. Below the powerlines we took the right hand line down over the drop and it was sweeeeet. Chuffed back up to the rest and flowed out back to the mainline, mud picking and flicking up again back out to the car.

a damp, misty spin, but well worth the effort. good to get up the hill again.

Gerald FitzSinclair.

Staying at the bach, I chucked the Cotic in the car and drove it to Pettigrews Rd. Locked it to a fencepost and headed for Little River where i met Steve, Pete, Robin and Wayne in Pete's car and Marie and Ben in hers. Left the Fiat there and travelled back up to my bike in Maries.

Hit the trail and we rode up. Up and up, onwards ever upwards. Its not until you ride it with others that you realise just how much up there is. And compared to last time i rode it, the visibility was supreme. Robin struggled, but with some walking, of which all did some, he managed it to the top of Sinclair. The coolness of the bush was enjoyed by all. I snapped pics quite regularly too, once i've got them off the camera i'll load them into this post (which obviously i never did).

The downhill from Sinclair, skirting a beautiful patch of bush, down onto a cool singletrack across the ridge, was fun. Then the climb up the back of Fitzgerald, with its interesting mucky extra steep section in the middle. We all had a go at getting up it, with most doing pretty good. Once on the ridge we spotted some other bikers attempting to ride down the singletrack (that Pete reported he'd done once, and never again), so we holla'd at them and they turned round and came back to us where we pointed them down the right direction. Pete and me tootled up to the top of the rocky summit and peered out at the amazing views. Regrouped and it was time for a blast.

Down the true twin fenceline fast as fast and swoopy as can be. through a wee gate, and on down to finish into the interesting, and in places unrideable bit where Pete got in an argument with a Lawyer, which got its claws in and didnt let go til it had blood. A snack and some yummy snakes, and a wee blast down to some horse riders and a steep little fucker that i've never got before, but cleaned entirely this time.

Then it was across the tops a bit, down to Waituna Saddle, and the last climb up zigging and zagging to the final descent to the road. then the blast down the gravel (loose at times) back to Little River, and i drove Pete and Marie back to their vehicles on my way home to the bach.

Blottle Ache night spin

Steve had txt'd saying he wasnt gonna make it, but others were to meet at the Sandpit. I rolled up in the Fiat, singlespd switchback on back, to find Warren and Tony. Then Pete, then Wayne rolled in.

We settled in nicely to the trails. Left is blocked, so went right. Had to wait for two poo-sucking trucks on the road to go past before we could cross, then chased a young rabbit for a while, and then as we climbed to the gazebo the stench of Portaloo juice we were bathed in was truly foul.

Fantastic blast ensued down the next bit and over round to the yump, which i had to do twice to get it right. then through and round and along the beach, further than usual, due to the Closed Road signage (and apparently, further in, fences and even barbed wire!). Along behind the dunes in the pines to the left hander that takes you back into the single track. Had fun in that section, taking all the trails no one ever takes, and zooming out in front of whoever was coming on the usual trail. Then down the ramp, spun round, headed back along to a short break, all commenting on how balmy it was.

Then into the ex-burned bit, jumpy jumpy, along, round, through, stopped to watch a possum I nearly hit on the trail climb a tree, then it was back round past the Spencerville sign and heading for home. One bit riding no hands for as long as possible, not as easy as Mcleans - thats for sure. All the while i was thinking, this is great! Singlespeed simplicity and not pushing too hard but going hell for leather at the same time. Really enjoyed being back on the dirt again, even it was it was a bit splecky puddly and sandy.

The commute seems to have given me more stamina, if not more power, and i was just floating along on the rigid single all evening's ride. Good fun. As usual, a damned sight better than sitting in front of the telly.

Tooling around

took the singlespeed up to The Sanctuary, Pyramid Valley, Uncle's place, the Family seat, and with H on a hoody wrapped and tied on my top tube, and O on his 24inch Norco we galavanted around on the farm. cleared sticks, and went with the flow, a half km loop with maybe <10m altitudinal drop, round and round we tooled. the potential for a bunch of laps around that place is endless, every row of trees could have a singletrack twisting through it, and there's enough slope on the property and interesting features, that it wouldn't get all boring up or down. Surrey hooned around on his 700c machine. heaps of fun was had - leading O to say tonight that it was his favourite place. to which i said, "what about Little Ak?" to which he replied, "oh yeah, then 2nd favourite place.

Commuting

So. Due to a change in work location, because my building is in a closed zone, i bought myself a Kona Bike. It really was very cheap, but I thought i'd made a big mistake cos as standard the 2nd gear was too low to cruise a reasonable pace, and the 3rd was too tall. A quick swap of the 42t and chain, and the CST Selectah tires from the Specialized, and instantly it was better. Then, the purchase of some Surly Open Bars from the good people of Velo-Ideale saw it really get into shape (I do wish i had the $$ to spend on a nice bike from them...- oneday, maybe a Pugsley).

Daily, 10 kms each way, hot or cold, rain or shine. 100kms a week. Taking in local streets (Forth,Stanmore,London) to Bealey to Hagley Park alongside Harper Ave, Kilmarnock St, then either Straven to Riccarton Rd or through Riccarton Bush, Totara, Clyde to Riccarton - Church Corner - Main South to the Sockburn roundabout. Coming home, sometimes to avoid Bealey, I've been salmoning round into Montreal, Peacock/Beveridge/Conference, Durham/Gracefield to Salisbury and round the munted river my old route, Alexandra - Vogel. As soon as Salisbury's open from Park Tce to Durham I'll definitely go that way.

I seem to be getting faster, but my time is pretty much always half an hour regardless. If i push hard, its half an hour. If i go easy, its half an hour.

Everyday once i'm out on the street it feels like almost like a race. Other cyclists, cars, trucks, buses all hustling and bustling and vying for space on the road. I just cant seem to 'cruise' along, I always seem to have to be pushing it. What is with that??? I'll catch up to a fellow cyclist, and because I've caught them up I have to pass them and then because I've passed them I've got their pressure behind me so I have to keep up the pace. Its a mind fuck, and I cant seem to go slower.

Tuesday night surveying local wreckage

Steve puts it so succinctly in his post that I feel I can add very little. Due to a lot of rain all day Monday and most of Tuesday morning a bunch of them arrived at my place, we rode down stream from my place to the Avondale Bridge, then rode back up stream, crossing back to my side on Swanns Rd. My local environs are pretty shitted. We finished at Pomeroys where I would have liked to have had at least one more beer than that one I did have... which was a tasty Yeastie Boys Hud-a-wah-Strong.

riding some of this...

and... here's a little something else. i like the guy's loose style, and makes ya almost wanna 29r...

Twenty Nine Inches from Brian Park on Vimeo.

and last but not least... only a couple weeks til Easter... cracked me up

Schmuntsbury to Worsles Sundae with a Nun's cherry on top.

Running late caught the guys up on lower Ramahana just after the closed bit. Riding were Andy, Tony, Wayney, Stevey, Petey and Racey Rexy. Very toasty climb, wishing i'd not worn a black merino. Got up top in reasonable time to find Mark and Marie.

Hit the Traverse for an excellent blast, fast paced and smooth followed by an excellent blast down Thomsons, pumping it for extra speed. Second section we spooked a couple of walkers, with smiles all round. Down the road to the Kiwi where Tony peeled off and the rest of us headed up the hill.

Regroup and a feed (my first ever Em's Power Bar - yum) before hitting the Nun. Quite a cool breeze by now, making me glad i had the black merino on (i had no other garments). I led off with Pete chasing and had a blast. Bombed it, all sweet, tho annoyed at the fucking braking bumps into all the wrong spots. What is WRONG with these muppets who are jamming on the brakes in places they should be fucking staying off them!? Didnt let it ruin my flow tho, and carried on down all the way to the bottom. Only Mark did the same, so we tootled off back up the hill slowly gaining on the rest of the posse. Caught them at the top of Worsley's, ready for the down hill.

Steve led off, I followed, Andrew on my tail. Managed to pass Steve as the Body Bag levelled off and the rest of the way down was great. Chose a B line for a change for the first time since way back when and it was great. Somehow tho, Rex made a wrong turn somewhere along the line and we lost him... ?

Speedy blast down the road, some of us grabbing the sideline on the lower slopes, before rolling out the bottom of the valley, into the cracroft detour and then on round the river, taking in Earnsleigh Reserve, South Library, Beckenham park, and me peeling off up Eastern Tce homewards. Waved a 'hello' to AbbaSteve in passing on Stanmore.

Toosdy shortening light ride meet

Quick ride last night. Steve(abba), Rex, Tony, Marie, and me met at Steve's and we all headed up a truly munted Muntsbury. Pete caught us at the first high point on the road, then it was up the steeps to the dirt and on up to the singletrack.

Light getting low, sun pretty much went behind the mountains as we started round the Traverse. Good spin round here, nice and fast, excellent condition. Then into the pines at top of Vic and total darkness, my yellowlensed shades in my mouth down over the see-saw into the first few jumps popping nice air then out to the rockgarden into the gummies and my little favourite left down through round and pulling up below the skidder ready to roll with the others grouping up there joining me and then off down through rest of Vic with Pete and me taking the Microwave Tower track behind Amherst Pl and then the group splitting either side of Takahe some on Hack and some on Dye then bunching down a steep drive into the back of Marie's.

Andy, Wazza, Wayhayno and Hubbster were waiting for us, and we congregated with beer and discussions and planning for The October Trip.

Followed this by a blast down the hill and home across town, with the stench of rotten food hitting us as we passed thru the ruins of the Worcester / Stanmore shops. tha's some smelly sheeiit - Wicks Fish shop, the cafe on the corner, Memphis Belle Pizzeria, all rotten now.

Sunday damp Pleasant Greenwoods

Nice ride this morning. Looked to be dodgy, cos there was a bit of precipitation, getting me quite damp riding to Steve's, where met Pete, Wayne, Andy and Tony. There were mutterings of cancellations, but we managed to get through that and off we tootled across to and along the Heathcote, along the Cut and then down behind Ferrymead. Interesting 'features' along with some real wheel eating lateral spread cracks to be avoided.

Then it was off up Mt Pleasant, up up up, past all the broken houses and slumping retaining walls, into the cloud. Regroupled at top, Steve hitting the wall just prior, and it was off out Greenwood.

First section, very slippery rocks, pinging the wheels about the place a bit, past the ruins and the rocks were still well slick, but trail surface pretty good, dust all settled and not a skerrick of mud. The lower we got the better seeming the trail became. Lo and behold, we found Nick Singletrack and PedallingKiwi and others working away like good trailworkers on a new line around one of the troublesome corners lower down. Stopped for a yarn, and continued on down to find a bunch more (who were less pleased we werent stopping to help - cajoling "bring a spade next time!"). These hardy faithfuls had done a spectacular job on cleaning up the trails, de-rutting it in places making for a smooth flowy run the rest of the way down. THUMBS UP to them.

At Evans we hit the road and sped down to Sumner, gawking at the rock falls and quake damaged hills and crumbled landmark buildings before coffee-stopping at Dotcom. Afterwhich we tootled home, gawking some more then taking the Ferrymead singletracks back a bit quicker this time, providing more fun challengewise.

Interesting to note, only 2 days prior to the Feb 22nd quake, we'd ridden down Captain Thomas. Boulders on this track would have killed any one of us 5 times over had they hit while we rode.

Pete kindly gave me a lift homewards.

Blowing Hard

Picked up Chris after he'd finished work today and we jetted out the Tram Rd to Nelson's place. Loaded him up and we gravelled and tarmacked our way round past Ashley Gorge to Maori Reserve Rd and parked up. Was 6.20pm I think, so not a helluva lot of light for us to mission, but got going and made good progress up the Blowhard Track, into the cloud. Called the Blowhard for a couple of reasons - it usually blows really hard up the top, and going up it you blow bloody hard yourself. This is one steep mother of a hill. Starts around 300m, and we got to around 800m.

We all put in pretty good efforts climbing, first section not bad, 100% rideable, was pretty soggy in places. but once you get to what's obviously a 4x4 turnaround (and mudbath), it gets seriously uphill. Rutty, rocky, greasy up. We walked some. And rode some, and walked. And rode a little, then walked. And walked. And probably rode a little before walking again. Sometimes we rode a bit, but usually these chutes would make us walk. And all the while, we're kinda thinking, "this looks really greasy", "and loose", "and its gonna be hairy coming down this bit", and "fuck, that's steep".

Gradually we got into the cloud. Bush all dripping around us. Bush seemed to get pretty small at for a bit, and we stopped for a feed break at a natural stopping point, before heading down a bit, then up. And probably walked a little then rode. Another down, and then up again, maybe less walking, and a bit more down. Then we broke out of the forest and were greeted with a stunning cloud and mist and bushclad hillscape. Very cool.

Then, I mounted my light on my helmet (Chris's was on his bars, and Nelson's was already on his his helmet), and we headed back up the trail for the first bit of descending. Chris first, then me, then Nelson (who'd not been on the bike for like 9 months!!!). The downs were certainly fast - and fun. Light was VERY low, dim as, but I held back on turning on the light for as long as possible. Eventually I just had to, and it was a revelation.

The ups on the way back down were all short and nice, keep it in a high gear and stand to work it over the brow. And the super greasy loose-ass technical sections? Absolutely AWESOME. Rubber gripping wickedly, control, steerability, balance, finesse, excellence. So much fun. Then, at the top of a particularly gnarly section, Chris was stopped. His light didn't work! So. He followed me. I held back for a start, and Nelson stayed on his tail, and shone from behind, and we made it down at a reasonable pace, Chris following my lines, or not. All good. And it was SO much fun. All the stuff we'd had doubts about on the way up were easy as, and technically fun.

Ploughed down the last section, with the Earthquake (yeah, right) moon shining down on us, back to the car in no time flat. Wicked.

Three rides in 5 days is almost a record, and if i ride with the usuals tomorrow morning, even better...

St Paddy's Thursday sunset romp.

Picked up Chris in the Sube, him faffing with and flaunting his brandspanking AttackTrail, 150mm of Jon Whyte designed goodness. we parked up just off Penruddock, and hit the Cashmere Stream Esplanade Reserve, towards Worsley, mimicking some of this ride (over a year ago), heading up the steeps over the 'dam' on up the steeper little switchbacks and sidling on up the valley then up the last switchies to Worsley's Rd. Up the road to the end, on up the track. I grovelled. All this new communting munting my legs of their energy. Rode all the lower stuff, but when I saw Chris walking up the body bag (to save his energy for the nun) my spirit broke and i rode to past where he'd started walking and I walked too.

The sun was getting pretty ready to set, turning the shadows long and the bits that were basking in the last of it orange and by the time we peaked Marley's it was gone. Leaving a fantastically spectacular pink hued cloudscape for good measure. So, with what was left of the good light, we bombed. Chris obviously enjoying his new rig, I managed to stay on his tail for the first half, what with having the track fresh in my mind from Tuesday, but once we'd rounded into the rocky sections I started to lose it and he lost me. The rest of the way down I felt a bit like a passenger, with calves burning and hands aching. Still, survived, and we hit the Summit Rd back up to top of Worsley's.

Great run down Worsley's. Getting just on the verge of too dark to see it clearly and with speed we were really flying by the seats of our pants. Couple nasty lines taken but all in all a fun time, with the concentration and eye strain really taxing us by the bottom. Zoooomed down the tarmac and over the fence into the way we'd come up. Sections of this were even darker, and nigh on impossible to see anything. By the bottom, the faint slightly lighter coloured ribbon of trail all you had to go on. Ruts and gravel be damned, and finally we were out onto the grass again.

Over the odd street and back down to the river, and the tight twisty little trail, this time with out small lights mounted on helmets, otherwise it woulda been impossible...

All up, a fun ride, tho tiring.

Tuesday Nunning

Nice ride tonight. New commute sees me covering a LOT more ground than the past, so that means I should be fitter than ever soon, and gives me an excuse to eat lots again... anyway. donned my facemask and tootled over to Steve's through the dust whipped streets.

loaded bikes into the TFC van and we cruised to Tony's, checked out his broken house, and loaded his bike and headed up Hack and Dyers to park up at the Kiwi. Wayne was awaiting us. onto the bikes and off up towards Marley's, picking up Mark (on the coiler) on the way, and catching up to Ben (on the kula?) on the way and finding Marie at the top. Mark lead off (on the kula?), followed closely by me. He said he's had smoother rigid forks than those on the kula so let me go and i blasted on down. felt damned good to be on the bike again flowing the familiar rocky trails again. it's been so damned long. (wish i'd managed to get a bike and ride in Wellington, but never quite managed it).

Peeled off at the midway carpark and regrouped. Ben headed down, and the rest of us went up for another go. cold southerly wind whipping across the tops too, with rain threatening.

so. from the top again, similar order, Mark leading off (on the Coiler) and me following (not quite so closely this time). for some reason, at a similar point to last time, Mark pulled up so i took the lead for a bit, but further down with him breathing down my neck i pulled up and let him under. good blast down to the carpark again. this time, Steve continued down past us, so we gave him some room and let chase. me first. excellent pursuit, catching him just at the top of after the big fast no brakes swooper, then sticking close the rest of the way, making sure he's jumping well. he was.

regroup at the kiwi, with Steve, Tony and Wayne getting into vehicles and Marie, Mark and me heading up the road into Vic. Mark and me took upper Thomsons, then Marie and me headed straight over the rocky first bit, i peeled down over the seesaw and into Brakefree all the way through. then the other two headed down Sesame and i turned back up to the rocks and Gums and that lovely wee narrow splitter in there, and on down and back up to the skidder site. nice nice nice. then final singletrack out to the 19th battalion, playing a little down then that last singletrack speedy descent behind the houses from the microwave tower. i peeled off to my old's for a car, they headed on home.

family away, so plan is ride Thursday, and sunday... plus 30kms commuting a day. w00t!

no riding so... nu Akrigg

No rides of late, due to Quake-age, and house clean up and all sorts of shit. so. here's a little gem just out...

A Hill in Spain from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

post Quake Monday 629 to Peaking

Staying in Nelson with family as refugees of the 6.3 quake that's basically bollocksed Christchurch for good.

Hooked up with Ian(Iain?) via a Peaking Ridge thread on Vorb, and we trundled up the Maitai in his wagon, parking up before the locked gate below the dam. rode under the gate and up to the bridge, over the river and up onto the benched trail, round to Bob Taylor Rd. Steady steep up up up, a breather at the hives with a bit of a look over to the dam, then on up steeper still to a left onto a narrower track that led round (and up) through the pines to "the fire break"...

think of your steepest trail. think of it times three (or four). i managed a good portion of the first steep, then we walked a whole heap more of it. it was steep, making the Body Bag look like a pissant walk in the park. up up up we went, to a top, followed by a nice quick blast down then up a last bit to the top top. had a nice breather on a board seat with lots of wasps and two options at our fingertips - the 629 proper, which Ian had warned me (priorly via txt) required armour and fullface, or our option, a ridge track up to the end of Sunshine and the top of Peaking.

Started off pretty cool, straight into the wicked single rooty rocky goodness that this area is so renowned for with all that windthrow from the 2008 big blow. started out with the wickedest steepest little mother. very cool. juuust on the verge of what i'm comfortable with cleaning. cleaned it - sweet. then across the ridge up up up we went, walking some, but riding heaps. sometimes windthrow sometimes nice bush.

at the top of Peaking Ridge we headed down. this too starts off with a steep ass chute, rutty and rooty and off camber. i bailed part way in and walked, whereas Ian had cleaned it. from there tho, all was mostly rideable. a mint trail, so much fun and such a long downhill. we stopped probably 2/3rds the way down for a bit of a break, and then hit up the last third, into the manuka and more descending, twisty, tight, rooty excellence.

much enjoyed. hit the bottom before i was expecting it, and then we swooped back down past the bottom of Bob Taylor and on back to the vehicle. all in all, nearly 3 hours out. choice.!

Sunday Morning Captain Greenwood Thomas

lift with Pete to Scumner, passing Andy and Wayne in the van, then Steve riding out on the causeway and sitting behind Dallas through Redcliffs, we all assembled outside DotComa, joined by Rex and headed up the Captain. nice climb, refreshing to be back on the newly fork serviced headsetted stemmed and barred Cotic. time for some new forks unfortunately, with bad wear on the insides of the stanchions... i'll just have to make do til money allows.

at evans
we headed up Greenwood, something none of us have done recently nor often. not such a bad wee climb really, only one or two bits of trickiness. managing to clean everything bar the odd off balance dab in places that i shouldnt have. at one break a guy on a yellow speci hardtail coming down went right over the bars right next to me... oops.

yarned at the top a bit and it was off and down. here's Andrew arriving with the lovely Slumner view and the undersides of the clouds at our level.

and obligatory artyfarty shot, Steve's wheel.

off we went then, i led the way, feeling pretty good, Pete sticking to me pretty good most of the way. then round through gloomy gulch and on a bit i heard a yell from waaay back. it was Andy, hollering me down, Pete'd flatted further back, so i turned back and rode back up to the rest of the posse. off again and down down down, catching a guy and then breaking to let him go for a bit. then off again and blazing down catching him up again til finally he let me past and on down down fast and squirrelly. the new 720 wide bars proving pretty good.

off down the Kapitan, pete in the lead, me struggling to stay on his tail. he took the high line i took the low and then he cleaned the bit i never do and got a good lead. i clambered it back then botched the wee climb after the two ex-nemeses and he absolutely blasted away from me not catching him til the first gate - he was on fire! brief regroup and off again, having a great run down the rest of the way. somewhere along after the creekgully Wayne had an off and put a big ding in his top tube and a wee gark between a couple of fingers. i was blooded by blackberry somewhere too. lovin' the last bits of the trail, then out the bottom to Dotcoma, coffee and a lift back home with the family who'd been in Taylors.


PS. Little did we know that 2 days later a big quake would come along and destroy so much, including access to Capt Thomas. The pines at the bottom had some massive rocks through them, one being snapped off like a matchstick.

Tuesday Crocked

quick one tonight. singled over to Pete's and we falcon'd with Alistair, picking up Brandon on the way, to Halswell Quarry Park. the main carpark for some reason. found Wayne, Steve, Steve, Andrew, Tony, Marie and Mark there. headed up the track then cut across and took the steeper of the options up to the road. i walked a bunch. Brandon turned back at the first hill due to an asthma attack.

up the road and Steve says down now. huh, we'd barely climbed? so. Alistair then Mark then Pete then me then Andrew (who i thought was breathing down my neck but i actually held my own okay) then Steve then i'm not sure, all bombed down the track. i had a tough time keeping on Pete's tail and he was having a tough time keeping on the other two's. down down down, lotsa dust, me getting jarred all over the place due to the rigidity, and into the first big corner after that tight rock pinch and Alistair spills, wiping out after going high on the berm and missing overcooking the exit or something. nice dirt marks on his shoulder and side... everyone regrouped and off we went again to the bottom bridge where it was decided we'd turn and head back up the croc to the top (ie, Siberia). Alistair bailed down to hang with Brandon.

so. Steve(abba) headed off first way ahead. and after a bit i laid chase. caught him eventually, but on the one or two corners i walked or dab-scooted he got away from me again. Andrew was up next, then the rest. off up the last (new tasty as it was once known) climb and i managed a lot with only one or two scoots and dabs and one walk. over Siberia, me doing pretty well, and getting out of the rooty line at the bottom. Here, Steve(abba) headed off up Kennedy's for home, while the rest of us headed back up the 4wd track and watched him from the top, a distant red speck up the first climb.

Then it was action stations again. Headed into the single, Mark then Pete then me then Andrew, Steve and so on. Me chasing hard to keep the other two in view, asking Bessie the cow to not walk right in front of me at one stage, and eventually managed to close the gap on the two guys on the last couple straights. Regroup and off down the Croc again for the final run. Felt a bit better this time, tho my braking hands were getting almost chaffed due to the constant rough ride. Quite a few times tho, I thought "meh, suspension, who needs it?" still, knowing deep down that I'm a fuck of a lot faster on the Cotic...

Out the bottom and back to the cars. Fun, tho short, and I don't feel like i did much exercise. However, at the time, gasping for air and workin' that bike up that hill, I definitely was -- paying for Sunday's non ride due to silliness on my Saturday night's behalf.

Thursday bottle lake with the boy.

not a big ride at all, but good to get out. took Otis out to the pond and we spun round it, me on the singlespeed and him on his new big bike, a 24inch wheeled Norco (mini Mountaineer). he was really good. we spun the short internal loop. O was totally rapped with the whole dad and son time, very excited and bubbling happy. very cool. great time.

Sweltering Sunday Singlist rear tire flattery.

scorcher of a day, heading for 34 or 36, was pretty darned warm when I spun over to Pete's on the singlespeed (seen here later on...

and we headed for Marie's. when we hit Dyer's Pass Rd, I struggled on ahead, in the only gear i knew, and waiting at Marie's were Steve, Wayne, Rex and Marie. Off we headed up the road, me getting out in front, on account of my one and only gear. got to Takahe and headed up into Vic Park. had to walk the first bit of the track, then back on the road was okay and pete and me waited in shade with slight breeze for a little bit then off up and onwards and taking in the wee singletrack to reassembling at the skidder site. here's Steve and Rex heading in

most walked up steep, Rex rode up turned around and back down and up, and Marie just grannied on up nice and slow. up through Brake Free and on up to the new(ish) uphill only track another regroup at the top of it.
The view from there


and here's Steve's nomad and the SS gettin' it on...

the antithesis of each other.

off round the traverse. this is where the singlespeed really sings. flew on round here enjoying the crap out of the rigid and one gear. one hairy moment near Scott's Reserve heading down fast and suddenly there's another rider coming up. two wheel lock up controlled slide. nice.

pinchflatted on Vernon on the last of the rocks as you're heading down towards Rapaki. pulled out my spare tube, checked it, found a hole, patched it, put it in, rode down and it was flat by the time i got to Rapaki. pulled it out, patched the other tube, put it in, blew it up, went to ride off and it was flat again. pulled it out, patched it AGAIN, blew it up and it wouldnt stay up. fuck fuck fuck. thankfully, the Singletrack Club had a couple of guys promoting the club up there, and one of them gave me a tube. sweeeet. put it in, pumped it up and i was off again, chasing after the others (minus pete who'd bailed down here). needless to say, I'm now NOT a fan of Muc Off glueless patches. never again.

round the road to top of Castle Rock where I found the other 4. so, off down here, loving it, bouncing about a bit, but finding the rigidity not so bad, then after the second hairpin I took a call from home, and the three boys past me, then I took off again just ahead of Marie. caught the back wheel on a rock and pssssssssssssss. FUCK! walked on up the track to the shelter at top of Bridle Path, where I used my last two patches on the two snakebite holes. pumped up, started riding again and then this high pitched weeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeee followed by a pssssssssssss and I was ropeable. I said my goodbyes turned around and rode down Bridle Path for a while til it got too flat to ride then walked, calling home for a lift. walked all the way down, then down Port Hills Rd (where a kind mtnbiker offered me a tube - thanked profusely, but "cheers, getting a lift") to Martindales before my lift turned up. thankfully a swim at Mary's was on the cards, so I cooled off nicely.

36 degrees. too damned hot for riding.

Thursday Bottled (rigid)Singlist - post 400!

400th post! w00t!

quick spin round bottle lake tonight, first ride on the newly rigidised and frameswapped singlespeed. twas great to ride. 1 hour 15 door to door, spun out into a bit of an easterly, and headed in the main entrance, hung a right and out to the beach, then back in at the small pond and took the longer loop back round. made a point of riding all the least-ridden options, kept things interesting.

got out to Waitikiri Ave and there's a police roadblock... loads of people sifting round and lots of cars stuck, no one knew what was going on, so i rode round the back of all the houses and out the old Landfill exit, to see the road block there too, so a pretty big area. asked the cop what was up and he said "some drama"... spun home and the sky had been looking a bit dodge the whole ride with the odd spot of rain, and a block from home the skies opened. i's quite drenched by the time i got in the door. refreshing!

and then got home to find this on the Spokemag site... niiiice piece.

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft from michael evans on Vimeo.

Kaiteri, 31st

Kaiteriteri trails... howling gales in Collingwood, and we were on our way home, so twas over to scorching heat in Kaiteriteri... and now i'm kicking myself for not looking at the maps better... stupidly, i hit up all the completely easy ones. into salivator, sidewinder, swampmonster, gladerunner, then new to me revelation. thought about heading up ziggy, but didnt, on account of needing to keep the ride short, so turned back on the rev. then hit up shady lady, thought, thats too good, so turned back down it, then headed back round gladerunner, one very scary moment where i totally overcooked an offcamber corner leaving a big skid on the trail (and nearly some in my pants). onto swampmonster and sidewinder (gasping for air on the umpteenth switchback) then down halfpipe to the end. nothing very interesting. lovely well built trails, but just not enough challenge for me. Shady Lady was really great, and was the riding i was keenest on. should have looked into some of the other stuff, but unfortunately thought they were all just connectors for the old network of firebreaks. anyway, out and back to T and the boys at the beach, and no swim cos the boys were at each other's throats. a car journey later i had a swim in the Buller at Murchison.

Totaranui dusty roads

Totaranui 21st. Headed out up the road and over to Awaroa inlet. All up only about an hour’s ride, 4km climb, 4km descent and flat ground, turn around 4km back up, 4km descent.

Aorere Goldfields, 28th Jan

Friday 28th Jan. Aorere Goldfields. After my past experience on this trail, i expected a hell of a lot worse. Steve et al’s description of the 4wd track down made me wonder whether i was making the right decision to climb on it, but i figured i needed to see what it was all about and give it a go. Instead of parking at the Devil’s Boots i continued over the bridge and along that road (if you could call it that – meet someone else along here, and be prepared to reverse for a fair way, or hope they do the same), also observing that it had been the riverbed during the recent floods – massive piles of tree trunks and debris piling up the sides of the road.

Parked-up at the shearing sheds/yards, even tho the car would have happily made it to the next place to park (where there was another Subie). Rode up to here instead for the warm-up. Hung a right onto the 4WD track it starts off dropping to a creek, easily crossed without emersing hubs, then straight into the climb, pretty steep pretty much straight away, zig and zag to the first gate that i opened and shut for a ‘Mud Slut’ Surf, receiving a “Thanks, Maaate” in return.

Steepy steepy bodybaggish but not-so-bad, up, up, up through all that scrubby short and tall manuka, lots of sunshine beating down, heat, and the constant deafening soundtrack of cicadas (i reckon needing a warning if they were a chainsaw, 80-odd decibels at least). I think, one downhill section, and i could see a steep looking trail off in the distance to the left. not long later there was a left hander that i decided to skip, for some reason figuring there’d be a left further up i could take.

The trail took me into another steep climb, all rideable, up over more scrubbiness, peaking out, and from my reading of the landscape i could just tell that Druggans Dam was further to the left. I glanced at spectacular views and hit the wideopen smooth-as downhill, taking a left-hand option at the bottom that led me to a far more wicked downhill section, washed-out scrubfilled ruts and drainage-crossings requiring the popping of nice air or perfectly timed bunnyhops. Flying down, tho with the caution of not crashing whilst on my own.

Made a short vid at the dodgy campsite (bbq inclusive)that had even more deafening cicadas, and followed the signpost uptrail. Obviously hardly ever used, tho some tire tracks in evidence, lots of gorse overgrowing leaving track marks on my arms. After much climbing, albeit barely ten minutes, i met the previous trail i’d decided against earlier, and made a right, commencing on more climbing. Steep here, i think getting off and walking even, but eventually finding myself on the receiving end of tracks i’d seen before (last time, in fog and drizzle and a group parting ways with Pete, Nelson and me going the way i was about to go, and the others heading down the way i’d just come up).

Glorious wee descent down to Druggans – railing bermy corners and skipping over any roughness – no nasty grinding paste this time, dry as a bone. Got to the dam and headed along it, riding and then walking all the way to where the sounds of water gushing eminates through the regen below the outlet. Turned back and off down again, this time over the waterrace tunnel and the steep descent that bailed me up last time. Cleaned it this time and had a good look at the tunnel – scary! On now round the waterrace, water leaving it and it weaving in and out of the landscape on its wending way round to the caves.

Ballroom Cave first,

alas, forgot my headtorch so was a shallow cellphone lit explore. Fun we descent down to it, and not such a bad push back up. Then Stafford’s Cave with its chill breeze pushing out.

Then, what i thought of as the final descent.
Expecting a long downhill, the single track is tidy and contained and well drained and fast. Almost dangerously fast. One new out and back fall-line-remover but otherwise just fast and smooth. Couldn’t even tell where pete had his wee off last time. Just rapidly got to Druggan’s Flat and then it was a brief descent to the gate and over to the other parked Subaru before the final roll out to my car.

Sweeeeet. Basically, a 30 minute climb followed by 10 minute downs and ups and downs to the dam, another 10 to the caves and another 15 to the end - except with all the faffing about looking at views and taking the odd pic, you’re looking a couple hours tops. fantastic on a nice day, tho ear plugs could almost be recommended due to the cicadas, i'm seriously thinking longterm hearing damage... :)

Rameka, Jan 16th

16th Jan, 2011. Installed new rear pads at Riwaka Resurgence prior to ascent of the hill, and with sleeping boys in back, T dropped me on Takaka Hill Canaan turn-off, figuring with those few ups and downs on the road i’d bed the new pads in nicely before hitting any serious singletrack.

Reasonably uneventful ride in, passing a worn out cycletourist woman and a little further up her partner before the saddle, and being plagued with a clunk on every pedal rotation in certain conditions, ie, not all the time. Snapped a shot of the bike and the road where i lost a maglite next to our brokendown audi on the way into our campsite G2000.

At Harwoods, figured i’d try out the new Gold Creek circuit, surprised to see it was classed as an Easy... hitting it, first wee climb, realised why. Still, should never let simplicity dampen a ride. Some cool country to see.


















Seemed up and up and up across various paddocks, through various gates, a not particularly pleasant surface, kinda energy sapping grass scattergunned with plenty sheep shit too (which i think cant be great, dissolving down into the karst and on down through the cave networks beneath...), also stinking up a tire now and then.

It all finally started getting interesting, riding wise, once you got to a creek. Some sort of juncture with the outer circuit – twice you cross the creek, nice clear fresh looking water, tidily crossed, rideable or not, then this zany ascent begins, with beautifully constructed, near-wheelchair grade
build trail,

with a zigzag up a hill into almost alpine dracophyllum assemblage rocky wee top and on along for a bit through lovely bush. Bit of a descent across a paddock with some whoopdedoos and back into another clump of forest with more lovingly constructed singletrack, with velocity controlling off(or weird)-cambering, finally spitting you out for a last blat down to the Harwood’s Carpark.

Here, quick chat with the cycletourists who were gonna stay at canaan for a few days, so would explore the trails (i highly recommended they hit down the Rameka), i signed the book and headed up the short climb to the Rameka turnoff.

Scoffed a OneSquare and found i had cell reception so shot out a few txts to the world and treadled in at 16:10 according to one, with very slightly lowered seat. Blissful. Sublime benched native forest singletrack -- my favourite thing. Kept a nice pace, thinking the singlespeed wouldn’t have been so bad, 'cept for its rigidity, riding or not riding the creek crossings, depending – certainly cleaning a lot more of them than any time in the past (reminiscing on the one i crashed at), the track was so dry, tho still had a few surprising wet bits. One photo stop,
cool big fractured rocks the track rides through. Recognised the the area where pete got lynched by the lawyer too. At what turned out to be right near the Abel Tasman National Park boundary i was jetting along, flying over everything, roots, dips, rocks, and rounded a bend and spotted another cyclist, a guy it turned out was riding from Takaka to Mot.

From here the ride is not for much longer. In Dozer’s bit, instead of dozering, i took all the little jungletrack bits off the sides, then into the gorse for some super fast mad loose descending to the cool cut marble techy rock climb out to the ending speedy section to the roadend. Finally onto the road ((not really-) admiring the mad castle), more chip than last time and somewhat scary (but still fast) as a result.

Into the Rameka Project, kinda stupidly F A S T to the pines, spotted a guy grubbing a new track. “I’d like to shake your hand! Congratulations on being part of building such awesome trails!” I prattled. quick yarn and off on down through Great Expectations, loving every metre of this handcrafted goodness.

Onto the road, down, barely in control, into the ford and straight into 2 Clicks.
F a n t a s t i c.
This and 1 Click are damned fine examples of the kinds of trails that need to be thrown into similar areas (alongside roads, alongside rivers) all over the country where there’s connections between other trails (or road-ends etc). Its inspiration for getting something similar in a few places i can think of at home.

Then off down the road a little and into OneClick, taking in the low line first, then walking back to ride the high line (rockgarden said closed) and lower down, the riverbed section (cool!). When the singletrack ended, back onto the gravel road, blatting it down to the seal. From here, a hard 15 minutes into the wind to Pohara where the family was bunked up in a cabin. Lovely swim in the sea to replace one salt on the skin with another.

Thursday night, chasing sunset Mt Grey switchbackage

Awesome ride last night. (pics never did come)...

i guess you could say my ride began with spinning the townie across town to GG's to pick up her jeep, which i had to use cos T had the car in Hanmer, and i had to pick up a lawnmower from some friends in Loburn. I figured, "i'll be in loburn, and i was gonna ride tonight, so why not do Mt Grey?". So, back home, got ready and Chris turned up, and off we set. Got the lawnmower and cruised round through Ashley, Sefton and Balcairn, then on up the heinously corrugated Campton's Bush Rd to Lake Janet.

Roughly 7.30 when we set off up the forestry road for the top. Chris soon leaving me behind, but both of us maintaining big (36t) rings up front all the way. relishing the smells of the sections of beech forest on the way up, the sharp honey dew coupled with the dampish mossy must, between sections of pine. couple stops with Chris getting photos of the spectacular views, sun getting low in the sky and the shadow-play on the landscape highlighting features not normally seen. once above the lookout the road levels off a bit and the vegetation becomes sub-alpine, and the views to the west are all layered shades of grey and blue ranges of hills towards the Puketerakis. approaching the massive telecomms tower i spotted a hare the size of a sheepdog. it was huge, loping off into the tussock-spaniard-celmisia shrubland. also, watched a bellbird flitting from solitary flax flowers, stalk to stalk, all bathed in a lowering yellow-orange sunlit glow.

peaked the trig-peak, after a nice little steepish singletrack descent from the telecomms-towers-peak and loose climb, about 8.20 or so and, figuring we had time for the Mt Grey, but not the Red Beech, track. Seats down a bit, we skedaddled down round the traversing singletrack. funtimes begun. couple of boggy sections, a few switchbacks later and then rounding over a small col, we entered the bush, embraced by the bittersweet smell of the black-fungus/scale-insect symbiosis tapping the inner juices of the Nothofagus, and the drone of wasps and bees collecting the stuff.

a series of short switchbacks followed, some rideable, some not, and then near the start of the first nice longish section of trail there is a wee rock stepdrop, followed by a corner with a rock wall next to it. i popped the step, felt the wheels sketchiness on landing but made it round nicely and jetted on down the flowing sweetness of the trail to the next switchback, where i stopped and waited for Chris. hmmm...no sign. waited some more. still no sign. so, put the bike on the trail above the corner, changed down and ground my way back up, to find Chris sitting next to the rockface following the stepdrop, rubbing his knee and elbow, his bike off down the bank below the track. he'd overcooked and lost it on landing the step and smacked into the rockface and tumbled, garking the forks and his knee and . i got his bike up from below and he straightened the bars, and off we set again.

from here the trail varied from switchback closely followed by switchback, or switchback followed by sweet flowing section of trail on down and down and down. one section it was easier to just walk the quick sequence of multiple switchbacks as altitude was scrubbed off quickly. there were some beautiful big trees the lower we got, birdsong, that honeydew smell, and at one point even a morepork starting up. the depths of the forest were getting a bit darker now, but as we traversed up to the Lake Janet track turn off the sun was shining horizontally through the forest in a spectacular light.

the track surface is of superlative quality, chipped greywacke, well drained. the width is much tighter than most benched native trails we're used to, and so the sensation of speed is greatly enhanced. Numerous long sections of sublime flowing fast singletrack ensued as we dropped lower into the valley at a similar rate to the sun dropping towards the horizon. Sunset was at 9.12pm, and we made the end of the trail in the bottom of the valley about 9.15.

From here, the climb back to the car at lake janet is disproportionately long and painful (for me anyway) with a couple of granny sections thrown in for good punishment. it was 9.40 as we drove off down the road, a pinky-red glowing sunset seeing us off down the hill.

Sunday Thomas's God Snaking

lift with Pete out to Dotcom, meeting Andy, Wayne, Wazza and Dallas there. off up the Thomas we trundled. all going pretty good, i was feeling quite good, fresh legs recovered from Wednesday's semi-epic, tho the summer cold still pestering me a little. cleaned all the cleanables and didnt clean the usuals. topped out and into the shade of the embankment at Evans.

Then it was off out Godley. blew out the usual first bit, but got pretty much everything else quite nicely thanks. the others all did good. regrouped in the usual couple spots, interspersing these with great blasts down the great blasty bits. at Breeze we took the high(ish) line, ie, above the road, the two little grunts puzzling me cos they werent as bad as i remembered (been a while since i took that line). pete and me flew down to the end and took shade under the macracarpas by the loo block. the others followed in, and then we took off round the below-road track. awesome jaunt round here, best i've had in ages. all my control and balance and power just seemed to pull together perfectly.

then the Anaconda. again, everything came together and it was an awesome descent. railed all the berms and hoisted the yumpies and blazed on down. then into the tail, following another dude who looked to be struggling a little, but was keeping an okay pace. then the climb out of taylors was one of the best i've had in a while, i just seemed to have plenty of power to get up the hill.

down Nicholson, excellent blaze down here, then when i got to the bottom looked back and couldnt see any of the others... turned out Pete's derailleur had appeared to eat itself, tho once he got it untangled it was fine.

coffee at dot come and home round 12.30.

Fog Ridden, return to Chch.

So. New year and all that. today we packed up all our belongings out of the bach and into the car and squeezed it all in (one extra adult having arrived from Scotland to stay, making our little Fiat a bit of a squash. luckily it was only from Little Ak to Pettigrews Rd, where they dropped me off, and off into the fog i set at 11.30am. maximum of about 20-30 metres visibility the WHOLE ride. it was fucking wet too. madness. but good. tootled across the tops, managing to find my way by memory the whole way, and surprised at the speed i made Mt Fitzgerald and the Port Levy Saddle in. then from there towards Herbert, getting to a couple bits quicker than i'd expected but the plod with the bike on the shoulders was long and painful - still, rode lots i maybe wouldnt have expected to.

i've never been so happy to get to the top of somewhere, but i was very relieved when the summit of Herbert rolled under my tires. zero visibility still, i txtd T and let her know i was still alive. the whole ride i was in this world of cotton wool, with occasional dark shapes looming up, whether they were trees, hillsides, or cows...

2.30 and off down the front face of Herbert, with visibility slowly increasing and once i'd gotten to that bit where it veers right onto the singletrack i could even see down into Purau, but once i'd got a little lower (into where all that gorse used to be) the fog descended again and i was in my cotton wool world til the very bottom. a few minutes to 3pm as i clambered my weary bones over the bottom stile, with still the last section of track to get to the main Diamond Harbour Rd ahead of me. bombed that, up road and then down past the broken Godley House and minding out on the corners (wet road) bombing down to the ferry which was juuuust about to leave, but i made it... phew. 3.5 hours all up, Pettigrews to Diamond Harbour, in less than clement conditions. a worthy trip, methinks.

didnt see one single other person the whole trip until Diamond Harbour.

and mega bonus, got home to the new issue of Spoke Magazine! w00t!

Post Christmas Ride number two - View Hill, Banks Pen.

Well. blog post counts aside, only got one more ride within the old year. spent 10 glorious days in perfect weather at the bach in Little Akaloa. built a tree platform (house would be a misnomer) for the boys. swung heaps on our swing, and rode around the section a bit. swam in the warm(ish) sea many many times, but largely just hung out not doing a helluva lot except playing the the boys. so. one day, not even sure which now, i got out about 10.30 am and headed up the road to Chorlton, then on up View Hill Rd, stepping aside for a couple of bulls who were being taken down off the hill by the farmers, then continuing up to the top of the road, checking in on the cellphone messages up top there, taking the trails right to the very top of the hill, then turning round and bombing back down, exploring out the top of the bush and finding a few off piste animal trails then wending my way down across the slope eventually getting back to the main track. bombing down this, chasing a sheep for a while, then on down the fucking steep gravel and on down the seal to the bay. all up a good wee ride to break the holiday up.

Post Christmas Ride number one - Christmas Day.

Well. first "post xmas ride" was actually this morning, christmas day. did all the fun family present opening etc then got something for lunch ready, then took off on my bike to get to Joy's for Xmas lunch. T took the boys in the car. Left home 10ish, got to hers 11.15ish. bloody headset is dodgy.

sped across town, up rapaki at a good clip, over witch hill, road up to Castle and a good fang down there. then onwards round under the gondola, up round and onto John Britten, then off piste down the paddock, under the pylons and down Major Hornbrook, through the park to Cannon Hill Cres then bombage down there to lunch.

Tuesday PFMTBC DVD Release

Cruiser'd over to Petes and met up with all the crew. Andrew, Wayne, Warren, Hubb, Pete (who'd been at Pom's all afternoon), Steve and Tony. We ventured forth into the hot blasting Nor'waster, made it to the Belgian Beer Cafe where we squatted on the outskirts of a bunch of suits and supped our ales (a Blonde and a Brunette for me). then to Pomeroys where we met up with the three M's - Matt, Mark and Marie. Mark had a Tallboy in tow, and we all carparked it trying it out and liking it except for (mark's) floppy seat - (a Hopwired and a Smokin' Bishop for me here).

Then a tail wind blast to Pete's for the unveiling of Warren's video construction. we drank a little more and laughed and laughed and laughed.

Sketchy getting home, with i think a crash on Pete's drive. i've got unexplained chain muck right up my leg...


Only 4 more posts to fulfill my annual quota... These will be pre-loaded because i'm going to Little Ak from Boxing day and we aint got internet over there. I'll definitely get that many rides in prior to Jan 1st.

Sunday Hunting Traversing Victorian Old Skools.

Smaller posse assembled at Steve's this morning, with Wayne, Warren, Andrew, Mark, Steve and myself cruising round Hansen's and up the Huntsbury into the cloud. clammy moist and humid it was. up up up we went til we broke out above the clouds (or they burned off) and Mark took the old steep line up top instead of through gate and up to beginning of Traverse.

hit the Traverse and put on the pace. i nearly lost my back wheel over the edge after one stop, then a dazed and confused large lamb tried to get in everybody's way cos it didnt know what to do with itself alongside the pond, then Wayne got a flat at the usual signpost-Sugarloaf stop. otherwise a pretty event free jaunt.

Off down through coffeebreak with Mark then me rolling the see-saw and the first coupla brakefrees, then off down the rockgarden into the gummies and peeled left down that sweet little track Marie had shown us. Andrew said Steve looked like he was gonna shoulder barge a tree near that steepy corner.

regrouped and off up to for Mark to show us a piece of Raadi Garden. nice wee rideable steep with optional droppage, then he showed us this play area before the top entrance to Rad^Sick which we did a couple of loops of, then off down the valley, taking in some bits that followed Rad briefly before hooking onto the lower reaches of Cool Runnings. then off down Flow, Bridges and rolling the new bit without pedalling at all, making for a fun lower section.

blatted down the valley and hit up Hidden, cleaning it up nicely, rain starting to fall a bit more concertedly. into the Old Skool and a good blast until the wet rubber matting which sent me screaming towards the rocks in a straight line gaining speed. managed to survive and got down the rest okay.

it being only 11am when we got to the bottom so coffee was had.

Wednesday Sandpit singlespeeders

Chris came to mine and we singlespun across to the forest. in the main entrance, hung a right and drafted to the gazebo, ate a biscuit or two, then onwards. along the beach we hit the worst sand, and headed down onto the beach, where chris wheelied and i cruised to the next entrance, back onto the singletrack and on round, quite a few stops, a swapsie for a section, his forks are well plush, mine are basically rigid. i was surprised by some of the freshly cleared forest, open in places i've never seen open before... played round on the wooden stuff at the end and then rode back towards mine, detouring at the last minute to Pomeroy's for a pint...

All Mtn Trials 1

These two posts, vimeos, are awesome. found them via Spoke Mag
Czech them out...

Nicolai All Mountain Trial from Whyex Productions on Vimeo.

Also, these are a desperate attempt at boosting my blog post numbers for the year.

All Mtn Trials 2

Nicolai All Mountain Trial 2 from Whyex Productions on Vimeo.

Sunday Morning Rich Green God-Snake

got myself to Pete's and we drove to Slumner to meet up with the others. good sized posse, with a Force (to be reckoned with), one in a Trance, three Jami (the plural of Jamis), one Stinky one, one abominable snowman, a feminine Merida, and myself, the psy-Cotic one... (ie, Dallas, Wazza, Andy, Tony(new Yeti shock servicing, hence the Shame-us) and Wayney, Mark, Pete, Marie and me).

We entered Richmond Hill Rd with abandon, and flaunted ourselves up the steep grunter to the farmtrack which was most enjoyable up through yards and sheep and farmers to the pines of Greenwood/Richmond corner. on up road and into the single-ator which was most enjoyable. nice bomb down Greenwood Park with much rockiness and side winds. just after what is normally a creek in winter i flatted, and then had tubular issues finally resolving it with a freshy from Tony. the regroup and rest proved healthy and the rest of the bomb was the bomb.

At Evans the Warren and Dallas bailed down the Captain, and i have it on good authority that they had a all round good ride down, altho Dallas came off over his bars (we didnt see that from where we watched them before we hit up Godley). we hit up Godley, Mark making his mark up the first bit, with much hopping and popping - quite spectacular. i got further up it than other recent feeble attempts, but not quite cleaned. not a bad wee haul out with a couple of regroups and a couple of alterior lines had by one or two. nice wee blasts down and good climbing all round.

from Breezey col, off down The Snake we galloped, with berms railed and dust stirred. excellent runs by all and a good blast down the tail too. in Taylor's carpark, passing by the massive posse that was the Chch Mtnbiking Club. the racer-y members (2) of this group passed us on the way up the road, and after regrouping we got off down Nicholson ahead of them all and to Dot Com not long after 12, home by 1...

great ride, nice day, refreshing wind.

Thursday solo there and back again.

what a ride tonight. no word from Chris, so i got out on my own, drove over and parked up Bowenvale Ave about 7.20 and headed up the Old Skool, steepness getting the better of my unfit bod once or twice, but enjoying the cleanliness of the climb on the single up into the sunshine, then really enjoying the smoothed out clay surface under the pylons, its really taken the lurch out of that section. then on up the nasties, spinning out once or twice, not on my game. at one stop, watched some dh'ers on the lavaflow, walking and checking out sections, and a couple of guys bombing, looking spectacular taking mean lines and raarking up the dust in some of the last sunshine as they blitzed it - their woots echoing across the valley. i continued on my way up to the summit.

fiddled with fork tune as i crossed the road and hit up vernon realising the goodness of the fork change, getting my groove on down over the rocks around into the Rapaki catchment, flowing on down and down to the carpark, rolling through and onto witch hill trail where that one rock early on got the better of me, but cleaning up the rest and enjoying some of the new smoothness.

then onto the road and the schluff to Castle Rock. inspiring descent into the darkening valley, managing to dodge most little piles of fresh sheepshit, but managing to get splecked by one lot... smelly. made the top of the bridle and turned back admiring the carnage of the boulders and rockslide off the top of Castle Rock proper. then endured the good climb back up, big ring the whole way (36t (2x9)) and cleaning the last bit that often gets the better of me.

amazing the rocks piled up on the roadside, and the damage (now patched) where they'd fallen from the Tors etc.

getting cooler now on the descent. looked down at the walkway below the road and dreamed sweet singletrack memory dreams, but was a good boy and continued round, over the witch. got dimmer and dimmer as i climbed back up vernon. then crossed the road again and on round a bit of the traverse before dropping back down into the Old Skool, down the shortcuts, taking a bad line on the worst rocky section and bailing before crashing.

on down and into the sweet sweet singletrack, visibility getting pretty dim now, dusk really setting in, kinda fuzzing the bumps out of the trail almost. blitzed on down and out the bottom back to the car dead on 2 hours after i'd left.

Sweeeet

Sunday family mcleans

kinda almost doesnt count, but i did get a ride in today, even tho T's galavanting off in Sydney leaving me to nurture our sons...

took them out to Mcleans Island, O on his bike and Go on the tagalong behind the singly. pretty mellow cruise in lovely hot day, bailing off cos O was tired. he was sick yesterday so i shouldnt have expected too much from him today. anyway... its one more post to boost the tally for the year.

Tuesday crocodiled quarry

got a lift with Pete (and Alister and Brandon, his son and nephew respectively, in tow), off out to bottom of Halswell-that-ends-well Quarry. we were early, so he dropped us three at the top of the road and we jettisoned ourselves down the crock. nice wee blast down there with me tight on Alister's tail all the way. then he flatted on those rocks at the very bottom as we were about to make our way down to the car. made our way back to the road and the boys, Steve, Tony and Wayne had arrived, pete took off up with puncture repairs to Al who was walking.

tire fixed and off up the Rim Track to check out the earthquake damage on the quarry-face. wicked amount of damage. over and up to road, then on up to top of Siberia, nice wee climb up all the way and fun descent popping the roots. up 4wd track to gate and i chased Alister in, pushing him til he let me past and the blast was on. great run down newtasty with a couple of the corners really nearly getting the better of me, especially the last one that shoots you back towards the top of the crock, nasty big rut-trench on it.

into the croc for the final blast, absolutely fanging it. awesome trip down, raising the dust. group of cows in the way near the bottom, then railing the highsides of the berms, very nice work in there. up the grunt, regroup and off down again, and noticed a jumps area across in the trees that really need a trail in them.

said good-bye to the boys, then the young'uns, pete and me ventured forth to find the yumps zone... rode and walked up to check them out. well beyond any of our skills, so we went to the top and rode and rolled avoiding the gappage then back out the bottom.

home nice and early

Sunday untsbury averse lying un ictoria

nice wee ride this morning. trundled a tired ass over to Stevo's and Andro Wayno Mari-o and Tono were there to ride. Tono was on a new bike, another Abominable Snowman has joined the posse... Stevo and Pedro were off to Ruahoono to watch fuel being guzzled and rubber being converted into little pieces scattered across tarmac.

off up Huntsbury we cruised, a pretty good go made by all. up into cloudy tops, feeling good about pushing my unridden body up the hill. through the gates and over the fence and up to the top. off round the summit trail enjoying this track again after more than a month off. passed the same joggers a few times, each time them friendlily leaping out of the way, off down Thomsons to kiwi, blasting it.

up road, with a little discussion of the Gov'no's track, which Andro still has never done(!), as we passed, continuing to top of Marlo's. off down the Nun, having a great, tho cruisy, waft down there, coasting to slow speeds on corners, then powering out, all in all a good blast. Tono claiming the Kendo SmallBlock8s to be pretty good in most of these conditions, and him finding himself thinking there was little difference in ride between the old Shamus and his new Bigfoot, but actually going a darned sight faster.

regrouped at kiwi and off up to top of Vic Park, me receiving a 'get the fuck home now, you're late' call (even tho it was only 11), so off down into vic, over seesquaw, a few brakefro's and into the gummos down the recently enjoyed track and regrouping at the skidder site where i said my good byes and blasted off down Dazzo's, Brento's and Flow, passing a huge group of riders, into Bridgos, nuBridgos and down and out and home across town via a Dairy for milk and cream for a pav(!) by 11.40.

niiic-oh.

Thursday evening Worsle Nunnage Vix 2 OldSkool

finally out for a ride. 3 weeks off the bike for many and varied reasons - a party at our place, a death of a friend, a trip to the bach and a week in Fiordland. with family time required around all of these.

drove over to Chris's and we headed across town, parking up in B.vale Ave. round the foot of the hills and up Worsley's we rode, me weak in the legs and struggling while Chris was pushing a cold. uneventful, dab filled struggle up the dirt with me walking more of the Body Bag than i've ever done, peaking out gasping.

the nun however was bliss. Chris led in but in the first of the big sweepy uppy corners he pulled off cos the scab-shield on his elbow was vibrating too sore, so he followed me at a nice flowy cruisy pace the rest of the way down to the kiwi, both of us really enjoying it.

up the road to Vic straight down to seesaw and brakefree and sesame st and dazza's and pono's and onwards, then cleaned up Hidden Valley (me stopping for a gasp of air between top switchbacks after nearly steering over the bank) and into the Old Skool. excellent blast down there, taking in an older new line half way down that neither of us had ridden for ages.

stopped for a couple of well earned pints, including a particularly hoppy Tall Poppy, at Pomeroys on the way home.

Quick Tuesday nighter

only three of us tonight, Marie, Warren and me. met at Steve's and headed up Rapaki. Marie headed towards Vic from there, while Warren and me headed into the easterly, Witch Hill, up road to Castle Rock. allowed Laurence Mote, Ventana-beltdrive-Oli, and some other guy on a Reign in ahead of us, and i did my darnedest to keep on their tails, closing the gap on the descent, then them losing me on the climb. good run. on round the top to John Britten. off piste meandering down there then down the road and into McCormacks bay for a sweeeet run down through there. then finished with a good tail wind run round the back of ferrymead Warren peeling off and me cruising it to Steve's to the car.

Sunday Wurst Nunchuck Dying Victim

Pete and steve were out, but a good buncha ring-ins showed at Tony's for today's spin. nice tailwind got me over there in dead on 20mins. Andrew, Warren, Wayne, Tony and Marie, off up Worsley's, me taking the dirt instead of tarmac, feeling good.

Hit the dirt and all had good climbs, i think all cleaning the body bag too? i got up first and struck up a conversation with the tailender of the Canty MtnBike Club group ride, who turned out to be someone quite well known. then we were onto the Nun. AWESOME blast down here, cold easterly blustering the odd jump, but not as bad as all that, brief regroup at half way, then onwards and downwards then off down Old Dyers too. excellent blaze down the bumpy bumpy bumpy to a sheltered sunny spot for a snackup.

then onwards up to road, over, and up into vic park, taking in the wee singletrack leading into the skidder site. nice wee off by Andrew, who ended up having to untangle himself from a friendly bush. Off down Dazzas, then Brents, with everyone going different directions in there, Wayne and me taking in some of the bit we rode the other week. discovered race tape before leaving the forest, with dh groms blasting past on the fast lines as we flowed flow and nubridges. we regrouped below double drop (which was the dh finishline), and waited for Wayne, who'd had quite a good off, nasty scrapes on his arms and knee.

Off up Hidden, managinng to clean it all this time, and off up and over into a glorious descent of the Old Skool. i said good by as the others turned for tony's, and me to a quick blast into the wind home

Tuesday Scarbro conda Godley Thomas

treadled over to pete's and we falconed out to Sumner to meet Andrew and then Steve and Tony. off into the brisk wind for a reversal of the usual around the waterfront and off up at a nice leisurely pace up Scarborough. blatted down into Taylors and off up the 'tail. nice climb and on up the rest of the snake, big(middle) ringing the whole way.

At Breeze col, it surely was breezy, and a split was decided. Pete and me were feeling chipper enough to contemplate the blast out and back, while the others tootled off towards Evans. We made good time, taking the low road, then making like Buffalo Girls and going 'round the outside', then the chase was on. not a bad up, and a good descent to Livingston Col where we could see the other guys topping out on the mucky summit. rough as guts descent to Evans where the boys were waiting.

Time for the Captain, Pete chasing me and passing me when i baulked on the highline taken due to walkers, leaving the rest of us for dead. good blat the rest of the way, absolutely flying. couple brief stops swapping the lead at each gate, with me finishing off the lower half. back to the cars and home before 8.30 just as dark was dropping.

the trip - Dunners

so far so good. final night, sittin in a puter room and loading this down. for a far more indepth analysis, see steve's pfmtbc write up.

Friday, roadtripped to Dunners, arrived, settled in, loaded up with food and beer then hit the local Redwoods. rode up steeeeeep roads (Rockside and Tanner) to get to it, up McGouns to top, down a single, through mudtroughs to the top of the 'loop'. off down switchback after curve after curve after switchback, loving it all, slightly loose in places but fun fun fun, and 5 minutes later you're at the bottom and head up for the climb which switchies its way up the hill caning it to the top. how many loops? i think 3 or 4, but on Pete's third, he crashed real good skinning the knee.

day two
massive day, heaped upon a hangover from celebratory arrivals. Multiple hours of riding exhausting all involved, slowed even further by a certain dreaded one's constant flats. took Nichol's Creek Switchback track all the way up to Swampy, hung a left at the top and on over to a speedy descent to the 'bull pen'. tried to find the entrance to a shortcut down to snakes and ladders (alas, took road round instead). No one particularly enjoying the Snakes'n'ladders, so half the party bailing out, while the other half continued through it only to be stopped by Mike's flatting. back up to the bull pen in killer heat with worn out climbs back up to top of the way we'd come down, and time to hit the switchbacks again. Everyone loving the descent, with footage captured. over all, everybody loved the beginning and ends of the day, but not a lot in the middle.

day 3.
signals mixed. up up up up up up road after road to Signal Hill Monument and g-stringed tourist asses to meeting a friendly Brent (from Bike Otago) who led us down descents we'd enjoy to bottom, nice rocky technical but reasonably fast descents, thinking rain would kill the rest of the day.

back base then some lunch, and rain gone, so drove up for a post lunch Redwoods play, multiple laps, then across to Buffoons and an argumentative start prior to blazing around some of the sweetest singletrack yet. starting from the carpark we headed into the Forrester forest into the day before's racetrack, loving it down then getting back to the carpark. quick lap of the bmx track, then off up the hill, into Bethunes Gully, up a singletrack which zigged us down again into the picnic area, over a bridge, up Mt Cargill Walkway, which seemed to get steeper and steeper, us spotting the singletrack below us, eventually up left to a wee play on some wooden things and down to race tape, hard left into Haggis basher or hunter, for a wicked descent popping stuff on the way. back over the bridge and up the xc climb, zigging and zagging through fantastic plantation forest to a top. the speedier ones raced off and took the 'Expert' line, while the slightly slower for some reason took the 'Sport', and so the 'experts' all ended up down the bottom again, waiting indefinitely for the others who never showed. cel contact was made and we all headed on up the way we'd arrived into the clearing originally, then took a zig zag track up left and over to find the others on the road. then we circled out round Forresters park on all of its singletrack back to the carpark.

day 4.
Government Track, out near Waipori Falls. very niiiice. bit of a drive out of town, into fucking nasty looking weather, me in the falcon thinking oooop, steve'll be cross, but arriving up the valley as the sun shone and the bush beckoned. up the first couple switchbacks thinking what are we in for?, then onto glorious benched singletrack gliding through spectacular forest, fuchsia-broadleaf-podocarp in the lower and wetter areas, with dryer beech forests on the ridges, then into manuka scrub getting shorter and nearly subalpine up top. brief time in some farm land with wind trying to blow us over. over an hour to the top, with a bit of hail thrown in on the way up for good measure, otherwise mostly sunshine including at top. black weather coming so off we headed back down, first through the manuka then into the good beech forest and then the podocarp. when the black weather hit, snow started falling, spectacularly. the roots were skittery and all of it was fantastic. to me, this track is everything i love about riding in new zealand.

day 5.
forecast nasty, so didnt expect to ride, but day turned out to be sweet, so we got up the switchbacks again, great ride up and great ride down. arrived back to base as the skies opened, perfect timing. lunched in town then 5 of us partook of a tour with Richard Emerson of his brewery. a great experience, with 'quality control' being a very important part of the tour.

day 6,
packed up, left Dunedin. Pete, Marie, Mark and me in the Falcoon, off up to Waimate. Excellent Peas, Pie and Pud at The Savoy, the best tearooms in South Canterbury, then off up to end of Point Bush Rd to ride the White Horse. Steep ass little switchback trail up through regenerating native bush and macracarpa and pines up top, even seeing a Wallaby mosying through, and on up to the PD gang working around the Horse. Photos, then down, popping most of the jumps on down in no time flat. back in car, off we went. 20 odd kms later Mark realised he didnt have his camera! so, back to Waimate, and on round the road to the top of the track. Retreived the camera and the Mark and me rode down again, meeting the others on the road below, great ride the second time round too.

Home for dinner.

Finally, Sunday Mid Hills Blast.

Good ride Sunday Morning. Usual suspects, plus as a bonus me oldest bestest friend Matt, who was visiting from Melbs. Normally a roadie, his grins definitely showed he liked the dirt - maybe we'll convert him yet. He borrowed my ancient (socalled)"Schwinn". I'd spent an hour or so the night before cleaning it up a bit and swapping bars, stem and pedals to make it more accommodating for him. We treadled across town to Steve's where turned up Pete, Warren, Wayne, Tony, Andrew and Marie. then we all headed round and up Rapaki. Matt's road fitness got him up nearly effortlessly with Pete and me, and he enjoyed the views to be had from there on round. We singletracked Vernon - Traverse - Thomsons then kiwi road to Marley's and the excellent blast down the Nun, all with numerous regroupings and millions of other riders to contend with, more crowded than i've seen it in ages. A southerly was due late morning (didnt show til much much later) so maybe everyone was trying to get around before that... From bottom of Nun, up the Thomsons to top of Vic and down, me being the only one to do the see-saw (as usual). through the rocks, into the gums and most of us tried out a new track Marie pointed out to us. great little twist and shout through the gums spitting us out at the lefthander so many usually miss, over the wee jump and then down round out to the Skidder site... race tapes up, so we got in and blazed down Dazza's, into Brents staying between the tapes down to a turn and section i'd never done before, whistles blowing our approach, like we were DH racers :). Onto Flow, me missing the new highline, rutting instead, and then into nu bridges, down to Hidden Valley and its wee granny grunt up, blowing some of the hairpins. then into Old Skool, first time since April! yay. great blast down there, with a couple of regroups, and then out to coffee at St Martins, then the headwind home. Friday, PFMTBC trip. hopefully i'll be able to slide a ride in between now and then...