Sunday Blown Out

Daylight savings this morning and I totally forgot about it.  Tom rang at what i thought was 6.35 asking about the ride, and I said, yeah, get to mine for 8.  I got on the rain radar to check what was up with the rain and then saw the time!  7.37! YIKES.  Scrabbled to get ready, and Pete was early, but no matter, got ready and Tom arrived and we set sail to the Palms and the others (in two cars - Wazza, Wayne, Tony, Marie, Steve, Andy) arrived and off out thru Rangoon and sLoburn we cruised, finding Nelson awaiting us at the end of the road and the rain we'd been driving through just stopped.  Over a year since last was up here (with Nelson, Matt and Tom) and just about 2 years since riding it with Nelson and Pete.

Granny grunt start, climbing away, everybody getting into it, nice and fresh, soft trail in places and rut city down the bottom, we meandered our way up and regrouped at the mud wallow, which Nelson got his shovel out for and dug a drain, relieving it of a fair bit of water by the time we'd returned.  Then, as usual, the first walking began.  And a shit load followed it.  As usual, with a few riding bits between.  The really steep stuff was really steep, and the first timers were probably wondering how it was gonna be down hill.

A few regroups on the way up.  Marie was struggling I think and left her bike behind thinking she'd walk the rest of the way, but we convinced her that riding further was worth it, and Nelson ran down after it, and she rode a good deal further.  Regroup and snack in the open area before the main downhill.  Then down and climbing re-engaged, up and up, up and down, up up and ever onwards up.  Into the cloud enshrouded tops we struggled, Marie leaving her bike behind finally further up, and walking the same pace as the rest of us to the top.  Pretty mucky in places, with water running down the track.  We stopped at the Mt Richardson sign and a walker guy and his dog cruised through, surprised (and not very happy) to see us, then it was the final push to the top.  Quick feed and jacket on at the top then off down.

Just after the Mt Richardson sign, i was out the front, and i noticed something going thuck thuck thuck on my back wheel then BANG! it blew.  My tire had split next to the rim and was rendered useless.  Bugger, i thought, and was about to start walking when Tom pointed out he had a spare tire...  phew!  a little 2.1 Ritchey, which was hard to get on, but did the trick real good.  The others had all gone ahead, with Nelson and Pete hanging back with me, and we put on a chase now.  Catching them just before Marie got to her bike at which they were all waiting.  From here it was in the open, mostly down until the steep shute-y climb, which at this point was very hard work walking up...

Bit more climbing and into the forest again, for a good downhill til the next climb, which wasnt long, then finally the long ridge section before the steeeeeep downhill.  In here you're dropping a couple hundred metres within about a km and a half.  I baulked on the steepest shute, just getting out of the way in time for Tom and Pete to get by, then had to walk a little before being able to get back on.  Made good chase now and when it leveled off again we all regrouped not long later.  Another rapid downhill stretch and we stop where Nelson is puzzling over the back end of his bike...  damn, his rear derailleur has caught something and snapped in two.  Once again, the others took off ahead, but this time 4 of us stayed to help Nelson get his chain apart (which was very difficult) and off for him to ride chainless.  Tom managed the previously impossible of splitting the chain.

Awesome blast down the last sections, relishing the rapid acceleration experienced upon release of brakes, Tom close on my tail all the way down to the (now quite a bit lower) mud pug.  Nelson had a couple of bits he had to run but mostly it was a coast for him.  Eyes splecked like crazy, half blind, on the last open ruttsville section back to the cars and a bunch of very mucky puppies we all were.  a grand total of just under 1000 metres total climbing (and descending) under our belts.

Tuesday night stealth pixies

Nelson met at mine after work and around 6 we were heading for the hills.  Parked up top of Huntsbury Hill we ground our ways up the trail, no lights, setting a good pace.  Across the road and up Scott's Knob trail to the highest point where we turned round, lights on, and fanged it back down.  Much tighter this way than i'd thought it would be.

Back onto the road, up onto and around Vernon, picking up speed as we progressed before finally bailing off onto the side to let a bunch of climbers clamber past.  Back into gear and down the last switchbacks and through the top of Rapaki straight into the Witch Hill, techy rocky grunty wee climb round, cleaning it all sweetly, then swoopy fun down to the road.  Cruised up here, lights off, freaking out a couple of runners cos of our stealth mode, meeting them at the gate below the Tors.

Cruisey climb up to top of Castle Rock and we chilled out here, no wind here, for a few minutes before droppin' in.  I led the way, and was a bit pinbally to start, but got into the groove and got on down the trail nicely, flying into the first hairpin, on round down, wet spot from last time not so bad, and round the next hairpin and down over our cool rocky armoured section just before the wee wooden bridge before the climb up through the next usually wet spot, drained nicely, and on up.  At the next big mucky quagmire we stopped for about half an hour and messed about moving rocks, some huge, building it up and making two armoured bits which we rode back and forth on then continued our way out to the Bridle Path.

Turned around, and headed on back up and over the first section, cleaning our armoured repair, and then descended down through to our other armour, then the real climbing began, up round the first hairpin, across, and i dabbed through the second, but got pretty much all the rest of the climb til the last rocky grind near the top.  Onto the road down past the Tors, my back wheel had some squirrelly throbbing in it.  Flipped the bike at the gate and decided that it wasn't the rim, just the tire - not seated quite right...  oh well, onwards down the road, into Witch Hill and an excellent pace right in and through til a quick scoot-dab and then over down and around.

Through the top of Rapaki again, and back onto Vernon and up through the switchbacks, Nelson stomping on the gas, me just plodding on up at a steady pace, really feeling it in the legs on the last vestiges of climb.  Blatted down to the road, not quite as fast as normal cos my lights were both on dim.  Some comment from the boyracers missed, then onwards round the traverse til we dropped down the quick way onto Huntsbury, speeding down the gravel (after first running out of singletrack), then finally down the yumpy wee side track and back to the car.

Mucky Sunday Bottle Jet Lake

Rain came in from the north scuppering our chances of doing the Blowhard track as planned, so the decision was made to postpone to next week. I wasnt up for the wet ride across to Steve's on the off chance of not getting up the hill, so i chucked Jet in the car, the singlespeed on the back, and we headed out to Bottle Lake listening to the 9am news on the way.  Pretty wet, not much rain from above, but soaking-as tracks allowing for plenty of spleck from below, causing all sorts of issues for my eyes the rest of the day.  We both got nice and mucky and had a right old time.  He ran and ran and ran, i spun and spun and spun, overtaking the occasional person i met, like maybe 3 (not many people out there today).  Annoyingly, tyre rub on frame every time i stood up and kranked it hard...  worst bit was climbing up to the gazebo.  Took an hour or so, right round the outside and we were back to the carpark, hosed off the sand and mud and back in the car home by 10.30.

Tuesday Evening Easternisation

Nelson turned up at mine after work and we Corona'd across to the Pleasant Mount and proceeded to the top of the hillside suburbanisation.  There was a bitter wind blowing up there, so once we'd set up our bikes and had a wee we got back in the car to await the others.  Warren had turned up while we were sorting, and sat to wait in his car too. Andy and Tony turned up next; then Steve and Robin; then Pete.  Then, we hit up the trail.  About a third of the way up i was finally warming up, and by the top felt sweet (and sweat).  Good cruise up, with Steve setting the pace at the front and us all toeing in behind, tight on each other's rear tires.  Most of us got the top corner into the original John Britten trail, then it was around to the gate, over and up Broadleaf, really warming up and having a good regroup at the start of the trail over down towards Cavendish Saddle.  Nicely out of the wind up here, and so we yarned a bit before turning the lights on and hitting the singletrack.  Nelson in the lead, me next, followed by Pete, and the rest.  Good wee blast down, the tussocks making us react, not flow.  Tho, groove was gotten the further we got.  The last couple of corners before the first long stretch across the slope always get me, expecting the long stretch across the slope to be this one, but no, another corner, maybe this next one, no, another corner, aaah, this one...  The final chipped bit down, loose and sketchy, always expecting that final nasty corner that everyone seems to miss and ride over, just before the stile.  Over and down, nearly losing it before the bottom.

Next up, up the back and forth trail to the Gondola, cleaning it all this time, first time i havent blown one of the lower corners, and then around the Gondola building for most of us, and another regroup on top, then back down, looking spectacular from the otherside, if only we were filming.  All enjoying the down.  Then it's up the way we'd come down before, steep to start, and a little loose, but then leveling off, and on round to the first corner back across and up, steadily on and on up, and over, regroup on top again, and then off up the rest of Broadleaf to the top and the excellence that was to ensue.

Down from Mt Pleasant, sketchyish rocks to start and then picking your way, reacting to what is just round that tussock.  Second or third place always good, following the leader's mistakes.  At the bottom of this trail we split.  the usual three off down, the rest of them back out top of Greenwood and over back to their cars.  Nelson, Pete and me off down, I off-pisted down to the trail and so had a good lead on them, which i largely kept, with the occasional gain, and loss, and gain, by them.  Awesome blast down Greenwood for me tonight.  Very few mistakes, i floated and pumped as necessary all the way.  Cleaned everything including the usual little mistake-makers, and ended up at the bottom with a big grin, and a bit of a sore lower back (as usual).

Finally, really good pace, all of us just pumping away up the road, grinding out the kms and metres altitude, steady as she goes, all the while knowing it was building base stamina and strength the others need, but we always seem to get.  Eventually we made the top of the Britten trail.  Nelson pulled up and adjusted suspension, so i ducked into the trail and got a nice lead on them both, which Nelson slowly wound in on the way down.  Good flowy blast down here. Ruts wobbling me a couple times, but the tires and wide rims just carry you straight out of the wobble.  No wind at the cars this time.  Bit of a chat then our separate ways back to the same neighbourhood.

Getting my bike out of the car, the blood lid dropped on my head as i was coming up and in to get the bike and YOWCH!  Blood started pissing out of the wound and so i needed help sorting out my shit.  No stitches needed, thankfully.

Saturday Arvo Worsley Jet ride.

Left home at five to 4 with Jet in the car and headed up Worsley's, parking at the top of the road.  Jet chomping at the bit, we got going straight up the main track.  Passed a couple guys just after the powerlines, having seen them struggling on the ruts from when i was lower down.  Up round the corner, into major rocky ruttsville, no worse than last time a month or so ago with Nelson, but our rock placements had been somewhat wrecked, and that was the only place i blew in that section.  Cleaned up everything else, until, as we got up near the turn off to B-line-ville Jet was through the fence and i was calling him over and heading across towards him i had a weird crash.  My front wheel stopped suddenly on the edge of a rut and my positioning was all out of whack and i ended up ON the handlebars, balanced, on my chest, for a second, legs out behind me in the air, hovering, then toppled back (almost back onto my seat), never hitting the ground.  bloody hurt the chest, and smacked my knee on something too, then, when i'd righted myself again i had stars in my eyes, and took a minute to get my breath back...

Off up the entry to B-lineage, and off down the Original to the right.  taking it slowly to start, gradually getting into the flow and picking up speed as i headed down.  By-passed Fightclub and headed through the pylon clearing on down, clearing a piece of windthrow on the trail, then off down to the right down the old favourite and out the bottom.  Straight back up and up the middle steep bastard forestry trail, all the way back up to the clifftop, then on up the way i'd come down to the top where Tommy's peels off and down here, taking the trickier line to the right about 2/3rds of the way down, where a log was down and a new line had formed steep and into the rockgardens that are in there.  Then it was Fightclub, fantastic, really feeling on form, pumping and roosting, til lower down where a tree has landed ON the track.   A dabby scooting line above it then off down the final deeper forest section, steeper stuff, and nice lines all the way out to the bottom.

Then, finally, back up the access track, passing a couple guys, one with no chain (walking), and then up to the junction and off back down to the car via the normal route.  Happy dog, and happy me, 1 and quarter hours riding total.  All up an very slightly different format of this ride just over a month ago even the timing was similar.

AND, just this week, Cotic turns 10 years old.  Happy Birthday, Cotic.  I've been a Cotic owner for 5 years now.

Tuesday Night TFC Meeting

only writing cos the ride home from the pub after our TFC meeting last night was so insane...  while we were there the gale force norwesters kicked in, blowing up dust storms along Garlands Rd.  Pete and me struggled into it all the way home.  it was like riding up a very steep hill.  So full on, with grit being thrown up into our eyes the whole way, rubbish bins and roadworks signs and cones all lying down and branches off trees.  Tin was flapping in the red zone, and a couple of trees were down both sides of the river just down river from where i cut through to my place.  spec tac u lar.

Sunday's Planting, Otukaikino / Omaka

Jumped on the Troll and got over to Pete's by 9, the others (Steve, Warren and Wayne) turning up not long after, and we all rode Avonside - Kilmore right across town to the park and through to Kilmarnock for to meet the railway path and Andrew and Tony, who'd very lazily driven there.  From here it was northbound, freight-training ourselves to the end of the line, Tuckers.  Onto Cavendish, Styx Mill, Gardiners, past the Crematorium and across to somewhere I hadnt been for 30 odd years, the entrance to Omaka Scout Camp.  Up the drive and along to the planting where we put in a shitload of natives alongside a path alongside the river/creek that flows on down into the Groynes.  Plant plant plant, scoff multiple sausages, and then it was back on the bikes, muchly a reverse our plantward journey, once again freighttraining hauling ass down the later stages of the railtrail, then through the park, taking Armagh through town, Steve peeling off at Barbadoes, and Pete and me sneaking off to Pom's for a quick pint, a delicious Liberty Sauvignon Bomb, a perfect way to finish the 35 odd kms under our belts... 

Friday Night Eastern figure 8

Usual pick up from work and we drove the clogged city arteries right through to Taylor's Mistake.  Parked up and headed up the road to the walking track  which was rather greasy to start, but not so bad once over the fence.  Took a new zig and zag through new lambs and mothers and proceeded to grunt up to the deer fence and alongside it I lost the grip on my breath, walking a section I've not walked in past ventures up this trail.  Over the stile and off up the gravel road, a little soft, and draggy, but not so bad.

Onto the seal and the 0 to 220m in under one kilometre as the crow flies, it really is a rapid ascent.  Round the road, Nelson saving his tires by riding the margin, then the coasting down to Evans Pass, faster and faster and faster, through the saddle and up the Summit Rd, taking it easy, and not seeing a single car or another soul the whole way up, lights still not used, all the further 220m up to where the Greenwood heads off.

Lights on, and into the singletrack, sheep and lambs scattering, their lovely deposits strategically placed at intervals in the middle of the track, cruising round to the ruins where we stopped for a OneSquare then I took the lead off down the trail.  Easy at first, screwing up a couple times, but slowly putting on the speed.  Not many wet spots, just some of the usuals.  On round into the gloom, taking it easy on the entry, boardwalk, through the guts, and out the other side, then straight on and down, down, down, swoopy, swoopy, cruising round into the last valley, with the silly dips, round over the wee creek then the blast down to the rocky ups, cleaning them both, and finally down through the swoopy bends, water in one of them, and round over above the road below the macracarpa down to the end, and REALLY sore feet, especially the left, and sore hands...  My left shoe has given up, split just behind the cleat, hence the sore foot.

Next up, Godley.  Both of us buggered up the first rocky section, but everything from there on up was sweet.  Nice climb, tho was starting to get tired towards the end, not quite enough grunt in me...  Off down the new chip, flying faster and faster, greasing through the section they've not done yet, then back on it, faster and faster, til it ended, then bouncing around a bit, but maintaining a fair bit of speed through to Livingston.  The clamber up the next bit got me a ways behind Nelson, but i'd gained on him again through just before the PFMTBC rock, and then i eased myself down the yucky greasy splecky paddock down to the gate, finally at Breeze Col.  We decided we still had some ride in us so we took the trail above the road, little grunt, then twisty tight round and highspeed rocketship ride down to the end of the road, and onto the singletrack on the downhill side, nice cruise round here, the last (gentle) climb back to Breeze Col half killing me.

Nelson led off down the Anaconda, and we had a good run down, me tight on his tail most of the way.  Ingenious treatment of the trail in what used to be the sloppiest bits down in the valley, well done Ranger Singletrack!  finally through the last couple corners and onto the Tail, where we hauled, - me thinking to myself how scenic it all was, lights reflecting in the sea, waves breaking on the beach, (normally sun drenched) grassy hillside and ribbon of singletrack skirting the hillside, - pumping through the wee dips and risers, then bailing up on the puddle before the final cattlestop into Briden's Bush, and the run round above and behind the baches and speed back to the car.

Wednesday night mucky nutters

Too damned long between rides, with every excuse under the sun (and rain) to ruin my opportunities to get out on the bike...  anyway, finally, i'd been in Hamilton for a couple days, and landed around 6pm, got home and Nelson was there and we changed and took separate cars (me with the dog and the BFe) and headed out to Mcleans Island.  A good southerly stoush had washed through so things were pretty wet, and puddly.  Set a good pace and Jet ran out front then between us then behind us and taking turns in those positions.  Nelson led most of the way, i took one short turn out front.  Bikes and asses got super mucky and grindy.  Took the extra 5km loop out and back as well as the main and were done in maybe an hour.  Good for the aerobic fitness, and great for Jet, he had fun.  A very mucky wet dog with mud on his face and a big grin on his chops.

Sunday Eastern Sunny Fun Day.

Plan was to leave Steve's at 8.45 or DotCom at 9.15.  I opted for the latter, and so made my way across there in the Subie, spotting Wayne parked up as I rounded McCormack's Bay, so, parked with him and found my tire flat.  Changed the tube and the others, Steve, Andy and Tony, arrived and we rode on round to Sumner, knowing Marie would be ahead of us up Richmond Hill, up which we duly pedalled.  Layers off at 2nd hairpin and on ever upwards, then up off road, Steve led me up the garden path and the others on the main track were faster and Steve and me suffered slightly.  Marie was spotted on the ridge yonder, so we treadled on upwards to her, meeting her on the gravel near the shearing shed. 

Out up to the trees, then over the road and up the 4wd track that crosses Greenwood, it seemingly never ending, tho not as horridible as I'd remembered it.  On past the track crossing and up to the fence for a short rest while we regrouped.  I led the way up the next section, tussocks much easier to see round at climbing speed, and feeling really good, getting everything further than ever before, before finally dabbing, losing balance, stumbling, dabbing and generally being quite un-co.  Ground up the last bit to the stile and another well earned regroup.  Off again and cleaned it all, including basically falling off the track and somehow riding it out.  Massive group under the antennae, awaiting our arrival.

Off again, down, ripping down the gravel, and through the off camber onto the dirt then weaving and ducking, rolling and pumping our ways round and down to the bottom where we thought we might head up to the gondola but then decided we wouldnt.  A group of the hardcore Gov's bay crew, who obviously hadnt been out this way for a while, asked about the trail we'd just come down, not having known of its existence.  Told them it was good to go, and then saw them a couple times later.

Off up the road now, then onto John Britten, sidling around, taking the low line at the rocky up and then meandering across back on track and over and round and regrouping to roll down the road and into Greenwood.  Lots of work done through the first section, which was definitely showing the wear and tear of winter, and is now supremely good, armouring in most of the right places, and tight bits really opened up.  blazed on round and had a bite to eat at the ruins.  Saw the Gov'sBay guys up the hill, heading over to the gun emplacements. 

I led the way off down Greenwood, straight away putting on the pace and really feeling pretty good.  Riding lightly over the rocky sections, I made good time round to the 'gulch, where i paused til the others were coming through, then off again, fast again, bike, trail and me in a zen state of oneness, back and forth, slow through the wet bits to avoid excessive splecking, then after the wee creek I paused again til i saw the others round the corner and dip through the holey dips.  Off again, faster and floatier than before, one of my favourite sections, truth be told, and changed at just the right moment to roll and pedal through the rocky up, then no worries through the second and it was wafty swoopy out the rest.  Once we'd regrouped, the Gov's bay crew arrived, having had come down the old ridge trail...  They headed off down the Captain ahead of us, and Marie (who took the road down - tired and didnt want to crash) said they cleaned every single bit.

We headed off down the Captain, and walked the first usual, then in the doublewhammy, i got the first one but as i lined up the second I started heading in the wrong direction so bailed and walked it, and then Andrew following took a line i'd never seen before, and cleaned it down no worries.  He got in front then, and proceeded to clean a couple other climby bits and got well ahead til the end of the old and start of the new, where we stopped and regrouped, yet again.  Off down the zigs and zags, rolling nicely through the hairpins and then slowly (again) through all the mud, which was still bad, but less so than last couple times.  Cleaned the creek nicely, no splashy splashy, but then wronggeared on the climb and stalled.  Andrew splashy splashied...  Finally, out, and up the road and then the speed down the last of Evan's Pass Rd got all the mud off the tires, and all over my glasses, my beard, my shirt...  Passed the Gov's guys alongside the container wall, and headed in for a coffee at DotCom.

Final neck of the ride, well paced road haul round to McCormacks.  Feelin' good.

Toosday inappropriate bike night to trip meeting

Nelson picked me up from mine and we drove to Marie's house, him with his townie superslicked singlespeed and me with my townie Troll, just for a laff...  we skedaddled over to Steve's to meet the others, arriving just as Warren and Robin were sneaking round the back of the roadblocked church on the corner, and just as Pete arrived, and so we merrily clusterfucked Ainsley Tce round to the bottom of CrapHappy.  First time up here for whole year, the gearing on the Troll just right.

Right from the start, Nelson just jetted off on his tall gear ahead.  I ground away, feeling the extra weight of the Troll, but still managing a good pace.  Gate at top of trees Pete and me stopped and waited for Wazza and Robin to regroup then we took off and I never saw them again til the top, Nelson long gone.  Full moon rose and set and rose and set on the hill all the way up, providing good light in places, making for small (rack mounted) light necessary only when idiots were riding down the hill towards us.  Quite a few other riders out, and i managed to pass a fair number of them, probably surprising them with my full 'guards and racks.  Bloody strong (b)easterly blowing, pushing us up the hill but then cooling it right down up top for the wait.  Nelson had been there forever.

Off up round Vernon, me thinking maybe the gear wouldn't suit, but it was sweet, following Warren and chatting all the way up.  Even the two small pinches were (Al)fine.  And traction, with the balloon tires was totally fine all the way up and around too.

Onto the Traversii and traction was good again, Nelson pinging his way around in the rocky sections, me very wary, but we kept a good tailwind clip all the way round, Pete backing off under Sugarloaf and then hauling me in to the end, and the welcome shelter of the trees.  Regrouped here and then headed off down Coffeebreak and then i went the 4wd trail, not trusting the cumbersome nigh-on-gripless Troll through the gums, while the others hit the start of Sesame St and then peeled into the gums.  On the steep 4wd section before the skidder my brakes weren't actually holding me back, and even under full pressure i was still accellerating - disconcerting!  I readjusted them at the skidder site, knowing i'd be needing them on the roads below.  It definitely helped.

At the 19th Batt. War Memorial we met Andrew, who'd toodled up wondering whether he'd meet us, and we all blazed down the road, down Hackthorne, Dyers and round into Marie's house.  Steve was here and Alister turned up and we discussed the October Nelson Trip over one or two beers, and fantastic pizza creations of Marie's.

Thursday night Gauntlet pixies

Usual pick up from work, traffic jammin' across town and up Major Aitken and on up to the top.  Changed and on up the trail, taking the dirt rather than the gravel, wending our way up under the pylons and on upwards.  Nelson was reveling in how smooth his climbing was, so i took a go at it, but my weight compresses his suspension so much i could only feel the smooth, but not the 'easier' climbing...  Swapped back pretty quick and continued to the top.  Too many walkers and runners around for a repeat of our recent friday night excursion, so we headed up over Vernon and bombed it round and down, traction a bit random at times, to top of Rapaki.

Explosions have been happening on Witch Hill recently, and so signage was up to stay out, but they'd finished today, apparently, and it was dark, and night time, so we climbed the plastic tape and headed round.  Good wee climb, rocky technical interestingness, one rock getting the better of me, then it was detouring past the sign at the other end and onto the road.  Nice and easy up round and up and through an easily opened gate set up below the Tors, and on up, a few new rocks on the road, from the blasting and loosening that's been going on.  Finally, the top of Castlerock track and a bit of a bite to eat.

Off down the trail we headed, me in the lead, feeling pretty on form all the way down to the first hairpin, only one or two damp spots, tho, a bit of livestock damage.  But, round the first hairpin and half way along, the old wetspot, mucky as, then round the second hairpin, more cattle damage hoof holes and then bad wet bits, bridge, climb started and wet spot we worked on years ago.  Stopped here and Nelson got his spade out and dug and cleared, then back to the next wetspot and we moved a bunch of rocks and built an armoured section, under which was a wee spring, then back up to between the hairpins and dug a few drains but not much else we could do.  After this we were done with maintenance so climb up, we did.  Clamber clamber clamber, did really well, cleaning everything til near the top just outright lost my balance, let Nelson past and onwards up, the last usual rocky steep getting both of us.

Off down the road, crap (literally, crap) flying off our wheels, through the gate, onwards down the road and back onto the Witch Hill trail, better in this direction, short climb then nice rolly return.  Across the top of Rapaki, couple of lights heading up, and straight into the singletrack climb, good pace, big ring the whole way up, finally crossing the road and heading into the singletrack again, blazing across then dropping down the offpistes, sheep trails in the tussocks then down the gravel, then at last, the jumpy (and rutty) trail down and back to the car.

Saturday Mcleans spin

H had a friend's birthday party at Orana Park, so O and me took him out there, with Jet and our bikes, and we went for a spin around the forest park.  Jet was great, running running running all the while, happily sniffing and looking and waiting all good boy material.  O was good too, put his seat up early in and it made it heaps better for him.  Annoyingly, my singlespeed rear wheel rubs the frame when i'm standing and cranking for the power.  Not sure what to do about that.  Oh well.  Anyway, Mcleans was as groomed and smooth as ever, but good to spin about with the boy.  And the dog loved it too.

Wednesday Night, Worsley Vicinity Pixies

another week another ride.  Fork service, and new front wheel bearings and new (2nd hand) front derailleur (no more rattle!) all completed last week, bike raring to go!

Collected from Selwyn St by Nelson we battled the traffic across to Worsley's, parking up top.  Nelson packed his folding spade and we headed on up.  Lots of pollen around, a little early this year perhaps?  gorse in flower too, adding to the motes under lights.  Didn't need our lights to start with, up under the power lines and around the corner and into where the washouts are worst, we stopped to move a few rocks in the hope of making it more rideable through this bit.  While we worked, it got a bit darker and lights were needed once we rode the previously unrideable bit and onwards to the next bit that needed some work - this time a small stream of water and diverting it to dry the track taken by us bikers.  Then on up, a cleaning more than last time, except for once or twice and we were at the turn off, gasping wheeze'n'cough.

Off up the grunt and turned off to the newby, Tommy's2, climbing a bunch more, me walking a short bit, Nelson cleaning the lot, and finally to the top.  Nelson leading off and we swooped and twisted our way down down down and down.  Cleaned all the bits I'd botched last time, but one tricky corner with roots caught me out, other than that cleaned it all good.  Our turn off turned up, doesn't look like anyone else has recognised it as a turn off, so we took it anyway, and cruised out the rest of it and out to the forestry track.  Climbing back up to the junction, bit of a rest, and then on back up the main Worsley track, cleaning all the bits we'd fixed earlier, and then stopping for Nelson to carve off a couple of lumps on a particularly bad piece of clay, which made another previously unrideable section rideable.  Good work.  Another wee tweak above it and it was all good, onwards up and off back up to top of B-line trails.

I led in, took the left hand turn and we bombed it, swoop swoop, jumpy, swoop, good run then around and into Fight Club, still in the lead, and really enjoying it, serviced fork performing superbly, getting me through the worst of the rutty sections lower down.  Out the bottom we stopped and had a look at the bottom of Tommy's2, then continued out and back upwards, 2nd time up here for the evening.  As we climbed this time we saw lights of another, then further up when he was climbing behind us, there was lots of noisy lights up on Fight Club, and a guy waiting at the bottom of the singletrack that ends out on this track.  At the Junction we headed over into Dave's/ACJoint/Deliverance, Nelson taking the lead and we skidded (it was really skiddy!) and slid our way down this insanely steep trail.  swooping it all, drops and drops, cleaning it all.  Finally when we made it over where i did my shoulder around the bend and there's a tree across the track.  Climbed up over it and spotted where we could bypass it so did some work on the route, climbed (fuck it's steep!) back up the trail a ways for the run in and cleaned the new line bypassing the tree and then into the final tricky corner and into the gunbarrel finish.  Big slump across exit trail...

Grovelly grunty granny climb out, a couple trees over the trail, carry, lift, and back on, then walking steep rutted washed out skidder tracks.  Nelson put in a good effort and rode heaps, but no one could manage the last corner...  Back up the forestry track, past the bottom of FightClub and for the 3rd time climb climb back up to the junction and then out the bottom section.  All up a good ride.  Fight Club's my favourite bit in there at the moment, for sure.  Dave's/Deliverance is pretty good just for it's shear on-the-edge -ness...

Wednesday night First Time Northbank Waimak

The BFe is in the shop getting a front end service, so got the Singlist out and Nelson, Jet and me headed in two cars (so's Nelson could continue his merry way home afterwards) out over the old Waimak bridge and parked up about 6.30pm out next to the petrol station, the gate supposedly closing at 7pm. 

Headed in, over the stopbank rise, Jet eager as,  heading west we found the singletrack just before the motorway bridges and headed onto it, under them.  Trail here is a nice packed gravel, reasonably narrow, but smooth, and pretty straight for long stretches.  Low misty fog came and went, clouding our vision a bit along here too, the Waimakariri all the while on the left just on the other side of the willows, never far away.  Nice pace, taking it easy but pumping along, Jet running ahead, falling behind, catching up, overtaking, having a great time, and never faltering, never slowing the whole ride.  One brief (possibly) wrong turn took us onto the river side of the trees, riding ex-4wd silty trails that nearly bogged us down, but didnt quite, then it was back onto the better stuff.  A long stretch alongside an open grassy area, then into a short section of willow forest, across a road and into more willow forest, interesting stretch, ducking and diving through more willow forest.  All easy grade, a few little twists and turns and ups and downs.  Far more natural than Mcleans.

Next we came to "Smith's Creek Loop", which isnt really a loop, next to a 'creek' (which Jet fell into not expecting it to be so deep while he got a drink).  This track had a mucky section in the middle, and finished on a stop bank track, which made the loop back...  So, instead of the stopbank (straight and smooth), we rode back along the Smiths track and back to the returning main track eastwards again, this one slightly further away from the river, closer to the stopbank.  In here, the trail started throwing big smelly deep pools of water at us, all of which rode through, or alongside, Jet bounding through having a great time.  A little slower going on account of the pools, but eventually we got to a cross track and our track went into an obviously much deeper stretch of water, so we took a right and got back out to the roadside park that cuts through the middle of the whole area.  Followed alongside between the willows and this road looking for ways back in to the singletrack but seeing only more pools of standing water, dubbing them the Bayou.

Finally back at the motorway bridges, back on the track and heading eastwards now, some slightly cool bits of trail east of the old waimak bridge heading along, well drained, firm river silt and dirt under tall willow forest, eventually into a big open area, couple of long puddled/pool sections, and eventually up onto the stopbank, a view to the north, of Kaiapoi.  Took the stopbank west, along behind Woodford Glen, then a Trailer Park, and then back down a road, finding the singletrack again and back towards the road bridges towards the exit.  All up, total distance about 14kms, taking about an hour and a smidge.  Just as we were finished and reading the info thing near the exit, the guys were there closing the gate, 7.30ish.

Be a great place to take kids, and dog...  Probably wont do it again as a ride, cept maybe with my boys, tho I much prefer Bottle Lake, and that's closer to home.  But, was worth the checking out...

Saturday Arvo Jetting the B-liners

Jet and me headed up to top of Worsley's Rd and boy was he keen to get out of the car as i got myself sorted.  Once out, off he went ahead of me, 4.05pm.  Pretty mucky across the flat bit at the start, but beyond that lines were manageable up the first few stretches, Jet running about with a wee sheepdog for a minute before the watertank, then following on after me. Once up to the corner we often used to rest at, the trail got really bad.  Basically, there's a few unrideable sections in there now, rocks too big, holes too deep.  Very messy.  Walked a little then rode for a while then had to walk a couple of clay holes, and so on up to the body bag, where we headed left and up into the B-line territory for 4.25pm...

Off down the original 'B-line', off to the right, with Jet in behind like a good boy, following me all way down and through, hanging a right into Fight Club and bookin' down here, swoopy swoop, cleaning all the interesting techies, ruts forming in a few sections, and polishing off the very final drop that impaled my knee that other time, 4.45...

Jet led the way up the 4wd section and we had a short rest at the gate, then onwards up round up and at 'the junction' we headed left up the guts, steeeeeeeep little bastardo climbing up through the pylon gap and onwards past some other riders and onwards up to the cliff top gap, and onwards up all of it to where the other B-line heads down.  Jet in behind again and off we went down Tommy's (not #2) and headed all the way through, suddenly bottoming out my fork a few times, when i got out to the pylon gap, i discovered it wound all the way down.  What the ???  Had it wound itself down??  Had i been riding all the time with it down?  With more travel, we continued down first left then across right and down the droppies and through back down onto the climb back up to the Junction, and then down the finale past the soaking wet dribbled from the tank and on out, blasting to the car for 5.18 as i drove down the road...  Niiice.

Sitting here with a very tired wee doggy on the floor.

Friday Night Captain Greenwood Up and Back

Back to Aucks from Raro yesterday, and home this morning, Nelson picked me up after 5 and we cruised out to Sumnervale.  Departed the car roughly 6.30pm, headed up past the horse paddocks, over the bridge, up the steps, and onto the trail.  Slightly less mucky than the first time in here, but mucky nonetheless.  We slipped and slopped up through the valley and up onto the new switchbacks, me cleaning all but the end.  Then off onwards up, Nelson ever pushing onwards.  I was off-form, pretty much from the start, balance out, oomph factor on low, and total lack of condition.  Clambered up the usuals, and then some.  Muckiness in the same spots as last time.

Out the top and onto the road for a bit of a rest, then we hit up Greenwood, doof doof heads below us on the road. Left them behind and meandered our way up the trail, Nelson soon increasing the gap on me as I struggled, stallingly on every rock I came to.  Later I decided the 30psi i put in the tires before leaving home might have been the culprit...  25-27 is optimum, methinks.  anywhoo, struggled all the way to the ruins, where we stopped for a rest, then onwards upwards doing a little better, but still having a hard time.  Up through the tussocks, up through the rocks, which seemed harder and harder.  At the stile we stopped, finally.  Had a rest, relieved my tires of some air, and off we shot.

Down down down down down down, finally getting my game back on for a bit after the ruins, seemingly wafting weightless over the rocks in the top section, but by gloomy gulch my i was getting tired and sore, shoulders, lower back, neck.  Stopped for a bit of a stretch then kept going, Nelson now a fair way ahead, but me closing again, til i got to the cattle/sheep stop in the fence, and the mucky bit after that, where i slowed right down.  Til i got round over the creek then it was on again, excellent control down the trail to the two rocky ups, juuust cleaning the first, and no worries through the second, and into the final swoopy finish, lots of pain as i lifted the bike over the stile.

Captain Thomas, down...  too sore, too careful.  Nelson pretty much cleaned everything.  I walked my usual one, and then walked a couple more i'd normally ride.  Rest of the way was okay, but half way down before the switchbacks, KEEP LEFT!  big hole in the track that if you keep left you're fine.  Nicely swooping down the switchbacks and then into the muck, splecky splatty squagmire and we were done, 2 hours after we'd started, ~500m altitude gained and lost..

Sunny day return to Thomas, God Snake

Great day to get out.  Drove to Sumner for a 9.15 meet with Steve, Pete, Warren, all who'd ridden out (i think?), and Andy and Tony who'd vanned (i think?).  We headed up the valley and found our way through to the newly reopened upper half of Captain Thomas, closed since the Feb Quake.  New access from Sumnervale, a very boggy bottom, leading up to a nice series of 6% grade switchbacks up onto the old track, just out of the waterfall gully.  Good easy ramble from there, the usual rock outcrop dismounts and a fair bit of mud around.  Great to revisit an old favourite.

At Evans we gave directions to some newbies who asked, then headed onto Godley, the rocky start getting the better of everybody, and Pete dabbing more than anybody for some weird reason.  I had a great run, minimal dabbage.  The old 'gale in exposed places' certainly applied along the open sections of most of this ride, pushing us all over the place at often inopportune times, scrubbing wheels on rut edges or tussocks, causing feet down where normally none would be required.  The blast down to Livingston was a tail wind rocket ride, tho somehow i took a high line near the bottom and ended up missing the switchback at the end.  Onwards, and the flat weavy section before the climb was the first time I've ever seen it so wet, puddles of probably sheep's piss and who knows what where there's never been wetness before.  Climb was good, seemed the easiest I've found it in years, possibly the tail/cross wind assist.  Once on top the tailwind kicked in as motor and we absolutely flew down the new, nicely bedded, chip, railing around onto the sidling traverse before rounding onto PFMTBC Rock and then down into sogsville.  I cut my speed to minimise splattage, and Pete came flying up behind me and just pipped me onto the cattle stop, whereupon he got some massive sideways movement, very nearly taking him out.  Whooah!  Breeze Col's name an misnomer today; Gale Col would have been more apt.

From here, headed up above the road and onto the tight little number, wind still plaguing us with its pushing and shoving, then finally a massive boost down to the road-end.  Across the road and onto the singletrack back, into the wind, which was surprisingly not as bad as I'd expected.  Had a sweet run back to Breeze and met the newbies again, giving them more tips on the trails, before heading off down Anaconda, which said Closed.  Figured it couldnt be that bad having been open only days before and no serious rain of late.  Turned out we weren't wrong, pretty dry all the way til lower down, usual damp spots heinously rutted by imbeciles riding the tracks when they're closed!  Came upon Ranger Nick Singletrack, so stopped and apologised in person, and having a good yarn.  He was fine with it, really!  Onwards down away from the worst of it, swooping through the new berm then hitting the Tail out to the end and then enduring the climb out of Taylors.

Final aero blast down Scarborough, into the final hairpin at the bottom, I was on the brakes, could hear my rear tire nearly letting go, but instinctual ABS kicking in, railed around the bend, knowing Pete was not far off my tail, then as I was heading to do some yumpies on the garage levels on the left I heard a clatter behind, turned to look and saw Pete's bike coming to a standstill in the wrong lane, him picking himself up.  Oh No!  His front wheel had washed in the corner and he'd gone down, some very nice roadrash to show for it, knee(s), elbow(s), and hip.  YOWCH. 

Coffee and eats at DotCom and the others all rode home in Andy's van, I ferried a stinging Pete home. 

Friday night meanderations

Came out of work to find a flat rear tire, so got started on it while I waited on Selwyn St for Nelson to pick me up.  Tube out and he showed up so while we drove I patched the snakebite that was in my spare.  Top of Huntsbury I sorted out the tube, tire and air, changed, and we hit it.  5.50pm or so by the time we'd passed the pylons, on up making good time to the top, we crossed the road and headed right, over the walking track, from which someone has very courteously removed the red strip from the bicycle on the sign, leaving it fair game in our eyes.  Neat wee trail, tight as to start with, all overgrown with conifers, but further over some rocky rooty stuff then some steps just to keep it interesting.  Into the next section, still above the road, too mucky and steep to ride for a start, much better further up.  Some real technicalities and dabulations on the descent, a few bits that got me out pretty good.  Finally, the last bump, in the open towards Sugarloaf, over a stile, couple steps, across the road and we were where we used to often stop for a break.

A guy rode past as we were climbing the fence, so we let him have a really good head start (well past the pond) then we chased.  Good pace back round towards Vernon, closing the gap slowly but surely on the guy til he was less than 50m ahead by the time we reached the end of the line.  He turned back towards Cashmere while we continued our merry way over Vernon for a very fast, at times loose and sketchy, blast down towards Rapaki.  Nelson misjudged corners a couple of times and ended up taking ridiculous lines back on track, no dabs.  Cattle all over the trail after the cattlestop, getting out of our ways pretty heftily.

Into Witch Hill, great trail this, rocky, interesting, keeps you on your toes, clambered round, my back just starting to give me gyp.  Road climb past the rock piles below the Tors and on up to Castle Rock where i had a good stretch and received a txt, 6.50 it was here, and then led off into the trail.  Minty fresh, mucky in places, but all good.  Not far down the first stretch I hauled on the anchors to pass a boulder in the middle of the trail.  Nelson carefully manipulated it off the trail, not letting it go far, so's it wouldn't hurtle down and kill a sheep or something.  Onwards again, my balance was off camber a few times.  After the second switchback the wetspots got a bit stupid, so we added our version of drainage to a couple, using rocks or tires, then continued on up and across to the Bridle Path top.  Back up the road from here, through the barrier, and a wee ways up before spotting the singletrack below, climbing down, over the fence, and down, to ride onwards back up the way we'd come earlier.  Both lost forward momentum on the last pinchy top bit, but rode the final corner.

Rest, change, eats, and off down the road, dodging boulders, then round to the Witch again me slowing down a bit now in the climbing department.  Couple of sketchy moments, and weird chain droppage, but a great finale back to the road.  Past the cattle, and back onto the track climbing climbing climbing round Vernon along and down to the road.  Across, back on Summit Traverse, blasting along, then down, dodging tussocks, following and not following sheep trails.  Onto the landing strip, to the end, over a fence, and more tussocks, lots more, and sheep trails, over the top and down, through a gate then followed the jumpy trail down beside the main Huntsbury all the way down past the gate and along the fence line til finally over the fence and back to the car.  Done.  Home by about 8.30.

Tuesday night on freshly drying hills

Yay, so good to get out tonight, and to finally test my new back wheel, which i got on the bike last night.  Nelson picked me up and we headed for the upper reaches of Mt Pleasant, the suburb, not the hill, where we parked up the top of Clearview Lane, and rode up to meet the others on Upper Major Hornbrook.  We found Wazza and Wayno in residence, soon to be followed by Pete (who we probably should have carpooled with) and then Stevo, Tones and Robin arrived in the van.  A good posse.  The others (other than Steve) admiring all the new lights Nelson, Pete and me had.

Off up John Britten reserve track, a little soggy in places, and becoming quite the U shape in sections, but firm enough and a good route up.  Bit of a regroup before heading around towards Cavendish, then Nelson came up with the idea to mash it up a bit and we headed up Broadleaf Lane to take the singletrack downwards to Cavenish Saddle.  Great run down here, really fun wee blast, getting to know it a little more, and in good nick.  until you're on the teddington, where it's sketchy and half of us (not me tho) missed the final bend before the stile, nearly losing it over handlebars etc...

On down to the saddle and then into a new-to-the-others track, switchbacking and forthing up towards the Gondola building.  Quite a grunty wee climb, got the better of me in a couple of spots, even walking one short bit, but it gets better as you get higher, til a nice gentle finish.  Large regroup up top, with some of us doing a lap of the building, and Robin following up the rear via a totally different route.  Back off we headed down, quite a blast switchbacking our way back down to another regroup before heading back up Mt Pleasant.

Climb, grinding away to start, once off the tedd'chip it got a lot better, smoother and quieter and nicer.  Another regroup at the gate and a snack for some, then up we went under the pylon, having lost Robin somewhere (he'd headed back to the cars), and the descent began.  I sat on Nelson's tail and Pete was on mine and it was fun watching Nelson's wheel skittering around the place on the rocks, and having him guide me down the trail, him having all the surprises and me having the 'flow' other than where Nelson led me off piste.  Me in turn, leading Pete off piste a few times too, not staying close enough on my tail, perhaps.  Everyone had fun down this section, and at the bottom we parted ways, the group splitting in two. 

Steve, Wazz, Wayne and Tony headed back round the top of Greenwood, while Nelson, Pete and me, the 'manic' ones..., headed for the bottom.  I led the whole way, holding my own pretty good, considering their flash bikes and my dirty old hardtail...  Anyway, Nelson got pinballed on the narrow rock gap below the top switchbacks, otherwise was all good til the usual wet spots just after that. Gloopy gulch was pretty good, having seen some lovin' on the weekend, but much lower down, after the cattlestop near the final valley, i could see the glistening dirt of the track and thought "uh oh!". Soggy. As. in the dips of the usually pumpy section before the creek, which was flowing, followed by a couple more wetspots, especially the slip i crashed in once upon a time, then the rest was awesome.  Juuuust making it through the first rocky up, having a single dab-push to keep moving, but not stopping, and then blazing down the rest of it. 

Then we started out easy up the road, slowly getting faster and faster it seemed, legs starting to burn the higher we got, talking the whole way too.  At the top, really feeling it, and into the blast down John Britten - sweet as, loose as in places with the sketchy softness, but gooooood.  Said our goodbyes to Pete and roared down the pavement to our car, clearing off most of the loose mud really well, mouth's firmly closed and eyes at the ready, soft dirt flecking and splecking up around us.

Verdict on new back wheel.  REALLY nice actually having a true wheel.  wideness makes tire noticeably grippier, especially in tonight's riding conditions.  and since, lifting bike in and out of its perch in my garage, noticeably lighter.  i think its has less rotating weight even tho it's only slightly lighter than the previous cheepy.

Finally some Sun(day)shine

Short ride today.  Days and days and days of extreme rain, flooding, snow, etc, and finally the day dawned blue skied and frosty, black ice frosty.  I leaped on the Troll and headed for Steve's, slipping once, squirrelly styles on the Stanmore Tuam corner, but surviving and making it to Steve's just after 9.10, to find them gone, and a couple of message on my phone.  Made contact, they were on Ferry Rd (just cruising), so hit the chase and caught them tootling along just before the bridge.  Up St Andrew's Hill we cruised, warming up nicely, delaminating a little part way up.  The Alfine 1st gear did me well, and 2nd and 3rd a couple times before the top.  All the way up to Summit Rd, enjoying the views and the sunshine, then change of gloves and hat on and off down the road for an easy going coast, bit of grit, but thankfully no ice to be had.  Loads of water everywhere, pouring out of the hills, creeks where there's usually nothing, flowing across the roads - so it was good having mudguards.

Evan's Pass and a rocket ride down the road, a bit of grit about here too and one river crossing it where they'd done the massive blasting.  ...and, alongside the containers, Dot Com, at like 10.40.  Coffee etcetera enjoyed by all and back round the ways.  I was at Joy's at about 11.45 and the others headed their respective directions. 

Later, from Taylors, with H and T and Joy, we walked out to Boulder Bay.  The track has been thrashed by the rainfall.  Soggy bits, a few wee holes, the steps have lost half their fill, plus the odd slump of sloppy muck sprawled across the track.  Should have dried out a bit by Tuesday, maybe.


Addendum
My Fat Franks arrived the day after this post, and have now fitted them to the Troll.  The ride is superb.  Smoother, quieter, more comfortable, and faster.  2.35inch, brown, and came with built in kevlar puncture resistant strip.  Couldnt ask for a better town tire.

Thursday night more McVicar meanderings

Nelson and me got up the hill tonight.  Almost a repeat of my last ride, but not quite.  Parked up top of Worsley's Rd and hit the dirt.  Rode up at a much better clip than Sunday, cleaning lots more of the mucky bits and feeling not so bad.  Nasty mess where those 4WDs were stuck the other day, but overall maybe a little drier than then.  Up the access to the B-Line Zone and off up the newby, apparently called Tommy's 2 (Tommy apparently being one of the guys building in there; nice job, fella).

Cleaned nearly all the climb this time, bar one or two bits and then I led off into the descent.  Swoopy steep, flowing through, lost it on one corner which Nelson cleaned behind me, then went up to show me how he'd done it again.  On down, more steepness, tho, nothing as steep as in Dave's.  Couple of wee jumpies that you need to know are coming.  I'd forgotten about them from Sunday, but remembered when I saw them and baulked, cos on Sunday they'd nearly thrown me over the bars.  Anyway, down we went for a while, then I figured we were at the point where it cuts back to the left and goes even steeper hangs a right and down into the wooden jump followed by the halfpipey bit and the mudmire, so, here we stopped and dropped the bikes and started scoping out another line off to the right.  I walked ahead looking while Nelson followed me down dragging a stick through the pine needles to guide us later.  I got bluffed, so we found a way further down onto a good bit and continued on down, eventually getting all the way out to where we could see the forestry road.  So, back up towards the bikes, tweaking bits and pieces as we went and then the into the first run.  Both stalled on a rock feature a third of the way down, so dragged the bikes back up a bit and carried rocks and placed them.  Then Nelson did a bunch more work and we gave it another go all the way from the top, all the way through.  I screwed up a couple of bits but the follow through finish is quite good.  Then we rode and pushed back to the top again and rode it again, this time me getting more, and I think Nelson cleaning it all.  Bit of a drop onto the road and back round under Fight Club and on back up to the junction.

Here we headed up the steep forestry bastard climb into a spitty drizzle and mist in the pylon clearing meeting two other guys up there.  Chatted with them and learned the Tommy's details mentioned above, and they continued on up and we peeled off into Fight Club.  Me leading, sweet run down through this, with excellent traction and it felt really easy compared to Tommy's 2, so we had a great run, startling a hare near the top, and a possum at the bottom, me putting the gap on Nelson in the top half, then him starting to catch me in the rougher stuff down lower.  At the exit, my front wheel was looking like it was going off too much to the left, so I stepped off the back of the bike as it went over the drop and it stopped and I kept going and my knee hit my seatpost quick release lever which embedded itself in my knee.  Fucking smarted.  i squatted and stood and moaned for a bit then got it moving and got riding.  had a look at it and it was that kinda white flesh before blood flows, but i covered it and rode on back up, pain subsiding as i rode.  Back to the Junction and in for the final descent, taking a low line below the tank and pretty much missing the worst of the muck there, then the final return to the main track and the worst muck of the evening, and back down to the car through a starfield of water droplets.  At the car, lifted my knee covering to discover a nice wee slit with blood.  And now, at home, its swelled up real nice.

Sunday gloomy afternoon McVicarage

I see a few of the others got out for a bit of a muckfest today, which I couldn't make, so once T was home headed out later in the gloomy afternoon - leaving home after 3.30pm.  Low cloud hanging around the tops as i approached the hills with Jet in the car with me.  My first attempt at taking him for a hill ride, parking at the top of Worsley's Rd, him blisteringly excited when i let him out of the car.

Off we headed, around 4, up the road and onto the dirt, which was not much like dirt and a fair bit more like mud, especially in places.  Bit of a creek running down the ruts and obvious 4wd churning all over the place.  Climbing was greasy, even on the ridges between the ruts, and my tires were hooking up as well as they could, which was pretty good, with minimal slip.  Jet was awesome, tho i had to call him back occasionally, but he got into it the further up we got, staying within 10 or 20 metres pretty much all the time.  There was one or two bits with barely any bikeable trail left on them, due to 4WD churn, coupled with creek flow and soggy muck, so one or two bits were walked.  Up where that 4WD was rolled off the trail (and another time we found one on it's roof), i rounded a bend and there the track was entirely blocked by the 4WD's responsible for all the previously encountered churn.  Luckily it was right where they'd trashed the fence and there was a line to ride in the grass between the track and the forest, so i rode past them then found my way back ontrack where a couple of alcohol-breath-ed youths were standing watching their stuck mates.  Off onwards up Jet and me continued and left up to the B-Lines.

Now, on Friday i was talking to a certain N. Sutcliffe, who has good knowledge of the trails in here, and hinted to me of a new one... (which I'll call FightClub2 until we find out a name)...  So, i followed his hints which involved a little extra climbing to usual, some bits of which were steep and greasy, then it headed off down.  Much like Fight Club in gradient and flow, tho steeper albeit not as steep as Dave's, lots of fun, and would have been waaaay more fun if it wasn't so wet, not that traction was that bad (until lower down).  For the more 'hardcore' bits i made sure Jet was behind me, but mostly he was good cruising ahead.  There was a couple of corners I walked due to total lack of traction.  Then, lower down a wooden jump over a gap I walked, and below that a totally saturated quagmire which would have just dirtied my bike that much too much, so I walked around it...  And finally, rode out the bottom at the same exit point as Fight Club.  Sweeet.  Now, if I'd made the trail, before it headed left across the slope and into the gully with the jump, I'd have run it more to the right, higher and thereby longer down the ridge further, but that's just me, and the forest is open enough that it wont take much to get in and do that (Nelson, next time?) soon.

From here, took the access track back up to the Junction, and headed up the steep 4wd track in the forest, grannying away all the way up to the powerline clearing, nearly to FightClub.  Turned around here cos it was just gonna get darker, and took the first left, then first right, back across the 4wd track and into one of my favourite wee swoopys, Jet on my tail, both of us having a great time, back down to the access track, back up that, and down and out the lower stuff which had a really fucking messy bit below the watertank, and from there on down is a bit ground out.  Finally, the blast down back to the car, Jet enjoying the high speed stretch, and seats down and in the back, "Goood Boy!", 5pm.

Thursday Eastern Night Time Ramble

Nelson and me got out to Taylors last night.  Had to turn on the power and the spa at the bach there for the weekend, and also figured the trails out that way would be the best bet after all this weather we've been getting.  Also, my first night testing out the new lights.  First up, the 'Tail, everything working smoothly so no broken chains or grinding.  Before we started we could see a fellow night rider above us on the trail, and we slowly caught him as we progressed to Boulder Bay.  But on the first swtchbck above Boulder Bay we stopped to de-layer, cos it was really quite mild, altho later i regretted this as the wind was getting around all the non-windproof bits of my top and freezing my kidneys and generally making be cold...  Anyway, he got a fair way ahead of us then and we didnt see him again until we were climbing for the Barracks and he was way up on the hill between us and Breeze Col. 

At top of Godley we decided not to take the Breeze Col trail, figuring it would be slick as pigshit, so we took the 4wd trail up and got onto the wee northside tight (newish) singletrack, followed by a nice descent down to Breeze Col.  It was on this singletrack and descent i had my 3led light on helmet and 2led light on handlebars, both on full beam and fuck it was bright, like daylight...  the 3led light has a broader spread, and later when i swapped them over to trial the 2led on head, i found that the 3led light is best on the head, more of that later. 

At Breeze Col we headed up the Godley singletrack, taking it past the pfmtbc rock rather than up the shortcut, and onto the new benched gravel section (which is bedding in nicely now) and over to Livingston.  Then straight up the guts rather than the usual bike track, where i walked a bit and then carried on up (on newly filled in U channels (no longer U's)) and on up to the top where we stopped.  Here, i swapped over the lights and as soon as i got going again, back down towards Livingston, i realised that the other way round was better...  the 2led light is just too tight a beam and focuses your eye a bit too much, similarly to my last 'new' light (which Andrew has for repair at the moment).  Excellent descent to Livingston, with the newly gravelled stuff REALLY fast.  Over to Breeze was good too, the climb not bad and the new gravel very fast again. 

Then into the snake, Nelson in the lead and a good run all the way down, tho half way down my back started getting really sore which took away from the enjoyment a bit.  Once out, it was back up the road to the truck parked at the top of the steps above the bach.

Little

Ak.

Yesterday i fitted a new handlebar and some grips.  750 wide, wiiiide... 

This afternoon i got out for a spin.  Rain due for Monday (day off for the Queen) so figured i had to ride.  Just me and the bike, no bag, not intending on going far.  Headed up Decanter Bay Rd, not a bad wee grind, minimal granny used (unlike this time when i just stood and pushed harder), then nice gravel road descent into Decanter, and then onwards up the road towards Menzies.  Climbed and climbed til there was a respite, whereupon i took in the view, enjoyed the blustery breeze and turned around and headed back the way i'd come.  This time tho i took as much off piste as possible, riding cattle trails mostly, just above above the road, til i rounded over the cattlestop entering Decanter and it was road the rest of the way.  Faaast descent into there, then clamber clamber out of there, stopping to check out the (past it) Cape Gooseberries (was hoping for some wicked anti-oxidants), onwards back up and over, jetting up to warp-speed for the latter half of the road back into the bay.  All up maybe an hour out and 600 odd metres of climb on.

Meanwhile, found and rather enjoyed this vid, Steve Peat mongering Santa Cruz's newest thoroughbred...

Sunday Bottle Lake shorty

Took O, H and Jet out to the pond in the afternoon and we Jetted around the inside.  The section that was blocked up last time i was in there was open again, making for a much more pleasant ride through.  Dog had a great time.  O had a great time, H, not so much.  Little guy struggles on the 20inch machine, clipping pedals and not having the grunt or momentum to make it up the bigger hills.  Started to complain a bit by the time we got to the wide open section 3/4ths of the way round.

Lack, thereof...

Since Craigieburn, a meeting on Tuesday night followed by bad weather since has put a stop to any rides, with few chances in the coming week looking particularly promising, forecast-wise. 

Last week did see a lot of tooling about town however.  Monday, errands took me an extra 10km around town to usual, Tuesday I added an extra 20 or so, and then another 10 or so on Wednesday.  Saturday night i biked across town (13km total) for frivolities at Chez deSpa.  Not to mention all the running of the dog around the river loops of a morning or four - that chucks in another 6 to 8 kms unaccounted for also.

Yesterday should have seen us doing a short ride to Charlesworth Reserve to plant some Trees for Canterbury, but alas, postponed to next Sunday.

On Monday night last I took the 1.5/1.75 slicks off the Troll and put a 2.35 Larson TT on the front, and a 2.3 Kenda K-rad on the back.  Balloon-stylez.  PHAT AS.  Far more sureity of footing in the dodgy conditions of late, with the main reason for it being the crap roads in my neighbourhood.  I've largely gotten used to them now, and figure if i'm pushing harder, it's making up for not riding the 20kms a day to and from Sockburn.  Dont seem to be pushing that much harder tho.  Am keen to eventually buy some purpose built slicks along the lines of the Big Apples.

Hopefully a ride of sorts can be cobbled together tomorrow or Thursday...

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

Thursday Highway to Technicalia

Nelson picked me up and we noticed it was 7 as we approached Scarborough Hill heading to park at Taylors.  Riding around in the carpark my gears were behaving strangely which at the time I thought nothing of.  Leaving the carpark, Nelson was reaching up to turn on his light just as he caught a rut, heading straight over the bars onto the grass.  We laughed.  Then, up the first steep of the 'tail, snap goes my chain.  Note to self:  Heed those gears-behaving-strangely...  I removed the offending link and replaced the hole in the chain with a quicky, and on our merry way we continued...

Steve had raved about the new highway so gave it a look.  What a highway.  Zipped out to Boulder Bay on it and layered off on the first hairpin there, enjoying the view of the lights on the water and the glow from the sky.  Gruntsville, but not as grunty as it used to be, upwards, switchbacking once or twice then took a look and rode upon the first gun emplacement, then down and zig zag up again to the stile and barbed wire fence.  Thru the gate we popped down to the big guns and had a look around.  Nelson didnt think he'd ever been there before.  I was disappointed the underground ammo-store bit wasnt open anymore - its got some pretty freaky cracks in it.

Back onto the trail and we were surprised by the descending switchbacks down to the look out - seemed like a fair bit of altitudinal droppage, then up some steps and on up to the barracks and on up to the carpark.  Straight across, over the stile and on up the hill we proceeded to the Breeze Col track, around the Lyttelton side...  Not far in we shuffled some big rocks to make a really big rock rideable, then continued onwards down and around the technicalia.  Rocks and trail on this southface slicker and sketchier as we went.  At the flax we both were off, careful to pick our ways, then on the final grassy downhill both pretty slow cos of the overgrowth.  Both of us freaked out possums down here too.

At Breeze we headed up the trail above the road, taking the new left onto the tight narrow trail, which, when we reached the end of we turned around and rode it back to the original trail, and then turned around and rode the tight one again, faster this 2nd time. Then it was the speedy descent to the road again, the whole time me thinking, "hope the light doesnt go out".  Onto the singletrack below the road and blitzed it round here, with my light cutting out about 2/3rds of the way along.  Disconnect, reconnect, and run on low the rest of the way, constantly worrying its gonna cut out again, making Anaconda a bit slow and painful, truth be told.  Nelson had a good run, even getting some sketch out of the damp dirt, something i totally missed.  Out down the tail, again, me picking my way in the dimness, and him blazing out front.  All in all a good ride.  Roll on Saturday morning in the hills.

swtchbckr, 8. Sunday morning View Hill struggle, mountain walking.

This Blog, 8 years old, today... like sweet singletrack, 's been a long and ever wending journey

Took the Singlespeed over to the bach Friday, thinking i'd be riding on my own at some stage and figuring it's good for me to work it.  On Saturday, Tom, Lisa and Tane came over, so Sunday morning Tom and me headed out.  I knew i was in trouble as soon as the climb started.  Tom powered away with his gears, and i struggled away behind, getting all the way up to Chorlton eventually, then on up the gravel.  As soon as the real steepness started i had to get off and walk.  And walk.  And walk and walk and walk...  Rode occasionally when it flattened out now and then but sure walked a bunch.  Including bits i've ridden the singlespeed on before.

View from the top was, as usual, spectacular.  and then the descent began.  Rigid steel under me pinging away, providing a damned good work out, while not being too rough.  Picked up some good speed on the smoother gravel lower down, then we aero-styled it the rest of the way down into the bay.  Couple hours all up.  shame about the walking...

Once back at the bach, we took the boys and the dogs down to the beach, and had a bit of a dip in the sea.  VERY cold, but was bloody good for the legs - standing there chucking a stick for the dogs to swim after.

Wednesday Night Stealth Protocol

Bit of an explore tonight, first night light hill ride, for Nelson and me.  Picked me up after work and we parked up very top of Major Hornbrook, not Upper.  Rode up to Upper and onto Britten, climbing away like two climbing things, puff getting right up before we hit the trail.  Settled down into a steady slog to top, then round top of Britten, rocks slick as pigshit under dampened tires.  Nelson was struggling all evening with his tires pinging about the place.  Mine, not so much. 

At Cavendish Saddle we headed up the switchbacky trail to the top of the Gondola.  This section is a good wee climb and well worth the effort, for a there and back, in future.  All fully legal too...  unlike what we did next.  From the gondola we followed round under the building to the Lyttelton side, and ended up riding right round it...  hmmm, then found the trail down, wondering where to go for a bit, then deciding on the Track Closed trail down the ridge towards the Bridle Path.  Some slippery steps, slick rocks, and then some sweet flowy bits, followed by a couple of walked bits and more riding.  I had an OTB near the bottom, nothing hurt.  then it was true stealthmode, up the road, no lights, to top of Castle Rock track. 

I led down this, excellent run, quite slow, but flowy.  Nelson, not so much.  On the climb out i had one wee dab, but otherwise all good.  At top of Bridle Path, we kinda couldn't be bothered riding back up the ridge to Cavendish, tho, it probably wouldn't be that bad.  So, we decided to see what all the fuss was about...  headed round the road.  Kinda freaky.  amazing how the trail weaving and wending through the rocks is all on relatively pristine tarmac, surrounded by mad mad rocks.  But, where the blasting has been done, round the corner, into the wind, walking bikes over massive piles of rocks with yet more above and below was just a bit nervous making.  Definitely not something I'll do again.  At the big fuck-you chainlink and razor wire gate/fence we clambered through the side and i was relieved to be out.  Then, once over the final gate, illegality was passed and everything was ok again. 

At the saddle we stopped in the lee of a flax and had some Onesquare then headed on up the trail to the top.  Not a bad climb, tho i was getting puffed and weavy near the top, and annoyingly the gear i wanted, ie, granny on front, 3rd down on back, slipped, so i was either spinning fast traveling slow or grinding slow and hard for the right speed.  Dunno what's up with that?  Onwards to the top, then due to Nelson's pingy-ness on the slickrocks I led off down the hill, my light starting to cut out now and then, which pretty much made Nelson have to stay behind me for extra lighting.  Eventually, once on the top of Greenwood back towards the top, and my light cutting out a heap more times, realised it was due to, not only a bad connection, but also the light binning out trying to draw more current than was left in the battery.  So, put it on low, and it never cut out again, all the last of the Greenwood then all the rest of the way down Britten, bypassing the gate and taking the 4wd tracks across the hill onto the downhill walking track, then zipping down the car.

Sunday Pleasant Green Gods

Nelson showed up to mine, and instead of wasting our tires on Linwood Ave, we drove to Ferrymead to meet the others.  I was tired after a rough night's sleep.  Passed Wayne on Humphrey's Drive, and then the three of us waited for the rest of the crew, composed of Pete, Steve, Tony, Andrew and Dallas.  Off up St Andrew's Hill we proceeded at a nice rate of knots, then Up Major through to Upper Major and onto the Britten Singletrack climb, around the top singletrack where we met a guy who borrowed a tool to tighten his cleats before we headed off down the road to Cavendish Saddle and into the grindy wee climb, which wasnt so bad.  Caught a group of old guys before the gate, regrouped, then hit the downhill, chasing Nelson, Pete on my tail down through.  Always easier to not be in 1st position on this descent, saves second guessing the whole time.  Great wee descent and pretty much straight into Greenwood, sitting on Nelson's tail the whole way down, Pete never too far behind.  Wrist was good on the descent, no pain, and obviously no need for a brace, which i'd tried 'in the parking lot' before the boys turned up and it was just too uncomfy.

At the start of the switchbacks Nelson thought his front end was washing around, and thought he'd let too much air out earlier, so stopped to pump it up.  When he'd finished, his back end started hissing and proceded to go flat-as.  So.  Tube change, and then Pete led off, me chasing, finding it hard to start with, but then he buttoned off a little and i gained on him around into the final straightaways down to the rocky pinches.  Pete mucked the first one up, allowing me past, and Nelson tight on my tail down the last blasts, was a fantastic run for me all the way down, felt like I nearly had everything in place.  Others were all complaining that they were off their games.

Onto Godley.  Nelson cleaned up the first lot, i screwed the pooch, as did all the followers.  Andy was probably the closest to getting it.  Good on the rest of it up, and a good fast roll round to the rocky knoll where we blatted down the slope towards the road, over the gate, down the hill to over the fence and stile and then down the walk track to Taylor's Rd, which was fun and smooth and entirely cleaned now that we take the hairpin properly. 

Clambered out of Taylors over and down Scarbro for coffee at .com and i needed to get home so Nelson and me rode before the others, pushing a momentous pace in top gear all the way, through redcliffs and out the causeway, only possible for me by slipstreaming behind him.  Saw Marie and then Mark around the Mt Pleasant Yacht Club heading out.

Home by 12.40

Thursday Dog Pond

Scored a new front tire for the singlist, a 2.25, bigger than the 2.1 i was rocking, but unfortunately not much... wish the shop had had the 2.5.  Anyway.  Installed it, chucked it on the car, chucked the dog in, and motored out to Bottle Lake.  Like a Jet, well, actually he is a Jet, down the first avenue and we headed in left.  Kept a good pace in just to warm up and it certainly wasn't too fast for him.  Stopped briefly at the pond that's in there and he had a good sniff about and i put more air in the back and a little out of the front, and we carried on.  Great blast through this next section but when we got to the end found a big blockage and Danger tape on the next section, bunch of trees dropped over the trail.  Thinning...  fuck it.  Nothing to do but go across the nearly 1km stretch of sand called Lima Rd up to Seventeenth Ave.  Rode some, but not much, way too sloppy.  Made me wish i had a Pugsley, and wonder how a Krampus would have done...  A right on 17th, and back down to the singletrack, Jet finally starting to slow a little...  Hung a right to head towards Spencer Park, and through this section i'd not been on for a while, then remembered i had my phone, and earplugs...  Got the sounds on, and it was a whole nother world.  Forest starting to get darker.  At the turn off for Spencer's a small rabbit appeared and Jet went after it.  I went after him, towards Spencers, but he came back over the first rise, so we headed back onwards.

Bursts of speed through sections but it really was getting darker, so on Muddy Rd, aka 13th Ave, i stopped and set up my light.  It worked.  Next section of forest i found good, then next, and then open(ish) bit with crappy washouts, then into what used to be Andrew's favourite.  Near the end of this i stopped and turned off the light and rode in the dark for a bit.  Fun.  Barely visible ribbon of silver in the darkness.  As i came out to the 20th/Golf/Foxtrot intersection there was a couple of walkers that Jet and me stealthed up on and past and on into the forest, just with a "hi" to them (i think they were 'high', truth be told) then it started to really get too dark, so light back on (would have looked cool to them)...  On through and back to base, no lights on the return to the carpark.  All up, about an hour on the bike, i guess...  maybe less.

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!

Thursday evening Reskooling some Old Skool...

Great ride tonight.  Nelson picked me up from work and we parked up Bowenvale Ave.  Rode round and up Major Aitken, listening to my back tire wearing down all the way up, and on up Huntsbury track, the top of Old Skool we met Craig, who'd ridden his 1989 Marin Muirwoods fully classic fully rigid up to meet us.  On up to the top and Craig suggested we head up over Vernon...  Walked a bit near the top, then messed up lots of the switchbacks down the burned out area, and rode out to the top of Rapaki...  Thru the fence and on round Witch Hill, something we've not ridden since December 2010.  Singletrack looks well used, is in mint riding condition, and there's only two big boulders that had come down.

On round the road and up under the ominous looking Tors, lots of rocks parked on the side of the road, and their dents, but only for a very short section.  Half way up this stretch, Nelson and Craig took off at a mental pace, while i just slogged away, getting there in the end...  Bit of a chat here and i led off down Castle Rock. Last time down here was on the rigid singlist in Feb 2011, a sweltering ride riddled with punctures...  It. Was. SWEET.  Great being on it again, really missed it and it is riding beautifully.  Not a rock out of place, all how i remembered it as it rolled under the tires.  At the end we hit the road back up the hill, over and down under Tors again, over the fence and onto the walkway.  Good technical roll round here, dodging cowshit and onga-onga, clambering back up and over back onto Witch hill which rode even better in this direction, sun very low in our eyes.

Onto Vernon, regular gravel track up and round, Craig blitzing off ahead, Nelson sitting half way between the ever increasing distance back to me.  At Huntsbury we hit the singletrack round, then picked our merry way down between the tussocks onto Old Skool descent.  Nelson ripping it up down the top section, Craig rattling down the rocky sections.  I got through first under the pylon and ripped on into the singletrack, enjoying it all down to the stile.  Nelson took over here and bombed it over the rest of it.  Right down the bottom in the second to last switchback my back tire went down...  bah.  couldnt be arsed changing it so close to the car, so walked it out, and walked most of the way down Bowenvale before Nelson got back up to me in the car, 2 hours after we'd met Craig at top of hill.  

Daylight Savings is off this weekend, so next week, lights will be required.

Monday More Fool on me

Well, didn't manage a last March ride, but today got on the switchback single69r and struggled up the hill.  Ground my way up to Chorlton, then on up View Hill Rd, walking a good stretch before crawling up above the old house up there.  Got to almost precisely the 500m altitude level, couldnae be arsed going any further so turned and rattled down again.  Probably just over an hour up and about 10 minutes down.