Sunday Wharfdale with venom

Tom picked me up at about 8am and we trundled in his truck, north, then via South Eyre Rd to View Hill, through all the gates to the end of the road.  We both had our dogs, my Jet, and his, Jake.  Noticed a few wasps around and commented on how we should probably have brought antihistamines along for the ride.  Oh well, we thought.  Hit the trail around 9.20 at a good pace, climbing steadily to start with.  I'd had a reasonable sized night the night before, so was not feeling on top of the weather, and Tom hadn't ridden since our short Menzies Bay ride early in the new year, so I didn't think we were going very fast at all, but as it turned out we were anything but slow.  All the downs on the way in were awesome, all the ups worked up a good sized sweat, but it was kinda overcast and reasonably cool in the bush, so was pleasant riding all round.  The dogs were awesome.  Mostly off ahead, but once the trail pointed down, I'd catch them up, tell them to wait, they'd let me past then would stay on my tail from there til I started climbing again.  Really cool, seeing them enjoying themselves so much.  A few times, as I was gasping for air, I thought to myself, 'sure would suck if a wasp flew in the mouth...'.  We got to where Nelson and me got last time we did this in seemingly half the time it took us then.

Clambered up the rocky section, over to the creek, and walked up the steep rocky bit after the creek.  Up above, got riding again once things levelled off a bit, and rolled on happily, blasting the descents, and riding well on the ups.  At some stage, I thought I'd been stung by something in my eye.  It really hurt, but it cleared and on I went.  Just before the couple of hairpins not far from the Saddle, I caught up to a guy who was obviously struggling with the technicality.  Greeted and passed, and proceeded to clean a couple of really tricky rooty ups.  On up through the hairpins, around through a small creek and on up in no time to the saddle, basically on an hour square.  Not long after, Tom rolled in, and a wee while later the guy did too, dogs barking vociferously at him.  It'd taken him 2 hours and he was still game enough to continue onwards to do the entire loop out Lees, Ashley Gorge and right back round from Oxford(!). (whilst riding back I thought, how could he miss out on this!)

Tom and me turned back towards the car and rolled on down.  Had a great blast on the downs, ducking and weaving, popping and diving.  Jet and Jake having themselves a nice time.  After the worst of the creek crossings and the rocky interlude, I was climbing, and breathing heavily, and I felt a wasp suddenly in my mouth.  Quick as I could I rolled it out with my tongue, coughing and spitting it away, but I could taste the venom, horrible flavour it is.  Wasn't sure it'd stung me, other than the taste, but the roof of my mouth was going numb, and my swallowing becoming harder.  I upped the pace, figuring to get as close to the car as quickly as possible in case everything started turning to custard.  I was still breathing, so hoped I'd probably be okay.  And I'm sure the adrenalin of fear of my impending suffocation coupled with riding fast down blissful singletrack worked in my favour.  Eventually, just after about the only tree across the track, I stopped and wondered where Tom was.  I waited.  I walked back just a little and waited some more.  Finally he appeared, saying he'd had to stop to get his shirt off on account of the wasp that'd flown in there.  He'd gleaned a few stings on his front for his efforts.  So, on we rode, blasting down the 2nd to last, main, descent, with all the bridges in it, awesome riding.  Climbed well to the gate, then it was the final wide open blast.  Throat getting sorer...

Arrived at the truck and loaded up.  No antihistamines in the first aid kit... drove out, through to Oxford, and thankfully found some Loraclear at the wee supermarket there.   In the mirror i could see my uvula was twice its normal length, and the flap of skin behind it was all pink and swollen and kinda flappy.  Both kinda made me speak like I was snoring a little.  Scarfed a pie and a Ginger Beer each in Oxford, then figured I was feeling okay, so we went and met Nelson and we all spent a couple hours on the chainsaws at Harvey's woodlot.  Got another trailer load back to Nelson's and the families all came out and we drove go-karts and had a BBQ.  All good.  Cheers!

Thursday night Quick Jet

Dropped O at Cubs dead on 6.30, then Jet and me navigated our way across the city (of annoyingly slow drivers) to Worsleys Rd, and up to the top.  Not sure what time this was, but after passing one rider, then 2 more, and cleaning every inch of the main drag to the bottom of the Body Bag, it was 7.05 pm.  Rain starting to fall a couple hundred metres shy of the top.  Up the entrance trail, meeting 3 others at the top, and heading off in search of a new one a certain Mr Sutcliffe had told me about, Debbie Does Dallas.  Found it, and headed in.  Fuck it was greasy.  Within metres my tires were caked and slick as shit, and considering the trail is quite off camber, and near the start here- under deep dark Douglas fir, I was grasping for control.  Anything steep was locking up my tractionless tires, to the point where I actually had to step off the bike as I was crashing.  Back onboard, and the trail levelled off a bit, along below the big cliff.  In the dry, this is gonna be one kick ass trail.  Half way across this section, the trail peels right, but also continues across the hill slope.  I stayed straight on across, and it did a couple of downward curves then continued across, eventually reaching the lower reaches of Fight Club, which I tucked into and rolled on down, tractionlessness only getting the better of me once or twice, but otherwise surprisingly good in here...  Even the bottom was rideable out to the logging road.

Up the track, marveling at the fact it was only an hour since I'd dropped O off. Up to the junction, then up the guts track, steeeeep, but riding it all up, under the pylons and on up.  Stopped to put music on, and watch a few riders coming down Tommy's - some totally losing it, another two like pro's, flying down - then i was onwards up to the cliff top.  Hung a left and dropped into Waynes World, excellent blast down here, watching Jet's paws slip out now and then, rolling carefully but smoothly through to Fight Club, and swooped and rolled my way down this, getting jiggy on a few corners, but rolling on down the hill and out the bottom again.  Back into the climb and up the junction, rain easing off now.  Surprised by a young guy on a flash-harry Santa Cruz with massively wide bars suddenly behind me, let him past and off up he blazed ahead.  Having had enough of the damp and grime, Jet and me bombed off down the lower trails, taking the furthest past the water tank, and down and out to the car, dirt embedded in tires flinging up and around, and Jet flying like his name suggests, and we were back to the car at 8.05.

Sunday morning Kranks

Cloudy tops of hills in the distance as I pushed into the head wind to Steve's for 9.15am start.  Got there to find Wayne, Wazzah, Andypandy and Stevo out front.  No other shows so we got rolling, deciding on Crapaki over cHuntsbury for no real reason.  Crapaki was as i remembered it, having been a while since heading up it, last time was on the Troll...    smooth and dull, but I pushed a good gear and survived the journey.  Helluva head wind up the top half, slowing an already slowish progress, and while waiting at the top the wind was very cooling.

Off up round the Vernon, feeling pretty good up here, tailwind assisting the first half of the climb.  On round and over the top for a near miss over the droppy bit below the road before the gate, my shorts getting stuck on my seat.  Good clip round the Traverse, short breaks in a couple of spots, and tailwind assist in the final throes to Vic Park where we had a shady sheltered stop in the trees before heading down Coffee Break and not over the see-saw and down into the Gummies where I had a sweet wee run, ending up down in the skidder site to find a Giant demo day setting up.  I took a Trance SX for a wee spin.  not bad, i spose. 

Off down Spazza's and then into Brent for a weird left hand high line, me wrongturning and Andrew getting in under me, following him blasting down through to the bottom.  Into Bridges, then Flow, Andy staying pretty good on my tail in some bits in there, then speedy blast down to Hidden Valley Linker, blowing the first climb out of the (dry) creek clambering up round the hairpins and on up up up. 

Into Old Skool, excellent speed and fun times, tailwind pushing pushing, then head wind across the pumpy then tail wind again, and finally out the bottom, rutty section getting the better of Andrew and when we got to the bottom it was only 11.20.  Down to the 'eatery' and probably not going back there...

Family Bottle

Bit of a tootle out at Bottle Lake today.  Bit of a shit in some ways.  Rear brake on singlespeed not working, so took it pretty easy.  Family in tow, T, O and H, plus Tane and Lisa, and of course Jet the dog running alongside.  Had a good long break out at the beach, with Tane, H, Jet and me all swimming a bunch, then into the ride and staying back with H is really very slow.  Eventually we all got split up, and seconds after H and me leaving T, her rear derailleur got eaten by the wheel, locking it up completely.  Someone helped her out and she got moving, and got a message ahead via someone else to Lisa. Meanwhile, H and me were moseying through the middle and stopped and ate a heap of blackberries, then got back to the carpark just after Lisa and the other two boys.  She took all the boys and the dog home, while i went to find T.  Found her not too far away, and sorted out the hanger and derailleur a bit better so she at least could pedal without it skipping the rest of the way back.  Derailleur and hanger (part of frame) are stuffed.  Might be RIP for this frame...  as for H's bike...  ugh.  too slow and painful, he needs O's bike, and O's new 26 inch machine needs to be received and built.

Waitangi Day Special

Left home I'm not sure when, but entered the Crescent for the Farm Track at 10.30 am, earplugs in, music on random, I struggled my way to the top, cleaning everything, grannying away, passing lots of walkers, out the top and across the road onto the Vernon trail, then descending in a very cruisy way down to Rapaki top.  Loads of folk, walking or biking around these parts.  Largely ignored, I cruised into the 'Red Zone' entering Witch Hill trail, cleaning all of this and getting out onto the road at its end, whereupon a very mellow cruise ensued til I went over the, now locked, gate before the Tors, and the climb up to top of Castle Rock track.

Some guy was wandering up the road, so i just dropped straight in and bombed the way down to the hairpin and across to the next and then down some more til climbing on and on up to and over to top of Bridle Path.  Bit of a rest here at about an hour in, 11.30, in the tiny patch of shade provided by the fenced off building and loads of people about here.  Helmet off, and a bit of a drink of water, then back into it, over the stile and carrying for a bit then riding, walking, carrying, riding riding and walking up to the Gondola building and loads of people about from the cruise ship parked in the harbour below.  Onto the trail and riding over the zig and zag trail down to Cavendish Saddle, loads of people here too; everybody enjoying their day off work, I tucked into the climb and clambered whatever pace i could muster up through the spaniards and gate finally to the top of Mt Pleasant where a true rest could be had.  A muesli bar and drink and rest and it was 12.pm even.

Off the top and moseying, good blast down here, meeting a few runners, rolling and flowing off down to Greenwood, beating some climber guy in, then catching up to and overtaking some guy on a new blue Specialized just after Gloopy Gulch, bombing off down ahead and blasting all the rest of the way through and out the bottom to an audience where to have a bit of a chat.

Next up it was into Godley.  Alas, now only 3 of 5 successful clambers over the opening section, I continued and climbed my way up. Once onto the level, I spotted someone ahead, catching him at the usual break spot, where he pulled up and I carried onwards down, pulling up for a bunch of climbers then continuing my speedy way down, some beautiful flow barrelling me on down, through Livingston, climbing again and over to Breeze, usual floaty flowy cruise, out and back over PfmtbcRock, and flying out to the Col.

Into Anaconda, "In Coming!" to some runners, pass then, blazing.  Rapido like the other night, flying, back and forth, and round, "Incoming!" and runner steps aside, flow past her, jump, weave, dive, and out the bottom onto the Tail where my back needed a bit of a rest but I flowed on down and out, finally resting up through the very very full carpark.

In by the surf club, up the alley, carry up the steps more and more steps. at 12.50pm, 2 1/2 hours after I left home, to the bach, and party celebrating Joy and Jerry's 30th anniversary together.  Happy Anniversary!!!  My last RedIPA from HopFed and a couple of delicious swims later, she's been a grand 6th of Feb.

Sunday morning Eastern cruise

Very rough night, bugger all sleep, so I couldn't be arsed riding to Steve's, or Ferrymead Bridge and riding out to Scumner with them, so drove and parked outside DotCom, meeting Marie there.  She tootled off ahead of us, and the boys, Steve, Andy and Wazzaaah turned up shortly thereafter.  Off up Richmond Hill we cruised, Steve filling me in on the bad news about Charlotte as we rode.  Caught up to Marie at the top of the main drag (up by Sanscrit Pl), and we all rode on up from there together.  Onto the road and on up to Greenwood start.

Into here, it's been a while, and on over to the ruins, good pace held by some through.  Bit of a regroup and off down, blazing away, cleaning the top section much better than Thursday, and boogying on down the rest of it, keeping a good pace but feeling pretty relaxed about it all.  Into the straight before the rocky ups, and there's these two douchebags fixing a flat, ON the fucking track.  Had to totally lose all speed to get round the tosser's big ass.  Same for everyone else.

Onto Goddles, and w00t! cleaned the rocky start climb, much better effort than Thursday's - but, admittedly was feeling a tad fresher.  That's 3 out of the last 4 times.  Cleaned up the rest of it, sort of chasing down the douches, but then we had a break on the top ridge above Scarbro, before blasting down to Livingston, over to Breeze, and final hoon down And-the-conda, Andy on my tail, commenting on how he can't understand how i can go so fast :)

Over the hill to coffee at DotCom, not long after 11.30.  all up a damned fine ride.  Lots of nice breaks and rests leaving me not too worn out, which is exactly what i needed after last night's debacle of sleep.

Thursday evening McPleasantGreenwoodleyConda Rapido

Nelson picked me up from the usual spot and we traffic jammed through the rushing hour to McCormacks Bay, seeing a blackback gull get squashed dead by a truck ahead of us on Ferrymead bridge, which was weird.  At McCormacks we changed and pedalled upward.  First little bit of steepness got me wheezing, but after the first wee crest, at the water pipes, we stopped and gorged on blackberries, YUM!  Good dose of anti-oxidants to prep our muscles for the rest of the huffy grunt of a climb.  Cleaned, at a good pace, all the climbing bar that second hairpin, then onwards up through to the ziggy zaggy whereupon i totally blew out on the top three corners.  Straight into the road and up and around to Upper Major and up onto the singletrack where we climbed steadily on up at a good pace to the top.  Just before the top my gears started doing something very weird, and lo, there was a wee rock wedged between my two front chainrings, lifting the chain on each revolution making it (and me) think briefly it was shifting to a higher gear, then not...  Took a tweak to get it out, and onwards around the singletrack we treadled to the gate, over, checked out a dumped car just about tipping off the road, trashed tires, before heading for Broadleaf and up up up to the top for a bit of a breather and a munch.

Into the descent, 7pm, southerly clouds just above our heads, and sunshine everywhere below us, kinda bizarre.  The wind was pushing all the tussock over the trail, making route finding almost as hard as it used to be.  Nelson was kept on his toes finding where we were going, and i was kept on mine holding onto his tail.  Blitzed on down and through to the end, and down to the Greenwood entry and swooping through this, tail wind pushing us fast down through the ruins and into the tightness, the whole way me staying close behind.  I got a little baulked up on some of the upper rocks but quickly closed the gap on Nelson again and we skidded and drifted and leapt and weaved and rocketed down the trail, back and forth across the hill til finally through the rock gap and on down, pumping through the uppy downy section and around into Gloopy Gulch and pulling up, at my request, for a quick break.  Stretching my sore back here.   Fresh, we continued on, down the rocky steep section and into the swoopy rolly section, in which I had one of the closest near misses I've ever had.  My pedal hit a rock, catapulting my back wheel off the ground and pushing me forward over the bars.  My front wheel was heading off the trail and I envisaged the bike dropping from under me and me flying through the air down the hill onto rocks and tussocks.  That didnt happen.  Somehow, I managed to reel it in and carried on, adrenalin slowly building as I rapidly caught up to Nelson and followed him onwards down, getting faster and faster and faster.  Fantastic.  Around the corner and the fast section before the rocky ups has been cleaned up a bit and is really fast now, tho i did hit a hard square rock that jarred my front end.  Up the first up, I'd actually changed down too low, so blew it, but scooted onward and chased Nelson down, tailwind pushing through the swoopy back and forth flowy section then around the outside and a biiiig drift around the macracarpa and down to the gate.

Down to Godley, into the climb, both of us fucking up the first rocks.  Both hitting up the usual line and both falling left into the guts then blowing the climbing out.  Oh well.  got the rest.  but my climb from here was struggly for a while.  Once we were up on the flat it was all good.  Around the top, over the boardwalks and around and all the time getting faster and faster.  Blasting from the last wee bridge down, I spotted a rider ahead and in no time she was moving off letting us past and we blazed on down to Livingston and through to the wee fence bridge to a short rest.  Back stretch again.  On up, good climbing now up over the rocks and into the blasting flowy pumpy descent through and back over the PFMTBC rock and flying down to the last cattlestop and onto the road, 7.45 pm.

Into Anaconda and our speed got more and more intense.  SO fast, screaming down the trail.  The whole time me tight on Nelson's tail, thinking "Man a GoPro mounted on my chest right now would be awesome footage!!!"  Through the lower swoops back and forth and on one of the last ones, the one just before the horrible off camber corner, i got all crossed up, front wheel off the left of the trail, back wheel off the right, totally across the trail, still flying, my body weight continuing down the trail and i'm thinking, not unlike before, "here goes" but no, once again, somehow, I managed to escape inevitability and momentum's grasp and squirrelled back into line and "FAARRK that was close, AGAIN" onwards we flew.  Into the tail, swoop swoop and through the sheepstop into 'Briden's Bush', back getting sorer again, on down and finishing off flying down to a waiting rider (and dog - which Nelson was a bit concerned about) at the final jumpy sheepstop, across the paddock and into the carpark.

Grovelly, but pretty fast, for a while, climb out of Taylors then as we approached Nicholson Park i spotted a van coming so i hauled ass to get ahead of it, and streamlined myself down the hill.  Nelson got stuck behind the van, but didnt mind too much.  Finally, around the bays slipstreaming Nelson through Redcliffs increasing speed the whole way and back to the car, 8.30ish .

Good, fast ride.

Saturday 25th Jan, Kaiteriteri Mtnbike Park.

Family all rolling on bikes, we rode from where we were staying at Bethany Kristian Kamp down the road and into the bike park.  Easy Rider now serving double duties as the beginning (or end) of the Great Taste Cycle Trail, O on his 24inch rigid Norco, H on his 20inch 8spd Merida kiddy mtnbike, and T on her (my ex) Schwinner, rode up Easy Rider, around Cruise Control, which climbs surprisingly high, us uttering words of encouragement the whole way.  Into Glade Runner and they got to enjoy some downwardsness, loving it, then into Revelation, at the end of which they all said they'd loved it and would do it again but had had enough and headed off down the forestry track back to Kamp, and i took off up Ziggy, then up Corkscrew all the way to the top.  Phew.  Hot...  Into the descent, whoopeeee, down down back and forth, and into Dive, cutting off heaps of the zigs and zags, and then climbing again, back up to Big Airs, which i rode up to Skullduggery. 

Skullduggery was longer than i'd remembered it, which was cool, and i had a great time on it, taking all the little XX lines and roosting and pumping my way around it.  Eventually I arrived at the Bayview/Rockface intersection and once again was intrigued by the new trail leading off to the south...  Took it.  It was fun.  swoopy and ziggy, like everything in there, but eventually came to a box of tools and no more trail.  middle of no where.!  oops.  Shouldered my bike and climbed straight up a ridge following a pink flagging tape line up to quite near the big tank.  From here i found Remedy and bombed down (or more, along and down) it, loving all the steep-as drops and root sections, before too long reaching Shady Lady and fanging it down here.  Once again, slightly longer than memory held it, but all too soon dropping into the bottom of the gully, (finding a small boy on a small bike on a bridge.? then his mother and another boy) into the climb, and finally repeating Revelation and then out down the road to Kamp and a well earned swim at the beach...

Tuesday (I think), 21st Jan, Totaranui - Awaroa - Totaranui with minor detour

Not much biking to be had in beautiful Totaranui, just lots of swimming and lounging around (drinking a lot of Hop Federation Red IPA... ahem (but oh so much better than MunkeeLizard) oh, and Golden Bear), so, finally, decided one day to brave the dust and the road.  Luckily there'd been a bit of rain to dampen the dust the day before, so it wasnt too bad.  Headed up the 4kms of just shy of 200m climbing to the turn off to Awaroa, and headed down that.  Maybe a 3rd of the way down, I took a short detour onto the Waiharakeke Track.  A steep, root infested jungle singletrack, seldom if ever walked, down into Waiharakeke Bay and the main Abel Tasman Track (naughty me, riding a walking track in a National Park...  Still - no sign saying "no bikes", so... fair game?  You decide).  If you look at it on a topomap, you'll see that after about 200 m it starts to follow a creek.  or rather, the track is the creek, or the creek is the track, anyway, i got to there and turned back, having to negotiate the roots and slickness back up, walking some of it.

Back onto the road, mostly down, the odd up, and then final flat to Awaroa Inlet.  Tide was out, so rode around the edge of it for a wee ways, turned around and rode back.  Only met 1 car on this road the whole way.  Climbed back up to the Totaranui Rd and bombed down this, overtaking a woman who was going very slow riding her brakes the whole way, while i was tucked into aerostylez and pedalling hard out of corners...  16kms total around 500m alt climbed and descended.

Wednesday 15th Jan, Rameka-isation

On our way to Pohara and Totaranui, I was dropped at the turn off to Canaan Downs, pedalled hard for a start, til the heat started getting to me, then just knuckled in for the duration.  Sweet thing was, first vehicle met was when i'd hit the first shade and had already decided to stop.  Dust cleared and i continued on, meeting two more (one each direction) just before the saddle.  Rested in the shade at the top, allowing the inward bound car to get ahead, and then hit the descent.  Two more vehicles before the cattle stop, and a bump in the road nearly knocked my hands off the handlebars just there too.  Easy cruising through the Gathering site and left onto the Rollercoaster.

Grunt of a wee climb then up and down and through, getting the eye in once in the forest and had a nice wee blast through to Harwood's carpark.  Rode on through this, hello to the tourists, signed in the book, and on up to Rameka start.  Big rest here.  Lay in the shade and just chilled a good 10 minutes.

Into the bush, the shade providing much needed relief.  Easy going start, mostly on the level, not pushing like i did last time with Nelson on my tail.  Obviously a fair bit of traffic had been through recently.  Where possible, when their treads had pushed up a mound of dirt on the trail, i rode on top of that to push it down - maintenance on the fly.  Eventually got to the hairpin corner and into the true down, instantly interupted by a recent tree fall over which the bike had to be lifted.  Flow reinstated I started to bomb it.  Into Dozer's section, i took the usual left twisty trail, cleaning it without dabbing the corner that's always caught me in the past, across the Dozer track and across and back round and onto it, the bottom corner newly bermed, railed, flying down and round into the the clearing.  Then down down down the rutty ex-4wd trail, popping, pumping and jumping into the gully.

Clambering up the marble face,off for a second, then back on, finish the climb then the descent began again, rocky, flowy fun, this bit always longer than i remember it, through to the start of the Packhorse Track.  Awesomeness ensued, with me ripping down this, finding it for some reason different, like more hard work, than memory would have had it.  Not far before the road crossing, at high speed, I heard the familiar fish fish fish fish of a pinch flat, (nearly the same spot as on the PFMTBC trip, and it took me a good 30 metres to scrub off all my speed.  Found a spot on the outside of a corner with enough room to swap out tubes (in case someone showed up (at speed)), swapped, pumped and got going again.  Across the road and with more confidence over the jumpy bit before the next road crossing (on account of not having a slow leak like last time) and into the lead in to Great Expectations. 

Another awesome blast down here, hairy outside off camber corners, into the trees, swoopy swoopy, around the outside, biiiig view (and drop) off the side, back into the trees and darkness and pine needles and speed sweet speed.  in and out, back and forth, more times than I remembered, then into the re-gen, bombastic haulin' ass, back and forth, back and forth, lower and lower til finally splashing through the creek at the bottom and stalling...

Into 2Klicks, drops, clambering, tight, popping, Do or Die - took the Die this time, river bed section, and finally onto the road again, speeeeed and squirrelly negotiation into the entry to 1Klick, fanging into here, and remembering the first wooden feature had a back to it, so flew into it, and it nearly faceplanted me, kicked my rear wheel so high i thought i was a goner.  Kept it under control and adrenalin thickening up my blood, i continued on down and out, taking every little bit of trail i could find, before hitting the gravel and powering on down.

Road, all the way to Pohara and a waiting family for 2 nights at the camp ground in our new tent (which has served us very well so far...), before heading into Totaranui (which is another story).

Tuesday, R&R Scottswood Lancewood Wortaloo DOCtor...

Finding myself in Nelson for 2 nights,so, hooked up a ride.  Rode and met Ian outside the Prince Albert 9.20am and we headed up Maitai valley in his truck, parking at the start of Sharland's Rd.  Over the gate and off up the road, 9.30ish, chatting and cruising a good pace, occasionally the strong southerly wind pushed us along, otherwise, a lovely sunny day, watching the kms click by, passed some nice fresh log rounds, and following a gark in the trail, then a couple kms later a trailer with a blown wheel and no drawbar, full of nice fresh log rounds, stuck on the track.  Another km and we were at the top.  I had a wee go at the grunty wee climb to the start, but front wheel washed out and I had to walk, an hour after leaving the bottom.

Into the trail, sticking close to Ian's tail, really enjoyed all the switchbacks, and was very pleased to find all of them rideable and not one was nearly as bad as anything on the 629.  Awesome descent, and he warned me well before the first grunty wee climb turned up, gear shifted early, and upwards for a bit, then into douglas fir forest, and a few ups and downs, twists and turns.  All the time i felt like Ian was holding back in order to guide me through.  I reckon he could easily have ripped through here, and i would have followed merrily, probably being caught out here or there.  Was a wee while and we rolled down and through out to Bob's Fern Rd.  Here, instead of dropping straight in, we treadled further up the road to higher up the Scottswood Wiggles and tucked in here.

Flat out down, weaving and wending through the forest, transitioning into Lancewood Wiggles, and on down and through, flowing and speeding, bridges came and went, climbs too.  Eventually, popped out onto the other end of Bob's Fern Rd.  Across, and into PWortaloo.  Another cool descent, in and out of native, the odd bridge(?), the odd uppy bit, and Ian pointing out entrances and exits here and there from other trails (incl SuppleJack, which sounds like one I'll hit up next time I'm around).

And, finally, What the DOCtor ordered.  A little less tech, but some really blasty speediness, and the odd off camber corner that would SO catch you out if you weren't onto it.  Eventually, we were rolling down the bottom of the valley, and I was like, Wow, is that the end?  and it was.  Rolled on out, down the last of the gravel, over the gate and back to the truck, an hour and a quarter after leaving the top of R&R.  Nice!  a longer downhill than ascent!

Thursday evening Worsley Playpen up down repeat until done.

Picked up car from spenny repair job, and drove to top of Worsley's.  On the way there realised i had no water, so swung by Andrew's.  Didnt look like anyone home, no answer to knock, so helped myself to their tap, then surprised a just woken Jenna from dodgy hidden spot behind trellis...  oops.  no matter.  she was fine with it. 

Parked up the hill, changed and waited and in no time Nelson arrived, with Craig behind, riding up.  Craig helped Nelson with some suspension settings, and so i got going ahead just so's i wouldn't be puking my ring out trying to keep up.  They caught me as i was delayering, and we got going.  Struggled my way up behind them and cleaned pretty much the whole way up.  Up the left to the B-Line starters, and on up to Hangloose.  Nelson led in, me following, Craig going it easy on his retro beast.  Excellent run down.  I stopped at the jump to tighten my thru-axle, while Nelson walked back up to try out the drop.  A bit further down, after the clearing we spotted a trail off to the left, but took the right hander on downwards, relishing the steepness and the edgy-ness, finishing off rolling out the bottom and hitting up the climb back up. 

Back up the main drag, cleaning the tiny section i stuffed up first time round, and nearly dying at the top.  On upwards up the trail to the very top again, and back into Hang Loose, this time checking out the beginnings of a line off to the right before the clearing, and finding it a dead end, but also exploring a bit and finding a cliff over the edge, and hearing voices, and Nelson investigated and it was some climbers... Back up onto the trail, and took the left hander this time, which kinda went back to the original Tommy's 2, but dropping a fair way first, and some really steep and hairy, finally some familiar Tommy's 2, taking it all the way down for the first time since the first time...  nice to see a rideable line around that silly wooden jump...

Back up the access track and into up the steep nasty little guts track, me gasping, up through to the cliff top and into Waynes World.  I led in and rolled it, having a nice time, but as i got to Fight Club i realised no one was following me, so stopped and waited.  and waited.  and waited.  Then started walking back up, up, up and nearly at the top finally see them coming.  Nelson's pedal had caught a wire as he entered the rockgarden at the top and he supermanned, thankfully into something soft.  We continued on down, Nelson tight on my tail, all the way down and out the bottom for the third time. 

Back up the access track and up the guts again, this time just to the pylon clearing and turned back for the oldskool descent back down to the access track, up that for the last time and down and out back to the cars around 8pm.  Awesome ride.

Monday Night Solo

Drove across town and parked on Palatine near the Centaurus Rd shops, departing the car just after the 6pm news and weather, earplugs in, phone on random - providing a fantastic soundtrack the whole ride.

Headed up Major Aitken Drive, then Kenmanure, and onto cHuntsbury for the grunts to the top.  A lot of work has been done on Huntsbury to discourage dipshit 4wders, but how long it'll last, we'll see.  Peaked out at the Summit Rd about 40 minutes in and had a stretch, for I was sore.

Off round the summit i went, tail wind behind me, flicking and pumping my way along, early oncomers kindly moving aside to let me through.  I struggled on the ups, but made up for it on the downs.  Can't say i like what they've done around the pond, the humped nature of the fill is a little disconcerting.  Stopped for a rest at our old resting spot below Sugarloaf and munched a partial OSM before continuing my refreshed way with the wind towards Vic.  Through the top and into Thomson and Thompson, nearly taking out a guy marking a harriers run on the lower one, then down through Kiwi and on up the road towards Worsley's.

Huffed and chuffed up to top of Flying Nun and had another stretch up top.  Also, chucked some air in the back tire, cos i'd had a couple of near pinch flats further back along the summit trail.  At the approach of another rider, i dropped in.  Rear tire felt a little less squishy and it was great to be on the once familiar trail again.  A few new humpty features after the second hairpin were interesting.  Otherwise it all flowed very nicely for me.  Railing and hopping, pumping and popping my way down, enjoying it all the way.  Through the half way mark and really getting the speed up, doubling all the yumpies along below the road, railing round the corner and missing the lower new bits entirely cos i wasn't expecting them.  Finally, climbed out onto the road a new man.

Back down through the Kiwi and up the road again, all the way up to top of Vic.  Couldn't be arsed taking the upper Thomson.  Straight into the steepest direct line towards the see-saw, dropping down the rocky drops, by-passing the see-saw itself (wasn't in the mood), and straight down the paddock to the rockgarden and gummies, railing the long way across them and back then into the sweet little left hander dropping down loving one of my old favourites, eventually out to the skidder site.

Took a look at the top of Dazza's, but chose Shazza's instead, and popped and railed down here, across the fire road then back across and into Brents, where i took the most direct line down into bottom of Rad^Sick and out to Flow and then into Bridges and NuBridges and down to HiddenValleyLink track climbing, very slowly but cleaning all of it up to the pylon and finally blazed off down Old Skool.  Excellent blast down here, feeling pretty worn out but good.  Final drops through the rutty bastards quite tricky but cleaned, and out the bottom of the valley.  Recognised Nick playing on the jumps track so stopped for a chat, then rolled on down to the car, arriving just in time for the 8pm radio news.

Great to be back on the bike again, and to revisit a few old friends of trails...

First ride for 2014, Menziesii

2nd of Jan, 2014, Tom and me headed off on the bikes.  Hup Decanter Bay Rd, waiting at the top for a couple stock trucks through and bombed the gravel down into the valley and then climbed and climbed, nice hot morning, round past Rehutai and down the steep into Menzies.  Past a bull and met a woman on a bike heading back up.  Rested a bit and she came back to us, freaked by the bull...  Turned out she was from the bach below ours!  Rode past the bull with her then Tom proceeded to get away from me at the same rate i was getting away from her, spacing us out for the climb up.

Past Rehutai again, stock truck up there and getting moving, so Tom and me pedalled hard over the last rise to stay ahead of it, and then bombed on down round into Decanter, awesome views to along all the heads to behold.  Down into the valley and started on the climb, about half way to the first hairpin the truck turned up and we stopped to let it's dust settle, and he stopped to comment on how fast we were...  "You guys were flying!"

Onwards upwards, checking on the Cape Gooseberry, should be ripe in a month.  and then over the top and down the seal chip to Little Ak.  Back up to the house and into togs and straight back down for a good swim.

Early Saturday pre Eczemass B Line Jet flushing.

Up early and so much stuff to do, so Jet and me left home in the Fiat about 6.40 and we were part way up lower Worsley, on the corner past the powerlines, by 7.05am, and less than 15minutes later were at the top of Tommy's Too, having cleaned every bit of everything on the way up.  Into the new-to-me Hang Loose, the right hand option at the top of Tommy's2.  Jet taking the lead and mostly staying out of the way.  Only one log-drop i bailed on (no chance of rolling it, but it wouldn't be a big ask to drop off it), enjoying the way the trail used so much of the hill, including a clearing I didn't know existed, and then after some rather steep corners, rolled into the bit Nelson and me had originally tracked out, the builders having hardly altered the route but having dug it out a heap.  Out the bottom onto the logging track and into the climb back up, less than 10 minutes since i was at the top, and back up to the Junction in well under 10.

Next, up the guts to the cliff top, three lady runners eventually catching us at the top, and into Wayne's World, Jet in behind, bomb bomb bomb, relishing the pump.  Into Fight Club and revelling in the pump-ability of this too.  Trail is getting a little blown out lower down, roots and rocks getting messier. Out the bottom and back into the climb again.  Back up to the Junction, and up the guts again, but this time only to the pylon clearing, then turned around and in to the left, across the guts track and down the old short chute blat down back to the climbing track and back up to the junction.

Down from the junction and checked out what turned out to be a new top half of Dave's track, including jumps and drops.  Couldn't be arsed climbing all the way back out from the bottom, so walked back up from part way down, back onto the main track and down past the tank and through and out, including a new wee sideline that skirts the gate, and back to the car about 8.15...  still nice and early, both Jet and me having had an awesome ride, flushing out some of the 'festive season's' excesses that have already started to pile up...

Tuesday Poms

Not really a ride, but got a lift with my bike in Nelson's truck to meet the rest of the pfmtb crew for to drink the beer at the Pomeroy's...  drank the beer then rode the Troll home.  a good night was had by all.

Sunday eastern scorcher

Great ride this morning, but hot!  Drove the Fiat to Ferrymead bridge and Wayne turned up in his van, then Steve and Wazza showed on their bikes, and Andy and Tony drove past without seeing us, then finally Pete turned up having dropped the TFC van off.  We raced down the causeway and round into Sumner, met Marie, Andy and Tony, and headed up Richmond Hill.  Steep, and hot as, roasting up pretty quick, desperately seeking shade at every opportunity.  Straight up the farm track through gates and to the trees, then up the farmtrack entrance to Greenwood, a shady regroup above the ruins and straight in.  I started off a bit pingy in the rocks but gradually got my flow, til by the time I was lower down I was scorching down the trail.  Excellent descent.  Heaps of other riders around, including a group we saw repeatedly.

Into Godley and I cleaned the start again!  W00t!  Did it last time I rode it, which was on GuyFawkes day.  Onwards and cleaned the bit after that too.  Then into the rest of the climb, feeling pretty good, even with the heat.  Once I was up on the level, my balance was all squiffy, kept scrubbing edges of the trail and rocks, and feeling all off balance.  Quick regroup before heading down towards Livingston Col, I got smooth again, momentum my friend, and just flew.  Another regroup at the col and Steve tucked in front for the climb and kept a good pace.  I got past him again before the descent and rocketshipped down, swoopy swoop, round and across then back round and whoosh, over the PFMTBC rock, back wheel barely skipping over it as I flew off the end.  The rest came through and Tony did it for the first time (which surprised us greatly - not that he did it, but that it was his first time!).  Marie was slowed by soreness from a tumble on Greenwood, so she took a shortcut down Anaconda from Breeze Col, and we headed off into the climb around above the road. Grass was very long, making the narrow overgrown bit even moreso, then a blat descent to the end of the road and a quick regroup there before scorching around below the road back to Breeze.  Some other riders tucked into the Anaconda before us so we waited til they'd gone over the brow of the hill.  Slowly increased speed as we descended.  Finally the tailenders (Graham the trail maintenancer and friend) came into view and I was chasing, catching them at the end before the 'tail.  That nearly last corner still a bastard.  Into the tail and cruised on down, catching up to Graham's mate, stopping for a sec to gap him, then Graham turned up so we continued on.

Through the bottom of Taylor's and the heated climb began.  Just had to push on and get it over with, i went ahead and ended up catching up to Graham and friend again, cruising with them for a bit.  Found Marie at the top of the hill, and we all moseyed on down the hill, along the esplanade (above a very very busy beach) and into DotCom.  Then a jetship ride along the causeway and back to the car.  Home by 1.

Afternoon, went out to Nelson's, chainsawed a bunch, made a VERY full Fiat which I had to drive extremely slowly back to Nelson's, unloaded and split it all, making for a lovely stack to dry for winter.

Sunday morning Wharfdale pre firewooding

Up early and off out to Nelson's place, with Pete's trailer in tow, stopping to grab a few pallets at Homebase first, got out there just after 8am.  Nelson took his truck and trailer and we parked it and my trailer up at the woodlot and headed through Oxford and for Wharfdale.  Made the trailhead about 9.  Good climb to start in and i was wheezing.  Bit of dampness about, and spitty rain now and then, and muggy as.  First blast downhill from the gate was good, but into the main climb, the odd bit of slick rootage caught us both out a couple times, having not ridden them for so long, both felt a little out of practice.  Great climb followed by a better cruising rolling descent.  Trail pretty clear of trees, but quite a few have fallen away, making holes in the track having lifted their root boles.  Bit of a climb and got to the rocky section, clambered up and we were about an hour in, so figured may as well turn back here.  Walked ahead tho, and checked out how the trees just past the steep creek bit had been cleared.  They had.

Turned back, rode the rocky droppy descent section then cruised and moseyed back, climbing the gentle climb.  Met a couple of (campervanning) Aussies, one from Melbs and one from Hobart.  They'd been touring around the south of the south, and were finishing off with the Wharfdale.  They seemed to be enjoying it.  We climbed on a little ways then the funnest descent began.  Heaps of good maneuvers, excellency at the handling, well and truly on form again.  Wet areas spraying up the muck, splecking me in the eye one time badly, nearly taking out my stereoscopy, and causing me no end of gyp the rest of the day.  Alas, all good things must end and the bottom arrived, and i just about slid out into the final corner trying to carry momentum into the climb.  Nelson jetted off, and i kept the pace for a bit then mellowed off and in no time was back up to the gate.  Then it was the final blast.  Eventually winding it up into top gear and really blasting, spraying ourselves with splecky spray, railing through the final throes of the track, high speed, back to the car 45 mins after we'd turned around, bikes and clothing covered in wet gritty muck.  

Drove back to the wood lot and proceeded to chainsaw for 2 hours.  Filled two trailers, killed one chainsaw...  (Nelson had brought the wrong fuel and hadn't realised til it was too late... :(  
Unloaded the wood back at his and i got home with time for a shower before T's fancy schmancy aunt and uncle came for afternoon tea at 3.

Tuesday evening Packing the Horse

Nelson and me de-wheeled our bikes to make room in the car and picked up Craig, cramming his retro classic fluoro rigid '91 Marin Muirwoods in with ours, and we ventured forth over the Dyers Pass and around the bays and up to Gebbies Pass.  Parked, reassembled our steeds, and headed up the gravel road.  Not long to get puffing, then into the singletrack with the rigidity slowing Craig down a bit, Nelson and me blasting down into the trees ahead and through, then the wee climb up to the stile and out into the paddock where the two others dropped me.  Gasping for breath I caught them at the next stile, then it was a wee blast down before heading into the sweet dark Douglas Fir forest, around and through the wetspot and up the zigzags, Nelson cleaning them all.  Next section across and up to the cool wee bach in there, and then more climbing.  I pretty much left them to it.  Craig yarning away the whole time, not slowing him one bit, I kept them in view for a while, but eventually lost sight of them and just plodded along left to my own devices.  Eventually, after much grunting and groaning I arrived at the end of the forest.  Great trail from here, interesting and not too grindy, around through the Dykes then onwards.  Craig toppling off soon after them on some rocks.  On around and up to the Hut.  Around an hour in.  Signed the book and Nelson took some pics and we headed back the way we'd come.

Nelson, then me, then Craig.  Soon left him behind, our 'modern' bikes so much smoother and the braking offering so much more control we flowed and cruised carefully back to the forest.  He wasn't far behind and had really enjoyed it.  Next bit, the drifty blasty goodness, nailing it down, swoopy swoopy, drifting round corners and nearly shoulder barging trees and all around having a great time.  No time flat and we were back to the bach and waited a second for Craig and he had a massive grin on his face.  First time for him on this track and he wondered why he'd never done it before.  Onwards down, meeting a couple of nice girls heading into the hut for the night, and on down dodging trees and into switchbacks and through the wetspot and douglas fir and blazing down, tucked right down and right on Nelson's tail.  Out to the end, climb began and my gears stalled and that made Craig stall and we walked a bit then ground on up.  over the stile, on up over the paddock hill and then blasted down down down to the next stile.  Back under the trees, along the barbedwire fence skimming at the elbows, finally to the last climb, grind grind grind, stall, walk walk, ride, walk riiiide out the top and over in the open, and back to the road and blast back to the car.  After 8, and the bikes a pain to unravel, so we headed home rather than Living Springs.

Noodle Canteen for dinner.  mmmmmm

Sunday Hunt Vern Witch Castle Cavendish Pleasant Green Thomas -ness

Three weeks off the mtnbike due to Fiordland field trip and then illness, leaving November's tally of rides pretty sad...

Got to Steve's at 9am and Wazza, Wayne and Andrew turned up.  No sign of Pete so we headed off across to and up Ramahana Aotea and Huntsbury, Steve getting word from an unknown number that they'd meet us up top.  Steve set a worthy pace up here and we all rolled in to the top.  Unknown number let him know that he was behind so we Vernon'd like rocketships down, letting uphill riders through at various points, but still rocketshipped our way to the Rapaki-top.  Then we saw Mark rolling down the road.

Into Witch Hill, cleaning it all nicely and enjoying the wee climb before the pin-balled descent.  Onto the road and a pleasant cruise round, first time for Wazza (ever, on this bike), the others having done it a week or so ago.  Into Castlerock, no stopping, I flew down here, it being a very familiar trail to me, enjoying it's dryness and lack of muck.  Still one or two wet spots, but nothing like winter's.  The last place Nelson and me worked could still do with a couple more large boulders, and it'd be set.  Finally, out to Bridle Path and a shady rest before tackling the climb none of us had ever done before.

Rideable in quite a few sections, only one or two rocks lower down that stumble you and further up, the steps kick in disabling the rideability.  But, not long after them you're popping out of the bushes (next to the No Bikes sign) and there was a bunch of people looking out a window of the Gondola building smiling and waving.  Hung a right, round the back of the building then into the ziggy zaggy trail down to Cavendish Saddle, riding very differently than at night.

Steve wasn't stopping so we hit straight into the climb, grovelling a bit in the steepest bits but getting the hang of it as it mellowed out and finally reaching out for the top, to find a heap of old walkers and vehicles and bikes and trail maintenance crew.  Off down the trail, with them grubbing or placing rock armour as we rode through.  Then over the stile and down round to Nick Singletrack and a quick chat before having to move before a small group of walkers got ahead of us again.  Swoopy swoopy, flow, stall, flow then some rapid descending ensued and flew down to the bottom.    Cruised down to the ruins and we stopped for a quick snack.

Off down Greenwood, initially i was all out of whack, but after a couple of smooth runs I got my groove on and started to bomb it.  Faster and faster I went, Warren not too far back, but then I'd gap him for a bit, then slow up on a flatter bit, and he'd close, then down and i'd gap him and then into the gulch I slowed up to rest a tad and I heard him closing as I headed into the downwardness again.  Again, faster and faster I went and flowed and grooved down through and around to where we saw Dave last time, and looking back I'd put a good gap in again.  Kept up the speed and fanged on down, back and forth and through and then screamed down through the two rocky ups and on out the bottom, allllll good.  Back, killing me, having to wait at the stile for a minute or two to regain the ability to lift the bike.

Into Capt Thomas, this time, Mark tight on my tail, and could I shake him?  Nup.  He kept the pressure on but I kept my end of the bargain, and even cleaned the bit I never used to clean, nooo worries - the cutting out of the steps has infinitely improved it.  A bit further down down, around through the next wee gully, I decided I was slowing him down so pulled up and let him through.  We rolled good from here down, through the next to tricky bits and then both just lost momentum in the wee climb, but the rest of it was smooth.  Fast down into the new switchies, nearly lost it on one outside corner, but man it was betterer lower down now that it's dry - dust even getting lifted by our speed.

The others all rolled in and we headed for DotCom for well earned liquids and solids before grunting round via the causeway, strange cross wind, bit of slipstreaming required.  Into the back of Ferrymead trails and round where we went our separate ways at the roundabout.  Weird side then tail-ish winds home, and utter utter exhaustion awaiting me upon my arrival.  pretty much only able to lie around most of the afternoon.  Too much too soon after the illness?, perhaps.  But, good to get out.

Hot Bottlo

Bit of an overhang today, so didnt make it out with the boys, who did what Nelson and me did on Tuesday.  Instead, in the early afternoon, H, Jet and me went out to Bottle Ache for a spin.  I had the singlespeed.  Was short and slow, on account of H being 6.  Turned right and went out to the beach, and then came back in the shortest route, via the pond where Jet had a nice swim.  Hot diggity dog day.

Tuesday Guy Fawkes Eastern loop.

Nelson picked me up from Selwyn St and we negotiated the imbecilic rush hour across to Sumner, taking in the newly opened Causeway.  Dairy shut, Supermarket shut, grabbed something from the bakery then parked near Cave Rock, overlooking the beach.  Changed, and headed up the valley, into Sumnervale and the Captain Thomas.  Climb up here was dry dry dry, a far cry from the last few times we've tackled it.  met one rider on his way down on the lower section before the switchbacks and not a single other soul all the way up.  Usual rockies dabbed us out, and Nelson started putting a gap on me in the last stretch above the road hairpin.  My lungs and legs suffering in different ways.  At the road, we were Team Orange (both in orange tops) and there was a Team Green (all in green tops) of three heading onto the Godley.  Somehow at this point it was already 6.35pm...

Off up the road for a steady climb, bypassing the entrance to Greenwood at about 10-to, then on up round up Broadleaf, me falling straight down into granny on the gravel grovel, finally peaking out and resting.  While resting, up rides an old acquaintance Darryl, on a Nomad C with 180 floats, and carrying a full-face helmet on his bag.  Reason - practice for Dunedin and Cardrona Enduros, both of which require a full-face.  He donned the helmet and pads while we talked, and then a couple of riders with a Trail dog turned up, and i said "hah, trail dog" then the front rider said, "hi richard" and it was Tom and Matt, with Jake the dog.  Cool.  They'd come up Bridle Path from Lyttelton, over the Gondola and up, and were heading back down Chalmers Track.  Matt on a new bike to him, a Pivot.  Darryl took off and disappeared like a rocket, and Nelson and me headed off ahead of Jake, Tom and Matt, Tom staying pretty close all the way down, and me hot on Nelson's tail, following all his abrupt changes of direction and near-misses with rocks and tussocks.  They peeled off towards the gun emplacements for Chalmers, and we continued on down Greenwood, holding onto Nelson's tail reasonably well until rounding into Gloomy Gulch, when he started putting a larger and larger gap on me as i was getting sorer and sorer and slower and slower, til finally at our old rest stop i stopped and rested and he kept on blazing.  Once i got going again tho, i started to close.  Til i found him stopped just below where mad Dave was trackworking, and chat was had.  At this stage I could see Darryl finishing off his run into the bottom then changing out of the 'extreme' gear.  We got going again and I kept a good hold on Nelson til the rocky-ups, the first of which i juuuuust dabbed to keep balance, marginal momentum lost.  Flying down the swoopy bit after these rocky bits there was a guy coming up and he didnt quite get his back wheel up off the trail and i squeaked as i went past, juuust clipping his tire with my foot as i passed.  Rest of the way down was fast and fun, and i was sore and tired climbing the stile.

Across Evans and into Godley.  Crawled up the entrance and stopped to breathe and watch Nelson clean the rocky nightmare.  Then i tucked into it, and was juuuust about to fall/reach-out hand-dab, but didnt, and kept it moving and nearly lost it again, and made it out!  W00t!, first time in forever.  Continued on round and up to Nelsie and we carried on out, him gapping me more and more til eventually he was out of sight, me just toodling along struggling with tired legs (3rd ride in 4 days, no wonder!).  At the ridge/landing-strip(?) Nelson was waiting and took off as soon as i arrived, and it was INTO the wind along this section over the boardwalkies, and down into the wee valley then the fast section began and i was catching him and tight on his tail til he skid-scratched up a massive cloud of dust decimating my view of the trail for a second ploughing through and on down to Livingston.  I had to rest a sec here after the fence crossing and Nelson gapped me again, once again disappearing over the ridge ahead of me as i climbed.  He paused briefly before the descent which i was a bit sketchy on, til the final descent over PFMTBC Rock to Breeze.

7.55 here, as we entered Anaconda.  One of the best runs ever down here.  Super speed, superb control and blazing, swoopy swoop down and down, through and through.  In the tail i was getting sore again, and even had a near off, a rock throwing my front wheel up and me towards the bank, and me putting a foot out and my leg bending to halt me.  Got rolling again and this very bony trail bumped me every which way, then flying down into the paddock.

Attempted to get some water out of the drinking fountain, but was sweating faster than could drink, so got rolling up the hill.  Tired legs struggling, Nelson vanished from sight, so i just kept plodding on, then into the descent, aero-styles down to the hairpin and a car pulled out just as i was approaching.  I caught it up, had to wait a second then -pedal,pedal,pedal,pedal, flat out and over took it then back into aero-pos. and blasting down into the bottom corner, arse over the back for maximum brakeage, round and down to catch nelson outside Scarborough Fare.  Toodled along the water front taking in the attractive sunset and then being entertained by all the (soon-to-be) wasted youff on the beach for the Fireworks... 8.20.pm.  25mins, down Anaconda over to here, not bad.

Sunday Hunts Verse Worsle B World Club

Nelson picked me up and we drove to Steve's, to save our tires.  Wazza, Wayne, Tony, Andrew were all already there, and Pete and Marie and a guy from across the street from Steve's, Nick, turned up after us.  Steve wasnt riding on account of a possible broken arm from his offs on the Canaan.

Off round Hansen's Park and up Ramahana Aotea and onwards, we all cruised well.  Up the dirt of Huntsbury Nelson made a break for it and topped out way ahead of everybody else.  Parked up with him and hung out til the rest showed, and then it was off round the traverse.  Good pace round here, tail wind assist.  Lot of people about, including some runners that nearly took out a few of our group towards Vic Park.  Rocketted through to the top and regrouped before dropping into the Thomsons.

Off up the road past the Flying Nun, all good and Worsley's top, blasting down the Body Bag before a group of walkers could clutter the place up.  It was here I discovered we'd lost Nick back at the Kiwi...  Up the entrance to B-Line-ville and Nelson led us all through the original/classic rendition, down to the clifftop. I led the way into Wayne's World and we bombed down here, providing some interesting flow to the group.  Brief regroup before blazing into Fight Club, which was soo much drier than yesterday and as a result, faster.  No time flat and we were at the bottom.  Everybody happy, and discovered it was Pete's first time!  Here we spotted also that Nelson and my extension from Tommy's2 is being used, and observed some guys riding down it, tho the builders have made another exit.

Because we were in the vicinity and Pete hadn't experienced it, after the climb to the Junction, Nelson and me led him down Dave's (or ACJoint in my cloud).  The others opted out of this (remembering their last (and only) time).  Turns out they did the wee short shoot from just up the 4wd track, then went back up and did Fight Club again.

Dave's track was obviously very little used.  Pine needles everywhere, barely any sign of the track, Nelson leading the way, then me, and even then Pete had trouble finding the lines.  We all managed pretty much the whole trail barely any dabs, no offs, and a great run down the final chutes.  Granny gear engaged and the climb out started.  All good and some of the crap has been cleared in the clearing, but the steep digger track is still too steep on the long run.  Bit of a walk then rode on out, hearing, and then seeing the others up on Fight Club, we waited for them, and we all rode up and out together.  Blasting down the road, onto the wee sideline track, and on down for a coffee and Zeroes with all the crabon fibre sporting roadies, and split for home.  Great ride.

Saturday a.m. Party On! Excellent!

Quick one this morning with Jet.  Parked up top of Worsley's Rd and hit the climb about 8.30a.m.  Clambered up the trail, riding the tops of the slippery clay ridges all the way up.  One section my whole left side got drenched by last night's rain in the flowering broom bushes, as the was no where to escape to - a half metre deep rut keeping me from veering away from it to the right.  Met a few runners at various points, and there was plausible evidence of a previous bike through this morning.  Too slick to clean everything, but got a fair few bits i wondered about.  Tires picked up a fair bit of clay.  It's 11 days out from the trip, and all i've done is ride to work, so the legs felt pretty good; no gyp given. 

Seemed like no time and i was up the top of B-Line, as we call it, and heading very mellowly down through, assessing the slip, of which there was a fair bit;  roots, rocks and wet loam, a juicy mix.  Jet somehow knew which way I was intending on going, taking the right-hander into the 'classic' version.  Rolled down here, still taking it pretty easy, just kinda wafting along, boosting once or twice but really cruising.  Out onto the cliff top and stopped for the view.  Beautiful morning, mild, sunny.  Got moving off, over the bedrock into the trees, and just around the first corner, over the jumpy rock, and I notice a new looking trail off to the left.  Passed it by and got further down round the bend when I thought, no, I've gotta give it a look.  Back up the hill and into it, hmmm, a sign - "Waynes World".  I'm sensing a theme here - formative 90's movie titles, anyone?  Party on!  Excellent!

Starts out with an interesting, kinda rock garden, then flows off down getting near the internal 4wd track then edging round the hill under the classic.  Steep and slick in first shutes below the rocks, but then getting into the usual flow of off-camber goodness these hillside forests are renowned for.  A few pumpies over tree roots and eventually crossing the classic line and venturing into untapped slope.  A couple of nice long(ish) sections, one or two corners and features to keep you on your toes, and then you're into Fight Club, not far from it's start.  W00t!  Terrain becoming more familiar and this area's conditions slightly drier, speed increased.  New line above the fallen tree from last time and the rest of it was sweet, even the exit was super easy and smooth.  I think Nelson riding has improved my steep descending skills... hmm, i wonder how?  haha.

Into the climb and still just cruising, no real pain or effort to perform.  Jet happily trotting along too.  Into granny - 3 for the corner and then - 2 for the first bit up to that hole, then down a couple for the rest past the old exit and on up.  At the Junction, I raised my seat a smidge and headed up the internal 4wd track with another lap in mind.  Under the pylon met 3 riders resting, including one of those ASP bikes (not sure if it was the maker, Rich, on it).  Continued my granny slog up, all the way back up to the cliff top.  Legs felt awesome, not struggling on anything.

Out on the cliff top and back into it again.  This time saying hey to the guys as i was hussing past after the 'wrock garden' and flowing on down, Jet in behind for all of this, getting along at a nice speed, buttoning off for the expected sketchy bits, and coasting or roosting back up to speed, til the tiny climb after the fallen tree Jet took the lead and then proceeded to just about get in my way the rest of the way down.

Final climb, still easy, txt from Steve at the corner re: tomorrow's ride, and on up and out, down, finding a tree across an old line, and another new line taking you further out for a direct shot through clear of the watertank thereby missing that mucky section, and down through the final swoops before hitting back out down the main drag to the car, somewhere around 9.40a.m., perfect timing for the rest of the day.

Top of the South, Final, homeward bound, Day: Browning, (can ya) Hackett?

Wednesday 23rd, packed up and hit the road, most continuing on to Chch, with our car (Nelson, Pete and me), Mark and Marie, and The Boyz, cruising the 12kms up Aniseed Valley Rd, to the Hackett Picnic area.  Great swimming holes, and easy trail in to a big swing bridge then up through some rocky-ass Mineral Belt and trail getting more interesting climbing, with some massive exposures to the gorge below, to an intersection - left for Browning, right for Hackett.  Marie went for the right, the rest of us off up the trail towards Browning Hut.  Some good bits, clean river crossings, sweet sweet singletrack, more rivercrossing - sluiced out mess of a river with boulders the size of houses, rooms and cars that'd been tumbled about by the floods of months previous, then rideable and unrideable steepness, roots, rocks, and much interestingness.  Eventually, the hut was gained, at 480 m. Food was eaten, and sweat squeezed from doo-rags.

Descent.  I headed off first, just wanting to get moving, and had a great time.  Roots, rocks, all rideable down; shutes, blazing trails, took absolutely no time whatsoever to get down, first to the sluiced out riverbed, bit of a climb out of this, then onwards down.  Sweet.

Took the left towards Hacket, forming a triangle of trails, and a grunty wee climb led to a wee saddle, with sweet descent to a gravel filled streambed, then loads of pig rooted ground and eventually to the hut.  A couple of hunters in residence, brief chat, then onwards chasing Marie.  Bit of trail re-arrangements in here, due to slippage and sluicing of rivers, through a strangely placed block of douglas fir.  Back onto the trail we'd climbed and on down, blasting all the way.  Lovely.  Met Marie in the mineral belt zone, riding back up towards us cos she'd enjoyed that section of the trail so much.  From here it was an easy blast back to the bridge then the open trails back to the car.

Into the river and cold water working on worn out legs was gooooood.   On the road about 2pm, and home to the flatland smaug city by 7.

Top of the South, Day 5: 629, rain, Codgers

Txting with Ian who'd taken me up top of 629 last time (then up Sunshine and down Peaking), we arranged to meet at the bottom Tuesday 22nd, at 9.30.  Only a few takers for this trail, which Ian assured me had changed somewhat and wasnt as bad as it used to be...  The takers were, Pete, Nelson, Mark, Alistair, Nico and me.  The rest of the crew went off up Sharlands Rd, and down R&R etc.  We saw Stu riding into Sharlands as we passed.

Ian took us up the track we'd finished on the day before, which was a nice gentle climb and around the pipeline track to the first forestry road off up to the right.  This immediately kicked in as granny steep then walking, around a corner, a little riding then more walking, Nelson pretty much cleaning it all.  Alistair was struggling with the weighty Diablo.  Up and up we went, a few pinches, a few ridings til we got to Bob Taylor Rd where Nelson was waiting for us and we had  good rest.  A few spits of rain were starting to threaten, but they held off for a while anyway.  On up through the forest (a section very similar to the steep in McVicars), and onto the fire break.  Nelson cleaned the first bit, i got a fair bit, Pete did pretty good.  Nico put in a damned fine effort.  Otherwise we walked some, then some more further up.  Eventually we made the top of this bit, quick descent then up the last bit to top of hill, 629m above sea level.  We'd started at about 100.

Into the descent, first Ian, then Nelson, Pete, Mark, me, and Nico.  All good to start, steep and rooty, no worries.  Following Mark and seeing the others ahead cleaning everything made it all possible.  A couple of sections came up that were just so steep, even Mark hesitated, which put me off and to stay safe, i walked down them.  Cleaned up heaps more tho.  Then the last bit before the road had a heinous rocky drop, with a rideable line but i only saw the drop, and had major trouble even walking down it...  Ian warned us about the entry to the next section, and sure it was steep, but we all rode in and cleaned it nicely.  Down into the bush, more steepness, then out into the recently logged and replanted open area.  Ian warned us of "a series of three switchbacks" which were actually like a squiggly bit down a cliff...  anyway, i walked these, then cleaned up heaps more with only one or two more walky corners.  the rest of the trail rode really well, and was much fun.  Nelson somehow crashed off a couple times.  Lower down it got back into bush and was awesome.  then crossed the main track and shot down briefly below and then out across the bottom and onto the road.  All up, about 2 and a half hours?  2 of which were climbing.

We drove down the valley and passed the others' cars and txts were sent as we went to Sprig and Fern on Milton St for beers and takeouts from next door.  The rain set in good and proper by now too, pishing down for the afternoon.

In the evening the rain stopped in time, so a good sized group of us, minus Steve, Robin, Mark and Marie, and the boyz, met Norm and some other locals in town for a quick blast up in the Codgers area.  Rode up Codgers, Pipeline, Jack's.  then up to top of Sharland's Hill, and down Firball, which was a hoot.  quite greasy in places, from the rain, then across and down P51, and down and out.  then to Sprig and Fern Hardy St for a couple beers.  I picked up Noodle Canteen on way home and feasted.

Top of the South, Day 4: Copperminding our P's & Q's

Monday 21st dawned fine and sunny, AGAIN, and it was a slowish start, i think roughly 9.30ish departure, riding through to and up the Brook then into the Codgers area around and up to Tantragee and on up round the Dun Mountain track.  Gentle and easy going it is and we made the 300 odd metre picnic table in pretty good time.  Onwards again and eventually getting to the Third House.  I was quite tired by this stage, feeling the effects of 3 solid rides and lack of resting or eating.  Arse and feet and hands had been getting numb(ish) on the way too.  Eventually the rest of the crew cruised in and we rested and talked smack for a while.  Nice hot day, lots of sun.

Back into the forest and onwards up, not too far, only a few kms to the opening out of the mineral belt, and on up to a very windy aptly named Windy Point.  Cooling us down nicely.  Great spin round from here to Coppermine Saddle for another rest in the sun.  I'd had enough of sitting around, so got going, figuring if anyone was gonna catch me up the could.  Nelson dropped in behind me and seemed happy enough to hang in there for a while.  Quite a blast this downhill.  Cant really let it all hang out because of traction issues in the corners, and not really knowing what's coming up next.  But, still, a good speed on and down we went.  At about the 10 minute mark, my hands were getting sore, and my back was aching, so i pulled up for a bit of a rest and stretch.  Not long after we stopped Alistair and Nico turned up, with Nico in agony, having only about 50mms of useable travel and crappy brakes he was having to hang on hard to.  Nelson led off and i followed, with Alistair on my tail.  He seemed happy enough there.  From the sounds of it, Nico held back for a good while, til the others turned up.  Nelson set a good pace, and Alistair and me held on, letting him set the speed, which grew and grew and grew as we entered the taller scrub, then forest.  Massive blast down here, eventually through a couple of fast tight corners onto a boardwalk into a corner for a bridge, then super fast blast down the walking track from here.  At one point, with Nelson a safe distance ahead, i came over a jumpy rise and he'd disappeared!  I thought, "where the fuck is he?" "oh, there he is" his smiling face off to the right of the trail.  He'd hit the air, and ended up off the track, braking hard through the ferns.  Not much further down here we left the forest onto an open 4wd track and pulled up for the regroup.  A few minutes went by and the others started rolling in, Pete first i think, then most of the rest in reasonably quick succession.

From here, it's a blast down the 4wd trail, past the bottom of Peaking Ridge, then through a creek, climb out of that, then past Bob Taylor Rd onto the singletrack again, with a small section reminiscent of Cullens, then past the bridge and onwards along the pipeline track.  But, Mark and Marie went ahead, as did the boys, but Pete had had a blow out further back so Nelson and me cruised back to see what was up.  All good got rolling again and the last blast round the Pipeline then down the new section that wasnt finished last time i'd been round here, which was awesome.  Nice finishing blast through pines and then into the bush at the bottom of 629.

Finished with road, then Maitai bikepath all the way back to town.  Nelson and me went for a feed at Akbaba's and then joined the others at Sprig and Fern on Hardy St, bikes all hung out front.  Couple of pints easing the weariness in our limbs.

Top of the South, Day 3: Invol(untary Evol)utions

We weren't convinced that the logging had finished in the Barnicoat, so Sunday, 20th Oct, morning we ventured forth.  7.5kms from camp, via Railway Reserve, Bishopdale hill and the Ridgeway and up the Marsden Valley to the start of a very very very long hot climb...  Normal people ride up the forestry roads on the righthand side (true left) of the valley.  Indeed, Stu and i did that last time i rode this.  it took an hour, in granny, to reach the top.  We, under guidance from Mark and Marie, and due to the hotness of the sun, openness of the forestry roads, and shade provided by the bush, decided to ride UP the Involution trail.  Granted, it is officially a 2 way track...  but riding up it?  Anyway.  We made it.  There were only a few corners we didnt clean.  Some cleaned nearly all of the track, indeed, i wonder if Nelson and Mark did actually clean it all...  So, a couple and a half hours after we started, numerous regroups, snacks, breaks, we were at the top.

The top section reminded me of sections of Wakamarina, lots of roots, quite steep.  But once you're down into the forest it's totally different.  Lots of exposure lower down.  Had an awesome run down.  Couldnt believe how fast familiar bits came back to us.  When i'd ridden it with Stu originally, i'd felt like the descent took ages cos nothing was familiar and i never really knew how much further to go.  But it seemed a lot shorter this time because of recognising all the places we'd stopped, or that log across the trail, or there - where we'd moved the log off the trail, etc.  So with one brief stop about a third from the bottom to give the hands a rest from the brake control, away we sped on down and in about the 4th to last corner i was soooo close to losing i really thought i had, til a miniscule weight shift got me back on track.  Nico apparently had at one stage looked down to shift gears and looked up to find himself off the end of a hairpin...

bit of a regroup at the bottom of the main section and most of us blasted off into the lower section, only to be grabbed by the helmets or backpacks by a fallen manuka.  then a couple of wee creek crossings later out to the road.  Blast down, my back tire on a slow deflate.  Stopped about 5 times to pump it up on the way back to base.

Top of the South, Day 2: Canaan Rameka'd

Early departure from camp at Marahau, Saturday 19th, and we convoyed up KaWhaka Hill, with a small issue with Alistair's car, that Pete took over the driving off to test and was actually fine.  At Canaan turn off we pulled up and found Norm, Keith (and i think that other guy who's name i didn't catch).  Then 4 vehicles, driven by Nelson, Pete, Andrew and myself, hooned down the other side into Takaka to meet the shuttle.  Introductions made and bikes loaded, a few locals filling up the seats, and up we headed, and in the Canaan Rd to the saddle and onwards down the hill, over the cattlestop and parked up where the grasslands begin.  The four of us were chasing so we left our hosts and headed onwards, staying on the road right through to Harwoods, i think about 30-45 mins behind the gang.  Met Alistair and Nico here at the carpark - they were just going to do the short loop, and they told us the others were doing half the long loop, back via the 2nd half of the short.  So, off we climbed.

Ground up to the Rameka turn off and onwards, not really remembering this from '09 when we did it on the soaking Golden Bay trip.  Climb got really grindy, for a bit, but all pinches were cleaned before the descent (which had held onto Steve's front wheel earlier), which at times was interesting to say the least.  Just prior to a wee creek crossing I heard a clicky clicky from my drive train and didnt think too much of it, but as i put the power on out of the creek >SNAP<...   bah.  Chain tool jobby couldnt fix it so Pete donated a quicklink which got me going again, albeit, from here on out not giving my chain quite so much torque.  About 5 minutes later Nelson flatted so we stopped for that too.  Then the chase was on, as we hit the saddle we could see some of our group ahead.  Reeled them in, on some fun trails, one or two sections across this face were the best bits there was, neat wee gnarl swooping through forest, into a few wee creek crossings, so well made.  One or two of the climbs out of some of the creeks along here i missed, but cleaned all the creeks themselves.  Just before the detour to the log drop jump I reeled in Keith, and immediately before the 'rock-gap' we caught the others lounging, waiting.

From here, tight trail up to the rock gap which most of our handlebars failed to negotiate, and then a sweet chute down to a sheep/cattle-stop then it was out across open lands, weaving in and out of the boneyards of past forest, and across a long slope the raised trail where they've lain logs together and filled the gaps with trail material.  a couple of places the trail material has eroded out, making you ride on the log itself.  Along here Steve had an off.  Nelson and me caught Marie not long after this and we all hung a right, down to a gate, then down to the first crossing of Gold Creek.  Along a whiles and another crossing and then the nice climb on chipped marble/quartz gravel, now stained brown where forest tannin water runs over it, up through a goblin forest, a fun descent then out into the open again for more swoopy descending across and into another forest section with a small climb then blast out and back to the car park.  Found Alistair and Nico here again, and the others all rolled in in dribs and drabs and we all settled for some snackage with the robins.

Clambered off up to Rameka turn off again, another quick regroup, camera transferred from Warren's to Nelson's bike, and I led off with Nelson tight on my tail.  Pushing hard, this trail section is actually quite hard work.  There's not a lot of downwardsness to it, it sticking with the 800m contour for the first couple of kms, then only losing the next 100m over the next couple, so you're really pumping it to keep any interesting speed on.  Conditions were awesome, very little moisture about.  Some of the creek crossings have tricky exits, making for dabbage and occasional dismounting.  Wended our way through the forest, pushing, ever pushing.  Finally, you turn that right hander down to the left hander hairpin and the real descending begins, crossing the 700 contour you're propelled into a techy rocky fun time.  I actually just about dropped Nelson through here, then you're through the Dozer zone, peeling left into the really tight twisty section, across to the otherside of the Dozer trail and back out for the final clay rutsville corner before heading out in the open gorse country and blazing through some erosion features and finally down to an intersection of trails.  We waited here for a while, and then a bit longer, then the others turned up (apparently having regrouped just up the trail a smidge...)

Next section is a blast hurtling down into a gully then climbing that rocky ledge, of which i dabbed the smallest bit i've ever dabbed through here, then rocky rocky and back into a wee bit of bush descent down to top of Pack Track.  Another regroup and speed set in.  This is possibly the best of all trails, near the top of my list.  The speed, the flow, the ease of which it comes at you.  Some insane piles of rocks getting thrown at your frame by your tires, the Tomo - we paused and dropped a rock down it... - then a couple of big bermy wall ridey things and then across the road and whoooah, my rear tire is feeling all washy, gotta take it easy, slowing up those on my tail through the jumpy swoopy bermy end before the road.  Another regroup and tube replaced.

Into Great Expectations and the grin-factor is just dripping.  Flying down here, careful on the off camber outside edge corners but railing the right handers.  Into the forest across and around and oh my that IS a long way down (still to descend!) and back into the forest and back and forth and in and out of the edge of the forest and then out into the regenerating bush and absolutely flying.  Super careful not to lose front wheels off bridges and scrubbing off speed for some of the corners.  Somewhere up here Pete got onto my tail and i was having trouble shaking him, and finally, down to the creek crossing and sploosh through, dropped my back wheel into a hole and stopped...  clamber clamber out and Nelson comes barrelling through cleaning it.  Then Pete, small dab, but mostly cleaning it.  I think everyone else walked it.

2 Klicks next.  The fun continued.  I led Nelson through the Do section, Pete and Alistair took the Die.  I think i like the Do, you stay higher and there's cool features near the end, whereas the Die (i rode a couple years back) you drop straight in then you're grovelling along he bottom.  Then into the river bed section, pinging across the tops of the rocks and out up to the road.  Regroup.  Blast.  into 1 Klick.  Again, lots of fun. cool jumps, not game for the first even tho it had a ramp on the back side of it - next time.  Awesome tight blast down through here, more riverbeddy type stuff, and then eventually a couple of interludes on the road and back into singletrack and finally out and down gravel, seal, mainroad, back to Takaka.

Drove to Nelson.

Total drive train replacement for me in this afternoon.  Chain, cluster, front (36t) ring.  One of the chainring bolts was made of cheese, so i had to use a ziptie to hold the retainer in place.  

Top of the South, Day 1. Kaiteriteri

The Stalkers assembled at Owen Posse park in Woodend early on Friday 18th and proceeded to drive, pretty much in convoy, to Marahau, stopping en route a couple few times and arriving there at 2pm ish.  Shit was organised and we all drove round to Kaiteriteri, where Steve, our resident regular, led the way.  PFMTBC members were by vehicle: Nelson, Pete and me; Andy, Tony and Wayne; Steve, Warren and Robin; Marie and Mark; and Alistair and Nico.  Tagalongers from Nelson were Norm, Keith and someone else who's name i didnt catch...  We rode round stuff like Sidewinder and Swamp Monster, then down Shady Lady, and Revelation, then up Ziggy and Corkscrew.  the latter two new to me and most enjoyable -  Corkscrew in particular, in both directions, but especially down.  On the way down Steve insisted we shoot down Dive which was also fun.  Then it was briefly up Big Airs and then across on Skullduggery, which was cool but a little too climby...  Great to check out new trails in there and what a place to play.  Bombed down Bay View and into Tank and around and back to base for well earned beers and bbq.  Nom nom.

AND!  swtchbckr's 600th Post!  Happy century-post swtchy!

2's-dee Ebening last before trip

Quick get together for a few riders last night, namely Nelson, Steve, Robin, Andy and Tones.   Nelson collected me and we met the others up Upper Major Hornbroke, whereupon into the bitter easterly we rode up the singletrackage.  I wheeeeezed all the way up - legs still rather tired from Sunday's mission; Nelson powered off ahead on his hardtail; while the others all made their own time, seemingly chuffing a lot less than me.  Round the top, the rocks in long grass proving interesting and Nelson putting the pressure on some guy who'd ducked in ahead of us, making him make mistakes.  Regrouped on the road then rolllled down to Cavendish Saddle and knuckled in for the grind up Mt Pleasant.  Again, wheeezing my way up and around, Andrew staying pretty close on my tail, and another regroup up top top.

Into the descent, and I felt good.  One near miss in the top section's rocks, but kept it rolling and then over the stile and my flow was ON.  First time I feel like I've ever really 'gotten' this track smoothly.  In the past there's always been pauses and baulks and fart-arounds, but last night it just cruised.  Swoopy swoopy and blasted the lower half, only wanting to turn right on a left-hander once and skidding back into control as a result.  Most of us regrouped at the bottom near the gun-emplacement turn-off and waited for Robin to appear.  And waited.  And waited some more.  Finally Nelson headed up the track towards him and the rest of us waited a good long while before he finally appeared like a rocketship over the brow followed by Robin, - his back wheel had fallen out resulting in a bent derailleur hanger and gears not shifting right.  Nelson had helped him put it together and get rolling again.

Next up was down here and into the top of Greenwood.  Totally not used to riding it this way, enjoyed it but felt the pressure on from Nelson (til he missed a rocky corner) then again further towards the top.  Lastly, up the road, everybody keeping a good pace on then into Britten descent.  Again, felt totally on my game, flowing and rolling and swooping my way to the bottom.  Feeling pretty good for the trip come Friday.

After, we all met, including Pete, Alistair, Wayne, Warren and Marie, at Cassells for a couple beers and discussion of trip plans...  early Friday - to Nelson!

Sunday Three Peaks on the way home from the bach

Missed last weekend due to T being away and the rest of us being at the bach helping my Dad with stuff.  Then most of week away and then over to bach again Thursday night for the last weekend of the holidays.  So, packed up and left the bach and i got out at Pettigrews Rd, hitting the trail at 3pm.  First ride for my new shoes, some Shimano's...

Made reasonable time up through Whatarangi and on up Sinclair, walking a bit before peaking out 45mins in, descent beginning, and up here i plugged my music in.  Fair bit of wind around in places, seemingly every time i descended.  Whereas all the climby bits earlier on were calm as.  Good progress up the back of Fitzgerald, with a good walk up the grovelly bit, then up onto the ridge an a surprising section of granny climb.  Stopped for a bit of a snack up top here then tucked into the massive downhill, bombing it down to the gate then through the tricky section and then bombed down to the next saddle.  Someone's been playing with a Komatsu D31 up here, and a new track has been carved in for the next climb.  i rode some of it, and some of the original singletrack, and then some of the new up.  Another stile, number umpteen, across the graveyard tops, another stile, then down the blast, into the wind, to Waipuna Saddle.  over another stile, upwards, another stile, and on walking up up up til riding again, and the blasty descent down to Port Levy Saddle.

Climbed on out, seeing for the first time other bike tire tracks, two i think, not that old - likely this weekend.  Decided later that they were travelling the other direction to me, because on the steep back of Herbert when i was walking they seemed to be ridden not walked.  Grovelly climb up to Kaituna Reserve, then awesome downhill down and across into the start of the nearly final climb, which i managed to ride heaps of til Monument Track peels off to the right.  I started along it, but then realised it would be a big effort, and i might as well just climb up the back like usual, so, pushed up to the ridge and hooked onto the steep bastard.  Carried the bike some, wheeled it on the back wheel ahead of me, and pushed it, a bunch.  Wind quite strong all the way up here.  Met a bit of snow up here, just shady patches.  Body starting to get pretty tired.  Mandarin here, and donned my orange G.Effect top too.

Down the ridgeline between sub-Herbert (913) and Herbert was a fun descent, popping off the drops.  Once the climb hit i slowed right up and walked a bunch more.  Rode a bit, missed the walkway and clambered across to it and on up to the top of Herbert finally (919).  Bunch of txts flooded in, including Tracey wanting a progress report.  18.21 i replied i should make the 7 oclock sailing.  And off i headed down.  Nearly over the bars up here, and a big old hunka snow right in the middle of the trail, north facing(!) too, making everything wet-as below it.  Steep singletrack led me to the slightly less steep 4wd track down.  More stiles, steep, fast descent, dropping hundreds of metres in minutes.  Lambs galore down here and lower.  Finally down into the wee valley and climbing another stile my hamstring cramped something wicked.  Yow!!! had to drop the bike and streetttttch.  Managed to continue, seemingly running out of time.  it was gonna be close.  More stiles, and more wet bits, splatting me up a bunch - something i'd avoided all the way til here, and tonnes more lambs...  Fiiinally, over the very last stile and there's the sign...  Track Closed for Lambing, til Oct 16th...  oooops, only 3 days out. oh well.  Kinda no wonder i saw not a single other person my entire travels.

Across the road, and having to hurry now, couple steps, stile, then down, creek higher than i'd ever seen it before,  flowy singletrack with a few interesting techy bits, and yay at last the road!  Stood and climbed and had pain and had to sit, no, had to stretch, and tried to stand and ride again, but no, had to stretch again, but only 5 minutes left, had to push on through til the descent, blasting past where the pub used to be and down the zigzag road to the wharf and the Ferry was 100m out, on its way in.  Phew...  Pretty hot and bothered by this stage cos twas way warmer at sea level than at 900m, so stood in the breeze all the way across.

Rode off the ferry, and up towards the tunnel, parking myself in time for T and the boys to pick me up.  So.  a 4 hour trip this time.  I'm getting slow.

Thursday evening no skool like the Old Skool

riding the BFe to work, was having issues with my front bearings, so, was wondering whether i'd get to ride or not, but Nelson picked me up on Selwyn St and we made our way to Bowenvale Ave, parking up the end.  He had his hardtail on account of not having replaced his rear derailleur yet (it's ordered...).  Seemed to sort out the bearings, not really by doing anything, and we headed on up the valley.  Stuck to the valley floor track, up to Hidden Valley track, blowing the creek crossing, but pretty much getting the rest of it.  I was surprised how good i did considering how crapola i'd felt all day on account of a certain visitor last night and beer and 4 different singlemalts.  pure seed.

got a bit of air into the lungs on the climb and then onwards around the Old Skool, barrelling down, me leading.  Seemed to ping about a bit, but held a pretty good speed most of the way.  Lower down, in the lower switchbacks we met Craig on his classic fluoro rigid 1988-9 Marin, who'd been been in touch and we expected.  He turned around and continued back down with us, and then we all headed up valley for round number 2.  Repeated, the same, climb climb, Craig nattering away, which is good for keeping him at our speed.  Top of Hidden we chatted a fair bit to a dude who rode through for his first ever time, then metres later we rode past him making a repair, and then half way down, Nelson got a flat, which him and Craig worked together to fix in no time, chatting to the dude again as he stopped on his way down, and then we put chase to him and i reeled him in a little.  While waiting for them to fix the tire, i was sure a rider below us was Steve, and it turns out it was!  At the bottom again, we decided we had enough daylight for another run, so back up the valley, meeting tonnes of DHers coming down way too fast.  Back up the grindy Hidden Valley trail, and back round and back down, and out back to the car by 7.30.  so, three laps in all of approximately 140m altitude, just like climbing to the top of Mt Vernon and back.

And to top it all off, here we are a week after Daylight Savings, checking back, the last time we rode Old Skool was the week before Daylight Savings, meaning we've had the whole winter off it.