Sunday Bottlo

O, Jet and me went to Bottle Lake where the boys rode this morning. I had the Spot for a change.  We went in and to the left, then right, and through the middle to the pond, then on through past the rubble and then across 'muddy' road, and back towards base, all through all the bumpy new stuff...  the Spot sure soaked that up, compared to what i'm used to in there usually, but O sure felt the bumps...  Nice short cruise with him and Jet.  Jet was happpppy.  and is tired now, after yesterday's hill ride and today.

Saturday afternoon Worsle Jet Lappages

Jet and me left home about 2, with a few errands on the way, and got up top of Worsley Rd some time before 3.  Was 3 oclock and I was half way up the first steep section of the guts internal forest track, grovelling a bit, and decided to try out the old favourite off to the left here to see what's up with it now.  Well, it rolls down like it did, swoop swoop, then over that droppy whoop, then where it used to head over a few jumps through a wee dip and then peel left steep?  No more...  instead, it just rockets down and rolls out onto the climbing track above the tank and just before the last corner before the junction...  back up here and on up the guts track again, this time catching some dudes on flash bikes walking, riding right on by cos there was no way i could stop now.  Jet cruising up and back as usual.  On up all the way, grinding away, up up up to the cliff top then on up the original, all the way to the very top, then on up the further up track, slightly greasy in here from yesterday's rain, and at the top of Debbie i stopped, breathed, then got going down on her.  corner corner corner jumpy jumpy drop down avoid the wetspots round past the clearing and back into the forest and under the douglas firs it was slick as and pitch dark...  stopped and got the sunnies off here, then took the climb out track off here and back up onto the original B-line then down to the clifftop and into Waynes World, peeling round this and part way down spotted a trail off to the right, followed it, spotted another really steep down one and took this, what a ride...  down down down, where the hell am i?  yikes, cant jump that.  step over it and keep rolling and ahh, here, right, entering fight club at the wallridey treeroot boll and on down this to the end.  loving the bits i knew well.

Climb out, back up the guts, this time maybe actually it was this time i passed the riders??  onwards up to the cliff top this time and this time into the original to the right of Waynesworld, down here then onto lower Wayne World and into top of Fight club and bombing it, but feeling slight off balance and trying to tip off the trail all the time.  got the better of that and kept flying down past where i'd come in before then on about the 3rd to last corner near the bottom there's a new fall line track off to the left straight line down to the road.  took it, and it reminded me of sections of lower Dave's track, but then the last drop to the road just looked tooooo steep, so i stepped off, and pushed back up to the Fight and finished if off.  Watching some young'uns do Nick's jump, one, two, three, four...  nice.  Climbed up past these guys and then up the guts again, but this time to the higher off the two trails off to the left, just before the pylon gap, and again, this time on the way up was catching up to a walking couple.  off to the left.  swoopy swoopy as before, had ridden this a while back, but it's exit is different now on account of the treefalls.  so, it get steeper and then there's this massively steep bit with some rocks at the top and i just wasnt game, so walked down it, then rode the rest out and came in behind the young'un jumpers, following them up to the Junction, where i peeled right and out, flowing down through the lower road while Jet took the higher road and we met above the watertank and bombed it out back to the car.  Nice hour and a half in the forest again...

Thursday evening steeeep Worsley Laps

Chucked the Spot on the back of the Fiat and Jet in the car and we headed for top of Worsleys Rd, parking up dead on 6pm.  Carpark was full, and people were even parking further down the road.  Figured it was gonna be busy in there.  Ahead of me were a couple of guys, and beyond them a couple more.  As we got up to the 'guts' track the closest two ahead went in there, while I continued up the main Worsley track.  Rough as guts as usual, precariously perching the way up on the ridges.  Had to get off in the washed out rocky bit above the 'rest corner', then rode for a while, meeting an XC 29er dude on his way down.  Then cleaned pretty much everything else except maybe a couple of wee gulchy spots.

Couple of women talking at the top and I rolled on through and up to the top of B-Line...  Arriving at the same time was the two dudes that had gone into the forest ahead of me earlier...  One was on a Turner Burner "Nice bike..."  Chatted with them for a minute then they headed down and I headed up.  All the way up to the top and into the right hand that we called "Hang Loose" in the past.  Awesome roll and flow down this, warming up and getting the hang of it again - been a while (since Jan, in fact).  Changed a bit since then, cos of the trees blown out.  Half way down there's a sign post "Yoda -->".  I stopped and walked down it to check out.  Nick had told me about this one, and I could see it was not something for us...  Near vertical rocks just over the crest, down down down it went...  Walked back up to my bike and headed on down Hangloose.  Great run, steeeep but manageable.  Finally out the bottom and I spotted the gap jump that Nick had told me about at work.  NUTS.

Up the access exit track, passing some young folk fixing a chain half way up, and spotted that our old favourite that exited onto this track is no more- trees all over it, but there's others that come out of there...  Then headed up the guts track.  Grinding away in low, sweating up a storm, huffing and chuffing away...  Jet just loping along ahead, happy as anything, sniffing his way around.  Spotted a couple of new trail entrances off to the left (leading to the exits I'd spotted below) but continued on up all the way up the guts to the clifftop, where three guys set off ahead of me, then on upwards all the way to the top, meeting another group on the way, the three guys again, and then three more coming down from the top.  Headed on up the trail towards Tommys2 and Hangloose, but this time stopped at the top of Debbie's lead in, and had a wee rest, txt exchange with Pete, then headed in.

Debbie's lead in, swoopy swoopy, wend wend back and forth then dropping through and over and avoid that mucky bit then through the clearing and over the tree root and down across the off camber and through the rock ruins, and into the dark dark fir forest that was the original Debbie Does Dallas.  Hung a left onto the groms climbing trail and rode this up, zig and zag, then through the rocky clearing and then descending down over the fence, then climbing gently across to my earlier climbing track.  Swooped down this a bit, then cut across to Tommy's track and BOMBED down this.  Swooping and railing berms and catching air and riding better than for ages.  Finished this off and headed across to Fight Club.  Had an absolute blast down this, pumping and squirrelling and amping.  Finally out the bottom and climbed quite happily up the exit track, feeling better than I had on my first two climbs of the night.

At the Junction I headed across the Worsley main drag and through the fence across to the jumpy track in the trees here.  Jumped one or two of the jumps, avoided the bigger ones, and rolled on down to the bottom, then onto the exit roll, faster and faster and faster through the open, broom whipping my hands on the way, finally getting back to the car park at 7.30.  Very happy Jet in accompaniment.

Tuesday night, rambling Pleasant

Biked to Pete's for a lift, no sign of him, so txted and something had come up so headed home, jumped in the car and headed for the Upper Major Hornbrook, txting Steve who was out too, thinking i'd be late for the 6.22 meeting time, but ended up arriving at 6.15, finding Wazzzaaaah parked up on his bike, nicely warmed up from his climb.  Then Robin, Wayne, and Andy and Tony in their three respective vehicles arrived.  We headed up Britten, opening up the lungs and draining the legs nice and quickly.  Then around the top singletrack, pinging from hidden rock to hidden rock under the tussocks, and onto the road.

Down the road and into the climb from Cavendish.  Clamber, clamber, not feeling too bad, and the top turned up sooner than I expected.  Big regroup at the top, then into the descent.  Fun fun fun.  First rocky sections were good, seemed to be gliding over them, then into the tussocks, swooping from bend to bend, total groove and flow, until i missed a corner...  got back on track and swooped and flowed the rest of the way down at sweet sweet speed.

Regrouped above the ruins, and then headed on down.  Once again, the boniness of the upper half just glided under my riding, the lovely DW link doing it's thing, and my old hardtail skillz kicking in to add to the flow.  SweeeeeeT!  A few scratchy corners, but no loss of traction - well, nothing scary.  Flowed and pumped around to the 'gulch and pedaled through the humpy bits and then paused and hung for a regroup.  Back into the descent, picked up heaps of speed on the rocky start then flew through all the swoopy corners, catching air on the humps and screaming at the sheep to get out of the way.  Scratchy drifts around into Dave's section, hooning down this and around the bends, finding air off things i'd never seen before.  Was a great run.  Then into the bit that's been so grovelly over winter, pumping through this, around into the wee valley.  I paused just after this til the others appeared around the hillside, then I got going and popped air off each and ever launching pad, flying down and round into the first rocky up, totally mis-geared it and paused, foot onto a rock, push, and rolled onwards.  Into the next up and swoopy swoopy down to the end.

Then we cruised up the road, slowly gapping Robin, but at the big pines we all dropped into granny and rolled nice and slow til he caught us up, then it was onwards up round the bends and into Britten, still enough light to see by.  Again.  I had a total blast on this descent.  Flying down the trail, nearly losing it a couple times in the narrow rutted trail (in places), but maintained composure and flew down to the end.  Over the fence, and said our good byes and it was 8pm as I drove down the hill.

Sunday solo lap of Forsyth, forsooth

Bit of rain overnight so trails were gonna be mucky, as would Blowhard etc, so went for something different.  Watched the weather radar all morning, and around 12 there was a big lump heading for the peninsula, so timed it right to let it pass through and drove, parked at Birdlings Flat around 1.30pm and headed on bike, for a start, across the gravel beach to the lake mouth, to check that it was able to be crossed.  About a hundred metres I had to walk, the rest was sort of firm enough to ride.  The 'road' was open, so I headed back, passed the car 1.40ish and rode an excellent southerly tail wind to the rail trail, and on up the lake.  The odd cloud of midges once I was next to the lake, and a bastard magpie got me twice on the helmet.  Little shit.  Gave me a fright both times, but didn't make me wobble.  Otherwise a pretty uneventful trip along the lake trail, pumping hard the whole way.  Only met one couple coming towards me.

Avoided Little River altogether, turning right onto Kinloch Rd, past Okuti Valley and on upwards.  Years ago when I last drove this road, it was gravel the whole way.  Now it's sealed the whole way, which was a pleasant surprise, cos it's a long steep road, and gravel would have made it that much more exhausting.  2pm when I started the climb, and I ground away in 1st 2nd and 3rd most of the way.  Occasionally standing in a taller gear for a stretch.  Pretty much an hour from bottom to top... whoo-wee.  600 m altitude in only about 5 kms.  All very scenic. 

So, around 3, I'm up on the top of the road, spectacular views, and a bit of a southerly blasting across the saddles.  Slight descent to Te Oka Valley Rd, then a last wee pinch to the top before a non stop rolling descent through all the altitude over about 8 kms back to the Forsyth mouth, across the gravel, and back at the car about 3.20.  Nice.  Hopefully a good fitness ride.

Thursday's Pleasant Jaunt.

Good ride tonight with lots of ups and downs.  Pick up outside work then trafficking to Sumner, couple short stops on the way, and up to Evans Pass wherefore to park.  Pretty much dead on 6 as we treadled our ways up the road (me stopping for a ventolin blast cos I knew I'd be wheezing up a storm within minutes) and into the cloud, moody scenes or total engulfment from about Jollies Bush Reserve on up.  Wet road from cloud drip under the pines, and then from every other tree we met, especially later on Britten Reserve and up also Broadleaf.  Anyway, up round the road and onto the Britten singletrack all the way, stopping for a couple of unsuccessful shots of the sunset over the Alps beyond Sugarloaf through swirling cloud.  Onto the road and down through the cutting, then a change of mind, turning around, back along the road and up Broadleaf, wherein my breathing got the better of my legs.  Up the gravel and we hung a right onto the singletrack, lights on, cloud ripping across the top here, but dissipating soon beyond.  Off down the trail, balance wonky and a few tussocks blocking the view, possibly related.  Good bomb, though, down the last bit, me tight on Nelson's tail, watching as he briefly left the trail before the tweaky corner.

Over the stile and down then into the climb for the Gondola building.  I was gasping within seconds, dabbed off, got restarted and managed to clamber up the rest, with each hairpin becoming progressively easier.  Peaked out, rolled around and back to the shelter of some flaxes where we had some kai.  Then into the descent, wind tearing across the slope, blasting every second hairpin as we battled our way down.  Through the saddle and up the walking track entrance to the climb, steeep into steep, over the stile and on up steeply (for me) grinding away as Nelson gapped ahead.  I reeled him in briefly but then over the top and up to the gate he dropped me again.  Regroup at the top of Pleasant and then off down, quite dark now and cloud all lifted away.  A blast of wind grappled with Nelson's bike as he went over the stepladder fence crossing before we blazed on down, me tight on his tail watching his rear tire pinging off every second rock.  Into the tussocks and the trail flowed better than ever before.  Down to Greenwood and on at it, good pace all the way, sheepshit starting to impinge on the track, and ewes and their lambs getting out of our way through the ruins.

Great run down Greenwood, upper rocky sections are pretty bony now, but the whole run around the hill before Gloomy Gulch was tail wind flight mode.  Very nice.  Through gloomy and clamber clamber to a rest near the regular rest spot, stretching of the back and relaxing of the forearms.  From here down was sweet.  Roosted and boosted, down then round and back and forth and round some more, into the gully and down for the final run, through the two rocky ups cleaning both very well, and swooping down the last to the stile.  Back a bit sore at the bottom, but not as bad as the old days.

Down the road and into Godley, Nelson in the lead. I gasped my way up the start and then watched as he cleaned the rocky climb.  So, into the right gear and I knuckled in, took a line I'd never meandered onto before and cleaned it through.  Onwards and half way between that feature and the next tricky bit had to stop for a breather, lungs running at full bore.  Got my breath and cleaned the rest of it out, gasping still.  The rest of the early rock sections were hard work but fun and once again Nelson gapped me on the climb  Rode all the way round to the 'airstrip' then turned back, tail wind and mostly downhill, for an awesome blast back to Evans Pass.  Superb run, 5.Spot eating up the rocks, and on the gnarly rocky section towards the end I took the line we climb on for a change, which certain was different.  Back to the car about 8 where Nelson realised he'd locked all his keys inside!  Wandered around and both eventually found some wire, all to no avail.  Some helpful other bikers, a couple, rolled through, no help tho, but suggested AA. Call made, "$195 to join." No thanks...  bit more google searching and a call made to 0800LOCKEDOUT and he turned up about 9, and had us in the car within a minute.  Money for jam.

Delicious Taj for dinner consumed at mine.

Sunday Solo Jet Loop

Nice wee ride this morning.  After yesterday's rain I was a bit wary of what kinda condition the tracks would be in.  Hard to know whether the forest would have been soaked or whether the trees would have held on to the moisture, and, similarly, the open hillsides, how much would have soaked up??  So, decided on something possibly a little foolish, parked up Bowenvale Ave, 10.30ish, and headed up the Old Skool track.  Greasy in places, evidence of one descender before my ascent.  No stock around, so Jet was running free, having a jolly time.  I climbed, and walked greasy bits, and climbed, and my bike creaked, and ticked, and I've got some sorting of that to do...  I half died on the 4wd switchbacky section, walking lots, and riding a fair bit too.  Quite a few rests.  Then, up top of Huntsbury and across to the start of the Traverse, reining Jet in for a horse, briefly, on the way.

Onto the Traverse, a few wet spots, but nothing serious.  Good roll through here, Jet in behind most of the way.  He struggles on the 'cattle stops' and so at each one I had to stop and guide him through the fence adjacent to them. Top of Vic and I still had heaps of time to kill before my 1pm pick up of O, so, headed down Thompson and Thomson, heeling Jet tight across the Dyers Pass, and up, then onto the Old Dyers track, bombing this down, rocketship quick flowing and floating down and around and through below the road, til the rougher bit, still enjoying, then carefully picked my way through the mucky stuff, and then caught a guy as we entered the clay pylon track section, cruising ahead and round and up through all the greasy shit before the road. Unbelievably, it was 18 months since I'd last ridden this!

Crossed carefully here and clambered on up into Vic and up past the 19th Battalion and into the wee singletrack around to the skidder site.  Bit of a rest here, and some dude, Martin, started talking to me.  Then we headed down Spazza's through to Brent's and had a fright in here of a tree down I'd not encountered before, then a squirrelly moment on some slippery roots just before the bottom exit.  Into Bridges, catching up to someone, he let me past, then onwards after his (faster) mate, catching him once we got into Flow, in the trees.  Awesome we jaunt down through here, whooping all the whoopdedoos and enjoying the slightly-washed-out aspects lower down.  Bomb down the 4wd track to the HiddenValley Link and up here.  gasping on the second hairpin, little rest, then onwards up, cleaning the whole climb out to the fence where Jet really struggled to get over.

Finally, onto the Old Skool again for the descent.  an hour's more drying on it, and it was sweet for descending.  the grease only really an issue when climbing.  Good blast down here, first time ever on this track on the Spot.  Taking it a little carefully on some corners with regards to grease, and ending up at the bottom with a fair bit of clay in the tires, which proceeded to fling off as we raced for the finish.  Back into the car a little before 12.30

Wednesday Worsleying

Another week another ride.  Rode from work to Nelson's and we negotiated traffic to Worsleys Rd.  Parked on the flat alongside the poplars, changed, and rode off up the hill, taking the off road track for the main brunt of the climb.  Tricky, hitting the hill, and then bumpy off road trail from cold.  Had me wheezing and gasping, and dabbing a couple times.  Back on the seal and onwards to the top.  Then straight into the dirt track climb.  Decided on staying on the old skool, riding the usual ridges and ruts all the way.  At the 'rest' corner we checked out a wee track appearing at the fence, walking briefly up it, and then a dude on an old specialized showed up.  Asked him where it peeled off but his description could have been anywhere.

Onwards up the rocky section, with varying degrees of success.  Sure is a mess in here these days.  Lots of bits further up where it's pretty tricky.  Finally made the bottom of the Body Bag and up the access track for a well earned rest.  All of this to here was done without lights.  Quick snack, and we decided to head down and find that new bit of track.  Lights on, headed down Tommy's all the while looking for the new track on the left.  Quite a ways down we figured we'd missed it further back, but then chose a left hand line (that wasn't at all familiar) and it turned out this was it.  Not particularly long, but fun.  Over the fence and back into the climb for the second time.  Cleaned more, but dabbed other bits this time, and thankfully made the top of the access track eventually.

From here we headed up the access to Tommy's2 and about half way took the left into the lead-in to Debbie Does Dallas.  Fanged it down here popping and rolling through past the cool old stone ruins, then into the descending Debbie trail, which, due to tree falls, now peels a hard right and leads down and across a cool wee bridge then upwards briefly, and into a whole new section which is across below Tommys2 (but we couldn't see that from it).  Into a sequence of madcore steep bits, a couple of which we walked, and this really cool volcanic dyke rock formation - total wall of rock.  More steep stuff and a couple more groovy raw wood bridges (North Shore style of build, but short) then eventually into the very bottom of Tommy's2, out this and into the climb back up around.  Nice and dry now, but still slightly soft in places.

At the junction at the top we headed back up the guts track, grannying away, my legs starting to get weaker, all the way up to the cliff top.  Into the original 'b'line down from here and then connecting onto Waynes World where it crosses and then off down a new line to the right that showed promise but then turned out to be a total waste of trail by hooking into Fight Club - ripping us off by missing heaps of it.  So we walked back up this dumb shortcut and got back into Wayne's and then proceeded on into Fight Club, wafting, floating and launching our way down this, loving every minute of it.  Great run bookin' down all of it, including all the lower off camber stuff, and back out onto the climbing return track.This time climbing I was very slow, grinding away, getting especially sucky in the softer stuff, while Nelson jetted off ahead.

Down the exit routes - more sweet sweet rollin', and then down the road, flying, flying and flying, before pulling off to access the Farside track, only to discover three options now.  One, to the right, called Utopia which appears to stay above the forest, swooping back and forth in the broom and grass (beside the gorsey track we'd ridden up next to the road), and another one, Short Lucy or something, in the middle, which we didn't see where that went or came out.  And Farside, which has had a bit more work done.  Was fun and swoopy, and excellent in the dry, and there's an alternative line lower down that peels off and runs parallel all the way to the end (which we didn't try but may next time - it looked a bit easier)...  Out the bottom of Farside, big smiles on our dials.  Awesome wee trail.  Finally, flew down the road into the cold air of the valley bottom and back to the car, about 8, on the way grabbing Nasi Gorengs and beers upon which to feast at my place.

Mid Week Captain God and the Conda

Nelson picked me up across from work and we got our way into the fog (near Steve's) and out to Sumner.  Parked up by the beach and hit the road about 6.10pm  Through the fog up Wakefield and into Sumnervale and Cascade to enter the park.  Fog starting to thin, but not quite til we were on the Captain Thomas proper.  Cleaned everything from the start, out of the fog and then up the switchbacks, cleaning all of them for, I think, the first time.  A good wind was pushing down the valley and as we watched was pushing and churning the fog into retreat.  On up and lights on just as we hit the first wee rocky descent, around the corner and up the two unrideables.  A couple of lambs got in front of us here and ran ahead of us for a while.  The further we got with them the more concerned we became that we were taking them from their mum(s), so we stopped, and Nelson headed below the track.  They continued on up while he got juust ahead of them, caught one, really making it bleat, before they both took off up the hill to some baa-ing mums (theirs?).  Rest of the journey up was uneventful.  Dumb gate then climbed out to the road, feeling pretty good with a tail wind on the last stretch, and our breaths wafting away ahead of us like little self made clouds. 

Nelson let me lead the pretty much the whole way tonight, which was great.  I reckon his glycogen reserves were a bit down from him riding with the rest of the boys last night.  Anywho.  I let him take the first crack at the beginning bugger of Godley, which he duly cleaned.  I followed, and also cleaned it!  Yippee, first time in quite a while (since Feb).  Then he went on and I followed up the next section, but then I took the lead for the rest of the ride til the climb out of Taylors.  Kept him at my pace which was good.  One dab up the next lot of rocks, and the rest was a great climb, good pace, good times, tail wind cruising.  So nice in the dry.  Around through the fence, back into the wind for a bit over the wooden bits, through the still-a-bit-boggy bit, then the Teddington Shit, hardly any stones left in it, and round onto the new gravel, tail wind again, bombing on down, suspension doing it's thing soaking up everything the descent to Livingston Col gives us.

Short break just past the fence humpy cattlestop thing, and then into the climb up and over, bombing around to Breeze Col, a rut half way across the slope above the PFMTBC Rock giving us both gyp.  Out to Breeze and onto the cool little climbing track above the road, good pace, up and round.  Don't think many people are riding it, certainly doesn't look it.  From it's end, we continued across the slope and spotted the stile to the Breeze Col track.  Hadn't done this for a while (May last year) and it was greasy as anything on the dew covered sheltered rocks, but where there was a breeze the rocks were okay.  The slippery bits were sketchy as, with that drop precipitously below.  It was a longer descent than I'd remembered.  Then it was over the stile and across and pretty much straight into Ana the Conda.

And the Conda, was, sweet.  Nice mellow cruising start, gradually picking up speed.  The top sections all opened up a bit, better drainage installed, and a bit of berming.  Rolled quick down and round and had a great run.  Nelson thought pretty damned quick.  I felt like we weren't quite letting it all hang out, but certainly was close the the ragged edge a couple of times.  Remembered the crappy corner well before I hit it and had scrubbed enough speed for it.  The 'tail was sweet too, just as rocky as usual, but the earlier bits had been tidied, like that (usually) boggy bit before you go through the fence.  Fast bomb to the end and into the climb.

Grind grind grind, I managed to stay on Nelson's tail most of the way, til the last few corners, but he didn't totally drop me.  Then I led down into Nicholson Park, and we reminisced the old descent, before dropping into Flowers Track riding some steps, taking a droppy shortcut here, walking some steps, and riding then finding an exit track that snuck across the slope between numerous houses and eventually spat us out onto Whitewash Head Rd, down that and then along the waterfront back to the car dead on 8pm.  Excellence.

Sunday arvo cRapaki Shorty

O, for a Pride in Achievement award at school, had decided he was gonna make the top of Rapaki, so, took him across there today, and we toodled on up.  Was very good for him, nice and cruisy for me, in a nice low gear just plodding up, admiring the views all the way.  Incredibly busy, hoards of people all over it.  Quite surprising.  Hell of an easterly blasting away the whole way, but that kept us cool.  Probably took an hour, he stopped for wee rests a lot, but, got the top, and off down we went, him skidding and drifting-out the whole way down, loving it.  Well done that boy.

Friday Night Wharfdale clearing

Left work early and managed to get to Nelson's close to 4.20-30pm.  We loaded his car and hooned around through Oxford and Woodstock Rd and then up through the fords and gates to an empty carpark (no surprise there).  No idea what time we got there, maybe 5ish?  Off up the track, Spot climbing well, and Jet running off ahead and waiting and running ahead, veeerryy happy.  Trail quite wet in places but I was feeling good, but Nelson's heart rate was all up the wazoo on account of having imbibed a RedBull on the way to the trailhead.  Got to the gate and the first descent, bomb bomb bomb, yikes, skiiiid, stopping as my handlebar hit Nelson's ass.  A big tree across the track.  Out with the Pocket Chainsaw, manning a handle each, cut through the quite rotten log, wearing out our arms in the meantime, jumped on it a bit and got through it, and moved it off.  One down, how many to go??  Got riding again, and just around the corner the climbing began again.

Climby climby climb, in and out and round and round over the bridges, feeling pretty good.  Nelson's heart rate still out of whack.  Jet loving every sniff.  On a windthrown ridge we got to our next project.  A bit of a mess of branches and trunks, many snapped off and in-your-eye spiky.  Out with the saw and many branches cut and moved and a clear way through except for one large log, easily stepped over.  Jet was wondering what the hell we were up to, "come ON, guys!"  Onwards again, and lots of nice swoopy descending, trail in perfect nick, light starting to get low, especially in the gloomier spots of forest.  Another tree across, more work with the saw and cleared, and now it was time for lights.  Another smaller (but wedged) tree, another one cleared.

Up the rocky outcrop, largely unrideable down to the creek that follows, and the slog up out of that, skirting the slips and back on the bikes, onwards ever onwards.  Another tree cleared, arms and shoulders starting to ache from the sawing. All the creek crossings are a lot more rideable now, there's been a fair bit of work put in in recent times, since all the slips and tree-throw of the last year or two.  Rode on, loving the downhill bits and enjoying the climbs.  Approaching the the switchbacks towards the end, the mudpugs were unavoidable.  I think there was maybe one or two more trees moved before the end.  We were at the saddle about 7pm, moreporks calling.  Pitch dark without the lights.  Surprisingly, I discovered I had cellphone reception, so flicked off a couple texts to home.

Then it was time to head back.  After the mud and the first creek crossing, we picked up speed down towards the first corner, assuming Jet was just behind, but got round that corner and looked back.  No Jet.  Waited, no sign.  Walked back up round the corner, calling, no sign!  Started to freak a bit, called and whistled, and no show!  Oh noes, I thought, I've lost the dog :(.  Then, in the distance, his wee glowing eyes, trotting along down the track.  Dunno what had kept him.  But he trotted onwards.

Rest of the ride out was good, I kept him in sight a bit more carefully, which slowed me down at times I'd have liked to go faster.  Somewhere, there was a tree across the track at about waist height we'd left on the way in, thinking it too hard, but we got sawing and cut nearly all the way through it but then couldnt move it.  Eventually, we pushed over a dead-standing widder-maker nearby and managed to use it to smash through our cut trunk.  Then we levered and bruteforced it off the trail.  Brilliant.  Continued on up to the high windblown point before the swoopy best fun descent began.  Once more I got a bit ahead of Jet and worried we'd lost him again, but he showed and just steadily trotted past and on not waiting for me - I think his wee paws were getting sore from all the sharp rocks. Awesome flow through this section now down to the low.  Final climb to the gate I was slooow and tired, legs spent, and lack of dinner taking it's toll.  Good pace down from the gate, waiting a few times for Jet, before finally getting back to the car, low cloud skudding through that saddle.  Was after 9.30 or so by the time we got to Nelson's place again.  A beer and a feed there, then I wasn't home til after 11.  Drove through some really heavy drizzle at Swannanoa.

Grey Mt Grey Sunday

Missed any rides earlier in the week due to being in Hamilton for work, so was pleased when Miranda was organising something out of town, to which I suggested Mt Grey and got a few takers.  Jet in the car, rack on the back, round the corner and picked her up, and two others, Jon and Andrew were in attendance, travelling in Andrew's car.  We convoyed north through drizzle and nearly rain, then up into cloud shrouded Lake Janet, finding Nelson having just arrived.  A cold southerly blew through here.  On the bikes and climbing, climbing climbing.  I stuck back with Miranda who was cruising nice and easy all the way up.  Eventually we caught Andrew above the Lookout Tower, and then rode together up round to the radio towers, where we found Nelson and Jon taking shelter from the bitterly cold wind, entirely engulfed in, maybe, 50m visibility fog/cloud.

Time for the descent:  I led the way, with Jet, mainly just to get the hell out of the cold wind.  Down the first wee techy descent and onto the singletrack proper where we waited and watched the others appear through the mist.  Now, on down.  Nicely groomed as per my last time, tho very slightly soggy-er, rolling round and in and out round the ridges and through the ruts and over the rocks, realising perhaps this is actually quite tricky for a rooky like M.  But, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?  She was smiling the whole way down, whether through fear or joy, who can tell.  Kinda rode down out of the cloud as we were heading into the forest.  Used all of the new 'shortcuts' through the higher corners, and I made it round some of the corners, or just did the usual dab-plant-flick-roll through others.  We regrouped several times, letting everyone reassemble, but blazed the longer stretches happily, with either me, Nelson, or Jet out front.  Great run through all the good bits.  Jon ended up hangin' forward with Nelson and me, enjoying his new found passion (having only got a proper bike recently), and Andrew and Miranda took up the tail-end charlie role.  Again, regrouping many times to make sure everyone was still alive.

The order of the different sections all seemed different to memory, amazing how that happens.  The muddy section, must be about 2/3rds to 3/4ths down, was muddy as hell, tho maybe a tad drier than my last.  But the lead in to that muddy bit, and the bit after it both were entirely different to what memory held.  Lovely lovely riding tho, all the way through to the end.  We regrouped for a while on the big wooden bridge, before fanging out the bottom section.  Awesome.

Washed off some of the mud in the river then hit the slow climb back to the cars.  Again, I stuck back with Miranda while the other three powered off ahead.  Jet stuck with us.  All the way up, my front wheel was making a weird 'gloop, gloop, gloop' sound - water in the rim...  Hit the road and we were home about 1.30.

Gave the bike a jolly good wash when I got home, and lubed the chain good.

Huntsbury with O.

Then, in the afternoon, O said, "can we go for a ride??"  Not one to pass up my 10 year old son asking to go riding, we hit the road and parked up top of Huntsbury.  Rode up, him climbed well really well, and rolled up to the top of the landing strip, then headed down this, over the fence and onto the singletrack.  Blasting down, through the next gate, and he followed me right over the first jump (impressed!), and then followed me down all the singletrack, popping and bypassing each of the jumps depending.  On the lower couple, the drop leading to the wee double, he bypassed the drop then rolled over the double and went straight over the bars.  We rode back up and did it again, this time he cleared it but didnt quite have enough speed, and the back wheel hit the landing, but he made it...  sweeeet!

Saturday, Two Rides, Planting and Jet

Saturday morning, on the Spot, met the boys at Pete's - Steve, Wayne, Warren, Tony and Pete.  I led them down Patten St, and then into the red zone, cutting through to Halley Pl, then through to Keller St, then across Morris through to Robson, then across to Maling and eventually across to Avonside Drive just upstream of where the twisted bridge was.  From here we followed the river down stream, all the way.  Remained on this south bank all the way to Bridge St Bridge, then over and through what used to be forest along the Estuary edge and then eventually onto Rockinghorse Rd to the end, for to plant a shitload of trees, for Canterbury.  Good sossies and we rolled back round to Bridge St and slowly began to unravel, me departing the remaining three on Maces Rd, following that round and then Humphrey's to Joy's place to pick up the beemer.  Left the Spot in her house.

Drove the beemer home and got the fiat and Jet and drove back to Joy's, got the Spot, and headed up the hill to the Upper Major carpark.  Jet and me headed up through John Britten.  The Westpac helicopter was hovering around and once we were at the top we saw it parked in Britten Reserve, preparing or waiting for something.  Rode the singletrack round the top and onto the road, talked to some roadies watching the spectacle, them saying it was apparently a paraglider crashed on the cliffs...  Several fire appliances and cop cars in attendance, we rode down the road to Cavendish Saddle, and began the climb.  Half way up the chopper got moving, so stopped to watch them hover above the newly destroyed cliffs and winch up the paraglider and one of their crew.  Once they'd flown off, got riding again, Jet behaving well around the sheep.  Up to top of Mt Pleasant, and down down down, finding the most flow I've had on this trail, down to Greenwood and around to the entrance, then up the road and back onto Britten, Jet rocketing down ahead of me back to the car.  Great wee ride, and a good run for Jet.

Thursday night Muckvicars Vol 4

Rode over to Nelson's work and we cruised to the top of Worsley's Rd and got riding up the dirt around 5.40.  More wet patches than we'd expected...  guess not a helluva lot of drying has gone on of late.  Anyway, climbing wasn't bad around the main track then into the forest and up the Guts steep little mother trail.  Managed to keep my lungs inside me all the way up here.  From the cliff top through had some pretty greasy bits, and it was just starting to get too dark in the forest here.  At the rocky pretty much unrideable bit we turned the lights on and continued on up to the top. 

We rested here a bit, then some irish dude turned up, and headed back down, and we headed up the access to Tommy's2 track.  Part way up we found a trail leading off to the left, so checked it out.  Headed down and rolled through the edge of the water tank clearing then back into the forest, past two old stone ruins (wtf?) and then into the douglas fir of Debbie Does Dallas, but instead of wending downwards, suddenly it switchbacked round and upwards, through some terrain we'd never seen and suddenly we're on the main original track, up hill from the clifftop, but below the tricky rock garden.  So, wondering where the hell Debbie had gone, we headed back down this new track, finding where Debbie crossed it, and walked down her a bit to see what she was like, but deciding not to risk the tree falls that might be further down riding, so walked back up to the bikes, and proceeded to ride back up it.  I walked lots, Nelson rode lots, on upwards all the way back up to the top Tommy's2/Hangloose access track.

Up to top of this, one or two greasy bits on the way, and found the lead in to Mr Sutcliffe's new steep track, probably best left til summer, and so we chose Tommy's2, and it was a hoot.  Traction was pretty good, not much slippage.  Steepness was awesome, and it was rideable pretty much the whole way down.  Only one or two wet slops.  Out the bottom, down a newer drier line, and onto the climbing exit track.  Good for a start, but sloppier as we climbed, til the last stretch which was horrendous.  Got to the top of it and decided we didn't wanna climb back out of there, which ruled out Fight Club, so we went back up the guts track all the way again, this time my legs were hurtin' bad all the way, even walked a bit before the cliff top.

At the top it was into Tommy's and down down down.  Some sections of flow, but lots of stopping and starting, and second guessing what was where and which to choose.  Rolled out the bottom on a cool new section to the pylon clearing and then into the forest on the left, swooping back and forth down here to the final section, ripping down it nicely, a couple of new lines in here, then past the tank and swooping through the bottom section, done, back to the car before 8.

Sunday Mornin, Snortin' Badly

Only Steve and me today.  A bit wet, I biked into town on the Troll to pick up the car from where T had left it last night, then got to his place and we took the Trees van to Lyttelton.  8.50 sailing of the ferry to Diamond Harbour, and from here we rode, in the drizzle, to Orton Bradley Park for a TFC planting.  Nice road around there, hardly any traffic and a good distribution of ups and downs.  The drizzle lifted precisely at 10 when the planting started.  At the planting we rode up a soggy paddock, my town tires not gripping so great.  Planting was very quick, not too many plants and quite a few people.  Rode up to have a look at where the new 'family' track is going to be, but couldn't really tell.  then back down to the cottage for a muffin.  All done, and back on the bikes and back round to DH, where we stopped for coffee, tea, and some grub, before heading down and arriving in perfect time for the 12.30 ferry back to the van and home.

Thursday Hunting Vernon's Witches in the Castle

Finally, after several days of no rain, and a lot of wind for maximum drying, the last of a month saw us hitting the hills again.  Rode from a massage to Nelson's work and we had a smooth run in light traffic to top of Huntsbury.  Got going, still nice daylight, musta been before 5.30, cos I'm pretty sure the sun was still up, if not, just gone...  Rode up the jumpy singletrack checking it all out for later's descent, then on up the single round the knoll and onto the airstrip, then gravel grind to the top.

Into Vernon, and lights on even tho they still weren't quite necessary, but by the time we were lower down they were.  Very gusty at the top there, making balance interesting.  Spot's cush seemed bottomless as I wafted down the trail behind Nelson.  Didn't feel that fast, but I think we were ripping.  As we got round to overlooking Rapaki the wind was behind us so we had that blissful silence, nothing but the tires scuffing over the trail surface and the occasional clatter of the chain.  Dusk truly fallen as we passed through the top of Rapaki, a few other lights about the place, and straight into Witch Hill.  All open and tidied up, the first entry ruts now a big mound, and then into the usual rocky goodness, maybe slightly tidied.  I cleaned it all, but I think Nelson muppeted along a bit, and I had a good run all the way round, suspension doing it's thing wickedly.

Onto the road and rolling, tail wind, and it was like 6.05.  Good pace around and up to the Castle where we stopped for a short snack, getting moving before some lights that were approaching arrived.  Turned out they were roadies, passing us above on the road as we approached the first hairpin bend.  Into Castle Rock, which had seen a working bee on Sunday, lots of drains cut, and not too many rocks moved, tho one or two newly armoured (previously) soggy bits.  Usual ping pong down here, I certainly got a good flow on, and the eyeopener for me was the climb, which I rocked on up, suspension assisting speed and flow, no stalls or stops as per hardtail stylez.  Bridle Path top, we turned around and rode back up it, cleaning lots, but losing balance before the top, as usual (and i was going so well too!).  At the top I suggested, how bout another run and back up the road, so, that was what we did.  Back down, Nelson's turn leading this time.  I'd left a bit of a gap and all the way to the first hairpin I barely made a dent in it.  Nelson thought his run was better than the first one, but I reckon mine wasn't quite as smooth.  He'd paused at the hairpin so I sat on his tail through the next sections til the climb where he dropped me again, but then on the upper rock armoured bog he lost it off the side, much to his chagrin.

Back onto the road, and climbing, ugh, then weeeeeeeeeeee down under the Tors and onwards, rolling for aaages.  From the short climb we popped onto a sketch of a track on the left hand side of the road, saving the tires from the seal.  This flowed nicely down to Witch Hill track which we bombed into.  Clamber climb, I found a new line to the left of the step up in there, then had an awesome flow round to Rapaki-top.  Nelson, not so much.  Into the final climb, up Vernon, around, making it hurt - Nelson pointed out that these climbs are where the fitness comes from.

Last leg, across the Traverse then down through the rocks and tussocks, the latter of which stalled me, making my left testicle have a rather close encounter with my seat, which left me writhing on the grass for a few minutes.  Yowch!  Groaned a little more, then we got going again, finding a really nice sheeptrack line that led out to the end of the airstrip, good coast, over the fence, into the singletrack, Nelson falling off it again at one point, then it was all down, Nelson taking the first drop jump up there, me bypassing, then through the gate and on down, over the jumpies, jumpy jumpy jumpy, wooah, ruts, phew, jumpy, final drop, then double and down to the car.  All good.  Not as wet as it sounded on the boy's Tuesday ride.  And it was like 7.26!  Early finish.

Sunday's Grey afternoon Jet

FINALLY time and conditions allow me to get out and ride after 2 weeks of weather and commitments getting in the way.  Hit the road from home in the Subie some time just after 12, and was on the bike just up hill from the first gate above "Lake" Janet at 1pm climbing, Jet the happy doggy running ahead or along side.  Good climb, thinking to myself at the beginning, "oh yeah, that's right, I always forget how long this climb is", but in the end, not finding it too bad.  Made it above the bushline at 1.30, and then probably the very top, in the bitter southerly wind, less than 10 minutes later.

Across a few remnants of snow and straight into the singletrack descent, pausing briefly to switch the shock to Descend.  Someone's been down with a weedeater, evidenced by broom and spaniard and tussock scrap all over the trail.  Singletrack a little rutted in bits, but the worst of the wetspots has a couple nice drains draining it now.  Usual tactic on the switchbacks, foot or feet down, parking the nose, flicking the back-end around and getting going again.  Not balanced, but with feet down...  Jet did his usual, getting in behind when I was haulin' ass, and scoping out front leading when I wasn't.  Met some people just at the top of the bushline, Jet saying gudday to their mutt, and us continuing on down into the switchbacks coming thick fast.  A few new lines in here for bypassing the corners, all of which I missed and didn't go back for, one or two chutes to tackle next time.  A few stretches of nice long blissful flowy trail between the corners, crossed the stream, a few more stretches and then it goes on for a while longer flowing on, which had me thinking- THIS is what it's all about!, past the turn off back up to the Fire Lookout (and "Lake" Janet), and the turn off to the close Lookout, and on down, trail in perfect condition and then into the switchbacks that become so dense there's one bit you just walk down.

Once these were done we had a nice long section of sweet flow, then left the safety of the beech forest and out into the open, greeted with mud, (not-so-) glorious mud.  Mucky filthy soggy treacherous mud.  Slopped and slid down through all this and then it was back into a beautiful leaf-littered section of beech again, the mud on the tires fast becoming covered in little beech leaves.  One or two more switchbacks and down into lower forest, mud holes and roots, mostly pretty good tho.  flowing on down and through and eventually over the bridge, down a bit more and out to the road.  Awesome.  Now for the climb back up the road...200odd metres over 3-4kms back to the car, Jet obeying me well for good road sense.  Half way up, amongst the beehives, a bee collided with my left eye, bouncing right out again, no harm done.  Little bit of smarting, but it never got worse than that...  so, total of around 700m all up.  Felt gooood to be on the bike again, and the Spot is a joy to behold.

Thursday night, Ungodley greasiness

Was 7ish by the time we got to Evans Pass, and then Nelson's rear tire was flat.  Thought it was just a slow leak so he pumped it and we could hear the hisssss.  Turned out to be valve failure - unpatchable, and the three other tubes in his car had either that or the massive split from a few rides back...  the heavy tube came out of the bottom of my bag and into his tire, giving him a slight weight handicap.  after 7.15 by the time we got away.  Due to Nelson's illness and the coughing and spluttering I opted to take the lead for most of the ride.  This suited me, as I wasn't feeling fast and it kept Nelson from blowing himself out too much.

Off up we went and boy were the rocks slick.  No chance of cleaning the first section - the moment we entered it the back wheels spun out.  Same went for the next little bit, but from there on up was only the occasional dab on the slippery trickery.  Good breeze blowing too, pushing and tugging at times, making the slick rocks even more of a challenge.  Mostly good run out and only a few mucky holes, tho some of the ruts are ruttier.  Around the end and round into the boardwalk zone, all good, but after the boardwalks, nastiness ensued.  First it was the holes and soggy ground, then the Teddington Shit was like mucus, splecky and sticky and gross.  After it the trail got good for a while and the downhill was fast, but I was holding on so much I couldn't open my shock up and couldn't turn my light up and so I wasn't the fastest, but then, you probably didn't wanna be, it was just dodgy enough not to be.  Down to Livingston and upwards again, wind strong, good climb then into the cruisey round and down to Breeze, going very slowly down the paddock after the pfmtbc rock, not wanting to be sprayed with muck.

From Breeze Col we headed across the road and up the trail round the side of the hill on the Taylors side, climbing up and onto the wee goat track which was really good, tho obviously being less and less used.  Traction was good and it was just a fun wee track.  Fast descent down to the end and then back round the original singletrack below the road.  This had the usual holes in it, one of which gave me the heebeegeebees, catching me by surprise and me just managing to skip round it.  Would have eaten my wheel otherwise.

Back at Breeze Col we hit the road, moonlight bright enough to rest our lights, all the way round til top of Scarborough where we headed up the hill back onto the track.  The climb was greasy and slippery, with only the grass giving any traction, and Nelson seemed to charge ahead while I grovelled away...  Back on trail I led the way back.  Was a great run, tail wind assisted, flowy(ish), poppy and slicky, all the way back, with only a dab or two.  The final rock sections all the more fun for their slipperiness.  Back at the car 8.45 or so.

Sunday's meandering trio

Saturday I took a couple links out of my chain and also slotted a 16t into the cassette in place of the 17t, giving me a 13-16-19 combo in the range now, which is smoother and less gappy than the 13-17 jump...

I rode the length of Linwood and Humphreys, picking up a nail puncture just as I met the Estuary.  Patched it and still made it in time to meet Steve and Tony at the Ferrymead Bridge (not a very big turn out - the 2 Ws are in Oz, Andy's sick, & Pete's got a bad hammy).  We tootled up St Andrew's Hill, hanging a right up TeAwakura Tce, and up the alley onto Cannon Hill then up to Michael, across to the other bit of Cannon Hill then across Freeman to the Major and took him the rest of the way to the top.  Into Britten Reserve and up up up.  the Spot climbing lovely.

Into the top of Greenwood and lots of new rockpiles filling soggy bits, making me glad of the full suss.  Nice roll across and down to the ruins where we stopped and scoffed a little kai before hitting the down.  Excellent blast down, the earlier rocks that last time I floated over weren't quite as floaty for some reason.  Fun down and round all the curves and then round through the mucky to Gloomy Gulch and around a bit.  Stopped here to regroup and looked back and could see Tony just getting onto the boardwalk, but no Steve...  hmmmm...  then Tony made his way round to the bit of trail I couldn't see and then didn't come out.  Steve had had a wee off and tumbled down below the trail some.  Only a small amount of claret leaking and so was soon back on board.  Off down the rocky swoopy and round into the smoother back and forths and round.  One or two new holes where it's been soggy before the cattlestop and then into the dips and rock-repairs before the wee gulley.  I paused here til Steve appeared again and then off down towards the rocky ups, swooping and lofting all the way.  Stalled slightly on the first rocky up, one foot out, shove off rock and onwards down, up the next one no problem and on down to the bottom.  The Spot still superlative.

Across the road and into Godley.  Made a good go at the rocks, but dabbed out.  Even stuffed up the top bit.  From here on out tho, the climb was sweet, tho Steve wasn't having his best day (the crash previous had put him off a bit, wethinks).  Awesome spin round the top and into the down.  After the second boardwalk (3rd actually - but 2nd of the two after the fence that are reasonably close together) there was a bunch of holes and wetspots that have never before been there.  Then the original Teddington shit section was quite soggy too.  But from it down was smoooooooooth on the Spot.  What a rocket ship, so stable at high speeds, with it's low centre of gravity and plush travel.  Blasted down through to Livingston and regrouped.  The next climb i left it in wide open and it was awesome.  Gotta do that more often.  Descent round to Breeze was also dead smooth, like a highway, lovely.  Quite cut up just before pfmtbc rock...

Into the Anaconda and smooth rolling.  What. A. Blast.  Railed the corners, took bits faster than ever before but with more control, and had a lovely time down through the valley.  overtaking a guy who was obviously struggling, on the off camber next-to-last corner.  Awaited, briefly, Steve and Tony and we continued on down the 'Tail.  (passing the guy again, walking through the rocks, near the bottom).  Next up was the tarseal grind...  Up and over blazing down Scarborough (getting stuck behind a car), and onto the esplanade avoiding random children, to coffee and some grub at DotCom - where we were met by Marie and Mark on their roadies.  Rode back into town with them chatting all the way til I peeled off and trudged the lengths of Humphreys and Linwood again.

Thursday surprise Bottle Ache group spin

Plans changed for me and I'd been invited earlier in the day to a night ride at the pond which in the end I was able to join.  Drove out and met up with a bunch of people, didn't quite remember all their names but included Miranda, Andrew, Andrew, Hannah, Josie, Hugh and a few others, ten of us in all.  Miranda's first ever night ride.  I had the singlespeed and the dog.  I led the way and soon gapped everybody by a good distance, but as we progressed i slowed a bit and they got a better feel for it.  Regrouped at the gazebo, then again just before the ponds one of the guys got a surprise flat.  A wee split in the sidewall of his tire, we ended up strengthening it with another patch, which held for the rest of the ride.  Jet had, until this point, an old red flashy on his collar, which he proceeded to lose while we were there. 

Onwards and through the water feature, up onto the dunes and along.  Good spin, all the way through to Spencer Park where we stopped for mulled wine and crackers and cheese.  Very civilised.  Back on to the trail and we took turn about leading, tho mostly me.  Eventually, at the start of where they're going to log out soon, Hugh led the rest of the way out to the carpark.  Nice for me to be in behind, slipstreaming and going a bit easier.  Jet stuck with me the whole way.  He is SUCH a good dog!

Tuesday with the Krew

Nelson and me met up with Wazza, Steve and Robin, Andy, and Wayne at 6.15 as specified, at the top of the tarmac on Huntsbury.  We chuffed up into the cold breeze.  Rode mostly together well grouped most of the way, Steve hanging back with Robin who was struggling with lurgies and general lack of shape.  Into the Traverse and we rocketshipped our ways round, Andrew never too far behind Nelson and me.  I was enjoying following him, cos the trail was nicely lit up for me with him in front, and slipstreaming is always good too.  Short regroup at the usual spot and onwards round to Vic Top.  Another regroup here then off down the Thomsons.  Fun we blast down the first, Nelson nearly losing it on the first hairpin.  Second half was great with the full squish down the bumpy wooden entrance, and you wouldn't necessarily want 800mm wide bars in those trees...

Kiwi and Andy had gotten a flat back in the Thomson, so, Steve and Robin went ahead to just do a lower half run (Steve's wrist was sore), then Wayne and Warren, and Nelson and me decided to give up waiting and headed on up, not seeing any of the others again for a while.  We could see the two W's lights up on Marley as we were rounding the road.  I led into the Nun, and we fanged it down.  the Spot was glorious - except for the chain bouncing off twice (moar tension needed...).  Rock sections that in the past bailed me up were smooth as silk.  Nelson enjoyed following my lines cos they were slightly different to his usual ones.  I guess I was still riding my hardtail lines...  On the lower section, I had quite a moment on one of the humpies, my back end getting kicked and I was on the verge of heading over the bars, but momentum kept me in check and the rest of the way down was sweet.

Regrouped with the two W's and Andy (Steve and Robin having gone ahead ages before).  Up the road and into the Traverse.  I led for a while but the pressure of Nelson and Andy on my tail pooped me, so I let Nelson lead again and stayed tight on his tail except for when my legs were running out of steam on some of the wee climbs.  Off left down Hunstbury, rocks and tussocks trying to take advantage, then rocket ride down gravel into the landing strip and on down to the singletrack.  The W's took the main track all the way down, til Andy got them at the pylons and got them on track again.  Popped most of the jumpies, Nelson did them all, and was a good run.  S and R had departed not long before we got back to the vehicles at 8pm

Sunday's Blowhard, lives up to it's name

Out to Nelson's with Jet in the car, about 10, and heading out 10.30ish round through a few frost patches to the end of Maori Reserve Rd, parking up to find a few vehicles and could see some hunters and dogs heading up the hill.  Got riding, 11ish, and ground our ways up, blowing bloody hard, what with the fresh start, Jet leading out miles ahead, excited at the smells of the other dogs ahead of him.  Met them pretty much at the high point before the drop to the big mud puddle where the true climb begins.  Also up there was a quad bike with a dog trailer, so obviously other hunters were ahead too.  Jet was great with these first dogs, hello hello, and straight on with us.

Lot of walking up the rocky steep to start, then a bit of riding and more walking and more riding and a bit more walking just for good measure.  All feeling pretty good, Jet bounding around, covering twice the distance of us, up and back, up and back.  Eventually, the sort of avenue along the ridge bit of a descent and we met the other dogs (and their owners), a couple of which weren't quite so friendly...  Jet was good tho, and had no trouble and on we went, a bit more climbing and walking, Nelson cleaning heaps of it, but not able to use his 42t the whole time cos of some gyp it was giving him.  I was certainly glad of my new 40t.  My old 32:36 ratio would have been a bastard and a lot more walking would have ensued.

Awesome descent down the ridge, then the climbing wasn't too bad, on and on it went, not too much muck about, a few bits of ice around, frozen frosty ground in shady sections, but mostly pretty dry the whole time...  bloody good actually.  By the time we were approaching the top, was around 2 hours, so far, and legs were getting pretty tired.  Made the top and it was blowing a fair bit of nor'west up there, not overly warm either.  Chatted to the 'crowds' up there (an older man and a younger woman (father daughter?), and a separate young guy with a foxy called Jack).  Around 1.10pm it was.  1.20-30 we departed.

Off down, and Nelson lost it in the tussocks, couldn't clip out in time and flopped off the bike.  was spectacular and luckily non-hurting...  I took the lead for a bit, finding a good detour round some mucky shit as we re-entered the forest, and bombing on down, smooth as smooth can be, the 5.Spot becoming more and more a part of me.  Jet was never far behind and was really good about stepping aside for us to go ahead on the fast bits, then catching up and cruising on ahead when we were going slow.  Some sections we bombed down and it was glorious.  Past the Bypass Track and onwards down across the ridge.  Sweet flow, a few climbs and downs and suddenly into the steep walking climb.  Took a lot out of me.

Once clear of it we were riding again and not far up there I got a good cramp in my thigh, yowch!  Stopped for a bit of a rest of it, and then once we got going again there was the top...  W00t! down down down swoop and holla, til Nelson got a flat.  Fixed that, and not long after came upon one of the first dogs we saw, injured, fair bit of blood, walking along in a bit of a daze, not fussed by Jet,  but radio collar on (so his owners will hopefully have found him).  Got going again and the last few metres of the last wee climb hurt but then it was into the really rough stuff.  I got bent out of shape on one bit, got going again, cocked up again, then flowed on down.  No troubles the rest of the way with some sections of insane speed.  Bike was superlative in it's performance.  Wicked.  The bottom seemed to take ages to turn up, a couple stops on the way to make sure Jet was with us - he was never very far behind even when we'd been absolutely hauling ass.  One very close call when my front wheel seemed to roll on about 3 babyhead sized rocks in quick succession, tipping me trackwards til i somehow hooked it up and kept it rolling down the steeeeep bits and finally over the frost hauling up by the muddy puddle, the smell of brakes very very hot.  Nelson's were even starting to fade/seize up.  My XT's were cool as cucumbers.

Round the puddle and up over and on down the 4wd.  Careful round the ruts, and back to the car, 2.30 on the dot.  Awesome day.  Weather couldnt have been better, trail was mint, bike was great, and the dog was the best!

Saturday Summit

I drove Obe-wan and our bikes up to the top of Vic Park, and me and him rode the Summit Traverse across to Vernon and back.  He did awesomely, and really enjoyed it.  Didn't complain about any of the climbs, just knuckled in and cleaned them, and he's a total natural at the few technicalities.  Had one off where he just stepped off the bike, on the greasy wee rock feature in the shade just round from the Lava Flow.  the Spot was flowing pretty good too, with it's new 40t Lone Ranger on the inside of the cassette.  Have removed the 15t, and so far it's not bad.  Used the 17t a lot round the summit trail.

Friday night Up and Back down

Not enjoying my tires the last few rides, in the afternoon I slapped on a couple of newbies, a 2.4 Nobby Nic up front and a 2.35 Hans Dampf on the back.  Once mounted the Hans Dampf looks bigger, so I think I'll swap them round.  And, as soon as I got the front on, I could hear the hiss of a flat... didnt have time to repair til Nelson turned up to pick me up.

And so we headed out to Sumner and up to Evans Pass.  Parked up and headed up Greenwood, as we'd not headed up this for quite some time.  Twas good checking out the trail on the way up, spotting where all the potentially dodgy bits were.  Ride up was good, mostly.  Trail condition was good, slightly damp, but not sticky or greasy; well packed.  One or two sloppy bits higher up, but lower down they've filled most of the dips with good piles of rocks.  Jolly good on the 5.Spot.  My climbing was a bit diabolical.  I've still to get used to the full squish in climbing mode.  Hardtail technique doesn't work and I've much to learn.  A case of full suspension NOT improving my riding... as a result, I dabbed a lot, straddle-walked the bike a bit, and spun out a fair few times too.  In the corners below the ruins I put a few more psi into my rear shock, taking it up to 200, and fiddled with the rebound too.  We carried on up and it was much betterer!  Made the ruins, and continued on up up and up.  Surprisingly level above here before the techy rockfest to the top, much of which I walked.

7.47pm at the top, Nelson fiddling with his gears, then I led the way down, wide open.  Total blast down.  Muppetry over the bit where you're looking down into Lyttelton, but once out into the tussocks smoothed it up and got some groove on.  Lost the track a couple times in the dark under the tussocks, but got faster as we progressed.  Into Greenwood proper and what a revelation.  For the first time i was 'getting' the bike, and it was a blast.  Totally comfortable, flying over rocky sections that have stalled me so much in the past.  Fantastic.  Nelson noticed i entered a couple sections like i would have on the BFe, a little slower, but then once in them realisation obviously hit me and I accelerated through them and out.  W00T!  Down down and out the bottom.  Big grins.  I reckon the Hans Dampf needs to be on the front, grip wise too.

Then across to Godley cos Nelson wanted to just hit up the wee beginning.  He cleaned it in one, I failed once, failed twice...    Then turned around and back to the car and home, picking up some beer on Stanmore Rd at 8.50, before they closed at 9.

Friday arvo quick dog

Landed back from Wellington at 2.15pm, originally because I was going to be doing the school pick up and taking to swimming run, which it turned out the dad of O & H's swimming buddies was able to do, so I got home, faffed about, got dog and bike sorted and headed for the hill.  By the time traffic let me across there it was already 4pm, so we didn't have a lot of light.  Parked up top of Worsley's, Jet and me headed up the main drag for a bit, me wheezing and him running out ahead.  Got my wheeze under control and at the Junction I decided I didnt want to deal with the ruts and muck and rocks and grease of the main drag, so we headed into the forest and up the guts track.  Rode most of the way to start with, but puffed out before the pylon gap and walked a little then managed to ride it on up to clifftop and on up the Originale, all the way out to the top.  Turned back around and headed down peeling left into Tommy's.  Took it pretty easy all the way down, popped a few jumps, still getting used to the bike, not trusting the terrain, grease around any corner, rutted out berms, off camber deluxe, and also the low angle sun was totally giving me gyp flashing my eyes through the trees.  Couple of near misses, but mostly a good run down, then hit back up the central track to clifftop again and headed down into the old original in here, then blended that onto the lower Wayne's World, then straight into Fight Club.  Blasted down this, great whoops, again still not trusting the traction so much.  Cleaned everything i didnt on Tuesday and rolled out the bottom.  The beginning of the climb back out wasnt so bad, but further up it got shit again and i ended up walking heaps of it just cos there was NO traction.  rode a bit, walked a bit then rode and walked the last to the Junction.  Headed down here, taking the righthand low line and missing the messy log drop, popped and rolled out down past the tank and into the rest of it out onto the splecky messed up open main drag, then rolled on down the road to the car clearing the tires nicely.  Jet trying to hump another trail dog as we went past.  All up about an hour, maybe less; good for us both tho.  Sun was fully down by the time i was driving the the road.  Traffic was a fucking nightmare home.

Tuesday Muckvicars Round 3

Nelson picked me up from mine and we cruised across town post rush hour.  Parked next to Cracroft park and rode up Worsley Rd, checking out the bottom of Farside as a possible option, and choosing it, then regretting the choice.  Not really a climbing track, and greasy as shit, so quite difficult really...  Finally got up onto the road and continued our merry way up, a while since we'd done this climb, having parked up top so often recently, and our legs suffering from the lack of riding in recent weeks.  Got up onto the dirt and it was squishy and sticky and slick.  Was okay most of the time, but occasionally it was just slick as.  Wet enough that the tires didnt carry too much on themselves.  That was to come later.  Up the main track, all the way, the river running in the ruts, minimal bits of rideable terrain the higher we got.  You'd be perched up on the top of the rut, and one wheel would slip and you'd lose it.  So, walk a bit, get rolling again then the same would happen.  Bloody nightmare.  The access track up into the forest was greasy as too, and I ended up walking a fair bit of it.  Nelson cleaned it.

Into the trail, not quite as greasy as Sunday last ridden, but still pretty damned slick, and more churned, but once under the trees, much betterer.  Hung a right into the original line, the wee rocky climb as greasy as something covered in grease, and back under the trees all good again.  Full suspension bliss, squishing my way down and through, one near miss in some slick shit between a cut fallen tree got Nelson ahead of me and we got out onto the clifftop and headed into the original line, all the way down.  Stopped and watched a couple riders coming up the internal track, and then blasted across and down bottom of Tommy's then into Fight Club, great flight down this, swooping over the humpties and railing round the bends.  Lower down, over the log hip, super greasy, then into the steep chute I bailed up right on where we'd trenched the other night ride here.  Nelson headed down through and I followed cautiously to find him off his bike nursing his squashed balls...  yowch.  Took a few minutes and we rolled out the bottom of the trail onto the worst I've ever seen the climbing-out track.  Spun and struggled up this, Nelson's tires gripping, mine just picking up crap and turning into fatbike tires...  I ended up walking a fair bit.

Next up, scraped heaps of crap off my tires and off up the middle internal track, me walking heaps til the pylon gap, then riding a bit, walking a bit and riding a bit more out to the cliff.  This time, into Waynes World and taking it all the way down, but bailing out at Fight Club entrance, and off down through the gap and hard left following the newish trails we had that other night, over a jump that nearly threw me then kinda stalled Nelson, then on down eventually crossing the trail and then through the junction and on out the bottom exit stuff.  Stepped over the log on the left higher line - bloody useless roll in and hopeless landing, so kinda dodgy to be popped.  Down past the tank, some sweet riding through here, then down through the final section, the full suss aiding my travels nicely.  Slowly down the greasy muck to the road, then speed mud removal - the marshguard working exactly as planned, and Nelson holding his head out to the side to avoid his fleck.

Down the road and into Farside, awesomely slick, but manageable for a while.  Til i got to one steep brown slick section where my front wheel lost it and we went down.  handlebar spun and i was super worried the brake hose would stress, but was okay, and I got rolling again no injuries.  the rest of it was good as, and out onto the road to a waiting Nelson.  On down, more mud removal and along out to the car.  Got sticks and scraped and prodded the bikes into some semblance of clean then hit the road home.

Sunday, mucky Sunday.

Very low ceiling of cloud all night, providing no drying opportunities for the hills.  Drove over to Andrew's and met up with him, Wazza, Wayno and Tones, and, after oohing and aahing over my new ride, we headed around Cashmere Rd to Halswell Quarry Park and up C2.  Not so bad under the trees, dry-wise, but once on the Crocodile proper it was a grease fest and we were exactly the types I was complaining about in my post about my last ride up here...  Oh well.  Wasn't as bad as if we were coming down it.  I dabbed out most of the big corners, their ruts and grease just too much, and a technique thing with the new ride too, methinks. 

On up the Low Road for a bit, but when it met the main track we all bailed off it and up that.  Siberia was fun, but sloppy under the dripping trees.  Then the clamber.  Up up up we went, further and further into the clouds, greasy muck under tread.  All made pretty good efforts at the top section, my wee rests helping my heartrate, and Andrew doing a bit of a loop-de-loop - he lost balance, veered to the right until he was heading down again, then juuust about managed to turn it back round before dabbing.  In the rocky guts I lost it once, walked a tiny bit then got rolling again, til the very top ledge sort of up, the back wheel just spun out and sideways.  The narrow broom infested top track was sticky as shit (and actually, there was a lot of actual sticky shit on the trails today, some cows seem to have had laxatives).

Onto the road and around to Worsleys.  A rider on his way down Kennedy's at the time had told us the 'Nun was really bad, so we skipped that and went for Worsleys.  Hoo boy, what a descent.  Just enough grease on the surface of the clay to make for no chance of stopping, and barely a chance to keep the speed down.  I survived it, Andrew lost it, the others took other lines that proved less slick.  Bottom of bodybag we headed up into the forest, the access track a total slick little shit.  Andy cleaned it all, the rest of us walked. 

Then it was into the woods.  Greasy as all hell for a start, we veered right onto the Original.  A couple times my chain dropped off the front.  Annoying.  It was only under zero power, if my rear was up on 1st or 2nd.  Good rolling down under the trees here, full squish doing it's job beautifully.  Lovin' it, I was.  Out over the clifftop and into the trees again, taking the right hander, some new line in here then onto the old, absolutely wafting over the rocky bits, then when we met Waynes World, took it's lower half and pulled up at Fight Club.  Next rider after me was Zane, on his 5.Spot, so we discussed then he headed down.  We followed shortly thereafter, the upper half rolling beaut, the lower half all fixed up and sweet as, lots of tricky off-camber.  Zane was waiting at the bottom an so cruised up the greasy climb behind him to the Juncture. 

Stopped, chatting for a bit at the junction and saw someone climbing the fence across the main track, so after Zane and friends had headed off up the guts track we ventured across to check it out.  A nice we entrance to the trail Nelson and me found a few weeks back, and so we rolled down this, avoiding all the jumps.  Over the fence and there were some bikes (quite flash bikes) parked and lots of fresh trail grooming, rolled on down and found some really young kids working their magic.  We continued on down, doing more of the jumps below here and enjoying the end, the onto the exit track out to the carpark. 

Down the road, a mud clearinghouse for the tires, then into the new Farside Track.  I followed Andy down it as he'd done it before.  What a little beauty!  Sweet sidling and not losing too much, but always downwards with a few wee whoop-de-dos spitting us out above the bottom corner.  Sweet.  Cleared the mud off the tires again as we rolled and then to Andrew's for a coffee and bickies. 

Spot ride report number 2, awesome.  Gonna really enjoy this bike.  Still wondering if I need more air in the chamber tho.  Really must remember to bring the pump for it next time.

Friday night Pinball Wizards

First sort of real test ride for the Spot, and it was a muckfest.  We ended up with limited time, not leaving my place til about 6.20 and kinda needing to be back around 8 for T to go to a gig, and by the time we got out the door, this went from 6

to 7 

 was wandering through with spitty kinda drizzly rain.  So, drove to Sumner, and up to Evans, parking up in the fog here.  Jumped on the bikes and got on up the Godley start.  Poor visibility, but not as bad sounding as the pfmtbc Tuesday's fog fug, but with the added bonus of rain falling.  First few rocks were a revelation to me - the Spot just soaking up everything; unbelievably comfortable.  I'm gonna have to tweak my style of riding a bit, which will take time, and I think I need another 10 or 20 psi in the shock too.

Rocks were greasy, some mud was around, a couple of ruts out towards the high point.  Neither of us cleaned the start, because the grease.  Next few bits tho, the Spot just rolled on up, sweet as.  Tweaking, squirrelly back end, but way less than the BFe would have been.  Dabbed a fair bit, being rather careful with my new treasure.  We only rode to the landing strip, high point, and turned back  A couple of small rutty holes out that end, and one big hole that was there last time, otherwise just slick rocks everywhere else, pinballing us around.  Coming back was awesome.  Wafting down the hill, rolling over stuff that would have used to have hung me up.  And the rocky armoured bits!?  WOW.  The last rocky sections down to the end were a revelation too.  Back to the car, reasonably sprayed in muck - tho, obviously, none in the eyes thanks to the muckynutter.  Gotta get something sorted for the rear, just to keep the crap out of the sweet DW linkages.

new!

pretty sure this very frame here is now mine...
Purchased last week from Wide Open, ex-demo (with Chris King headset, Fox Float CTD shock and (un-needed) front derailleur) for a very good price, it arrived here in Chch on Tuesday, and I had it built up by Wednesday afternoon.  So far, only a test ride school/dog-run around the river it proves very comfy... here- crappy cellphone pic...

They got nothing but good to say about it...

Sunday's Loner - West End buzz

Had a Tardeme pick up in Halswell at 9am, so figured I'd ride that end of the hills, having not for quite some time (over a year in fact).  Parked and rode in, earbuds in, music on random, 9.30am.  Got a little huffed on the very first (tiny) climb, but then got into the groove with not too much wheezing up C2.  Nice climb, nice day, nice temperature, nice sounds.  All so nice.  Once up on the Crock o'pile things got a bit rutty.  Silly people riding when the track isn't hard...  There was a closed sign at the bottom, but ignorable today.  Dabbed out a few times on the way up.  Most of the hairpins near the top are totally rutted out and very tricky to negotiate climbing.

Up onto "Take the Low Road" (still prefer 'new tasty' from a few years back), and sidled back and forth on the hill, avoiding the big muckruts, and a number of new lines in places I'm sure the trail directors aren't that keen on.  Over Siberia and down to the gate.  Chatted briefly with a dude here.  He asked about the single front ring.  I did the sell for Revolution Components, "made right here in Chch - good to support local industry, eh?"  Then I got going.  Huffed and chuffed up the hill, only getting as low as 2nd on all the first sections, up up and over, getting warm, stripping a layer out at the crest then on up through the foresty bit and up to the steeeeeps...  Water tank up here, i pulled up for a wee, and then hit the climb with aplomb.  Nearly puking twice, I stopped for breathers, but rode on and cleaned everything with no dabs.  Out across the top and into the tight broom singletrack now out to the summit road, only 10.20pm, so basically a 50 minute climb.

Around the road and into Worsley's Rd, climbing this in 3rd, nice.  Up to top of the Nun and a well earned rest.  Half a OSM and a chat to the dude up there, then another dude turned up on a Turner 5 Spot.  Got talking and took it for a little spin to the top of the hill and back.  Lovely suspension action magic carpet ride back down to them.  They took off and I put the helmet and music back on, gloves, and in.  Awesome descent, trail in perfect nick and everything as expected with good air and great pump.  Railed it for the top section, took it a little easier in the middle rocky section, but then started to rail again when I saw the 5-Spot rider ahead and chased him til the carpark break point, where he pulled over and I jumped into the lead.  Faaaast down through those next two sections then whoop whoop whoop through the jumpies and then easing off again through the last swoops before the final wee climb.

Straight onto the road and climbing away, grinding it out all the way through and back down to Kennedy's Top.  Cruised across the tops and then into the downhill, with an audience, walkers scattering all over the place as I rocketed through (-kidding, I gave them plenty of space and respectful speed).  Bombed on down, flying all the way.  Bypassed Siberia up the wide track, and then into the Low Road.  Took it pretty easy to start, the ruts and grease still with potential to catch you out.  Met quite a few climbing riders lower down, but once on the Crock'o'shit just some walkers near the top and bottom.  Great run down here, taking it easy to stay out of the ruts, with some wicked speed in places.  Finally the quickly cranked climb into C2 and it was sweet running down here.  Caught the jump part way down nicely, then into the corners, meeting one climbing rider woman in here, and blazing into the valley, and into the climb, slowing right down til the top then out into the open country and walkers (who did take offense at my speed).  Rolled on down to the car and it was only 11.20.  Yowzer, a 2 hour ride, and all the distance covered.  Nice.

Thursday night Witch Castle

Rode over to Nelson's work at 5ish and we navigated the usual imbecility that is rush hour traffic, to Huntsbury.  Parked up top of road and changed in the cool wind and got moving eventually around 5.45.  Good blast up the track, me wheezing away, but keeping on top of it and managing a reasonable speed to the top, warming up considerably on the way - nor'west breezes bathing us in warmth compared to the coolness of where the car was parked. 

Onto Vernon and the gravel was tricky.  I was wondering if my rear tire was a little hard, but Nelson was getting the same, so we figured it was the surface.  Pulled over near the top for some uphill riders, and had a clear run the rest of the way down.  Straight through Crapaki top and into the Witch.  Rutty to start, we both screwed up the rocky bits, Nelson going to dab and finding his leg disappearing down a hole...  yowch.  good gark on it that i didn't see til later.  Once we'd negotiated that the going got much better, and we rolled on through to the road.  Pedal pedal pedal, and on round under the Tors and up to top of Castle Rock.  I led into here and we had a good run, pinning it pretty well.  Trail in good nick, except for the sheep, and their little pellets.  One weird wet spot just after the wee wooden bridge, green with sheep shit it was too, yeurgch.  Pingy climb on through and over down to the Bridle Path top at 6.25.

Took in the view of Lyttelton, and then got rolling again, back up the trail.  At the first rock-armoured (originally by us) section, we weren't happy with the soggy bits in it, so we stopped and carted some rocks and moved them around a bit and placed them and eventually got it right, leaving it better than we'd found it.  On over down for a bit, examining the green-muck wetspot, deciding it needed a shovel. Onwards up round the first hairpin and across to the next, where I lost my balance and traction at the same time.  Got rolling again and pinged and dabbed a few more times before finally getting on top of myself and riding out the rest of it nicely.  The new gear ratios are sweet, nice and tall, letting me torque it through that usual final tricky steep right near the top.  No baby spinny granny gear with no power... 

Blast down the road, cooling off nicely, and on round to the Witch again.  I was a bit messy to start, and really lost it, nearly over the bars on the one little step up rocky bit, traction and balance letting me down again!.  The rest of the roll round Witch Hill was smooth, flowy and fun.  Straight through Crapaki top and into the climb.  Ooomphed it up the hill and round, a Santa Cruz gang pulling over to let us through (Nelson said they nearly didnt stop but he didnt yield), grovelled up the steep bit above Farm Track exit, and the rest of the way up was okay, over and down to the road.

Onto the Traverse briefly, around til we dropped down through the tussock-ville, finding our way down to the landing strip, and over the fence onto the little singletrack, rolling over the hill nicely and back down to the car via the jumps, actually doing some of them this time, and back to the car at 7.45.

Sunday, greasy route to Planting

Short-ish ride yesterday.  I rode to Steve's, at a good clip, for an 8.15 meet, finding Andy, Tony and Steve awaiting my arrival.  Wayne rolled up not long after, then we waited a minute or three for Pete, and Steve decided to get rolling, then Pete txtd saying he'd meet us at the Ferrymead bridge.  Off we tootled, Garlands, Radley, Marshall, to the river and along the Cut.  Bit of grease approaching Tunnel Rd, under the bridge there and onto the tow path for a cruise round the back of industria, finally finding Pete on the bridge.

Off up St Andrew's Hill, Marama, and into Cannon Hill, a new route to me.  My new gearing was just fine going up here, mostly sitting in 2nd from low right up til we were grunting up through the park, and even then it wasn't too low a gear.  Eventually out the top onto Major Aitken and on up to the very top, through the park onto Clearview, finishing our climbing here.

Into the wee reserve, the rules were - no losing traction.  Track down through here was rutted out big time in places, and a good wee challenge on the brakes and speed to not skid.  Onto Mt Pleasant Rd bombing down to Craigieburn Lane, pulling in here for-to zig and zag.  Grease is what we found, and with extreme skill and finesse, we all slithered our ways down the zigs and zags, the usually wettest spots super wet.  One or two wee surprise holes, but successful meandering by all and a regroup on the level after the bridge.

Final descent, steeper and steeper, and more and more potential for slip-out, round the first hairpin, then the second, then letting speed build in places and buttoning off early in others, swooping into the wee climb then negotiating a big new slip, lifting over a poorly placed, and very spikey, rose bush, and then on down for the final blast out the bottom.

From here we had plenty of time to spare, it being 9.30ish, and so we cruised back to the Ferrymead bridge, tucked back onto the towpath trail.  I was leading around here and came into the little bridge (behind Kovacs?) with a tad too much speed.  Front wheel washed, kinda glanced off the railing supports, and then my back wheel followed and squirrelled too, but I managed to keep it together, and adrenalin kicked in a little further down the trail...  yikes.

finally, across Ferry Rd into Waterman Place and into Charlesworth Reserve whereupon to plug plants into the ground for 2 hours before eating several sausages.  Home straight up Linwood Ave with Pete

Thursday night, Muckvicars round 2

Bit of a muckfest once again tonight.  Nelson picked me up as per- on Moorhouse and we jammed across to Worsley's Rd, parking up top along with several other cars all turned up about the same time as us.  A dude (who works on the tracks in there) came down as we were readying ourselves, no lights, getting pretty dark.  Sounded pretty bleak up there.

BFe sporting it's new gears and brakes, we headed off up, my new 'granny' not so bad, but making a bit of noise once the going got tough.  Headed into the forest just up round the first couple corners.  We decided here the the noise required the spacers in the BB swapped around a bit to get the front ring over a bit.  Nothing to be done but ride, or walk to rest it.  Trees all cut and cleared, rode on up through the middle guts and out to the top of the cliff, then on up the original, all cleared and cut nicely. 

At the top we turned and headed down Tommy's.  Pretty slick, but not too bad.  Half way down we tucked right and back up onto the 'original', out to the cliff top and into Waynes World.  A couple of tipped trees, lifted root balls, made the usual entry cues different and we nearly missed it.  Anyway, good descent all the way down to Fight Club.  Most of the top of this was good to go, too.  We stopped and re-routed a bypass of a wet gulch, but then further down it just got slicker and sicker, greasing and squirrelling all the way.  Then, where it used to get steep and gnarly, it got horrendous.  no grip. tires totally caked, and then water running down the track, rutting it.  We stopped, found a grubber conveniently perched behind a tree, and proceeded to cut a drain across the track.  This should dry it out and un-rut it, until the first riders took it out.  Bottom few corners, for me, were totally unrideable and i walked on out the bottom into the total quagmire, tweaking my shoulder somehow in the process.

Climbing access track was okay, buncha trees down across it just through the gate where it gets steeper, these had been cut and a way cleared.  Further up, near where the old exit was, the crack turned gulch has become some major tunnel erosion, just about creating a neat wee natural arch bridge.  more trees across the track above here too, a way cleared.

At the junction we decided to head down and out, meandering around a bit between old and new, down past the tank and it's all opened up in there again.  Then we decided to find the new track i'd heard about (possibly across the other side?). Found it, followed it up, and up, and up, and eventually found the top, and where to access it from next time.  Then rode it down.  Some of the jumps would be fine, except for the hip jump over the fence - but in the grease and slick, I bypassed pretty much all of them.  Got to the bottom and followed the trail (singletrack on farm track) out and ended up right at the car.  Nice.  Done by 8.15,

Brakes, when i used them as opposed to the mud just slowing me down, were very sensitive - gonna be serious stoppers.  Major difference to the oldies.  Gear system?  once the BB spacers are moved, the grinding should lessen.  The shifting was crisp and clear and the ratios weren't that bad!