Thursday Night Groupies

Hit it with some new peeps.  I met at Nelson's and we rode round to the bottom of Crapaki, meeting there George, Glen, Jackie, another Richard, and another whose name I dont recall.  We headed up the Crapaki, climbing at a nice pace, talking all the way.  Glen was sporting a brand-new first-ride-ever Yeti SB-something with 29r wheels.  It was spanky a.f.

At the Taramea we regrouped and were joined for a stretch by an older guy on a 'lectric contraption.  Headed up into the singletrack.  George OTB'd almost immediately, which was amazing considering it was on the climb.  Regrouped again at the rocky techsession bit, then Nelson and me blasted ahead of them down and around and across and all uppy downy as it is.  The climb back around in the sun was pleasant and not at the same time.  Straight into the singletrack climbing above the maindrag, and then Nels and me stuck to the main drag for the straight and up around to the top.  All the rest of them took the singletrack.

Up Vernon, and Nelsie and me seemed to have the lead, but George wasn't far behind me, then Nels met someone to talk to, so we continued on, me following George at his pace.  Regrouped again at start of the Traverse.  Sun was lowering (half hour to sunset), so we decided to show them Fourpause and 'the' way into Old Skool. 

Around the summit and no mucking around, straight into the descent.  Dirt was damp under overgrowing grass, but grippy enough, and we blasted down the rocks and over the jumps and as per usual now I cleaned that last jump.  Regroup and they all arrived with shit-eating grins, not having expected so much excitement...  Down through the tussocks and over the edge, down, again, the rocks catching some of them out.  Then the real descending began.  Most of them didn't clean the steep rocky droppy sections, and Jackie bailed out and rode the 4wd track.  Glen was wary of destroying his brand-new ride, so was careful Colin all the way.  But mostly they enjoyed it, and now they know the way, they can come back and practice.

Into Old Skook and it was a blast.  Best flow I've had, chasing Nelson tight on his tail, for ages.  With all the regroups, I was still feeling pretty fresh, and so pumping through the flatter bits was easy and good.  Out the bottom, and FREEZING cold in the valley.  Ice-cream headache making.  Regrouped, and then down the road.  Most of the group stopped in at the Brickworks, but I needed to push on so Nelson and me headed back to his.  I even had enough energy to clean the wee alleyway next to his place up to the car.

Not a bad 17.86 kms, and 526 m of altitudation.

Saturday Solo Jet Grey

Nelson organised to ride Mt Grey on the weekend.  We (and I invited Derek) were going to ride and Kirsty was going to run.  Then she pulled out.  Then Derek said he couldn't make, then Nelson decided he had too much to do at his old place, so I decided I'd just go do it myself (with Jet).  Left home just after 9 and took about 45-50 minutes to get to the "Lake." Only a couple of months since last time, and a year (almost to the day) of the previous to that

Left the car at 10 and cruised up the road, not detouring to the singletrack this time, just sticking to the gravel climb.  Met one woman riding down.  At the Look Out I stopped and took a couple pics

 and then walked the steep singletrack to the road above, crossing over and riding the upper singletrack sidle across what, if it isnt, should be called, Sunrise Face.  Gorgeous day up here.  Warm, sunny, windless - mostly.  Tight in the trees, fun climb.  Wind over the top was howling in the towers, but so sheltered on my side.  Fantastic views.  Got to the top at 11.

Took the immediate descent track to the saddle, a few very steep techy rocks to start, then the wind was absolutely blasting across the saddle, nearly pushing me off the bike.  Quite tricky.  Around into it, dropping down the guts to the singletrack the other direction, around the face, wind lessening a little but still strong in places.  Wetspots were still wet, but not bad.  Met a quite a few couples walking/running up this section.  Switchbacks, then rocks, and then into the trees.  Jet on my tail, happy as anything.

Switchback City.  Cleaned some, didn't clean some.  Usual percentages.  Awesome descending.  One corner I went round, quite quick, and there's a woman down in the forest below the track.  "Hello!" I said, and was onwards cruising, popping and weaving downwards.  Creek crossing, more switchbacks.  Met someone I knew (Rowan) and her partner(/friend?).  Descendy McDescendface.  Another couple in the thick of the busiest switchbacks, then good rolling cruising down into the pines and then into the open usually very muddy section, was a bit muddy, but there were greasy 2-wheel-slidey dry enough bits to stay on.  Passed a couple of young girls walking up here.  Blasty lower sections, stopped to move a few branches off the rutty rooty part, and flowed out the lower half no probls, no more punters.  Big drink for Jet in the river at the bottom.

Time for the road.  Grindy McGrindface, climbing climbing up and around, met one guy riding a bike down hill towards me at some point, and finally back up to the car, just after 12.  Hit the road, and was home by 1.

A very enjoyable 14.14 kms of country riding 729 m climbing

Thursday Night Eastern Struggling Singletrack Goodness

Met Nelson at Slumnervale... Traffic on Linwood Ave getting there was a shocker. 

We headed up the Captain.  I felt weak and useless.  Either not recovered properly from Sunday's ride, or I was suffering from too much sugar during the day at work...  Either way, I felt bad.  Once above the switchbacks tho, everything gets a bit better until the trail heads up again near the end.  We paused for a bit at the (crappy) gate to let an XC Yeti woman through, then got going to the top. We watched some lights coming down Greenwood from here.

Through Evans and onto Godley.  Cleaned the first rocks but then was so wiped from that effort that I buggered up the next lot.  Managed a bit better further up, still struggle street though, while Nelson powered off ahead.  I'd totally lost him by the time I was up the top, tail wind pushing me a long.  At the ridge, he was crouched down out of the wind.  Brief stop here and the 3 Greenwood lights climbed up the 4wd towards us, then continued on down towards Livingston.  We gave them a headstart then headed in.  Nelson chased hard, but I just rode my own buggered pace.  Once on the down, I was a bit better, swoopy swoopy fast through the lower descents.  Past the 3 boys at the col and straight on up the climb, up and around.  Nelson was waiting at the top, and we headed down the same triangle of paddock to the road, and over to the new Anaconda entrance.  Brief break here.

Into the descent.  Lots of sheepshit and the dirt still unused since I was through on Sunday, I reckoned.  Bomb bomb bomb, then fast and airy through the original lower Anaconda.  Then around and climbing again, stopping to watch the 3 followers descending, making lots of noise and 'aaaaah!'s as they swooped.  They ended up following us up this walking track.  I was starting to struggle more on this climb. 

Then from Breeze, up the singletrack ever more.  Struggle struggle struggle, then fun descent, then reeaally struggling on the final climb.  Rain started to fall a little bit up top.  We put jackets on and headed around.  Good run down to Evans, me taking the high walking line at the end. 

Then into Captain Thomas.  Excellent downhill.  Feeling sore, but enjoying the down.  Blasty blasty, cleany cleany.  The tree root at the start of the Cabbage Tree track nearly stopped me...  then the final blast into the bottom of the valley was gooood.  So glad to be done.  I was aching all over.

An expeditious 17.15 km, with a quite thorough 713 m climbed.  

Sunday Solo Brit Green God nuSnake God road Brit

Parked up Parkridge and got riding at 8.30. Up Britten, into the clouds, everything grey and a little damp. Down the road and into Greenwood OG entrance, where shortly I took the Sheepshit City trails down around towards the Richmond Pines and then around and mostly climbing back up to the Greenwood ruins.  9 am on the dot, into Greenwood proper, and down (seeing reasonably fresh tire tracks on the odd rock (but no sign of anyone ahead)).  As I rounded one of the first corners I noticed a guy chasing me down.  Huh! I thought.  Better put the pedal down, so I started honking a bit harder, and increased the gap.  Around Gloomy and through I looked back and I'd made the gap massive and he was dab-walking through the worst of the rocks up there.  Got bombing on into the next rocky descent and swooping through the swoopies and off the drop jump, and around into Dave's Zone, and then looking back he was way up there.  Kept the pressure on, blasting through the turns, all good, even where there was grease.  Around into the wee valley and then the shot for the end.  Dab through the first rocky up, and then down to the new end, passing a climber in those lower reaches.  Across Evans and a wee breather break, 9.10am..

Into Godley, climbing and (nearly) cleaning the first rocks.  Slightly better luck most of the rest of the way, just one or two dab-scoots.  No one else about at all.  Over the top and blasting down to Livingston where I passed a couple of runners (one was Meg - James and Caro's daughter).  Climbed up towards Breeze to just before Breeze descent where I peeled off for the new entrance to Anaconda, dropping down through the open gate next to the cattlestop, little triangle of paddock above the road, across, and into the newly signed downhill.  Swoop swoop, all finished now but needs more tires riding it.  Fun, bar all the sheep shit, and lambs jumping out of the way.  Onto the old Anaconda and a sweet bomb, jumpy jumpy, around into the valley, back and forth, nearly lost it in one corner, front wheel squirrel, then out onto the walk track a the bottom and climbing up the new walktrack back up to the original snake entrance, Breeze Col, and back up the road for a bit.

Up the triangle of paddock I'd come down, walking, then onto the singletrack again, heading up and over to Livingston, then the grinding climb up, up, up.  At the top I looked at my watch, and discovered it was 10am, 1 hour since I'd been at the top of Greenwood!  Continued on, having a great run down Godley to Evans, roughly 5-10 past the hour at the pass, and climbing again, for the long slog.  Towards the top my left leg was getting a bit peaky sore.  20 minutes the whole climb took me to the top of Britten.

Final fang down, easy to start then ramping up the boost as I descended.  At the hairpin corner, went straight ahead, exploring a new line, which took me all the way across, nicely flowing, and down to just before the final droppy descent under the pylon to the bottom.

Back to the car 10.37 or so, and home just after 11 am.  Nice.

A rather lengthy 23.5 kms, with 999 m of altitude gained...

Saturday's Park Lot

O and me headed for the Park. Nelson was at the top when we got there, so said he'd wait.  He was on his DW DH Rig.  O and me got to the turnstiles and no swipey! - I discovered I didn't have my card, so I sent O off up to meet Nelson while I went to the office and sorted out a spare. They came down Yeah Yeah and Jandal, and I didn't have to wait too long. 

Up we went, and off into Summit Connector, across Nun and down the lower Gnarly rocks into the lower Nun, bombing it.  Into Choir and bombing through, fast fast fast, then climbing round to Captain Cooker, dropping down and into Shredzilla.  Chasing Nelson, O on my tail, we all cleaned everything smoothly.  Good fun, fast run. 

Back up the lift again, and this time into Swinger's Party.  Another good run, tho some groms caught me up and I let them through.  Otie did good again, and then we hit down DOHC, which was better than the last time I did it...  Slightly less rough.  Good finish for me, and O's hands were blistering cos he'd decided he didn't need to wear gloves...

MMR output.  Basically none climbed, that's all the lift.

Tuesday Pre-Meet Quick Lap

Last Tuesday (10th September), forgot to post, as have been away all week since...  Nelson and me parked after work up top of Parkridge and headed up through Britten.  Was still rather wet, tho not quite as bad as the my previous excursion through said zone.  Climbed up and around.  We had our lights with us but was light enough to ride the whole ride without them.

Across the road and up Mt Pleasant, some pics up here, then over and down, swoop swoop, bomb, through and around, then the trail towards the Richmond Pines and then back up climbing, some mucky spots, then up the road and down Britten again.  Back to the cars by just enough light at 6.22 (sunset was 6.13pm)

Reasonably short, 9.43 kms with 316 gained.

Went and ate Thai at Talay, then off to the Trees Meeting.

Sunday One Mucky Lap o' th'Adventure Park.

Took Hunter and O to the Park.  Hunter had a brand spanking new Trance.  It'd been raining overnight so there was only one route open, Summit Connector, Choirboy and Loess (and Shred).  Trails were mucking fucky, and greasy not-easy, so Hunter was a bit out of his element.  I followed him and it was amazing watching teenage 'confidence' being outweighed by lack of innate ability.  He surprised me a few times down the Nun, but wasn't going nearly as quick as O was, bombing off ahead of us.  At the Kiwi, we continued on down.  Hunter was surprisingly quick through the first few bits, but around the big corner into the woopdedoos (before the wee valley and climb up to Old Dyers Pass Rd form) he lost his front wheel to the left, the back wheel spun round and he went down hard.  Scraping a big gark in the track a good 4 metres long.  Scuffed his knees really good, and hands (no gloves) were numb with pain (and scuffed too).  Blood appearing through mud on the knees.  Took him a while to regroup.  I checked over his bike, and eventually we got going.  Him being a lot more cautious from there on down.  Rocks were pingy and slick the rest of the way, til the sidling clay and climb.  I made sure O rode with him for that stretch, and they chatted.

Then it was into the descent to Loess.  Reasoned against Captain Cooker, on account of grease.  Descent to loess was sketchy.  Loess itself was the worst I've ever seen.  Quite dodgy.  Slick as.  I let him go ahead (O disappeared immediately, and occasionally I'd spot his fluoro orange jacket below us).  Hunter took it very easy.  I'd wait, bomb, jump, haul up, wait, bomb, jump, haul up...  Good run in the end, but we pulled the plug and headed home to hose off bikes and bodies.

Around about 6 kms riding.  Almost all downhill.  Didn't map it, but registered...

Sunday Coupla Lapsa Th'Adventcha Park

10.45ish O and me met Nelson at the bottom of his first lap for the day - on the DH rig.  Got Otie a 5 pass and we headed up the lift.  First off into Summit Connector, down the nun and down the Choir Boy.  Stopped and adjusted O's brake levers just past 3rd Base.  He was struggling cos of a hand injury from crashing off his board last weekend.  Into Captain Cooker and then Nelson headed down KarmaSutra while we took the easy route down Loess Rider.  Good fun run. 

O wasnt up to another lap, hand hurting too much so he went to the cafe and socialmedia'd with his friends while Nelsie and me headed back up the lift.

Into Swingers, nice run down this.  I stayed pretty close on his tail most of the way.  And at one point these young guys were on my tail, putting me under pressure, which kept my speed up.  Excellent fun this trail.  Bombed on down it all and Nelson was surprised when he stopped thinking he'd wait and I was right there.  Into Handle and we popped and floated and flowed all the way down.  Good times.

Forgot to start MMR til the top...

Thursday Night Huntsbury Castle Tors Duncan

Up hill from Nelson's, via the steep-arse alleyway (taking a call from my dad on the way).  Up the road, ever pedalling, then up the gravel, I was feeling pretty good. Up from the cattlestop to the singletrack, and headed up the rocks of the new Rock-Up (usually down) single, walking a bit, then riding over the top and down the hairpins on the backside, and back onto the singletrack.  Over the fence onto the landing strip, and across to the newly developed descending next to it, up to the jumpy Fourpause. Finishing up on the gravel top of Huntsbury.

Across Vernon, bombing down, pulling over a couple times for climbers, and then, for the first time in ages, I cleaned all of the Witch.  Along the road a bit, then up onto the single-track above the road, clambering and struggling a bit, then up the road to the Castle.

Fast bomb down this, bombing, and nearly losing it into the drainage channels on the righthand side before the first corner.  Around, and back across, balance pitching me left into the hillside this time, nearly losing balance again.  Around the next corner, down through and into the climb, cleaning it smoothly and with power.  I was getting more tired on this last descent to the Bridle. 

Back up the road, and up onto the Tors, with Nelson cleaning the entire climb from the road, most of which I walked.  Stopped for a bit of a snack in the nice sheltered spot.  Then into the down, good ride, only one dab, and not as nastly greasy as last time.  Back along above the road on the tight wee trail then over the fence, up onto the top, over the fence again, to the very top of Duncan's.  Some very fresh lambs up here, and on into the descent. I took the easy way because a little tiny lamb was following us. I thought it was a weird noise from my bike, like a squeak, then realised it was this tiny little lamb...  Down the ridge, all the fun, cleaning heaps of steeps, then over and through the lower gates, and around into the woods, dropping down our usual drops, drop, drop then out. Back along the road, getting tired now. Final climb over Centaurus and down, and back up Parklands to Nelson's.

18 and 3/4ths kms and a bonza 820m climbed

Sunday Groynes Planting

Moseyed out to the rail trail (where I then realised to start MMR) and slowly, eventually, made my way down to Wroxton Tce before I saw the crew coming my way from Fendalton Rd.  I waited there and we (Nelsie, Andy, Petey, Stevie and Jenna-ey) headed north at a nice pace.  I was feeling rather seeeedy due to consumptiousness evening previous, but somehow survived the thrall.  Railtrail, then at Tuckers the others peeled left while Nelson and I explored the singletrack to Sturrocks, left and met them at the Cosy Cafe.  Long black settled my nerves a bit, then onwards again up Cavendish, Styx and up Main North to Northwood, meandering through and around this and up Connemara to Johns, under the new motorway and into the Groynes.

Planted lots of Trees for Canterbury plantages.  I amazingly survived, and then the double-fisted Sossies helped a lot.  Robin's speach done, we headed and off again, south.

Back the way we came except explorational explorages through various other ways in Northwood, through parks and back streets, finding future pathways eventually through a shortcut to the Styx Mill intersection.  The future will also, in my book, see explorings through Regent Spark, cos there are ways to be had through there too.  Back onto the Rail trail and cruising nicely, tail wind, which I then turned into when peeling off through St Jame Spark, Dalriada, Windemere and home.

I managed 23 odd kms, with no real altitudinal gainage.

Tuesday Night Avoidance of the Muckeriness

Parked at the bottom of Mulgans Track and relaxed listening to music and watching the rabbits in the redzone while I waited for Nelson to show up.   He turned up, we got riding - an excellent ride ensued.
Up Mulgans, corners and steps getting the better of both of us.  Up the steps and steep, then up the steps to the water tanks and riding up past York's old place and into Brownlee Reserve.  Over the top onto Clifton Tce, climbing, climbing and over the fence at the first stile.  Took the singletrack down and across the valley around to climbing up around stormwater catchment gabions onto Richmond Hill, climbing up a walkway to a new cul de sac and then up the dirt, clambering ever upwards, around eventually onto the ridge and easy riding up to the big trees corner.  Had a snack here.

Next it was up the road and over the stile onto the Greenwood 4wd track, avoiding the soggy singletracks, climbing up to the gun emplacements on the ridge.  Bit of a cruise around these, then hit the descent, down the ridge track, tricknical rocks and fun to be had.  Across the top of Chalmers and Nelson's bike suddenly had weird gears - somehow the rear screw on his derailleur had unwound...  Fixed, and headed down the trail across onto the ridge above the Evans Pass Rd.  Speeeed (Nelson got 65 kph, (me, only 50 odd)) down to Evans, ended up at the old Greenwood exit.

Onto the road and out Godley Head Rd, meandering around to the new cattlestop and then climbing up all the way, crossing the singletrack, all the way to the top of the ridge.  Nice trail climbing up here, and mostly pretty dry.  Brief rest up top here, in the shelter of a rock (strong wind), and then down the techfun trail, dropping straight down to Evans Pass.

Dropped down into Rapanui Bush, skoodling around to the Scarborough Bluffs Track, where we stopped for another snack.  Nice dry mild spot here.  Then off, fun descent, waaay longer than I always remember it, across and in and out of little valleys and techy rock features and drops and then into the switchbacks, various levels of success for Nelson and not for me.  I cleaned the last one.  Onto the road and coasting, faster and faster (me 69 kph down here) descending down into Sumner, and cruising around back to the cars.

Good ride.

A quite acceptable 15 kms and 640 m of altitudes

Wednesday Night Solo Hunting Castle Tor Witches

Doctor's appt after work, so I'd parked there and ridden to work.  Then hit the traffic across to Huntsbury, up to the end of the road.  Changed in the car and got riding.  A couple of guys had ridden by while I was setting up the lights etc, and so they were my target.  I gained slowly on them.  Just after I'd passed the pylon a fast dog sprinted past, leapt the cattlestop ahead, and bounded on ahead.  Caught up to the guys, turned around and bombed back down as I approached the cattlestop.  It looked confused, like it was looking for owners.  I turned right just after the 'stop and climbed the trail up to the singletrack.  Stopped for this pic...

Above the other guys briefly.  Then they were further ahead.  Ended up catching them at the top, as they turned around and rode back down.

Across onto Vernon, and between the first tech rocks I dropped the front wheel off the track and crashed.  Quite randomly, just landed on the ground.  (following day, a couple of bruises, hip and elbow).  Handlebars were crooked, so I had to adjust them, then got riding again, letting a few climbers through, had a good bomb down to Rapaki-top and through, 3 rider lights ahead of me on the Witch.  Didn't catch them, but they remained ahead of me on the road all the way up to Castle, waiting at the top when I got there.  I said my Guddays, had a wee stretch, and headed straight into The Castle. Excellent bomb down, remaining contained within the track sides even tho I nearly de-balanced a couple of times.  Fast through the rocks and onto the 1st hairpin.  Across and through then climbing quite nicely, tiring towards the top.  Out onto the road, and climbing again.

2/3rds of the way up I climbed up off the road onto the Tors track, clambering up and riding around to the usual stopping point.  Suspension and light adjustments made, off down.  Wetter in spots than last time, and the first of the techy droppy bits were pooling with quite a bit of water, which made them super sketchy.  Dropped down, cautiously, quite a bit of dabbing, but rode out the last descent well.  Strong wind across this saddle, coooollldd southerly, straight across onto the above-road singletrack, enjoying the tech but contending with the wind.  As I approached Witch, a group of 4 guys were approaching on it.  I pulled up, said my guddays, and they took off back along Witch.  I left a pretty big gap and then followed.  Caught up the last couple and passed the rear one on the rocky climb, chasing the 2nd to rear one (on a Honzo ST - nice).  On the descent, he nosed up and so nearly went over the bars.  I gave him more gap then.  

Across the Crapaki-top and climbing I tucked in between the last two of these guys, with the dude in front going nice and slow, all the way up.  Kept me in check and we chatted as we climbed.  Quite good really.  At the old line up near the top he peeled left, while I continued straight, putting on more speed and cruising out to the end.  Passed by the other two waiting and hit the Traverse, around to and then into Fourpause, excellent blast down this, jumping ALL of the jumps no problem, then on down the new next-to-the-landing-strip section, following it better this time, then over the fence and onto the final singletrack.  All the time looking for the left hander to the new Rock-Up track I'd spotted on Trailforks.  Good couple few switchback low gear climb, then up onto the rocky top ridge, barely able to follow faint bits of green spraypaint, but finding my way.  Fun descent down and back onto the singletrack, jumps, wetness up top there, then terrible wetness lower midway down, and the final corner before the last couple of jumps is blown to shit with boggy soggy shitmud.  Back to the car, before 8.

A minty fresh, poppin' 14.6 kms with 662 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Uplifts and Downdrafts, 1080

Good spin tonight. Left Nelson's place and headed around to the Park. He'd bought a Winter pass, and so had 7 (of 10) lifts left on a card, which they kindly transferred to me and we headed up.

First round, into Yeah Yeah Gnah, weird in the dark, and pretty rough in spots, but fun.  Nelson put on speed but I didn't trust tires or myself and kept mine on the lowdown.  At the mid point a couple of guys he knew pulled up on DH rigs.  We led them into Handle, and half way down my battery strap snapped dropping it into the front wheel.  "WTF is that!?"  Pulled up; Nelson taped it onto my stem and off we went again.  Good blast the rest of the way and we made it to the lift just in time to be the last uplifts at 7.  Johnny accompanying us for the up.

At the top we went our separate ways from Johnny, him down the park, and us down Slummit Connector, new bits to play on (big doubles), and then all the way out to the road.  Puffy up this to top of Nun. Fun Down, quite greasy in spots, so I's watching out for myself all the way down; pumped and tired as at the bottom.

Across Dyers Pass and up the Scummit Rd into the top of Vic.  Took off for the Traverse, and the first rocks biffed me all over the place, nearly dropping me.  Continued on and failed to chase down Nelson who powered off ahead, leaving me to struggle up the ups and ease into the downs.  Regroup at the midpoint, then again, he slowly left me behind as we cruised round the rest. 

Brief discussion whether Lavaflow as the go, but decided against it, and headed for the Huntsbury Downhill track, apparently called Fourpause (in Trailforks).  Nice bomb down here, though I wasn't overly trusting of the greasy dirt, then I bailed on the final jump.  New section through the tussocks beside the landingstrip, and then all the good lines from there down to Old Skool.  Took off into this, and around the first face I rolled up and find Nelson off the track grasping his knee.  He'd clipped a pedal on a rock that'd thrown his knee into the stem and him and bike off the track.  Yowch.  I was tired, so a bit slow on down, wary of all the little rivulets of stream across sections of the trail.  Final blast down, all good and out, then back to his down around the river.

A worthy 29.03 kms, with a grand total of 1133 m climbed...  (obviously, 800 m of that was on the lift)

Just noted, this is auspicious post number 1080.

Sunday Orton Fattley

Met Pete, Steve and Nelson in time for the 8.50 am ferry.  I 'adjusted my suspension' (pumped some air into the tires) and we headed up and had a coffee at the cafe.  Then we hit the road, cruising, up, down, up, down, around to the park. Up the driveway, to the end of the 'park' bit, and met Ian (manager) who told us where to go for the planting.  Lucky for us it was pretty much at the top end of the MTB track. So, off we cruised, mucky and puddly in places, with a bit of dynamic straightlining (squirrel factor on high).  Fun little climb up and around. Stopped and helped water off the track a couple of times and then down, and we parked and climbed the fence and planted super quick, given the easy digging soaking wet ground and good sized crowd of people.

Back on the bikes and down, enjoying the cruise, to another site where we put in a totara forest - 150 totara trees planted in no time, all up a nice corner of hillside.  Will be amazing in a few years. Then off down again, brief stop at the loo, and on down. Steve tootled off ahead while we raided the Krispies and Gingernuts before the rest of the punters got anywhere near them, decided time was too short for a cuppa, so set off in chase of Steve.  Nelson ditched Pete and me, powering ahead, catching up to Steve, then Pete and me caught them eventually just after the fire-station.  Down to the wharf, and 12.30 ferry back to the cars..

Mildly respectable 20kms, and surprising 443m climbed...

Tuesday Night East End Triangle

Parked at Slumnervale and in no time Nelson turned up.  He had is XCWhippet, I had the Rocky.  I changed and we headed up the Captain.  Mucky in spots and beautifully dry in others.  Stopped for a dose of Asthma below the cabbage tree trail exit, and continued on, hoping for relief from the lack of air.  A worthy climb, I chuffed and huffed my way, feeling weak in my legs and gasping for oxygen through the lungs... 

Crossed Evans to Godley and started climbing.  Nelson cleaned away the whole damned thing.  I struggled and dabbed and walked and then lost my light and fixed it and was miles behind.  Regrouped at the top and then headed for Livingston.  Teddington Shit section annoyingly bad, but the rest of the trail sweet as.  He let me past on the lower swoops to the bottom, and we headed up for Breeze.  Around and down, the last paddock below PFMTBC Rock a sucky mucky quagmire piece of crap.

Where to from here?  Lets go check out the new section that leads into Anaconda from above.  Back up the road a to the second corner, and found a wee solar light marking the start of the new track.  Hmm, lets come back via this way.  So, back down to Breeze Col and into the climb for the skinny track.  Again, gasping, but once on the narrows I was okay, around, tight, then up to Breeze Bay track.  Huh, another couple of lights.  Oh, gudday Daryl.  Stopped for a chat with Daryl (Ex-Cactus GM) and a mate on road/cross bikes.  We carried on, bombing around the Breeze Bay trail, fun descent, a couple of wee climbs, but all good.  Finally over the stile and back down to the road.

Up to the new entrance, and into it.  Barely built, lots of nice swoopy corners down the sunny (dry) ridge, til they ran out and it was off camber, just sketched into the hill, but leading down to a natural entrance onto the Conda.  Good blast down here, mostly dry, tho a couple of sections with running water, and in the lower wobbles, one or two bloody awful bits, but no damage, and onwards down the 'Tail.  Nice, and then across and I really needed a snack at the Carpark.

Final Climb, ugh, somewhat of a second wind towards the top, dropping down a couple gears and standing and cranking for a bit, made the top and into Nicholson's Park we headed, down the steeeeeps, slightly slippery on the rooty, and then down onto the Flowers, and down the alleyway out to Whitewash, bomb to road, and ride back up, picking our way back to our cars.

Ended up being 18 kms with a very respectable 763 m climbed

Sunday Jetting the Mucky Tops

Jet and me parked up the bottom of Britten, usual spot, and headed up.  I was surprised how wet everything was, with water pouring out of the hillside.  We climbed over the fence at the bath, and boy was the hill wet, with water flowing across the track just up from here, but once up on the actual mtnbike track, it wasn't so bad, with recent drainage additions having done their job well, and only one or two spots with water soakage.  Higher up had some sogginess too.  Around across the top, I figured the out the front trail would be greasy as given it's quite flat, so I just headed for the trees, then over the stile and up Broadleaf.  Good climb up here, missing the Track Closed sign, but figuring against heading down to Greenwood, and so hung a right towards Cavendish.  A couple of really mucky spots up here (muckiest I've ever seen it, not just bikes mucking it up too), and a few walkers including one grumpy old lady who was just looking for something to hassle "You know this track is closed, don't you?"  "Nope, didn't see any signs" Ride ride ride...  No biggie.  Mostly it was dry enough, and a good blat down the last to the stile and bottom. 

Then onto the Summit Rd, down under the Gondola and ahead I see some familiar helmets heading towards me.  Andy, Pete, Wazza and Wahayno out for their jaunt, on the roads.  Short catch up and we went our separate ways.  Jet and me up the road, keeping him in check all the way due to fast roadies heading down, then we were at the Castle Rock track.  (also Closed, but it didnt need to be).
Tiny bit of wet in that first descent, then very good condition for a long way around, fun descending, til that rocky section (close to the road), which was running water, but no mud so all good, down into the hairpin and back across, usual wet spot (now in good condition), next hairpin, and down, bit of moisture work needed, then climbing, dry as a bone and good to go.  Across and back onto the Summit Rd, back around under the Gondola, and up, up to Cavindish Saddle, and climbing the first section of singletrack before taking the trail down to the road crossing.

Into Britten, (closed, but I wasnt using the mtnbike track), dry as across the first section, and then I headed out onto the point, and straight down the ridge, off piste, and eventually finding my way down to the very very mucky traverse section in the lower middle of the hill.  Once out of that, it was the sweet bomb down under the pylon back to the car.

Only 11kms, but over 500 m climbed...

Tuesday Night Muck a Duck

Messy as. Met at Nelson's and it was drizzling after quite a few days of rain and wet.  We headed up the steep bastard that is Parklands Drive, onto Huntsbury Ave, steep to start, then up up up to the top of the seal and onto the gravel.  Climby climb climb, weather thickening then improving as we summitted.  Felt like a long way up to me.  At the top, the view was quite awesome, with visible patches of muck across the city and hills, but we were in the clear.  Hit Vernon which had a few puddles, but was good.  Blast down to Rapakitop and then into Witch which was a bit muckier but not so bad. All the way to the end of that and then turned around and headed back.  Better run back, slick rocks not being too slick, and then we headed up the road below Vernon.  Into the Traverse, mucky as mucky gets, so at the top decided not to continue, and headed down the steep fun trail.  This was dodgy as.  My tires gripped surprisingly well, but Nelson's XC tires were caked up and all over the place.  Then we bailed off down the main Huntsbury, and once on the road took Kenmanure and the Major down, speed and seal clearing our tires very nicely.  Bikes got a good hosing when we got back to Nelson's.

15.3 kms and 600 m climbed.  Not bad for a non-event.

Thursday Short Dog Hanmerer

Took Jet out for last day's ride.  We headed across to and straight up Timberland, into Jolliffe up and over, not feeling nearly as long a climb as it had the day before, over and down, continuing on down past the bridge, down Dogstream, a very nice wee section of trail that I haven't ridden many times, and crossing over onto Mach1, passing a family before the road.  A good hoon down here, climbs not feeling much, then into and back round Basecamp and Western Link home. 7.8 Kms and a tiny 175 m

Then half an hour later or so, Tra'y (on O's bike) and me went for a short cruise, around the Woodland, onto the Western Link down to Basecamp, looped around the far end of it and back mostly the way we'd come. Would have been maybe 5 or 6 kms and 50 m of alt, if that.  Nice wee spin tho.

Wednesday, Extended Hanmering

Out on my own yesterday, no dog, no boy.  Toodled through town and on the road around to Chatterton's, up the valley to the single track.  Up the steep pylon track, into the forest and across to Tank.  Great bomb down this, then for the first time ever, headed up the back of Conical Hill - stopping to answer some directional questions from someone at the C-Line/Eagles Nest juncture.  Continued on up to the top and had a rest and small snack. 

Then off down Eagle's Nest for some technicality, and straight across into C-Line some extra (walking some of the corners on account of not trusting myself on the steep-head-angled rigid Fatty.  Into the rest of Swoop, swooping through the turns, and then across the flat to Timberland.  Grunty climb up here then straight into Jolliffes, gruntier still, with a break at the top.  Into the descent, bomb bomb, corners steep and handlebars nearly scraping.

Across the bridge and up into Bigfoot for the nice slow meandering climb.  Great views from the top and off down, slightly faster than the day before.  Next into Detox, climby climb climb, and bombing of the descent, around the top of Mach 1 and across the bridge and down half way down Dogstream,  hanging a right up the road to Red Rocks, good run here and finally back round to the house.

20 kms covered, and strangely only 575 m climbed.

Tuesday Hanmered Again

O, Jet and me headed out again. Along the flat to start, round Basecamp track to Mach 1.  Climb and descend and climb and descended in here, then up the Fir Trail, more climby and up to and into Bigfoot.  Super climb here, ziggy zaggy, on and up, and then an awesome run down this -  O in the lead and Jetty chasing the whole time.  Fun blast down, goes on for a nice amount of time, then out.  Across into Detox, climb climb climb, and down down down, then back into the top of Mach 1 and climbing briefly before hitting back across the bridge onto Lower Dogstream, rolling smoothly down this, through some mega permafrost at one point, and into Western connector, around the field Forest Walk track and back across the field and up to the house.

12 kms this time, with only 290 m climbed.  Climbs always seem so much more than they really are around here.

Monday Swamp Yankee Swoop Red with O and dog

Nice short wee warm up with O and the dog. Headed down from the house across the field and up into the Swamp trail.  Good pace, then up into Yankee Zephyr, climbing climbing, puffing O out for a bit.  Climbed to the top and hit the down.  Swoopy swoopy back and forth down.  Both enjoyed and Jetty running along happy as larry.  Back onto the top end of Swamp and we climbed up to Swoop, for another down, back and forth, swoopy swoopy down and out to the field again.  Then climbing up Timberland, puff puff, and into Red Rocks, climb, over, and through, then out Eeny and Meeny, and back to the house.

9.43 kms with 250 m climbed

Tuesday Night Solo Brit Pleasant Green and a little Goddling

Parked up on Parkridge in a gale, donning jacket for a start, and rode up through the bathtub entrance to Britten, climbing at my own pace, and getting pushed around a bit by the wind.  Mild as by the time I got to the top, so jacket off, and off around the front, tail wind pushing me across to the cattlestop and cutting crossing.  Over the fence, little bit of a rest, and onwards upwards.  This paddock has been munched.  Gone is all the long grass, and even the native broom and tussocks has been hammered, making for a much easier view in the dark to climb by.  Around and up, into the wind then tail wind then into the wind again, and over and up the gravel through the gate to the top.  Bit of a rest here and time for the down.

Dropped in, having one of the smoothest flows from gate to stile I think I've ever had.  Over the stile, and the smoothness continued, albeit battling the wind a bit slowing the lower tussock reaches.  Good blitz across tho losing my momentum as I approached the fenceline, transition through to above the ruins, losing my way briefly before meeting the Greenwood-proper.  Into the descent, flying over the first rocks and around, really on my game, even cleaning all the dodgy rocks in Gloomy Gulch.  Brief pause along here, then dropping in for a flowy bomb down swooping through to the drop and around into Dave's Land.  That mucky corner from last time has had a tidy up, better drainage, and was dry, and I had a good flow on down from there too.  Best run in ages.  Into the valley, and final stretch, bomb, jump, bomb, and around into the rocky up.  Not cleaned but further up it than any recent rides, dab through, and on again, flow bomb to the end.

Across Evans and along the road, more climb and way further than I'm sure it is meant to be.  One car passed, and finally into the climb up to Godley.  Grovel and sore, granny or second, lay down for a nice rest and stretch at the top.  Into the across and down, smooth through all the rocks and flying on the down.  Another of my best runs for a long time.  Took the walk-track end drop to the end.  Then across Evans again and into the road climb.  Ugh.  Long, drawn out, and I was starting to get a bit sore.  Climb climb climb, not seeing a car until I was just about at Jollies Bush.  At Jollies I decided to head up into the tracks here.  Walking the steps, but riding most of the trails, climbed up to the stile and over, then up to the singletrack and heading for the pines.  Then around and up the sheepshit alley track to the OG start of Greenwood.  Onto the road for the last climb and into Britten.

Descend descend descend, fun times blatting through and around, straight down and then across.  Phone call.  Home "I'll be half an hour".  Riding again, and awesome bomb down the rocky finalities below the pylon, over the fence, and back to the car.

18 kms and 661 m climbed. Bonza

Saturday Crock of Short and Mucky Crocs

Attempting to change my internally routed gear cable proved more difficult than previously imagined. This is no longer a simple trail-side fix.  Ended up being a right pain, but I got there in the end. I ended up strapping a torch to the downtube, shining through one of the bottle rack mount holes, then used a spoke to guide the end of the cable to the hole exit hole (below the bottom bracket).  A remedy to this problem would be to insert a full length outer, which I may well do eventually.

Due to my troubles, Nelson had detoured to mine to potentially assist, but I'd got it sorted before he arrived, so we schlepped out, convoyed across to Halswell Quarry and rode up through the dog park into the trail network.

Straight into Dowload, then up C2.  I was getting wheezy, so stopped for a puff on one of the hairpin corners, then while we were looking over the edge of the clay cliffs I managed to drop my puffer.  This required a scramble down the bank.  Back on the bikes climbing up.

Decided to drop down Murph's, which was fun, a bit rougher than it's been in the past.  Out the bottom and we headed up Upper Crust, which zigs and zags, I think nicer than C2, crossing Murphs near the top.

Back onto the Crocodile climb, taking the high road up, up, up, and finding a new line built earlier this year, that takes you off the original trail after the Deviation turn off, and zigs and zags a bit more, keeping the up for up and the down for down.  Nice!  Up into Low Road and climbing climbing, new bits here too, new fence crossing at about the water-tank, and then up the last to the top.  Siberia:  dropped over this down, trees cleared from next to this, biiig piles of swag ready for fires (we reckoned they should burn one at a time and have dance parties.  Or an even, bike race while they burn...).

Into Ange's Climb, zig and zag.  Pretty sure I swore I'd never do that again, but it wasn't so bad this time.  Over and back to the top again, ready for the descent.  Dropped into Low Road descent, usual droppy fun, gaining speed towards the new fence.  Then into the new sweepy lines back and forth across the slope towards the gate and lots of off camber corners.  Still settling in, and not really properly formed yet. 

Into the top of the Crocodile, dropping rapidly down this, crossing over and dropping down into Deviation - the start of which was dodgy as hell.  Frost damp splecky slick dirt, traction was potentially terrible, but we both spotted it and entered carefully.  Proceeded up Deviation, feeling the splecks on the back in the shady southfacing would-have-been-frosted-hard section before dropping zigs and zags towards the top of the old Croc and into the trees, where we coasted down Elegator.

Straight back into the climb of the Croc, back up to the top of Spurious, and down this, Down and Out, through the still-frosty bottomlands, Upload, back up the Croc, again, and this time at the top Nelson did Coopers Creek while I decided not to (didn't like the look of the entry drop, not that it's that bad), so I followed off down Spurious again, through the bottom and back up Upload, deciding to finish here, and head down back down to the cars to finish.

A bit uppy downy 10 kms with only 272 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Three Laps Old Skool

O, Jet and me headed across to meet Nelson at the end of Bowenvale Ave, 5.45pmish by the time we'd gotten through traffic.

Headed up the valley, O flying off ahead, Nelson not far behind him, and me gasping away at the rear.  Bunch of runners had started same time as us, and we'd passed them, then one by one a few of them got past me by the time we got to Hidden Valley Link Bonus.  Up into there, feeling warmed up now, going okay.  Passing O in the steeps in the trees.  Then onto the Old Skool.  Very dark, and so Jet couldn't see anything, and O rode with him going his pace.  If you left him behind he'd take forever, but if he was with you, he'd get along a bit quicker.  Greasy in spots, but a good flow down, regrouping periodically.

Lap two, back up the valley, O slowing down a bit now, and dropping back a bit up into Hidden.  Cleaned all this up this time and then regrouped at the pylon.  Around and my gears were a bit shifty.  At the high point flipped the bike and we found my cable is hanging on by a couple of threads, hence the change in performance.  Headed down.  At the cattlestop (where the stile used to be) we stopped and O nearly crashed off getting a bit sideways on the bars.  Then I sent him off behind Nelson and I rode with the dog.  Again, if I got ahead, he'd slow right down, finding his way by smell.  So, I rode slow with him for bits, then got ahead and then waited.  Repeat most of the way down.

At the bottom, O didn't wanna do another lap, and because Jet was a pain, they headed to the car, and we headed on back up.  Granny most of the way cos 3rd to 6th messed about.  Not a bad climb, but was feeling more tired.  Into the down and I tried to stay on Nelson's tail.  He had both lights, but I only had my head, so was definitely harder.  Good bomb with better flow through the lower corners.  Then out the bottom and back to a very steamed up car.

MMR crapped out (behaving stupidly, look at the climb?), but by my reckoning it was rougly 10 kms, and around 360-400 m climbed - here's Nelson's - take out 4kms and 40 odd m of climb and you've got mine).

Sunday Mt Grey with Jet and O

Had chucked on a new front tire, Surly Dirt Wizard, 3.0 inch, on Saturday and, also, first ride on the chainguide I'd got from Josh - so was ready to test.

Headed out of town with O and Jet in the Roomy-On(-the-inside)-mobile and we bombed on up to "Lake" Janet.

2.11 pm, headed up the forestry road then cut into the 'new' single-track link to the walking track zig zag climb.  A few wind throws messed us about at the entrance, which was mildly annoying, but was all clear once we were on the proper track.  Met a couple and a small group and a solo woman as we climbed.  Bloody hard work this climb, reflected in our 7.9 kph average speed.  Still ill, but on the tail end of a cold, I nearly died several times, thought I was gonna have a heart attack at one point.  Felt like absolute garbage.  Eventually we made the look out tower and headed up the road instead of the singletrack.  Not much easier, I don't think.  And the upper km was all in a freezing northerly foggy cloud, quite bitter, and here was us both with insufficient layers.  Brrr...  Jet enjoyed every inch of his journey.  About an hour to the top.

Into the descent, fun down the first steep and onto traversing benched singletrack; all the fun.  Bomb bomb bomb, wet spots, hairpins cleaned or not cleaned as well as last time.  Down the rocky bit and into the forest for switchback City.  Jet loving every minute, O not quite as convinced, not really enjoying the corners but loving the rest.  Vaguely warmer down in the forest, but still pretty chilly.  Close encounter with a kereru at the creek crossing.  Then around onto the ridge, and bombing through the pine bit, then switchback City again, and around through the mudmire, which wasn't nearly as mucky as I'd usually expect it.  Was actually pretty good, with only one dabby bit near the bottom.  Into the lower beech, fun exposure, and bomby roots, all pretty dry and smooth sailing.  Finally, out the bottom reaches and onto the road, mission accomplished, bar the climb back to the car.  About an hour from top to bottom, maybe less?

Climbing.  Road.  Ugh.  Painful this was, long and slow.  Took us a while, but got there in the end.  Back at the car maybe 4.30ish? 
One happy pooch!

On the road a fair bit before 5, and home well before 6

Totals, 13 km, with 653 m climbed, 1 hour 38 minutes total riding time.

Wednesday Night Pre-Trust Gusty Pea-soup Muss

Drove up and awaited Nelson's arrival on Stonyridge - he was running a little later than me from a Physio session.  Horrible bitter wind blasting through here, so stayed in the car til he arrived.

On the bikes, still enough daylight, and headed up the streets to the old gate on Upper Major Hornbro, and off up under the pylons, visibility due to lack of light a bit of a struggle, also, the bitterly cold wind making it a struggle too.   Up to the top, and then as we rode round to get over to Broadleaf, we entered the fog and visibility got nasty.

No problem on the climbing, but once we hit the descent, it was tough work picking your way down.  Ended up turning off the handlebar and running the head light on low for a start...  Lower down, in the tussocks I tried a bit of handlebar which worked.  Still, no where near the usual speed.

Then into Greenwood, and down through the top rocky sections, around the various bends, and we started to get below the fog down in here.  Lights on brighter and going got a bit better.  Some heinous headwinds approaching Gloomy Gulch, and I lost my mojo/flow right through there.  Nelson was waiting and we got rolling again and it a bit got better.  Then, down in Dangerous Dave's dug-outs, one of the corners was porridge.  Nelson had warned me so I popped off the track and scooted around the inside.  Lower down was all good, flow and groove.  One adjustment to light made near the bottom.  Then the new final bit down to the road.  One nasty off camber corner, and then lots of water on track right at the end.

Onto the road and climbing, head wind, no wind, head wind, tail wind, head wind, one car, me struggling a bit to keep up with Nelson's relentless pace.  Over the stile at the trees and up the climby track to the Greenwood Entrance.  Again with the struggling.  Road, and Britten.  So nice.  Tail wind, good visibility, speed, and flow.  Straight down to pylon from the right-hander, missing the turn onto the traverse, then around across the front and down the funnest final section below the pylon to the cars.

All goods, 12.7 kms and 522 m climbed.  Off to Noodle Union for a number 2 and then to the meeting, followed by a nice pint at the Hop and then I visited Josh, who set me up with a super lightweight cSixx(?) chainguide.  I was home late.

Sunday Uppy Downy Urumau-y

Jet and me met Nelson on Fosters Tce in sLyttelton and up we headed. Nice day. Steep-arse climbs as always, and the downs were a tad greasy.   Jet had a lovely time and lots of drinks from my camelback.

First lap, up to top, and figured a slightly easier start, so off down Stormer, finding traction to be slightly dubious and untrustworthy.  Into Grommies lower down, and I nana'd the jump but flowed the rest nicely.  Into the up, grovelly bastard that it is, both of us screwed up the worst two corners, huff chuff on up to the level point, then into the short decent to the gap through the fence trees, and then the evil grovel climb short sharp bastard.  Then climbing climbing back up to the top.

This time, into the ridgeline, droppy jumpy things, pop pop pop, and then a left down Zombie Lurch.  Less traction than Stormer, and a bit hairy in places, leading me to dab a few times.  Out the bottom and back into the mean climb.  Around and back up to the top again, this time talking to a dude with a brand new Rocky Mtn for a bit on the saddle.

Then up around the easier climb Looper, and down this into Sunshine Face for my first time.  Not bad, but for one steep straight down line that I just didn't want to gamble with.  Then, once back on I was riding the last couple corners, and managed to smack my penis quite hard into the back of my seat.  Yowch!  Climb (from the easy part) up the open zigs and back up to the very top again, the Rocky Mtn dude arriving up behind us, having trouble with his dropper.  Off down, Stormer again, much better this time, faster, and I took the lefty drop part way down, then was in the lead for a bit into Grommies.  Final blast down and I nana'd the drop again and then cleaned most of the climb back up, Nelson miles ahead.  Final section around, piggy climb, and up then down the access track to the drop track that was super sketchy greasy damp grassy dirt, front wheel lock-ups, sliding, and out the bottom back to the cars.

MMR failed (cos my battery was low again), and I thought I'd just use Nelson's, but he'd forgotten to turn his on.  Probably the usual 8-9 kms, with around 550 m climbed, similar to one of these...

Wednesday Chilly Hilly Night Loner

Hustled my way through rush hour traffic and parked up top of Huntsbury.  Cold, cold night.  Headed up the dirt, taking it nice and easy on the wheeze.  Quite a few damp spots, water running etc, but trail was firm.  Up the old way onto the singletrack then up the landingstrip and up the gravel to the top.  Straight across the road into Vernon, gradually increasing speed, and getting used to the newly recommissioned handlebar light (new battery).  Good bomb down Vernon, with a couple of guys ahead of me who I was slowly winding in, tho not before the end.

Across Rapaki top and into the Witch, ignoring the Track Closed sign, seeing as it really wasn't mucky at all.  Dabby climb around, just didn't have my grinding grunt on, and a wee breather before the descent, which was a tad slow, and almost cautious, given the slightly damp rocks.  Stuck to the road and cruised around and up to Castle top.  Seat down, suspension engaged, and off, (also ignoring Closed sign, figuring the ranger just hadn't made it there yet).  Slow to start bomb, lights not seeming to be in the right place, but wound it up and before the first hairpin was going a pretty normal speed.  A couple of wet spots where there has always been, but all pretty tidy now given recent work.  Into the climb and felt pretty good, tho a couple of near stalls, then across over and down the finish to the Bridle top.

Up the Summit Road back towards Castle watching a train below disappear into the hill in Heathcote, then clambered up to the Tors Track where I had a rest and a snack and where my MMR stopped (I think due to battery on phone hitting 15%).  Got rolling again and the going was careful.  I dabbed a couple of spots I wouldn't normally, due to what could have been dodgy traction that wasn't actually bad, and nearly lost it over the bars on a very tight spot before the final descent.  Phew, survived, and across the road, onto the wee single walking track above it.  Struggled on the intial climb but the rest was okay, and got sweeter as I rolled.

Across into Witch again, clamber clamber, descend descend, deciding to hit up Vernon and pulling over to let a few descenders pass, then Climby McClimbface, up to top, across onto Traverse, along here, then dropping into the upper Huntsbury fun descender.  Mildly greasy, but not as bad as I'd thought it might be, jumps, (but not the last), and then across the landingstrip, over the fence, back down the singletrack, this time all the way, jumpy jumpy, cruisy cruisy, not very nice wetstuff near the bottom, and back to the car.

MMR only says 8.75kms with 446 elevation gain to the point I stopped on the Tors. So, based on previous similarities, more like 15 kms, and 600 m climbed...

Sunday Old, Young, and Dog Codgers Codgering

In Nelson for QE2's birthday holiday.  Was hoping to ride the new Aorere trail, but after a bunch of rain on Friday night, didn't think it'd be very do-able.  Sunday morning, resigning myself to a Codger's Loop, headed out with O and Jet, usual route through town and up the Brook into Codgers. Up the main drag, lovely sunny day, lots of people about, but we were mostly faster.  Bypassed the (new to me) Tasman Trails climb, opting for the Pipeline, up to Jack's (arriving ahead of the family that had entered Tasman as we passed), a few steep grunts on this, then up Middle Rd to the main skidder site.  Various lazy arse e-bike riders showed up (dicks).  We ignored them deliberately, then headed up to Firball Trig - nice steep wee singletrack to top.

Chatted to a dude at the Trig for a while then hit the down.  Firball - I wasn't trusting of the surface, as it was a little bit damp, so took it a bit easier than last time Nelson and me were up here.   Great bomb down tho, with O on my tail most of the way and Jet not far behind whenever we stopped to wait for him.  Out onto Middle Rd to finish, and climbing again to the little skidder site.  Contemplated the lower entrance to P51 and also Viral Flow, but decided to climb Whanake to the top.  Into P51, bombing through, surprisingly catching a couple, overtaking, jumping jumping.  One jump I even hit a tree branch with my head.  Further down, more jumping, rounding corners, jumping, catching up to 2 couples, both going slower than us, then lower down still and into Crazy Horse, taking this with it's few jumps to the bottom.  Not as good as lower Firball, methinks.  Then down the final 'Young Codgers' to the exit, and the tired-dog-slow-meander back to base.

Chilly to start, 16 kms with 417 m climbed.  Woof woof.

Wednesday Night Solo - Britten Cavendish Tors Castle Pleasant

As per the title... On my own. In the dark. Really wasn't sure where to ride, but Nelson was out due to sickness from flu shot, and I'd had a massage from 4 til 5 (not necessarily the best idea, but only spot I could get), and I'd hit Buynow on a Surly Dirt Wizard on Tardme in the morning and finally got the email to collect in Moncks Spur Rd, so that decided me where to ride.  Parked on Stoneyridge.

Up through Britten with an empty water-bladder onboard heading for the tap at the top.  Spotted some lights heading up above me and so chasing i caught them at the top.  Went to tap to fill, but to no avail, i'd left the lid in the car!  Drank a couple cups and rode on, back into Britten and around the front, then across the road, over the fence, and up the trail.  Hung a right and bombed it down to the stile, this section way shorter than i remembered it.  Down through Cavendish Saddle and climbed up the horrid overgrown steep zigazag, to the top.  Under the Gondola building and time for some down.

Nice bomb down here, slightly greasy under tread on the steps due to dew and due-south aspect.  Good going over the rocks, and found my way into the fence/trap-line trail easier than ever before.  Humped over the rocks and down to Bridle-top.  Headed up the walking track from here, all the while thinking "nah, rather be riding this the other way," so once in the broom, over the first rocky bits I turned around and bombed back down, onto the road, and up for Castletop.  At the top, I climbed up onto the Tors track and had a wee rest.  Noticed here the lightning popping beyond the mountains.

Awesome descent down the Tors, cruising the flatter section, and fanging the steep tech.  Onto the road and back up to Castletop, and straight into a grunty descent.  Good speed, good flow, good climb, and out.  Quite a few people assembled up here, some sort of event - Rogaine, I guess?  I continued on around the road, lots of wind along here, under the Gondola and up to Cavendish again, into the trail and climbing up Mt Pleasant for a well earned rest at the top.

Into the down, excellent flow, still, down here, bomb bomb, whooah, nearly lost it on that rut, but onwards down bombing through and around.  Above the trees (above the ruins) there was a guy with a camera on a tripod - "Hello" and on down into the swoopy zigzags across, flowing good above Jollies Bush and noticing my light getting a bit wobbly.

At the pines, into the climb and, huh, that's loose as.  Stopped and repaired light.  Was fiddly and took much longer than you'd have thought, but got there in the end, and continued climbing up to Greenwood entrance, onto the road, up, grabbed a drink, and back into Britten for a zpeedy descent.  Fun times.

A handy 17 kms with a smidge under 700 m climbed.

Saturday Short with O and friend

Was gonna ride Urumau, but then we roped in O's friend Hunter who doesn't ride much so wouldn't have handled the grade.  So, we parked at Evan's Pass and rode up the road, Jet on the lead giving me a bit of a tow.  Up to the Richmond Pines and over the stile onto the climbing singletrack:

Then up to Greenwood entrance where we turned left and headed across to the ruins. 

Dropped into Greenwood, me blazing off down through the tech, then chilling back waiting for O (not far behind) and Hunter (a bit further back).  Section by section we rolled like this, making for a very leisurely trip for me, feeling fresh the whole way.  After the gulch it was good rolling and once all the rocks were out of the way the boys definitely liked it better.  Fun bomb down Dangerous Dave's neighbourhood and around into the valley then the last blast down to the rocky ups.  We exited on the old exit in order to keep the dog in check around the road...

MMR was playing up, refusing to synch, so I reinstalled it later on Sunday, which seems to have fixed it but lost this ride...  which was only 7.50 kms, and I'd estimate just over 200 m climbed.

Moonday Under Water

To and from the tasting by the most direct route. Troll behaving admirably - saved me from ruin on my way home.  As I entered the park, a stick, right on the apex of my cornering - when the front wheel was at its most vulnerable point - barely even wobbled me.

Spectacular moon shining, 2 days since full. 

Then on the railtrail section north of Strowan Rd, a freight train. Thought it was doing to be a free ride... Got up to speed, engine overtook, then carriages, wind picking up, then - F U M E S . Ugh, gasping for breath. Dragged along in the roiled fug. Unbearable. Made me wonder about long term exposure to those, quite dirty, petrochemical compounds. Finally as the train passed on ahead the vacuum sucked in fresh(er) air, buffeting to fill the void left behind by the train.  On Friday night, on our way home from our play, T and I had the same train, but with the wind in the western half that time the fumes were on the other side...

16.8 kms total, (8.4 kms each way) 

Sunday Planting for all we're Charlesworth

Hoofed it to the Charlesworth Planting and back Sunday.  12 kms each way.  On the way there hooked up with Nelson at Aldwins Rd Linwood Cnr, and on the way home I passed through that little sealed pump track in town, and managed to plough into a little kid...  His dad was not happy!  Neither was he much - poor wee guy.

There. And back again.

Saturday Morning Dog Pleasant Solo Back Track Loop

Headed up top of Mt Pleasant (suburb) and parked in the usual spot on Stonyridge.  Headed up Britten through Upper Major Hornbroke, through all the merino sheep and their doings. Spectacular day after a freezing morning, and I was overdressed.  Held onto the extra layerage until the top where I stripped down to T and shorts.  Around the front, some little dampness between the tussocks around here, but drying around to the west.  Original Britten around to the Cutting and across the road and over the fence.  Up Pleasant, ziggy zaggy to the top where I lubed my chain (it'd been a bit noisy on the climb).

Hit into the descent. Over the stile and fangin'.  Jetty keeping pretty good pace except for the faster bits, so I paused a couple times to let him catch up.  Around above the ruins, and headed back along the (OG) Original Greenwood entrance and dropped into the (newish) fun descent - stopping to take this pic.  Happy panty tongue boy.

At the Richmond Pines we continued on the singletrack around and climbed backup around to the ruins (ish), and then turned around and back down the ziggy zaggy I'd just climbed returning down around and climbing back up to Greenwood entrance.

Onto the road, up round past the cafe and back into Britten for a good hoon. Stampeded the sheep, Jet still ignoring, direct route down and then around and under the pylons dropping, pulling over for some climbing riders, and finishing off the last drops to the car. Done

12kms and 391m and 1 happy dog

Saturday Loner Bowen Gnar Vic

City covered in low cloud all day, but I found some sunshine on the hills, sort of.  Parked at the end of Bowenvale Ave and headed up the valley.  Was about half way up the valley-bottom gravel section when I realised, "SHIT! I've left the key in the car door!!!"  Quickly zoomed back down, locked car, took key and got riding again back up the gravel bottomed valley.  Up the steeps and then into the HiddenValleyLink-Bonus track, climbing away, cleaning it all but the last hairpin up top, then up under the pylon and up the steep bastard zig zag climbing track.  What a prick.  Did better than last few times, actually managing to ride all of it, but stopped multiple times to breathe, heavily.  Saw only one descending rider, on the steep fun singletrack shortcuts.  Clambered all the way up to the start of the Traverse and had a rest and small snack, on my back, with feet up on the fence, draining the lactic out of the legs.

Along the Traverse, bit of a cruise, but pushing, always pushing, steady hard.  A bit of sunshine up here but cool sections of fog near the saddles, rolling through from the harbour. Straight through the top of Vic and down the Thomsons, both, to the kiwi and on up the road, steadily sticking with another rider ahead, only 50 m or so visibility most of the way up the Summit, down to about 20 m on Worsley's Rd.  I rolled on up to the top of the Nun, which was also in fog.

Dropped into the Gnarly Nun, greasy as from all the fog.  Rocks were slick from the damp dirt on the tires, making for a sketchy descent, getting brighter as I descended out of the fog that was really sticking to the hill here.  Dampness got less as I descended too, making the final sections quite sweet.  Into the lower Nun, bombing on down through back to the kiwi.  Across the saddle and up the Summit Rd, where I saw ahead the backs of a couple guys I know...  Namely, Steve and Pete!  Pushed harder to catch up to them, puffing heavily.  Pete on the new Yeti - sweet ride...

At the top of Vic, Steve continued on along the road, and Pete and Me dropped into the top, straight down to the cattlestop (next to the seesaw) and down into the rocks and gums, taking my usual favourite, bombing through this, then into Shazza's, and then straight down into Sneaky Ridge, bomb, drop, fun, into the deciduous section which was sketchy as, total loss of trail.  Around, dropped onto Flow, and out the bottom back and forth down Nu Bridges, nice riding.  Finally, I couldn't be arsed climbing Hidden Valley again, so we bombed on down the gravel valley bottom went our separate ways when I stopped at the car.  Driving back into the dankness of a low cloud Christchurch.

An acceptable 16.2 kms with 650m climbed.

Thursday Night Mostly Solo East End Loopies

Left work earlyish (4.30) and parked up Sumnervale. Nelson still got a bad back so was on my own.  Headed up The Captain, getting the usual asthma on the first climbing section even tho I was on my lonesome.  Stopped and de-layered and puffed inhaler below the cabbage tree, then got going again, a bit better.  Rest of the climb was good, with it just getting dim enough to nearly need the light by the top, but not quite.

Across into Godley, requiring some lighting now.  Mostly cleaned up all the rocks, but dabbed a few times, pesky lack of vis and struggly tiredness.  Once into the smoother sections got rolling quite nicely.  Bit of a rest at the top, before getting into the bomb.  Full lights mode.  Nice to Livingston, good climb out and better to Breeze.  Straight through this and across to the climb, getting into the narrow-skinny-tight tussock sidle.  Around and up to top of Breeze Bay track.

Nice flow around this, the lights of Lyttelton BRIGHT.  Careful bomb through that last off piste corner, over the stile and straight across into the Conda.  Easy flowings around to start, slowly winding up the speed, til the lower curves I was flying.  Nearly lost one of the corners from looking too far ahead and mis-judging the approach, turning in too soon and flying over tussocks through the inside of the corner, lucky there was nothing out of hand in the way.

At the bottom of the Conda-proper, hung a right up the walk track towards Boulder Bay and climbed, climbed up the new walk track and half way up my gears made some clickety sounds.  I checked and found a broken link.  Kinda squeezed it together thinking it might be alright but 5 pedalstrokes later and it all unravelled.  Tried to fix with just the chainbreaker but these newfangled chains have a big (relatively speaking) flange on the pin, and try as I might I just couldn't get the narrow bit of chain into the wide bit with the pin.  Really wished I'd had my glasses too.  All the detail was so blurry! Then I found a 10spd quicklink in my bag, removed the offending pin pieces and chucked in the quickie.  Perfect fit.  Rolling again, with a slightly tighter chain, and up to the road, and along this, mostly climbing and very dark. About 3 cars passed, all dumbarse boyracer shits.

Past the paraglider launch ramp and around through the cattlestop and up the climb, seeing a couple of lights up ahead just getting to the top.  As I approached I saw a red bikeframe in their lights and yelled out "Warren and Wayne?"  "Nope, Buggs and Dozer - is that you Steve?"  "Yep,..."  So, caught up and then we rode.

Excellent flow for me, I was just flying over everything, making for a smooth and fun descent - putting heaps of gap in between us.  I took the walking track ending at Evans, and waited a little for the other two to roll in.  Wazza's rear tire was too hard so he'd been pinging all over the place, and he was trialling a front rack (doing the Heaphy soon).

Then it was into the Captain.  Another smooth flow for me, bombing everything and gapping the boys again.  Awesome descent, feeling really good.  Feeling the benefits of my new yoga routine, I think.

Just over 20 kms, with 825 m climbed.  Not bad for a solo night ride.

Into the cars and off to Cassel's.  The rain started just as we started driving and got heavier and heavier into the evening.  Good Timing!!!

Sunday Styxed Townie

Met the crew (Steve, Pete, Nelson, Wazza, Wayno and Andy) on the rail trail (I'd backpedalled down stream for a couple of blocks to meet them) and we skedoodled north to Cosy Cafe for a quick beverage before proceeding up Cavendish and into the reserve to the planting.  MMR fucked out on me there, not recording my wandering around planting, carting mulch from pile to plants, and then riding through to the bbq and about a bit, before heading home, via Cosy Cafe (expecting to meet the family there), which turned out not to be the cafe the fam were going to, so then rode Cavendish to the cafe on Sawyers Arms Rd, then riding home with Jet through back streets.  Quite the combo.. 8.5 kms there, including a bit of the wandering about, then 5.8 kms home via that backstreet way.

Thursday Afternoon Quick HuntsBowrynvale with Jet

Finished work early and it was a beautiful afternoon, so managed to deal with the utterly stupid traffic (WTF is going ON? - took >30 minutes!) and parked on Bowenvale Ave.

Dog in tow, we galloped down the road and around and to and up Major Aitken Drive.  Not a bad pace the whole way, Jet just doing the usual fast running to start then buttoning down a bit by the top.  Onto the gravel, and he was very good, enjoying all the sniffing and panting a lot. Up onto the singletrack, I took a call from T and he slunk down into a cool grassy ditch, puffing lots.  Riding again, up the trail and over the fence, then on up the landing strip to the gravel and up this to the gate/cattlestop.  Through the fence here and I pushed the bike to the summit trail at the top of the fun descender.  Chatted with a guy (who'd build the extra bits lower down in the switchbacks before Old Skool).

Down time.  Jet behind, jumpy jumpy, tho skived on the final one - even pushed back up but couldn't bring myself to doing it (too much watching of the crashes of the week on Pinkbike...).  Then down the landing strip and peeled left onto the singletrack, droppy down to the gate.  Over the stile and sheep everywhere.  A real clusterfuck of them.  Jet was excessively well behaved, completely ignoring them.  Down the steep bylines, some corners sketchy due to dried sheep pellets acting like lightweight gravel ball bearings.  Dodge.  Droppy down, all the extra little bits, one or two of them a little worse for wear from lack of riding/maintenance and sheep.  Through the back and forths near the pylon and onto the Old Skool proper, passing a couple sitting watching the sunset at the highpoint just before the main descent.  Bomb bomb bomb, still sheep, and their doings, everywhere.  The stile midway is busted up so you could, with a small hop, just ride straight through it now.  I didn't, cos I didn't realise til the last second.

On down, still plenty sheep (and shit) everywhere, and the often-damp bit was a bit of a muckhole before and after the hairpin, and first time ever, lower down too.  Final throes, a sheep that was bailing ahead of me ran up above the track then promptly got a fright from Jet and tumbled onto the track behind me...  Out the bottom, and a slow (slightly limpy) cruise down the length of Bowenvale Ave back to the car.

An hour or so, under 10kms, and 402 m climbed.

Friday Naseby Solo and a Family Ride

Got out early-ish on my own, and took a bunch longer than Tray was happy with which meant they'd pretty much finished packing up by the time I got back.  I went up Translator Rd for a start, then followed Mining Claim all the way to the end, then got muddled on Tail Race, and ended up pushing back up to the waterrace.  Around this and back up Translator, climbing all the way up to the top of Hepi's Highway, then taking this all the way down to the very end, below waterrace, in the Cemetery.  From here, rode back down a little into Scobie's, down this a bit, and then thought, I'll get across there...  nope.  big fence in the way.  So, back up to Scobies, up this to waterrace, around drop down and up and around to Hoffman's, up this around the edge of the dam, nice, and started climbing but then thought, nah, and stayed on the dam and across to Pig Root.  Climbed up over and down to the waterrace again.  around, and down Undaunted, basically where we'd ridden a couple years back.  Stupid climby bits, over and over again...  ugh.  Then down Wet Gulley Rd and dropped into the sand pit, taking Roaches Gully, which also went up and down, but had some fun bits, and finally, along the road back to base where i was in trouble for being so long!   14 kms, and again, just over 200m climbed.

Car was pretty much fully packed, so we went out for another family spin.  This time, up Translator Rd, climbing to Hepi's, down to Canvas Town, left, down this and then into Down and Out, back up Tranlator, into Mining Claim and Sluice Alley again, around the Waterrace and down Moonscape.  Less than 6 kms, 106m climbed. 

Anzac Day Naseby Cruising - 2 rides

Couple rides today

First one with the family.  Looped all around the place, with T and H performing very well.  Covered a lot of ground.  Trails are all much better signed than they were last time I rode in here, making it much easier to find your way around.  The cleared bits are getting more trails through too.  Mostly I used Trailforks for guidance, which was helpful.

So...  First off, along the water race, then up Hepi's Highway, into Herring Bone, onto Mining Claim and along this to Sluice Alley.  Back at the water race, on around this just back to Translator Rd, up here, then on down it continuing across to Blue Man, down this to the end, and right on the waterrace, dropping down through the siphon zone and up again, around past Hoffmans dam, and entering Oddfellows, which wasnt really there, climbing, walking up to the ridge where we picked up Thos Foster, riding down this to Buster Gut, and getting onto Undaunted for the fun descents and non-fun climby bits - all these last few in the open grounds.  H and T were pretty much done, so we headed back around the Waterrace to the swimming dam, and on a little bit further.  They dropped down Collarbone Alley, and O and me took Flumes, catching them at the bottom.  Then it was down through town back to base.  Overall, we did 14 kms, with a couple hundy climbed. 

Then Otie and me got out for another quick spin. We rode up Hogburn, Broom Rd, up all the way around and to top of Hepi's Highway, then into the top of Wall St for an excellent bomb down, swoopy swoopy, out to, eventually, the waterrace again, down the end by the siphon.  Then we finished off below this on Moonscape - tho I took a high line to start with and ended up quite a way over from O.  Then we went up Hydraulic Uplift, but bailed out at Strode Ave, rolling down this to home. Was a fun wee spin.  Only 5.88kms this time, with a measly 130m climbed.  

Tuesday Phat Nugget Kaka return

Family holiday in the Catlins, staying at the Nugget Point Lighthouse-keeper's house -very exclusive, you have to drive up the walking track for a start to get up to it. Primo views. Had the fatty with me so after days of driving around sightseeing and going for walks places I finally jumped on the steed and bombed down the hill for bit of a beach cruise. 20kms there and back. Mostly on the beaches but a few little pop overs on the road when the sand ran out. Finished with a big climb back up to the house. Nice times.

Wednesday Night Lunar Loner

Bit of a loner tonight.  Parked up on Parkridge and rode my usual way into Britten, hoping a ride would stretch out my lower back, which has been pretty bad last couple days.  Not as bad as Nelson's tho, he's been laid out flat with his for the last week, hence why he wasn't riding with me.  Climbed up and around the front, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains (and therefore not needing my sunnies) on the way up.  Across the road and into the Mt Pleasant climb, stretching a few times on the way.  Peaked and took in the view of the moon (behind clouds) reflecting on the sea.

Lights on, (head: full, handlebar: medium), and into the descent, super smooth to the stile, then into the rocks, cautiously negotiating what appeared to be grease, but finding plenty of grip and bombing the fun bits.  Swooping through the tussocks, and then around and into Greenwood proper.

Down through the first lot of rocks, and my handlebar light packed it in.  Battery either truly stuffed, or not holding a charge since I charged it after the Packhorse ride (when O had it).  Next ride, to test whether charging it immediately prior to riding helps...  otherwise it's a new one.  Put the dead light in my pack and turned on my Lezyne (300?) flashy on the 2nd brightest setting - provides a hint of sufficient light.  Rest of the way down was smooth, enjoying it all and taking in the view now and then.  Getting quite dark by the bottom, and exploring the new swoopy bermed (not finished) corners leading into the new exit on Evans Pass (spits you right out into the traffic... look carefully!!!).

Tail light on slow flash, head light off, and up the Summit Rd, not seeing any cars the whole way til just as I got to the Richmond Hill pines.

Over the fence and down the ridge, nice speed swooping through tussocks, around into Frog Pond and at the stile met a very puffing dude climbing.  Puffing so much he could barely talk to me, or, he maybe was just rude.  Bombed down the trail from here, seeing that Andrew was right, the pines have been chopped, roots still in place tho, meeting a couple more riders climbing here, then a whole clusterfuck of them coming over the fence from Clifton Terrace.  Rude arseholes they were too, barely an acknowledgement of existence from a single one of them.  I continued down, wondering where the trail was that peels around to Richmond Hill, finding it at the bottom, so took it, dropping some more into the valley, then little bit of climb (carried momentum) and across under new houses, and then up a steeeeeep wee stormwater catchment terraced gabions to Richmond Hill Rd.

Steep road up here too, to the top of it, over a fence and up steeply to the pine trees, and around onto the old track we used to follow, up this lights off, moonlight only, and up past the stockyards, and up to the big Pines.  Across the road, (the previous biker's lights were now climbing up the 4wd track in Greenwood), and into the singletrack climb up to the original Greenwood entrance.  This was sweet to the top, finally along the road.

Onto Britten for a sweet sweet embrace of the descent.  Flowy, smooth, surprising grip, and dew on the trackside grass all sparkly.  All the way down, around, back and under the pylons and into the steep bomb down rocks to the final fence, over, and back to the car.

17.77 kms ridden, with a grand gain of 702 metres...

Wednesday Night Pack Horsing Around

T dropped O to me at work, and we met Nelson below his place (after parking and changing above).  Over the hill and parked up on Gebbies. Nearly 2 years since last we rode it... and 3.5 years since O rode it aged 10...

Headed in on the road, bit of a cooool easterly blowing across.  Onto the singletrack and when it turned downwards, the overgrowth of gorse and blackberry annoyed O a bit.  Into the forest, and it was pretty dim, nice bomb down over all the roots, barbed-wire skimming along next to us near the bottom, then the clamber climb up to the stile.  Up the paddock, O doing well to keep up, over the top and over the next stile.  Quick bomb down and into the forest to meet Hazard tape blocking our way.  Detour painted arrows and markings we followed, back out of the forest and up a steep skidder track which Nelson rode all of, of course, and O and me walked and intermittently rode.  At the top, we met destruction.  The view across towards that wee bach that's in there was carnage, and machinery, and churned up ground and stacked logs...  We rode across towards the bach to find the old track, following it in part, then having to push up through slash to get to where we could see the trail heading into the forest again.  Rode up this til we passed through plastic tape again, and were at the steep switchback section.  On up to the fenceline from here was still nice trail (albeit steeeep).  Over the stile and the fun climbing tech with exposure began.  Nice cruise up through the dykes and on round to the hut.  Looked pretty full, of 'troubled' youth, maybe.  Said gudday to the ones that came out to stare at us, but they weren't exactly engaging...

Into the down, nice cruisey roll down, keeping on top of the technicalities.  Starting to get pretty dim, and was darker still under the trees.  We managed the descent, super fun, without lights, and took the new exit out of the forest avoiding the hackage beyond the tapes.  Out onto a smooth-as forestry road, which descended fast for a while, then climbed again.  At the top, instead of going down the way we'd climbed, we rolled over and down slashed ground to the old trail in the last of the trees (before the fence and still standing forest.  Lights on, and got rolling, only to be stopped by piles of slash that we clambered through to get to the douglas fir descent.  O's light crapped out within 5 mins, so he had to place him between us, and he struggled the rest of the way out.  Short descent to the road, climbed this, over the stile, bit of climb then down the paddock, quite dark now, O struggling a bit with the lack of seeing.  Over the stile, and down the side of the rootsy barbed wire descent, then climbing, pushing a lot, out of the trees, into the the last single to stile, road, O stayed on this, while Nelson and me hit down the wee singletrack below the road...

A pretty average 12.14 kms, with 472 m clambered.