Sunday Mounting Sinclair but not Fitzgerald

Short ride cos limited time. Quick flying visit to the bach to check on it and collect some feijoas (and grapefruit for marmalade and a couple of limes) and some seedling natives, and headed back and parked on Pettigrews Rd.

Over the first (of many) stile, got riding, up up up endlessly up.  Over the next stile, then the next, caught up with and passed a couple of walkers, saying "you'll see me again later."  Up over another stile, and up through the nice bush, stile, open stretch climbing, stile, then up around back of Sinclair, steep, short walk then climbing okay again.  At the gate and stile at the top of the steep, stopped for a stretch then got riding again, pretty soon seeing a solo female runner.  Across the northern side of the peak, over then next stile and a bit of a descent, meeting 2 more walkers who were laughing a lot, then their companion lady just standing up and pulling her pants up after a wee...  Fast descent from here down the side of the totara forest, then into singletrack goodness, some tech, along the ridge, stile halfway, with some up and some down.  It was the last high point along here I decided it was time to turn back, giving me as much time as I'd just taken.

Turning back, the ridge trail was fun, up and down, tech, goodness, then a steeeeep climb up through the totara forest, walking a little near the top, before it levelled off and the rest of the way was good going. Over the stile again, around to where I'd stretched, over this stile, and fast descent, but first, past the 3 walkers (who were surprised to see me even tho I announced my presence with an, "I'm baaaack"), bombing, watching for the greasy rocks, fun times.  Met the original two walkers down here, (they hadn't come that far since earlier, now I think about it).  Across then down down down, fun down, bombing, stile after stile, into the nice bush, wafting through the woods, then across the open again, small climb then speedy bomb back to car.

A fun there and back, 11 kms with 522 m climbed.

Because i was back to the car earlier than I'd expected, I popped up to see the giant totara.  Been years since I'd been up there.  a nice 10 minute jaunt.

Sunday Rides, Planting Charlesworth, then To Dinner Across the Tops

Planting

In the morning I e-biked to the planting at Charlesworth.  Just under 9kms each way.  The planting became an 'In Memorium' for Tracey Turner, long-time employee of Trees For Canterbury who died suddenly last week.  Got lots of plants in then scored a wee Coprosma give-away, and then grabbed a Meulhenbeckia astonii and a Leptinella from the nursery, which I skillfully packed in my carry bag on the rack for the journey home. 

Riding

Then, last thing in the afternoon, timed perfectly for arriving asap after sunset, a nice 1 hour and 9 minutes of blasty single-track across the tops to Joy's for dinner.  Up through Vic Park, a squeaky spoke bothering me to the point of stopping at the Skidder site and tightening it, then gasping like crazy up the gasper, around onto Worm and hitting the traverse, sun behind me, blasting along feeling pretty strong the entire journey.  (nearly) Bumped into Kerry from work, me a silhouette against the glaring sun to her and her companion.  Dumbifuckation of the trail towards Vernon is in full effect, and not as pumpy as when going the other direction.  

Onto Vernon, good climb, better descent, felt really on form and controlled and flowy.  Flew across Rapaki top and into the Witch, switching down through the gears so smoothly and weavingly cleaning all the rocky tech, hooning around the front and bombing down the backside onto the road.  Cruise cruise cruise, climbing gently up to Castle and straight in, making good time.  Fantastic flowy bomb down this, really enjoying it and getting some wicked speed before the first hairpin.  Around, good pedaly flow, and then climbing plenty of power up thru to the Bridle top.  

On the road around under the Gondola, easterly making it's presence felt a bit more, especially at the corner, climbing up grinding to the cutting and finally into Britten.  All the way around the front and back to the top of Vtwin, then into the bomb.  Cruisy flowy faster and faster, blazing down across then off the main onto the traverse flow down down around to the rocky last and bombing down to the gate, juuust catching a guy in orange who'd been below me as I was approaching the Vturn at the top.  Not sure which way he'd gone.  Then, down the walkway to top of Major Hornbrook, blasting down this, right on Madeley, and down to Joys, in perfect time for a quick change, beer and dinner.  

An excellent 15.3 kms, with a boosty 582 m climbed.

Saturday Local Solo Explorationing

Less than an hour til sunset, I took a quick loop or two up the back, down a bit and a bit of clambering off piste.  

Firstly, got the grind out of the way, up through skidder and up the grunter through Brake free and around to the first Thomson, flowy flight down here, around and up so smoothly, then up the road to top of Vic again.  

Into the descent, bomby bomb down around over the jump and next then seesaw down the first few brakefree flowpumpzoned, then cut out to the left and down towards the usual rock'n'roll, but hung a tight right after the cattlestop and into the top pines, dropping down the line I'd helped with cutting that log.  Around and bombing the usual favourite Gumline, flowing through and out to Skidder, straight across in Shazza's, twisty turny flowy drop down then across considering Pono's, but deciding on Sneaky Ridge.  Flompity plomb down here, enjoying it all, and over the jump onto bottom of flow or bridges or whatever, then dived up off onto the East Side walking track, pushing the bike up a few zig zags to a stile, up another zag onto a rideable sidle.  Along below the K2 4WD track (below pylon) good to ride til some mega steps, where I peeled left, carrying bike up through some open pine ground, popping up onto the 4WD.  

Clamber clamber, grinding up under Pono's, past the 40 footer and on up, more grind, then across the skidder into the connector down to 19th, rolling the road, relaxed as anything down to 235, dropping into here for a flowy bomby canter, slightly greasy following days past rain and finally the clamber out up to dog park and down the back of the houses home. 

A smallish 7.3 kms, and a worthy 308 m climbed.

Black Dog on a Black Night Ride

Jet is now too slow to ride with me... Left home and headed up into the park, him on the lead trotting alongside happy as anything.  Up through to 19th, over the back of this exploring a singletrack line I'd only walked in the other direction before not really remembering what was to come, over to the skidder, and up the grunter.  He was all good for all of this.  Up into Brakefree, where I turned and pointed down the new flow.  Not bad, bombed in, swooping and pumping and railing out to the turn off for Sesame St, and turned to see no dog...  hmmm...  a group of guys rode through (the Thursday Night 'Gheybois' Nelson and me have ridden with a couple of times) and then Jet turned up.  

We sidled across to the cattlestop Rock garden entry of gums and I helped him under the fence and got rolling again, bloop blop down the rocks, into the gums and turned back to see if he was there, and he never showed. I whistled, I called, I went back up the track to where I'd last seen him, then rode down, all the while whistling and calling him.  No sign of his wee glowing yellow eyespots trotting infront of his shadow body.  Further down, where the back and forth takes you over that old log and into the corner next to the jumps track I stopped and whistled and yelled, then heard a whistle and shout from the skidder site.  He was there with the 'Gheybois' (who were just wondering who'd get first go at him, lol).  I told him off and we headed downwards...  From here on down he was annoyingly slow, making me stop every 20 metres to look back and make sure he was coming.  We cut down below the road, then through to the Tawhairanui track and then down the 235, up, past a car smoking pot at the dog park and down Charles's track in the bush behind the houses and then home...

Just under 5 kms and a total 171 m climbed.

Sunday Short Local E-ride

Hugo and me got out again.  Cruised up through Vic Park, and up to the skidder site, then into the grunter.  My 1st gear wasn't quite up to it, and I was losing traction with my road tires too, so I ended up walking half of the steep.  H tho, he made it.  He really got the technique down well.  His 1st gear is still pretty high (due to the 42t that came with his conversion) but he managed it.  Well done him!  I managed the top half once over the steepest, and reckon with good technique I might make it with another try.  Up through Brakefree, which has come along quite sculpturally, with the dude working on it while we passed.  Then up through to the top and onto the Summit Rd, we toodled along to the Sugar Loaf Carpark and checked out the view, then down we went.  I didn't want to take the Momentum down the slippy gravel, so I bombed off down to the kiwi and down Dyers Pass Rd.  I ignored the red light and got on the other side of the cones and rode down, waiting at one digger for the cars to pass, then a free run out the bottom and right into Vic Park Drive, where I met Hugo waiting for me 19th.  Short bomb home from here.

7.7 kms with 235 m assisted climbed

Thumurau Ursday

Met Nelson on Fosters Tce and up we rode.  Ugh, what a climb, every time, grind grind grind...  No lights til we got up into the trees at the top, sun long set.  Started off down the ridge, initial baulk at the 2nd drop, rolling it no worries then and into Stormer for a fun blast down.  I didn't do the log drop on Grommies this time round.  Climbing, evil climbing, back around and up to the top again.

2nd lap, down the ridge and into Zombie Lurch, drop cover and hold, nice riding, then Nelson did something weird and instead of continuing down we explored across the Traverse Track all the way and then all the way down the extended Connector out to Evan's Pass Rd.  Instead of riding down the road and up the other connector, we headed back up this.  Not too bad a climb.  Back onto Zombie Lurch, I was tentative and a bit of a muppet on most corners, cleaning them but carefully.  Back up the climb, ugh.

3 time lucky, from the top, down the sideline, then Stormer again, way more comfortable this time, even dropping the log drop, showing myself I could do it.  Climbing back up again, and in no time off to the left sidling across and ending up right on the descent to the cars.  Fun times.  

A very uppy-downy 7 kms with a slightly ridiculous 480 m climbed.  Steeperer than the usual 1 in 10 ratio that I'd define as normal.

Sunday E-biking adventure

 Saturday was somewhat written off due to a surprise party for me Friday, so still seedy Sunday, Hugo and me took our ebikes to Sumner for a treat.  

Up through Vic Park on the road, me noticing that his motor is loose in the frame (!!!) but unable to fix we continued onwards, over to Dyers Pass Rd, running the red light and riding inside the cones for the one car and 3 bikes we met, left onto the Summit Rd and all the way along it to Evans Pass.  Lovely lovely day, beautiful views, nice temperature, it was splendid.  Powering up the ups, and bombing down the downs, me being quite a bit faster than Hugo given my extra weight, and so below Gloomy Gulch I stopped and he seemed to take an age to catch up to me.  Down Evans into Sumner at a rip-roaring speed, we went to somewhere he'd been with GG, the cafe on the beach next to Cave Rock.  It. Was. Packed...  I was on limited time due to supposed to be meeting her at Brighton so we went across the road and had a hotdog each, some fries and he had a thickshake (which I wished I'd had one of).  

21 kms it was to Sumner, and I'd burned 2 bars on my battery.  Heading home, the bit from Shag Rock Pile to the yacht club (and a little further) is bad because it's so narrow and there really is no room for people to pass.  Council, get on with it!  They've put that amazing wide sweeping track to Shag Rock Pile, but it's pointless with no way to get across the road easily, nor room for both directions until well round the corner...  Anyway, it's nice once you're on that sidestreet and around to the Causeway...  then Ferry, the Cut, Chichester, Richardson Tce under the bridges, Ford Rd, through to St Martins New World to see if the ebike shop was open (nope), then Gamblins Buxton Beckenham Park homewards and up the hill, mine going to one bar just as we hit the hill, but holding steady all the way up. My bike seems to be faster than his on the hill, but on the flat, he can just sit there and turn the pedals with no pressure and is jetted along at 32 kms or so...  

All up, 37 and 1/3rd kms travelled, with, according to MMR, over a thousand metres gained...(seems a bit much - my estimation would be half that.)   Still, a good effort for H, and fun, and what a way to see the world.  Felt pretty good blasting past roadies on the climb.

Thursday Night, Last Ride as a 50 year old

Birthday-eve, out on my own.  

Usual slog up through Vic Park, sun creeping behind the horizon as I rode.  Up the grunter, and there's tape all around Brake Free, with a dude working on it, sculpting new berms and jumps and routes...  Up Worm and into the Traverse, a nice cruise, but after the dipper, the Dumby-fuck-ation has crept in, Teddington Shit compacted into a smooth as tarseal track surface.  Yay, not.  It only extends as far as the saddle, but it's made everything nice and easy for the fumbducks.  Good blast from here on round to the next dumbed down bit.  

Lights on, dropped into nee Four Pause Huntstbury DH, wopping and peaving down, gapping the gaps and into the tussocks, quick light re-adjustment, onwards down towards Old Skool squiggles.  Down all the tech, tho stalling on the newly steeperer bit due to wariness under lights.  Worked out the line, then crept into and rolled out the rest.  Bomb bomb the rest of it, very nice indeed.  Then, into Old Skool proper, blasting down the groove, eating my own dust as I rounded each hairpin.  

Out to the bottom, and straight back up the valley, but before turning up into the gully, I peeled left up the steppy walk track.  Half way up this and there's a hundred lights, runners?, below me, some of who were heading up the valley behind me!  Argh.  Rode the bits I could, walked the steps, and managed to beat them to the top.  Hung a right onto Hidden Valley Link track, bombing down this, but it's not as fun as I hoped.  Pine needles slippery!  As I descended the lights were all heading up the valley - musta been 50 or 100 people...  

I got to the valley bottom just as the last ones passed, so grannied up behind them to Hospital Corner where I grunted up to the right, climbing the evil K2 killer.  Cleaned up into the trees across, then worked my way up to the right of the 23 footer and then on up K2 from there, up up up, past Sneaky Ridge, 40 footer, and stopped for a couple of lights coming down Razza's, they popped down out of the forest and it was two young guys on ebikes, who then proceeded to whirr away effortlessly ahead of me, while I sweated and grunted on behind.  They peeled left where I turned right on up to Skidder.  

Down through Vic, poaching a couple of walky bits then down 235, funtimes, across the leafy oak forest, righthand climb, up the road, under the Dog Park into the forest, across to the Barbed-wire-Roots, bombing this, over the stile, below the houses, all the way down to the bottom, then, ugh, steep grunt up Longhurst and steeper Amherst home. Ugh!

A redoubtable 13.1 km, with 593 m grunted up.

Monday-ised ANZAC Day

Quick loop up over some of the locals today. Hit the driveway, then up thru an incredibly busy Vic Park, sidling up my new usual 19th pathway, over to Skidder.  Delayered and got riding just as a couple entered the grunter, meaning I had to stay at their pace so's not to lose face, all the while telling myself, if i'm slower, it doesn't matter...  I wasn't slower, but it did seem to matter.  Huffing I was, and glad that I'd had a quick squirt of inhaler before I'd left.  

Up around to the Thomson and Thompson, medium cruise down this, still catching a couple guys just as I wound through the hairpins, and then chased and caught them at the end of the second one.  Down the road, the past them and up the road, on my own, to the Nun.  Nice big rest up here before heading in.  

Not on form, but rolling pretty good.  Blasty blasty all the way down to the midway, then up and out over to Governor's, taking this very easy, as it bit me last time and also it was greasy as hell, given recent rain.  Very easy...  even dabbed through where I'd crashed last time and took it easy round the back and into the climb.  Cleaned most of the climb for once, tho stopped a few times for air.  Didn't clean the very top, but did clean the step-up just before.  Back up the road to midpoint of Nun and then chased some Park-muppets, catching, releasing, catching, them finally they realised but I hooked up to road at Kiwi and down and across Dyers back up road to top of Vic,  

In the usual way, around over the jumps and see-saw, first few Brake Free and then rockgarden and gums, usual route, switching and swatching, bombing and drombing, through to 19th, then down road and into 235, bombing this with style and then hup hup, over and down the final run.  And home.

A smooth 11.8 kms done with 440 m climbed.

Snaffled some lunch then did a big walk up around the Sugarloaf...  Heesh.

Thursday Night Night Ride, Right?

Had been talking about doing Living Springs, til I remembered Dyers Pass Rd is shut at nights, which would have stymied our return...  So Nelson came up to my place anyway, and we headed up through Vic for 'the Usual'.  Climby climb, through my 19th Memorial route, into Skidder and up the shitfuckcrapgasp climb, refill water at Brakefree and on up round Worm onto the Traverse.  Good roll across here tho I was struggling entirely too much.  Annoying we both gave way to a descending E-biker, to whom I muttered under my breath but audibly, "Hmmm, e-bike, should give way to others."  Around we went and discovered the dumb-ification of the trail from the top of Lavaflow, basically Teddington Shit compacted to concrete-like surface, for the Ebikers I guess!?  

Also a re-route and new entry to what was Four Pause(forever now to be called HuntsburyDH).  Stopped for a look before heading down.  I then proceeded to eat dust.  And visibility was awkward due to said dust too.  Oh well, blast blast pop pop...  Good ride then across the lower to the cattle grate and I led into the Rocky Ridge trail, 'Rock Up', and we negotiated this with some skill and some unbalance (from me).  Bomb down, jumpity jump, avoiding the usual, and all the way to the bottom.  Then, back up the main drag of HUnts, tho, going through the gate and across onto sheep trails and back up the DH.  Stopped on the landing strip to watch for the Space Station (thought it was meant to appear at 7.27 (had that wrong - was 7.42!)).  It didn't so we climbed the road, hit the Traverse and headed around.  At the Sugarloaf place we often stop, I looked up and spotted it (7.44pm), just as it was fading...  On around, feeling a bit better, but still struggling with the dust (my eyes are red and sore today).  

Into Vic and across, just catching the gap jump (kinda almost from below), and when I landed "CRACK", feck!, my back end was locked out!  D'Oh.  Reached down and unlocked it and then from the rabbit paddock I led into the rockgarden and the gums cos Nelson was getting tired.  Bomb bomb, nice run, swooping around and through, all the way down, then onto trail below 19th, skimming through (meeting two climbing riders) then up onto walk track, and down the Tawhairanui Track, fair game at night, and across Dog Carpark into the fun twisty pylon descender, through, up, back up road briefly and down behind the houses at full noise to home.

A cracking 13.75 kms, with 491 m gained.

Thursday Night Lights Foggy Delights

Caught up to Nelson as we were both driving up Mt Pleasant Rd. Parked on Parkridge. Fog was building on the top of Mt Pleasant, half way down Britten (whereas the rest of the hills were clear, d'oh)  

Got riding up the tarmac and in through the Upper Major Hornbrook entrance into Britten, good climb up here, into the fog, amazing light as the sun was setting as we rode, glowing through the fog behind the Macrocarpas as we cruised around the front.  Dusty.  Across the road and up over the fence above the cutting, dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, getting confused by trails here, but taking the non-zigzag Crater Rim trail (that i rode last time i was up here) behind the Gondola.  Down the steps, blop blop blop blop, then rocky tech fun down and along fencelines etc to the top of the Bridle Path top.  

Up the Crater Rim walk track, climbing til we couldn't anymore, then walking a bit, then riding like being drunk through lack of light induced loss of balance.  Light finally failing when we stopped for a break at the peak.  Fog had followed us to here, making it super moody.  

Lights on, low (to save battery I didn't know how much of I'd have), and down the poppity steppy rocks, baulking on one, but rolling the rest nicely...  Into the climb, I think I made about the same progress as Tuesday, heigh-wise, meanwhile Nelson clambered right up to the corner...  Rolling again, trying to use minimal light, and thereby failing a bunch, finally lighting up good and rolling down around and up to the entrance from Castle.  Into the Tors descent, fun times, dabbing a couple extra times to Tuesday, Nelson blasting out ahead.  Definitely bonier than the past.  

Up the road and into Castle Rock.  Excellent blast down this, not quite as raily as Tuesday but not far off.  Climb was slower but smoother.  Out onto the road, no lights for a while, just basking in the glow of the city, but under the Gondola we started seeing things and so lit the scene for the rest of the way to avoid riding off the cliff.  Through into Cavendish Saddle, and up the trail towards Mt Pleasant, dropping down to the road where we'd come up earlier.  

Around original line of Britten staying below the road, then into the descending blast.  Dust and fog, left at the hairpin across the face and dropping funtimes down down rocky tech at the bottom and out to the cars...  

Good spin, 12kms, worthy 455m climbed

Let it be noted here that I had not a single night ride in 2020 (due to my back).  This was the first since September 2019

Tuesday Afternoon Jaunt, There and Back

At the bach for Easter, no bikes present, just walks and swims.  Home earlier than expected on Tuesday (teacher's only day for kids), so had time to get a daylight ride.

Up from home, keeping it puffing on the way up, then grovelling up the grovel from the skidder.  Up through for a water refill at Brake Free then up the Worm and onto the Traverse.  Not a bad ride around here, keeping the heart-rate up and pushin' on.  Paused at Four Pause for a pause, but decided to just stay up high today (couldn't face more climbing than necessary).  Across to Vernon, clambered up this and then blasted down, flying across the Rapaki-top and straight into the Witch, shifting down as I climbed then cleaning (only just) all of the tech and motoring around to the high point, stopping for a well earned break.  

Rolling again, up the road cruising nicely to the top of Castle, pausing only briefly before dropping in.  Slightly pingy blast down here, but cleaning it, no close calls and bombing down.  Brief pause for air at the hairpin then on down and a bouncy climb out, easing through the final swoops to Bridle Path top.  Grabbing some air looking at the view of Lyttelton, then back up the road.

Only til I got to where you can clamber up onto the walking track to climb up around above the road onto the Tors track, straight on blasting down this, tackling the tech with and audience of a couple of young riders down on the road.  Cleaned the usual stallpoint, but then stalled after it.  Bomb down across road onto fun singletrack above the road, nice run through this back to Witch.

Nice cleaning of Witch again, bomb down then climbing the road, ugh, around back to the Traverse, straight in, keeping on pushin' on, blaze blaze blaze, over the jumps in the top of Vic trees, over the See Saw, first couple Brake Free jumps then into the Rock Garden and across the top of the Gums past my cleared log from a few weeks back.  Rolling nice again.  Around, down through my favourites, all the way, then nice relaxing coast down the road and into the last blast from the carpark, swoop swoop, scattering a mum and two kids walking, final climb, up to Microwave tower and fast blast down behind the houses, home.

Good blast, a worthwhile 20kms with 762 metres ascended

Week of late March, walking and fatbiking for Work

Wednesday 24th, took a Hilux and a few workmates up to the Ashburton Lakes and drove in the 4WD track past Lake Emily, onwards down to the Stour River, across this a few times upstream towards the Manuka Lake and just beyond to where we met fellow workmates already in there.  On into the Swin River area where we would work for the next few days.  Got a few rides on my Fatty in here.  Was rather good.  The views are spectacular.

From on the way up the hill... (toy truck below)

Popped up to the Double Hut.

View from hut...

Rode a bit from plot to plot, and around the place a bit.  We drove back out to Lake Clearwater each day (1.5 hours or so).  Second day on the job, checked out down this 4WD track to see if it was an easier way in for future.  Rode down but only mapped back up.  

3rd day, dropped fatty off, drove up, did this lots of walking ... then rode from there, back to the hut for the night..

This one was the last day, after the night at the hut, the boys took off in the truck and left me to bike from bird count to bird count, with a quick walk up hill to line 17, then down valley and walked out and back on line 14, and then 4WD'd down valley til I remembered to turn it off...

Saturday Batter-day, Vic Traverse Chunt Skool Vixxed

Yes. T'was a good'un.  Up from home through Vic, climbing well but still gasping for air.  Left up Worm then haul around the Traverse.  Let a fair few through.  

Chatted with a dude with a Vizler dog for ages at the top of Lavaflow.  Then I rode round and hit the Four Pause down, popping good jumps.  

Down the landingstrip section of trail and then peeled right and found my way into the Rocky Ridge route in.  Still havent quite found the entire thing, but got more this time.  Down, nearly hit the bigger jump up top, but didnt.  Then bypassed all the wooden features lower down, but ended up on the line into a big rock jump part way down.  Then finished on the final jump hit no problem, and left around up the new route we've found. 

A zig and a zag near the fence saw me still have to push the bike up the rocks i could have ridden round.  Up through the cattlestop and left across the paddock to the route we often take to the single track just below the rockyridge bit.  

Up around and over dropping down to Old Skool.  Down the steep rocky bluffy bits I came across a couple of girls looking at the big droppy descent.  I came in and baulked, it looks way more heinous than the past, big wheel eating hole n all.  The girl pointed out a side line, which I thought looked okay.  A joke or two made about how embarrassing it would be if I crashed it.  Rode it, with aplomb and they both cheered.  Onwards down I bombed swooping it down through the rocks and off camber switchies, then into the Old Skool proper, hearing the girls above as I dropped in.  Nice run through this, all the fun.  Bomb bomb, spotted someone way below, thinking I probably wouldn't catch them, bombed a bunch more around down and he pulled over for me in the lower switchbacks.  Out the finish and straight back into the climb up the valley.

Clamber clamber, dude on e bike motored past in the steepest bits.  Stopped for a change and rest and snack at Hospital Corner.  Then got riding up valley, through the gates, past the no bikes sign and the trail is tidy as, upgraded and easy.  Still steep but not struggly tech anymore.  Last bit is tho, then across the easy rolling front to the bottom of Brents (exit from Vic Park to Flow/Bridges etc).  In here, then up the skidder trail next to Brents.  Ugh, walked. Too steep.  Phonecall from dad then riding up the rest, past the 40, up up around to the skidder.  

Straight through, then down CAP this way hanging a right off that and out to 19th, down road, into funnest local, bomb swoop flow, then around, up, and fast down behind houses.  Home.  

Almost exactly 14 kms, with (surprise to me) 595 m climbed.  Not bad.

Wednesday Night Richmond Frog Pleasant Green Captain

Great ride tonight. Watched NZ win the America's Cup then jumped in the car and skedoodled around to Scumnervale to meet Nelson.  I had a plan that didn't involve going up Captain Thomas.

We headed down into Slumner-proper and around into Richmond Hill Road, riding up this grunter, and to punish us more, a headwind up the main ridge, me surprised at my ability to nearly keep up with him.  I didn't flag and we made it up to the top with no issues, stopping a couple of times to check out For Sale signs.  Dropped down the stormwater catchment reserve, and onto singletrack climbing into the valley and then upwards out of the valley towards Clifton Tce, then around and up the rooty trail no-longer under trees.  Quite exposed here, with the southerly ploughing across the Gethsemane Gardens.  Into the Frog Pond climb, both cleaning the entrance which I'm pretty sure we used to fail on (due to overhanging branches of the trees that aren't there anymore).  Good climb up the rest of it, up around and on up to the pine tree stile and then up the rest to the big pines.  Across into Sheep Shit Alley, climbing climbing, feeling good and strong the whole way.  

A break on the road at top of old Greenwood entrance, then off up the road and up Broadleaf Lane, into the gravel and still feeling good powering up this climb.  The hill work I did over the weekend, clambering for work on the Hawkdun Range, definitely benefitting me (since the pain of Tuesday had gone).

Wind singing in the tower guys, we hit the trail down.  Excellent blast, I was on Nelson's tail pretty much the entire way, following closely.  Surprised myself how well I held on, but once heading around towards Gloomy Gulch he lost me.  I just couldn't keep up, then I took a weird new high line before the boardwalk section, but stayed high too long and basically couldn't get down, having to dab down onto it.  Luckily he'd stopped around the corner and we had a break while watching a crew of 6 or so down the trail below.  Jumped on and got fanging, bombing the rocks, wafting the walls and dropped around into Dangerous Dave's squiggles, flying, and maintaining my tight-on-his tail position all the way down.  

Across the road and onto the Captain.  Another excellent blast down this.  Again, really holding on all the way down.  Wicked blast.

A moveable feast of 13.75 kms, with a veritable 561 m climbed.

Sunday with Oatie

A week off the riding, mainly due to weather and a field trip, which involved a couple of shortish walks in the Mackenzie country looking for critters...  

Sunday morning, finally O and me skudded out for a local spin. We headed up into Vic Park, wondering what event could be on given the number of cars parked all the way up the road.  Get to the gate and it's shut, road closed, "Gate stuck due to vandalism" sign on it.  Around and on up a nice quiet drive, up through past 19th, skidder and up the steep.  My breathing was big, tricky, troublesome, but I powered up and it was one of my best, least painful yet.  Up past Brake Free and up then across Worm and out of the trees onto the Traverse.

Good blast round here, only having to pull over a couple of times.  O was doing well all the way.  At the top of 4 Pause we pulled up and positioned ready for the descent. I dropped in, and bombed it.  Lots of fun, swoopy goodness, weaving and diving, jumping all the jumps, good flow.  O bypassed most jumps, just not quite confident on them yet.  Down the continuation next to the landing-strip then across through the cattlestop into the next section.  Stayed on the main singletrack down here, bypassed that first big jump, careened over the next one, through the next cattlegrate, weaving down under the pylons, skipping the wooden features, but jumping the rest.  At the bottom, I nearly launched the big finale, but hauled up at last second.  We had a good look and decided it wasn't so bad, so both went back up for another run at it.  O took it first, launched and no problems.  I followed, and I don't know what I've ever been worried about.  It really was nothing.  Will ride in future.

Back into the climb, chatting a bit with a South African (?) dude riding with his kid who'd watched us do the drop jump.  We left his kid behind so he turned back and O and me continued up the main drag.  Really didn't mind this climb either, except my lungs were feeling it.  Back onto the Traverse, and a great blast around this, all the way back and then decided to hit Upper Fenceline.  First steep after the fence/cattle grate got O, his brakes not quite up to the steep, but once back through the fence and on the trail proper he was all good.  Nice waft down through this and around into the trees and back across and then bypassed all the descending trails to ride back up out to the skidder.  

Climbed up over the 19th, down, around the road, and I dropped into the dog-park-car-park trail, railing and nailing it.  Awesomesauce.  Final climb back up and then the rapid descent behind the houses, launching the jump massively, and blazing down the final bits to the end.

The usual solid, 14 kms there and back, 485 m gained

Monday after working at home, I headed up about 4.45, walking with Jet, up through the dog park and on up through the skidder and up into the gums to finish off the log up there.  Wacked at it for a while and chipped my way through it, clearing the track.  Walked back down, a good pace with one or two bits of running, and back home by 5.45.  One hour, 4 kms, and a log finished. 

Thursday Night Narrow Tech

Met Nelson in Taylor's and we headed up the Escape... 

Nice cruise up the valley bottom, and stopped a the first rock feature where Nelson proceeded to move and manhandle a bunch of rocks in an attempt at making 'a line' over a nice boulder.  I wasn't game enough to tackle it, the envisaging of a nasty tumble getting the better of me, but he cleaned it a couple times.  From here the climb got steeper and steeper, and quite nasty.  Then up in the head of the valley it strikes out across the slope, and needs some digging, big time.  

Off camberness clipping the uphill pedal something wicked, and grip?  Meh.  Kinda good grip, teeth of the tires digging in on the sides.  Will be good once it's dug, but right now is rather tech-knuckle.  A right, a left around the head then up onto the side, getting easier as you climb a couple zig zags, then a lonnng sidle climb til you're waaay above the car park and settlement, then a bunch of zig zags and another long run back up to the road.

Rode the road to Livingston, then decided on the walk track around the back overlooking the harbour.  Never noticed the exposure along here so much.  hmmm...  but great ride, and climb, I even cleaned to higher than I have in the past.  Up over then over the stile and the fun stepped descent ensued, blasting down to Breeze Col, across the tech slower rocks up to the Breeze Bay track all the while on the harbour side of the fence.  Climbed around Breeze Bay, lovely track this, and stopped at the Observation Battery No 1 for to film some jumps committed by Nelson.  (have footage on my phone).

Around the skinny run back towards Breeze Col above the road, quite fun in this direction, with a good blast to finish, then it was up the road back towards the new Anaconda entrance, bypassing this and bombing down the road to the Taylor's Escape entrance.  

Into the descent, lonnnng sidling, when into the wind I was eyes-full of dust, but back up valley was better with the wind behind.  Nice run in this direction.  The off camber gave me the willies, where I wasn't all-trusting of the grip my tires were actually perfectly capable of providing.  Nelson had no trouble at all, and even cleaned some rather tricky tech in the head of the valley.  I had the willies, but managed to stay aboard and the blast down valley to the rockfeature was damned good.  Nelson cleaned over this, but I held back, and then we blitzed back onwards down to the cars.  Good blast.  

An exuberant 11.2 kms, with 354 m ascended.

Saturday Morning Heated Steeps

Nelson, O and me left our place and headed up Vic Park Drive, O powering off and causing Nelson to comment as to what a hurry he seemed to be in.  We went up to the main park area and dropped down the old access route to the top of Loess Rider etc. Across the road and O dropped over the normal entrance, whereas N and me took the new way straight off the road into Capt Cooker, dropping down the rocks and around, finding O waiting at the Karma/Shred/Loess start.  

I led off down Loess and at the first corner, pulled up and peeled off the trail.  O continued on down while Nelsie and me explored this new (to us) access trail across towards the 35s...  Several options off the left of it, and maybe 2/3rds along there's this massive rock wall with a route down it, leading into a jump and a berm and off down.  Nelson pushed to top to check it out but decided against the drop.  Who knows the speed you'd have into that jump and corner!?  We continued on across the trail, eventually getting to the 35 zone we knew, and were pleased to see cool 'rules' signage up here "Dont talk about it, dont facebook it, dont instagram it..." (So, officially, i'm not talking about it here).  Dropped in, holding on to the right hand side all the way down, weaving and dodging.  Nelson left me behind and then I wondered if he'd peeled off to the left somewhere because the dust had cleared and I couldn't tell where he was.  I caught up eventually.  I think we'd ridden the bit we finished on before, but who can tell?  Rolled out, much nicer end to it now (not having to climb up to Loess, for a start), finishing down at the skills zone.  Rolled out and around up to the base, spotted O, filled up water, cruised in and caught up with O and friends, then left them to it.

Down the carpark and into the climb.  Foosh...  First bit to the base of long zipline is a prick, but then it's not so bad, zigging and zagging, zigs and zags getting tighter and tighter and tighter.  Passed a few walkers up and down.  Eventually up the ridge and then nice cooling descent and around into the later climb, reminiscing about Daves (ACJoint) track and Fight Club and the likes...  Through the gate and up the Worsley.  Oh joy.  Cooled off in the shade next to the Park gate and then hit the body bag.  Ugh.  Nelson cleaned it, amazingly.  I failed at the usual spot then kinda caused another rider who'd snuck up behind me to fail too.  He practically ran the rest of the way to get ahead.  Nice cool breeze at the top. 

Climbed up to the top of the Nuns and decided on the Gnar.  Nice start, quite easy and relaxed corners, nothing too tech, then you hit the rocks.  We stopped and examined several sections before (or after) riding them, giving a couple of bits 2 goes to get the best lines sorted.  Then, across the Park track and bloomphity bloomph bloomph down the roughest line, near the bottom of which I'd taken a new (to me) line and just perched on top of a ridge of rocks between two nasty bits I did not want to fall into.  Then, as I re-entered the Nun proper, my front end bottomed something wicked and a very weird noise emanated from it...  ugh.  Rest of the run was fast and fun, until the exit to the road, some dipshit had left their bike right across the exit...  I commented "pretty dumb place to leave your bike" as I rode past.  Wish I'd ridden over the back wheel.  Filled up water at the Kiwi, and off up the road we went.  

Into Vic, usual down and around over the jump, loads of people standing around the jumps, and then next to the see saw, guy said "watch how the pros do it" as I went over it, lookin' good.  haha..  First few BrakeFree jumps and out down the rabbit paddock, and hard right over the cattlestop, into the pines, Nelson led down over the log and then I led down through the gums, usual route, swooping back and forth on the edge of traction.  Onwards down, then quick right and walk out the top of the CAP track, and up over 19th, down, around the road, into the carpark track, (broken window glass all over the carpark), bombing, swooping, getting to know this well now, and final climb before final blast down behind the houses...  

A hot af 13.5 kms with, what felt like a lot more than, 541 m climbed.

Wednesday Evening Pleasant Weavening

Nelson and me met at McCormack's bay and headed up McCormacks.  Usual gasping for air, and for this time of year, as usual, stopped to crop the blackberries.  This was at the bottom of the burned zone, from a fire a few weeks back.  Whole side of the hill up to the switchbacks (lower) was burned.  Here's between the switchbacks...

Walked the 2nd, then rode the rest of the way, I couldn't get over how damned steep this bloody thing is, especially, just after the bridge it just seemed to go vertical - I'm sure it's never been that bad in the past.  Anyway, cleaned all the little bridgey hop ups, and all the switchbacks until the 2nd to last one before the steps at the top, which is better going than usual.  Out Craigieburn and up Mt Pleasant Rd, to the wee park on the corner, steep clamber up that to Ridgeview then over the fence where the bath used to be.

Up through Britten, good climb, Nelson gapping me something fierce.  Around the front, and across the road to the climb.  Zig and zag and up we went cleaning the way to the aerials.  Nice break here before heading down into the down.  Light proving slightly tricky, I needed to keep my distance from him for the dust to settle and me actually seeing the trail ahead.  Down through the tussocks at phenomenal speeds, nearly losing it many many times tonight.  Above the ruins we headed out the old Greenwood entrance, and around into Sheepshit Alley, now called Knapsack (Knutsack more appropriate), a good bomb down this, and I took the rock ride near the end jumping ahead of Nelson.  Into the other trail around and back up, grovelling switchbacks to the ruins zone.  

Brief walk up to do the wee jump and berms entrance above the track, and off into a dusty, bony, rough as fuck descent of Greenwood.  Fast, and rough, nearly losing it multiple times just on the edge of reason.  Nice rest after Gloomy, then onwards down, blazing it.  

The Captain next, again, fast, rough, dusty, loose.  Full tilt.  Good blast.  

And around the road back to the cars, to end a prodigious 20 kms, and having climbed 740 m. Not bad for a school night.

Tuesday WFH Blackberry-Lunchtime Fatso

Quick, rather convoluted, jaunt up the locals on the fatty to blow out some of the cobwebs of working from home, or, actually, from work in general.

Down the zig zag, out Derrynane Lane, down Longhurst and in next to the mediterranean McMansion.  This alley has been trimmed, so is easy to get through now.  Stopped and scoffed a few blackberries, then knuckled into the zig zag climb.  Too low a gearing spun me out on one corner, then balance got me on another.  Then a couple of dalmatians turned up, runner behind them, let them go ahead and continued on my laboured climb.  Over the stile, up the barbed-wire roots, getting a real fright when my helmet caught a stick I didn't see, stopping my head and twisting it while the bike and body continued on.  Bloody violent and painful.  Some serious neck stretching to get rid of the crick, and continued on, failing most technical features.  Diverted slightly into the forest for a bit, then another nice runner opened the gate for me.  Left up through the dog park, again too technical on the steppy rocks.  

Up through Vic, detour zigging in the 19th memorial, and singletrack over to the skidder, then up the grinder.  More delicious blackberries up top here, then up through brakefree and up to the top, zig out and back on Worm.  Into the Thompson, nice fang, then back up the road, singletrack, and stop...  Hmm, where to.  Meh, should get back to work, so down the Upper Fenceline, good tech for the fatty, pretty rough.  

Bypassed across all the DH tracks and Cool Runnings staying on the 4wd track across, feeding on more blackberries, then ended up out on the skidder site, hard left down into the wee singletrack through, then popped out the top of the "CAP this way" track, around onto the singletrack I'd come in on earlier, then around the back of the 19th, down, then left again, down onto the old access track below the road towards Old Dyers and Loess etc, down this, then up onto our walking route, past the picnic bench, then back up to the road.  

Across the park and nipped in the little track to the right of the slide, but rock tech proved too tech.  Took a few pictures of the excellent picnic bench here, then rode over the rocky descent to the carpark and down the fun Dog Park Car Park trail, swoop swoop, bomb bomb, across, climbing back up to lower and in the usual route behind the houses, fast bomb down and home.  

A very righteous or beatific 7.77 kms, with 288 m climbed. 

Sunday Tale of Two Ridges

Week off, basically, other than e-riding to work.  

Out for a solo today, headed up thru Vic, skidder, bastard climb, then into the Traverse, good blast round here, letting one or two people through.  

Brief stop at the top before dropping down FourPause, good tail wind, jumpy jumpsing smoothly, down the landing strip zone, and peeling off over the edge down towards Old Skool, dropping down to the spanking new cattlestop at the gate here.  Back up hill, switching left onto a well trod (possibly well ridden?) sheep trail towards the landing strip (new) cattle grate, and then into the singletrack here.  

Peeled left into the tussocks and found the zig zag up the back of  Rocky Ridge, following the tricky-to-follow line and down the rocks.  Nice flow through that.  I walked back up and took a photo of the 'armouring'.  

Onwards down the Huntsbury DH, jumping jumping (avoiding one or two), blazing all the way down to the bottom of this.  Over the stile and back up the gravel grind.  

All the way up, and onto the Traverse after a bit of a back stretch.  Good blast around this, still feeling pretty strong.  

Stopped at the edge of Vic to consider a drop down through the Upper Fenceline again (like last time) but decided against it and headed across, over the jumps, and into the see-saw.  First couple of BrakeFree jumps and left down to the Gums.  Immediately over the cattlestop I hung a right up to the top of the pine trees (where Nelson and me had walked a couple weeks ago) and dropped down the 'track' entrance past the fallen treelog.  Bombed down my favourite gums line and swooped around and about down there not popping up to the skidder, but continuing on down through out eventually to the 19th.  

Down the road, Dog Carpark, squirrelled into the 'secret' track, swoop swoop, huh! jump is under reconstruction, across, up, up road, left and down, into the narrow slow track we walk on all the time 'Charles's Track' not open enough for riding, out to the bomb track behind the houses, speed, then home. 

Mint!!! 14 and a quarter kms with half a km of vert climbed.

Waitangi Singleton

Short ride today, Waitangi observed day. Singlespeed out of the bach, up the road, past the dump and upwards a little more, akin to something I did when I was getting back into the riding, tho not quite as far.  Then back again, on the way I stopped and ate a bunch of blackberries, then got rolling again.  Then, rolled on past the bach and down and out to the wharf, and back again.  

 Not much in it but better than nothing... 7kms and 126 m.

Wednesday Evening Solo-loco

Out on my own tonight.  From home, down first and round Longhurst to Harry Ell Drive, up this steep bastard climb, then up the dirt track to the bottom of the Dog Park, skirted, then up Vic Park Drive.  Up from Skidder, ugh, cleaned, and up to top of Vic Park to hit the Traverse.  

Lots of pulling over to let riders through on this, tho on one climb I wasnt budging and tosspot arrogant dipshit had to stop to let me through.  He should have stopped further back to let me through and was so obviously expecting me to just get out of his way.  fuck him.  Good blast around, feeling pretty good, but ready for a break when I got to the top of FourPause where there was a dude waiting.  

He insisted I go first, so I dropped in, and had an awesome blaze down.  A group of girls were walking up and timed it perfectly to see me jumping the second to last jump, perfect air and landing.  Swoop on down through the landingstrip and then on through the cattlestop.  Bit of a detour here looking for that Rocky Ridge track, but no go, got lost in the tussocks so I just got back on the main drag and kept on going.  Started seeing more and more small groups of people, Orienteerers again, this time they were starting from the top of Huntsbury Ave, so I had a big audience as I descended like a wildthing down, and witnesses to my jumping prowess.  haha.  At the bottom, I hung a left and meandered around and climbed the way Nelson and me did on Saturday.  Slightly different route once up under the pylons, then stayed on trail all the way up, ugh climbing to the top of Huntsbury for a short rest at the start of Traverse.

Back along the Traverse, still holding a good pace, enjoying.  Pulled over a couple of times to let people through, or not, and cruised around to Vic.

Dropped down over the fence and down the fenceline, around into Upper Fenceline, enjoying the steepness and flow, longer than my memory had it, around and back into the trees, swooping around and back, down, bypassing a couple of DH tracks, and dropping into Cool Runnings, which I'd not done in ages.  The entrance is smooth as now.  Bomb bomb, swoop swoop, around and down and around and around and down, not making any of the doubles properly (speed must be so high for them!) and out the bottom.  Then, it was a section of fucking horrible climbing, getting better til about Rad^Sick, then last steep grund and up to Skidder.

Down the road from here, taking it nice and easy coasting, and into the upper dog park carpark, dropping int, swoopy swoop fun times, jump and across, climb, road climb, and into the last blast down behind the houses, blasting to the finish.

A veritable 15 kms, and 540 m climbed.

Saturday Cracker Day

Nelson met at mine and we climbed up Amherst, through the empty section, up to the Dog Park Carpark and on up Vic Park Rd.  Past the Finish Line for the Port Hills Ultra.  Skidder, and up, me doing pretty good not blowing out, but huffing a lot.  

Top of Vic and around the Traverse, past the badly parked BMW that'd wrecked off the road I guess the night before and onwards.  Good run round here and into the Huntsbury DH, fourpause first, nearly landing on a couple of old ladies who'd taken it upon themselves to walk down the bike track.  Across the tussocks, through the new cattlestop and around rocky ridge and down, jumpity jumpsity jumps and swoop to the bottom.  Checked out a new climbing trail off on the west side of the ridge, lot of potential in here, bit of pushing up through tussocks, then continued our exploration on the westside up to the cattlestop and then on up Huntsbury, clambering out to the top.  

Across the road into Vernon, good blast down here, pulling up once for climbers, then straight into Witch Hill, one dab, good climbing.  Brief rest then onto the down to the road and up the road to Castle.  Port Hills Ultra signs everywhere.  Wicked blast down CAstle, me on his tail all the way, pushing hard, til the climb when he just powered away as I got bogged down in the rocks.  Still felt good tho, and climbed out, then we headed up the road.  

Stayed on the road, coasting fast (runners on the Tors track) til the little singletrack above the road, tech goodness around to Witch, and climbing this, brief breather, and on, blast down to Rapaki, and up the road from here.  

Onto the Traverse, good blast around, still plenty of power, but by the time we got to Vic was starting to feel it a bit.  Down over the jump, over the sea-sore, into Brake Free, water top up, then into Sesame.  I baulked the big jump, rolling over the left side of it but yumping the rest of everything til the gap, then taking a lefthand slowlane down to skidder.  Cruise down the road, and into the DogCarPark funtimes, swoopy swoopy down and across, picking too high a line but getting out and climbing up the short bit of road again, before blasting down behind the houses, and around home.

Grand total of 24kms, with a whopping 892m climbed

Sunday Regroup with the Crew

Parked a ways along Cashmere Rd, near Opihi St, Nelson pulling up behind, and we rode to meet the kids at the bottom of Penruddock. Wayne and (friend? workmate?) Ben in Wayne's car, and Andy in his van, arrived, then Jenna hooned past off the hill and jetted onwards, After a little faffing Andy followed her and Wayno and Ben followed us around the river, then up through to Happy Home Rd and we caught up to Andy a little further along.  

Around Cashmere Road, Jenna still well ahead (we eventually caught her up on C2), into Halswell Quarry Park, and up the trail to the Crock Entrance.  Climbing away, Nelson, as usual, leaving us all behind.  Up C2, up the Crocodile, bit of a rest and regroup at top of Kennedy's Bush Rd, then on up the Low Road, Siberia, and up the evil grunt that is Kennedys.  Nelson well ahead, steaming.  I plodded away, overtaken by a guy on a Meta (titanium?) and one on a Switch-enabled Yeti (not sure which model).  New (temporary) brakepads obviously(!) dragging me back.  Cleaned the whole climb in one sitting though, ouch, gasping for air, really struggling and only just managing it.  At the top I sought shade next to a parked car and rested and we waited for the others.  

Around the road to the Nun, Jenna bailing to meet us at the Kiwi (sore back?).  At the top of the Nun, Robin was waiting for us (having come up Huntsbury and across).  Good blast down this, me trying to a) chase Nelson (marginal, but I kept him in my sights) and b) stay ahead of Andy (which I managed).  Dusty, and rough as guts below the Park exit.  Refilled my empty water bottle at the Kiwi and we headed up the road to top of Vic.

Down and around over the jump, then I followed Nelsie around and did the see-saw, and a couple jumps on Brakefree, then across to the Gums, dropping down the quicker entrance to this, bombing down back and forth and out to the Skidder.  Andy and Jenna split off here, across towards Cool Runnings, Nelson jumped into Dazza's, and I led the rest of the boys off down Shazza's.  We dropped out and down to Sneaky Ridge, hussing down the rocks (on which Robin crashed, uninjured), and Nelson took the No Road Bikes drop in front of an audience of girls.  I wasn't even gonna think about it, so took the usual route around.  Into the oaks and out onto Bridges or Flow or wtf, and then bombing down Nu Bridges back and forth out to the bottom of Hidden Valley Link Bonus, where we waited in the shade.  Wayne and Ben showed up, then Robin, then a call came in from Andy...  Jenna had crashed! Hard.  Faceplant and suspected broken wrist (turned out later after ED, not to be).  

Robin bailed down, Wayne rode back up to get Andy's keys, and Ben came with Nelson and me (having never ridden bonus or oldskool before).  Grunt arse climb up Hidden, then excellent blast down Old Skool.  Popped and weaved, pumped and cleaved our ways down leaving Ben at the end of the road and jetting back to our cars.  

A much longer than I'm used to 25 kms, with a worthy 730m climbed.  I sure felt the effects of it for the rest of the day.  My legs were rinsed.

Windy Wednesday Evening Oriented Pleasantries

Parked on Parkridge behind Nelson's car (discovering I'd forgotten (after fetching it and forgetting it multiple times before I left) to bring my water), and we headed up into the Orienteererers...   

Climbing Britten with insane winds, tail to start, round into a nearly-stopping headwind, then pushed the rest of the way around and up to the top.  Around the 'front' "long way," me in the lead, battling the worst of the wind on the nor'west face, nearly hammered off the bike, then pushed like an e-bike towards the hill, to finally battling across to the cutting, wind attempting to push us onto the rocks, me going hammer and tongs in the lead, trying to stay ahead of Nelson (he said he could barely keep up (yeah, right!)).  Through a clusterfuck of orienteerers at the road and over the fence. 

Climbing up the side of Pleasant tail wind mostly pushing, pushing, pushing, but not pushing me fast enough to keep up with Nelsie.  Finally at the top some stretching was necessary and a rest out of the wind ensued, a few orienteerers  wandering through from time to time.  Into the descent.  Lovely push down, first few rocks below the stile nearly getting the better of me, but we stopped (for a picture) in an area with NO wind.  Amazing.  Then moving again, around and into it, Nelson surprising (read, nearly taking out) a situationally unaware Orienteerer.  Blazed across the tussocks to the end, then I reminded Nelson, or at least pointed out to him, the jump and berm exit back up the trail a bit.  So, treadled off back up a bit to drop in, over the jump and then around the thistle infested berms before leaping down into the start of Greenwood. 

Bombing.  Tail wind pushing all the way down the first stretches, we flew, railing the rocks, Nelson nearly losing it in one bunch, me tight on his tail  but then he started to get away.  Around the front and when it flattened out, so did I.  Thankfully Nelson had stopped just after Gloomy, so a good rest had here, watching and contemplating the few gungho hardcore Orienteerers who had scrutinised this side of the hill.  Let a couple through, before heading down.  Man the rocks have boned up.  Mega, at that point.  Better flowing lower down, rolling the drop, then back and forth, flying through Dangerous Dave's zone, around into the gulley and then down the final slope, very quick.  Finishing off to Evans, and resting in the carpark overlooking the Quarry.

Climbing, road.  Grinding away, feeling pretty good, though.  At Jollies Bush we talked ourselves into riding it, walking steps then riding across and up, over the fence, and into Richmond Pines track bombing down across then into the Sheepshit Alley climb, Nelson dropping me big time.  Onto the road, final climb, big slurp of water from the tap, then down Britten (Vee Twin (pah!))...  At the corner I helled and yolla'd to Nelson and pointed, and kept going straight across.  He turned up and followed, and I led him down my 'new' way, bombing across and down down down, back to the cars.  

A good ride.

A laudable 13.2 kms, with a veracious 551 m surmounted 

Sunday Super Short

Minute, as in tiny, 1.7 km lap with H, who's rather reluctant to do any uphill riding.  My Rocky is in the shop, so was on the Fatty...  We trundled up the hill from ours, into the Dog Park Carpark and down the fun trail towards Harry Ell, then up to the road, and home again.  Afterwards, I swapped to the Troll and we bombed down to the South Library just before closing so's for him to get a book or two.  T came picked us up.

Wednesday Night Climby McClimbface, Vic Gov-Crash Nun Vic.

Great spin last night with Nelsie.  We headed down from mine, down the zig zag and across Daresbury Lane, then across Longhurst into the Latters Spur track, dropping for a start then climbing up the steep zigs and zags, below the houses.  My lower pulley wheel ate a cabbage tree leaf and ceased to work so I had to stop and deal with that.  Nelson had ridden on ahead and was walking back to find me by the time I got going again.  We continued up and he bloody cleaned the whole lot of rocks and roots along the barbed-wire-roots track.  We explored a bit into the forest and ended up sidling across to the bottom of the dog park and out onto Vic Park Rd, bugger all higher than if we'd come straight up from mine.  

Up to Skidder and on up the death-by-breathing climb, gasping I was barely able to stay ahead of another dude who was slowly winding me in.  Stopped for a breather at the waterfountain at Brakefree, then on up to the Thompson and Thomsons.  

cross Dyers and up the road to drop into the Governors Bay descent (which Josh told me the name of today but I cant remember).  Good drop down here til after the boardwalk, a volcanic bit of rock diagonally across the track threw my wheel to land on the dirt right on the edge and down I went.  SMACK on the knee, elbows, left hand, onto my front, bike off down the side of the track, my right foot still attached.  Nothing broken, extricated myself from the pedal, dusted myself off, grabbed (all I could reach) the back wheel of the bike and dragged it back up onto the track.  Ugh.  Yowch.  Got riding, somewhat gingerly, again and we rolled around til we were above the guy's house, looking good down there.  Amazing stonework.  A runner passed through, and then we got rolling again.  Nelson bloody cleaned the whole freaking tech-knuckle climb.  I cleaned lots for a start, then dabbed lots but rode some more, then walked a bit. In.Suff.Icient. Power.  Huff huff huff.

Onto the road again, climbing, climbing climbing around and up to die at the top of the Nun.  Big breather rest stretch here and off we shot, railing it and multiple times having weird off-balanced moments...  Crossed the Munter Park trail and proceeded to nail the lower section of the nun til we got stuck in behind some rubes.  Sidled out and hit the road.

Last substantial Climby McClimbface up the road to top of Vic, sloooowly gaining on a girl on a brand new Trek Slash (which looked very nice), brief chat with her, then a pause at the top before dropping in, popping the jumps, and down to water.  Then I led down to rockgarden and across to find a dead spar across the track...  darn.  Wasn't there last week!  Checked out a line above this too, then proceeded on down into the Gums, bombing back and forth out all the way down to 19th.  

Final coast down the road and into the DogParkCarParkLeader, tight and twisty, nice blast down and then last climb up to lower dog and in behind our houses, bombing down and seeing Tra'y and Jet out for a walk...  

Nice Trillium Deciduous on arriving home, yum!

A reputable 12.63 kms, and not a bad 483 m climbed 

Sunday Urumau

Met Nelson on Fosters Tce and we headed up, and down, and up, and down and up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down.  Ugh, what a lot of up.  The downs are fun, but the ups are all serial killers.  Struggle street for me, but managed a nice wee ride.  Nelsie did the gap jumps, I bypassed them.  We both tried out the new NS log ride, easy.  Stormer and Zombie were both very fun.  Sunnyside was surprisingly good, tho short, but man that second to last corner, steeeep run in to super loose dry dusty nearly-lost-it foot out to save yourself adrenalin jolt.  Otherwise, huff huff, zoom zoom

A veritable feast of 6.5 kms, with over 380 m climbed.

Thursday Escaping Taylor's Godley Snake

Arranged to meet Nelson in Taylors around 8.30 am in what turned out to be a pretty hot day... I arrived to find him assembling his bike, then witnessed his discovery of no pedals!  Ugh.  No ride for him then.  We headed up, him on foot, me pedalling, up the new Taylors Escape track.  Pretty rudimentary, a lot of work to be done.  Mostly rideable, but some sections are so off camber your inside pedal strikes every rotation, and grip is tricky.  He soldiered on and we stopped for chats a few times, then he bailed and I continued my merry way.  The riding was definitely better higher up, less slope steepness.  Got to the road, and rode around to Livingston Col, climbing back towards Breeze Col on the trail, fun climbing, cleaning all the techier sections and enjoying the descent to the Col.  Straight into the climb around above the road, hitting the sketchy narrows, doing okay around here then seriously in need of shade, headed for the lookout thing and bombed down to the toilets, finding respite from the sun under the pines.  Big drink, refilled bottle, and half a OneSquare set me right, and off I tootled back around below the road, nice spin around here too.  Started on the road but then spotted relevant sheep tracks below and hit them around climbing to the 'new' Taylors entrance.  Good bomb down here, spotting what looked like road bike tire marks in the dirt.  "Hmmmm?"  Into the original snake, and speed and gall increased til I was railing like a pro.  Into the tail and across, stopping to admire the view at one point, before heading down the last where I met Shay the DOC ranger walking a wee measuring wheel which accounted for what I'd seen prior.  We shared a laugh.  

A meagre 10.10 kms and 419 m climbed

Fat Local Tuesday

Up the hill on the fatty with no bag no water. Sucked down some water at the Skidder and decided to mix it up a bit by heading off down Shazza's to the 40, easy rolling, gently gently on the fat tires pinging, then climbed back up the zig to Skidder again. From here, up the fucker-puker-climb, nearly at the top of the steep when my nose blew it's foo-foo valve which made me have to stop to stop the bleeding.  Took a while to settle it down. Once under control I got going rolling again, up past Brake Free and on up round to drop straight into the top Thompson's.  Rolly roll down this and then back up the road to the top, and hmmm, no bikes you say?  is a fatty a bike??  up the walking track to the cool stonework shelter I think I've never seen before and then up to the Sugar Loaf carpark, and on across the trail across the front (Cedric's Track).  Techy drop down to the Gilpin's track and across to the road.  Across back onto the Traverse, back to Vic Park, dropping down through Brake Free, left into the Gums, usual gummy trails in here all the way down through to 19th, then angry bees down the road and into our new local Dog carpark descent, climb, up to Microwave tower and down the back of the houses home.

Sweaty Fatty, 8.6kms, with 350 climbed

Rides Three: 27th, 30th and 2nd of the Nu Yeah

So, yeah, Picton for Xmas. After my ride (previous post) with fam and O, I did 3 more: 

first one a solo.  I headed down through town and explored up the trail I'd wanted to the first ride, Marina to Reservoir track, climbed up this to the reservoir, turned around back down, down the zig-zag track we'd previously climbed, quite good in places, so surprising amount of climbs too, turned around back up that, then down the way I'd climbed, and back to base.  Short and sweet - 8kms, 160m climbed.

Second one, a big family all started on out to do the Link Pathway.  Joy and Jerence headed out ages before us, as usual the 'other' teenagers took forever to organise themselves.  So, G, Ph, H, T, O and Soph and me all headed out, straight down across to the start and climbing.  Ph and Gryph never have been much of cyclists, so Ph was really struggling and before we even made the look out she'd bailed out.  The trail starts just after the look out properly, and is quite nice.  Descends and climbs around and drops into Shakespeare Bay then into some nice patches of bush all along.  Gryph bailed along here, threw a hissy and pissed off.  Then H was struggling and whinging, and we heard from Joy and they were only a km or so ahead so they waited for us where this section hits the road.  T and H decided to head back from here.  J and J decided to take the road to Ngakuta and get Anth to come get them, and O and S continued with me.  A good climb ensued and eventually we were up the top and sidling, descending, climbing, sidling through very nice trail and very nice country.  Hot too.  Fun descent down to Ngakuta where we found J and J.  Anth turned up shortly thereafter and the kids joined the oldies in getting a lift back, while I turned around and headed back the way we'd come, finally riding solo.  Great ride back, going a good pace and arriving back within minutes of the camper full of the others.  They actually couldnt believe I'd got back so quick.  A grand total of 24 kms (mmr was started late) and about 860 climbed (started mmr at 50m).

Then, on the 2nd of the year, O had hurt his back somehow, so Sophie and me headed out for a ride.  Rode down to Marina, up the Reservoir track along the Ridgeline, Western, then up Lion Centennial, quite a slog this direction, but not bad, nice views from the top, then down the switchbacks to Kanuka which was awesome in this direction, and back along Kanuka was also good in this direction, then along the ridge back towards the road, but dropping into Sues track thinking it would be mostly down, but finding a 3rd of the way into it it climbs back up across the hill, ugh, steep too.  Eventually down again and we're out on the Waikawa-Picton track, which then climbed again! quite a bit around and finally down across and down again to the Marina...  A fun 15.1 kms with 376 m climbed.

Wednesday Picking Up Picton.

Family and Lynne out for a ride before the rain was to start this morning. Rode into town, over the coathanger and around to the start of the trails.  I stopped along the marina to check Trailforks and they call got ahead of me so when I finally caught them up they were well on their way around the bottom of the hill on the trail heading for Waikawa, whereas I would have preferred to have led up the climb to the left, which they'd missed...  So, anyway, we ended up where the road heads up onto the Snout Ridge and the zig zag climbing track started so off up that we headed.  Was a nice climb with one or two downwards bits and plenty of switchbacks.  Right at T's level said she.  Lynne was struggling with her knees, while Otis just jetted ahead.  

Eventually we made the reservoir tank and from here headed up Ridgeline track.  Lynne took the road and H bailed out to the road halfway along.  At the end of the road (where it heads down again) T, H and Lynne bailed out, while O and me took Western track along to Kanuka, then continued along this, which was pretty good this direction, til we got to the zig zag climb (Lion's) up to the top.  Reasonable climb, good views at the top.  Into the Lion's Centennial down back towards town, not bad, some switchback sections that don't flow as well as they could.  You can never really get massive speed up anywhere, but nice riding, and nice environs.  Back down onto Western and not as good in this direction, more climbing grunts.  Out across to Ridgeline again, good in this direction too, then eventually we hit down Leicester Track, which is somewhere I may once have ridden in the vicinity, or bits thereof, a lonnnng time ago - tho maybe The Doctor track is more in keeping with that?  Anyway, lots of interesting corners, but still not enough flow.  And back along the Waikawa Picton track back to the Coathanger and back up through town.

A worthy 17 kms, with 380 m climbed.

Sunday Morning Tops

Nice one on my own this morning... Headed up from home almost dead on 9am, climbing okay, pushing pretty good, and really forced my way up the steep pig from the skidder site.  cleaned it all but nearly puked by the top.  out the top and out Worm and onto the Summit Traverse.  Pulled over for anyone I met coming the other way, not too many thankfully, and made good time, and pulled up at the top of Four Pause just as two asian dudes with all the gear headed off down it, skidding and going very slow...  I let them go until they were nearly at the bottom before I launched in, and bombed, no skids, jumping all the jumps and generally enjoying the crap out of it.  9.30am at the landing strip when I pulled out and turned back uphill, grinding off up back to the top.  

Across the road and into Vernon, cruising around and then bombing, letting a couple of folk through at places, and rolling out across the bottom, jumping straight into Witch Hill, climbing, slowing down, slower then popping and weaving over the rocks, juuuust cleaning them all before onwardsly cruising around up, over and down.  Onto the road, bitter southerly hussing out of the harbour here, gale force across the saddle before the Tors.  Pushed the last stretch to the top of Castle where it was 10am.  Brief break out of the wind here, snack, then, spotting some (fast) riders entering the other end of the trail, I dropped into it, blasting and blazing, down around, and pulled up just after the first hairpin to let them through.  The first two were E-bikers, the 2nd 2, accoustic.  Got going again, kept a good pace on the climb, then out and down to the Bridle.

Back up the road, grind grind, then at the top, checked there were no walkers or runners around, and pushed up to the Tors track.  Then I spotted a million walkers on the road before the saddle...  time to get moving.  Nicely nicely across and down the steep tech.  Botched something past where I used to always botch, dabbing over a bit, then struggled to get my foot in til the last few metres, rolling through the crowd of parents and kids, and clambering up onto the wee-singletrack-above-the-road.  Once peaked, good roll and cruise through this back to Witch, into the teeth of the gale across the road and onto Witch, climbing, then continuing, non stop.  Down to Rapaki-top and steady pace around the road, riding with then pulling away from a bunch of older riders.  Was overtaken by a couple of bolshy E-bikers as I overtook a group of 3 riders (one of which on a Levo with Rohloff combo).  Watching later as those bolshy ones went down the gravel road of Huntsbury...  i mean! what's the point!?

Into the Traverse and bomb bomb bomb around, good pace  still on the climbs, but starting to feel a little jaded.  Into Vic and popped the top jump, then down past the see-saw, couple jumps of Brakefree, and back to the Rockgarden and Gums, favourite line, all the way down single to 19th, then down road, and into the new bonus, strugging past a car parked nose up fully into the entrance to it.  Final climb, then bomb down behind the houses, having to bail up to negotiate a clusterfuck of walkers at the end.  

20 kms in 2 hours, with 771 m climbed.  Pretty good.

Thursday Evening East End Rinsing

Just like old times... a good sized ride of an evening.

Met out at Scumnervale, and got riding about 5.40, up Capt Thomas.  Wasn't feeling the hottest, given the heat, and food, and sleep and whatevs.  But, tootled on none-the-less.  Up, grovelling up the first steeps, minor recovery across the sidle then grovelling up the second lot of switchbacks.  Was nearly holding my own with Nelson, until the that last bit.  Caught him up, breathed, and got going again, around the easier bits, into the rocks, clambering then riding and cleaning it all to the gate.  Stopped here and waited for a descender and my legs had lost all their steam for the last couple of climbs...  

Out the Godley Head Rd, to the climbing 4wd track up to the trail, then we engaged in the good descent down to Livingston.  Nice to get the flow on again, tho I was cautious on the ball-bearing gravel.  Swoopy swoopy down to the bottom and into the climb, rocks become more rocky than ever, rather tech.  Over the top and down to Breeze Col.  Here a couple rode through and up the singletrack, so we decided to follow and go back that way rather than the road.  Nelson chased and caught then waited for me, while I struggled up the climb, not going as fast as I would like to.  This was the moody view:

As we descended the couple were riding along the road towards us, which seemed strange.  But from Livingston we headed up the road and then realised why they were going that way.  They were heading the the entrance/exit to a new track (called Taylor's Escape) which we stopped and watched as they descended.  Definitely on the cards for next time we're in the 'hood.

Up the 4wd again to Godley Track and back towards Evans through a moody sky, easterly cloud wafting around the valley heads, quite spectacular.  I had to stop and eat something halfway back, but that, and the rest, gave me the energy to make it the rest of the way out.  Finally, into the Captain, a swoopy and hair-raising fun trip back down.  Good blast, felt great.  Back not sore at all, just have to maintain it, ride in such a way as to not exacerbate it. 

A smidge over 15 kms, and 631 m climbed!  I felt every one of those metres.

Tuesday Evening Vic Old Skool

Quick hot local blat.  Up from home, through to the Skidder site, and dropped into Shazza's.  Nice flow in here, popping the first few jumpies nicely, and swooping round all the corners, wary of the loose dry dust and leaves and bark shards.  Across the 40footer space, and into Sneaky Ridge, flap flop down the rocks, boogity woogity through and around, oak leaves strewn asunder, and whoosh over the fence into Flow or Bridges or whatever, and around into Nu Bridges, ziggy zaggy down into the valley, tech rock flowstyles.

Feeling pretty good, flowed around into bonus Hidden Valley climbing, cleaning all the switchies, huffing and chuffing up to the open lands, spotting another rider departing the stile as it hove into view.  Straight over the stile and caught the guy as he switched back up towards the pylon for the oldskool bastard climb, while I bombed on down the Old Skool descent, enjoying the fuck out of it.  Some awesome pumpstyles across the upvalley slope, tail hot nor'waster behind me.  Then bombing on down and out the bottom, straight back into the climb.

Ugh, up, up and more up, then K2, ugh, walked to the sidle turn off, climbed back on and rode up to the 23footer zone and on upwards, quite a few stops for breathers, as was getting tired by now.  Eventually, got to the start of Rad and a couple riders passed by, climbing from Cool Runnings area, talking to one, then following him up to Skidder, wherein I dropped over to the wee climber track back up to 19th, down the road, dropped into my upper dogcarpark newby, bombed down that, climbed out to lower dogcarpark and bombed down the last, getting some nice air on the ramp behind the houses...

A worthy local 9.5kms, with 378m climbed.

Quick Vic with Otie

Ffffff is how I struggled up the hill.  Out with O.  He blasted off ahead, young and fast, I gasped up behind.  Stopped before the dog park to help a bro out with some air (his front tire was losing air), and then we rode on, up past 19th, up through Skidder site and up the steep.  Cleaned it, phew.  Then up top of Vic. 

Bombed the first of the Thompsons, and back up the road.  Then into the down, bailed on the jump, walked back up and we both did it nicely.  Check.  Down past the seesaw and first few jumps of Brake Free, then across to the gummies.  I lost O in the top, but then he found me, and then down my fav line through the gums, and he pointed out where Sophie crashed last time they went up.  Swoop swoop around and back to the Skidder site where we bumped into a few guys i know. (Nick Sutt., and ex Cacti Daryl).  O and me headed from here up the trail to the top of the 19th Memorial, and over down to the ranger station, around the road and down to the newby from the dogpark carpark, fun swoops through there, then up and over the last down behind the houses and home.

Quick, 5.7 kms loop with a couple hundy metres climbed.   

Super short Local on Fatty with Shorty and Dog

Very short local loop - nearly our shortest 'block'.  We'd walked the day before and H wanted to do on bikes...  

I was on the fatty.  We rode up Amherst and through, past the fencing, across the empty section, up the back-of-the-houses track, then over the fence into the Microwave Tower park, across to the trees and down the fun wee trail to Harry Ell Drive.  Jet was with us, enjoying his 2nd or 3rd walk of the day, then down H'Ell Drive and back around Longhurst home.  I left on MMR and went and dug up some of my garlic, as well as wandering around inside a bit...