Sunday A Circumnavigation of Sorts, the Pleasant Tor-Pirates

Great ride today with Nelsie and Pete.  We met at Ferrymead bridge (Nelsie and me in our cars, Pete having ridden from home).  Reminding me of the PFMTBC days, we headed up St Andrews Hill, right on Marama then continuation up Canon Hill Crescent to the park, up through this (the steep way) then on Major Hornbrook up through to Long/Clear/Ridge/-views, over the fence where the bath used to be, and on up through the cute wee lambs on Britten.  Pete not been on the bike a lot in the last 6 weeks, neither had Nelson really either (still a whippet tho)... 

Around the front of Britten at the top and over the fence for the short climb up onto the descent of Mt Pleasant track down to Cavendish Saddle.  From here, up the steep walk track for a start (old lower zigs overgrown), cutting right, through the tightly sprung gate onto the old zig zags, more of them than I ever remembered, up the back of Mt Cavendish and over through behind the Gondola building.  Onto the steppy track, I took the lead, and we bomboed down, then took all the lines through over, cleaning all but a couple of spots, to the Bridle-top.  Through here and straight up the road.

At Castle we schluffed up onto the Tors track and took a short break - snack, feast on the view, and to allow a couple of runners through on their track.  Off again, I led the way, and we headed across and down through the good tech - dabbing the usual(s).  Across onto the walk-track-above-the-road, enjoying it's flowy tech around til we got to the gap in the fence to climb up to the top of the Pirate Duncan track.  

Picking our way over the top, was bloody hard to see where the line used to go.  Obvs not many people are using it of recent times.  The worn-in track near the fence seems to have seen some use, but the tech offshoot lines not at all.  Nice run down the easier bits, then we diverted up to do the wooden feature which Nelson dropped, I detoured around and Pete baulked up on.  Down then sidle up onto ridge and fun tech rock Alex' stylez.  Very enjoyable.  Lower down, into the grassy bits, really hard to work out where the lines were, found a couple features we used to drop down but no way to piece them together.  Over the fence into the trees, a well trod line down through the right hand top across then down into jumpszone.

Out the bottom, down next to the horsey paddocks, mud, then split from Pete around through Heathcote under the railway down past Ferrymead, brief play in new pumpzone and back down BridlePathRd to bridge and cars.

A rather interesting classic style, up around and down - 16.36 kms, with 713 m elevated.     

Thursday quick Single 7+6r, or is that 67+r...?

A quick short up and back on the BFe after work.  Running the new 180 disc set up, and trying out T's Cooker's front 27.5+ wheel, third wheelsize in as many rides on the single. Standing to the dogpark carpark, then raised the seat and sat for a bit then around up over top of 19th, nice sunset views, then over to Skidder.  Pushed as hard as I could til stopping and walking up the steep track (the 'road gap' below the wooden wall-ride on Sesame St) into the gums, then zig and zag up through there.  Here's from the top of the pines:

Rode up the rabbit paddock, noticing sheets of rain over in the CAP.  Into the trees and as I headed across Worm it started.  

Quickly turned tail and bombed, down through rabbit, into rocks, gums back and forth, just starting to get slick in places, then down through and below road below 19th, kicked up onto wheelchair track then onto road around to 235, bomb through here, seeing they've rebuilt the tree jump, but avoided mud across oaks, then new continuance through to H.Ell extension back up to road, bomb down and up drive, home.

My kinda HIT, less than 5kms, with 160m gained. 

Sunday Stelliot Pincair Slyx Aunting

If the kids had been skiing (as planned - but, weather), or I'd communicated with T better (ie, me knowing that I didn't need to 'rush' back home to 'parent'), I had been planning to take the Fatty in the back of the car to the planting then heading to Mt Grey for to ride it, then was possibly going to head further north for a visit to the Sanctuary. 

Instead I ebiked to the Elliot Sinclair sponsored planting, planted lots of plants with some very nice people, scoffed a couple sossies, then ebiked home via a slightly different, and surprisingly (slightly) longer, route.  Going, I took Strickland - Antigua - Rolleston - Hagley Park (where there was a running race clusterfucking the bikeway, making me ride on the grass which made my bungy unhook which could have caused all sorts of carnage for me.  Rossall St, then up the Railtrail allll the way, and beyond, up the gravel block, into an assortment of wee park trails to Regent Spark, straight to the planting.

Fun riding at walking speed through to the actual site, til it got too soft of dirt...

Then Homewards, same route back through Regent Spark, but at Sawyer Sarms Rd followed that bike route through Pap, Rutland, Trafalgar to complete the entire length of Colombo home.  

15ish kms there, 16ish kms home again

Thursday Night Windy Pleasant Greenwood

Blowy evening's ride tonight.  Nelson and me met at Parkridge and headed around and up, over the fence where the bath used to be and across.  I was really gasping, struggling with the climbing and breathing, mainly due to sleep and maybe hayfever issues.  Bloody annoying tho, considering how I'd been feeling like I was doing alright when riding on my own...  Maybe it's just cos Nelson's that much quicker, I was pushing to keep up.  Anyway, up Britten, then across into the gale and over up Broadleaf where he took a call to organise his weekend, and on up the gravel to the radio towers.  Still plenty of light til this point, I think I took my sunnies off up here.  

Dropped over into the descent, a good blast, but man she's getting bony, and the wind was pushy at times, good on the tail, but from the side - nearly off course a couple times in the tussocks.  Down to the start of Greenwood, we hung a left out the original entry across, pushing hard into the wind around and then dropped into Sheep Shit Alley, tail wind dropping down nicely nicely and around into some shelter from the wind beyond the pines.  Sat and took in the view of the ships and sunset lightings with a snack.  

Into the traverse across towards the ruins, up the bastard climby cornerers up to Greenwood again.  Lights on medium to start, and dropping in.  Wind, Rocks, Visibility, I was struggling.  One point I clipped a rock and it nearly stopped me dead, the impact resonating right up through my bones and jarring me something wicked.  Was almost like I'd blacked out for a moment, and nearly threw me off.  Helluva shock.  Picked up the pace a bit after that around, catching Nelson as he squirrelled on an angled rock, then he dropped me across towards Gloomy and obviously had a great run through there, ditching me.  I didnt, rocks fatiguing me, but got my groove back on the steeper descent, popped the drop at the bottom and Nelson was waiting for me here.  Into the lowers, Dave'sZone, blasty blasty, good pace down and out.  Gale winds massive at the bottom just before Evans in those last corners.

Up the road, lonnnnnnggg grind, then into Britten where I led for a change and we had a good blast all the way down, wind died down a bit now, but still pretty strong on the final face.  Super bony down to and under the pylon, and finishing at the cars.

Windy windy ziggy zaggy, 14 kms with 611 m gained.

Monday Super-short Quick Single69

Commiserating the end of Lock Down (ish) with T by bunking off work (a little) and taking a nice walk in the afternoon.  

Then later, after chucking the 29r wheel on the front of the singlespeed BFe Cotic I got out and went for a quick short blat with Go-go on O's bike.  He struggles with asthma so was a wheeze'n'cough on the way up, but it was only to the dogparkcarpark to come back down all the not-so- and new singletrack.  Sweet wee blast.  Riding up the hill on the singlist was sweet, and the 29r front end sure felt nice.  

Looks enormous here! MOdeRn gEoMEtRy!

Geometry is better with that, but - next step is get a 180 disc (or two) and then I can run the 27.5+ wheel off T's bike in there and have some 'squish'.

Not even 2 kms, and 61 metres elevated.

Sunday Locals Climb Descend (climb, descend)

Crappy night's sleep, worrying about Legionaire's Disease, of all things, after gardening / compost on Saturday, also maybe hayfever.  Anyway, was after 11 by the time I made it out the door and up the hill.

Up Vic Park Drive as usual, steady pace, by-passing my '19th' detour staying on the road then up through the skidder and straight into the grunter climb.  Good pace up this too, muscle memory working well, keeping the puff and chuff at reasonable levels.  Up through the top and into Thomsons #1, (after waiting for a walking family).  Fun bomb down through here, then easy climb out, coast down road and bombed into the second, feeling the grip down through the trees and felling smooth.  

Down through the Kiwi ("huh, it's open," I thought) and up the Summit Rd, round up Worsleys and up to top of the Nun where I needed a rest.  Another (older) guy was here and we chatted a bit, then I launched off, enjoying the fang.  Boney, but bomby.  Felt good for most of the way, but always the rocky sections before the GromPark crossing wore me down.  Into the lowers, could hear either the guy or another dude on the trail above, so I kept the pressure on.  Into the lowest Gnarly section shortcut then the proper Lower nun, rolling and popping and bombing it nicely, eventually clambering out the end, and back through under the Kiwi.  

Up the road to top of Vic, dropped into the good flow, around for the jumps, 3 groms bombing through below me, following them over the jumps (they didn't do the 2nd one which I do now), the peeled over the see-saw and entered Brake Free, one of the groms having to bail up for me (I apologised), then peeled out to head down through the gums.  Over the rocks, into the trees, dropping down my usual fun way, bomba bomba bomba, exit through the gift-shop over to Skidder, climbing the middle road over through to about Shrooms, watching and listening to other bikers all bombing through these DH tracks in here, then riding back and dropping into, for the first time, Upper Rad^Sick, not really knowing where it would take me.  With a bit of practice I might pop most of these jumps, but took the nana lines on each, and ended up down on the 4WD track, climbed and dropped over to the right, into the track that's kinda parallel to Dazza's (but before it on the way up).  Nice steep tech, fun roots, drops you out at the Rad^Sick zone, so climbed back up Access tracks back to skidder, over Skidder into the tail out below the road to 19th.  

Below 19th, dropped into the old bike track, down round up onto our walking route, out to corner of road, and up to loos for a coast down the road.  Straight into 235, hooning through this, taking the new line to the left all the way down, loose!, then walking back up it cutting over to the main line, across the oaks, and into the new route here, following it across the walking track (H.Ell access) all the way to it's end out onto Harry Ell proper on Dyers Pass Rd.  Climbed a short steep (dragged my bike up) section to the Vic Park Drive, and bombed home.

A gratifying 11.57 kms, with 375 m altituded.

Thursday Early Tops Refresher 1st Ride of Spring

Awake at 6.30, got up and got out the door at 3 minutes to 7.  Usual climb up, doing alright, gasping like usual up the grunter.  Low clouds just above the dog park skudding pink in the dawn's early highlights.  Stormy and grey to the west, and gale winds found once up on the Traverse and heading around to the saddle below Sugarloaf.  Howling across the saddle, head-on while approaching then pushing me along afterwards.  All the way along, facing the same problems, gale head, then tail winds at various points.

Up over Vernon, lovely push along to start with, then on the Rapaki side, gravity barely holding out against the wind near the bottom, and pushing sideways across the top.  Into Witch and good technical ability shining through, one dab crunching front spokes.  Stopped at the high point briefly, out of the wind, and took in the view.  On down cruise cruise, then stayed on the road because the cross wind along here was too insane, til I was well up under the Tors.

Top of Castle was a respite briefly, then dropped in, speed-factor-warp, blazing down the trail, feeling super good, weaving the good weave, with a pause at the hairpin.  Off at a cruise but pumping more speed up before the next before another cruise into the climb, cleaning nicely and then just meandering around to the end.  Straight into the climb, wind all around, back up to the top of Castle, and clambered up onto Tors track.  8am on the dot up here...  Into this and the sun came out and was glorious.  Stopped just below where I usually dab, but didn't to get this.

Down onto the road and bypassing the squirrelly singletrack above the road (on account of the wind) and stuck to the Summit Rd battling the wind back to Witch Hill. Up the climb, over around and down to Rapaki top, sticking to the road again up and around, horrendous wind as I approached the Traverse.

Onto this last blast around the top, winds again, but sunshine at least.  Low clouds to the west.  Top of Vic, across, all the jumps, the second one actually completing properly for once, then See Saw, Brakefree to start, cutting out onto the rabbit paddock down through the rocks and bombing through the gums.  Out to Skidder, climbing up over the 19th dropping down and around the road into 235, bomb bomb bomba, trying out a new line across the next bit to Harry Ell extension, road, up onto our wee trail behind the stone sunset chair, final blast to driveway, and home.  It poured with rain about a half hour after I got home, so, lucky I missed that!

A pulchritudinous 19.67 kms with 728 m climbed.

Sunday Fatty Mucker, on new rubber

Spent a little time installing Surly Nates on the Fat bike.  Bought them years ago but have been waiting for the Vee Rubber H-Billies to wear out a bit more.  They're only the 'cheap' ones, 27tpi (nothing flash) but man are they tractor tires!  3.7, so a little smaller than the 4.25 Vees that were on it.  This turned out to be rather good.  More round profile, they don't 'self-steer' like the Vees did - with extra air in them, they ride up more on the centre knobs, less friction.  

Time to take them out for a smash.  I'd pumped them pretty hard (over 10psi!) to 'pop' them onto the rims, so it felt easy to ride for a start, up the gravelly path just above the road, then onto the dirt one through the trees.  Really mucky up near the top of this and the big teeth really gripped in here.  Then onto the road on up through to Ranger Station and up onto my 19th detour, clambering up the rocky edge track for a pic, drizzle drifting through, 

then down to the skidder and up the guts (following a guy who was walking his bike, but not making any headway on him).  Through Brake Free and stopped to release a little air, then up through Worm and back across to Thompson's #1.  Released more air here before dropping in, immediately meeting a triplet of E-bikers, then nice comfy blast down, tonnes of grip, around, onto road, into Thomson's #2, blast, grip, climb.  Road to Kiwi, up to first saddle and off over the left, dropping into Governor's track.  Tech rock, bit of ping, a few dabs (for fear of 'runaway biiiike') then nice cruise around, and into the climb up the back, steep in places, walked one wee bit, but cleaned with stops the rest, stopping to chat to T on phone and Doug briefly too.  

Rounded out the top and crossed the road to the Nun, riding pretty good, only 2 bad puddles, and the tires worked pretty good at gripping and suspending.  Definitely better than the old ones.  Across the Kiwi again and up the road, into top Thompson's, climbing up to Vic-top.  Usual way in, bypassing the main jump then taking easy way down to cattlestop and down the (wet) rabbit paddock, through the rock garden, back and forth in the gums, usual route, lotsa fun, then out the bottom and down to the 19th gate - having to wait here for umpteen riders and walkers coming through (heesh), including Nik's bro David (oh, and the dude working on top of Old Skool I talked to earlier in the week, with his whole fit mtbiking family and heavy tools onboard).

Down the road, meeting Tra'y in the Dog Park for a bit then agreeing to meet her and Jet over the bottom corner.  I peeled out into the 235 trail dropping through for lots of fun, taking the new left line part way down that's been extended (I'd walked down it a couple days before, finding it a dead end), able to push through to the oaks, climbing back up and over to meeting T and J.  From here we, walking pace, down to Harry Ell Drive and around home.

Not a bad little 9.5 kms, with 377 m climbed

Thursday Morning Early Start on Empty

Up the hill in the crack of dawn, for a (on the map) U shaped there and back again.

Clamber clamber, usual route, up the road, 19th, Skidder, and grunter, Brakefree, then Worm...  The sun was just up, skimming behind and above the hills as I climbed.  Onto the Traverse into it, cruising on an empty stomach (practicing 16:8 intermittent fasting now).  Met 3 teens oncoming, then a runner, and that was pretty much it.  

Top of Fourpause/HuntsDH I paused before dropping in for a storming sesh, catching the first jump good, second jump kicked my tail up badly, then third and fourth both perfect.  On down the ridge on the singletrack, peeling across through the cattlestop (where we used to climb over) and then started explorations for the Rocky Ridge track entrance, meandering through tussocks and rocks, finding it, sorta following it then climbing on it's zig zag up the back of the knoll.  Took a pic back at Vic Park from here and one down the way I was to ride.  

Tech rocks, down this then onto the DH again, jump, not-jump, jump, cop and dog, through the cattlestop and new line, rock jump, wooden jump, back on mainline then, huh, what's this?  short cut, avoiding a couple jumps then into the curves and jumps down down, spotting a couple of climbing riders, then down finishing on the final drop.  A few people down here on their way up the main drag.  I headed over to the new climber Nelson and me are instigating, other tire treads in evidence.  Granny climb, up under pylons and then zig and zag in tussocks up onto main DH, then through c'stop and across to the farmtrack climb and up onto the main singletrack to finish up to the landingstrip and final climb, catching the slower of the two riders I'd seen before.

Into the Traverse, sun behind me, great bomb around, feeling plenty of power all the way.  Into the Vic Pines and across, jump, jump, bypass see-saw and first curves of Brake Free then out to Rabbit paddock, tight right after the cattlestop to top of Gum's Pines, dropping down 'new' line then the rest of the way the usual, carrying excellent speed all the way through.  Out the bottom, out to 19th, down road, easy going cruise coast, then into 235, bomb bomb, muck muck, climbing, right, left, behind houses final hoon, and home. 

Glorious day, 13.7 kms ridden, 495 m altituded.

Tuesday Working(-out) From Home

Afternoon bit of exercise skiving off working from home... 

Headed up the usual way, road, 19th, skidder, grunter, Worm onto the Traverse.  Fucktonnes of people around, bloody 'lockdown bubble bursters' and I bet none were truly local... Across the Traverse, pulling over for various riders, mostly in ones or twos, tho one dad seemed to have about 4 or 5 teens in tow.  Pulled up and had a nice rest at the top of Huntsbury DH aka Fourpause.  

Dropped in, nor'wester pushing across-wise, jumping, flowing and pumping, on down, dropping over the edge towards Old Skool.  Into the steeps, dropping the first one and then around to the one I don't seem to be game on anymore, and I heard a shout from above.  "new track up here!" so pushed back up to there and chatted with the dude who had a couple of grubbers and was pushing in a new line from just above the first drop-over.  Nice.  Two other fellas pulled up, gave it a blast and then I followed after, reeling them in by the time I was down in the lower off cambers.  Anyway, new line is nice, back and forth a bit, a couple of nice dropovers, but nothing too hefty, and comes back in just at the bottom of the scary dropchute.  On down, catching the other two on Old Skool and then all of us catching up to a guy who was really struggling with the pressure on him.  I peeled left, up valley, at the end and the evil climbing began.  

Ugh.  Up Up Up, then up some more.  Tried out a little something below the 23 footer (texaco?) then kept climbing, passing a couple young'uns walking (one with a Zerode!), then at the 40 a woman came down shazz's and I caught up to her as she was walking up to Raceline crossing, greetings shared, I continued on and she headed down.  Looked like a very capable rider.  Up some more to Skidder and through this over to the usual sidler down to 19th, down the road, into the dog car park, peeling freely (no cars!), then turn turn, bomb bomb, down into the greeeaaasey oaks, then climb up onto road, up to microwave tower for the final blast down behind the houses, avoiding the wet spots quagmire, which resulted in not enough speed for any air.  Down to home, Mint.

Just under 12 kms, with just over 500 m climbed, not bad.

Saturday E-dventure to Bellbird with Go

On Locked-down Saturday, needling Gogo to get out for some stretching of legs, I convinced him to go for an E ride.  We headed up Vic Park, easy cruising compared to my usual huff and chuff, after the toilets, below the infocentre we were rounding down through the corner on the smooth seal and a dad came flying around the corner, cutting it, then followed his daughter TOTALLY cutting it, right when we were apexing!  Holy shit it was close, I screamed "IN COMING!!! For FUCK'S Sake!" we all skidded, somehow missing any contact (I was envisaging total carnage of my front rack ploughing into her forks and mangling, us colliding and hitting the pavement), and continued on.  She was pretty shaken I'm sure, looking back she took a second or three to regain composure and get riding again.  Hopefully learned a lesson - just cos there's no cars on the road (gates shut at each end) there ARE other users around!

Around and into the Skidder site, carrying speed as best as possible into here, I managed to climb higher than last time we came up this way, but still couldn't keep power or traction to get much higher.  Walking, pushing heavy e bike til it levelled off a little and I got riding again, breathing much harder now.  H managed to carry his tall gear all the way up, no problem at all.  Up through the Brakefree zone, SO many people around.  We were witnessing, I think, much breaching of lockdown rules, with obviously-not-the-same-bubble kids hanging out with each other.  We tootled around and straight into Thompson's number one, techy (on this bike) down across the hill.  H got mud in the eye, then we rounded out onto the road and bombed it to the Kiwi.  Again, here, tonnes of people, including a group of teenage boys with road bikes all perched over the side of the road hanging out, breaching bubbles, little shits.  

Summit Rd was good, tail wind, chilly easterly, pushing us along on our (already) tail-wind machines.  Nice cruise around to the Bellbird where we stopped and took in the sights then turned back.  Hellishly cold head wind from Kennedy's, having to actually push into it down hill, ice-cream headache forming, ugh!  Same down past worsley's and into Kiwi (teen roady breachers still in full effect), finally out of the worst of the wind climbing up to top of Vic again.  Dropped in and down to Rabbit paddock, more teen this time mountainbiker breachers, hello to Mel and son, and on down, having to hold back down the 4wd due to walkers, finally letting go the brakes past them and rushing down into the Skidder.  Out to the road, and bombsville home.   

Just over 15 assisted kms, with 471 m of easy altitude.  A nice cruise with nice views on a nice day.

Thursday Locked Down Up and Back Rigid Single Quickster

Quick blast up to top of Vic on the BFe SS. 

Good climbing, standing and chuffing, getting the rhythm going nicely, finally taking a seat around the dog park car park, and riding with a guy on a Marin Pine Mountain (new 29r steel hardtail) who I'd been slowly winding in.  I peeled off to head up to Skidder and up the guts.  Got a wee way up then off to walk.  Just for the fun of it I decided to take the diagonal path to the right, crossing Sesame St and taking me up into the middle of the Gums where I found a way up (that could be marginally rideable?) climbing above where I hatchetted the tree and up that dh bit in the pines out the top.  Through the cattlestop to rabbitsville, climbing up this, finding it not as wet as when I got sideways on the fatty the other day.  A lot of people about, how many live local? I wondered...  

Into the pines (nice late afternoon lighting) 

and across the Worm, then turning back, across and down, over the See Saw, pumped through first BrakeFrees and out, down the soggy Rabbit paddock, rock garden and across back and funtimes down the gummies.  On down the trail below here, greasy, then out 19th, coasting down the road, into the 235/UpperDogParkNewby, good to start then mucky suck hole down below.  Last climb out and tire-clearing down the road, home.

Four and three quarter kilometres, with 166 m climbed. 

Sunday Fatty Mucking

Quick ride this afternoon. Headed out on the fat bike.  

Up through Vic, up the gutser through Brake Free, onto Worm and onto the Traverse.  Cruised around this as far as Four Pause /  Huntsbury DH, checking out the car below the track that'd scuffed a big chunk of track out.  I'd heard the chopper rescuing these fucktards on Friday night, flew over at 2.30 am, and could hear it hovering til it flew back over at 3.00am.  

At the top of Four Pause I debated with myself the pros and cons of heading down that.  The cons won, and I turned back, bombing back across the Traverse nice and smooth.  Into Vic trees, across and down the Rabbit Paddock, greasy af, got sideways in the worst spot, then over the cattlestop and into the Gummies, across and down my usual favourite.  Out to skidder and into Shazza's, bopping and grinding down this then straight into the climb past the 40fter, back up to skidder, then over and into the wee finishing track out to the 19th.  

From here, down the road and into 235, which some mongs have put little rock jumps in (Dumb), and then it was greeeaaasy mucky fucking quagmire, and even worse in the Oaks.  Climbed out and cleared the tires with speed down Vic Park Rd...  

Around an hour all told, dead on 10 kms, with 350 m climbed.

Thursday Night Captain Windy Sketchville

Awesome ride tonight.  

Met Nelson at Slumnervale and we headed into the Closed Captain Thomas.  Not too greasy, a few wet spots, ie, too wet to ride down, but fine going up without destroying the trail.  Gasping for air as usual, we stopped at the top of the hairpins and I really struggled to breathe.  Didn't help that I could SEE the motes of pollen in the air either...  Up through the rocky sections, I walked once or twice - grease and rocks getting the better of me or my lungs not up to capacity.  Upper section was good and we made the road.  

Headed up into the Godley, but once up the nasty rocksection we got our clamber-walk on and pushed up the ridge fenceline walking track, wind starting to pick up a bit as we climbed this exposed section.  Some riding, some pushing and eventually made the top.  Short break and around the top over the edge towards the darkness that was the harbour.  Nelson found it entirely unfamililar thinking he'd never ridden it before but I knew he had, last year even, and before that in 2017.  Neat drop down, not as techy as I recalled, but around the back heading across towards Livingston it was pretty greasy, water running on the track a bit.  Bomb down the ridge to Livingston Col and familiarity returned.  Out Godley from here, good riding, with only the final paddock to the cattlestop at the end the usual quagmire which we attempted to skirt widely after pfmtbc rock.  Stopped at Breeze Col in the 'breeze' (read, gale), and watched as several spaced out riders came down the road and past us. 

We dived into the OG Godley, below the road, and headed outwards.  It's been tidied and benched better and rode pretty well, very few wetspots.  At the road end we headed up the 4wd track towards our bunker, wind pushing at us hard making the climb harderer than it would normally be.  Then across and over the stile onto Breeze Bay track.  I ducked behind some tussocks here cos the wind was doing my head in.  Nice break and snack here then off around the track, out of the wind, spectacular riding, easy going cruisey as.  Into the teeth of the gale at the stile here, nearly blown off, and pushing hard into the wind to get to the road.  Then it was back along the Godley Head Road, pushing hard into the gale, but once, eventually, around above the new Escape trail we got the tail wind pushing us uphill to Livingston, nearly plucking us from the bikes across there, then a bit of work up the rest to the Para-launch place, into the wind around then pushed all the way back down to Evans.

Down into Rapanui bush, definitely ridden it wetter in the past, and techy goodness around to Scarbluffs track.  This was tricky with the wind, and felt dangereux with the exposure, but mostly a pretty good run out across towards Scumner then dropping down the tricky hairpins, water running down the track towards the road.  Across and over for the last blast down below the road, fun times had.

An interesting and quite spectacular 16.44 kms, with 701 m climbed.

Sunday Summit Hailing McTrollface

Wintry blast teeming through so got out for a gravel roady on the Troll.  Up Vic Park Drive, then through the Skidder and up the gutser, walking most of this - gearing and tires overwhelmed.  Brief chat to an old friend Doug up here, then on up through Brake Free and up to the top Thompson.  Down this singletrack, good fun, then up onto the road and a nice coast down to the Kiwi.

Across the Dyer's and up, up around Marleys, onwards out the summit.  All fine, no snow, but lo! - Bradley and Herbert were dressed in white about a third down from their summits, right across the tops there.  Further round I could see low on the plains as well - Oxford / Sheffield kinda ways, and squalls marching across the plains too.  After a nice descent I pulled into the Bellbird and had a snack and tidied a little of my clothing for warmth.  Big hail storm came in, so I was in the perfect place for it.  It buttoned off a little and I hit the road again, not really knowing how far I might go, and at one point even considering all the way down Gebbies to Motukarara and taking the rail-trail back to Lincoln, Taitapu and back round, but figured it'd be well dark by the time I made it home from that adwenture and my lights were already showing the red spots of low battery.  

Continued along the summit, climbing into the wind, descending into the wind, the occasional sheltered bit.  Popped up to check out the Living Springs summit, had a wee look in the bush track on the top there  ("rescuing" a seedling for my garden).  Rode again.  Hail again.  Eventually, Gibraltar Rock hove into view, and Omahu Bush, which I'd never explored before.  Popped down into the top zigs, parked the bike and walked (and slipped) down to the bush edge.  Bumped into Douglas again here, I swear the dude was following me, random.  Looks to me like there could be some good riding in this Bush, at night perhaps... Hail through again while I was in the bush.  

Back on the road, headed for home, tail wind (tho not so's you'd notice), more down than up.  Saw another (gravel or road bike?) rider at that water fountain thingy.  Moved a (dead) possum off the road a bit for the hawks.  Up and down, hail storms coming along and moving on.  Some lovely long rolling coasts, then easy ups.

At the Kiwi I could see the traffic was just starting to move, green light, so I bombed down, then they seemed to be stopped, one car having trouble, so I passed them all and jumped in behind the one car that made it past these guys who were struggling and so I had the whole length between the lights and beyond to myself.  Peeled right into Vic Park Drive, Climby McClimbface up to the 19th and then rolling home free, some good speed on that final descent, then brake checking hard and into the driveway.

23.43 kms Trolled with 772 altitudes.

Sunday Planton Bradley

Met for the 8.50am sailing to the Harbour of Diamonds.  I arrived to find the Bush team and Pete already on the wharf, then Nelson and Kirsty rolled up once we were on board.  

From DH we headed up and proceeded around the road.  At Whero St I said, "lets go up to the high road" (not knowing that Whero was a dead end, but then discovering at the top a nice singletrack that led all the way up.  Nelson and Kirsty disappeared.  She'd stopped to delaminate and when they got going again couldn't figure out where we'd gone...  ooops.  Never de-group guys.  Pete jetted down, couldn't see them, jetted back up and we proceeded around Bay View, steep down followed by bloody steep up that nearly killed me given my Troll gearing.  Up under Elaine's house and then it was mostly down from there, down into that nice Hunter Reserve valley, short climb then bombing down down down, Pete and me (J9 taking it easy and Steve sticking with her) to the main road and around to Andersons to regroup.  

Nelson and Kirsty turned up with the Bushes again and we all rode together up over Andersons', fast bomb down the last with Pete in the lead, onto the main road and into Orton Bradley.  The planting was just off the main route in after the tollbooth, off up to the left on a very muddy (to start with) track through oaky forest out to some farm country - a small gully being fenced around a creek.  Chucked a bunch of trees in the ground meeting some nice people, then back to the School Room and a cuppa then back on the road again.

Around the road and a steady pace, Pete and me out in the lead.  Above the yacht club we took the wee walk track drop down and up then steps and stopped for a regroup.  Then climb climb climb around and some nice downs back to DH, getting down to the cafe just before the 12 o'clock ferry was ready to leave, Bushes and Pete bombed and caught it while I waited for Nelson and Kirsty and we caught the half hour later one, 12.30.

Forgot to start the MMR til we were up top of the Whero singletrack, about 1km in and 120m alt, but the rest of it was 11.85 kms over 270m climbed (so, total 13 kms, 390 up). (mmr website playing up at this point)

Thursday Night Taylor's Escape and some Snake

Nelson and me met in Taylor's.  It was not as cold as expected, but the wind had a little bite in it.  

We headed up the new Escape track.  Mostly in very good nick, the new benching really helps, but the deep gully is dank and soggy.  Gonna need a little boardwalk maybe, or a bridge and some re-direction.  Good climb; kept a good pace most of the way, I was feeling better and even breathing better than I'd expect given the lurgy that's sitting in my lungs still.  More switchbacks than we'd remembered.  Stopped at the road and yarned and watched a couple riders heading down towards Livingston Col.  After they'd passed above us (while we rode along the road to the Col) we got on the trail and hung a right, out above the major exposure and along the walking track.  Climbed this surprisingly well too, tho just prior to the first hairpin got the better both of us - Nelson via traction, me via lung capacity.  

Over the stile and into the descent, steps and besides, me not trusting the grease factor, which had the potential for offness.  Good blast tho, and then right across Col, fun tech, to the Breeze Bay track.  We climbed this cruising around, it ending sooner than I expected, over the ladder-stile, and out onto the lookout bunker roof.  Neither of us jumped from it this night.  

I led us into the skinny track, around, very tight, good skillzone, then into the bomb down back to Breeze Col.  Then we decided to climb up Godley to above the new entrance to Anaconda, nice climb still feeling good tho my legs were starting to tire.  Over the fence and dropped down choosing an interesting way down to the Conda and then Nelson led the way, bomb bomb, bomby bomb.  Great run down, tho not the fastest ever, cautiousness getting the better of me on the damp clay surface.  No slop, surprisingly.  

Long break chatting overlooking the sea here, then into the Tail, for a final blast back to the cars. Good tech.  

Felt like further than 9.6 kms, with a reasonable 386 m climbed.

Sunday Bottle Jet Single

After a week and a half of being sick with a bad cold, and 2 weeks of no rides, finally got out for a spin.

 Had a beverage pick up to make in Burwood so took the dog and the BFe SS out to Bottle Lake.  Headed in the middle and hung the leftish route to keep it short for the tired old dog.  Through the grown up trees, into the tall forest past the pond then on through, Jet keeping a good steady speed the whole way.  Out, around and along the middle front, all familiar trails, albeit with taller trees than even last year's Fat bike outings.  

Along muddy road and into a brand new trail to the left, opposite the trail from Spencerville.  Rolled through this, through two sections of forest, then onto a road for a long haul west, down to what used to be known as Andrew's Favourite, all the good bits in between now decimated.  Through this dark forest, Jet slowing down a little, but still steady as he went.  Then, intersection, options rightish, through what was a new section a few years ago, or leftish into newer forest, kinda following old ways but all newer trail, which i took as it's shorter.  Wound around this for a while and eventually out.

A reasonable, easy 10 kms, spectacularly 89 m climbed, for a happy dog and a recovering sicko.

Sunday Parking Lots

Met Nelson at a ridiculously full CAP carpark and we climbed the climby Uphill climb, steep bugger tho it is, good for a while and I kinda held my own almost all the way to the Worsley.  Obviously riding to and from work everyday (albeit on the Ebike) and a few extra mtb rides than him is benefiting me slightly.  

Into Worsleys and it really was the worst lees.  Bumped into Rowan (a wilding-pine colleague) walking her dog and her man, and then we grunted off up the climb.  The Body Bag got the better of both of us eventually, me waaaay sooner than Nelson - I thought he was gonna make it for a second there, but gravity and traction got the better of him.  

Up the temporary permafrost to the top of the Nun, we stopped for a bite to eat.  Into the slick and dodgy, me in the lead, never quite trusting it the traction on dampened tires, potential for ice, and slick rocks.  We talked about it later and both agreed the trail is getting tired - lack of use up top and over use below.  Through the muppetsville crossings and then joinings of the Adwenture Park, catching up to a few peops on the lower Nun, then diving into Old Dyers, aka Choir Boy, singing for our supper.  Pulled up just round the valley cos Nelson's bike was making weird rattly noises.  Not really sure what it was, but we set off rolling again and progressed fast enough rolling to overtake a couple on the roll, no pedalling involved, then down through the new 'features' and out to the top of Pork'n'Puha.  

Nelson gapped his way in while I took the nanna way in, and all the other nanna lines next to gaps the rest of the way down.  Good to see the top of 3rd Base again, been a while, then left into the new to me Pork and Puha.  Bomby bomb bomb droppy dropping down, back and forth, down, and then rolly roll pop out down the bottom, catching up to multiple other riders who looked faster than they were.  We definitely more than held our own speed-wise against all the gromlins.  

A sweet spin, with lots of exertion expended.  Kinda similar distance to yesterday, 9.8 kms, with a measly 425 m climbed (compared to what it felt like).

Saturday Victorius

Quick spin up down and up.   Up the road from home, and dropped down the connector just before the Dog Park, climbing up 235.  Up through 19th, then up the gutser, chuggalug, all the way to the top.  Around and down, yumpity yump, then see-saw, top end of #nuBrakeFree and then out and down Rabbit to Rocks, Gums #MyWay, across the Skidsville and into the Shazz.  Poppity Pop down here, a squizz at the Sick and then ploughing through the Brent, long time since last time.  Out of the woods and across Flow, a few mucky splotches, around and down, nuBridges all the way down.  

Hidden Valley Bonus climb, said closed, but it's been a while since rain so figured it'd be fine.  Steep bugger forest, good clean then around and into descendy mode.  Untrusting of slick so careful careful bopping and popping my way down.  A few walkers climbing, but no other riders (people abiding the signs?).  Straight into the climb back up Bowenvale valley, usual chuckles, then into Kfucking2.  Managed it, but did stop when it slightly levelled before the last few metres to the turn-off to the right.  That sidle was good, then the 23fter, and more nasty grunt, possibly the worst spot, good to the pylon, then more yuck, then a bunch of folk at the 40, and more shitty climbing.

Over the Skidder and into my usual connector, bopping on down to 19th then rolling rolling rolling down the road and into the 235, bomb slick bomb (kinda chasing another dude who rolled through the carpark at the same time, but I never saw him after I said You go first...

Down the road, tire cleaning, and home.  A worthwhile 10 and a half kms, up 437 m.

Monday Night Head Fix Short'n'Sweet

Missed any riding opportunities in the weekend so took off for a quick jaunt as soon as I got home from work.  

Headed up the road into Vic Park, dropping down the wee access track towards Harry Ell that I usually ride up from the 235, taking this in reverse for the first time.  Mucky as hell under the oaks, and blew the steepest corner but climbed out the rest, surprised at how quick/short it was.  Up the road to 19th divert around the top and over to the skidder site, straight into the gutsy climb.  Up across Brakefree and up through the pines to the top of Vic.  

Downhill mode engaged, dropped around and down, over the jumps, past the see-saw and down the Rabbit Paddock into the rockgarden entry of Gums, bombing around, shortcutting down a line that hasn't seen much action, back around and down my lefty fun blast down and out, across to the skidder, and dropped into Dazza's (rather than Shazza's) for a change.  Not nearly as 'dangerous' as I thought it was, popped all the drops no problem at all and took a rather rooty line down and out to the 40footer. 

Brief look down at the first jump on Rad^Sick and thought, "yeah, could probably do that no probs," but not tonight, and rode on up, climbing climbing climbing out to skidder, dropping back over to where I'd come out of the gums, dropping down out to the road, then below the road and walking tracking it back up to the corner avoiding Tawhairanui (likely mucky af), down the road, into 235 dropping down nicely, careful across the greasy oak leaves, and up to the road for the final bomb down the seal, cleaning the tires centripetally.

Nice wee 5.6 kms, with a smidgen under 200m climbed.

Thursday Night Fatty and Skinny Along the Top

Cool ride tonight... Literally, quite cool when we left.  Nelson had his Scott, and I was on the Fatty for a change.  

Rode up the walking track next to Vic Park Rd, up into the 19th and had a bit of a walking explore around up there at the top to see where all the trails went, finding one we'd done with the gheybois a couple years back, and making mental notes of the access route.  On through the Skidder, following a red flashing light ahead, Nelson catching her (Mel), and me grovelling up behind gasping for air.  Took the worm to the top where her and a dude were hanging, then we hung a right back to the top of Vic road, crossed to the walking track to that shelter and climbed up to the carpark on Sugarloaf.  

Onto Cedric's track across (I'd done this route a few months back on the fatty), which was all good chuffing.  Feels good to be on singletrack that is unfamiliar.  Tricknical over the fence where it meets Gilpins, with super slick rocky sections, then short up to the carpark, across this and onwards along the craterrim track, no recollection of ever riding it in this direction.  The 2nd section, into the bush, walked a bunch, rode some, good times, been vastly improved from what it was years ago when we used to ride it of a night, occasionally.  The 'tech' bit that dropped down to the road has been majorly tamed and was all rideable (where 10 years ago it wouldn't have been in these conditions).  Across along and up onto the Scott's Knob section.  Again, some rooty walking then all good riding, fun cruise through to the top of Huntsbury Track.

For a change, we climbed up the back of Vernon, pushing the last steeply rocked to the  top.  Then over and super technical switchback city, with waaay too much exposure, and finally a controlled braking blast down to Rapaki-top.  Back onto Vernon track and climbing, huffing and chuffing around the way to the top, across onto Traverse and a nice cruisey flow around this, the new 'dumbing down' of it actually performing as desired in these conditions, making it truly, "all weather."  Bit mucky as we approached Sugarloaf, but beyond that, not bad.  I found a tube and it's strap at the jumpy flow section before the final flat to Vic.  

Into Vic, and down to the rabbit paddock, into the rockgarden, and down through the gums.  Nice riding, fatty feeling pretty good the whole way infact.  Before we'd left, I'd topped up the air to 'just moving the dial' and so they felt quite hard.  Realised I should have changed into the Surly tires I have, they'd grip good in the mud soft dirt.  Down the trail below the skidder, out to 19th, onto the trail below the road, popping up onto the walking route then down Tawhairanui, mostly good surface til the very end, ugh.  Then decided to bomb down the road instead of '235' because it would be greeaasy, and the road speed would clean off our tires.  Hosed bikes at mine.

A very enjoyable 12.4 kms, with a surprising 466 m climbed.

Saturday Arvo Vic Park Meander

Nelson came over in the afternoon and we headed up into the Park. 

Up the road, seeing Sophie's parents and little bro walking up Vic, quick chat, then onwards up the road.  My route around the top of the 19th and over to the skidder, then up the grunter guts climb, to the top of Vic. 

 Across to the edge of the trees and dropped down to the top of the black and double black lines, looking down Cowabungaitis and wondering...  Decided tho on original plan, upper fenceline.  I was untrusting of the slick but Nelson bombed off down ahead.  Around and across, looked into Roam (which got very mucky below the massive log drop), and Flow Rider, but dropped into Cool Runnings, wafting down with a brief sessioning of one step-up feature.  Then down all the way into the gulley.  Climb out, this time through Cool Runnings towards Rad^Sick, which is steep but maybe not as steep as the other way I went last time I ground out of there.  

At the 40fter we headed across into Ponos, which was very sloppy in places, especially where there was water and muck on redrock, sliiiccckk as.  Out to the 23fter, back up the 4wd climb.  Zig and Zag around and up to Skidder, then up the grunter guts following a mum & daughter(?) who were walking faster than me, but the same speed as Nelson.  

Then it was around a 'new' access to Sesame St, dropping down this, pop pop pop, and out through skidsville down Vic and into the 235, ducking under the tree and not too greasy til the wet spot in the oaks.  Clamber back up to the road and upwards, lo and behold, there's Sophies folks and bro again walking down.  Lolz all round.  Into the descent behind the houses, a little sloppy in one section but the rest good.  Back home.

A pretty steep sub-8 km, with only 336 m climbed.

Tues Day Ride of All the Singletrack

One last day of TOIL to use up so stayed home of a Tuesday and got out for a nice long ride.  City had been under fog all morning, but by the time I left it'd burned off and a nor-west 'squal' was approaching across the sky.  That spat on me most of the way across the top til I was about below the Tors.

Up through Vic, grinding away up the guts and out Worm to Traverse across.  Catching a woman and passing her just before I got to the turn off for the 4pause/HuntsDH.  Popped off for a short blast down this, a pretty greasy section of track, but the jumps were good.  Took it down across and left down to the gate on Old Skool descent then ground my way back up to the top of Huntsbury.  

Into Vernon, occasional moments of weavy flow and a pretty relaxed attitude to the whole thing.  Bounced across Rapaki-top and straight into the Witch.  One dab but rolling-on, no stops.  Okay climb, not bad descent, nothing special.  Across the road and straight up onto the walking track single.  Techy this direction, slow and techy.  Stuffed up a few spots, fear of falling to the road below getting the better of my balance.  All done and onto the road to under-pass the Tors, treadling up to Castletop.  A roady was stopping and checking out his bike here, and it turned out to be an old colleague (now retired).  We had a good catch up, moseying a little down the road from where he pointed out his house to me.

Parted ways and I rode back up to the trail entrance, dropping into downhill mode and slowly increasing speed as I rolled, until I was travelling quite quickly, grooving and weaving, pumping and jiving, haring down the rocks and through the weave, tight around the hairpin, gaining speed again, back wheel flicking on slick rocks, next hairpin, roll roll, pop pop and..., climb.  Pushed it hard, stayed on top of the whole situation, negotiating rocks and roll.  Over, down again and round out to the road.  Peered into Lyttelton for a sec, then hit the climb back up to Castletop.

Walked up onto the climb to the Tor track, then rested with a snack in the sun before skiving off down the trail.  Rocks slick, tech-trickery, blitzy blitz, dab or three, and down across the road onto the singletrack walker, enjoying it this direction a bit better.  Lots of cleaned then into the Witch, better this way, and nearly rode up the road after Rapaki, then decided to do ALL the singletrack, and climb Vernon.  Pretty not bad.  

Back into the Traverse, all the way into Vic, picked up a bit of speed and into the jumps, over the seesaw, around the track closed, "why's the track closed, it's perfectly surfaced and dry,...  oh, right, oh well, all good after that, but out, down to rockgarden entry of Gums, and across and down my usual roots and routes.  All the way down, out 19th, down the road and into the 235 for a nice greasy spin.  The broken dead old tree that fell over the other week is still there so I broke a couple branches off it, thereby making it slightly easier to get under...  should take the hatchet up, I guess.  I was surprised no one else had broken any more off (one or two on the other side had been done).  Nice condition, grip-wise, lower down too.  Then leafy climb and up the road briefly again before the bomb behind the houses, which was stymied by a woman and two dogs, then fear of grease-city.

Well worth it, 21.4 kms, with 847 m climbed

Saturday Kai- Kowhai Kaiterau -koura

Up to Kaikoura for the weekend to Dave's 50th, so, got T to drop me at the Kowhai River Bridge.  

Hit the trail on the true left bank for the long cruisy uphill.  Singletrack, grade nothing, flowing ever forward, with enough little dips to be able to use a little body english on for a pumply addition of power.  Surface was a good gravelly chip, with additional leaf matter humous which could be greasy at times, tho never really lost anything.  If anything, I'd like some of the corners to be bermed a little more so you could carry speed through them more safely.  I had no idea how many kilometres were ahead of me, other than that it didn't look that many on the map.  Turned out (looking on MMR) that it was just under 7 kms to Postmans Rd, from where it was another 3, plus change, on gravel roads to the Mt Fyffe Carpark, with a bit of  a climb up in the last one.  

Then it was into the Kaiterau climbing trail...  Switchback City.  Nicely graded, relatively steep but lots of level(ish) bits, and plenty of wee boosty down-dips before the sweep-grind switchbacks.  Stopped a couple times, once to layer off, was getting hot, even tho it was quite cool.  I was expecting at least an hour, given it was 7 kms over 480m climbed, but pace was kept quite good on the climb and the total time elapsed climbing was only about 40 minutes.  Stopped to take in the wickedly cool view of Kaikoura Peninsula at the top of the track.  

Dropped into the 2.7 km descent, instantly getting plenty of speed for the flowy, occasionally quite jumpy, trail down.  This thing is gonna be amazing in 10 years time when the seedlings and ferns have re-invaded the sides and it's a beautifully formed ribbon of singletrack squirrelling down the hill.  A lot of fun, and all perfectly rideable.  The lower I got the greasier some sections were.  All too quickly it was over and I looked at my watch and only about 13 minutes had gone by.  What a blast.  

Then it was down the original Mt Fyffe track, which was not how I'd ever imagined it, and then through the (very full) carpark, and back down the road, some very good speed down here.  One wee climb then down down down, gravel roads for a little over 3 kms, 3 and a half on singletrack back down the river forest, MUCH faster and cruisier than on the way up, then about 6 kms on tar-seal to Daves place.  Much muckeriness to clean off the bike...  gave it a good hose down, then took myself to the motel and got cleaned up for the party.

A long slowly climbing then slowly descending ride, with a good peak in the middle, over a smidge under 30 kms, and 580 m climbed 

Saturday Sylvanian Mucking Fess

Left Chch at 5.45 am, and were in Nelson about 10.15am, unpacked at FlameDaisy and I drove around to Richmond and parked up the bottom of Sylvan Forest, a cloudy, misty day, not yet raining, but certainly headed that way.  Also, noted that it's 2 years since I'd last ridden up in Nelson!

Rode in and started on Alpha Tahi, climbing, proceeding up Tahi, Rua, Toru, Wha, good ziggy zaggy ascent in forest, mostly dry, some damp spots but still quite a few dry spots.  Once or twice heard people somewhere nearby but pretty much on my own.  Passed one woman walking with her small kid on his bike, down on Tahi or Rua...  Out of the forest into the cleared zone, now planted in manuka/kanuka by the looks of it, even with pines/firs poisoned, and finished off up all the way up top of Rima, completely entrenched in mist up here.  

At the top there was the option of Jericho (black, dh) or People's Choice, which I chose.  Upper section, some tech, some tech because it was wet, but nothing major.  A bit of exposure, you wouldn't wanna fall off the edge cos it's pretty steep up here, but the trail was fun, back and forth, crossed a couple of access road/tracks.  Considered detouring to Ezra Mamaku, but consulted the Trailforks website (app useless) and stayed on People's all the way down to Jacob's Ladder which took me across back to a corner on Alpha.  Crossed into the lower half of Ari Mahoe, nice fang down here, nearly losing it on one front-wheel-wash just keeping it together and buttoning back on my gnar after that, finishingdown at a 'hub' zone.  

Headed back up Alpha, through the trees, then out, climbing to the top of Ezra Mamaku where I dropped down fun blitzy and peeled briefly onto the upper bit of  Ari Mahoe, then back onto Ezra all the way down to Heaven Up Here, across a little then dropping into Kircam Alley out to the 'hub' of before, rain actually falling now, making the bottom pump section fo Kircam a fucking mess, gumming up the tires with clay.  Dropped over the edge into Hare Down, nice waft and faff down this, where I hung a bit of a right and across into Omega which had wet gouged slippery clay corners and speed was carefully positioned to survive the final strokes.  Rolled out to the car, messy as hell, bike pretty dirty, and rain fall increasing...  

Mucking fessy 10.5 kms, with 573 m climbed. 

Thursday Night Ride of Two Bikes. *post number 1200

Having rebuilt the Cotic BFe last weekend, into a singlespeed based on the wheels and drivetrain of the Switchback that had been at the bach, I decided to give it a whirl. A specacular bruiser cruiser of a bike, with the Surly Sunrise bars and sweet sweet Reynolds 853.

I ground my way up the hill, using all three gears (sitting, standing and walking) to the top of Vic.  The road from home wasn't too bad, once I got my rhythm gasping for air timed with the the standing and cranking of the bars and pedals, and even got my breath back and got to sit down once up on the flatter sections.  Good rolling over into the skidder site, and I tried, I really tried to get going up the grunter but it is just too damned steep.  Got off and walked for a bit, rode once up then walked up the steep next to BrakeFree, and rode a bit and walked a bit to the top of  Thompson's number 1.  First chance at descending, let a bit of air out of the tires, then hit the down.  Nice mellow cruise, then grunt round the corner and walked the 2nd hairpin.  Up the road, dropped over into the top and down around towards the jump, but sidled past and down past the seesaw down the rabbit paddock and into the rockgarden.  This was sweet, picked a nice smooth line between the rocks and across past my hatchet job, dropping around and into my gummie's favourite, then all the way down and out to the 19th.  Down the road from here and into the 2-35.  Sconed my head battery on the leaning dead-tree in here, then had a sweet run, lots of traction, down til the oaks, where it was soggy as.  Across, pushed up to road, down home where I swapped bikes and checked in with Nelson who was Hour of Paining with Craig.  They'd just finished and he was rinsed, therefore bailing.

Second round, on the Fatty.  Up the track, up the road, repeat of the previous except for a detour up around top of 19th and over, then actually riding the grunter up from skidder.  Thompsons again, back up road, same way around down to Rockgarden entrance to Gums, out the bottom of this to the Skidder, and down the road, dropping below onto the trail below 19th, taking this down around to Tawhairanui walk track then into 235, meeting a Graveller who confirmed it was a no good climb in the wet.  Walked under the tree, then got rolling, taking a better line through the oaks, and dropping down to H.Ell track and tucking into the one that links back up to the road.  Down the dirt again, and down to Takahe to meet T, and roll back up home with her and Jet. 

All up, and down, 11.5 kms, with 400m climbed.

The Dankness

Unprecedented massive rain system smothering us for 3 days, torrential, and after a damp walk on Saturday, and then a wet walk earlier today, I decided to take the Troll out and up in the dark and rain. 

Headed down Amherst, left and up Vic Park Rd to the first track on the right, which took me, greasily, down to Harry Ell, up which I proceeded to ride.  Minimal light, just using my wee Lezyne mounted to my 'basket.'  Not totally smooth, but pretty smooth, a few rocks and roots to negotiate.  I met a grand total of one runner coming down, and he didn't seem to mind me being on his track.  Walked the rocky steps up then finished out to the upper bit of Vic Park Rd.  Left here up towards the 19th, then hung a hard right into the track over to the Skidder site.  Got a drink of water and let my eyes accustom themselves to the glow from the city, rain pouring continuously. 

Into Eastside track over and down, squalling brakes getting better once they'd shod their water, riding in the dark for a start, then switching the light on as I wasn't sure of the track surface, which was actually very good.  Into the trees however it was a different story.  Greasier and greasier it go, as I climbed up to the high point, over and oop, a step, not trusting of the landing I put my foot down and proceeded to fall over, below the track, bike tumbling down on top of me...  Ugh.  Picked myself and it up, no traction underfoot, walked and slid a bit further down the track then got riding a bit and walked a bit and rode a bit again.  Phone rang.  Couldn't answer, but made my way into the slide park and under the little conical shelters, where I returned the call.  Then a nice smooth blast down the road, lovely sound of water pumping through the mudguards, tires gripping well through the torrents flowing down the road.  

Only 4.1 kms, but 90 m climbed, which is something.

Thursday Night Greenwood Britt Pleasant Greenwood

Good loop tonight under a very big moon (being one night post- super blood moon).  Nelsie and me met at Evans Pass, very dark but not windy here.  Decided to ride up Greenwood, which proved to be quite good.  I was huffing and chuffing to start with but Nelson kept the velocity down and we crawled away, him cleaning all stuff, while I cleaned most.  Had some weird balance issues up around that drop, then lost it just before the steepest rocky bit before gloomy and had to walk that section cos I just couldn't get going.  Rest of the climb was mint, and at the ruins we headed out the old entrance, going well across there.  

Then it was up the road to Britten, and I led around the 'long way' round the front, through the cattlestop and onto the road at the cutting.  Up over the fence, gasping, and then up, climbing away up Mt Pleasant, into fog/scudding cloud at the top, which cleared when we got there.  Moon was bright above the whole time, at times glimpsing like someone's headlight on the hill above us - before you realised it was just the moon. 

Into the descent.  Moisture was sticking to a few rocks, and the tussocks all had some dampness so it was a little bit rock pingy slick at times, but mostly good.  All the way down I was really trying to focus on swapping out my dominant leg (left leg back is the norm and causing me my gyp), so on the less tech stuff I was focussing on right leg back.  I reckon by the bottom I was getting a lot more happy with it.  Good bomb down, nothing too sketchy.  A couple of riders were near the ruins when we arrived but they headed down the trail towards Richmond Hill pines, and we contemplated at that point doing a quick lap of those two trails, but decided on just heading straight down.  Anyway, good blast.  

Not a bad wee 10 kms and a smidge under 400 m climbed.

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.