Thursday sunset night time ramble.

Nelson picked me up from out front of work, as has become our custom, and off to the top of Mt Pleasant, Upper Major Hornbroke to be precise. Cold easterly blasting through here, made getting changed rather UNpleasant.  Off up Britten we treadled, cold wind pushing us about a bit, and trying to get into our bones, but by the top we were warmed up enough that it wasn't such a bother anymore.  Around below the road, nice sunset lowering the sky, photographers seemingly everywhere.  Onto the road and backtracking to Broadleaf Lane, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains just before we headed up here (which would make it 6pm on the dot).  Considered cutting across to the singletrack just past the gates, but then decided just to climb on up and get it all in.  Still light enough not to need the lights, down to Cavendish Saddle and then up the trail to the Gondola.  Biting wind across the top, we headed down around the front of the Gondola building, through the new gate and onto the No Bikes (is that a new No Bikes sign, or was it always there...  it used to be there, eh?).  Seats down and down the steps, bompity bompity bompity, manualing the last couple and it was starting to get harder and harder to see, but still no lights really necessary - better on the west facing side of the ridge, line sussing, then across the top and down to top of the Bridle Path.

Hit the road here and it was getting darker, but good moon out and still no need for lights on the road.  Sat down for a 1 square at the top of Castle Rock.  Nelson led off down this, lights on, and I slowly reeled him in as we jaunted around the hill towards the first hairpin.  Once I was on his tail I pulled up and adjusted my handlebar light (which was shining up the hill) then got going again.  Around the first hairpin and I could see Nelson had had a moment on the rocky section between corners, and so caught him a little, then round the next hairpin and down then into the climb, him dropping me rapidly.  Clamber clamber and over and down and back to the road.  Moonlight nice and bright on the road, off around back around under the Gondola and into the wind up to Cavendish Saddle, then clambering up the singletrack to Mt Pleasant, me lagging behind.  Up to the towers and into it.  Me taking the lead momentarily when Nelson stopped to unlock his fork, but relinquishing it again at the stile.  Greasy rocks and wind blown tussocks were the order of the descent, trickiness making for a bit of muppetry.  A couple of times I completely blew corners in the tussocks cos I just couldn't see where the track was going!  Final bomb down to above the ruins was okay and we had a breather on the connecting farmtrack.

Into Greenwood, down through the ruins and I had the strange sensation of finding myself riding through clouds of dust, even tho the ground around the trail was damp.  Past the ruins and that first rocky section blew Nelson out of his pedal, squashing is dick on his seat, and nearly crashing.  Caught up to him and off we went again him getting away and me slowly gaining speed.  Seems a hell of a lot more boney all the way down here now.  Winter has removed a heap of dirt, exposing the rocks more and more.  Mostly good run for me and Nelson was on fire.  Round through Gloomy Gulch was greasy as, so care was taken.  I took a wee break at my wee break spot and Nelson was miles ahead.  Got going again and couldn't see his light anywhere ahead.  Down where it flattens off he was waiting, having just had a gnarly near miss.  Off again and this time really fanging down through Dangerous Dave's corners and pumping round into the wee valley, then the last blast down to the rocky ups, Nelson cleaning and me choosing too low a gear, one dab, and the the final swoops down and around above Evan's Pass Rd, where loose gravel on the inside of the corner gave me the shits by drifting both wheels  in a way that had me puckering.  Rolled it out and just about shaking rolled down to the stile.

Onto the road and a steady pace all the way up up up up up around and up, seemingly forever til finally back to John Britten and off down, good blast back to the car.  Txtd Wazza here and he rang back, they were just up top of Mt Pleasant, about to head down Greenwood and the Captain.  Loosely arranged to meet at the Twisted Hop, where we went and had beer and food.  Wazza txtd about when we thought they'd be there saying they'd had a flat and were just leaving Sumner and wouldn't make it to the pub.

Finally a ride, Sunday morning, Jet in the forest

After bad weather and multiple trips away (2 weeks running to Wellington, and then 3 days in Hamiltron) all conspiring with family time to not let me out on the bike, I managed to get out this morning.  Dropped a friend at the airport at 8.30 and proceeded to the top of Worsley's Rd with Jet and bike in tow.  Ending up doing basically the same ride as last with Nelson.

Headed up the main trunk line, oldskool worlseys, chuffing away, mildly asthmatic to start.  9.05 about half way up just before a couple of heinous greasy sections further up which incited walking, and required the cleaning of the shoes and tires before further progress could be made.  Finally made the top of the main network and headed up the way towards Tommy2's.  Stopped to examine a fallen branch across the entry to the new trail Nelson and me found last time we were up there.  Cleared a couple of smaller bits off it but more work needs doing if this track is ever going to be regularly used.  A guy rode past as I was doing this, and so I followed off up after him, seeing him disappear into the forest at the top and therefore couldn't tell which choice he took.  For the first time I sat my ass down whilst pushing the new button on my handlebar and the seat lowered, and off I popped, down Tommy 2's.  Excellent blast down here, expecting it to be slippery but it wasn't and I cleaned it all perfectly, lowered seat really out of the way.  Right down near the bottom was a couple of guys walking up, and the guy I'd seen before chatting with them, I rode past and then avoided a saturated muddy looking section before heading through the bottom and out onto the main exit track.  Push button, seat up, and keep rolling, pedalling onwards upwards around.  Dude I'd seen before caught me up and we chatted a bit towards the top.

Up the guts track I went cleaning all the lower section, albeit with a short rest 2/3rds of the way up.  Rolled through the pylon clearing, gasping for air and onwards up the straight then round the corner where I just had to get off and walk.  Too fat from too much time off the bike and too much beer and too much good food.  Too much!  Out onto the cliff top, "lovely day for it" to the rider here, and onwards up the Original 'B' Line as we called it.  Actually stayed on it this time, and saw that where we came up last time is now signposted called "Basically Simple"  A little further up, between this and Tommy's is one called Wasabi.  Onwards to the top, and on up the Tommy'2's access to the new track.  Rested here for a bit, ate the rest of a onesquare, then dropped in.  Seat not-so-down this time, and into the cool gulch and rocky cobble trail, through a couple different forest types, following the creek for a bit, then into the open section, red rocks, and back into the steep off camber forest and across to Tommy2's and then on down faster than the previous run.  Out the bottom again, seat up and rolling on back up the climbing access track. 

Up the guts again, walking a bit of the first section, and then riding out all the rest of the top bit to the Clifftop again, and a sit-down rest on the rocks admiring the view.  Into the Original trail down then onto lower Waynes World and into  Fight Club, roosting and blazing and popping and floating.  Sticky quagmire just after that fallen-log berm, then smooth runnings the rest of the way down and out.  Seat up again and climbing up the exit trail, phonecall on the way.  Finally out the top and into the last downhill section, baulking on the fucking log again, but blasting out the rest of it.  Down to the upper carpark, and through the broken fence onto the new section we found last time down to the lower main carpark.  Wet and greasy this was, cos of being open to the elements and frost having thawed.  Took it pretty slowly, and then on the rocks right next to the carpark my front wheel slipped then wedged, my weight was too far forward, and so over the bars I went, crashing to the solid rock ground with no aplomb whatsoever.  Cranked my left knee, right shin, right hip, and mildly tweaked wrists and shoulder.  damn.

Tuesday Worsley lappagia

Nelson picked me up, as usual, outside work at 5ish.  Top of Worsley's, parking above the gate for a change.  Cold wind blowing through here.  Nelson needed to lube his chain, so I took off down this new trail in the grass and broom, fun wee blast, with a couple of dumb corners, a nice wee jump, and a rocky section, down to the lower gate on the main carpark.  Back up to the car via the entry track from here, wheeeeezing something wicked, and he's gone, already chased me.  So, waited here and layered off til he got there, and off down the new section of trail again, then onwards up the climbing entry track, dying in the steep section, losing traction, and wheeezing more to the point I thought I was gonna die, again.  Walked a bit, then got rolling again and eventually caught up to Nelson waiting.  We rode on up, taking a wee side detour, for which we turned our lights on briefly, then continued climbing without them again.  Up through the climb amongst the Braille track I led and set the pace, which was good, while Nelson talked.  Swooped through the top to the main track and then on up to the top of the forest.  Lights on for heading up towards Tommy2's, cleaning it all despite the 32-36 gear ratio.  Spotted a new trail, just up the track from the old entrance to upper Debbie's.  Walked down to check it out, and it looked promising.  Decided to save it for the next round, so continued on up, snacked briefly and got into it. 

Nelson led the way, setting a good speed, swooping back and forth dropping down through the forest.  Got steeper and steeper, brakes got noisier and noisier.  I baulked the rocky corner above the one I offed on back in May (and had a run in with back in Feb too).  But got back on straight after it and rode through the corner I'd offed on, which now has a line out of the bit I was avoiding those other two times.  Off down the rest of it, steeeeeeepage down and just above all the jumps in the bottom, Nelson spotted a line coming down from above.  We walked up to check it out.  INSANE, vertical.  On we went and looked at a wee jump I've always wanted to do.  I rolled into it a couple times but just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Nelson did it after a couple of other dudes rode through it.  Followed them up the exit track, me overtaking one, and Nelson leaving all of us for dead.

Up the guts track, I walked a bunch of the lower half, but cleaned the rest to the clifftop.  Onwards up and found a caterpillar track through the forest, then a new track that sort of headed towards Tommy's but then joined back up to the original track above that rocky guts we never cleaned (except Nelson did once!).  On up to top and then continued on up towards Tommy2's again, only this time stopping for a rest at the top of the newby we'd found.  Waiting here we spotted a light coming, thinking it would be the dudes who were behind us earlier, but no, it was a lone woman.  She was obviously spooked, two random guys hanging out in the forest, so she didn't engage with us and rode on up.  We headed down the new track.  What a blast.  Rough as guts to start, with loose cobbly rocks  moving about under pine needles, and probably 100m long section between these two rock walls.  Quite spectacular hunk of country.  Couple of logs in the way, but mostly rideable, and a nice gradient, not heinously steep like so many in here.  Then we were under douglas fir, dark low forest, then into an open area, and over these slippery red rocks, then back into the forest and off camber slopes with swoops and eventually met Tommy2's again, surprisingly high up, maybe half to 2/3rds down.  Blazed down all this faster than before, and cleaning the corner I'd baulked earlier.  Through the bottom and still I didn't have the groove for the jump. 

Up the exit track and met the lone woman waiting up here.  Chatted with her this time  Couple other guys and a dog (she knew them all) turned up and they all got riding, then we followed, Nelson soon over taking the woman, but not me.  Still, I cleaned the entire climb this time, to the clifftop and then into the top of the Original and excellent trip down here, and into Fight Club for the most fun of anything.  Love this track.  Know it so well, just swoop and pop and jump and flow all the way down it.  Final climb and into the final section, now, due to logging, quite open, and forcing you over the line with the log drop in the middle of it.  Last blast below the water-tank is cut short now.  Down to the car and while we're getting ready to go, another lone woman turned up with her dog, getting into the car next to us, obviously not comfortable again... 

Windy Sunday Morning Meander

Quickly (chain)whipped off the cassette, removed the offending 40t and replaced the 16t with the 15 and 17, reassembled and got the hell on the road to Steve's for the 9 o'clock meeting up.  Was only a minute late, and then we waited for Wayno.  There were Pete, Tony, Wazza and Steve, plus us two late-comers, and we were meeting Marie up the hill.  Round through Hanson's Park and up BananaRamarama-harerama-krishnakrishna-ramaramahana, Aotea and Grunts, getting warmer as we climbed, all delayering at somestage.  Lovely sunny day, and my climbing groove was on, riding pretty much all the way up neck in neck with Pete.  Bloody windy when we got to the top, and Marie waved out from a little further up on Mt Vernon, so we joined her but it was just as windy there.  Once regrouped onwards we cruised around into the wind and down the hill.  Off piste to let some climbers climb, and bit of a regroup again at top of Farm Track, slightly less windy here.  Then the fang, blast down, only one climber met, and he'd stopped for us, then zwoop zwoop round the hairpins and across the Rapaki-top, fair few around, braving the wind.  Straight into Witch Hill, which I cleaned very nicely thank you, climbing all the ups well then cruising around and down to the road and finally a respite from the wind in the lee of a roadside bank.  Steve rolled in and announced a crook-guts departure, down Crapaki before he got caught short.  The rest of us moseyed onwards up, battling the wind across the saddle below the Tors, and then finding the top of Castle Rock to be quite peaceful.

Excellent run down this trail, in mint condition, I put on massive bursts of speed.  Wind was a factor in places, trying to steer the tire off track, but survived to the first switchback, and rolled on through the next and then got pushed up hill and around, and in the face on the last descent before the end.  We regrouped at a very busy top of Bridle Path and then rolled on around the road.  Insane winds just got stronger and stronger as we approached the Gondola corner, nearly stopping us at the corner itself, then completely disappearing about 50m up the road from there.  Then, leaving the closed road section we were all pushed up hill for a bit.  Another regroup at the start to John Britten.  Then I led off down the singletrack, hammering around and staying on the low line, til the curved climb back up to the trees and back into the wind and around to the end.  Here, I peeled off down, having a swoopy fun blast down to the bottom, and then beyond, following what seem like loosely marked trails down to a bath stock drinking trough, over the fence to the very end of Upper Major, and down through the wee steep reserve then a flying blast down the road to Craigieburn Place, and into the switchbacks, first walking the steps, then riding down, a couple of the lower corners very greasy and rutted, but otherwise very fine.  Great waft down the hill to the bridge, past a guy and a dog, then into the next fast bit down to the tight hairpin and in the bit before the next hairpin I randomly lost the front wheel traction on the edge of a rut, coming SO close to losing it that the adrenalin kicked in, giving me the shakes as I was rocketing down the trail below the next hairpin.  Last little climb, bit greasy in here, then the flat out full bore blaze down to Glenstrae.  Took the singletrack around the McCormacks Bay / estuary edge and then after Ferrymead corner got myself into Charlesworth Reserve and rode through there instead of Humphrey's Drive.  Home at 11.30am.  Good ride, roughly 35kms in all.

Thursday Night, Horse Packing

Nelson picked me up just after 5 outside work and we negotiated the traffic to the hill, up over Dyers and through Gov's to Teddington and up to Gebbies where to park.  Cold easterly plowing through here, so cold changing, I wore my jacket to start the riding in.  6 pm and straight into the climb up the road, puffing and wheezing in the cold night air.  Onto the singletrack, and it was greasy greasy, splecky wet to start, but over the hill and on the downhill entered the trees and under-tread was roots and needles.  The metal drum 'bridge' is rusted through so other options need exploring with the small creek in here, then climbing again, up roots and around the corner and up the fenceline to the stile.  Jacket off here, and climbing ever climbing up the paddock, trees all gone on the right now, over the tussocky top and down to the next stile.  Down across the road and onto another road, spotted a vague singletrack to the left, and thought it might be a goer.  It wasn't.  Ended up losing front wheel traction on treefelled stick piles, and getting almost bluffed above our road, so Nelson led up the hill to make for a chute.  Bit of carrying over log piles and saturated skidder site ground, around to the chute and down, big water bar in the middle, then onto the road and down through the darkness.

Singletrack into the forest here, nice dark forest, climbing around and up to the sequence of switchbacks where my low gear started giving me gyp.  Bit more climbing and what the hell is wrong with it...?  Ah.  fuck.  broken, again.  The RevComp 40t was broken and bent, disallowing the 36t being used, but also interfering with the spokes, meaning I couldn't freewheel, essentially making it a fixed gear for a while.  Caught up to a waiting Nelson, eventually, and I tweaked it clear of the spokes and 36t and adjusted my low-stop and we rode on.  Climbing climbing through the pines.  One tree across the track, a couple of soggy bits, and suddenly we were on the next switchback sequence, and on up up, short descent, and final climb to the forest-edge stile.  Munch here, then onto the tight exposed singletrack around the hillside.  Fun climbing here around through the Remarkable Dykes and a few techy rocks to get to the Packhorse - roughly 7pm.  Been done up, not quite finished, hung out and had a look around briefly, keeping out of the wind that hosed over the saddle.

Now, descent time.  Funtimes around the tight singletrack, riding 'on the edge'.  Popping little rock roll overs, and wallriding whenever possible.  Then it was into the trees and the real flow began.  Swoopy, marginal control at times, flowy and fun. Bombed it down and through, sketchy corners here and there and a few near-misses with trees.  Out of the forest and across an open area, mucky grease challenging the traction, then back in to the woods and so much fun.  Swooping down through the tight switchbacks and then flying down through the 'dark' forest which ended all too soon.  Onto a logging road, up and around to the skidder site, then back into the tussock climb before the long fast blast down the paddock to the stile.  Into the barbed wire fence trail blasting down here and then around and wham, climbing again.  Me walking heaps of this, whereas Nelson only walked a bit then cleaned a bunch getting out of sight over the hill.  Then we were in the mud and over the top and last stile, and final road again, til the walking track just below the last section of road, which was a real blast, even tho I stopped to take a call half way down.  Finally, back to the car, 7.40ish?  Chased "01Evo7" to Gov'nor's Bay pub where we went in a partook of a fine ale, and while we were there the local mtb crew (that Mark knows) arrived and we all got on famously, enjoying their free fries...  Awesome.

Sunday Ashley Snow Gorge

Hill tracks were all closed, so the crew were just gonna head through Sumner and ride the Summit Rd back towards Cashmere down Rapaki, and as Nelson and me had discussed potential snow riding out his way, I decided to go with that.   So, Jet and me bundled into the car and headed out to his, got him and we headed out German Rd and then up the start of Lees Valley Rd.  Parked up on the first corner, spectacular views all around and down onto the Ashley Gorge, and got riding.  Pretty chilly, but sun shining so quite good.  As we climbed there came more and more snow on the road, slowly building to a couple of inches, frozen spots everywhere, and evidence of only 2 vehicles having travelled it.  Noisy it was, riding on this frozen snow.  Fat bike performed well and Jet had, as usual, a lovely time cruising alongside or along ahead.  First descent, nice and long, weaving in and out of little valleys, lots of beech forest around, sometimes riding in the tire treads, but finding better purchase out of them on the virgin snow.  Down into the valley, everything frozen solid, and across the bridge and into a frozen solid climb.  Hairpin hairpin hairpin and then around and onwards up climbing a couple hundred metres before starting down again.  Hillsides above us were being blown something fierce, whipping up big rooster tails of powder snow from the treetops.  But down around us not too mcuh wind at all.
Some of the valleys we went into and out of here were really deep in lovely powder snow.

Finally a descent for ages and around to a view point overlooking all of Lees Valley.  Great view:

and then looked at my watch; "Oh Shit!" It was 11.40, and I was meant to be home by 1!  We turned around and started climbing again.  After this climb the descent to the bridge was so long and feet were freeeeezing, build up of ice on bottom bracket of the fatty.  Freezing across the bridge then a lonnng climb back to the high point before a gentle, and surprisingly long section, much snow turning to slush in the sunnier spots, and much milder and wetter than when we'd ridden in.  Back to the car at 1, all up 32 kms (16 each way), and maybe 600m altitude total?

Tuesday Morning Vic Mental Health Park

Decided to take the morning off work cos everything's been a bit much lately and definitely havent been doing enough riding.  Drove with Jet across to the end of Bowenvale Ave, some time around 9am, lovely morning, sun shining and only a few touches of frost around.  Way more mild than it's been of late.  Headed up the main gravel valley track, getting warmer as we climbed.  Into the forest and up K2, walking some - I'm sure it's gotten hella steeperer.  Frost around where the 23 footer is, and then very smooth packed gravel the rest of the way up.  None of the ruts and rocks and (occasional) roots of the past, just smooth sailing.  Delayered under the pylon and continued up and around past the 40footer riding up past Rad^sick rather than straight up the guts of K2.  Around the bend, cleaning the rest up to the skidder site for a breather, before hitting the last blast up, pausing once for a breath, then onwards, clambering up past the jumps and having a good look across at Worsley's from the rabbit paddock.  Jet half emptied the water trough then had a good sniff around the paddock chasing scents.  Up more, around to the top of the park.

Downhill time; headed towards the Summit trail, then veered left and back across down to the seesaw which i bypassed.  Then straight down the rabbit paddock and into the rockgarden and into the gums.  Took the wee lefthander track (not looking very used - and for good reason as I was about to discover...).  Within about 10 metres there was a tree across it, not a very big one, then another bigger one.  Clambered over these, then down a bit more and just before that tight droppy lefthander was a bunch of about 5 trees across the track.  Climbed through these and rode again.  One more tree a little further down and the rest was clear.  Wouldn't take much, maybe half an hour with the pocket chainsaw, or 3 minutes with a real one.  Flowed on down into the lower reaches then continued on down below the access road to the skidder site.  Out the end and rode back up to the skidder on this.

Into Shadazza's and yumpity yump, then checked out a right hand line which I'll save for summer when the steep roots aren't quite so slick.  Walked back up to the main dragzzers and flowed back and forth across the slope then into Brent's and kept left holding the high line across and down into the valley.  Over the bridge, off the cattlestop, into the muck.  Very sticky sloppy wet around until onto the sunny slopes, Flowed down Flow and into Bridges across and back and down, final section really slick, wet smooth volcanic red rock, then zipped down the gravelled valley track to the Hidden Valley Link track.  Bollocksed the bit immediately after the creek crossing then proceeded to clean the rest.  Up Up Up and onto the Old Skool.  Surprisingly good nick.  Someone had run up it, i think, earlier in the day, for their footprints had picked up slabs of mud.  My tires weren't doing too much damage as I was riding to avoid that.  One or two spots you can't help it, but the rest was easy.  Good flow down here, focused mind and zen-like state achieved.  Final section hung a left and tried out the other drop, rather than the nasty hole one...  Rolled down the car jumping to shake off the mud, 10.30ish.

Sunday Morning, Nelsonia tough stuff

Delivering the niece and nephew to their home in Nelson, drove up Saturday and home on today.  Took the Spot and Jet the dog and made contact with Ian for a ride.  Met him and Leigh (and her dog Middy) at the entrance to Codger's at 10am, and off we trundled.  Up the main trail, left on Pipeline, then up Jack's Track and around to the top of Turners.  Here Leigh and me and the dogs headed down Turners, and Ian headed up to grub a new line at the start of Lollipop.  Turners is big and wide and swoopy.  If you knew it well you'd catch massive air on it.  Was pretty good, I lost my chain half way down and had to keep the pace to roll up a few bits and I recognised the bottom half of it in some gums.  We rode it back in '05 (referred to there as a "new track" off Fireball...).  At the bottom, there's a nice wee climbing track (called Take Me To Your Leader) that'd been started by Ian and friends, granny pretty much the whole way, lots of switchbacks, in the native (with one or two old man pines too).  The top of this is a skidder site from whence we headed to the right and up an access road to a corner, then up a steep wee grunt (i walked, but Leigh cleaned it.  At the top there's a picnic table, and the dogs had a really good play up here while they waited for us.  Looking down the trail I was greeted by a taste of things to come.  STEEP and a bit greasy too.  Ian led off ahead and cleaned everything, stopping every now and then to let us catch up.  I walked heaps, and Leigh cleaned most stuff, but walked a few spots too..  It was SO steep and some of the corners just so dodgy.  So many bits that I'd barely ever be able to ride...

At the bottom we headed back up the climbing trail again and from the skidder site in the opposite direction (back towards Turners) to the next small saddle and up a steeeep ass and greasy thawed-frost access track that we all walked.  At the top of this started what began as a wickedly good track, apparently called Smasher.  Off camber, through dark forest, douglas fir mostly, and big swoopy corners.  First section was great, then it crossed a fire-road and was rideable for a while, but the lower it got the steeper it got and was a bit mental, in a completely different way to the mental that was Lollipop.  Walked a bunch of this track, too, but rode out the bottom and we were down at the Maitai River Sunday Swimming Hole.  From here we cruised down the Maitai track and back to town.  I got back to Flamedaisy about 12.30.

Toosdy night Cold Red Zone meander

On Monday night I texted Nelson to say to bring his bike in on Tuesday for to hit the hills before the winter blast hit after work.  Unfortunately, I sent said text to T's phone, and so Nelsie never got it.  Touched base with him Tuesday morning and he had his commuter, so he came to mine after work and we had dinner before heading out into the 'Zone. 

Down my street, over Swanns Rd Bridge and around Avonside Drive, Jet loping alongside, my handlebar light on Nelson's bike, and me with my helment light.  Around to Gayhurst Bridge, over the foot bridge here, and on downstream on Locksley, houseless redzone.  Down Kerrs Reach past McBratneys, across New Brighton Rd, and then into the Horseshoe Lake singletrack.  Quite a nice wee trail in here, albeit short.  The frost was settling already, but the boardwalk sections weren't too dodgy.  At one point Jet stumbled into deeper water than he expected, and Nelson lost his balance and dropped a foot into, luckily, shallower water than it might have been.  Dunked to the ankle, his foot proceeded to freeze the rest of the ride.  At the end of the accessible trail we headed left and through to Liggins where I'd popped out last time.  From here we cruised around to the end of Queensbury St, then cut across to the top end of Kingsford.  Down here, brief sojourn into Moncrieff and the dead end boardwalk then back down Kingsford, across New Brighton, Mundys, Fleete, Birchfield, Ferner, then along McBratneys and around River Rd to home.  Dropped Jet off and onwards to Pomeroys for a couple of nice beers - Ava's new Mama Mighty, and a Parrot Dog Riwaka Secret for me.  Yummo.

Chooseday night, Mucky Vicar

Crafty brew session at the end of the work day, a farewell and a baby's headwetting, and Nelson joined the fun for a couple of tastings.  Then we headed across town for the top of Worsley's Rd - 6.30ish?.  Headed up to be greeted with mud in the gutters.  Nelson only had his handlebar light.  The going was tough with a quarter of a bottle of each of Pernicious Weed, Conehead, HopFed PaleAle, Renaissance MPA, and a VPA, but that soon burned off.  At the 'junction' we took a wee singletrack on the west side which led up between the forest and the main track.  My intention was that we head down to the climbing trail in that forest, but I blew out and Nelson got ahead and we ended up on the main track again, at the big corner just uphill from the Pylon gap.  On up, both cleaning the usual rocky bit, but then further up both of us had one or two wee walks.  Greasy ain't the half of it.  Bottom of the 'bag and we headed up the access track.

Stopped at the top for a bit and a few rider dudes rolled up.  We set off down Tommy's and had a woot of a time, me in the lead on account of Nelson's handlebar-only light.  Grip was good, flow was sweet and it was a good roll down, heaps straighter than we remembered (it has been a while (February)) but then it got twisty(ish) again and in and out of the trees, over the yumpies and down down down through lower and further left than I remembered too.  Then back round above the pylon, and back up to the entrance to FightClub.  Here we decided further up wouldn't hurt (it did tho...), and grunt up the 4wd track we did.  To the cliff top and the waxing moon was shining down.

Off down into Wayne's World, tho taking the original trail on the right, then veering right lower down onto the lower section of Wayne's and through down onto Fight Club, which was riding mint.  Was expecting mucky slickness lower down but it was all perfect with the roots and rocks and off camber corners all the more washed out and exposed.  Out the bottom and up the exit trail to the 'junction'. 

Across the main Worsles track to where we'd gone earlier, this time taking a wee singletrack into the forest and up the one in here with all the jumpies.  When we got to the pylon clearing we headed down to the 4wd trail down here, and up this; greasy in a couple of the corners, then the longer-than-you-ever-remember grunt on up to the top of Braille.  Into this, checking out the jumps for a future time, bypassing the un-rollable ones, enjoying the sweet berms, and heading all the way down the the bottom in the short macracarpa forest.  Climby climby back into the tall pines, onto the 4wd track we'd ridden up before, up the couple wee ups and then downs to where we'd come down below the pylons, pushed up this trail to the jumpy trail we'd ridden up earlier, and then it was the last downhill.  Rolling round most of these jumps, tho the lower ones are much more rideable.  Part way down here Nelson's light cut out, so we put my handlebar light on his, and we finished it off, then down the final paddock track to the carpark about 8.30.  Off to Noodle Canteen for a number 3 and whatever # his Teriyaki was.... 

Sunday morning Greasterly wanderings

They were leaving Steve's at 9, so I left mine just before 5-to and puffed into a strong easterly out Linwood and Humphreys to the bridge.  Bit of frost around, but air temp had warmed up nicely with the wind.  At the bridge, Marie turned up and continued on ahead up the hill, and then Wayne, Wazza, and finally Andy, Tony and Steve (with only one ear...).  Also, Mark arrived on his roadie.  Off up the hill we trundled, Warren and me soon getting a big gap on the others, riding up Cannon Hill, whereas we think they stayed on Marama.  Up on Major Hornbrook we slowed right down to a rolling stop and soon Mark and Andy appeared, then the rest.  In the upper reaches of Upper Major we spotted Marie ahead and then we all regrouped at the beginnings of Britten.  Mark nearly joined us on the soft Britten trail, but thought better of it, but a challenge was made, Warren would buy him a coffee if he rode Greenwood.  Steve and Marie got a bit of a headstart while the rest of us chatted before putting on the chase.  Another regroup at the top and a team of 4 (Wayne, Warren, Andy and me) headed around the original Britten track, then up Broadleaf to the top, while the others all went down to the original Greenwood entry, saying they'd wait for us at the ruins.

Top of Mt Pleasant, hell of a wind blowing, text from Steve saying they were heading down.  Rocks slick as a slick thing, more slippery than I've remembered them in a while.  Warren got a good start and the whole way down I just couldn't reel him in.  I just couldn't get any extra speed on, due to self-preservation in the slick conditions.  The gap between us was steady all the way til the lower reaches of Greenwood when he stretched it heaps.  Spotted the skinny slick tiretread just below the ruins.  Stayed a steady distance behind Warren for a while, and saw as he caught Mark just after Gloomy Gulch as I was rounding the corner into it, then I caught Mark down where he had the flat two weeks ago.  Warren must have been flying from here, cos next time I spotted him he was heading into the wee gully and then when he came out of there he was ahead of Steve and one of the others, miles ahead of me.  Rest of the run down wasn't too bad, but Greenwood probably shouldn't have been open.  Was messy as fuck.

At Evans we split up.  I was meeting the family for lunch at Taylor's, so I stayed high and the others took Das Kapitan.  Greasy as hell start to the Godley, but I slowly reeled in three riders that'd been on Greenwood behind us, catching them at the highest point where I stopped for a snack and let them go on ahead.  Never saw them again.  Onwards and the trail was mint.  Waaaay drier than anything on Greenwood.  Even the usual mucky bits were dry, it was fantastic.  Good descent to Livingston, climb out over to Breeze, then above the road around the tight wee track and rocketship down to the end of the road and onto the below-road singletrack back to Breeze, all riding mint.  Into the Anaconda and again, perfect trail conditions, speedy buzz round and down, through the whoopdedoos down below, all dry-as.  My marsh guard was buzzing a bit so stopped to check that out and let two riders by coming up, then back into it.  Best run down here for ages, and same for the Tail.  Sweet.

Pushed the bike up the steps to the Joy's place and was cold from my sweat, so jumped in the spa (which ended up leaving my legs really weak feeling...)

Snow Fat

Missed the planting ride on Saturday, and unable to get out Sunday, except that the family decided a trip to the snow might be fun.  Into the car, Cooker on the back, and off up the plains.  Met the first snow on the before Waddington, less and less opportunities to pull off the road as we progressed through Sheffield (with a queue out the door for pies - didn't stop), then Springfield (with cars all over the road side (some stuck in snow)) and people playing on the hillside behind the cafe...  Onwards and up into the Porters.  At the big 30kph corner just before the main climb (Coach Stream Route - Korowai Tussocklands Reserve) we pulled up and played.  I took the fat bike up the packed walk track, finding it all a bit tricky.  Ice-crustal-topped melty-below snow, too deep to ride on virgin, and stuff that'd been walked on was rideable but hella tricky.  Obviously not ideal conditions for a fatty, and backcountry snow touring in such conditions would mean a fair bit of walking; defeating the purpose.. hmmmm.  Still, nice time had with the boys playing in the snow getting freezing toes once the snow got into their gumboots, and the dog had a good time too.

Sunday Fatter than the Green Captain.

Sunday morning ride, met Wayne, Mark and Marie, Pete, and Warren at Ferrymead.  Tones, Andeez, and Steviant were all in absentia.  Mark and me were representing the fatbike community - me, mainly cos he'd said he was riding his, but also cos of the derailleur on the Spot.

So, following Steviant's suggestion, we headed up St Andrews, Marama, Cannon, up through the park and on up Major Hornbroke.  Seemed to take a while, with lots of stops and chatting.  Up through Britten and down round the road into the Greenwood 'old' entrance.  Good grip round here and at the 4wd crossing we stopped for a bite and I relinquished a little air from my rubber balloons.  Pete led the way, with Wazza and Mark(?) and then me for a while with Wayne and Marie behind.  As expected, I took a battering on my rigid framed machine.  Kept on the faster boys tails for a while then eased up just past Gloomy Gulch and had a wee rest, maybe let some more air out.  Here i think maybe Mark passed actually, then I followed down and Mark flatted on the flatter bit before swoopy switchbacks Dangerous Dave used to work on.  I stopped with him for a bit, Marie went past, and the others were all waiting down the bottom.  I let yet more air out of my front tire here too. I thought he was pretty much done so took off and got all the way down and he was still up there...  We all waited down the bottom and eventually saw him get moving.  At this stage it was like 11.30 so we decided not to do Godley and the Conda so took the Captain instead.  Half way down Pete flatted so Marie sidled by and after a bit I took off too.  Down in the switchbacks I took the new line off the 2nd lefthand switchback.  Got a couple nice wee corners in it.  Met up with Marie at the bottom.  I put back the air I'd let out earlier, and we watched for the others for quite some time, then eventually they came into view.  Down the road to Dot Coma.  Mark and Marie went shopping in Slumner, and the rest of us had a good blast round the causeway all peeling off at the bridge.  Andy's van was parked up next to Wayno's car, so he musta been out there somewhere, and i was home by 1

Gale force Tuesday Pleasant Green Castle

Nice early departure from work to beat the traffic and make my TFC meeting 7.30 deadline, Nelson collected me from outside work not long after 4.30 and we got across town and up to Upper Major Hornbrook around 5.  Looked at my watch part way up John Britten Reserve and it was 5.15, I was wheezing and Nelson was gaining ground on me, but it wasn't long and the top was got and around into the blustery nor'wester we treadled.  Off-pushing to say the least, whenever we were on a crest facing the wind, which was most of the ride, we were in it's powerful grip, being pushed and bolshed and steered awry.  Around Britten and onto the road, fast descent then up the Cavendish zig-zags, with a fucking fence and gate smacked in the middle of them... That's going to kill the buzz on the descent, not that anyone probably does that now that the road's open.  Visibility decreasing.   My gears were playing up, throughout the ride, with anything in the middle range being self-shifty, never quite able to stay in the gear I wanted...but seemingly okay in low gears or high.  Over the top, and lights on.  I led down the walking track steps and steeps and the wind pushed us about and we got lower down the ridge.  The odd dab due to windage.  Snack break at the top of Bridle Path, and then up the road, nearly blown to standstills on the final approach to the top.

Into Castle, wind behind once or twice, but mostly beside and pushing.  Nelson was forced off the track a few times due to the bladed spokes.  I had trouble, but otherwise a pretty good run.  The climb was wind-assisted making my gear trouble less of an issue.  Onto the road and around, side wind, head wind, tail wind, mega headwind under the gondola, then no wind, then extreme tail wind pushing us up through the gate and through the cattle stop onto the singletrack.  Granny climb, with buffetting and then around the corner and pussssshhhhheddd up the corners to the top.  And pusshheed up through the gate and the towers on Mt Pleasant howling.  6.15 here.  Plenty of time.

I led the way down, on account of Nelson being pushed around so much with his lightweight bike and lightweight body, and the bladed spokes of course.  Me; heavy bike, heavy bones and good-living weight allowing gravity to do it's thing against the pissant gale.  Good run down through the tussocks and then around and fighting the wind down to Greenwood.  Into this and pushed about a fair bit with, again, tail winds, side winds and head winds, seemingly coming from all directions as we descended.  Sometimes Nelson would be on my tail, sometimes not.  Mostly good run down and no stops, just blazing.  Down through the fence and a hundred biker lights riding up the Captain below us.  Massive long string of them.  Bombed it on down and onto the road.  Hit the climb, I managed to get a gear I liked that didn't shift itself out of itself and just ground that up the hill. Nelson sometimes dropped me but then would slow up a bit and let me catch up and then drop me again.  Only one vehicle passed us going up.  Seemed to take a while, wind not too affecting on most of the climb and then we hit Britten and bombed on down, getting to the car at 7.

Thai Talay, Pahd Thai for me, Red Curry for him, and off to TFC to scoff it down all in time for the 7.30 meeting.  Perfect.

Red Zone Meanderings

Lazy start to the day, so txtd Steve that I wouldn't make the group ride.  Did some much needed maintenance on the Turner, getting a new BB bearing from Josh, and installing it, and cleaning all the Heaphy grit off everything and greasing the pulley wheels.  Next job it so squirt some grease through the pivots and get the wheels back on.

Jet, and me on the Cooker headed off around River Rd towards Banks Ave, then along Dallington Tce into the redzone and across to Glenarm and onto Locksley, following the gravel and tarseal track down river.  Met a couple other dogs along here, and we rode along below the stopbank towards New Brighton Rd.  Across here and into the Horseshoe Lake Walk.  Nice bit of singeltrack in here, but unfortunately it's a dead end.  I went as far as possible, and then some - really pushing the envelope on how far in.  It's SO overgrown in there, and the boardwalks are all higglety pigglety and slippery and have boggy swampwater all around them...  Bit of blackberry about too, and my arms and legs were rather itchy in the shower later.  Got to a dead end, and backtracked, then took a side trail off to what was the end of Liggins St, then up what was Jean Batten Pl.  Followed the edge of the reserve, in the redzone, all the way round to where Moncrief Pl used to be, and onto the track that ended at the end of a boardwalk.  Turned back and headed round to Broomfield, around north, through some plantings of ours from years back, up onto Horseshoe Lake Rd, and round back onto New Brighton Rd, and Ajax, down onto the Banks Ave singletrack which took me back to River Rd, and back along the stopbank, around the riverbank trail then through one last piece of redzone behind hours and home.  All up maybe just over an hour.  Only about 10kms...  But slow and interesting exploring.

Thursday night mucky puddle klunk

Not a lot of riding of late, with my knee giving me gyp riding to work etc, so Queen's Birthday weekend at the bach with no riding had been a good rest.  It's finally coming kinda right, so last night Nelson came to mine after work and we had some dinner then headed out to the Puddle.  Lotsa rain over the last couple days meant the hills would have been useless, so Bottle Lake was the best bet.  Lots of puddles around, Nelson was on his singlespeed and I was on the Klunker, which is a fun bike, but hard work.  Handles really well tho, and the backpedal brake is really all you need out there.  We both wore jackets and our G.Effect leggings, meaning when we got back to the car we wouldn't dirty it up.

Did the usual lap, headed in, hung a right and out to North Beach and then up the coast track, where the sand washouts have been dug out with a digger, then north of open section, where the track ends up top of the dune, we stopped for a look at the sea and the just starting to wane moon.  The big seas of last week had cut right into the dunes leaving a big drop down to the sand that was being washed by the waves, leaving practically no beach for walking on...  A couple of riders rode past as we got back up to the bikes and so we chased them down, passing them as we came back into the forest.  Headed all the way up to Spencer Park cos Nelson didn't have any water, then bombed it back south to the car.  Hard work pushing the Klunker with the seat being too low for sitting and not wanting to stand all the way.  We swapped bikes for a little bit and Nelson's felt twitchy and short with it's steep angles compared to the slackness that is Klunk.

Back to the car and stripped off the outer layers and it was looking like she was gonna be a frosty night, bloody cold.

Sunday's Fat Thomas, God of the Snake

Brisk start, Steve was leaving his at 9 so I left mine at five to and pedaled the length of Linwood and Humphrey's to the Ferrymead bridge, finding Wayne, who said Tony and Andy had already passed by in the car, then Steve turned up.  We rode the nice new smooth bikeway the length of the causeway, my fat tires sounding like a box of angry bees, then through to Scumner, finding the other two here, we treadled up into the valley and delaminated at the start of the track.  Fatty climbs pretty good, and cleaned all the switchbacks but not the usual rocky bits.  Regroups at Evans and on up through the guts, which I cleaned the main difficult one but no the top one.  Rest of the ride out was good.  Stopped to let some folk through, one of which was on a carbon Salsa fatty with a Bluto up front.  Into the descent, and the smooth was good but once we got down towards Livingston I started getting a pounding.  Speed and rocks don't go together on this bike.Climb from Livingston was good, then round and down was sweet, as the trail's all smooth through there.  Bit scary bouncing over PFMTBC Rock, but the rest was good, and we hauled up at Breeze.

Decided to head around above the road and take the sweet wee narrow trail.  This was good, and the descent from it was fun speed.  Across the road and around the singletrack back.  Good blat round here too.  Then it was into the Anaconda.  First half good, but as soon as it got going hard down, I was bashed around, handling was freaky and speed hard to control.  Andy was on my tail and I was genuinely slowing him down.  Pulled up at the bottom and Steve rolled in phissing tire goo all out of a hole in his tire.  Got to the bottom and it made a big puddle on the track while he pumped it up.  But it seemed to hold.  So him and Andy led off along the 'tail and then Steve pulled up at the cattlestop.  We carried on, and I rode this bit better than higher up.  The others rolled in and then Steve who'd chucked more air in.  I bailed here, cos I was gonna meet the family at the bach while the boys continued over the hill, i assume for coffee at DotCom.  I rode down onto the beach and along it, and the family appeared on the path, so we played with the dog on the beach for a while before adjourning back up to the house where we had a nice soak in the spa.

The Heaphy, Friday 15th to Monday 18th May

What a TRIP.  Couldn't have gotten better weather, given the time of year - and we missed the shit weather by a day.  So mint.

Thursday night, left work at 3.  Nelson showed at my place and we loaded my gear into his car, departing 4ish, and I took the Fiat north a bit (going back from just past the Palms for my water bladder - putting me nearly 20mins behind Nelson), parking in Geisha Rd just this side of the Ashley River, so's Nelson wouldn't have to come all the way back into town to drop me off. Drove north and got into Karamea just after 9pm, stayed at Rongo's Backpackers on recommendation of Wazza (who's truck was parked there while he was northwards on the track (in the rain)).

Pissed down overnight, but dawned fine with slightly higher cloud.  3 other bikers from chch eating breakfast with us, were flying to Brown's Hut and would meet us at Mackay.  We headed north and then Nelson started faffing - taking about an hour to get his Thule freeloader rack set up and both ready we set off about 10.

Kohaihai to Mackay
Trail a very well built chip, the odd wet spot, and native bush all around.  Across the first of many big wide easy swingbridges then through jungle and onto the climb.  Met a few riders early on, then after the saddle over to Scott's Beach we met someone who knew Wazza and then eventually Wazza himself, on his first dry day, riding out from Heaphy Hut.

Got rolling and along the coast.  Heaphy hut in an hour and half or so, washed sand off bikes, re-lubed chains, chatted to DOC worker guy, then 12ish off up the Heaphy River a few ups and downs but mostly flat.  One 'narrow' oldskool cable bridge to cross. Then flat bits and one up and steep down then flat and Gunnar River crossing on big swing bridge, then massive massive rata tree just off the track,

(bike set ups visible here, my Ground Effect El Taco bag (with sleeping bag) on the handlebars, and Twin Needle fluoro orange bumbag on the seatpost, Nelson's sleeping bag on front, a few clothes on back)
After the tree, more flat and massive Heaphy swing bridge and a minute later the Lewis Hut.  Stopped here and put a kettle on for the first of many dehy meals.  Motorbikes turned up with DOC guys on them, one of whom came in and chatted to us.  They'd just had the wettest week of work working in muck up on the track.  Got rolling again at 2 and hit the climb.  Steady as she goes.  Long and slow, lower back getting more and more sore from the weighty backpack, but managing somehow.  About half way up, one mudhole nearly sent me over the bars when my front wheel disappeared into what I thought was just a shallow dip, and it was so gloopy we actually got the squirty bottle out and cleaned it all off.  Another 45 or hour and we finally made the James Mackay hut 4ish.  A couple of trampers in residence already, and then umpteen more bikers and hikers turned up.  Later I think I counted 14 bikes parked out front (all going the opposite direction to us).

Tales told and night slept.  Kiwi heard during a trip to the toilet in the night.

Mackay to Perry
Saturday dawned sunny and clear, quite cool.  Amazing views all around, stunning landscape.  Hit the trail 9ish and were welcomed with minimal climb then nice descending through wicked landscape of subalpine and stunted forest and open bits...  Climb for a bit then quite a descent, running into Hut Warden Steve, then more descent and boardwalks and boardwalks then maybe a gentle climb to Saxon hut for a snack, meeting more bikers coming the other way here.  Got rolling again, bit of climbing then quite a long descent down into the Gouland Downs, talked to an american girl riding on her own after watching her get her feet wet crossing the Big River, so for us it was on the cable bridge to keep our feet dry, and master our cable bridge techniques - Nelson's sit seat in pack waist-strap, hold top tube with one hand, cable on side with other - me (here in action), wheelie, bouncing over the bracey things...

 Spotted a falcon here, chasing smaller birds, one of which disappeared as he passed through them...  Onwards short climb into the scrobbleforest, short limestone karsty bit all in mossy forest, very cool, then openlands and the Gouland Hut.  Moar snacks.  Down to the Cave Brook and then climbing up big lonnnng ziiggs and zaggs on open red tussocky low scrubby rocklands, past the boot pole, and on up then back into bush, rocky trail climbing, couple rode past, and then my knee incident.  Following Nelson, possibly a downhill?, and his little tool bag fell off so I holla'd and stopped to pick it up.  Caught him up and as we got moving again, a strap on my pack caught my seat and unbalanced me, making me tumble to the left, nothing but my knee stopping my fall with a very large rock.  Smack.  Ouch.  Thought what a terrible place to be broken, but rode on and it was sore but manageable.  Another 20 mins or so, and 12.30 we were at the Perry Saddle Hut.

Bunch of bikers through, we ate lunch, claimed our bunks, left gear, got set up with minimal and hit the trail for Brown's Hut.

Perry towards Browns and back
Kinda rough hard track, quad-bikeable, indeed evidence of days prior quads visible.  Slight climb from hut then highest point of the track at 915m and the down began.  Back and forth in and out of valleys, patches of windthrow allowing views to the valley below, and a few kms down the Aorere Shelter.  Met a three, then a Paul on his Pugsley, then the four women, all three groups of which we would get to know over the rest of the trip sharing spaces with them for the next couple days.  All were surprised at our choice of riding down and back up.  Rode and rode and rode and slowly the valley below got closer to us.  Finally at a bench  not long after the Shakespeare Flat turn off, we thought "just another 10 mins or so", and continued on down to pretty much the last big corner, maybe a km from Browns Hut.  Nice view over the Aorere Valley, with still a bit of altitude we didn't want to have to claw back.  I took off on my way back up, as I was by this stage tired and running on not enough food.  At one of the big scoured out creeks, Nelson had spotted a Chamois up above, which scarpered into the bush above.  A km or so later there it was on the track, and from here on up, past the Aorere Shelter, we encountered it regularly, - round a corner, he'd see us, pronk away around the next bend, and then we'd round that and he'd pronk away.  Graceful and fast and effortlessly.  According to my mapping done at work, this is the northern most Chamois seen in NZ.  He disappeared at the highest point and we rounded the corner and had a fun rocky descent to the hut.  56kms done and dusted for the day.

Perry to Heaphy
Sunday, relaxing start to the day and got going 9ish i think.  Another beautiful sunny day, tho cool.  Clambery rocky climb to start then rock garden start to a long lot of descending, through forest, then eventually out into the open with views galore across the Downs.  Caught up to Pugsley Paul out here. (note a change in my set up, with sleeping bag in backpack, and minimal stuff in the El Taco, which now sits on top of stem)

Met a few riders on their way back through.  Stopped to look for whio on Cave Brook, no dice, and then we were at Gouland Hut, with a couple of the previous night's trampers stopped there too.  Snackage then on into the scrobble forest and out onto the flat, Shiner Creek, no whio, across the ford, and then Big River, over the bridge, and climbing for a bit before descending with a few creek crossings.  I'd lost sight of Nelson along here, and then one of the ladies came into view.  Just about on her when I blazed through a creek crossing and lost my chain.  When I put it back on I could hear the air leaving my tire, and as I'd not long passed the Hut 1km sign, figured I'd walk.  Took a while and finally made the hut, Saxon, patched, and ate, and chatted.  Paul riding through while we were there.  Then we were off again, passing Paul on a bridge, and at one stop further on I could hear a quiet hisssssss from my rear tire.  Wasn't going down fast so just kept riding and stopped about 5 times to put air in it before Mackay.  On the way up the flanks of Mt Teddy ran into the group of three and Hut Warden Steve and someone else.  Finished this climb off and then swoopy fun descending began, for ages down down, one or two ups but mostly down and all the while scudding fog rushing by, my beard picking up moisture galore.  Closer to Mackay hut and it got colder. Finally, in full on cloud rushing through, lunch at Mackay, change of tube, and warming up.  While here most of the others all rolled in at various times behind us.  Also, while here Paul must have snuck past without stopping.

Ready to go, descending time...  What a trip.  Best part of the whole ride.  Flow, and berms, and a little tech, and speed and caution and bliss.  Paul's Surly Nate tires had left a nice phat tread in muddy sections ahead of us.  Descended for aages.  Total descent took maybe 40 minutes, maybe longer?  All the way thinking, when is it going to end?  But the views through the trees of the river miles below ever telling us, much longer.  Eventually, Lewis Hut came into view, and we pulled up here to find Paul.  Chatted, snacked and then got going again following him a over the big Heaphy River bridge.  Then it was Speeder Bikes zooming through the forest.  Nelson and me kept a really good pace from here on to the Heaphy Hut.  Blazing.  Any ups slowed me right down but the flats and downs I kept a high cadence and we just blasted along.  No time flat and we were at the hut.  Both had a wash in the river, and cleaned off bikes, and set up shop and chilled out.  One by one the various riders and walkers dribbed and drabbed in, up to a few hours behind us, and a pleasant evening was had.

Heaphy to Kohaihai
Final day, early start on account of wanting to beat the high tide at Crayfish Point.  Left about 8, and got into the groove again, blazing along.  Weather starting to change, tho still a bit of sunshine around, we got our only rain along here too.  Caught Paul maybe 20minutes in (as he was taking this shot!), and rode on.  Got across the beach no problem, tide still low enough, and still sign of yesterday's footprints and tire tracks in the sand.  Snacked half way up the climb from this beach and was here we donned jackets for the rain.  Scotts Beach finally, and the last climb (where we met Wazza on Friday), to the top, and descending again, around throught bush and across the big bridge,tide high, 9.45 we eventually rolled into Kohaihai.

Brilliant 3.5 days had.  Changed, dried, packed, chatted with Paul, who had realised he'd left his phone behind at the Heaphy so was changing his plans and going back through.

Hit the road, saw the american girl from Big River in Karamea and did some much needed bike maintenance for her, real food, then driving to Westport, more real food, and Christchurch bound.  Home just after 6pm Monday night, just in time for dinner.  Yum.

Tuesday night, Happy Blog-iversary, and Worsley Playtime

Ten years today since this blog's first post. Ten years ago I started this voyage of documentation.  Happy blog-iversary, blog.

Tonight, Nelson picked me up outside work, in hideous levels of traffic, it being just after 5, and the neighbourhood utterly full of road works, closed lanes etc, not to mention a fuckload of fucking idiots all driving everywhere...  Nearly 6, maybe quarter to, by the time we made the top of Worsley's Rd.  A bit of faffing and changing and just before 6 we headed up the track that starts through the gate directly off the carpark.  Mellow start then straight into the steepness.  Granny gear selected and lung and heart rate increasing markedly to the point of nearly exploding.  Up up up, nice scenery, what we could see.  Up past all the trails I explored with Jet, and the length of the Braille track seemed to go on forever.  Then, finally, the last whoopdedo and onto the Worsley main drag.  "Forest Closed" signs greeted us at the entrance to the climb, which we duly ignored, it being after hours, and ventured ourselves forth to explore what wreckage has ensued at the mercy of the foresters.

Followed caterpillar tracks up that entry, they continued straight up the fenceline, we took the singletrack climb, all the way up, meeting the tracks again near the very top.  Into the entrance to Hangloose (or Goat) and within metres had met the machine responsible for the tracks.  Massive it is, with maneuverability and the cutting handle head thing on it's end, with it's path a swathe of destruction, cleared trees placed to the side and many more all the way down Hangloose, with X's on them ready to go - demarking the boundary of the next area to be logged.  Good bye Hangloose with your groovy swoops and pops, good bye Yoda, not that we ever rode you...  Down we flowed, bypassing the second log jump, and enjoying the steepnesses.  I had an off, where I entered a steep-ass corner I've bailed on before and decided mid way through that I didn't want to go where the bike was going so stepped off the back, but it being so steep I fell backwards, one foot still attached to the pedal, striking my calf on the hot hot brake disk (not realising til later), and landing ungraciously on my ass.  Nelson was stopped metres away at a tree across the track.  Under this an on down the last few steep corners to the bottom where climbing began - easy to start, but getting increasingly steeperer.

Gasped up the internal guts track, walking some before the pylon-gap, then managed to ride, albeit with a gasping break, the rest of the way to the clifftop.  From here, up the original trail, one section where the caterpillar machine had been through, rarking up the place, then Nelson quite surprisingly managing to clean that rocky outcropping near the top that nobody's ever cleaned before, and then we proceeded out to the top, where we found Pete, Andy and Robin.  They'd not long gotten up there on their first climb (having met at the carpark at 6.15), and had lost Tony to a broken derailleur (via loose stick) on the way up.  They headed down Original and FightClub and Nelson and me headed on up to the entrance to Debbie Does Dallas.  Nelson took Nick's new one, while I took the original.  Fast run down here through the dark douglas fir bit then into the bigger open pine section below the cliff face, and around into Alice's Restaurant.  Good for the first couple of corners but then the steep stuff gave me the heebeegeebees and I walked a couple of bits.  Got riding again, and then the last steep bit just before a wee bridge, Nelson crashed - hitting the deck pretty hard (even broke the end off his brake lever), and burst open his zip on his bag.  Fixed up off down again, into the final couple whoopdee's and then through and caught up with the other guys down as they'd just finished Fight Club.

With them headed on up to the Junction where Robin said good bye and the 4 remaining rode up the guts track and into the lower entrance of Fight Club.  Here, Nelson discovered his rear brake was dodgy, not applying any real pressure to the disk, so, unable to fix it on the spot, he headed off down the way we'd come up, and the remaining 3 of us headed for an excellent blast down Fight Club.  I really hope the logging doesn't kill this track.  Climbed out to the Junction and then down the finale and back to the cars.  Andy headed down the road to home (via Fluffy Sheep where we saw his light and stopped to say See Ya)

Number 3 Noodle Canteen and a Garage Project Pan Pacific for tea.  Nelson had Nasi Goreng, and the same beer.

Sunday Fat road to Planting

Felt like a bit of a change and rode the fat bike around to Pete's for a 9am meet with the rest of the crew.  No sign of Pete, then Steve turned up and Wayno was running late so we found him out on the road.  Down Avonside Drive and Kilmore through the 'Harmony Run' in the park, all the way my tires humming like an angry box of bees, and we met Tones and Andy at Kilmarnock and the railway.  North up the railway trail all the way to the end, then the usual streets with a stop at Cosy Cafe for coffees (and tea) and then onwards to Styx Reserve, past the no bikes sign and in, lots of dirty looks from walkers, even tho we were on our way to plant trees for them!  Planted for pretty much 2 hours, ate sausages and then hit the road back home, same way all in reverse, bees buzzing angrily all the while.