Wednesday Night Not as Mucky as one might expect

Fatty and Tall-y out for a spin again. Post work meet at same spot on the river bottom of Bowenvale as last time, and headed for the Major Aitken.  Swapped bikes for the climb, me still much slower than Nelson, even with him belaboured with the fatty.  Up Major Aitken and Kenmanure onto Huntsbury and on up to the top. 29er skinny tires, locked out forks, rolls pretty easy, so I wasn't as stuffed as I'd usually be by the top.

Swapped back to our own steeds at the top, and headed off down Vernon, fat tires a little over-aired from a brief pump-up in the morning.  Manageable tho, and still plenty of grip.  Across cRapaki top and into Witch Hill, where we clambered to the high point and stopped for a quick snack.  Tonnes of lights on the track (and Monty's Spur) below.   Turned around here and bombed back again, across the saddle and on up Vernon, climbing slow and steady for me.  Eventually made the top and caught up to Nelson.

Bunch of riders assembled at Traverse, but none made the move so we I headed in.  Nelson stuck to the road above cos he thought the track might be wet and mucky like last time and he didn't wanna dirty up his nice clean bike. It wasn't, so he joined me for the 2nd half, around to top of Vic.  He gotten ahead of me, and we'd caught up with some other guys and one of them had a yellow jacket so I chased them down finding it wasn't Nelson.  So, I was at the seesaw and holla'd up to Nelson who then joined me and off down the rabbit paddock we cruised, into the rockgarden and around through the gummies, usual fun little lefthander, and through to the skidder site.

Into Spazza's, catching up to a couple of guys at the bottom, and we sidled across from the 40footer and over down the 4wd track to half way down Cool Runnings, left into here.  Fun whoopdedoos and into the valley bottom (the other two guys working down from above that in behind us) and then out onto Bridges and Flow, and across Nu Bridges heading straight across towards Hospital Corner.  Long time since i'd been down this section, had forgotten how fun-steep it is.  My uber-grippy tires kept me in control all the way down, but Nelson's skinnywhippet-tiny-knobs couldn't hold on and he even walked a little.  Final gravel road blast down was fun - it's what fatbikes do best.  Then down the road back to the car and we were done by 7.15pm!  Headed to Moon Under Water for a beer and a snack.

over 16 kms, and 632 m climbed... not bad for a week night.

Sunday Wharfdale Surprise

Got a surprise leave pass so headed out to Nelson's.  Nice fine nor'west day, and we headed around to View Hill and up the road.  Pete's Ford ford is all good now, raised concrete that it is, but the 2nd ford was a little marginal, but Nelson's pretty confident, so he just powered on through, no problems.  Shared gate duty with a girl in a Rangey (ie, I opened them, she followed Nelson through), but luckily it was only the first and last gates (2 in between open).  Gale blowing at the car park, quite cool, but still a sunny day so off we rode.

First time up here for 2 years!  Nice uneventful climb in, up, down, up.  On the longer downhill cruising along, trail pretty dry, a few puddles but no bother.  Moved one tree that was easy.  Tried to move a couple others that weren't.  Met three hunter/tramper guys.  Said there were 6 more trampers behind.  The first of the six was rather chatty.  Then proceeded to meet the rest, first a couple.  Then a couple of guys.  Then a woman.  Spitty rain started to fall.  It was looking pretty bleak further up, but on we rode.  Made the saddle and the rain was slightly heavier, but we were keen to check out the Black Hill track, so rode down towards the hut to the turn off for that, thinking we might carry up it for a bit before turning back.  Got there, walked up the first 20 metres of it and realised it'd be sketchy as hell.  Rain was quite heavy now.

Turned back here, climbing, and the trail was ever increasingly running with water the further we progressed.  Jackets soaking wet, water pouring off us.  Awesome blast down from the saddle, after having cleared a log off it on the way in we had a clear run, high speed, roots-a-poppin' blast.  Around the corner, down over the trenchguts, around the corner and onwards.  Fantastic.  Climby bits weren't too bad, and the descent to the creek that used to be quite dodgy is all nicely benched now.  Same with what was once a rockface drop after that creek.  More cruising climbing, wind howling in the trees around us, more and more as we progressed.  Sometimes tailwind pushing along, other times blasting from the side.  On the ridge where all the windthrow was from the past it was blasting through just before the descent through all the bridges. Great blast down this and then final climb, soaking wet, dripping.  Passed a bunch of walkers on the final descent blasting down to the car where the wind was ripping through, freezing cold.

Worked out well tho, cos we got in between the walking group's two vehicles, and the girl from the front one opened and shut the gates for us all.  Got to the ford and it had risen quite a bit.  The front 4wd got through, and stopped to see if we would.  Water right up over the bonnet, but made it, then the 2nd (less burly 4wd) also made it.

Good ride.  Tho mucky and cold(ish).  22.5kms, 724m climbed.

Tuesday Fatty and Tally, mucky and splecky

Nelson picked me up from home (where I'd been all day with a sick O, and getting the fire installed) and we parked next to the river over off the bottom of Bowenvale Ave. Headed around to and up cRapaki, first time up here since Jan.  Struggle for me on the fatty and absolute ease for Nelson on his 29er.  Nice cold southerly kept the heat down once we were further up.  Vernon, uneventful, other than Nelson going over his bars... - he caught the front wheel badly on a rock and over he went, very suddenly. Rest of it was fine and we got to the intersection of the road and Traverse.

Options were, Scotts Knob reserve walking track, which would have been wet as, the road, or the Traverse.  Sign for the Traverse said Open, but I wasn't convinced, so I checked the website which also said Open, so, off we went round this.  Pretty mucky for a start.  Splecky as.  But, not so bad.  Fatty was good on the descents, fun in fact. Top of Vic, and we dropped into the Thompsons, then down through the macs near the end of Thomson 2, onto the H.Ell track.

Very nice cruisey blast down Mr Ell's track.  Rather damp and splecky in places, but a nice cruise, and no-one else met.  Across Vic Park Rd, and down a little further, til we found an upward trail which took us up towards the Ranger Station, a left on the usual transit bike track (19th to crossing of Dyers Pass Rd), down this a wee way to the corner, and up the steps to the Tawhairiki Track, boardwalk inclusive, and up this and across to the dog park.

Tech-fest down this to the top of the forest, greeaasy as in the tree lucernes before the gate, then into the forest edge trail, Barbed Wire Roots track around below the forest to the top of the houses, then down the trail below the houses, again, greeaasy as, front and back wheel skidz.  All the way down, and out onto Longhurst, across onto the steppy track down (and a little up) to Holliss, for a fast mud-flinging blast down the seal before a cruise back to the car.

17.3kms, 540odd m climbed

Tuesdee Pre-Trees Meet Street Feat

Had to pick up H and drop him home, then met nightmare traffic all the way across town.  Luckily Nelson had had a malingering customer and didn't get away til late either, so we both arrived at McCormack's Park carpark within a minute of each other.  He had his clown-wheeler and I had the Troll and because of the wetness everywhere, we were gonna ride streets and alleyways/walkways. Also, I only had my bike mounted (non-superbright) lights. 

Headed up Glenstrae, steep and hardwork on the Troll's gearing (must get a smaller front ring for this time of year).  I took a few breathers at various spots, but made it to the levelling off, and we headed up and into Daring Lane where we had seen on gglmaps there were some zigzags down.  Entry of rough rock steps, but then sealed and smooth back and forth down to Challenger Lane.  Good bomb down this to Egnot, fast descent to Taupapa.  Around Augusta onto the Main drag and around to good old Mulgans Track.  I walked a lot of this, it's just too steeep to ride on the Troll. Up, up past the tanks and up past York's old place to Panorama, and into Brownlee Reserve.  Found the downwards trails in here and then it was onto  The Zigzag, weaving carefully down this (not seeing it at all very well), slick tires struggling in the wet leaves and dirt, but keeping it together with a restrained descent.  Amazing how long it is.  Reckon this'd be a good climb.  Eventually onto Nayland, and then around the Main Rd back to the cars by just after 7.

Collected some Thai and made the meeting in very good time

8.3kms, and surprisingly 330 m climbed

Sunday Mucky Fatty Jetty Slowy, lotsy off Pistey

Beautiful morning to be out early. Parked up Evans Pass and on the fat bike with Jet poached in on the (closed) Godley track. One or 2 mucky spots but the fat tires do no damage and leave little trace of having been through.  And I walked on several of the mucky bits (as well as some of the techy bits) anyway.  A good run down to Livingstone, only a bit splecky on the Teddington Schipt bit, with smooth fun sailing, no puddles or muck the rest of the way down.  Jet struggled with the cattlestop, and a runner helped me out with the little doggy gate, and then we headed up and over to Breeze - again, no mucky bits, tho I was cautious on that last paddock ruttsville zone before the final cattlestop, not to mention the cattlestop itself.

Next, it was across to the stile and onto the Breeze Bay walking track.  Jet seemed to know we were going that way and led the way to the stile, over it, and off up the track, without any direction from me.  Nice to ride in this way, mostly climbing, and the gravel is starting to be grown into by the surrounding grass, so the trail is getting a better feel.  Still way less tech than it used to be, ie, none now.  Over the stile at the end, and I stopped to take a couple of pics.

(in the glare behind the Kaikoura Mountains were in their full glory...)

From here, treadled across to the bunker on the hill, then headed up towards the trig, zigging and zagging a couple times. Over the fence, across to the higher bunker and up to the trig where I was tempted to take more pics.  View up Lyttelton Harbour and over Chch to the mountains and out to see spectacular all around.  A runner grunted up here and past, stopping to take in the view but completely not engaging with me...  I headed off down the fenceline for a start, then had a second thought and went back over the fence and back up the hill, then over down, where sheepshit flew off my tires and onto my face.  Nice and fresh it was, all over my lips, nose and mustache, nearly in my mouth - eeewwwcchhhh..  Took a bit of wiping to make me not smell it any more.  Continued down and met with our usual wee tight narrow singletrack above the road back towards Breeze Col.  This was fun. And tricky. And quite slow.

Through Breeze Col and off up the road, then decided to ride a sheep trail below the road (above the Anaconda), and along this to the first corner which when I rounded, decided too many sheep to not freak them out with Jet, so climbed back up to the road.   Stayed on this, around past Livingstone, up past the Para's launching spit, and around above Scarborough to the usual gate (now moved) to head back up to the Godley Track.

Climbed up and crossed over this and continued up the 'landing strip', all the way to the top, nice long climb, and joined the 360 trail up here, ready for the descent to Evans.  Excellent downhill this - couple of rocky tech sections that were too much for me on the fatty, but fun bits in between and in no time I was back on the rock part of the trail, then I continued with the walking track section above the entrance, and dropped down to the final stile (dog gate for Jet) and back to the car.

Very happy dog, and me well satisfied with my micro-adventure.  A 13kms round trip, climbing around 520m.

Wednesday Night Mt Relatively Pleasant (out of the wind), Greenwood and Bluffs

Bike fits good in the new car.

Left work 4.30ish and drove to park at McCormack's Bay park, watching the big clouds and sunset drift away.  Nelson turned up eventually, parking, and we headed up the valley track.  Not a bad start, but when it got steep I started to struggle big time, gasping and wheezing up through the switchbacks, and then losing momentum on the bridgies (which have had their stupid posts removed, thankfully).  Food choices in the day, or general lack of riding fitness getting the better of me. Greasy as greasy in a few of the corners on the upper zigzags, but cleaned one of them, and didn't clean a couple of others.  Nelson dabbed once, I think.  Up the road, to the wee reserve steep climb then up to the bath-trough and up into Britten.

Good climb up Britten, trail in good knick even with the day's rain, and, for a change, round the top, then over the road and up the trail to the top of Pleasant, southerly wind blasting across this face as we climbed.  Bit of a rest on the top by the trig, nice views to be had, and a bit of shelter out of the wind.

Hit the descent before we got too cold, into the down, over the stile and down, a little greasy on the Lyttelton side, but good through the tussocks.  Around above the ruins and into Greenwood, which was boney as, rocks all bigger than ever, and not too slick except for puddle avoidance along the face before Gloomy.  Short break after this and then rapid descending from there, me stalling in the creek crossing rocks, before the final blast down the final face.  Bumpy as hell the last steep finish.. 

Stopped on the road and watched lights up on the top (as well as a couple riding up Captain).  Then headed down to a trail we'd never ridden before, the Scarborough Bluffs track... I figured it would be dryer than the Captain, and it probably was. Has some serious exposure, good tech, fun stuff, and tight switchbacks.  Down to cross the road, and a few more switchbacks with pushy bushes on the sides, down to the bottom of the Captain.

From here it was down Sumnervale and out around through Scumner and around back to the cars, completing an 18.3 km loop, and gaining 570 m total.  Nice night ride.

Sunday Trees For Charlesworth

No rides this week cos from Tuesday to Thursday was in Wellington (Tues), then Hamilton. 

Trees planting at Charlesworth Reserve, so took the Troll across town.  Rode, Windemere, Railtrail, Rossall, across the Park, Armagh, Colombo, Gloucester, Linwood there.  Took me 31 minutes, 12.4 kms.

Got there, did the planting, lots of people, good vibe.  Ate a couple sossies and off again home, this time same route back through town but the nor'west was getting up so thought I'd stay in the park and do the railtrail the whole way, but next to the golf club figured, "haven't been up Garden Rd for ages", and peeled off across towards Helmores Lane bridge, and then Holmwood, Garden up across Wairarapa, and then through to Rossall again, and home via the school and Condell.

24.7 kms all up, no Map My Ride cos it's stoopid.

Saturday Kennedy's Across and Down

Sunday expected to be wet so planned my ride for Saturday afternoon.  Morning dawned wet, but that soon cleared, to no detriment to the trails.  Drove to Monsieur deSpa's after 1 and we headed for Kennedy's, around the roadways (getting funny looks for not turning into Worsley's Rd).  Cashmere Rd and then into the Quarry Park, heading up to C2.  Download, and up.  Good climb, though I was feeling really unfit.  Gasping for air a lot, and generally feeling wrong.  Put it down to lack of good sleep and nutrition.  Made pace overtaking a couple of older guys, and another solo guy, and in Siberia caught up to a fellow plus-sized tire guy, and the 6 of us all headed up the steeperer Kennedy's track together, with Paul and me kinda gapping them but not.  By the time we got to the really steeperer bit my cock had gone completely numb, so I had to stop to get blood back into it, so the others all caught and overtook me, with Paul leading out the top.  I knuckled in behind the solo guy (behind the two older guys) and meandered on up, feeling slow when such slow people could beat me.

Onto the road and plussizedtire guy rode with us around to Worsley's, where we peeled up into the Nun.  Excellent blast down this keeping good flow all the way to the bottom.

Then up the road to Vic Park, avoiding the Thomsons, spotting some gloves on the road, which Paul picked up.  There was a couple at the top "these your gloves?" "nup", "alrighty".  And off we went around the Traverse.  Nice bomb around except for the climby bits, and then we bumped into a workmate (Jenny) halfway around.  While talking to her the couple from the top turned up saying that a guy had come up asking about the gloves, so they'd chased us (above on the road, then back along the singletrack towards us) cos they'd said they'd put them somewhere for him.  Here I realised it was 4 o'clock and I was supposed to be home at 4, so now I was in trouble, so off we headed.  Good run the rest of the way round and then excellent descent down the ridge singletrack, nice pops on the jumps, and then out the landing strip to the new track Nelson had found on Tuesday night.

Into this and down, all the steeper bits are so nice, and cool rock features, and then after the gate it gets better, with one really steep drop (with good roll out), then around and across, avoiding all the old 4wd zigzags...  NICE.  Then into the recent entry to Old Skool, and with the muscle memory fresh from 4 times on Tuesday, I absolutely honked down the faster flowier bits, while cruising mellow on the slower bits...

Out the bottom and a haul across town back to Paul's, into the car, and was home by 4.45 - straight into the dough making for pizza night, not tooo much trouble to be had.  (phew).

Big loop, 32 kms, with 754 m climbed.

Tuesday Night Loopy Loops

Trees meeting tonight, so limited time.  I parked up the end of Bowenvale Ave and got riding about 5.17pm. Nelson had a meeting til 6 so I started out on my own with the intention of him catching up later. Got going up the valley at a reasonable pace, no lights needed yet, and feeling the warm blasts of nor'west air, mixing with the cooler valley-flow air pockets.  Up left into Hidden Valley connector trail, failing just after the creek crossing, but then cleaning all 4 of the switchbacks nicely.  Under the pylon and straight into the descent, with a young guy on a Yeti, no baggage, bombing in ahead of me from above.  Adjustments to suspension and onwards, sheep-shit avoidance systems all go.  Taking it easy on the slower bits and getting into the groove of it on the flowy-er bits.  Bombed down and straight into the climb, txting Nelson to let him know lap number 2.  20 minute lap.

Up again, this time nearly needing lights - turning them on as I got into Hidden Valley Link trail.  Bollocksed the creek again, and the cleaned all the switchbacks, better climb this time.  Into descent number 2, nicer flow, better groove.  Bombed the last and straight back into the climb.

Txted Nelson again to say lap number 3, then a bit further up received the 'Just leaving work now' txt, it being 6pm.  I txtd back saying that'd work perfectly wait for me at the bottom of Old Skool if ya get there first.  I continued on up the steep and into the Hidden, again cleaning all the switchbacks and bombing, faster again, down, and really hucking the jump on the Old Skool descent part.  Got to the bottom and rolled on down to the bottom, over the stile and down to find Nelson getting ready at the cars.

625 or so, we headed up valley again, this time at a faster pace (me struggling, already tired, to keep up), by-passing Hidden Valley track and continuing all the way up the valley, past the exit of Lavaflow and on up the tech. A little bit of walking and riding til eventually we were up on the sidling track back towards Bridges.  Time was pushing so straight into Bridges and down Nu Bridges and bombing down, then into Hidden and climbing, this time me bollocksing both the lower switchbacks on account of tiredness.  Cleaned the top two, and into the descent, me leading the way and flowing nicely through the faster bits - losing Nelson a few times, but him catching me when I's taking it easy on the flatter bits.  At the bottom we said our good byes and he trundled off back up the valley while I headed to the car and off to my meeting, driving at 7.10 or so and making it just on time but with no food.

Ended up getting 16.5 kms and 646 m of altitude under my belt.  Not bad for a limited spree.

Nelson went back up the valley, up K2, and up through Vic, then around the summit trail and down New Skool Old Skool, discovering new the singletrack descending trail bypassing the old crawler track zig zags.

We met at Twisted Hop after the meeting and did the 2 for 1 dinner deal again.

Sunday Styx and Stones

Boys were coming from their respective parts of town so after popping into Mitre10 I trundled back down the railtrail and met them just after they'd crossed Wairakei/Rossall St.  We headed north, at a reasonable clip, stopping into Cosy Cafe for a leisurely coffee, then onwards to the planting. 

Good turn out, with 1800 plants in the ground in about an hour, then sossies, and back on the trail south again.  Losing Wahayno at Northcote Rd and then me at St James Park, the boys continued on and split off accordingly til all that was left was Wazza, heading home on his own.

For me, a 13 km round up and back trip.  a whopping 23m of altitude gain.  Not really a 'ride' as such, just 'going somewhere on my bike'.

Wednesday Night Ashley Forest Exploration

Met Nelson in Rangoon and we met the locals at 6.30, making a posse of 7 all told - mostly older guys, one on an electric.  We managed (with very little wheedling) to convince them to ride in the hills - as opposed to the river tracks.

Headed north over the Ashley Bridge, then a right onto the (eastern) Loburn road along here (Carrs Rd), right into Mowatts Rd, then left onto Boundary, mostly climbing all the way. Up this to a gate we jumped onto Forestry Rd (Purple Heights?) which took us up to Mt Grey Rd at the "2km" mark.  From here it was over to a cool wee section of singletrack, with a few nice whoopdedoos, finishing down on another cross road, then short ways back to Mt Grey Rd (lower down than the 2km mark), and along a little way to where singletrack-city started.  Started off into a section that had trees across the trail (thinning), so turned back and dropped into a fun section that meandered for a ways, sense of direction completely blown.  This section finished and we were off down into another section, with roots galore, nicely made trails all in forest.  finally down this long blasty section and we were at the corner of Thomson, Barron and Laurence where a locked gate sits.  Electro man was supposed to be here, so we rode back up Thomsons and met him coming down.  We continued up and took a side track that had several singletrack diversions until it met the last trail we'd just come down, down this again, shorter and faster than first time round.

Now it was onto Barron, down this, crossing Forestry onto Gories, to Boundary, down to Downs (with a bike bridge across a creek) across to Marshmans, spinning like crazy down this to Ashley Township.  Down High St to the river and along the river singletracks back to the main Loburn Rd bridge, and zoomed back into town.  Lots of fast (me absolutely maxed out in my low top gear) spinning, spinny puffy puff puff spin spin pufffffed.

All over, 25 kms with 276m altitude, maybe 15% singletrack, and roads 45 % sealed, 40% gravel.

ANZAC Porterhouse Cheese and CoalSpit Pur.

Minty bunch of rides today, it being ANZAC Day, and my family out of town, Nelson and me met just before 11 at Sheffield and convoyed both cars out to Porters ski field road. 

Drove up the 5km gravel road to check out the Porter Lodge (as featured in recent Spoke mag).  Had a coffee then on with the helmets, no bags needed, and headed up their Flow Trail. Twas fun.   A little greasy (melted frost-heave) in places, but drying out.  Climbed about 9 minutes, with two opportunities to cut the loops short passed by, brief look at the view up Crystal Valley, then into the descent:  flowy, a few nice wee jumps, and bermed corners.  One really nice jump down the bottom, and a couple of kinda hip jumps lower down too (the last one followed by a super greasy off camber corner (nearly lost it!)).  Then a wee grunt back up to the carpark. - 2kms, 115m climbed, 13.31 minute spin.  My tires were caked, so I hosed them off and then we had some lunch.  They've only got a couple things on the menu, but they're bloody good - BLT or a Buffalo Mozzarella sandwich.  We had a half of each each.  Then, about to leave, decided to blat round the lower loop to do the three main jumps again.

Back into the cars and around to Cheeseman Rd, driving up the gravel, past Texas Flat, and leaving my car at the ice rinks turnoff.  Headed up in Nelson's to park at one of the entrances to Smegma (aka Cuckoo Creek).  From here we rode up the road past the top entrance to Cuckoo, and further on up to K Line.  Here we met a guy and gal and 3 more young blokes rolled up behind us too.  Followed the couple into this fun rooty steep awesome trail.  Got past them after a couple of stops, then Nelson and me were blitzing out ahead.  It spits you onto Dracophyllum Track just as hit the Flat, so across this and through the usual, but climbing out to the Ice Rinks (rather than all the way to Texas Flat).

Next, we rode back up the road to Smeg, riding past Nelson's car to the top entrance, a steep one, and bombed down this.  It was way more hard work than K-line, just lots of kinda big lumpy whoomps, and heaps of tricksy little roots that'd send your rear wheel sideways, but all fun rideable.  My glutes and quads were getting a hammering.  Finally it finished, on the Draco Flat Track but much closer to the zig zaggy climb towards the Ice Rinks.  So, up this, much harder this time, and out to the Hyundai.  Checked out a wee track across the road, which took us up to Cocaine Alley (a wordplay on Cockayne, I've since realised - Cockayne was an eminent NZ botanist whose name is associated with lots of native plants).  Up and back on this connector track just to check it out then stashed the bikes in the bushes and drove my car back up to his.  Back down to the bikes, chucking both in his car.

This here's the route, cept we accidentally left MMR running til we were most of the way up the hill (so, ignore that bit). About 11.4 kms, and maybe 500 m climbed but more than twice that descended.

Back in the cars and off around the highway, this time to the far end of Coalpit Spur track (past Flock Hill).  Parked my car there, then back up to the start in Nelson's.  Awesome bomb down hill this track, into the valley below, some rocketship rush speed sections, and a whole heap of cool switchbacks that are great to practice the nose-wheelie turning technique (even if not actually necessary), and then a creek crossing.  We both tried different methods  - Nelson riding half-pedals; he stalled and got a wet foot, and I tried to just rock hop, but they were slippery, and not many were out of the water, so I got a wet foot (and damp 2nd foot) too.  On down the valley from here, and then it started climbing.  Didn't expect it to be much of a climb, but it turned out to be, and quite steep too.  Ugh.  Over the top, and then down again, a few more switchies and then down a 4wd(ish) gravel 2-track which eventually forded another stream (dry feet this time) and we were back to my car.

This one was apparently less than 20 minutes (felt like longer, cos of tiredness), and 4.5 kms with about 100 m climbed (again, quite a bit more than that descended)

Tally for the day, more than 700 climbed, and probably double that descended...

Tuesday Night Tour De Pleasant.

Parked on Stoneyridge, cold beasterly blowing thru and got riding just as the sun set... Up through Britten, around the front, up Mt Pleasant, all without lights needed.  At the top, it was time for lights.  Awesome, tight on Nelson's tail, descent, following him and flowing down through to Greenwood, where we headed down the 'new' trail, with a detour down into Jollies Bush.  A zig and a zag down and up in here, then back up onto the 'new' trail, out to the Richmond Hill pines, and on up to the old Greenwood entrance.  Sheep Shit Everywhere, tires well coated.  Off down the entrance of Greenwood, around and up, then up the way we'd come, Mt Pleasant to the top again, and over and down back to Britten, around the top (below the road) and then bombed on down, excellent fast run, down to the car.

A twisty turny ramble around the tops, 13.5 kms, 410 m climbed.  Not bad for a 'warm up' for the next day.

Sunday Morning with O

9am ish start with O.  We parked at top of Huntsbury and the Beasterly was blasting across the ridge.  Some chain troubles with him (as usual), and so I put in 5 or more links, seemingly fixing the problem (for now).  He did well climbing, but hated the wind.  We hopped up onto the singletrack and then up the landing strip, then up the grovel to the top, where we found the pfmtboys, Stevo, Andy, Wazza and Bobbin, got to check out Steve and Andy's new steeds for the first time.  Niceypie.

Said our good byes and they headed towards Vic, while O and me headed up and around Vernon with the wind blasting us as we rounded the spur, then good zoom down to Rapaki-top and into Witch.  O struggled in here due to the rockiness, and the wind around the corner was hellish.  We sheltered briefly in the lee of a cutting once on the road and snacked, then off up the road to Castle Rock.  He was done with climbing and couldn't face the climb back up from Bridle so he found shelter from the wind and I headed off down for a good blast down the trail.  Wind was pushy, but manageable, and I had a nice run down through the bends and climbing.  Then back on the road and back up the hill to O.

We blasted down the road, and across the ridge below the Tors the wind nearly pushed me off.  I got up onto the singletrack (O stayed on road), and enjoyed the challenge of this wee trail.  Met O at Witch, and I took the singletrack and he rode the road below.  Then, up the road (skipping Vernon), and across the Traverse to the fun descent down the ridge, which was being blasted by the gale, knocking O off on the jump.  Otherwise fine, and then down the landing strip and over the fence, and battled our way around the windy ridge and down to the jumpy section.  Over the gate and as we took off O caught a foot on a tussock, which made him crash (good bruise on thigh from pedal, poor guy).  Rest of the run down was fun for me, and marginal for him.

Effectively the same 15 or so kms (and 600 odd m) as this ride, but MapMyRide bollocksed it all up, as usual...

Sunday 2x CAP laps + Zipline

Had swapped out the new Spoon for the black one that was on the Fatbike, and put the black on the Rocky. 

Booked for the 1pm Zipline, so O and me dropped H at friends and we parked at the Park about 11.  Up the lift and we headed down the Summit Connector, down to the road.  Spoon seat on Rocky waaaay more comfy, thankyou.  Hung a right on the Summit Rd, and headed up the road to top of Flying Nun.  Into this, O's first time from the top, and we cruised down all the way.  He liked it, but some of the rocks were a bit dry-dust-slippery.  At the Kiwi, we headed up the Summit Rd and into the top of Vic Park.  Taking the trails across and back in the trees, then down through the rabbit paddock and rock garden into the gummies, cruising my favourite in here down, then all the way through to the 19th Memorial.  From here, down the shady forest trail to Dyers Pass Rd, crossing carefully to Loess Rider.  A very enjoyable roll down here, though, on second thoughts, I should have tried Shredzilla..

Close to 12pm at the bottom and I was meeting Dad and my bro at 12.30 for the zipline, so figured we'd have time for one more fast lap.  Uplift again, to 12.15 at the top, we bombed down Possum (noticing that Yeah Yeah Gnar had just reopened - wish I'd taken it). Flat tack, then across into Handle the Jandal, which has a bit more to it now that wasn't there the first time we'd done it.  Then down the valley and dead on 12.30 to meet for the zip.

Locked my bike to one of the stands and O went off and did some laps while my bro and Dad did the zipline.  On our lift up as we were passing over the Jandal there was O, he stopped and said hi.  Zipline tour was cool.  The rides are super fun, but in the nearly 2.5 hours of the tour, you're really actually only flying for about 3 or so minutes...  But, the high one is super cool view, and quite fast, and the long one is awesome fast.

(O completed 3 more laps, once more Possum and Jandal (where he saw us from), second one tried out Duncan's but found it boring as so he took DOHC to compensate, then his 3rd, Connector, Nun, Choirb, Loess again.  Nice one son!  How responsible and independent for a 13 year old.

17 kms of riding (and one uplift), and 588 m of altitude (minus one uplift (420m?)...

Wednesday Night, Lights On in Lyttelt-On

Washington Way post-work pick-up and a quick stop at RoundAgain to get me a new Spoon to replace the torture implement that is the saddle that came on the Rocky... One last ride for it then, we headed through the tunnel and negotiated the steep maze that is eastern Lyttelton, parking-up on Foster Tce. Rode up and down a bunch of times on a bunch of trails all very steep and nicely technical, that's what you do in there.  A couple of young fit guys without shirts were pushing their bikes up behind us and were jealous of our lights.  Up the usual, down the ridge, I walked the steep cliffy bit, good blast down, then back up the climber (Sloanstar?) and around and back up to the top again, and down Zombie Lurch, steeeeeeep and cornery, a few of which caught me out because of the lighting.  back up the climber and around and back to the top again, and down the easier descent this time all the way down again, and then back up with a few explorations, connecting things in our head to previous times, we ended up pushing back up the top into Looper and around to the top again, and then down that way, ridge, then Zombie turn off and Stormer, detour to the cool droppy steeps, then around, small explore again, and then down back to the car.

4 ups, 4 downs tallying 550 m in 8 kms

Finished off the evening by stopping into the new Eruption Brewing premises on London St.  Their Fresh Hop Eruption IPA was mint, and the new digs is awesome - decor, brew tanks, etc...

Good Friday Head Clearer

Up in Kaiks for Jana's 40th.  I took my opportunity for a quick spin around a bit of The Kaikoura Trail on the fatty. Mostly road but some quite fun singletrack.  Headed out, without water or tools, no backpack, along Hawthorne Rd (which is bike/pedestrian bridge since quakes), to the end, then up Mt Fyffe Rd for a while.  Right onto Topline and across this to Waimangarara River, where a short section of twisty singletrack through dark exotic deciduous forest takes you through to the Koura 'Resort'.  There was an offshoot of singletrack near the end that I wished I'd explored, but didn't - save that for another day.

Back onto the roads again, through the golf 'resort' and then left onto Bay Paddock Rd, up to Grange which takes you across to the Hapuku River.  Down into a storage area of large rocks (so many rocks!) and the Hapuku is running very grey and milky (ever since the quake, apparently - draining all those slips and dams).  Bit messy here with big ponds semi-flooding the track, but once into the woods, it was cool.  Fun twisty, reasonably low speed singletrack ducking and weaving through mostly indigenous scrub.  Bands of manuka, followed by podocarp and all sorts.  Went on for much longer than I'd have expected too, tho all up only a couple of kms and I was out onto the SH1.  Crossed this and ducked into Lovers Lane expecting to just ride it, but nope, the singletrack continues, albeit not as well formed and rather bumpy, for about another km then back onto the road to take down to Hapuku village around and onto Old Beach Rd for the tailwind cruise back to town.

27 or so kms, with not much altitude - couple hundy metres.

Saturday to Monday on the Old Ghost Road

So...  Nelson and me drove up to Reefton on Friday night, staying in a cabin at the campground.  Headed off Saturday morning and rolled into Westport around 9 where we got breakfast at the PortSide (which was really good), and waited for Ken and Ross to turn up.  They were driving from Murchison and had gotten in there from the ferry really late, so had a late start.  They arrived quarter to eleven or so and ate, so we were off to a pretty late start.  Up to Seddonville to drop off Ken's truck, all piled into the Stagea and scraped the muffler along the gravel exit back to the sealed road.  Eventually got round to Lyell, and it was raining.

Doesn't look that wet, but here's the likely lads, clean before departure.

Hit the trail just after 3 and Nelson set a bloody stupid pace, which had us all huffing and chuffing, so I complained and got in front, and proceeded to set a pretty similar pace, concerned that I was holding them all up...  so, Ken got in front and slowed us riiiiight down, to granny + 1 kinda speed, and it was good.  Breathing eased, and we made slow but steady progress, with scope for more in the future.  Pretty wet, but not so bad, trail was firmer (more gravel applied) than I remembered from the previous time climbing this bit... The slips (about 10kms) were where we'd gotten to last time, and were a lot more rideable than they'd looked then.  Met a couple of guys riding down, not too much gear, who asked where we were staying, and when we told them, said, cryptically, "you're in for a treat."  My thoughts were, hut full of hot grrrls or hut full of drunken d!cks...  Kept the smooth pace from here up til about the 14km mark when it sort of leveled out and Ken picked up the pace til we were rocking along and those km markers just flew by.  All of a sudden, there's the sign for the hut!  Pushed up the little grunt to this and got settled in for the evening, rain steadily coming and going, not very much view to be had.  2 hours 40 mins from starting.

Our sleepout (the deep dark back one (Zala) was good, but noisy with the big drips slamming down from the trees above.  There were a young couple camping next to us, 2 older riders in the Gibbs hut, and the aforementioned 'treat'?  11 older (60's/70's) women walkers in the main hut, plus Rob the guy building steps for the toilets (sleeping in one of the dunnies cos there were no free beds!).

Next morning took our time cos it looked like it was clearing, but then it kept raining, getting away about 10.15, or was that 11.15?  Anyway, the couple on bikes had left about 40 minutes before us and we caught them after about 15, so they must have been going pretty slow.  They were struggling with the 'technicality' of the terrain, and they weren't used to riding full suss bikes (on rentals).  Anyway, we trundled on and overtook the odd one or two of the walking old ladies too.  Met 4 other riders coming the other way around when we hit the open country.  And the going got more interesting, and more downwards through the top section.  Lots of exposure, lots of wetness, cloud and howling wind.  I recall some rapid sections, ragged edge corners, and a LOT of water pouring out of moss or in creekbeds.  Overtook 3 of the walking ladies in here, with very little view to be had. On the descent through the bush before the hut we passed one of the Ghost Road Gurus, 'Stacky', walking the other way.  On down to the hut and we found a couple of touring bikes parked here.  Made some lunch, got warm, even saw some sunshine, before rain returned and backed off a bit too. The frenchies with the touring bikes set off ahead of us and we watched them walk them up the steep bit after the lake.

Re-donned wet clothes and got riding again.  Technical terrain starts immediately after the funky boardwalk through the little bit of forest before the lake, then steep climb briefly and over to the steep corners descents.  Good blast down these, me dabbing an inside foot on most of them, not quite game to let my weighted bike get the better of me.  This is us on the way down, somewhere, below Old Ghost Hut.

Somehow I got out in front, the boys were faffing with Ken's bag on his rack, and had the twisty techy rooty rocky descent through the scrobbleforest to myself.  This was the most techy and fun part of the whole trail so far.  I waited for the others on the chopperpad (the Anvil) and they rolled in.  It was here we spotted the cliff below the corners.  wow!  Then Ken led the way down to the start of the climb for Skyline.  I dropped back a bit and tail-end-Charlie'd it on the climb, getting a bit knackered, and struggling, but nearly cleaned it all.  Nelson fell on his elbow ahead of me, and was in a lot of pain from there on down.  We caught the others and blazed on down the Skyline Ridge to the top of the steps, loving the twists and turns and the view was starting to improve too, with bits of sunshine gaining traction on the hills beyond. Various techniques down the steps - i did a little on it's back wheel, some carrying, but mostly just walking it beside me, it held back quite well on the brakes.  Sore arms by the time we got to the bottom, where we found the frenchies on the touring bikes.

Best flow section award goes to this next section.  From the bottom of the steps to Stern hut was fantastic.  So much fun, swooping back and forth, amazing landscapes, from slips to big scarpy crazy lifted sedimentary mixed rock to mossy goblin forest to tall beech and roaring creekside flow.  Wonderful.  Arrived at the hut and the sun came out so we hung stuff out to dry.  It rained again, but it was no bother, we then started using the hut heat for drying.  Another totally full hut, with older walkers again, and the frenchies (young guy who'd ridden overland to NZ from France... and his mate).  From Lyell, to Lyell Saddle Hut, then on to Stern Hut, 39.7 kms, 1972 m of climbing, and somewhere just over 4 hours 30 mins riding (it failed to autopause, which is why I stupidly paused it at Stern, assuming it would restart the next day.  But then  neglected to 'Resume' it the next morning, thinking it would just pick it up our moving... which i think is what it did, but not the gps bit...  the 7 hours total on it must be the whole shabang).

Next day, woke up after terrible sleep, and it was fine weather, tho low cloud that proceeded to burn off a bit as we rode.  8.30 start, cos the two Wellington boys had to make the ferry that night.  So, off out, steady but easy pace, passing the walkers, and climbing up the Boneyard I was gasping (from the lack of sleep), but once above this was good going.  We met a goat.  Young black billy, he was cute, but weren't really sure what his intentions were and he wouldn't let us pass.  Then the other 3 got past and he bailed me for a minute, putting them out of reach.  I chased but barely ever saw Ross's red arms.  We hauled arse all the way.  Stopped for sugar when we made the Mokihinui.  A chopper was flying over with a bundle of timber underneath when we crossed the big swingbridge, and we heard it several more times later.  Long section down the river, a few ups and downs, and then the Forks Hut, and into the gorge, spectacular country all around.  Specimen Hut we stopped for snacks and helmets off, then I set off ahead on my own, Ross not far behind, and we proceeded to clean up many kms down the gorge.  Met a couple of workers on motorbikes coming up the gorge, tight passing them, flowy descents and grunty climbs.  Finally, maybe 6 kms from the end we stopped for a rest the top of a rise with a nice view and within a few minutes the other two boys turned up.  Not far now, we blasted on me getting more lagged and slow, til the out the gate and along the 4wd section, I could barely climb that last climb before the turn onto the last km of singletrack...  But, in here I caught Ken up, he was starting to lag too.  Ross Strava'd this day's ride - it was 42.1kms, over 720m climbing and we did it in 3 hrs 45 mins (3.03 hours riding time).

And we rolled out to the car and celebrated with a cold swim in the river.  Great for the legs. Then, into the car, googling to see how much time they had to make the ferry, allowing us to have lunch in Westport, then up to Lyell to split the gear and go our separate ways.  Nelson and me made it back to Amberly about 6.15pm, where I had the Fiat waiting, and was home around 7.  perfect.


My tallies then.  2700m of climb, 83 or so kms, all done in around 7 and a half hours total of riding.

Tuesday Night Short Loner

Steve had called a PFMTBC meeting at 7 and it being my last chance before the weekend's Ghostings, I grabbed the time to ride. Nelson was had already organised to DH, but also said he was crook, so from work I trafficked to Mt Pleasant and parked up on Stoneyridge at 5.30.  Messed about with MMR (which wasn't playing ball for a bit), and headed up into Britten Reserve under the pylons.  Steep bastard grunt, walked the steepest bit, then MMR got rolling as I headed across the easy stuff at a good pace.   Back and forth, then up to the top and around the front and around to the cutting.  Across the road and over the fence and up onto the Mt Pleasant track climbing well to the top, right up to the trig (where the MMR photo was took), for a bit of a snack.

Time for the descent.  Hopped over the fence and got rolling, seat down, flying down the rocks and around to the stile.  Nice flowy run down through the tech then swoopy swoopy down through the tussocklands, down to the 4wd, then into what was the new extension below this (above the ruins) around and back across towards the start of Greenwood.  Hardly ridden recently, so lots of sheep poo as they scattered in front of me.  I stopped here and it was only 6.10, so figured I had time to hit Greenwood.  Bombed down this, flowing through the flowy bits, and not stalling up too much on any of the techy boney rocks.  Very brief rest after Gloomy, then into the gnar again, plummeting well.  Totally bollocksed the rocky ups but flew down to the end after for 6.19. 

Then, onto the road, climbing fast up to Jollies Bush, where I headed in and tried out the tracks we didn't go last time, out and back further to the right, and more rideable, back up and climbed over the stile, pushing the few metres up to the singletrack above. Onto this and swooped down towards the Richmond Hill pines, then around and up the singletrack to the original Greenwood Entrance.  Last bit of road, and into Britten for a bombing, having to sidestep several times into the grass and over tussocks (at speed) to avoid some rookie climbers.  Arrived at the car dead on 6.50 - perfect timing.

13.6kms with at least 430 m climbed (more like 460 m on account of MMR starting late)

Wednesday Night Hunting Victorian Dusty Gringo Vales

Rode with Paul for a change tonight. Nelson was out, having crooked his neck over night and also had the wrong bike (his DH in the car from previous night in the park). Rode from Paul's place, with him on my old Turner, which he's purchasing from me...

Meandered across town and headed up Huntsbury.  As we came over Kenmure Drive we found from here on up a million people all parking and walking up with us to the start of the gravel where Torpedo7 was holding Rogaine.  Navigated through them and continued on up the gravel, me grovelling a bit but keeping a good pace.  Up onto the single track and the wind was ferocious pushing us off a couple of times.  Finally up the top grovel and easy to the start of the Traverse.

Nice tail-wind around the Summit, both of us getting pretty puffed even on the downhill stretches, but going well.  Then into top of Vic and down past the seesaw, past people working on Brake Free and down into the Gums.  The Rocky just ploughed on through the rock garden, fantastic.  Then down into my favourite twisty lefty and through to the skidder site.  Next, into Spazza's, so many options in there now, and across down to Sneaky Ridge, flying down the first rocky section.  Paul baulked, but knew he could do it, so went back and did it.  Then down the rest and back and forth in the oaks and wheee over the jump onto Bridges,  and back and forth down to the bottom of the valley.

Through the creek and up the zigs and zags of Hidden Valley Link, climbing nicely and cleaning all the corners, then up, really puffing into Old Skool.  Awesome blast down this, catching up some old codgers and picking them off one by one, til in the lower zigs and zags Paul got a flat (what is it about that bike and pinch flats!?).  We stopped just above the valley floor and swapped out my (no-longer-needed) 26 inch tube. 

7.20 us as we rolled down Bowenvale Ave, and we proceeded back the way we'd come and stopped into Moon Under Water for a nice point of, aptly, Dusty Gringo.  Justy biked down to join us, and it was well and truly dusk, 8pm-ish, when we rode back up to their place.

20kms with 500 metres of climbing.