AN(ZAC)dy CAP

Took H and Paul into the park today.  We rode up past the ranger station and dropped in the new entrance.  Sweet wee trail across here, then onto the new sidle trail, Locomotion, across to Loess.  Paul's first time in a 'park' environment.  He was cautious, but enjoyed it.  Hugo seemed to be on my tail the whole time, or never far off at least.  Loess was a bit sloppy in a few spots, but otherwise fun.

Went in, got passes for us all (old ones were heritage pieces), and hit the lift.  Busy.  Down around the summit connector, and Nun down, messy it was.  Into Capt Torpedo, good blast.  Lots of stops to make sure Paul was doing okay, Hugo never far behind.  They both enjoyed the long flowy blast of a roll down the valley-bottom.  Into the lift again, longer queue than last lift.  Again, Summit Connector, then road, and dropped down into the Captain again.  Hugo crashed bad on the first little lip, so he decided to go home, so Paul and me continued on bombing down again - same again.  Up the lift once again (seeing Josh my mechanic in the queue and at the top), and into SC, road, past Kiwi, up road to top of Vic and in.  Down around the jumpies, I went over the seesaw, down through the rocks - which nearly caught me out, through the gums, my usual way - Paul mastering the steep corner, out through skidder, down to road, rolling coaster to 235, good work done in here, flowy, and not too wet except around the oaks, and then up and down home...

Good times. 22 kms, over 1400 ascended (of which 1200 was lift assisted).

Sunday Mucky Stingy Wharfdale

Paul and me drove out to View Hill Rd carpark.  The ford wasn't too bad and the road in was a little rough for the i40 but we made it up to the end of the road no problem to find a pretty chocka carpark.  New experience for him opening gates I think...  and a LOT of wasps around (tho not as many as the fateful time with Tom).  

We got riding and there was a bit of water (read: mud) on the track in places so it wasn't long and we were pretty splecky.  Nice to get in here again, 5 years since last time (and 2 before that!).  Trail is in very good condition, with many of the old double round parallel post drains removed entirely, and only one tree across it (the bulky chunk of which I removed (a tricky shin height sapling was unyeilding)).   The cooler shady zones were all but wasp free, but the sunny dry faces were busy (and buzzy).  Chch under fog, we were in a beautiful crystal clear day.

One of the creeks we crossed had a hell of a slip through it too.  All the way almost entirely rideable now, all the creeks etc...  much better.  Paul crashed on one droppy in and out creek.  The rocky bluffy section around 2/3rds of the way out has been majorly worked on, entirely rideable up (used to be a very tech drop coming back, pushing from this direction) until around the corner it got a bit steep with loose exposure making it 'scarier'.  The creek crossing just past it was majorly shifted further up too, due to slipping.  Passed a couple of sets of walkers, one near the saddle.  The zig zags near the saddle, section used to be super rutty and big rooty holes, now fully rideable, smooth.  Seemed like no time and we were at the saddle, finding 3 quite young women (high school age) with music playing.  Very respectful, they turned it right down when we arrived.  Chatted a bit, we ate our sandwiches, the last couple we'd passed turned up.  The girls left.  We were visited by a nice wee tomtit.  Then we headed off.

Good rolling, nice riding.  On the fast stretch down just before the first hairpin I felt a wasp between my lips.  I blew hard quickly, but not quick enough, bugger stung me on the lower lip.  Ouch!  I pulled up and stopped, and stuffed a couple of antihistamines in me. Paul turned up.  We got riding again.  Joyful riding, but my lip started swelling and was getting quite uncomfortable as we went along.  Good riding tho!  I'd stop every now and then and let Paul catch up then get rolling and caning all the tech sections, floating and wafting over stuff.  Passed a mum and kids at low point before the final climb.  Climb climb climb easy as, then through the gate and bombing again, mouth closed (and swollen) avoiding unwanted guests.  Big group of youthful walkers not far from the carpark.  They turned up while we were dismantling the mud and mounting the bikes.  

Got driving and they ended up catching up and training through our gate openings.  

A swollen lip of 17.5 kms, with 670 m climbed

Wednesday Night Escaping the Breezy Snake

Waded through the Sumner traffic and over the hill to meet Nelson at Taylor's Mistake.  Got set up, and we headed for the escape.  Remembered my MMR and switched it on (took ages to kick in), then we Escaped up the valley.  Good rolling then steep, and steeper.  I was utterly struggling for oxygen.  Finally made it out of the gully and onto the traversing trail and it was much better.  Thankfully Nelson had stopped for a rest part way along.  Good breather then onwards.  Up around the next switchback and along a bit and into the next when I realised my house keys werent in my pocket.  Brief panic, we turned back down to where we'd been sitting, no sign.  I called home and T found them on the bed.  Phew.  Going again, around all the hairpins and along and up and onwards to Livingston Col.  Across the road, over the fence, out to look at the view, then rolling again, around to Breeze, all non-eventful and nice and fun. 

Over the fence onto Breeze Bay track , around the back which was nice, then blasty fast down to the edn, and over the road again and onto the OG trail heading back along the front to Breeze Col again.  Hit the road up a little and dropped into a sheep-addled snake, full-on Anaconda blaze.  A very close call in the 'conda, where my pedal hit a rock, throwing my weight forward, riding me up onto the front wheel as it was going through a puddle.  I was expecting to lose it, but somehow managed to keep it together.  Lucky the puddle wasnt deeper.  Survived and blitzed down the rest of it laughing and talking around into the 'tail and a nice blast down this...  All good.

Switchbacky progression of 11 kms coupled with 382 m climbed

Friday Saddle Up, Pigeon

Big walk (there) planned this afternoon (and back on Saturday), so, somewhat misguidedly, I headed out for a ride in the morning (leaving me a tad tired-of-leg for the walk). 

Up the road and back. Spectacular forest all around.  Pretty good going climbing, not too many vehicles met (sure is quiet compared to summer).  Then a wicked blast down.  Then a weird little detour up to the watertanks on the ridge above camp.  Fecking steep little bastard quad track that was...

12.5 kms with surprisingly 560m climbed. (considering it's only 330 m saddle, I'm not sure how that worked).

Tuesday to get the car

Drove up to Waiharakeke Track start and walked a bunch back to Totes. 

After a rest, I then jumped on the fatty and hoofed it up the road and over to get the car.  

Only 4kms, 200m up, and a minimal 80 or some down.

Phat Easter Sunday Afternoon Barnicoat Widdershins Involute, caught in the Rain

We'd gone to the Mapua Easter Sunday Market for a good portion of the day but were back early enough that I figured I could get a ride in before the forecast rain hit. 

Jumped on the Fatty and hauled my weary ass down the Locking St walkway, Kawai, then across behind (or in front of?) the Hospital on Tipahi, onto the 'rail trail', over the Bishopdale saddle, over Ridgeway and up Marsden Valley.  About a 25 minute commute.

Hit the singletrack (a walktrack section I'm not sure I've ever actually hit before) and a grind began, back and forth a couple of times, one way stymied by a slip, then out onto the main forestry/4wd track - and granny for a good 45 minutes, following a guy walking with a german shepherd from about 200 m away, most of the way.  He turned back at the last switchback before the leg across to Widdershins.  I called Doug up on the phone and the rain was starting.  

Widdershins was longer and had more climbing and more tech than I recalled of it. Awesome riding tho and the rain wasn't really getting thru the vegetation around it.  - Cornflakes

Finally made the top, about an hour of steady climbing since I left the road, and it was familiar to me.

Into Involution, whoooeeeee.. What a descent. The Fat bike handled it so well. Roots rocks switchbacks repeat. About half way down a large bird flew across in front of me.  I was like, "huh!?"  Stopped, walked back up and there it was, a ruru sitting on a tree fern frond under the shelter of the rest of it trying to stay dry and giving me a sardonic look.  Another was calling nearby as well.  Nice!  

It got wetter and greasier the lower down the hill I got, spat me out onto a 4wd and across into the jungle section around the creek, not very long.  Then fast blast down gravel to gate, and onto the road again.  Rain really setting in now and as a result (and due to the time) it was starting to get dark. Long haul back to base finishing with a steep walk up to the house, tho faster than the way out (due to more it being 'all down hill'). 

Bit of an epic, with over 25kms with 870m altituded - thoroughly saturated when I got back.

Good Fried Day Short Local Troll

Quick sunset spin up for some liquid refreshment and back on the Troll.  Leg stretch before a Saturday of driving to Nelson.  Rode up on the Troll, pushed the usual, rode then out onto the rabbit paddock, meandering across and finding a nice seat.  Embarked on a Liquid Refreshment

and then turned tail and headed back down the hill, detouring below the dog park and down the singletrack to Harry Ell Drive, bomb down this then grunting back up ours.

A small love heart holding a love heart balloon. (5kms, 200m)

Wednesday Night Living Moonrise Heavy Nettle Springs

Great, albeit short, ride at Living Springs tonight.  4 years since I'd last ridden in here. (and first ride with lights since September)+ 

Nelson picked me up and we jetted over the hill to the Allandale carpark.  A little bike maintenance, and a couple other cars pulled up and guys got bikes out of them.  We got rolling, up the valley, a couple new sections of trail and lots of new plantings (thanks Hannah!) all around the place.  Across the face and into the Totara Valley climb, all the pines gone now and a new line on the true right of the valley (where it used to be on the other side for a while).  Greasy clay/dirt down low, but drier higher up.  Up into some very dark Manuka, line changed from memory up here.  Eventually out to Rhymes With which was waaay more grown than the past.  Sat and admired the moon just risen and barely visible through clouds, then headed over the gate and up behind the Outdoor Education Centre, making our way up through the gums.  Steeeep, my first bit of walking where Nelson managed to ride.  Through the gate and dodging onga-onga, trail pretty neglected.  Cleared a log in the bushy gulley, and found the creek eaten out.  Tech riding with a lot more walking than I remember having to do in the past.  They've replaced the ladder-stile with a gate.  Up into the open to the cabbage tree, where we found the track very well sculpted.  Climbing, me walking again, climbing, walking, climbing.  Nelson rode all but one or two short walks.  Did I say it was steep?  Fiiinally got to the bench, pulled up a pew and admired the (almost) full moon, that we'd seen rising   

Rather decent descent begun.  Full on speed, careful carefully, down down down.  Through the gate, then Nelson kinda overshot the cabbage tree, but I holla'd him down.  Back across into the bush, through the gate (i oiled it cos it was super stiff).  Techy as, winding our way down, auto-checking for (h)Urtica, and having to walk through the creek washout (where I spotted my second weta(?) for the night).  Survived the close encounters with the nettle, and Nelson had the high gate open.  Through the gums, behind the Outdoor Ed Centre and down to the gate.  Spotted a light around the corner into Mississippi and got chasing, seeing it below all the way.  Fun weaving back and forth down this then around, easier climbing to Zanes than I remembered, and seeing more lights below.  Then diving into Zanes and bombing catching the tail-ender a wee ways down, and us managing the tech all good.  Out of the forest and found 3 more (2 of who were the guys at the carpark) waiting.  They were on their third lap.  We took off and around into Totara Valley, minding the grease, and Nelson slid-crashed at the bottom, one foot left attached.  Final bomb across and down through and back to the car.  

Only 8.57 kms travailled with a barking mad 500 m climbed.  That's a big ratio.

Sunday's Mucky Mount Grey.

Excellent solo ride today.  Hooned up to 'Lake' Janet and rode up the road, grinding wee climb that it is.  Missed the lookout just sticking the road for a change, then veered right onto the singletrack climb.  Seemed a lot harder than it has been in the past - sort of slipped a little in places making the riding very tricky.  then super wet for a lot longer portion than usual up out of the forest.  Wind was howling in the tower above, but was nice and calm where I was, most of the time, with occasional gusts popping over the ridge.  Parked up for a rest facing east, and then got into it, heading over the edge of the ridge, the wind making it very hard to stay on on the tech.  It became quite urgent descending, being buffetted, to the singletrack here, wind galing around.  Singletrack a bit rutted and mucky, but settled down after the worst of the wet bits.  Foot-plant method for the switchbacks, then nice roll down the rocky corner droppy bit, and not long later into the trees, foot-plant nearly all the way.   Lovely stretches of good sections, across the creek, on down, around.  For the first time, I headed up the 'lookout' track that veers left, and climbed it all the way up.  Not so much view, but a nice dry rocky ridge.  Back down and left onto the main track.  Good trip down here, passing a couple just before it got mucky.  And then muckier, and was mucky as all fuck for a good while down through all the mucky shit.  Out of the worst muck and trail gets dry again, babyheads and cornflakes.  Hairpins and met a dad and two kids and alsatian.  Clear run from here, lots of fun. Bridges, then out to the road, and the grinding climb back up round to the car - didnt meet any vehicles whatsoever til I got back to the car and chatted to a dude who'd just shown up.   

Mint. 13kms with 700 odd climbed.  I was feeling it in the evening.

Saturday Shopping Expedition via the Top.

T and me both on our E bikes, headed up from home, through skidder and pushed up the grunter.  I started my MMR there.  Rest of the way up through to top of Vic and then zoomed along the Slummit Rd all the way to Mt Pleasant.  Down here, left into Upper Hornbrook, Views, Ridge- and Clear-, then ally path down to Major Hornbrook proper.  Bombed down here, around, Freeman and Michael, Canon Hill, alley way down to Te Awakura then down St Andy's to the lights, over the bridge and across onto the new cycleway.  Hung a left into Charlesworth, and detoured to show Tra'y the TFC extension.  Onwards around Charlies then straight up Spinwood all the way.  Across Woodham and around the river to Swann's bridge, then back upstream along the river all the way to Pikos whereuponst I bought some of my flour.  

From here, a visit to Pom's for a couple of beers (wine for her) and chips, then home along the river all the way past the strip, etc, the long way, Grove, church, Simeon, Thorrington, eventually with plenty of battery (surprisingly) to spare (riding on the lowest setting for a good portion helped, methinks).

Reasonable 35ish kms (i started MMR late) with over 700m climbed.

Hungry Sunday Solo Hunts

On my own, no breakfast just coffee ( + green tea in the bottle).  Headed up the usuals, 19th, skidder, steep.  Up to top, and into Thomson#1 for a nice groove, then back up the road to top, down around the jumpies, hard right into Worm, and up onto the Traverse.  Good spin around here, stopping for a few (telling one group off for not giving way descending), then dropped into Huntsbury DH just after another guy had dropped in, slowly winding him in as we descended, flowing through the last gap right on his tail.  He hung a left on the older version of the singletrack just after that, and I followed, striking up a convo with him and him pulling over for me.  Bombed down through this then across the landing strip and seeking out the wee Rocky ridge entrance ways.  Climbed up the zig zag on the back of the knob to find my front wheel going flat.  Ugh.  Swapped out the tube and said gudday to Doug, and got going again, forgetting to unlock my rear suspension down over the rocks.  Down through the jumps, bypassing the odd one, all the way to the bottom of the dirt end of Huntsbury Ave.  

Turned back up the hill and climbed, and climbed.  Stopped for a rest under the cabbage tree below the rocky knob, snacked half a One Sq for 'breakfast' and continued on back up.  Gave some directions to a lost dad and son, then gravel ground to the top.  Back on the Traverse, good spin around stopping once for riders, feeling pretty strong on the climbs, then dove down the jumpies, see saw, brakestart then to rockgarden and gums dropping down through, out Skidder, road, 235, fun in there, wet landing off treebranch jump, then climbing, last blast drop behind houses to home.  Fun times.

Expressive 14.8 km with 525 m climbed

Saturday Morning T and R on the E and T

Beautiful ride today.  Up the hill with Tra'y, her on her E bike and me on the Troll.  Feels so good climbing on the Troll.  We rode hard through the Skidder and into the climb, with her getting miles up!  I walked up to her and we swapped bikes for the steep bit.  Back on, and riding climbing up all the way to the road.  Hung a left, and cruised nicely along to Castle Rock.  Here, she went off down the road and I took the singletrack.  What a beat up!  Hard work, but got smoother picking smoother lines, but feck it's rough.  Caught up to T just past the Bridle and we looked at the view and then turned back... There were people out everywhere, walking biking, running...

A bit over 20 kms, with an indubitable 762 m clambered 

Thursday Night Convoluted Topspin

Great wee ride tonight with Nelson, staying up high and looping about Mt Pleasant.   We'd figured ridgelines would be best given the amount of rain we'd had a couple days ago...

Parked on Parkridge and headed the usual byways entering Britten at the gate on Upper Major and singletracking up from there.  Zig and zag then at the top we hit the road and coasted down to hit the OG (Original Greenwood) entrance, peeling left into Sheepshit Alley for a nice cruisy descent.  This always has more upwardsness than I feel it did (considering the climb it is the other way), but a nice blast down and took the 'Moab' line towards the end.  

At the bottom we hung a right and cruised up the farm track, noticing for the first time a bulldozed fence line being put in.  Continued onwards all the way to the gun emplacements.  Bit of a tootle around here then rode and explored the closed Bluffs track to the point we couldnt.  Turned back and bombed down to the OG line across, me leading and juuust making it through all the tech bits.  

On the road again and back up to Britten for 'around the front' and then across the road at the cutting and up over the fence and up the very overgrown long grassed (especially for this time of year) zig and zag climbing all the way to the top of Pleasant.  Very pleasant to get to the top for a bit of a rest and snack.  

Dropped in, me in the lead, and pinging all over the place but enjoying the rocks and the down.  Carved our way through the tussocks and then out to then end.  Down the farmtrack briefly then dropping into what Trailforks calls Titus (Previously the Greenline/Greensticks/Swoopy).  Hero dirt stylez down here, carving back and forth with great gusto and grip.  Fun times.  Then climbing (what Trailforks calls) Knapsack but I call Sheepshit Alley back to the top for the final stretch along this road.  

Dropping into Britten, Nelson took off like a rocket.  I was not far behind but wasn't quite as gungho.  Good across the front then he missed a turn and I took the lead for the drop down, then we explored out to check out the rocks.  Back on track we bombed down the steep section (that freaked me out last time I took the Troll down it) and over the stile to hit down Kenton Track, this time all the way.  It was mint.  He led the first bit but took the high line (towards where I exited last time) and I went low, leading the last section.  Some awesome tech in there.  Finally, up the steps, pushing up alongside houses then out on to Rockview, and up Major Hornbrook to the cars.

A very pleasant 13.8 kms with 520m climbed.

Thursday Morning Along the Top and Back

T on her E and me on my Troll set out nice and early up through Vic, across skidder and up the gutser.  Both walked, I pushed her heavy bike and she couldn't believe how light the Troll was.  We cleaned the next bit to Brakefree then rode up to the very top.  Cruised the Summit Rd all the way to Cavendish Saddle, admired the view, then turned back.  Up Vernon we rode out around the wheelchair track which give some quite cool views I didn't realise were there.

At the top of Vic we continued down to Dyers Pass and bombed down the road, around down and into Vic Park Drive top-end, and back down through here.  I peeled off and did the 235 singletrack, enjoying the crap out of that, then out the lower end and home.

Lovely...  24.75kms and surprisingly 968m ascended.

In the afternoon we flew off up to New Plymouth for WOMAD.

Sunday Heated Head Loop

Feeling weary, took myself up thru Vic via the usuals, road, 19th, skidder, and gruntsvillian.  Across Brakefree and upwards to the top.  Peaked to the road and dropped down in, looping over the jumpies then straight into Worm and headed onto and around the Traverse to the top of Huntsbury DH.  

Dropped in, down upper HuntsburyDH, yumping the yumpies and then out onto the landingstrip zone taking the old line to the left over the rocks, and down.  New trail has been split off to the right for an out and back around but dead-ends, so back onto the dropster down to the cattlestop, and down Ali Express, attempting but failing the steepest rocky section I used to ride all the time.  Something about that wheel sized hole at the top gives me the willies every time.  On down the rest of it enjoying the tech, and around the off-camber ruts back and forth before hitting into the Old Skool.  

Nice blast down this, pumping the pumps and feeling pretty smooth.  Out the bottom and straight into the up-valley grind.  Very shortly overtaken by a young fit bastard, who proceeded to gap me all the way up the valley.  I bungled on, losing sight of him before entering the trees.  Grind, grind away, at Hospital corner I continued on up the valley.  Hot and still in here, I stopped after the bridge in a nice shady spot and somewhat unfathomably bumped into Doug. 

He's everywhere these days.  We had a quick chat and he headed down while I headed up, heat starting to get to me.  Walked a bunch and then rode the nice traverse across to the gulley below Brents.  Climbed up over the cattlestop thankful noone was descending hard, and then ground up the steepest bastard to the first 4wd section which was also insanely steep evil climb, stopping a couple of times for breathers.  Took a couple photos of cool fungi,

then ground on up the next not so bad steep to the Rad Zone.  Ugh, up to the skidder site, then easy over 19th again (due to trail closure on usual route), heat was hard... 

Lovely cool blast coast down road and into the 235 for a sweeeet descent in the shade on slightly damp dirt, jumpitty jump and oaked, then climbing granny, up road, last final blast down behind the houses and home.

Heated, nearly stroked, 11.9 kms, 502 m escalated.

Wednesday Evening Local Solo Zoop

Good wee spin on my lonesome tonight.  Quite warm out, and had been wfh getting new windows installed.  

Chuffed up from home, feeling fat and slow.  Usual over the 19th and up the skidder.  A young dude on a Santa Cruz entered the climb about the same time and proceeded to power away from me, making me really feel fat and old.  Survived the climb and proceeded up to the Thomsons, bomb down one and two, then coast through Kiwi and climbing up the road, a million gromlets rolling down the road towards me from the park.  

I bailed over the saddle onto the Gov's Bay track, finding it a little greasy.  Stopped for a quick blackberry munch (finding them a bit past it now) and kept going, around the south sidle and then climbing up the techy rockness.  Cleaned a lot more than recent attempts, tho still dabbed through or walked a couple of bits.  Over the top and dropped onto the lower Nun at the Drainpipe/CaptTorpedo juncture, floating down the rest and popping up onto the road.  Through Dyers Pass and up the Scummit Rd, past some groms walking(!) and on up to top of Vic (where there were more riders stationed).

Dropped in here, down around popped the jumpies, see-saw, then right-hander and along the fenceline up to top of Pedalfine where I perched for a little rest.  The dudes who were at the top of Vic boosted through the jumps and then headed off over down Shrooms/Cowabunga area, and I headed down Pedalfine, seeing them through the vegetation a bit lower down.  I peeled off to the lower left (like last time) and rolled nicely out through to the traversing 4wd track.  Looked at dropping down the bits I did last time, but decided against it and headed along to the bit that leads to Razza's.  Bombed down this, into Razza's and had a lovely hoon down this, one root nearly catching me out.  

Climbing again, up the bastard steepness to the Skidder, and strangely deciding to climb up the grunter again to take in the Gums.  Ugh, anyway, climbed, grunted, and out the top, quick drink and down the rabbit paddock and into the rocks, gums, back and forth, nice roll.  Through the bottom sequence and whooah!  Trail being worked on.  Climbed back up to Skidder and took the 19th route over, then down the road, rolly rolly, and into 235 for a final sweet burst, nearly greasy, good jumps, out through oaks, climb, onto road, climb, then Dog Park/Microwave Tower dropping fast down behind the houses and home.

An propitious 9.8 kms, with 420 m climbed. 

Thursday Night Captain God- Snake Escape -Ley Thomas

Good spin tonight with Nelsie.  I arrived at Sumnervale to find him already parked up, and having already tickled his drivetrain into submission.  We set straight to it, around Finnsarby Pl and across the redzone, along behind the gabion wall and into the grunt of a climb.  Stopped and ate some blackberries (which were a bit past it, in my mind).  On upwards, and both of us, tho mostly Nelson, muppetting and tweaky pinging all over the place.  It was like his balance was all off and he kept losing it, including having to step off over the bike on a couple of occasions.  Great climb (once you're past the bastard start) and it wasn't long before we were clambering over the slipped out gatefence and hitting the main drag.  Still muppetry ensued, with Nelson walking bits he probably hadn't walked for years.  I wasn't quite so bad, but still not 100%.  Eventually out the top and, given we were aiming to be back down before sunset, we took the road out to above Scarborough and headed up the farmtrack to the Godley.  

I led down over the boardwalks and through the curves, getting some great speed on, but bony trail was pinging all over the place.  No close calls but certainly on the edge a lot of the way, but gapping Nelson (for a change).  Through Livingston and Nelson led the climb over and down to Breeze, both of us getting a little hung up on the ruts after the pfmtbc rock (which it looks like hardly anybody rides anymore).  On the road back up the hill and we parked up at the top of the 'new' Anaconda entrance.

I dove in first, finding a lot of bones and looseness.  A little hairy around a few corners, and I couldn't quite get my flow on in this top section.  It's hardly used, by the feel of it.  Once in the OG snake I was away.  Started off a little slow but once speed was up I maintained it.  Super sketchy around some corners, and a few mega pings, but out onto the 'tail and struggling to keep on the offcamber, overgrown grass.  Then through the cattle grate and the final bits were plenty fun.  Managed to gap Nelson a bit too, which is always a bonus..  Straight into the Taylor's Escape trail, I put him out front again, and of course he slowly increased the gap on me.  Man it gets steep in the gully, but the going certainly improved as we clambered.  One rider coming down towards us, she waited off side for us.  Big corners, then across the top, and on the last hairpin I lost my balance and tipped, hand out to steady, I super-struggled to extract my foot.  Strain.

Onto the road for the climbing, up around the launch pad (lots of these floaty guys around today) and then after taking in the view of the spit and Scarborough beach (pumping!) we headed up the farmtrack again. 

Another break at the top then into the Godley, which I led and caned!  Awesome flow through all the rocky mess, and I finished by taking the walking track bit, coming into the last corner just after Nelson on the main track.

Across Evans, another quick break, both feeling pretty stuffed, I led into the Captain, into what proceeded to be a cruisy fun ride down.  All good, flowy, fun.  On the wee climb after the rocky bits I changed down too low, and spun out, managing to dab my way up it, but Nelson had selected the perfect gear and cleaned it!  first time in a while.  Flow flow flow, over the gatefencehole, and then overgrown techknuckle followed.  Fun, but on your toes, tight, lots of narrow and holes getting bigger, cool rock roll overs, trees to duck, so much fun.  In the pines I got a call from T, (how long?  half an hour??), and then down the finish, back along behind the gabions, gorse stinging salty arms, and then I found a grape vine and we gorged.  As we rode through the red zone 3 paragliders landed over us in that paddock.  Back to the cars and done, 5 minutes before sunset.

Moderately valid effort, 20.64 kms, and 8 m shy of 800 m ascended.

Another Shorty with the Doge, and T, on the Troll

Ebike Tra'y and me on the Troll quick spun the doggy up the hill. He ran and panted. I rode and panted. Tra'y just toodled along. We parted ways and I took Jet down the 235 trail for a good hunk of fun. 

Just over a mile again.  One happy dog.

Sunday Short Local Dog Troll

Love To Ride month and needed to keep up the content. Forecast leading up to today was looking like it was going to be shitty but it turned out to be a lovely day. T and me were intending on going out for another e-hoon but got stuck into the garden instead, so later in the day I took Jet out for a wee blast on the Troll, keeping it very local.  Barely worth mentioning, 1 mile with 50 m climbed, but greasy fun with inappropriate tires was had.  And the dog loved it!

Saturday Morning Summit Eeee-berries Breakfast. Then Late Afternoon Troll to Dinner

T and me took our ebikes up thru Vic to the top.  Down the road to Kiwi, and then a long way out the Summit Rd, checking out the views, and Omahu Bush all the way to Ahuriri cattlestop, overlooking Teddington.  Then turned back. Stopped and feasted on blackberries several times along the way.  Totalled 25 kms with a good chunk of 800 m climbed (with e assist, obvs)

Later in the day, I jumped on the Troll, rode up the hill to top of Vic then most of the way along the Summit Rd, into main (V-twin) Britten entrance, taking it easy on the greasy singletrack then across the front and down the steep to the pylon (nearly losing control here - street-tires on steep dirt, not so good).  Bombed down Longridge and Mt Pleasant Rd to Joy's for a family dinner.  Just under 15 kms and 570 m clambered (non-assisted...)