Wednesday Night Along the Top, Lights

Nice ride tonight. Beautiful evening after so much crappy weather.  Nelson met at mine after work and we headed up into Vic Park, bumping into first Mel (7 weeks into recovery of shoulder) and then along power-walks Jenna.  Nice to see her.  Up through 19th, Skidder, and up the guts.  I had to stall to breath, but cleaned it onwards and we took Worm onto the Traverse for the ride across.  Bit breezy at this point, cold, so I donned my vest and we carried on.  Quite a few on-comers, some rude some not.  

At Vernon stopped for a rest and was completely still and calm.  Bombing down around this, pulling up to allow climbers through a couple times, then bailing off it at the final cattlestop to let a big group up.  Onto Witch, cleaning it all sweetly.  Breather at the high point then onto the the summit and the climb around to Castle.  Couple runners here, and then we were in.  I led the way, fun and weavy.  Narrow! but riding well.  Clamber clamber and back to the road.  Upwards, ugh.  Stayed on the road all the way back to Witch, bombing fast rolling coast.  Back into the Witch and again with the funtimes.  Starting to get a bit tired, both of us, now, so we stayed on the road around Vernon, back onto the Traverse.  

Good Jaunt back around here, Nelson leading the way, but not gapping me much except in the climbs.  Into Vic, over the jumpies, and down to Gums, rocks'n'rolling, tapping it round through trees, awesome grip and fun riding.  Down to the road from skidder, onto the below road trail, mucky through the oaks here, then poaching the Tawhairanui out to Dogpark then down, fast, the road to home - both of us overcooking the granny selection and nearly falling off through spinning too quick.

First in a while and a good long one... Very serviceable 19.8 kms and 740 m clambered - and only the 7th night ride of the year!  It's been a long wet winter.

Saturday Ups and Downs, Locally

No false advertising here. Up to the top of Vic, down Thompson #1 and back up the road.  Down around the jumpies and over the seesaw, then down through the gums out to skidder, down Shazza's and Sneaky Ridge, then all the way down Nu-Bridges and from Hospital Cnr, climbing again, up around gasping, then back up the gutser and all the way to the top again, this time via Worm.  Back down around the jumpies, then across the rabbit paddock to my sunset seat for a view. Then back into the gums, bomb bomb bomb, through 19th, down the road and into 235 down and out.  Final climb up to road and mud-clearing speed down to home. 

Steep ups and steep downs, juicy, 9.1 kms with 409 m ascended.

Saturday TreE-Bike Planting Southshore

With 100% battery I rode into a foul easterly, usual byways to Opawa then Hargood to cemeteries, past the poo processing to Bridge St, and along the estuary edge trail all the way to the planting (bar the block or two you have to use the road).  

Planted lots of plants, shifted woodchips, made up the little cardboard surrounds, chatted to people, filled out the GEOG309 survey, ate a couple sossies and it looked like rain, even a few drops...

Headed home via Rocking Horse Rd, then left onto the estuary edge and similar return route, arriving home with 26% battery left. 

MMR claims 33.57 kms, but the speedo on my bike measured 18.9 or so kms each way... 305 altitudes predominantly powered by the motor...

Fat Sunday Little Menzies

At the bach for the weekend and had taken the fatty over,  Saturday I spun Jet to the wharf and back, and then on Sunday morning headed out for a ride on my own...  Went down to the beach and headed up the Decanter Bay road hill... Steep grind up here, nearing the top I spotted Tra'y (who had Jet) across the valley on the Chorlton Rd, tiny moving dot on the landscape.  Over the top and a very fun descent, fat tires gripping and steering beautifully.  Through the valley bottom, and into the climb, stopping to check out the stinging nettle treat, then stopping a little further up and layering off, then again, stopping to check out the view (and message T to say I could see Chorlton again).  View Hill was also in view, in snow covered glory - woulda been mucky up there).  Around the corner and climbing for a good while, some young cattle very interested in my progress.  Climbed around the first catchment into the next and up a little getting to a high point before the road started flatly dropping for a while.  Figured I'd done enough and turned back.  

Nice rolling coast, slowly faster around and down.  Tires gripping like crazy and muchly enjoyable rolling.  Stopped just over the cattlestop into Decanter and took in the view, spotting a Hector's Dolphin toodling around below.  Back into the ride, coasting faster and faster, til I was flying, but still cautious around each bend, gravel pretty loose but tires coping oh so well.  Major speed on the final cruise through the bottom and then back down through the gears and clambering again, grinding ftw.  Up up up and eventually making the top ready for a chip-seal bombfest.  Slowly increasing speed built to crescendo magnitude by the final hairpin where I scrubbed all the speed down, for the final coasting roll to speed through the bottom of the valley again, and slow cruise back up to the house.

Well nigh 15 kms and a good 660 m surmounted.

Sunday Trollification

Short hoon up on the Troll along to top of Kennedy's and back.  Up Vic Park Drive, through skidder, cleaned more of the steep than ever before, walked, lots of people around, bumped into Miles at the drinking fountain, continued up, Thompsons #1, down to Kiwi, up from here.  Stopped at saddle before Kennedy's to explore along the cliff walk a little, a bunch of climbers swinging about on the cliffs above.  Will be a potential night ride sometime when things dry out.  Back onto the road and continued up to the corner top of Kennedys, before turning around and hooning back.  Roady passed me along the flat and complimented the bike.  He only dropped me slowly, I kinda stuck with him just not quite as fast on the climbs, but never dropping me too far behind but I was gaining on him from Worsley's.  He stopped at Kiwi and I rolled through the saddle and up to top of Vic, for a bomb down through the fast routes, massive speed through the Skidder, easy on the mud towards 19th and then flat out down the road. 

Not too bad for a first ride in ages, 13.5 kms with 432 m climbed.

Big Matariki Saturday Trolloop

What an effort... Whoooeeee I'm knackered now. 

Headed up valley from the bach, riding all the way past Misty Hills and up to the traffic lights where the first spate of walking started.  Good to get a good look at the washouts etc along here, seeing that the road wasnt undercut and also the sheer power of the floods that had occurred.  Riding a bit, walking a bunch, over an hour to get to the summit road.  

Around the Summit Rd, up and over the flanks of Duvauchelle Peak, bombing down onto the long flatter ridgetops.  Stopped along here and noticed that I'd dropped my orange GE top somewhere behind, so with slight panic I turned back about, climbing back up and over, around 4 kms, to finally find it sitting lonesome on the road a third of the way back from View Hill turn off towards L.A hilltop.  Debated with myself about dropping back down into the bay but decided that would have cut the ride too short at 1.5 hours, so I turned back and climbed back up and over again, cruising and bombing down, down on to Okains turn off.  

If I hadn't had to turn back for the shirt I would have headed up from here and explored out Cameron's Track - gravel road, down to Big Hill Rd into Okains instead, but figured that'd take too long now so I headed down the main road into the bay.  Super bombing hoon down, down valley and eventually parking up at the old Library building for a rest and snack.  A wee explore over the Millenium bridge and back then down through 'town' and left to head towards Little Ak.  

Climbing again, grinding away, walking a little(?), pulling over for a car at one point, grinding on.  An Explore down Boleyn's Rd for a look, then back and bombing down into Stony Bay.  Up valleybottom, over the bridge and climbing again, a bit of walking but mostly staying on top of the gear.  A nice big rest and snack up above the steep corner before the cruise on up past the rich house and on up past Wells Back where I stopped for another wee rest.  Dug deep and climbed again, last bits around into Chorlton, fast bomb down and around to the final climb up to top and finished into the final bomb down into the bay and back to the bach.  Long ride.

Just over 40kms spun with slightly < 1500m ascended. 

Brisk Sunny Day TreE-bike for Canterbury Planting

TFC planting at Englefield Reserve in Northwood, so left home just after 9am into the brisk wintry cold.  Colombo, Stickland, Antigua, Rolleston, Hagley park, where I found the first frostiness, some ice on the path towards the pinaster pines.  Rossall, Strowan and rail trail to the end, and beyond, riding the slick muddy channel along the side of the tracks to Sturrock's Rd, into Barnes Reserve, moseying through to cross Barnes Rd into Aylsham Reserve cutting right to Primrose Hill Lane, out to Regent Spark Drive, then across Styx Mill Rd and up into Northwood to take the meandering straight shot to the park.  

Dug and planted and chatted and had a good sense of community good, ate my sossies and then hit the trail again.  Same way in reverse to Sawyers Arms Rd, where I hung a left and rode home via the Rutland Trafalgar route to Colombo for the straight shot home with a quick detour drop into Stupormarket hell at PaknSlave.  Home and up the hill.

33 or so kms, left me with about 20% battery... (marginally more kms and less battery than the planting Styx couple weeks back)

Sunday Looping Troll

Damp and cloudy, beasterly blasting for days and a bunch of rain having sogged up the hills, so I headed out on the Troll.  Down our driveway and down Longhurst to Derrynane, through the reserve out and down Kidson.  Crossed Dyers into Whisby, careful careful (damp leaves) down here into Macmillan, zoom and pop, over to Polson, 37 steps up to Sassaram, coasting down to the 'alleyway', greasy and a couple of steps down to upper Shalamar.  

Brief stint on Cashmere Rd into Ferniehurst, Wood- and Palm-sides on the Uni-trail, along river past Pioneer, over Frankleigh and into the backstreets to Domain Terrace peeling left across Spreydon Domain out to Hoon Hay.  Through the lights, past the Carmelites, left onto mucky slow greasy alongside Heathcote River where I'd never explored before.  Had to check the map a couple of times to work out where I was.  Past Nga Puna Wai sports hub and around up to, McMahon Drive, detour up Mariposa Cres and back, then Aidenfield Dr over the bridge, hard left back to the motorway bikepath, and followed the motorway to the underpass, along the other side of the motorway for a bit out to rail trail, taking this to Prebbleton, new trails behind the shops, then into Tosswill, Oakwood Mews, around Prebbleton Domain, nearly losing it passing a grumpyman, front wheel started to slide on slick dirty tarmac.  

Out Penny Rose Lane, and left into Trice's, 80kph zone, Saby's, Candy's, Glover's, Kennedy's, and finally Cashmere Rd.  Took a toodle around new wetlands, up Happy Home, dropping down into the park and out to Croftfield, crossing over to Pentonville, up Rushden, then steep clamber and muck avoidance around to zig zags up to Worsley.  

Dropped down Worsley's Rd, round past the bikepark entrance, through the Stone House garden up steps to Shalamar, then carried up the steps to Bengal.  Took the call from Tra'y, MMR stopped here.  Through Delhi, Polson, and Hackthorne home. 31.5 kms measured but more like 35, and MMR only gave me 200m climbed!  Having killed my ride at Bengal Drive  there's another 200m to add to that.

Wednesday Night Escaping Godley in the Muck

Mucky greasy mess tonight.  Met Nelson at Evan's Pass (I drove via Lyttelton), very dark night with Lyttelton urban-glow above Greenwood.  We headed along the road chatting and catching up then headed up the climb above Scarborough to the trail...  Hoo-eee, what a doozy of a grease-fest.  Railroaded and slipping, I was very cautious and reactionary, no flow whatsoever - just couldn't seem to get on top of my game.  Pinged and squelched my way down to Livingston and we got into the climb, first rocks up near the top I was just slipping all over the place and dabbing something chronic.  Got to the high point and Nelson suggested we take on the Escape trail downhill, so we turned around and headed back down to Livingston.  Again with the cautious Colin approach.  (perhaps subconsciously nursing my wrist??)  

Over the road and into the descent; more of a sidle really.  Grease fest yet again, one or two 2-wheel steering zones, but mostly under control albeit not fast.  Back and forth and long between then across up valley and into the depths, very mucky down in here.  Minimal control.  Good roll, as if on railroad tracks in the rut down valley, then into the Snake for the climb.  This was better.  I seemed to manage the tech a bit better.  Around and bottom of Anaconda hit the walking track and grannied up up up the to the OG section of Anaconda to Breeze Col.  Hit the road again from here and rode and climbed and cruised up back to top of Scarbro, for the climb back up to Godley.  In fog this time.

Onto the Godley proper heading for Evans.  Pinged and slipped our way back, super dodgy on the rocks, wheels akimbo.  No major issues and made it alive down to the last blip.  Nelson waiting, we set off to finish on the upper walking section dropping down to the exit.  Back to cars, survived.

Convoluted messiness, 14.5 kms with 482 m clambered

Saturday Two Hauls of Te Kaiterau

Kaikoura for a birthday weekend and rain on the horizon so got out while the boys were paddling.  Drove to end of Kowhai Bush Rd and started into the Kaiterau.  Trail much drier than expected (given we'd had a bit of rain in town), and I climbed and I climbed.  Not sure what I think of the distance measurers as you ride.  The first one, 0.5 km feels like it's a lot further in than that.  The rest seem about right.  Met a woman at about the 2.5 km mark, walking down.  Good climb, got the oxygen flowing into me which made me feel a bit better after a bit too much nice wine (1996 Lastrada Syrah, yum).  Anyway, the whole ride was measured as 6.6 kms but really it's 10.  The detail of the MMR seems to miss a few of the convolutions of the trail not to mention it's verticality.  7 kms up, back and forth, zig and zag - 35 or so minutes.  Then into the 3 kms down - started out tires grabbing a surface off the trail and flinging globs of it up and caking everything for the first few hundred metres, then it settled and in the forest was a lot of fun.  More fun than you can shake a stick at.  My wrist felt okay after Thursday's crash too.. Kaiterau number 1.  Total time elapsed, 44 minutes. The tramper woman was at the bottom and commented on how fast I'd been to get down again.   Meant to be 10 kms, 400m.  MMR? 6.2km, 377m

Drove back to Dave's. and the boys were back from paddling, and Paul was keen to ride so we went back out there, weather threatening.  We headed in, trail was in same condition as before, tho we got a couple of small showers as we climbed.  Paul eventually mastered the hairpins.  I gave him the tip of leading corners with the front wheel wide and he found that made it easier.  He'd stalled on a fair few before that.  Eventually we made the top, I think about 5 minutes slower than my first effort.  There were a couple on bikes at the top, who'd pushed up Mt Fyffe Track (2 kms). Mad.  The rain started with aplomb.  I led off into the descent and it was already wetter than before, more flingy and mucky.  Again, this settled a little way down, tho slightly more caution was needed in the more open bits.  I'd put my jacket on at the top so it was getting dirty instead of me getting wet.  Good bomb.  Stopped every now and then to let Paul catch up.  He loved it.  A good 10 minutes later and I'm out the end.  Nice..  Second time around 6.6 kms, 379m

Unexpected Thursday Short'n'Sharp

Wasn't sure I'd be able to ride due to my cold of previous week, but found myself feeling okay, at home with no responsibilities, so I headed out for a short one.  Up from home through the usual 19th Skidder and up the groveller.  Up through to top of Thomsons, nice blast down this and then the second one.  Turned back up the road to top of Vic and dropped down through the jumps, and lined up the see-saw but felt my balance wobbly and luckily stopped juuuust soon enough to not fall off it.  Pushed back up and lined up again and rode onto it but balance wobble nearly had me toppling off to the right and I rushed through it and landed heavily.  Ugh.  Up along the fenceline to the top of Pedalfine.  Dropped down through, greasy a bit, and bailed to the left below where we used to always bail to the left.  Across the wee slippery bridge and out onto the wide track, sidling across nearly to the end and dropping down to hit the top of Razza's.  Awesome wee drop down through this, then straight into the climbing again, grovel grovel back to the Skidder.  From here, over 19th way and then looking for the droppy path we did with the gheybois all those years ago.  I found it eventually and down through the super steep planted kanuka etc and this resulted in a bit of a prang, leaving a garked elbow and a tweaky wrist... Perfect storm of the kanuka and some roots, kanuka grabbing my handlebars at exactly the same time as my rear wheel slid on roots and I toppled smackdown onto the Latter's Spur track.  Straightened up the bars and headed along this, through past the playground dropping down to Dog park and into the Dogparkcarpark trail, greasy, taking the first left down the newly re-established and extended line, which is tight and slow, but kinda cool - out onto Harry Ell.  Down this and to the right out to Vic Park Rd then home.

6.5 km with 230 m climbed

Sunday Planting Styx

Took the Ebike across town to a planting at Styx and back.

Annual planting, sponsored this time by Hutchison Ford, at Styx Reserve.  Good turn out, and we put in 1000 plants before enjoying the quality sausages.

32 kms round trip.(MMR doing something weird, no map...) (left me with 38% battery from full, using Tour mode most of the time...)

I am Saturday's Curious Orange

Joy's birthday brunch at the Lyttelton Coffee Co, be-speakered Mike on the decks, Troll in the back of the car. T had a lunch date at 12 so I was to ride home from here. 

Up thru Lyttelton, Oxford, Exeter, Canterbury, Somes, and onto the Major Hornbrook Track.  Lots of steps, and rocks, quite mucky and slippery up into the clouds... Carried numerous times, mostly the worst rocky bits and a few flights of steps. 

Onto the Summit down out of the clouds around under the Gondola, sunshiny view below, then climbing from Bridle-top back into the clouds for the rest of the way.  Stopped for a breather at Castle, and sat on a dry spot on the road, chatting to a couple who rode by and then getting complimented on my bike as I departed by another couple.  In the clouds all the way around, stayed on the Summit road, then entered top of Vic Park and skedoodled down around and down the main tracks, bombing through skidder out of the clouds and sunshineing all they way home.

12.79 kms and 735 m climbed. Good ratio. 

King's Monday evening Wet Troll Jaunt

Quick late spin up Vic and back in the rain to not see the sunset.  Raining all day, so mudguards on the Troll and off i treadled at about 4.40pm.  Up up up breathing good and climbing to Skidder then pushing up the steep grunter and up through Brakefree and up to top of Vic, via a detour across the fenceline.  Up to the wee shelter above the road, Doug, then down again, managing the grease and lack of traction surprisingly well.  Down the rocks and into the gums, taking it very easy.  Then fast down the road.  

Nice and wet and nearly dark!  5 kms, 170 m gained.  

King's Sunday Blow Out

Nice spin up and down the first half of the Blowhard with Nelson today... Drove out to find a "Track Closed Until Further Notice" sign ("call Riki on this number for info").  Nelson rang Riki and he was cool with bikers and walkers, just not 4wds or motorbikes or poachers...  So.  Off we rode.  Straight into the steep, like hitting the body-bag from cold.  Gruunnntt...  but eventually it levels off for a bit and we heard a motorbike coming.  Nelson knew the guy, Alan, who was bringing down a heap of possum.  He had a really nice dog too.  Chatted for a bit then we headed off again, not far from the mudpug, then the real climb began...  A bunch of walking, pushing, a little riding, more pushing.  Steep.  Rough, but dry.  Forest was WAY more open than in the past, the deer numbers must be mad.  Bit of pig sign around, and the occasional pool of blood where Alan had slaughtered one of his possums.  Eventually, surprisingly quicky, we made the first top, one that we'd ridden as far as with Chris one of the first times.  Sat and had a snack, then turned and pointed down...

Awesome blast down, all the tech that'd lookd sketch as f on the way up was immenently rideable, tho still sketchy in places.  Really enjoyed it, considering last time we climbed up here I would have been on the Turner and that time we went down the Bypass Track, meaning the last time I'd descended this I would have been on the Soul!  This bike just rocked this rocky descent, almost treating the toddler- to baby-head sized rock like pow pow.  Met Alan on his way just turning around to head down again, and chatted briefly, then bailed...  Railed it.  Nailed it.  But alas, it was over too soon.  Through the mud pug, then the 'farmy' bit then the steep rutted 'bodybag' bit, and back to the car, very little time elapsed.

Minimally, 6.24 kms, with 436 m climbed. 

no ridesss

No rides since before field work trip, then Wellington for Sleafords...  Walked tho, for work...  (of which, days one, two and five were the same loop (only MMW'd day 2... copied out) around 10 kms each day, no tracks just markers, stopping for tracking tunnels, traps, and seed-fall: slipping, tripping, falling, trudging and lurching.

End of the month now and nothing expected tonight, so... meh

Wednesday Night Poached Shortness

Short local up and back taking in some dodgy walking tracks.  

Bit of mucking around first, but Nelson came to mine and we headed out at 6.40 and headed up into Vic Park the usual way, on the walking track to save the tires, then up over the top of the Info Centre then up over 19th and up the grunter.  We climbed around and hit Thompsons #1 down, then along the road and into #2, blitzing through the splecky water on the trail ("needs a drain at the top," i mentioned).  Bars missing the narrow trees we hoofed out onto the road and rolled down to the Pass.  Up the Summit, with a million Park bikers coming down towards us we climbed up to where the top Gov's Bay track drops over from opposite the Nun.  Grabbed a drink and snack bite here then we headed along the Coronation Reserve walking track, southside so greasy, little soft mud but damn slippery rocks too.  A few clambers up too-tech sections then nice rolling around and dropping down the other side.  Onto the trail that heads around the back to the Kiwi too, nicely nicely - only 2 too-tech bits.

Back up the road to top of Vic and in for the blast around over the jumps and then down through Brake Free, through the stile and left into the Gums, awesome pace all the way down through and out to Skidder, and into the newly re-formed "CAP This Way" trail, bermy back and forth down to Vic Park Rd.  Back up this and into the walking track below, across to Tawhairanui and into the 235 Dogparkcarpark blast.  Mucky as all F in the usual wetspot and then out to the exit for a final tire-clearing hoon down to home.

Only 8 and a quarter kilometres, with just over 300 m escalated.

Off to Slaughter Burn for the week on Friday...

Sunday Arvo Flow

Nice wee ride out on my lonesome. Up the usual ups, 19th, skidder, gruntsville, to the top of Vic, down around the two jumpies, then back up Worm to the Traverse across, beautiful sunny day out ahead.  Stopped for a wee break at the top of Fourpause/HuntsDH, then dived on in.  Nicely nicely, but a couple of massive hits made me wonder if my back tire was gonna pinch or something.  Wove my way down to the 4wd, meeting 3 dudes on 'normal' bikes having just climbed up.  The pace they were making made me initially think they were on ebikes, but nope.  Down to and finding my way onto Ali Express, zig and zag, very under-used - no real sign anyone's been on it for a long time.  Back onto the usual bylines dropping down.  Another massive thwack rear end, pinch?  no, phew - but something was definitely up.  Air Pressure, I now think.  Otherwise a nice flowy cruisey blitz down Old Skool.  Speed, and flow, coast, hang back, rest, dive in, rail, flow, break, rail, flow, rinse and repeat.  Eventually out the bottom, and back up into the climb.  

Grind grind grind.  Pushed up from Hospital, then rode and cleaned around to Texaco, then took a new route for me, over to the right, onto the walking track.  Walked, and then decided to ride a bit, enough flatish bits that it's not a bad climb.  Spotted/connected where we used to ride down here, further over than I thought, and eventually made my way to the Eastside Bush 4wd track, meandered up, walking some, that to Skidder.  Over 19th again, relaxing coast down road, and into 235 for some super flowy hero dirt, avoiding jump to muck, acorns, climb to dogpark and final blast down behind the houses, rear suspension in need of work.  

A pretty good 11.6 kms, and 490 m climbed

Wednesday Steep Locales

Short and steep ride tonight, in two one-sentence paragraphs.  

Up from home, over 19th usual, skidder, steep, through and up to a quick duck down Thompson #1 and back up road, then down around the Jumpies, bypassed the see-saw, but headed up the fenceline to top of Pedalfine, over the fence and dropped down Upper Fenceline track, skirting across top of Cool Runnings and up the 4wd tracks, getting somewhat confused as to where I was briefly but working it out and dropping down through Razzas, across the Rad to Sneaky Ridge, mumpity bump down the rocks and roots and nearly losing it in the acorns, leaping into Bridges or flow or whatever it's called out there, around into Nu Bridges, spotting lights and silhouettes ahead, catching and overtaking a guy scurrying out of my way on the last corner rock, rolling down to his buddies, confusing them, at Hospital, then up K2, around the Texaco jumps, up the horrible steeps and up around the steep bastards to Skidder again.  

From here, back up the steep to Brakefree and down through the usual gummies, over 19th again, tarmac coasting then 235, a bit damp, nearly losing it again in those acorns, and finally down through the lower exit, road and home. 

Cray cray steepies, 9 kms with 400 m climbed.

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).