Saturday a.m. Up Across Down Up Across Down

Quick blat across and down Huntsbury and back.  First coffee, then I hit up the hill on the Jeht.  Up through usuals, 19th, Skidder, Gruntsville and up to top and into Worm onto the Traverse for the hoon across here.  Uneventful, a few oncomers but early enough that there werent many around.  Stopped for a bit of a rest at top of Hunts-DH.  Chatted to a slightly older dude who said, "Have you done the Ghost Rd?"... yep, "is it harder than this?"  They were relieved when I told him it's wider and less tech than sections of this (other than below Ghost Hut).  They left and I dropped.  A lot of wind about, bit gusty, but the first jump was all good.  2nd is almost inaccessible now due to rutsville, then 3rd and last couple are excellent.  Out onto the landing strip section, I mistakenly stayed on the straight-ahead and flowed out through it, but bailed off it an back up the landingstrip to taken in the more technical flow over rocks and around and down, then on Aliexpress all the way down to the gate below (for Old Skool).  Back up the climb for this pic.

On up and up the grind of the gravel to the top of Huntsbury Track, and onto the Traverse the opposite direction.  Good blast with some nice tail-wind sections.  Back all the way and enjoyably through the jumpies, down through the gate (as oposed to the seesaw), into the first section of brakefree, railing the new berms, then out onto rabbit paddock and down the rockgarden, gums, blitzy blitzy out the bottom and then rolling down the road into a very busy carpark, weave through cars to hit the fun trail, all the way down and out to H'Ell, to clamber back up onto Vic Park Drive and home. 

Whole lotta fun - 11.7 km and 420 m climbed

Thursday Night Victorian Nun

On the tail end of a bad cold, had a choice spin up the locals tonight with Nelson. 

Up the usual route, over 19th, skidder, gutser and up onto the Thompsons one and two.  Through Kiwi and up Summit, pulling onto the walking track (to avoid the BoyRacer action (lots out last night hooning)) from where the Nun meets the road.  Good climb up here, cleaning lots of steep and stepping up the odd bit.  Up Worsley's Rd to top then along the access trail to the Nun.  I dropped in first and missed the first peel off but got the old one and the big rock wall corner that I slipped on last time, cleaned out but lost a bit of speed through caution, which I soon made up for.  The new bike handles it all so nicely and on the faster straighter section was a fucking rocketship.  Hauled ass, and Nelson said he struggled to keep up.  Trail riding pretty good until lower down, but even that was okay.  All the way down to the Kiwi, Nelson saying the dust I was chucking up towards the end was chokey.  

Across Dyers and an event free climb up to the upper Thompsons, I dived into the little shortcut, only to find my way blocked by a fallen spruce branch.  Around this and into the cruise and slowly steepening climb, evil pincher towards the top where a dude (familiar face - see him on the trails regularly) was waiting for us to exit.  I was maxed out so needed a good breather up here.  Off into the around and down descent, over the jumpies, over the see-saw and hang a hard right along the fenceline up to the end.  Over the fence and lined up for Pedalfine.  Biff boff baff down here, left into the unused duffy trail dropping down with minimal traction and peeling left along the slippery wee bridge and some green mossed dropover onto the cross track 4wd.  Across and into Razza's, dropping through some climbers on the next cross track down, dropping into the tech with gusto.  One of the corners near the end has turned weirdly nasty, a tree root looks to be ready to be a pedal grabber, as it's come loose from the ground attached at each end.  It'd stalled Nelson (don't actually think he caught it, but stalled nonetheless), and so I stalled too.  Managed to get going again into the next droparound corner, and boffed it out the bottom (where 4 ebikers were waiting).  We started climbing and they climbed off ahead of us.  Up to the junction and off over into lower Pedalfine, dropping down the next section, then we rode up the 4wd back to the bottom of Razza's, and took, effectively the continuation of it into the Brentzone, across to the far side of this and down into the bottom.  

From here was time to introduce Nelson to the Corporate Ladder, climbing it's steepness (which made me stop to breath twice! (still getting over the ffing flu, afterall). up onto the start of Sneaky, where we climbed on up to 40fter and back up where we'd climbed before, around into the steeperer and up to Skidder where we ran into Mel and her friend.  Up over 19th, dropping down (nearly crashing where we hit the road, skidded slideways onto the right drop over, then down Tawhairanui up to the dogparkcarpark and into my 235 for a very nice flight, swooping through the bush and over the first jump realising on landing how greasy soggy it's been since last rains.  I baulked around the 2nd jump and we flowed all the way out to the very end, with the carry from H'Ell up onto road and final blat down home.

Well worthy 11.65 kms and a piddly wee 435 m climbed.

Saturday, Too Easy

We headed out with Dave and Jana and looped out Easy Rider... Dropped down Easy Rider all the way, staying on it this time (not taking Perserverence), cos it's the level at which Jana could handle.  Eventually got to Snakes'n'ladders and T and me took that eventually meeting Dave up at the corner.  T chased off after Jana and Dave and me rode through to Camp Track and back along past the DOC base and through the tech challenge zone, intending to meet the girls at the bridge.  They werent there.  We headed up the road a bit, no sign, then back and lo they were on T and my picnic table from yesterday.  Headed back to the house from here.

Started MMR a little late, so around 10km and 100m climbed.

Friday Hanmer Fat ride.

Sweet and slow, both of us exhausted from a week of sickness, we toodled around a few trails in Hanmer.  Cruised up Bristol St and dropped over to the pond and up to Swamp for a cruisy climb.  Really fatigued we both were, utterly spent.  And climbing's not T's forte anyway, so was good for her to get into this.  Down Swoop for a fun descent, fatty handling the whole thing beautifully.  Then it was off around Western Link track and over down through past the DOC base and through the tech practice zone to the road bridge.  I bombed back up to the car and grabbed us some eggy pie which I rode back up a different street, down to Dog Stream and back up to T on a picnic table.  From here we headed off down Easy Rider, fun down stream through onto Perserverence through to it's end.  T had had about enough now so we headed back along Easy Rider, then climbed back up to the streets and back to the car.  Hot pools soak and steam infusion followed and we were toasted.

An easy 14.15 kms and nearly 200m climbed.

Saturday Morning Jeht Up Down and back Up

Local shake down of the new ride.  And it was good.  

Gorgeous day, sunshine and in most places no wind. Headed up into the park from home, climbing at no different a clip to previously.  New bars and stem definitely making a difference in the way it feels, over 19th, and up the grunter, cleaning it no problem all the way (with one rest).  First difference noticed, climbing steep is easier - not having to focus on the balance point between leaning forward to keep the front down vs the back wheel losing traction, the long wheelbase keeps that back wheel planted and it just keeps chugging.  Puffing hard, up through Brakefree where there was a working bee, topped up my water and kept on to the top, dropping right on Thompson's #1.  After clearing a couple of walkers it was a nice wee spin then back up the road and dropped around down through the jumps, flying nicely, then down the rabbit paddock into the rocks and gums.  Excellent down here, even if lamenting the loss of my old, now log-blocked, route (i'll bring the axe and pruning saw up soon).  Out to skidder and up into top entrance of Razza's, dropping and rolling sweetly down through this, the baulked corner from last time cleared nicely, handling impeccable.  Climb from here up to the corner for a breather, then photo-op... pre drop in.

Dropped from here into lower Pedalfine, dropping down and down into the gully.  Straight into Corporate Ladder, climbing back up around this and up onto Sneaky Ridge with lovely kereru flapping about above me.  Dropped off down Sneaky with the bike handling everything immaculately, boof boff down through around and out over the fence onto Flow immediately behind a couple of other riders who I rapidly caught up to and undertook on the lower trail, stating what great nick that trail was in.  Off down nuBridges at mostly a great pace and then zapping down valley, hauling up to hang the right into HiddenValley bonus climb, and clambering up this, cleaning all the corners wonderfully with my new climbing mojo (with one rest before the last two).  Out onto Old Skool and stopped at the highest point for a good long rest, helmet off and some chugging of the water.

The two riders I'd passed earlier came along and I was just about to take off, but offered if they wanted to go first but they said, "you look better than us." So I said, "I'll try not to embarass myself!" and took off, blasting.  They never caught me, didn't see them til i was on the traverse back across they were above me.  Nice blast down through the rest, bike handling it all with aplomb.  Straight into the climb again, up valley, what a grunt.  All the way up to Hospital Corner no problem, really revelling in the climbability of this beast.  Up the hospital rocks and then a short walk on the steepest bit, then riding all the rest, even over the roots.  Past Texaco and onwards, nice, nice, nice...  Under the pylon, up past 40fter, through the Rad zone, out to Skidder, then quick drop down the 'park' entrance zone, peelign right and out to 19th, below road for nice roll, then back out and coasting roll to dogparkcarpark dropping in for a railing berm ride, jumps, steep right up to lower dogparkcarpark and down from the microwave tower behind houses fast, home.  

Yes, it's heavier then the Rocky, but just climbs so much better.  And on the downs it's SO planted.  Feels awesome.

Sweet as!! A valid 11.7 kms and 480 m climbed.

New Bike Day!!

The Jeht arrived last week and has had the Rocky components transferred to it over the weekend by Josh. Picked up last night and Tra'y forced me out of bed this morning (cos I'd been thinking about doing this) to ride up to top of Vic with her (on her E-commuter) as the sun rose.  Riding position a little awkward given the stem and bars not quite being right for the lonnnnng frame, so I pushed her bike and she mine up the steepest part of the grunter.  On up around to the top.  She headed off down the road and I rode the single-track back, around over the jumps, nice, then down into the gums.  The rocks were smooth and fast and my favourite line has a log across it now so I had to take the steep left hander.  Further than I remembered it and quite fun.  Out all the way on single to the 19th where I waited for T and we rode the next bit of road down to the carpark where I peeled off and flew into the greasefest.  Sweet rolling down here and the bike just felt so planted.  Very nice.  Jumped both smoothly and then careened all the way down to the bottom.  Brief jaunt on H'Ell then lugged up onto the road and home.

Sooo Lonnnnnnng compared to the BFe

Enjoyable way to start the day, 5 kms and 156 m climbed.

Update: Deity stem and bars ordered, should be here by end of week.  Weekend will see me riding proper trails to see how it shakes out!

Sunday, Fatty and Skinny ride Reynolds Valley, Bossu Rd, Railtrail

At the bach for the weekend and I'd planned to ride with Nelson, so I drove back out to Little River and met him early Sunday morning.  LAk was in the fog when I left, but up valley I came out into basking sunshine.  Pigeon was full of fog too, but Akaroa not, it holding off at the heads.  Down into LR and it was cold - frost on parts of the old railway carriages.  We got riding and headed around into Okuti Valley.  We met one car down here and no more for a long time.  Up valley then into Reynold's Valley, steep and narrow, very smooth packed gravel and a tunnel of bush.  Beautiful.  Lonnnnng climb - maybe an hour and a half to get to the top.  Was quite good, a few steep pinches with flatter gentler bits in between.  Ends up very high up on the ridge, and then climbs around a couple more corners some more once on Bossu Rd too.  Little bit of frost in shady places on the way up and up top.  

View out to the west...

At this stop we were overlooking Te Oka and the Devil's Gap to the left, Okuti Valley to the right, the Southern Alps right the way across.  You could see the backs of Bradley, Herbert, Fitzgerald, Sinclair, all the way across to Mt Pearce and View Hill top of LA.  I heard voices, then spotted some Gravel riders on their way up Bossu Rd.  As we took off down and came to them they were saying "ice" (i thought they were saying 'nice' about my bike) and sure enough around the corner, ice on the road.  No biggie.  Some speed and a couple more riders, and more speed, fun blasting down, and chilly!  Views were spectacular.  Approaching Kinloch Rd spotted some motorbikes coming up.  We hit the climb (on much deeper gravel) from here and they caught and overtook.  Further along they were stopped for photos and we got ahead of them then.  Lonnnng bomb down down down, sheep encountered, all the way down.  Such a long way.  Quite heavy gravel so not really trusting cornering traction much.  More amazing views half way down, looking straight up the Little River main street.  Then dropping down over towards Birdling it got very cold, with fog rolling over the township.  Down to past the cool homestead and onto the flat, across the bridge and into the gravel, bogged.  Walked a bit, then eventually it firmed up enough to ride - you'd never get a 2wd car through it.  

Onto the road, a km or so to the rail trail then the slog along this, eventually me slipstreaming behind Nelson, getting totally knackered.  We stopped at Caton's Bay for a snack and then rolled on the last 3 kms at a flying pace.  Back to the cars at 11.40 or so.  "Nice".  

A tenable 33.6 kms (or probably more like 34.6 km, cos MMR was being a pain in the ass in LR and wouldnt start til we were around the corner) and rather good 960 m escalated.

Sunday Explore and SS spin

Tray and me out for a spin, both a little worn from yesterdays' big circuit, her on her E bike and me on the Troll this time.  

Bombed down Dyers, into Hackthorne, hauling up and hard left into Lady Polson, down and around the dirt/gravel bit into Chittagong, left up the rest of Bengal and down through the greasy wee path to the top end of Shalamar driveways.  Bomb down this, through the Stone House, out to Holmcroft, right on Worsleys, left into Hurunui, down here, right into Opihi and out onto Cashmere Rd.  I took her on a wee detour through the park and along the creek, across Penruddock, along the creek again out into Croftfield Pl, into Willowdell Reserve for a steep climb we both failed on out to Happy Home Rd.  Easy coast down here and I spotted an entrance to the new Te Kuru wetlands reserves across the road.  Big old meander around in here on the nicely chip-gravelled paths, eventually finding out way out onto Sutherlands Rd.  Up here to Milnes, through exploring new slobdivisionings when T said to me, "can we go home now?" 

So off we headed, more direct return, Sparks for a bit, into the Sparks Rd wetlands, bumping into a fellow LA-er, Geoff, walking his dogs, then slipstream time, me tucked in behind Tra'y setting the pace back along Cashmere Rd, around and hard right into Bengal for a steeeep climb for me, back up the way we'd come down except Hackthorne the rest of the way.

Down, about and back up.  17.2 kms with 265 m climbed.

Sunset Singlespeed Spin

After a bit of an afternoon nap had ensued, at 5 I decided I really needed more, so I headed out and up for a bit of a burn on the Singlespeed.  Clamber clamber, over 19th to Skidder then cut right across into the firs for the descent back down to road, across from skidder below for a bit then back up onto road to drop into Dog Park Car Park into the greasy fun, feeling good, singlespeed a perfect wee hack, both jumps in the oaks, even had an audience on the lower, then cut through and all the way down to Harry Ell.  Clambered back up onto road, fast bomb home.  - a proper groove.  Less than 4 kms, but an additional 100 m added to the day's total.

Saturday E-Summit, Sumner Loop

Tra'y, Lynne (on Hugo's) and me all on ebikes, leaving home around 11am, up through Vic to Summit, all the way across the tops, glorious day, but cold, even some frost on the road in the shade of Scott's Knob.  Lovely blast down to Rapaki-top then through up to Castle and down over Bridle-top and under the Gondola.  Stopped for a picnic at Cavendish Saddle, overlooking the LYT, then back on road up through the cutting and downhill alllll the way down Summit Rd to Evans, super fast blast down (over 80kph) to Sumner where we stopped at Beach and had an Espresso Martini each.  Back onto the bike track here, boardwalk past the surf club and onward around, first time for Tra'y, following the bike track around the Estuary and causeway and across the road at Ferrymead beach.  Squirrelly muck behind Ferrymead, under the motorway to the cutting, over the footbridge and back along to the otherside of the river to ride the rooty tree vibes around Heathcote opposite the fish factory and joining the Cycleway (T and me rode weekend before last) at the tankfarm, then along Tannery and then stopped into La Voute.  From here, usual routes home, Hawford, bridge, past the supermarket, roundabout, Buxton, bridge, Eastern, Corson, Malcolm, and up the hill.  

Bike said 41kms, MMR a little less...  over a grand in altitude too...

Thursday Night Taylor-made Breeze

Good ride from Taylor's tonight.  Cruised up the valley, making the big escape.  Bit sloppy and rutted in the head of the valley in the steep shit, once past that just a few dabs and mostly a very good climb.  Spotted a moggy up near the top of the switchbacks.  Cleaned out to Livingston Col and over the fence.  Onto Godley and outwards, then at Breeze we headed above the road further out, taking the little sketchy narrow sheeptrail and finding it much petered out.  Got a little lost and then found where it used to be, and then out to the WW2 bunker and over onto Breeze Bay.  Lovely spin down around this, excellent riding, then up the road a little and dropped into Anaconda top and bottom.  Bombing...  The narrow sheeptrail had stuffed my freewheel with grass seed and so I was experiencing a few chain catch issues, but we were nearly done so I put up with it and will deal with it later.  Back to car.  Good spin.  Nice and warm up on the hills and hardly any wind.  Cold in the valley

Ziggy Zaggy, diggy daggy, only 9.9 kms with just over 400 climbed, but good.

Sunday E cruise with T

T and me both out, up, across, down, across and up on our ebikes yesterday.  Thick fog from Sugarloaf all the way until we came down to house level on Mt Pleasant, was spectacular.  Then lovely and sunny down on the flat.  Little supermarket shop at St Martins then coffee and a danish from Bohemian Cafe, which we took to the river outside Beckenham Park.

Around 35 kms, no mmr, with according to google 630m climbed.

Sunday Lap of the Harbour: Summit, Bayview, Ferry, Bridle Path and Summit

Biiig ride today on the Troll.  Bit drizzly around the tops and so I wasn't wanting greasefest riding in Vic or elsewhere so I headed up on the Troll, not really sure how big or far I would go.  Up through Vic, walking the usual section and then tentatively negotiating the traction free Thompson #1.  

Onto road and rolling, through Dyers and upwards along the summit.  Drizzle at times quite heavy, so ended up pulling over and swapping out some clothing.  On around the ups and downs of the summit, eventually pulling over to the Living Springs seat, but there was a foul wind howling through the saddle so I bailed back up into the bush for a bite to eat.  Some walkers turned up from below.  Said our pleasantries and I got rolling again.  Nice cruise around over Omaha Bush, pulling into Ahuriri for a wee look.  Then back onto the descent, lovely long rolling fly down the 'bastard' to Gebbies, still undecided which direction I was heading.  At the pass, I could see Motukarara basking in sunshine, vs less so, but still some, in the harbour.  Got my maps out and worked it out.  Via Taitapu was going to be further distance, so I turned left.  

FAASSTT down Gebbies, so fast.  Then kept a good pace rolling across Teddington flats, turned right and headed towards Diamond Harbour.  The climb from Loudon over to Charteris was longer than I recalled, but was good to cruise down, and across Charteris around the water front, for some weird reason I decided to take Bayview Rd.  Steep bastard.  Up and up, stopped to commune with kereru, then finished the climb.  Nice drop down through the gully and then climb again.  Past Elaine's place, and the first turn off to the left, dropped into the next gully and took a walking track down, meandering very level gentle descent slightly greasy, thinking I was on the next one over and thinking I'd come out Whero Ave, I was suprised when I didn't recognise anything as I exited the trail.  Ngatea Rd it turned out to be, curved down and around onto the main road and onwards I progressed, dropping into the next valley and climbing past Whero Ave dropping down past the Mt Herbert track crossing and up to Waipapa Rd.  Flew down this and straight ahead into where Godley House used to be, down the pathway.  Filled up water at the loos, then took the sealed walktrack down to the steps, budump budump budump down to the wharf to wait for the boat.

Across the harbour and into Lyttelton, climbed up Oxford, across London, up Hawkhurst into Ticehurst acrosss, riding all of it ugh, and then into the Bridle Path, walking from here, all the way to the top.  Ugh.

Summit Rd, good climb to Castle, then the bomb.  Wind caught my helmet visor and slammed it down onto my face, briefly blinding me.  Tail wind and descending very nicely around under Witch Hill then climbing began from Rapaki around over Farm Track and up onto the singletrack - Traverse around, quite splecky from the earlier rain and drizzle, then down through Vic, greasy, and down the grunter, fast through Skidder, and out onto the road for the final speed blast down home.

Extensive 47 kms ridden, trod and bombed, with 1446 m vertical ascended  

Short Sweet Saturday Local

Up from home on the Rocky, usual route up over 19th, through the skidder and up the bastard grunter.  Chuff chuff, been a while it seems.  Up to and into Thompson's #1, and back up the road, dropping over the jumpies, see-saw and straight down the rabbit paddock through the rocks and down thru gums.  Peeled right at the bottom across the Skidder and up into Razza's, down which I had a fear and couldn't seem to ride one of the rooty corners in the second half.  Dropped through the rest of it and out, across the 4wd and into it's continuation faffing across onto lower Brents zone, keeping a high line and out into the gulch.  Here, I could see the new climbing track I'd been told of, called Corporate Ladder, which I climbed.  Not bad.  Rearranged a hose that had washed onto the 4wd bit, and then onto the second half which spits you out at top of Sneaky Ridge.  From here, up past the 40, and around up the usual steeps to skidder, into the CAP drop down trail, peeling off that out, down the road into 235 for a slightly greasy flow, surprised at the lack of sog in the oaks.  Up, onto road, and straight down home due to limited time. 

Fleeting 6.7 km with 273 m altituded.

Thursday Night Pleasant Castle Britten Kent

Worked from home so got to Nelson's early and we rode up the hill by daylight!  Very cool breeze from the south that we came into as we climbed.  Brrrr...  from his place, up Santa Maria, Assisi and Drayton, Belleview and Hornbrook up to Upper, into Britten and climbing climbing climbing.  Feeling like I've been fighting something, turns out was probably just the usual July/August hayfever.  Trails in good nick.  Across top of Britten and up Broadleaf, just the usual grind.  

Dropping into the singletrack towards the Gondola.  GREASY as fuck.  Damp dirt, turning rocks slick, and my tyres were too pumped - we were both pinging all over the place on the rocks, and the ruts were not helpful either, not to mention I only had my headlight, no handlebar light, so visibility not great.  And to top it all off, the light was wobbling/shaking everywhere for the whole ride.  Slowly got into a better groove once the straighter bits turned up towards the end, albeit shortlived.  Into Cavendish Saddle and up onto the Crater Rim under the back of the Gondola building it was, as to be expected, southfacing slope, even more greasy, rocks like ice. 

The steps blop, blop, blop down had greasy tops but weren't quite as bad as I'd expected.  One of the routes we used to use was almost impossible to find and a lot rockier than memory served, but we made the top of Bridle eventually and it was time to climb.

Into Castle Rock track, some speed ensued and it was a generally good run.  A couple of expected wet spots, but in good nick mostly.  Into the climb and Nelson had a very good run up it, me, not so much, but not terrible.  I was feeling unexpectedly good, powerwise, most of the ride.  Out onto the road, and around under the gondola, stopped to watch some interesting fog rolling over parts of the city.  Climbed up through cutting and dropped into the Britten across and around the front - different in the dark, we got to the end of the 'round the front' fast.  

Time for descent, again, wary of the grease and ruttage, bombing, trying to keep pace with Nelson but under-lit.  Across the front and we found the second half of that to be difficult to find, then found a massively stupid popper gap jump being built mid slope.  Stupid kids.  Down from here and down into the pylon finish, over the stile and into Kenton Track for a techy, grease-fest.  Cleaned a lot less than I did when I rode this in May - darkness and greasiness getting the better of me.  Nearly at the end, I spotted a gate on the right.  So, up through this, and out onto Rockview without having to carry up all those steps!  From here, down the Major, Belleview, Pleasant, Drayton, etc back to base

Chilly 16.3 kms and a pleasantly surprising 665 m climbed.

Tuesday Wet Streets in the Squall

Exhausted when I got home from work, I was very willing to bail on riding.  We'd organised to go from Nelson's and the southerly had been hitting that end of the hills all day, so figured it'd be pretty dank over there.  Decided to pull finger anyway and druv myself over to Nelso's kinda late, planning on a street ride, getting on towards 6 by the time I got there.  Closer I got to his place, squall after squall were hitting and I was thinking this is gonna be a bit shit, do we really wanna be doing this?  Turns out, we did.

I had the 'guards on the Troll, so at least my undercarriage wouldnt be wet!  Out from his and up Santa Maria, over and down to Maffey's, super steeping.  Across the road onto a wee singletrack that took us around the edge of MacCormacks Bay and rugby fields - greasy for inappropriate tyres, then around into Redcliffs along the wrongside footpath ducking up the first Cul-de-sac Raekura Pl, wondering if there'd be a secret redzone path along the cliff - nope.  Back out, around and into, and around, Taupata, avoiding Egnot, but heading up Augusta to as far as we could go.  I walked a bit towards the end.  Rain and squalls, in sheets of wind, were regaling us with glory.  Back down the hill, faster-pushed by the wind, around past the old New World (why are the lights on all the time!?), into Barnett's Park carpark, then back out, and up Wakatu, then Bay View to the end.  Back down, and along to and up Cliff St and Emily Heights.  Woo steep, bit of walking and some steep ass riding.  Good view from up here.  

Bombed back down and next up it was Mulgan's.  Nice.  I pushed heaps, Nelson rode most.  Out Kinsey, down a little onto Clifton, and up again, this time to the Zig Zag, nice drop down this, tight corners - always different to memory, and tricksy steps at the bottom.  Out and across the road, in next to surf club and onto the bike path and headed towards home again.  Major wind and squall, particularly around Shagged Rock corner, buffetted all over the place, rain slicing and dicing. Then along the water front all the way around and back into MacCormacks bay to head back up Maffeys, just for shigs and gittles.  Surprisingly, I made it quite a way up into the steep zone, until a wind gust stopped me in my (very slow) tracks. Walked a good portion while Nelson cleaned it all in 4th gear! (his 5th, we reckon, was about the same as my low).  Going got easier again and I rode the rest over and down to his.  Good, albeit slightly moist, spin.  

Amazingly, 14.3 kms, with a pretty good 476 m scrambled.

Friday Melbourne Ebike Cruise

Fun spin with T and sis on rental Cannondale ebikes from VeloCycles Melbourne.  Great wee bikes, 20inch wheels and 'hidden' batteries contained within the not-that-fat downtube.  Rear wheel-hub drive motors - which meant relatively easy riding with power off (something I discovered towards the end when I ran out of battery).  

Starting at the bikeshop, we headed along the Inner Circle Linear Park towards Merri Creek trail.  Such good cycling infrastructure, we cruised downstream for ages.  Just past where my sis used to live (which was near where I started the MMR) we stopped to check out a bunch of rainbow lorikeets bathing in the creek - very pretty.  A wee climb out of the creek and onwards, the trail occasionally dropping down and back up cruising.  Dropped down to check out the Yarra Falls, then back up on trail and pulled into the Abbotsford old Convent (where sis has a studio) and went in for lunch at Cam's, which was very nice.  Back on the bikes we wound up having to detour a bit onto streets cos they're working on the trail downstream from here.  Meandered through the Carlton Brewery zone, quiet streets or bike lanes, eventually back onto the river, which just kept giving.  Down down down stream, seemed to go on for ages, eventually cool boardwalks and floating pontoon sections alongside (below) busy motorways.  Popped up onto road again and up Exhibition St, where up top they're still building the new cycle lanes.  Out to the big Exhibition gardens, no bikes allowed, so we toodled along the bottom of them and up to Gertrude where we went down to the Builders Arms and had a couple of drinks.  From here my battery was flat.  We rode up Gore then across to Canning which was a lovely quiet bike route all the way up to the Linear Park again and back to the shop.

26kms or so (missed the start km or so forgetting to start the MMR) with just 170 m climbed.

Saturday Some Summit, Vernontroll

Took the Troll out, up through the usuals, 19th, Skidder, then walked up the diagonal (through the gap jump below the Sesame wallride) into the Gums to top pines and then, riding again, up rabbit paddock to top of Vic.  Dived into Thompson's #1 for a nice blat, then back up Summit Rd from here, brief rest up at the stoney shelter, and back on the road heading east into the wind.  Around and out, heading to the top of Vernon, carrying bike on shoulders to top, for a bit of a stretch and no view to be seen with the cloud capping the peak.  

Off down to the north, walking the techy rocks (that'd I'd definitely ride on the Rocky, then some sweet swoopy singletrack down the rest of the way to the mtb trail, hung a hard left and climbed back around to top of Huntsbury.and along Summit to Vernon, carried to the top in the cloud, down the front, some lovely trail, then Traverse all the way back to Vic.  Troll was riding super smooth and fun.  Down through the rocks and gums right through to the road and below this for a blit then onto road through the corners and coasting to the dog carpark and dived straight into the squirrelly squiggly fun times, then climbing straight up to road and fast coast home.

Legit 11.8 kms distanced and 387 m altituded.

Bony Pleasant Thursday with a Shocking Blowout

Rode from Nelson's place tonight. Up Soleares, which happens to be a right bastard steep (worserer than Vic Park Drive from mine). Right on Belleview and then left up Major Hornbrook - Kaikoura View, then up through the parky bit and up across the Long/Clear/Ridge-Views to the Upper Hornbrook entrance of Britten.  A nice night up here.  Zig and zag across the front of Britten and around up to top, then around the front and out the exit by the cattlestop/cutting.  Over the fence and up through the long grass narrowed trail onto the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Nelson dropped me up here, whereas I wasn't doing so bad lower down, boosting to catch him every now and then.  Up ehre on the rocky bits I just kept hooking feet or stalling on the rocks.  Bit of a break at the top of Pleasant.  

Into the descent, nice rolling but fucking boney.  Much worse than last timast time, which was bony af then.  Good times through the tussocks thought and I think for the first time meeting all the new fences at the bottom of this...  Down into 'Knapsack', where I found I had no idea where I was going - hussing around blind hairpins into unexpected turns, and then towards the far end I just had no idea and it seemed to just go on and on...  Climbed up the 4wd trail (diagonally towards the gun emplacements) meeting the new fence/gate across this, and eventually (it's always longer than I remember) got to Greenwood OG entrance trail.  Across this, fun times, removing the stupidly placed (metal) trail closed sign that was perched in the middle of the new cattlestop, then dealt with all the rocks across the top here.  Next we dropped into Sheepshit Alley.  Droppy fun descent then a short climb and at the top of this on a corner I heard a weird skreek.  Not the kind of noise a rock strike makes, almost a cracked frame type sound, but bike was riding fine so carried on, tho noticing handling was getting a little weird.  Anyway, when I finally got to the bottom (again, longer than memory served), pulled up and thought "why is my waterbottle leaking?" "wait, that's not water, that's OIL!"  Pissing out of the top of my shock all down over my bottle and frame...  Huh.  Air was staying in so it was still springy, but no more damping.  

From here rode up the road back to Britten, bouncing a bit, and dropped into here bombing down, bike feeling pretty much fine.  Bombed down the way we'd come up tho turned off down Madeley Rd to Mt Pleasant and bombed down Soleares back to Toledo.  

Shockingly good 14.6 kms hastened and 537 m vied. 

Later follow up...  damper shaft broken in the shock, not just an o-ring.

Bastard King's Sunset Troll

T dropped me off at Motukarara and I hit the road towards Gebbies.  Dont think I've ever ridden it in this direction.  It was fine, gearing on the Troll was good, and thankfully there wasnt toooo much traffic.  At the saddle I hung a left up the Summit Rd, riding up the 'bastard' for the first time as well.  It was okay.  I stopped once relatively low down because the oiling of the chain I'd done on my Saturday ride had missed about 5 or 10 links, so they squeaked every chain rotation, which was becoming annoying.  Sunset was at 5.03pm and I didnt make the high point under Coopers Knob, Gibraltar Rock adjacent, until 5.09, AND it was a pretty grey evening so light was dim and there were a LOT of cars along this stretch looking at the sunset. 

I bowled along as fast as I could and thankfully didnt have to pull over for anyone, but keeping a damned close eye on lights behind and ahead.  Bombing down to the Kiwi in near dark, I decided to grab the Harry Ell for the descent.  Met 4 walkers, apologising for getting caught out without lights, then Vic Park Drive for the bomb home. 

Dusky 22 kms, with a chilly 716 m climbed

Troll King's Saturday Jaunt

On the Troll up to Chorlton and beyond.  Firstly, up to Chorlton.

Then up View Hill Rd, stopping briefly opposite the shearing shed to watch a couple of kereru drinking from a trough,

then riding again as far as I could until I lost traction - in the trees behind the Eagles Nest where the steeep really starts.  Turned around and coasted faster and faster on gravel down to the seal again and hung a hard right through Chorlton and upwards, climbing climbing, til the descent again, descending fast until Wells Back Rd, thinking, again, until I lose traction, but lungs ran out first,

most of the way up, so continued to the end.  Then back down this and back up towards Chorlton for some fast rolling goodness.  Faaast down past the flock of sheep that had just been through the shearing shed, about to come up onto the road, then couple of climbs and descents, final climb to top before heaving over and bombing back down into Little Ak.  Rapidity and flow.  Lovely.  Across the bottom of the beach and through then up to the first corner on Decanter Bay for a view of the bach.

Final run back down here, chat with Jeff on the waterfront, and then back up the road to home.

Valid 17 kms, and 565 m gruntled.