Nicely Decanted. Thursday's Troll, cattlestop trip-trapping.

Tra'y walking, me on Troll, up Menzies Bay Rd. Bye at the top and rolling, rolling, eyes watering, gravel-control, through the valley bottom then climbing, past the onga-onga, gently climbing, onwards and updwards, and stopping to take in the surging foam on the Decanters, then climbing, looking at the Millenium dawn walk Memorial (and time capsule (they're dreaming, "dont open until 2500," indeed!)) on up the road climbing still, past the yards, over the next cattlestop, around past the shed and shelterbelt, through the next cattlestop and only a little way further towards the first high point, turned back here, on account of Williams boy working the cattle, possibly to the road.  

Rolled back down, gaining nice speed to gravel-control-zone, to find T just arriving at the Memorial thing.  She turned back here, and I rolled briefly with her before hitting the rest of the down, gravel-grippage.  Nice bomb down here, cruise-control in action, through the bottom and climbing again, up and grinding, or sitting and trying to spin - probably in favour of the former - learning to love the grind.  Williams boy was on the road opposite as I was approaching the top.  Surprising how slow his progress was down as I made my way to his gate.  Rolling from here, gaining speed, keeping it in check (to a point).  Fun blast.  Check out the beach then home.

Overall, a ride comprised of lots of weather-matic adjustment to conditions, with sunshine and rainfall both, and cold winds and sheltered spots.  14.3 kms added up with 627.5 m ground-out of the ground.

Trolling Chorlton on the Wheelie

Buried beautiful boy Jetty-puss with a view of the property, which he always loved sniffing about and chasing sticks on, and then T and me went out for some exercise. 

I rode along on the Troll with her, through Adrian's, up Luke's Rd and up to Chorlton. Realising as we rode that I've been riding the Troll for over 14 years.  We continued up View Hill Rd a bit then decided that was enough. I let gravity take me, down across Chorlton-top and I pedalled into Long Lookout Rd to the first high point, took a pic of Raupo,

(doesn't look so bad out there, but there were showers all day)

then turned back and rolled, like a pendulm, pedalling up to Tra'y for a kiss, then turned and rolled back down to the end of the seal that way again and then back, to hit the LAk Rd down. What a roll... Blasted through past the beach and out to the wharf thinking about when I used to run Jet down here, for another pic,

(gloomy up valley)

then back up home. 

<1/2 a km shy of 10, with a metre shy of 260 m climbed

RIP the best boy. Jet

Said goodbye to the best boy today. Poor old Jettypuss, best trail dog ever, when he could... 

Buried not that far from where he was born, lived his life loved by us all.

Sunday, Necessary Short Jeht.

Should have got out earlier but didn't. T and me headed up and parted ways at the dog park carp ark. I bopped into the forest down and around onto Sleepy Hollow and climbed from there. Was really tired from yesterday's Hanmer jaunt, I guess?  Up to 19th, then through gate and took the singletrack along and up, checking out the options for the climbing route, then back across to the bottom of Sesame and onto the grunter part way up.  Up to top of Vic, taking a breather at Thomson's turn-off before heading up over down around the first jump, peeling right onto Worm.  

Got rolling across the Traverse and pulled over to let a guy coming towards me through, at the same time as letting a dude on a titanium rigid looking flash thing through who was going my way.  I said, you're going faster than me, and off he went and I proceeded to stay on his tail until the top part way up that first climb.  I didn't care, he was way younger and fitter than me, but I did feel old and fat at that point.  Continued, with nice flow, around, and had a near miss on the corner around below Sugarloaf (after the down, before the pullover sign), skidding and just avoiding a rider coming through "Sorry about that!"  At the sign I checked on T's whereabouts and then could see her way down on the Bowenvale Valley track, so figured I'd give her time to get further up and so headed along the Traverse further.  At the high point I could see she'd turned around so I rang her, we waved, the weather was coming in which was why she was turning around, so I did too and headed back.  Nice flow back around to Vic, straight into the trees, jump one and two, down to fence, down rabbit, into rocks, pines, gums down and around.  Where you dive left rather than out to Sesame near the bottom (where I'd climbed out), I stopped and cleared a bit of foliage that's been annoying me for a while now.  Cleared the sight-line.  Onwards down, into the conifers and down around, stopped here to clear some foliage too.  

Then it was time head home.  Down the singletrack, gate, over onto Heavenly for a lovely baff down, nicely nicely.  After the oaks, and on the last stretch to the H'Ell, I stopped again, this time to scope out the possible route for a new exit out higher.  I reckon I've got it.  When things dry again, I'll head in with the pruning saw.

Only 8.6 kms and 282 m climbed, but worth every penny.

Saturday Dawn Raid on Tombstone, baby

Sweet ride on the Stooge on a bunch of new-to-me trails. Tombstone is really fun and perfect for the Stooge.  Left the bach with T just before 8am, dawn - pretty much, and headed up Lucas Lane into the new to both of us trails.  Grabbed CV Express and I left her here rolling ahead faster than her fast walking speed.  I kept passing above her on all the switchbacks which was nice.  Eventually I lost sight of her and then not long further got to the top of Tank.  Good climb, will be nice once all the trees grow back up.  

Dropped into Tank, which was a hoot.  The Stooge performed really well, no sketch, no dice.  Climbed out the end and then into the Yankee Zephyr climb, which was longer than I remembered, maybe because last time I did it was 2019 and the trees have grown considerably.  At the kind of skidder site I peeled into the new (to me) Tombstone, which has a very nice climb.  Some nice native under the larches and patches and generally a good grade, never too steep, but steady.  Eventually got to the top of the climb, nice view up to Isabell, and it was time for the descent.

and what a descent...  Glorious flowy trail, just brought joy to my headstate.  It was mint.  Some of the most zen fun I've had for years.  Super fun, able to get some speed, then some nice tech sections that keep you on your toes but aren't terrible.  So much fun!  Out the end and down onto the Dog Stream trail, where I headed back into the bridge (and noticed that the old descending line to the bridge is now closed.  Headed up onto the road and up towards Big Foot.

Actually started into Big Foot but then looked at the time and thought, nah, I'll just take the Fir Trail.  Well remembered from the 12 hour event many (25?) years before, it's obviously changed a bit since then.  Nice flow down, then left for the last few corners of Big Foot.  Down from here, across Dog Stream for a waste of altitude loss down to Joliffe Rd, climbing up here who should appear but T, running!  Hi!!!  We parted ways again and I headed up to Red Rocks, all changed up here with the whole Timberlands face logged (and a new trail in there for descending).  I peeled onto Red Rocks and rode it, thinking I'd take Eeny Meeny, but found myself heading all the way out to the end.  Around onto Western Link and climb cruising around to bottom of Timberlands and into Swamp.  Long climb up here (the road would be so much shorter!) and out top over onto Flax for a start then into Lower Flow, for a flowy groove, with again, lots of good speed and zen mind state.

Nearly 16 kms and nearly 500 m up. Hanmer always feels way more climb than it ends up being. What is that?

Thursday Night Nun Victorian

Good ride with Nelson tonight. Felt like I was showing off all my new toys...

Rode out from mine, headed up the road (following a group of 4 others), peeled into the dog park carp ark and down the newish line onto Sleepy Hollow, then up and out to the walk track.  By the 19th I'd determined that Nelson hadn't hit the new one from here, so we popped off down there for a lap.  Back at 19th, through the gate, and into the singletrack climbing from here, then out to Skidder for the grind up the grunter.  A couple had been ahead, and were stopped at the water fountain chatting, we rode through and up to Thomsons, where they arrived as we were deciding where to go.  Nelson led, I followed.  He had some gear problems at the end.  Then down into #2, I led, and we flowed, and through out to the road.  Down through Kiwi and up the Summit, with the 2 from the fountain catching us up slowly, and finally pulling ahead just before Worsleys.  Didn't really talk to them much until the top of the Nun.  They dived in first.  

Nun wasn't as greasy as I was expecting, but I still trusted nothing.  Had a good blast down tho.  Then the lower reaches were closed due to the logging below.  We flowed out onto the road, then dived in the lowest from part way down where you can access it.  Good blast down here too.  Out through Kiwi again and I noticed the moon! - not the pest pic, but it was above Charteris/Diamond Harbour, just come up over the hill.

Up the road and at the top there was a group of about 6 young dudes on expensive bikes.  They were chatting so we headed off down, Nelson leading, round through and over the jumpies, then down Rabbit where I led into Rocks Pines and Gums, taking the left down steep, I'm pretty sure a new bit, and out to the corner, out over to Skidder where there was a massive group of riders, including the guy and girl from earlier, and up rolled the infamous Mel, friendly as she always is.  They were all climbing and we headed off down Dazza's.  Ages since down here and hooweee it's steeeep and rooty.  Fun!  Rolled out across the last of the nuShazza's flowing around towards Brents, and then hitting Macros down down out to Corporate Ladder ending and then into Uprooted, Nelson's first time.  Good climb.  One extra corner that wasn't there earlier, and then out the top (a little more progress?), onto the 4wd, out to Skidder and over to the singletrack we'd climbe earlier for the last blast down Heavenly Creatures and all the way home.  Nicely nicely.

Cogent 12.13 kms and a tenable 465 m vert.

No Skool like the Old Skool on a Beautiful Sunday

Took the Cotic up to dog park carp ark and dived into the bushes, under the pylon and down to Sleepy Hollow to climb up the nice paths to 19th. Up through into skidder and up the guts to top of Vic. 

Down around the jump, hard right into Worm, onto Traverse for a good hoon across here. Boffed off down Huntsbury 4Pause, avoided the bottom jump through lack of speed, left in the tussocks down the older line, then into AliExpress dropping down, weaving through the sheepshit and rocks down to Old Skool. 

Excellent flow down here, flow and groove, spiralling down to the bottom and turning straight into the uphill. All the way up the valley, past Hospital and the bottom of NuBridges, climbing the walk track, walking a few bits up the top, then right on the traversing track across to the MTB forest exit, clambering up here and into the New Climb Trail. Beautiful, but still a granny grind... And they've finished up a couple of the corners above the 4wd but no further. 

Out to skidder and over to the below-gums. Short break in here for a breather, then out. Dropped off into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely jaunt, all the way down.  Sleepy, pines, oaks, last bit, H'Ell, clamber, road and home. 

12.1 kms 524 m ground out. 

Saturday, Which Hill?

Tra'y and me headed up, her on her ebike and me on the Troll. Up Vic Park Rd, up through Skidder, and up the grunter, me pushing both our bikes for a bit.  Hit the Summit Rd and she cruised while I chuffed.  At Vernon I headed up onto the singletrack and had a nice conTrolled cruise around and down, meeting her at the gate and heading on around to the other end of Witch Hill, where we took the walk track up for a bit, locked our bikes and walked, clambered, scrambled up to the stone seat on the top. There were a couple of Furries having themselves a nice photoshoot up here.  Interesting.  

We clambered back down to the bikes and headed back around the Summit.  I took the Traverse and then lost Tra'y somewhere above.  Rode down the grunter through Skidder, out to 19th, turned back and spotted her coming down into Skidder.  Then we hooned back down home. Fun riding the Troll,  

15.5 kms rolled, and over 500 m lofted.

Wednesday Night Limnal Minimal Stooge

Quite a short one on account of needing new brake pads on the Speedbomb. 

Rode up into Vic, first, just above the road on the walking, then dived across into carpark and into the old line, dropping onto the new line (under pylon) and down around through to climb Sleepy' 'Creatures, out onto walk track and up to 19th, all the while the odd spot of rain was drifting about.  Up the grunter, slow and steady, only stopping to pick up someone's trash, then up into Brakefree zone where I stopped and checked the radar; which told me the spots of rain I was in weren't gonna be about for long.  By the time I made the top of Vic they'd pretty much stopped.  (Sugarloaf in the back there)

Plan was to drop down through gums, down into the valley to climb back up somehow to the new climb, but dropped down, jump, rabbit and into rocks, gums and flowing through here, around a corner and brakes started making awful noises, including when I wasn't applying them...  Oh well, I'll just bail home, I thought.  Stayed on down through the cedars, last bit to gate, and across into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely flow down, other than the racket the brakes were making.  A little slick on a couple of sections, but mostly good.  I saw a mouse!  Ran across the track and I got a good view of it when it froze on a branch.  Onwards down. Cleaned nicely all the way out and down - I really must cut a trail out to Vic Park Rd somehow for finishing.  By the time I got home the brakes had kinda sorted themselves.  Still replacement time tho.

Sub-limnal 5.08 kms alonged, 180.5 m upped.

Slow Quick Saturday Jeht

Back from Castle Hill to keep an eye on Dad, so grabbed the opportunity of him having a nap to get out and ride. 

Up into Vic, metric shittonnes of riders around. Grovelled up the grunter from Skidder and up top, where I could see that due to the high winds CAP was shut, no lifts today. That explained it. Well, that and the fact that it was 20-something degrees on the nearly shortest day of the year. Into Thompson and Thomson, then back up both, down around the jumps, climbed Worm, then boffed off down Upper Fenceline and the fun lines (Roam? - or is that the jumpy line?)

down thru there and into the bottom via actual Fenceline which I usually peel off to the left of.  Into the New Climbing trail which I've only recently discovered is called Uprooted, climbed, and climbed, it's a chuff at times, but still way better than straight up a skidder track.  They've gotten even further above the (Razza-bottom/40fter) 4wd they were to last week, and they're gonna skip stay low to avoid the steepest bit of the next one up to Skidder. 

Through Skidder, again, loads of people about, and headed into the cedar section below the gums taking me down to the gate, then crossed over into Heavenly Creatures for a sweet sweet ride home.

Quick and slow 6.84 kms, and 272 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Solo Poachy Wee Stooger

Sweet wee ride tonight on the Stooge. Hit up a few walkie tracks and popped a bit of bombiness. Bashed about and had a thoroughly good time. 

Up the walking track next to the road all the way to dogparkcarpark, dropped over into Tawhairanui for a nice cruise through, then stayed on walky tracks up through to 19th, hung a left, climbed up my usual way over top of it and through to skidder.  Up the gutser, and through up to Thomson's #1, flow, road, Thomson's #2, turned around and dropped back into this, climbed, into #1 again, climbed, out to top of Vic.  Turned around on the carpark and dropped back in, down around the jump, encountered a couple of guy with bikes'n'lights on their way up, breezed past them and straight round into Worm climbing up to catch them.  Onto the Traverse for a nice cruise around, pulling over several times to let trains of bikes through, the last couple still a ways off Lavaflow, so nice free ride from there, all the way to the Huntsbury end.  

Across the road and over the stile into Scott's Knob reserve, nice climb up through the conifers and fun rooty rocky descent, then into the next climb, off for a couple of steps, and climbing still, one small detour loopback, and on through, nice long flowy (due to reasonable unfamiliarity) cruise, droppy rocky rooty descent towards the end, especially in the natives.  Staying on that side of the road, up over the sidley track on Tracey's Knob to the carpark.  On road here, bombing back along the Summit, standing and cranking a lot of it, feeling good.  Last leg up to the 25kph sign above Lavaflow and dropped down to the fence, over (a group of 4 passing under me while I waited for them), and down onto the trail, and heading for home.  Cruising, climbing, cruising, seeing the group ahead and slowly winding in the tailenders past the pond, where the rest of the group was waiting (at the sign).  They offered for me to go ahead, but I said, nah, you're good, i'll give you a good gap and have a rest.  Gave them ages, and headed off again, definitely winding them in, but they were all regrouped at the entrance to the trees and I just rolled on through, up a bit and then pushing down into the jump with speed.  

Straight down through the trees, rabbit, rocks pines gums for funs, all the way down through to the gate, and dropped into Heavenly Creatures.  So much leaf and bark and stick carnage from windy couple days, and the rain has shown me where's going to be an issue come proper winter (just after you cross the access track, where the trail is kinda built up).  Great flow through, climb, into the last long leg, rolling goodness, and climbs, Sleepy Hollow, flow flow flow, oaks, last fun to finish.  Clamber, road, home.

 

Surprisingly nearly 14kms and a nice 443m climbed - further than I'd thought I'd do.

Sunday Long Haul Kennedy's and CAP home

Big ride today on the Jeht. 

Up top, took in both Thompson's #1 and #2 (father with noise cancelling headphones and baby on front totally oblivious to my presence behind him...), out onto the road and through Dyers for a nice long cruise up the Summit and around to Kennedy's.  

Rapido descent, very rough, Siberia, LowRoad, Crocodile peeling off onto Deviation and exploring out onto the new one - Redmund Spur.  It was okay.  the bermy jumps are fun, but a bit of cattle damage and lots of poos.  Not sure where next, decided on Spurious which was fun, steep little trickies, then into Upload and down through the dog park, onto the road, dropped through empty section onto Withers Cres, Spalling, Sutherlands and into Te Kuru, the big wetland park, aiming for the Westmorland Pylon.  Into Happy Home Rd, dropped down to Cashmere Stream, following this all the way to the end of navigable territory, then Holbrook Way, to steep climb to Hadleigh Lane, next steep climb up into Westmorland East Valley Reserve, pedalling up the steeps and zig in the natives below Farside, over onto Westmorland for a drop down and through into the CAP for an uplift. 

Summit Connector, finally grabbing the first OG entrance to the Nun, bombing down this, feeling pretty good still, hard push up the Summit - where the hell did all this energy come from?  Into top of Vic - usual way down, jumps, rabbit rocks pines gums, across into Heavenly Creatures, lovely flow, Sleepy Hollow, and home.

Quite large, 27.77 kms, just over 1000 m climbed (of which 600 were naturally aspirated).

Saturday Sunset Jeht Jaunt

Feeling a bit underhung so had a lazy morning and early afternoon before heading up the hill for a clean out on the Jeht.  I'd missed the working bee on the climb track this morning, but wanted to see where they'd got to, so dropped over Razza's and down through the little bit of Rad left, then Macros, the wee extirpation above Corporate Ladder, and out the bottom of Brents.  Into the new climbing trail from here, nice boardwalk, built-up corners, bridges, gradient not so bad. It's a great wee ride, and they've come so far up already, right up to the Rad wall, and the 4wd track Razza's spits you out on. I reckon one or two more sessions, and it'll be to the road Shazza, Dazza and Razza all come off - already marked out. Unknown whether they intend to take it higher, but I really hope so!  It climbs well! 

Thought I'd not really done enough to give up and go home once at Skidder, so headed up the gutser (hard!) and up to Thompson's#1, back up road and dropped into jumps, top of pines, gums, peeled out to the left to see if there is scope out towards the pylon - I reckon there could be. Back onto the usual trails, across into Heavenly Creatures (new name! (now retro-filled back through this blog)). Nice flow down this and popping up onto the road home just as the sun dropped behind the mountains - perfect.   

Only 6.59 kms, but a reasonable 268 m clamberated.

Sunday Stoogesbury Hunts Traverse

Groovy ride out today. First off, took the Big Mama off the Stooge and replaced it with my Bonty XR2 - far bigger capacity, with a new tube in it too.

Grunted up through the forest and up top of Vic, across the Traverse, Huntsbury DH, exploring the old rocky route, which was nearly impossible to follow, then the rest down the jump-strewn descent and up that alternative climb through the gums

and tagaste, pylon, tall tussocks and some ridge pushing through the sheep.  Through the bike cattle stop and kinda along the fenceline over to the old climb we used to use to get onto the singletrack.  

Up the rest of Huntsbury to the Summit. Convo with a couple of guys on eebs about the Stooge, then I let them lead off, gave them a good headstart and proceeded to chase, catch, overtake, chase and catch again... "You're pretty quick on that thing!" :: "It's tiring!!" 

I then had an excellent run the rest of the way round to top of Vic, straight in, jump, rabbit, rocks pines gums through, gate, over the road and into the the sweet tight local flow.

A flunky's 14.4 kms and 530 m ground upwards

Tour de Bridges # 2, Saturday Trolling.

Just me today, on the Troll.  We'd had the first rain for over a month so I thought I'd give the trails a rest (even tho, by all accounts, it was dry-as up there), and I'd been hankering to complete more of the Tour de Bridges coverage, to explore further up the Heathcote and take another look at the top end of the Avon.  

So, I headed down the more interesting byways of the hill (zigzag (Longhurst Reserve), Kidson, Whisby, MacMillan, Lady Polson, up the XXXVII steps to Sassaram, dropping out at the Bengal-top down the wee singletrack and steps to Shalamar driveway).  Headed through the Old Stone House, crossing bridge #1 on Holmcroft, then #2 across Cashmere Stream, momentarily, before ducking into the Cracroft woods along the river, bridge 3 crossing Cashmere Rd, left into Ferniehurst (#4 (first actual Heathcote River (number of Heathcote crossings in brackets henceforth))), and Nor'west Arc bike-route back streets through to Centenial Park, along the river, #5(2) Sparks Rd, then Pablo Pl, MacBeath, Smarlea (#6(3)) to (Glynn, Cobham) Domain Tce, left across the park here for bridge number 7(4), alleyway to Hoon Hay Rd, turned right along footpath, Coppell Pl, right on Lincoln Rd (#8(5)) , and left into Annex.  Around the side of Seager Park, following a bit of trail alongside of a drainage thing, cutting across this on double-sleeper bridge (9), left onto the motorway to cross the Heathcote briefly (10(6)), then across the road towards Carmelite, and backtracking briefly onto the biketrack back over the river (11(7)) and a left into the 360 upstream towards Nga Puna Wai.  Peeled off here towards the motorway into wetlands and eventually under the motorway underbridge (minus 1??), #12 (small drainage wetland thingy), #13 along Wigram Rd into Hayton Stream Drainage Reserve through to Lodestar Rd, leaving the Heathcote tributaries here.  Up Vickery's Rd to Hayton, over the Railway (#14), estimatedly leaving the Heathcote Catchment here.  Followed along Nga Mahi Rd until I could cut through the gym equipment carpark, crossing Blenheim Rd (thinking I might be able to cut through this block like I used to, but nope - so it was...) back along to the roundabout, right into Main South, left into Greenhurst, following Takaro (realising I could have gone through Sockburn Park (where the old pool was!), Middlepark to Yaldhurst onto Avonhead Rd. 

Along towards the 'hood I was dragged up in, crossing Ilam Stream (head of the Avon), bridge number 15, heading down Parkstone, nice leafy street down to the old Teachers College, jumping into nice bushy pathway along the Stream (rejoining the 360 again), crossing Ilam Stream on Peer St (#16), down Athol and into the Halls of Residence, left into Staff Club (haven't been there for years (after practically growing up there) - hardly changed) and crossing footbridge (#17) below the weir, along Ilam Rd to the Playcentre entrance to go follow Okeover (#s 18 and 19), following through along to cross at Eng (20, then again on Forestry Rd, 21) behind Forestry and MacMillan Brown, out to Arts Rd along carpark to head onto Clyde Rd (Ilam Stream again, #22) and down Hinau through to Riccarton Bush, staying on the south side of the river along through past Boys High into Matai St, left into Harakeke (23), right into Daresbury Lane, right on the Rail Trail  (24), left over the railway and down Matai into Hagley Park to head for home.  Crossed 25 and 26 in here, then across Moorhouse onto Grove - Church Sq - Collins, lights next to new bike bridge under construction - Simeon, riding with a guy who'd overtaken me in Hagley and chatting all the way down through to Studholme and over the footbridge (27(back onto the Heathcote, #8)) into Ernle Clarke, where I peeled right along the track, then zigzag over the river, crossing 28(9) to Ashgrove, footbridge (29(10)), footbridge (30(11)), Fairview (31(12)), footbridge (32(13)) and the first of the Heathcotes, Ferniehurst ((33(14)), whereupon, to finish myself off, I ground my way up Bengal, Delhi, Polson, Hackthorne home.

Over 30kms and 285m climbed through interesting places, 33 (wittingly) bridges in total, crossing the Heathcote 14 times and encapturing the top end of both catchments.

King's Sunday, Most of the way to Menzies

Nice cruise through a few kms and metres climbed. Meeting people along the way.

Down the drive and down the road and spotted Wayne in his driveway so stopped for a long chat.  Good catch up and then off I went up the Menzies Bay Rd.  Good climb and into the descent to Decanter, fun fast gravel, not too loose.  Next up, over the electric line by the cattlestop and through the sheep overlooking the noisy sea around and up, over the electric line at the cattlestop at the top and around past the 1999-2000 NY's Eve memorial, and up and up.  

The whole way I could see bike tracks in the gravel but couldn't tell whether it was one bike both ways, or 2 bikes, or what.  Got to the highest point and decided to head down towards Menzies, but the trucks working the road Friday had been dumping new gravel in this section and it was deep and washy.  Met a couple of ebikers on their way up and then I stopped just down from there at the quarry by the macrocarpas, turned around overlooking the bay.  Realised my rear tire was a bit low (slooow leak slightly faster now (and even faster since)) so stopped to pump and another dude on a non-ebike turned up.  He was with the other two, and the two of us rode up together, chatting away.  I have probably met him (Peter) before, but we weren't sure.  Certainly, plenty of overlap over the years, given he's been going to Possum Lodge since 1992...  Anywho, the other two were waiting for us at the gate and we chatted a bit then, 4.12pm I led off down to the memorial where I arrived exactly 4.19pm - the time the moon was supposed to be rising.  Too much cloud around.  

The guys headed down and I waited a little while longer.  Then chased.  Spotted them just hitting the climb as I was coming into Decanter-bottom and from there on up I was behind, a couple of times seeing them ahead.  Eventually I made the top and they were there.  They headed off, as did I, getting ahead and leaving them in my dust...  

A fairly commendable 18.8 kms and 740 m climbed.

Saturday, Ride Walk Ride Raupo.

Tra'y set off walking, I started riding a half hour later and I finally caught her just past Chorlton Hall. I then headed up View Hill Rd for 10 minutes or so just to get more ride, then turned and hooned down. Met her at the bottom, and we waited for the kids turned up in O's truck.

 We all walked to the beach (started MMR a little down the hill).  Nice walk down and the beach was nice and empty and very nice (other than the couple with the cat who didn't venture through the lagoon).  I waded in to the knees and it was COLD, but invigorating.  We made a 'bridge' of logs to get back over the stagnant lagoon and walked back back - the two germans powering ahead.  They all headed off and I got on the bike and started riding.

Good steady climb up the gravel and then bombed down to the bay and back up the drive.  Fast.

Friday Chasing Chorlton's Sunset

A day of 'working' from the bach (that wasn't particular successful), and the sun had left the house before 3, so figured I needed to chase it.   

Left it a little late and didn't quite catch it, as it was nearly finished with Chorlton by the time I got there. 

Nice 'set anywho, from the top.

Met a chinese guy up here, he rolled up in his rental as I did.  He was on a bit of a tiki-tour, 2 days in Akaroa, after attending the TRENZ conference.  

I got hot riding up the hill and cooled nicely coming down.  My new light mounted on the front.

Relatively laconic 6 kms and 220 metres.

Saturday Climbing Track Dig Day, Sunday Shortstuff.

Fair bit of bike related activity this weekend...  Big Bike Film Night was on Friday, usual inspirational stories and footages.  Favourite was the Tall Bikes film...  was so good.  Petor who runs Bespoked was super cool dude.  And Annie Ford was cool too.

Saturday, got there slightly late, but rode the Stooge up to find no-one around the Ranger Station, no-one at the Skidder, so made way down through the trees eventually finding people gathering at the bottom of Brents/Rad etc, to build the new Uphill track in the valley there.  A bit lost at first, I found my niche, kinda at the front, tentatively scratching the way in, absorbing the wisdom of the old-hands, learning on the job and.  We got so much done, it was amazing. Ranger came up and said, "Time gentlemen, please" and so I walked back down with my tools to the bike and it was incredible the progress that'd been made.  Rode it up and out, what bits I could at least.  BBQ at Skidder, good talking to new people, then hit the trails home the usual ways.  Ride (and grubbing) was only 5.8 kms.

Sunday, up with tired legs on the Jeht, across the summit where I ran into Pete, caught up for a bit then along walks Hubby and Dee (who's name I couldn't remember).  All the while talking I could see Tra'y on the Bowenvale Valley track walking up, following her progress until when eventually Pete and I went our separate ways I got round to the Sugarloaf sign/stop/carpark area and she was heading up the ridge, not that far from me, so "TRA'Y!" caught her attention and she came down to me.  I was feeling jaded so I headed back, but dropped down Upper Fenceline, across top of Cool Runnings, popped up into my little bridged exit of Pedalfine to see if there was scope for part of the new climbing track, pushing right up until I spotted where the big tree had fallen and the re-alignment of Pedal.  Turned back and then baulked on one of the corners...  Dropped into Razza's, then ground my way back up to skidder, and just for the punishment, climbed up from Skidder again, ugh.  Across and then detoured into top of Pines, had a wee break, then dropped in, Gums, best-fun-newby down home.  Sweet 9.4 kms, 382 m of mostly steep.

Then later Tra'y and I rode alternative byways to my folks' place, and I forgot to map it back.  oh well.

Wednesday Night Britten Pleasant

Not overly large ride tonight. Bumped into the boys too.

I had to feed and walk Golly, so Nelson drove up to Joy's and joined me on the walk.  We did the zig zag and Drayton Reserve / Ave loop.  Then both drove up to Upper Major Hornbrook where we found the Hydestor van - so we knew the boys were about.  

Cruised up Britten, I felt okay considering my messy sleep of late, and we got to the top in no time.  Around the front, rocky section past Broadleaf getting the better of Nelson (both times, last time and this) and then up to the road.  Over the fence and up the well weedeaten zig and zag.  Commenting on the insanity of some of these trail workers that've been through there.  Some sections very nicely carved, in others, all the grubbed root and turf sections have been piled along the trail.  We can see the point, but if they start to grow again, maybe not such a good idea. 

It got worse from the top of Mt Pleasant.  The tussock has been grubbed, and some fool has deliberately laden it into the track, obviously hoping it'll mulch and provide some substance to the dry dirt surface, but all it's done is hide rocks, made the trail horribly slippery, and generally destroyed the joy of riding it.  Nearly lost it multiple times on corners because of the slipperiness. Madness!

Down and around into the OG Greenwood entrance, then dropped down Sheepshit (namesake appropriate), and as we hit the second section at the pines we spotted (and heard) the boys on the road below.  Nice catch up and met Maggie, Wayne's cute trail sheepdog.  Nelson and me continued around to the ruins, grunty climbs, and back, then back up Sheepshit, onto the road and into Britten.

Night riding Britten in the dust and lack of sightlines is kinda no longer fun.  I'm second guessing myself every corner, leaning, turning, braking too late or too early.  General muppetry, and nearly losing it constantly.  Found it really hard, but the ruts didnt help, nor that I crashed last time.  

We decided against Kenton, even tho we should have done it for the altitude. 

All of 9.72 kms and 308 m escalated.