Amazing first night ride of our year, with a mild and still evening. Perfect for being out on the hills.
We (somewhat lazily) drove up from his to Upper Major Hornbrook, parking at the bottom of John Britten. Got riding up here, puffing and chuffing (I'm always struggling chasing him). Stopped to check out a jump next to one of the corners, then continued on up. Around the top-front and across the road at the cattlestop, climbing up the (recently weed-whacked) trail to the now-tidied climb to the top of Mt Pleasant. I had to stop along here to de-layer was so damned hot (and I was puffing so much). Way cleaned up, climbing a lot easier than not that long ago.
Dropped off down off Mt Pleasant and the top rocks are tidied, but not for long. Tussock overgrowth made for tricky descending; ruts were annoying too. Made it to the bottom alive, and dropped off through the ruins and down Greenwood. This was a blast, riding nicely for a start. We stopped at the usual just-past-gloomy spot and both our left quads were burning. I realised I haven't had many lonnng downhill runs for a while. Off again and I was good for the next rocky bits, but then started to muppet my way through some of the next series of corners, nearly losing because I couldn't seem to work my dropper and steer at the same time. Lower sections were a bit better, other than dust rarked up by Nelsie.
Onto the road, and up the hill, holding a pretty steady pace all the way until the pines, where we hopped over the stile and I was suddenly bonking. Blooooddd sssuuugggaaarrr craaassshhhhhh.... Stopped just up sheepshit alley and Nelson gave me some baby food. It was goooood. Got going again and I was slow, but made it, and then up the road and into Britten for the final descent. Dust again being a problem, espectially through the bit near the top that Nelson had worked on last weekend. Then I crashed - wheel rutted and down I went, luckily the tussocks and grass were soft - tweaked my right calf really hard, somehow, it cramping as I was crashing. Got going again and Nelson was waiting waaaay down at the next hairpin. We finished off to the car.
Mostly pretty sweet 11.5 kms, with 450 m climbed



