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, further up the Heathcote and top end of Avon.  

So, I headed down the more interesting byways of the hill (zigzag, 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, down through the Old Stone House crossing bridge #1 on Holmcroft, then #2 across Cashmere Stream.  Into the Cracroft woods along the river, bridge 3 (first actual Heathcote River (number of Heathcote crossings in brackets henceforth)) on Cashmere Rd, Ferniehurst (#4(2)), and back streets through to Centenial Park along the river, #5(3) Sparks Rd, Pablo Pl, MacBeath, Smarlea (#6(4)) to Domain Tce, across the park here for bridge number 7(5), alleyway, along footpath of Hoon Hay Rd through shops, #8(6) Lincoln Rd, and into Annex, and around the side of Seager Park, following a bit of trail alongside of a drainage thing, cutting across this on double-sleeper bridge (9), onto the motorway to cross the Heathcote briefly (10(7)), across the road towards Carmelite, onto the biketrack back over the river (11(8)) and left into the 360 upstream towards Nga Puna Wai.  Peeled off here into wetlands towards 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), leaving the Heathcote Catchment here.  Followed along Nga Mahi Rd until I could cut through the gym equipment carpark, crossing Blenheim Rd and back along to the roundabout, Main South, Greenhurst, 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.  Footbridge (#17) below the weir, along 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 Foresty 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, into Harakeke (23), Daresbury Lane, right on the Rail Trail  (24), over the raiway down into Hagley Park to head for home, crossing 25 and 26 in here, onto Grove to Church Sq to Collins, 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(9)) into Ernle Clarke, where I peeled right along the track, crossing 28(10) to Ashgrove, footbridge (29(11)), footbridge (30(12)), Fairview (31(13)), footbridge (32(14)) and the first of the Heathcotes, Ferniehurst ((33(15)), whereupon 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 15 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 (his wife who's name I cant remember!).  All the while talking I could see Tra'y on the Bowenvale Valley track walking up, following her progress until when I 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.  

Sunday Haulin' the Stooge's Singletrack Ass

Exquisite jaunt on the day before tomorrow. Started out with Tra'y, splitting at top of the dogs. Over 19th, up the Grunter, had my bottle today, so had a good drink at the fountain and refilled, then on up the Worm and onto the Traverse. Loving the applied power and rolling goodness. 

Over Vernon, loving the groove, railing the down.  Straight through Rapaki-top into clambery climbing Witch, hoofity-bumpsville, then across the road onto the first little piece of 360, before dropping out and heading up the road to Castle. 

Dropped in and flowed, a couple of big rim bashes across the really rocky section, that thankfully didnt result in flats, down around the zig and zag and into the climb.  Gloriously applied power through the climb, then getting tired, popping out to Bridle-top.  Started heading up the road, but then spur of the moment, surprising even myself, I turned around and headed back into the climb on the singletrack.  It was hard but I really enjoyed it.  Walked a couple of wee bits (2nd hairpin and the very last steep before final corner) but otherwise great - need to add this to my modus operandi - it's a good workout.   

Clambered up to the Tors track and dropped in, having a glorious descent of this, couple of dabs, then bombed to 360 above the road and hoo-wee it's tight; overgrown. Quite tricky not to tip over the edge every pedal stroke. Need shorter cranks and/or to rotate the EBB, or the trail needs some maint. Into the Witch for another sweet tech climb to flowy decent to Rapakitop, rolling through and heading up the road.  Then, surprising myself again, just after the cattle stop figured I'd hit the Vernon. Climby climby climb climb singletrack around and up. 

At the Traverse I had a breather and a young guy on a Velduro rolled up.  I said, "you may as well go you'll be faster." We chatted a little more then off he went, with me a few moments after.  Chasing, I mostly held onto him until the little climby bit, but then I gained on him again in the long rolling descent, and then all of a sudden, at the pond, there's Tra'y across the road, jogging along.  "TRA'Y!!"  Nice catch up.  Split, I headed on around the summit, having a lovely blast with the tail wind.  Into the trees, both jumps, then Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, Newby Home.  Nice.. 

Just under 20 kms this time, with 711 m wrought.