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.

Saturday Nun Gov Ultra Vixen

Good wee spin on the Jeht, with an uplift.  

Climbed up through Vic, over 19th, Skid, Grunt.  Realised at the water fountain I didn't have a bottle.  Bother.  Oh well, drank some and kept rolling, into Thomson's Both, Through Kiwi and up the Summit, Worsley's into Nun.  Bit of a stop a the top and 4 old buggers on eebs turned up, we chatted, then I let them go off, and gave them some time to get ahead.  I dropped in and eventually caught the tail-end Charlie.  At the corner closest to the CAP he let me past and I railed the rest of it.  Felt like I was riding pretty good.  We all set off down the next section and I was having to hold back on the same dude's tail, but I bailed at the road, crossing over to hit down the Governor's Bay trail.  Slick in places, but fun.  Down around, and into the climb, cleaning more than ever, just seemingly having the power.  Walked a tiny section to the road, crossed over, finished off the lower Nun, and popped out at the road.  A mum and kid bikers rolled up and I asked if Zero Ultra was open, "Yes.  Yes, it is."  

I dropped in a little after one of her grom kids and proceeded to stay on his tail, reel him in even.  Then peeled off into Zero for the first time down.  It was much as expected, a few pops that would be giant air if you were carrying the speed, scenic (not that I got to see much - too busy focussing), loved it when it got into the trees, fast, jumpy (not that I did), and then one by one other tracks joined in from either side then I recognised the last sections.  Down to the fountain, drink, up to the lift.

Nice chat with nice peeps on the lift, then off down, pulling over to let them haul-arse through (all practicing for the racing tomorrow), all the way down lower Nun and through the Kiwi and up the road, dropping into Thomsons the upper.  Topped out, jumpies, see-saw, Brakefr-- out to Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, then into fun Newby Home track having a good session down here.  Really enjoying this trail, it's so tight.

16.3 kms travailed, with 846 m ascended, of which 400 odd were chaired. 

Sunday Ups and Ups.

Very strong southerly kicked up just before we left the house, Tra'y walking and me on the bike again.  We tootled (I struggled) up the steep behind the houses and I stayed with her until the top of the Dog Park where we parted ways.  

I trundled on up the hill, the usual over 19th, Skidder, and up the grunter.  Lovely and sheltered in the trees with the wind howling in the tops of them and roaring in all the powerlines.  Straight into the Worm and popped out of the trees and observed the conditions.  Scudding clouds thickening, a bit of really light drizzle around.  A couple of other bikers said it'd been hard work staying on the Traverse, so I decided against that and instead figured I'd stay in the lee of the hill, dropping down Upper Fenceline, around onto Rome, back and forth down this, taking a right fork part way down and deciding to walk back up to take in the left, which has a steep rollover drop to start.  Out the bottom and across to the left, then then up the steep access track through Cool Runnings, and on up.  

Popped down into Pedalfine below here, but found a tree across it (bring the saw next time), so pushed back up and headed on up through the Rad intersection to Razza's where I paused for a gasp or five.  I was just about to roll in when an ebiker came across from above and dropped in, so gave him a bit of a stretch before dropping in myself.  Ended up catching him stopped for a woman and a guy, who let us both past (briefly, the guy said, "oh, Cotic, I used to have a Soul," I replied, "I've got a broken Soul at home...").  Out the bottom, onwards down, sidling through Brentzone (Macros (after Macrocarpas, I'm assuming)), and took that new high line above the Corporate Ladder, which I turned up and climbed.  

Steep up, in under the sprawling gum tree and onto Sneaky Ridge, fun tech rocks down, blippity blop, oaks, jump onto the main trail and on down Nube-Ridges and down valley into the Hidden climb.  Up this, still contemplating where to go, finally deciding on hitting the Old Skool and facing the climb home.  Brief pause at the high point listening to the high-tension lines above, so loud, then dropped in, total tailwind blast across, revelling in the push and rush of tussocks and wind and noise from above, pylons screaming.  Back across into the wind for a bit, but enough down to keep me moving, then back around, tail wind, overtaking a couple and their dog, biff boff baff down to the next hairpin then dropping down into the final squiggles, rail rail humm, and out onto the main drag.  

Climbed back up valley, vest layer on at the seat, the up into the trees, and ugh, the grind up K2 - one breather stop, then up to Texaco, and on up, grind grind grind.  Eventually made the Skidder, and rolled over into the trees and down through the first bit, stopping at my stop (before CAP trail), to oil chain which had an annoying small squeak each rotation.  Then finished off this bit, out the gate and into the Newby for a lovely blast down and through, all the way home.

500 m steep as, over not that far 10.6 kms.

Hiker's Wool Delivery Service

Call from T. She was out walking with Layla who got a blister so I hoofed it up on the Troll. Nice HIIT climb to meet them on the road out of the Skidder site.  Delivered the goods, then I rode up to the 'CAP entrance' track, peeled off that down and popped out at the gate (where the other two were just arriving), then across the road and into the local Newby singletrack descent, for a most interesting wee hoon down through here with no dropper post.  FUN

Short but intense, 3.4 kms, with a measly 80 m climbed.

Friday Date Before Sunrise

Awake at 5, so T suggested we exercise. I was reluctant at first but then thought what else am I gonna do?  She headed out the door on foot, while I fed the dog, got my shit together and headed up on the Jeht. It was insanely warm (19 degrees - warmest place in the country!).  

Puffed up the road and then poached the Tawhairanui, nicely nicely, then stayed below the road up thru the woods to 19th, then up to the skidder where I layered off down to a merino singlet.  A green light appeared, and I'm like, wtf? then it moved, and then another light showed, up.  A dog (green) and it's master.  

Up the gruntster, where I needed a breathing break half-way, but cleaned up the rest ok.  Dropped over Thompson's #1 and back up the road to top of Vic whereupon I checked T's positioning... Ok - got ya..  Surprisingly, a few runners around.  So dropped off around the jumpies, straight around into Worm, up and out of the trees and onto the Traverse and I could see her coming up the valley. Gave her a flash or two from my first high point then rode around, and then down the walking 4wd track to her. We rode/walked together back up to the pond, over the fence, across the road, then she went up the steep and I sidled around and up the ridge and we met on top of the knoll. 

Photos taken

and off down, techy rock to the carpark, across the road and onto the Traverse for a lights off blast around towards Vic.  Into the trees and ooh! dark!  Lights back on brights, into the jumps, one and two, then down the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, across to drop into the new local for a lovely twisty hoon home. All before the sun actually lifted above the horizon.  Nice!

Nascently resplendent 9 kms and 322 m climbed