Thursday, hottest day of the year, pretty much

Nelsie and me got out tonight.  I rode the Cotic to work and then got to his work at about 5 in the sweltering heat.  We drove to Redcliffs and parked up, then rode back round to McCormacks Bay and hit the dirt about 5.45.  Bloody hot, hard work getting up the grunts.  Cleaned the first hairpin, not the second, then due to the heat i blew a few other pinches, but got most of the upper 'pins.  Off up the road all the way to the Upper Major, then up the singletrack, wind picking up something wicked.  Hottest damned easterly i've ever felt, that's for sure.  At the top, in the shade, we decided to hit up Broadleaf Lane and climbed some more, grovelling up the gravel and through the gate and over the stiles and then it was down down down.  Wind pushing all the tussocks over, i followed Nelson down, and it sure is easier following someone than leading down here.  When you're leading you're always second guessing it, wondering which way it goes next, but following is sweet.

Into Greenwood, dust not too much of a problem cos of the wind, but couldn't follow too close or i couldn't see the trail.  I stuck pretty good to his tail til the climby bits after Gloomy Gulch, where my legs were struggling and he got away.  But once on the down again i managed to gain on him just a little.  He sure was haulin' ass tho.  The lower sections were okay, tho i blew the first rocky up, losing more ground from Nelson.  Lots of pain by the bottom, sore hands, sore feet, sore legs, sore arms.

Into Godley and i didnt have the balance nor the legs to clean the start.  Once past that tho we both clipped along at a good pace with no more issues at all.  Excellent blast round til the fenceline and i just had to rest and eat something.  Off down towards Livingston, Nelson handed the lead over to me and i fudged my way through the rutty-ness, sunshine and shadows making life difficult til finally onto the Teddington Shit section and i got my mojo back.  Excellent descent after the last wee wooden feature and a blazing descent to the col.  Gave the lead back to Nelson for the climb towards Breeze, and he left me for dead.  Then once the descent began again i couldn't even see him ahead anymore.  The wind, long grass and a rut got the better of me and i tumbled off.  Straight back on and got moving again, rounding the corner to see Nelson miles down below me just polishing off the PFMTBC Rock, which i then proceeded around the slope above then back down and over and then carefully speeding down avoiding dirt ridges, over the sheepstop and flying onto the road.

Headed out the lower trail towards the Heads.  Good times on the downs, but really struggling on my ups.  Legs drained, pained to push the cranks.  Final blast out to the end and three riders hanging out.  Lo and behold, another Cotic Soul!!!  W00t!  And Nick Singletrack on his Heckler.  Stopped for a good chat with them then we headed back towards Breeze, them on our tails for a start.  Got to Breeze and they weren't in sight but we stopped to rest and they turned up and more chatting ensued. 

Time to part our ways, they were heading back up top of Pleasant, and us down Th'anaconda.  Excellent blast, dust from Nelson obscuring my trail ahead, especially when we came round into the sun.  Nelson was going so fast he lost the trail and i sloped past and took the lead, him tight on my heels.  I dont think i slowed him too much, tho maybe he was just being polite.  Railed all the berms, yumped the yumps and we flowed down and down til we didnt flow anymore.  Slammed on the anchors to get round the first corner of the new section, then flowed briefly before having to brake hard again to get round one of the later ones.  They could have built it a bit more flowy!!  Straight into the 'tail and picked our ways over the boney rocks and out and down.

Legs, wiped.  Climb out of Taylors, hard.  Still, surprised myself and didn't resort to using my granny.  We made the top in pretty good time then tucked in for the blast down the road, catching a car at the bottom.

I'd thought of my friend Miranda as i'd been flying down the road, cos she lives in Sumner, then as we trundled along the waterfront,who should we bump into?  Stopped and chatted for a while before hauling our sorry asses around the road back to the car.  All up, with stops for chats and breaks, 3 hours.