ThursNight Packhorsing Springs

Cotic'd to work, then got to Nelson's work and we trafficjammed our way to Dyers Pass Rd and Gravel road in is obviously very well used now, by lots of logging trucks.  Then the open singletrack is overcrowded with thistles that are very conveniently at handlebar height - yowch!  Sweet wee blat down into the forest, loose and rooty and sketchy, dropping a ways before the clamber up to a stile.  Over this and up the paddock edge and over to a massive stockpile of logs where once was tall shady forest.  The trail has changed here, quite good, bombs down and meets the old trail where it goes into the dark fir forest.  I stopped and got the sunnnies off in here and chased onwards, walking up the tight switchbacks then getting going again, up and over past the wee bach in there, then on into the last climb that goes on and on and on.  Over the stile and a little bit of a rest, then up round the open exposed edge trail.  Awesome, keeps you on your toes.  Cleaned all the rocky sections and we were at the hut about 40 minutes after we left the car.

Didnt spend too long at the hut, and hit the trail back, picking our way round the slope, carefully but interestingly.  Into the forest and the speed gets up quick, flowing and rolling and swerving and swooping.  I shoulder/handlebar barged a tree (that'd knocked off Nelson on the way up), and had one close call on some particularly sketchy roots that were scattered all over the track just after a fast corner.  The climbs made me suffer, but the descents were sweet.  Return to the car was 1 hour 20 after we'd left.

Drove down the road and round and parked up Bamfords and headed into Living Springs.  Round School's Out, checking out the wee "technical" 'drop' side trail, then up to the pines.  Swapped bikes on the climb and i got to see what all the fuss is about these new fangled full suspension bike machine things.  Sag was a bit soft for my fat arse, so the pedals kept clipping the trail, but i liked the way bumps were absorbed...  Swapped back at the top of Rhymes with and we headed round into Mississippi.  Sweet flow motion tho lots of sheep shit.  Then round into Zanes and fun times.  Bottom of Zanes we headed round and did the droppy thing again then up the steep bastard farmtrack leading to Mississippi.  Walked a bit, and tried forks down and up, and down was definitely easier climbing.  Then it was across Rhymes With, and down through the Pines, 8.30ish, and pretty dark in parts of the forest, then blitzed down to the bottom and clambering the last shreds of power out of my legs round to the car.