Thursday evening no skool like the Old Skool

riding the BFe to work, was having issues with my front bearings, so, was wondering whether i'd get to ride or not, but Nelson picked me up on Selwyn St and we made our way to Bowenvale Ave, parking up the end.  He had his hardtail on account of not having replaced his rear derailleur yet (it's ordered...).  Seemed to sort out the bearings, not really by doing anything, and we headed on up the valley.  Stuck to the valley floor track, up to Hidden Valley track, blowing the creek crossing, but pretty much getting the rest of it.  I was surprised how good i did considering how crapola i'd felt all day on account of a certain visitor last night and beer and 4 different singlemalts.  pure seed.

got a bit of air into the lungs on the climb and then onwards around the Old Skool, barrelling down, me leading.  Seemed to ping about a bit, but held a pretty good speed most of the way.  Lower down, in the lower switchbacks we met Craig on his classic fluoro rigid 1988-9 Marin, who'd been been in touch and we expected.  He turned around and continued back down with us, and then we all headed up valley for round number 2.  Repeated, the same, climb climb, Craig nattering away, which is good for keeping him at our speed.  Top of Hidden we chatted a fair bit to a dude who rode through for his first ever time, then metres later we rode past him making a repair, and then half way down, Nelson got a flat, which him and Craig worked together to fix in no time, chatting to the dude again as he stopped on his way down, and then we put chase to him and i reeled him in a little.  While waiting for them to fix the tire, i was sure a rider below us was Steve, and it turns out it was!  At the bottom again, we decided we had enough daylight for another run, so back up the valley, meeting tonnes of DHers coming down way too fast.  Back up the grindy Hidden Valley trail, and back round and back down, and out back to the car by 7.30.  so, three laps in all of approximately 140m altitude, just like climbing to the top of Mt Vernon and back.

And to top it all off, here we are a week after Daylight Savings, checking back, the last time we rode Old Skool was the week before Daylight Savings, meaning we've had the whole winter off it.