Sunday eastern scorcher

Great ride this morning, but hot!  Drove the Fiat to Ferrymead bridge and Wayne turned up in his van, then Steve and Wazza showed on their bikes, and Andy and Tony drove past without seeing us, then finally Pete turned up having dropped the TFC van off.  We raced down the causeway and round into Sumner, met Marie, Andy and Tony, and headed up Richmond Hill.  Steep, and hot as, roasting up pretty quick, desperately seeking shade at every opportunity.  Straight up the farm track through gates and to the trees, then up the farmtrack entrance to Greenwood, a shady regroup above the ruins and straight in.  I started off a bit pingy in the rocks but gradually got my flow, til by the time I was lower down I was scorching down the trail.  Excellent descent.  Heaps of other riders around, including a group we saw repeatedly.

Into Godley and I cleaned the start again!  W00t!  Did it last time I rode it, which was on GuyFawkes day.  Onwards and cleaned the bit after that too.  Then into the rest of the climb, feeling pretty good, even with the heat.  Once I was up on the level, my balance was all squiffy, kept scrubbing edges of the trail and rocks, and feeling all off balance.  Quick regroup before heading down towards Livingston Col, I got smooth again, momentum my friend, and just flew.  Another regroup at the col and Steve tucked in front for the climb and kept a good pace.  I got past him again before the descent and rocketshipped down, swoopy swoop, round and across then back round and whoosh, over the PFMTBC rock, back wheel barely skipping over it as I flew off the end.  The rest came through and Tony did it for the first time (which surprised us greatly - not that he did it, but that it was his first time!).  Marie was slowed by soreness from a tumble on Greenwood, so she took a shortcut down Anaconda from Breeze Col, and we headed off into the climb around above the road. Grass was very long, making the narrow overgrown bit even moreso, then a blat descent to the end of the road and a quick regroup there before scorching around below the road back to Breeze.  Some other riders tucked into the Anaconda before us so we waited til they'd gone over the brow of the hill.  Slowly increased speed as we descended.  Finally the tailenders (Graham the trail maintenancer and friend) came into view and I was chasing, catching them at the end before the 'tail.  That nearly last corner still a bastard.  Into the tail and cruised on down, catching up to Graham's mate, stopping for a sec to gap him, then Graham turned up so we continued on.

Through the bottom of Taylor's and the heated climb began.  Just had to push on and get it over with, i went ahead and ended up catching up to Graham and friend again, cruising with them for a bit.  Found Marie at the top of the hill, and we all moseyed on down the hill, along the esplanade (above a very very busy beach) and into DotCom.  Then a jetship ride along the causeway and back to the car.  Home by 1.

Afternoon, went out to Nelson's, chainsawed a bunch, made a VERY full Fiat which I had to drive extremely slowly back to Nelson's, unloaded and split it all, making for a lovely stack to dry for winter.