Sunday nearly reverse of last week on damptracks.

Small posse met at Steve's - Wayne, Andy & Steve were awaiting us when I turned up and then Pete arrived minutes after.  We surveyed what was left of Wednesday's flooding, dirt and debris lying about the place as we tootled around Hansen's Park to the Ramahana climb.  Good pace all the way up the hill, with Steve showing no signs of slowing.  Into the dirt, again with the pace, all the way up to the top.  Into Vernon, several times moving off the track to allow climbers past, killing the buzz a bit, but still having a good blast down here, no damage showing from the storm. 

Straight through Rapaki top and into Witch Hill, gravel all washed off it, starting to rut, and throwing me off form a couple times.  Out the end and across the road onto what will eventually be the line.  First section okay, but second section got sucked down and too steep in the long unformed grass track left me walking above the road with no way down for a bit.  Caught the others up and we cruised up under the Tors and straight into Castle Rock.  Great blast down here, with the drainage work of last week obviously having done a good job.  The rock feature we carted rocks for is good, tho the water runs a bit further along the trail after it.

Re-group at top of Bridle Path and then it was off up the clamber to the Gondola building.  Most of us cleaned lots of it, and walked the bits we didn't.  Then, off down the ziggy zaggy to the saddle and into the last climb of the day.  Over the stile and in the steep part of the climb, the gravel has all washed out, rutted something wicked and was generally not very pleasant (pun intended) or easy to ride.  Once it leveled off a bit it was okay tho.  Andy and me were out the front up here, chatting about where i crashed last week.  I couldn't work out exactly which spaniard it was that lead to my crash.  At the top of Mt Pleasant there was a pleasant young lady who we chatted with for a while. 

Off down we went, trail all in good nick and not squirrelly or greasy at all.  Hard to find as usual, with the odd tussocky corner catching me out.  Once at top of Greenwood we continued on an old skool blast down the 4wd trail to the trees of Richmond Hill, then down our usual climb, which was splecky in places, and i must say, my little mudguard left my face and eyes spleck free where the others were complaining of eyes getting splecked.  Finally, the road, a very fast blast down the seal, i'd say close to 80kph if not faster.  Would be ridiculous to crash at that speed...  Through the street fest of Sumner, and into DotCom for a well earned coffee before a haul home, Pete and me parting ways with the others at Ferrymead.