Sunday quick up, around, down a little, up, down, up, down, around, down

Damp weekend at kids' Kea and Cub camp, home by 3pm Sunday with a weight of tiredness but the offer of a ride by T.  Said I couldn't possibly, but then lay about for a while and figured why the hell not?  So, drove out and with a view of the hills decided Worsley top looked dingier than the rest of the hills east of there so pointed the car towards Mt Pleasant and headed across and on up to the Upper Major. 

Jumped on the bike 4.30ish, and over the fence and hit the trail up Britten, Jet racing out ahead.  No stock in sight, so figured he was okay, but once he'd slowed down a little bit I kept him close til I could see that there really was no stock on the hill.  Good pace up, and cleaned the turn to head around the original Britten trail, up top of which I de-layered down to my Baked Alaska, sun shining through enough to keep the shades on too.  On round to the end of the trail and up onto the road, then down to Cavendish Saddle, where I started heading up towards the stile for Mt Pleasant, but then stopped and checked out my timing, 4.45pm, and decided that actually, a brief sortie up and back to the Gondola building might be in order.

Headed, and struggled a little in the greasy-ish conditions, up the ziggy zaggy rounding out the top and smelling the stench of sheep shit and urine, which caught Jet's attention and two daggy unshorn wild looking sheep headed off straight down our zigs and zags, so we saw them a few more times as we descended, Jet being really good and heeling well.

Up the grindy wee start of the Pleasant climb, the previously washed out steep section all nicely compacted with new fill, smooth and nearly as hard as concrete.  Good cruise up and round to the top, pleasantly surprised that it was not even 5.05, so, less than 20 minutes to have climbed Cavendish, descended, and climbed Pleasant.  Up here the fog was enveloping the top in its fuggy moistness, so, sunglasses away at the gate and zip up front.

Down the trail winding round over the rocks, over the step-stile, down the first few rocks, keeping Jet behind and keeping an eye out for stock.  Enjoyed the flow as I rounded through the sound effects of Lyttelton, then the open tussock land speed followed and Jet was tight on my tail, loving it, the whole way down.

Brief breather above Greenwood, then down, Jet at a heel onto the top section of Greenwood trail and around.  Been a bit of work along here, the edges cleared, making for a nice cruise up and around and over.  Sheep were sheltering a bit around here and as I hit the worst of the short sharpish climbs Jet made like he was gonna stalk one, which I stopped with a sharp word, which got him back into line and he was no trouble with them after that.  As we neared the road, the trail got muckier and wetter.  Once again, I was glad of my wee mudguard stopping eye-spleck.  Onto the road and Jet heeling as we cruised round and up to Britten.

Final descent was awesome.  I went flat out, weaving with the trail back and forth down the hill, with Jet tight on my tail, galloping along after me.  On the hairpins he would cut the corner really tight and end up out front and as soon as I caught him again he'd move aside and get in behind again.  Sweet!

5.29 and we were in the car.  A quick, hour's ride with so much in it.  AND, the first ride for my new helment.