Saturday shorty with O and Jetty-puss

O and Jet and me dropped some hockey gear off to H and T in Hornby and then found our way to Halswell (that ends well) Quarry Park, parking in the Cashmere Rd carpark.  We'd forgotten Jet's lead, so I made do with one of the bike tubes we use on the bike-rack.  Perfect!  Gives just the right amount of spring, so he basically towed me up Kennedys Bush Rd, where we rode the foot path up.  I got a pissing bleeding nose half way up, but once that'd stopped we continued to the top of the seal, climbing the stile to the top of the Croc and reading the 'absolutely no dogs in this part of the track' sign...  Damn.  Oh well.  Continued upwards where they were allowed, but on their lead, up the singletrack.  Passed an older guy working on the singletrack, and rode the first berm he'd just finished.  Very tidy.  On up, and a few cattlebeasts around, but Jet was on the lead and very well behaved.  At the tank we got on the main track and continued to the top. 

Turned around and rode down the singletrack.  I let Jet off the lead but kept him very well heeled; he was a good boy!  A little greasy in places, and so gave O the tips he needed and he rode it all well.  Down past the tank and around the bends and down, past the track work guy and on down.  O had a wee off just after the last hairpin, but he was fine.  At the top of the Crock, we had to head back down the road, jet galloping down alongside us.  At the entrance to the Quarry Park that we often used to ride out of, we headed down, ignoring the no bikes sign and the dogs on leads sign, and headed on down towards the switchback track that comes up from below.  Half way down I figured we were right next to where the C2 track is, so we went over a fence and pushed/carried our bikes to the pines and there indeed was the track, below us below a cliff...  Hmmm...  Up and around following the edge of the trees and then across to the trail, we rode up this to the Van Asch entrance and then turned around and headed back down.  This was mint; O really enjoyed it, saying it was his favourite trail ever.  Met 3 boys his age climbing up, dad following behind.  On down and into the valley and a cool frost mist and patches of frost holding on in the valley bottom, even tho it was balmy up the hill.  Final climb out and then down the dog park and back to the car. 

 Nice spin, but not much mileage, under 8 kms, and only 180 m gained.