Now regular Nelson pick up from Countdown carpark, and we headed across to and up Huntsbury - parking at the top. Took a bit to get MMR going, when we finally got moving another vehicle had arrived and I'm sure there were a couple of lights approaching up the road. Headed up the gravel, surprised at the running water in places. Good pace up here, me managing to stay with Nelson for most of the first half, only easing off in the upper reaches, but even then not too far behind.
Straight up onto Vernon, up the rocks and along, trying to stay out of the odd puddle up here. Just before it heads over the rocky section I was avoiding one of these puddles and my front wheel dropped off the left of the trail, dropping me onto the ground. "oop, here goes the shoulder again" I thought as I plummetted to the ground and slid painfully on my elbow and knee..."Ow. Ow. Ow..." Picked myself up, and my handlebar light was hanging from it's cord, the mount snapped off from the impact. Nelson was a wee ways ahead and had taken the high line and so I figured I'd coast down to where it meets back on the trail, but then he'd crashed too so I sat down and groaned for a bit, sorting my crap out. He came back and we headed on down, me being much more carefuller than I'd been, getting some reasonable flow, down to Crapaki, although, I was overthinking and overreacting to stuff, which spoiled my flow a little.
Into Witch and the clambering and climbing was good. Definitely didn't need the Track Closed sign on it - not a wetspot in sight. Up and around and over and on the down I was ultra cautious. We regrouped at the road and another biker turned up from behind us. Turned out it was Quetty (Kwiti? Kuiti?) who we'd met a couple of times before. Chatted for a bit and then he tagged along and we all rode up the road and chatted.
Onto Castlerock, me taking the backseat on account of my injuriousness. Cautious Colin heading down here. There were a few wet bits, but it was not too bad. The worst bit is where the worst bit always is, ie, around on a stretch before the first hairpin where you're below the road and it's really really rocky, and the water was all sheep poos and wees - yech! No sloppy mud to be seen tho. Around the hairpin and I was feeling okay. Usual sketchy angle rock across here I managed alright, and around the next hairpin then climbing, climbing over and down to the road again. Chatted here for a bit and 2 other riders headed through.
Across to the carpark and up the walking track Nelson and me have taken to riding. Steeeep climb up to a bit of walking, little bit more riding, hopping up rock steps, and then walking again to the last ride to the top. Nice views up here. Then down towards the Tors, yumpy steppy then climbing, walking a bit but Nelson cleaned heaps, and then riding a bit around above Castlerock entrance and a rest. My sore bits were a bit achey after this break, and I was ultra cautious on the descent here below the Tors. This trail is different every time I ride it. Dabbed through the worst bits near the bottom and rode heaps more than I'd expected to.
Across the road and onto the singletrack above the road. This was great, nice and flowy, mildly techy. Then across the road again and into Witch. Another good blast through here and around to Rapaki, up Vernon, grind grind grind, I hate bits of this climb, especially at the end of a ride. Met a whole huge heap of riders coming the other way on the climb before my crash location.
Across the top and across the road and into the Traverse, cruising around here then dropping down through the tussocks and rocks and down Huntsbury gravel into the landing strip and Quetty had never been in this entrance before. Over the fence and along the singletrack, some horrifically greasy spots. Not far above the first big jump (that Nelson had cleared), Quetty got rutted and slid to a rolling crash in the tussocks. We got rolling again, out and down to the gate. Over this and heading for the jumps. The lower we got the greasier it got. Disgusting mucky greasy sloppy crap. Sprayed and splecked and coated, I bypassed as much as possible and skipped pretty much every jump. The bottom ruts had been dug but were greasy as hell and gross.
Said our goodbyes to Quetty and hit the road home.
15 kms, over 600m altitude climbed. Painful and cautious
Straight up onto Vernon, up the rocks and along, trying to stay out of the odd puddle up here. Just before it heads over the rocky section I was avoiding one of these puddles and my front wheel dropped off the left of the trail, dropping me onto the ground. "oop, here goes the shoulder again" I thought as I plummetted to the ground and slid painfully on my elbow and knee..."Ow. Ow. Ow..." Picked myself up, and my handlebar light was hanging from it's cord, the mount snapped off from the impact. Nelson was a wee ways ahead and had taken the high line and so I figured I'd coast down to where it meets back on the trail, but then he'd crashed too so I sat down and groaned for a bit, sorting my crap out. He came back and we headed on down, me being much more carefuller than I'd been, getting some reasonable flow, down to Crapaki, although, I was overthinking and overreacting to stuff, which spoiled my flow a little.
Into Witch and the clambering and climbing was good. Definitely didn't need the Track Closed sign on it - not a wetspot in sight. Up and around and over and on the down I was ultra cautious. We regrouped at the road and another biker turned up from behind us. Turned out it was Quetty (Kwiti? Kuiti?) who we'd met a couple of times before. Chatted for a bit and then he tagged along and we all rode up the road and chatted.
Onto Castlerock, me taking the backseat on account of my injuriousness. Cautious Colin heading down here. There were a few wet bits, but it was not too bad. The worst bit is where the worst bit always is, ie, around on a stretch before the first hairpin where you're below the road and it's really really rocky, and the water was all sheep poos and wees - yech! No sloppy mud to be seen tho. Around the hairpin and I was feeling okay. Usual sketchy angle rock across here I managed alright, and around the next hairpin then climbing, climbing over and down to the road again. Chatted here for a bit and 2 other riders headed through.
Across to the carpark and up the walking track Nelson and me have taken to riding. Steeeep climb up to a bit of walking, little bit more riding, hopping up rock steps, and then walking again to the last ride to the top. Nice views up here. Then down towards the Tors, yumpy steppy then climbing, walking a bit but Nelson cleaned heaps, and then riding a bit around above Castlerock entrance and a rest. My sore bits were a bit achey after this break, and I was ultra cautious on the descent here below the Tors. This trail is different every time I ride it. Dabbed through the worst bits near the bottom and rode heaps more than I'd expected to.
Across the road and onto the singletrack above the road. This was great, nice and flowy, mildly techy. Then across the road again and into Witch. Another good blast through here and around to Rapaki, up Vernon, grind grind grind, I hate bits of this climb, especially at the end of a ride. Met a whole huge heap of riders coming the other way on the climb before my crash location.
Across the top and across the road and into the Traverse, cruising around here then dropping down through the tussocks and rocks and down Huntsbury gravel into the landing strip and Quetty had never been in this entrance before. Over the fence and along the singletrack, some horrifically greasy spots. Not far above the first big jump (that Nelson had cleared), Quetty got rutted and slid to a rolling crash in the tussocks. We got rolling again, out and down to the gate. Over this and heading for the jumps. The lower we got the greasier it got. Disgusting mucky greasy sloppy crap. Sprayed and splecked and coated, I bypassed as much as possible and skipped pretty much every jump. The bottom ruts had been dug but were greasy as hell and gross.
Said our goodbyes to Quetty and hit the road home.
15 kms, over 600m altitude climbed. Painful and cautious
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