Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Wednesday Tommy God Snake Return

Went and watched O compete in time trials at Crocodile / C2 area after school, where he'll be competing each week for the next few.  Came home and was picked up by Nelson. 

We headed for Scuzznor and parked up in Slumnervale.  Headed up El Capitano, and it was coolish, but muggy as hell.  My asthma always kicks in on that climb, and tonight was no exception - I wondered if it was a high fungal spore count.  Nelson seemed to just rocket off ahead, while I wheezed and struggled to breathe behind.  Once above the switchbacks I got on with it, rolling up to find him trying several times to clean the wee climb immediately after that little descent.  We pushed up the two unrideables and allowed a couple runners through, then continued our merry way up.  Pinchies were pinchy and then the last stretch to the top, some imbecile dropped in when we had about 20 m to go and pretty much expected us to move over.  Stuff you, I just kept on and he stopped, but I had to ride off the track to get past.

Into Godley, and puffing hard up the first climb, I had a break before attempting the top upper section, cleaning it nicely.  Nelson was miles ahead by this time.  I plodded onwards, muppetting lots, but cleaning stuff too.  Eventually I found him at the top and we were practically in the fog.  What followed was an excellent blast down to Livingston Col.  Both of us on top form, weaving our ways down.  My new bike was gripping and holding on so perfectly, and soaking up the trail awesomely.  Through the col and into the climb, nice and short, then around and down to Breeze.

Into the Anaconda.  Nice easy cruise around til the speed picked up and the corners were all railed hard.  Fantastic descent to the start of the tail, where we got down onto the walking track and headed away from Taylors, eventually up the new climbing track, which climbs really good.  Back up to the upper 'conda, we debated doing another lap, but then realised it was getting late, and darkness not far away.

So, back up to Breeze, and back up the way we'd come, climbing out around Pfmtbc Rock, which makes that climb much nicer, and on up through the rocky tech which is more fun in this direction, then dropping down to Livingston and into the full climb back up Godley from there.  I'd been thinking the road would be better, easier, but as I rode I decided not.  If you think about it, it's all the same altitude, but from the road there's that horrible 4wd climb back up to the trail, whereas, climbing the trail, the last stretch to that top is nice and gentle.  Light getting really low, not helped by the super low cloud cover, we blasted the return to Evans.  I took lines over rocks I've never considered before.  Big volume tires soaking it all up.

Finally, into the Captain, blasting as fast as the light allowed.  The odd wet spot put dirt and grease on tires, and so on the last rocky tech I 2nd guessed myself and stopped, making me have to walk it.  Then there were two Enduro-heads practicing for the upcoming (this weekend) Enduro Race and the sun got below the clouds a bit and the light grew for our final descent down to the switchbacks and around a very greasy cabbage tree couple corners, and out the bottom, back to the car.

A pretty good 18 kms, with surprisingly 730 m climbed.

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