Sunday Peaches for Beaches

Fatty Arbuckle.  Semi-repeat, but in reverse, of Thursday's ride.

Parked same spot, fatbike and dog, poked our noses at the beach at the start but the wind was such that behind the dunes was gonna be nicer heading north.  So, up the track for a bit, Jet dragging the chain a bit, but eventually doing okay, and then decided to try the beach for a while, as I thought it might make him run a bit faster.  It did, and I could barely keep up with him into the wind...

At the point where the bottle lake mtb track climbs briefly to the top of the dunes, I climbed up the sanddune entrance (riding 93% of the way up), and we headed into the forest singletrack I'd found on Thursday, from the bottom.  Fun track, and some kid on a normal bike even passed through.  Back on the main drag, going was slower again, til we made the forest, then I did a bit of exploratory meandering.  I reckon with a bit of a tickle this zone could be a fatbike-only flow zone, a few sandy pine needle littered trails flowing and dipping around in there.

I eventually found the exit/entrance to my sand-dune-crest track, taking me along for a while til I saw the main bike track, then I backtracked slightly to a good sand exit to the beach...  Jet really wanted to continue north.  He also then waded in and promptly lay down in the water to cool...  (that meant the boot for him on the way home).  Tail(ish) wind as we headed south again.  Jet talking to every dog we met, finally back over the dune (before the carpark path) and back down to the car.  Good blast.

Measly 7.16 kms, and a massive 22m climbed.

Thursday, Beached as.

Long lunch break, drove out to North Beach and parked, fat bike and jet in the car.  Granny up the boarded sand-dune path, and dowwwn onto the beach, for a lovely clip to the north.  Gorgeous day, sea looked spectacular, and Jet was in speed-mode.  Full tilt sprint for the first km or so, followed by slowing down a bit and the odd dash for a sniff or a pee.  Not to mention the hellos to other dogs.

This is him in slightly-slowed-down-mode. Taken on the fly..

Looking back south...

I recognised the general lay of the land as we rolled, noticing the salt-burned trees behind the dunes, and calculated which exit point would take me to a precise point of the Bottle Lake trail, and we clambered up the dunes and onto an old Phatbike favourite of mine which leads south from that point (where the bike track runs up onto the top of the dunes briefly before ducking back down behind them in the trees).  So, along the dune-tops and then back down into the trees, and onto the track for a bit. 

Out of the trees, heading south, along the main drag, til I ducked onto a side track which lead up into and over into the trees (on the right as you head south), and found a cool wee track, perfect for fatties like me, cruisey cruise.  Eventually took a trail to the left and hit the main drag again, just where it mounts the top of the dune again.  Decided to hit the beach, rather than dragging jet along the bike track, and so we returned that bit we'd started on back to the car.
Nice. 7.2 kms ridden, with a whopping 31 m of altitude.

Previously, (yesterday?) Tra'y, Jet and me, meandered the meandering way to the Library for an outing.  5.8 kms.  There are some very nice houses in St Winifreds Place.

Singlesped in 2/3 speeds, as far as possible in L.A.

Got some puff on at the bach this weekend.  Took 4 teens to have a couple nights at the bach and we hung and they walked and left me to my own devices most of the time.  Laid up with the prolapse disc, couldn't do much, but...

They say, a singlespeed has 3 gears: sitting, standing and walking.  I used the first two and rode as far as I could in any direction.

Jumped on the Switchback and spun my way up valley, figuring I'd just ride until I couldn't ride anymore.  Didn't know how far I'd make, but got some pretty good distance up.  Cleared the dump, having had a few high intensity bits, and took my photos there, then continued on up valley, nearly making it to Misty Hills (farm my uncle and aunt owned til '79).  Turned around, tucked in and proceeded to coast with as much speed as I could muster with the tuck, back down the road.  One or two small ups then rollin', rollin', rollin' on down to the beach.  Left and along and dipped up into Decanter Bay Rd, but only made about 3 metres past the cattlestop, so, out to the wharf, the single hill proving a short chuff on the singlist, both ways, then up the Chorlton Rd, but only to the first picnic bench:

Turned back and around the corner, nearly running into my teens.  They were heading for the church.  I spun home, made it most of the way up the drive, and walked the rest.

Only 8.7 kms, with 185m climbed (i'm surprised).  I called it a "Recovery, Mountain biking" ride cos it's keeping me on the road to recovery if and when I get the surgery on the back.

Level 2's Weakened Restrictions Social Distance-making or -breaking?

Blipped over to Bec's on Saturday with Tra'y for a nice visit; glass of wine in social-non-distancedness.  Nearly 7 kms round trip.

Took the dog for a couple of non-mapped spins, usual local blocks, including this one...

Yesterday, first day back at school for the kids, rode with H and Jet on the cruiser, down to the Strowan/Railway intersection, Jet ran the whole way there, good clip too, and then we separated from H and came home Westholme, Bounty, Christian.  He cruised pretty good pace most of that way too.

Then Last night, explored a couple of alleys we'd not before, found a nice loop.  Yet another photo of my bike lying in the driveway (showing off some of it's reflectiness):

to which Andy commented:  Your bikes tend to lie down a lot.
to which I replied:  That's because they're two tired.

which i thought was fricking hilarious.

Level 3's deathrows, Tuesday and Wednesday

Yesterday, Tuesday, morning H had bought a game on Trademe, so him, Hayles and me rode to get it.  Direct shot down to Merivale.  I let them ride home themselves, and detoured to collect some flour I needed from the Merivale Fresh Choice, and managed to see some beers I'd not had before, so collected them too.  A 9 km round trip.

Later, T and me cruised around the local loop of the parks with the doglet.

Showing off my spokes (laced years ago), this bike's been rocking this wheel like this for a long time.  It's, in my opinion, the best 'weird' pattern you can do with the spokes you've got, same length as a 3-cross.

The 'used' spokes are quite old, and the wheel is a little flexy.  I tried to dub someone on the handlebars one time and the wheel sounded like it was gonna cave in - it complained a lot, so the person didn't get a ride.

This morning I did a 1 km lap of the Condell Aorangi Hudson Wallace block with the dog.  Would have done longer, but forgot to take a bag, so dragged home the last couple of stretches cos I could just see he was gonna take a dump...

Level 3 Weakened Cruise(s)

On Friday did a bit of a fam ride with T, H and Hayles.  We cruised and perused the burbs and stopped for a beverage at the swing before cruising home, putting some power down a couple of times.  The singletrack along the river to Helmores Lane got me really chuffing, chasing Higgs.  Was good to get the puff up.  Weird shit with MMR, only shows in the Workouts, not the Activity Feed.  Have had this before, and cannot work out why it hides them.  Anyway, a worthy 12.3 kms.

Took Jetty for a cruise on Saturday, all the local wee spots.

Also biked with T, and Jet, to the stupidmarket at some point, not sure when... even used the Troll in it's cargo carrying capacity on the way home with the shoppings.

Monday took a lunch break and perused a few new local alleys.  Jet kept a good pace the first half, but coming back, he was Mister Slowpoke.  Still, nearly 5 kms...

Freshly frontwheel shod Ghetto Ratbike Speshy Globe cruiserrrr.

Front tire rubs on the top but will wear down faster than the metal... unfortunately not enough room in the frame for the back tire to be the same...  will have to find a smaller size.

Chooseday Ghetto Rat Jet Cruising

Tuesday, took Jetty for a spin on the Ghetto Ratbike.  Headed out, realised we didn't have a baggy, so home again, and a different route...  Pitcairn park was interesting.  Tiny street frontage, but opens right up into a big enclosed space.  Off lead he had a nice sniff about.  Then straight up home.  Lotsa wind, sun and interesting cloudscapes.

Level 3 Lockdown Weakend Alleyway Cruising...

Saturday saw us do a nice reasonable sized ride, at some relatively low speeds, with Bec and Tra'y.  T and me left here and zagged and zigged to Bec's, collecting her and a few supplies, and we roamed the wild city streets of Merivale and whatever that Bristol St, Holly and Onslow area is called, in search of enlightenment and good-times.  These two things came in droves (well, not really).  Meandered and cruised, Bec not the quickest treadler.  Scattering metric fucktonnes of people who were besmirching the toothsome pathways of North Hagley Park.  The rest of our travels were relatively dipshit-free, past Girls High, up Matai, Harakeke and dipping through Daresbury Park, then Weka, Makora and the backways of the (Fendalton?) bowling club.  Detoured the native tree streets (Puriri and Totara) to Riccarton House, where we parked ourselves on the river bank, watching the ducks, supping on a couple of beverages, and noshing some meat and sundried tomatos.

Fun had, we continued, through the streets, along the riverside at Uni (the fun singletrack bit), and then through the uni, discovering (again for me) the path through past the Uni Community Garden, all the native planting that was started when I was there (20-25 years ago) and marvelling at how big it is now.  Kahikateas of a good size already.  Out and back to Ilam Rd along this, then Coldstream Court, Gleneagles and through Cobham Intermediate, quick detour down Christchurch's most pretentiously built street (ugh! Chateau fucking Drive, what a bunch of disgusting 90s starter-castle McMansion tat! Zero taste), skirting an edge of Jelli Park and Burnside HS, and then as many alleyways as possible home.

A reputable 19.5 kms.

Another pointlessly measured cruise a little later for to walk the dog - nice for him.

I mean, look how happy he is: