Something new(ish). I parked at the Devils Boots and rode back out the gravel road, hung a right up Plain Rd and headed for what I believed to be the far entrance to the Aorere Goldfields. Got to the corner I thought was right and there was a massive sign (home painted) "Access Closed" "(no guns, no dogs)." Got my phone out and started to check I was in the right spot when a farmer serendipitously turned up. I waved him down and asked if I was on the right track, and about the Access Closed sign...
"That's just for the dicks."
"Ah, the dicks with the guns and dogs?"
"You got it".
So, off I climbed, up through his farm, basically (but actually on public road). Checked a map once finding I was on the right track, all no gates, then finding the access track pushing it's way up a steep ridge surrounded by low stature manuka scrub. Fucking steep, but stayed on top of the granny and the grip and the heat of the sun and climbed my way up, hot as fuck. A couple of chances for nice views but at the (first) top the scrub was all too high, so I actually went a ways back down the road to get this photo:
Good descent started here, bombing down, bombing 4WD... Found the turn off to Bedstead Gully that I'd ridden in the past, and headed in. Hmmm... rougher, then waaay more overgrown than those times. Looked like nobody has been down here for a while, or if they have they've been in full motocross gear cos it was scratchy and super bad. I got to a point where I knew the trail from the 'campsite' of old was gonna be worse so turned back (and it was getting pretty terrible). Streams were stagnant here too, showing the lack of rain lately.
Bit of a drudge out, walking some, then riding, and back on the main track headed up over and down. Around a narrow part and "whoah!" got quite a fright at a Range Rover headed towards me. Piloted by two young women (and followed by an older Surf with a couple guys and a girl) said our hellos and what a great track, and I continued on down. Found the right-hander to Druggans and headed that way, completely unfamiliar to me even tho I'd done it at least one of those previous times. Nice bomb down to the dam and saw a couple of bikes(e) down there so rolled along and sat in the shade, ate my half OneSquare and yarned.
Not so far from here, down to the water-race trail and it's way more rugged than it's been in previous years. Nice roll around, good to be in the shade, then the descending from caves (which I didn't visit), and some serious bomb, with a couple of quite techy sections higher up, but easier and smoother the lower I got.
Finally out the lowlands back to the car.
Epic loop of steep climbs and rugged descents, eventuating in less altitude than it felt like (540) but a serviceable 22.6 kms. Scorching hot sun didn't help much and neither did the scratchy gorse and hakea.
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