Queenie's Memorial Grey Monday

One-off public holiday, a foul gale easterly day at home, so I took myself out of town North, (briefly stopping in Woodend to check the DOC site on whether the track was open or not) peeling off SH1 at Broad Rd and up through Balcairn to Douglas and Crampton's Bush Rd, ending up following a couple of cautious Colins up the usually fast gravel straights and then up to Janet. Almost three years since I'd last mounted Grey...  SO many cars in the carpark so I stuck to the road for the climb, rather than the zig zag.  Met a couple walking their way down the road then, at the lookout, a couple more plus a dog, and a solo woman.  Sat here and lubed my chain, which had been a bit noisy on the climb and I should have taken care of it earlier. 

Up the short steep then continued left onto the road again (figuring, again, to leave the singletrack to the walkers today). Passed the couple with the dog and found my way to the top; one xc-style young cyclist passing on his way down.  Sheltered just over the eastern side of the top and ate a little breakfast. Another couple (who I'd seen earlier from the road below them) and the solo woman passing by here heading for the trig, where there were multiple groups and couples visible. 

I launched off down the techy goodness, getting down onto the traversing singletrack for the trip down. Moar tech, ruts, rocks, tussocks, carefully careflly.  I carried over a couple of mucky wetspots, passing one family group in the process, then another a bit lower down ("you're keen"). Good flow but never too quick, taking it safely. Hairpins, all the way down, I was out of practice. Into the forest and a few corners down was a young family.  Beautiful flow of trail between clusterfucks of hairpins. Not too many trees down and nothing blocking terribly. Lifted over a couple. The mucky bit was not too far off the worst I've seen it, tho had solid(ish) enough edges to get down ok, walking a little, balance-biking the rest. Root-tech followed, with mucky rutty holes in that lower run. Moved a couple logs out of the way.  Another family turned up who told me about the big treefall. Then I met it. Bit of work carrying/pushing/lifting/balancing/threading the bike thru ahead of or beside me.  Nice bomb from here, pretty only a few corners down to the bridge, nice through to boardwalk, one log, and then done. 

To finish, nail in the coffin style, the slog up the road and over to the car. 

Grey(t) ride, 13.35 kms with 705 m climbed.