Sunday Single Sojourn

High intensity singlespeed, up thru Vic, over 19th, through skidder to walk a bit, then breather at the brakefree water fountain, and on up to Thompsons #1, back up the road and up to the stone shelter where I caught up with Doug and had a breather.  MMR uselessly stopped here.  Clambered up to the Sugarloaf carpark, and onto Cedricks Track, across the front, boffed down through the rocky bits in the bush and then out to the road and down onto the Traverse.  Across this back to Vic Park, then blitzed down thru Gums, Lower, out to 19th, below road through usual byways to road corner, then coasting down to 235, dropping in and even jumping the treebranch.  Ballbearings (acorns) are in full effect through here now, be warned! and then clambered back up to the road, and up over below the Dog Park dropping down the singletrack to Harry Ell Drive, fast coast down here, then a brief walk up to our gate. 

MMR crapped out, looks like before I even got to the stone shelter, where it finished, so it was probably about 5 or so kms, with maybe 150 m climbed?

Good Friday Pike 29 on the 29th

First time up the Pike valley and onto the new trail. Hard work climb but a gloriously flowy descent.  I started out thinking I'll just see how I go and turn around when I've had enough.  10 minutes in I almost felt like I'd had enough, but decided I'd do 2 hours...  Climbing was good.  Trail slightly soft but grippy, lots of switchbacks.  Met one descending woman on this stretch.  Took no time to get to the 'twin bridges' where there was a nice seat.  Then a couple kms later the second seat.  It had taken me an hour to get to this.  Took a breather, rest and nice view out over the Grey Valley.  Off again and eventually met a lone (ebike) dude who, until he was 2 metres way, I could have sworn was Wazza.  Then a lone woman, who said there's 3 more behind me.  Then eventually I came upon them, first two then their tailender (last three on ebikes) .  Climb climb climb, and was getting more into the sun when I met a walker couple who said, "you've made the ridge, flowy from here to a lookout..." "YAY!" i replied, exhausted.  Cruised along, met another couple walking, and just around the corner, almost at exactly 2 hours since I started, I got to the look out spot, and seat, overlooking the minehead and access ports...  Here there were an older couple on ebikes, and a young couple of trailrunners.  We all chatted, the older dude had spent time on the mine rescue, 4 days he'd sat on the chopper pad above where the end of the shaft was, where the disaster had occurred.  Very interesting.  They all departed and I had the seat and view to myself - with a cheeky weka. 

Snacked some OneSquare, then it was time for descending.

Oh boy...  flow. fun.  speed.   caught up to the walkers, then the older couple on the bikes, with two climber biker girls at that point, then I was bombing.  Then the first walkers, and somehow another woman walking who I'd not seen earlier.  My hands were cold.  The flow went on and on and took me like 10 minutes to get to the mmr start seat.  and another 10 minutes and I's at the bottom.  Unbelievable.

MMR fucked up the start of my mapping and I didn't realise it til I got to the second seat,  an hour in... This, according to my calculations was 333 m of climbing, in less than 3 kms...  So, overall distance was about 13 kms, with just over 1000 m climbed.

Monday Night Urumau Scramble

Had to pick up Ben from the ferry at 7.45, so I took the opportunity to get a quick ride in Urumau.  Got home from work and ended up lying on the couch for a bit, then thought, "nah I just gotta do it," so loaded up, jumped in car and headed down.  Realised on Centaurus Rd that I'd left my helmet behind, back up the hill, time seriously getting tight.  

Parked up the ridiculously difficult to access Foster Tce and headed up the steps and zig zags for the heinously steep climb up into the zone.  Grunting and gasping up to the new little looper loop then across the original looper entrance to the forest.  Wind was an absolute gale on the ridge and trees on that norwest facing face.  Not feeling overly confident tonight for some reason, so took the Stormer easier route (missed the steep drops) down and followed on down, lovely loose loam and pine needles, cool rocks and roots.  Good blast, then into Grommies, bypassed all the big hoopy jumps, and rode into the log drop but pulled up and bypassed.  Also missed the cool droppy rock sections at the very bottom.

Into the climb, grovel grovel.  At the higher Zombie crossing came up upon a guy stopped.  Headphones in, listening to a podcast, so didnt hear me at first.  Brief chat and he rode on ahead, slightly faster but not much, so followed him up and across traverse til he stopped at the main meeting spot.  

Second lap, I just climbed up, looper across and into Sunnyside dropping down quickly, then left on the traverse track down to the exit trail (called Whakatuwhera, apparently). 

Seemingly tiny 3.5 kms, a quick and steep 250m climbed

Tuesday To Bridle and Back

Home from work and I was full of anger - mostly at the moronic government we're stuck with. 

So, jumped on the Rocky and headed out and up.  Usual route up through Vic, 19th, skidder, climbing the bastard pretty good, then straight up to top for to roll around and pop the jumpies and hang a right on Worm to get back up onto the Traverse for the slog across.  Pretty good run across here, never feeling too tired and pushing hard.  

Onto Vernon and up and over, only meeting one girl as I came down off the overgrown detour.  No one else so a fast, curvy, smooth run.  Straight through Rapaki-top, suprisingly empty, and into Witch, clamber clamber out and around and straight through, onto the road for the slog to the top of Castle.  

Brief breather, then straight in.  What a blast.  Wiiide open, clear, tidy, clean, fast, and smooth.  Still enough techknuckle rocks to have to weave around and over but felt smoother and faster, well mown.  Rocketship down to the first hairpin and around, then more sedate, but loving it.  Clamber clamber up then drop to the road and straight into the climb.  Along here these long legged bugs were flying and catching the sun, and then swallows were hooning all over the place catching them in mid air.  Spectacular.  

Big cluster of mixed roadies at the top of Castle, "hello," and I pushed up onto Tors just as a dude was running by.  Sat and looked at the view and waited til he was nearly at the road before dropping in.  Good run across here, probably cleaned it best of any time, including the bit that usually got me.  Onto the road and runner dude was on the trail above it so I stayed down and coast-rolled down down back to Witch, one dab on the climb before cruising around (meeting one rider) and boffed off down onto the road where I stayed to climb back around to Traverse, pushing hard all the way, never letting up.  There was a dude following and he never caught me, which is good.  He dropped down Huntsbury as I hit the Traverse, with a woman in a pink top a little way behind me.  By the time I was below Sugarloaf she was miles back.  Good run the rest and into the trees, jumpies, see-saw, begining of Brakefree and then out to the paddock run, rocks, gums, usual droppy route, bombing through out all the way.  Below road, out to road at corner, up around down to Dogpark carpark and alllll the wya down 235 to H'Ell and the clamber up onto the road for the fast blast back to the driveway.

A pleasant 19.92 kms, with (unsurprisingly - given; and, and, and...) 726 m climbed.

Saturday Blackberry Troll Golf

Continuing my Summit Rd Summits series (Sugarloaf, Ada being the first two knocked off), took the Troll up through Vic usual routes, gleaning a "cool bike" comment (from Mel) at Skidder, and then riding EVEN further up the gutser from there than ever previously, walking the little bit and riding the rest. Into Thompsons #1 behind some walkers, who had moved over for a rider coming up who'd moved over for them and me...  nice flow onwards from there then down road, through Kiwi, and up road towards the burned zone...  Good to get a look at it all.  Burned completely up the cliff below the Mt Ada spot I'd gotten to previously.  Moseyed around past the Bellbird and Kennedy's Bush, and found some good blackberries, had a feed, continued on riding around and up road, then hit the radar golfball road, under gate and up steep to corner, then up to security gate.  Surprised there's so little in the way of Keep Out Private Property signs...  Checked out over a cliff at the view and drop, and spotted a nice patch of bush below.  

Back down the access road, fast, then cruisy coast down road to corner where I ducked into the bush, parked bike and wandered.  A kereru flying along the track got a hell of a surprise when it saw me and slammed on the brakes, effectively hovering at head level before diving off down the hill.  I wandered a little further, lovely tall bush, and came up on 3 really nice totara.  Back to the bike and back on the road, cruise cruise cruise, climb, descend, cruise descend, getting good clips on the downs.  Through Kiwi, traffic negotiation and climbing up to Thompsons #1 again, climbing this and walking at the end.  Down round, across Rabbit paddock, rocks, cleaning all (in front of an audience too), then gums, gums gums.  Out to 19th, below road for a bit then rolling, and into DogParkCarPark for a nice roll out down through and out To Harry Ell to road and home.

A fun and fruitful 17.3 kms with 521 m climbed

Sunday Uppy Downy Locals

Pretty warm Sunday morning, headed out on the Rocky, up into Vic, usual road, 19th, skidder, and dropped straight down into Razza's, sweet wee droppy goodness.  Hung a sharp right and took a short climb up to intersection and dropped over into lower-Pedalfine, top section looking unridden, lots of leaf litter, then below the 4wd, took a line I'd not gone before, with a wee surprise drop in it - requiring an emergency weight-shift-rearwards. Finished off through to bottom of Brents before the fence, and hung a left into that horrible steep climb up next to Brent's, up the fenceline towards the 40fter, walking a bunch.  Some sheep in here were Snaped-Sent--to-be-Solved.  

Into Sneaky Ridge (checking out the new bunny entrance on the left but not riding it), down through the rocky sections and then into the oaks, not yet getting loose with acorn ballbearings.  On exit, the new landing from the fence jump is dumb, way less of a challenge than of old.  Down and thru nuBridges, rolling down valley to Hidden Valley bonus climb.  Up the grunty pines, under the pylons and onto Old Skool for a good rest and some water at the high point and a rider rode through.  I let him get a head start and then entered into my own rip roaring blast down here.  Kinda gained on him, but kinda not. Rutsville lower down, then lower squiggles all good, getting tired, rolling out and straight up valley for the climb.  At the gates I haeded up the walking, steps to zig zag, riding a little on the couple of flatter bits, but mostly pushing.  

At the cattlestop had a rest in the shade and snack here, then got rolling back down Hidden - not bad in this direction, not as fast as I hoped, then up valley and into the evil fucker K2 - walked the steepest, then across the singletrack bit below Texaco, then up the main the rest of the way with lots of breaks in the shade. 

Topped up water at Skidder - lots of riders around (due to the Park being shut still).  then took the old (lower gums?) trails through to 19th, then below road to Tawhairanui exit onto road, coasting roll the the dogparkcarpark, then fun 235 swoopy swoopy jump jump, around and climb to road again, up, to finishing off with the blast behind the houses

Less than 10 kms with only 385 m climbed! - felt like quite a lot more.

Friday Night Single Speedy

Up and back in 50 minutes from 5, on the frankenlunker.  High-intensity, skills-testing blast on the rigid singlespeed kruiser beater bruiser BFe.  Up the usual, over 19th, and a brief walk up from skidder.  Up through Brakef, nearly to top of Vic and down the Thomson number 1.  Back up the road, and the short climb up to the stone covered seat, scoffed a few blackberries and chilled a bit, hot and puffing.  Then into the descent.  around by passing the jumps and seesaw, compliment from a climbing biker ("nice bike," "yah! fun!" replied) bomb down to rockgarden, through the gums, blazing, through the lower reaches out to 19th, below the road, through to Tawhairanui intersection back onto road and coasting down to 235, into this for the groooviness, all the way to H'Ell and onto the road down around past Takahe and clambering back up to home.

Beefy; just under 6 kms and 224 m of climbing grind.

Sunday Vic, Traverse, HuntsburyDH and Back

Nelson met at mine at about nine and we headed up the usual climbing route through Vic to the top.  Stopped in the rabbit paddock for a good look at the damage in the CAP, then moseyed the rest of the way to the top.  I was feeling a little tired/under-the-weather due to a hefty bbq the night before, but survived the thrawl.  

Dropped into the Traverse and cruised across the top, meeting quite a few on-coming riders.  Stopped at the top of Huntsbury DH and sat for a while, as many groups or riders, obviously regulars to the Park, tried to negotiate their way around the hill.  Too many skids observed - learn to fucking brake properly you muppets!  We set off down Huntsbury DH, which I didn't ride very well, tho managed it okay, jumping the first third and last.  Second one is just too rutted now.  Nice flowy through the fast tussocks then across the landing strip and over the singletrack around (not over the Rocky one), then down down down.  Again, jumps were skipped or ridden depending my vibe, which wasn't feeling up to much.  I think cos I was a little under the weather.  Got to the bottom and began the slog back up, all the way to the road, where we hit back on the Traverse.  Another good run around here, tho all the ups were really making be blow.

Across over the jumpies, see-saw and top section of Brakefree, then into across into the Rockgarden and gums for a sweet-ass flow down my local trails, all the way through like my last SS ride and under the 19th down the road, coasting smooth, then dived straight into the DogParkCarPark235 for a flowy cruisy bomb, again, allll the way down to H'Ell and clamber back to road the last bomb to home..

Satisfactory 13.5 kms and 485 m climbed.

Thursday Super Short Sunset Singlespeed Resurrection

Fixed a flat on the BFe earlier in the week and so finally got out to try the new Velo Orange Seine bars iu'c chucked on it months ago.  Just over 2 years (!) since I last pushed this sucker up the hill!  

Headed up the road and instantly decided the stem was way too short so bombed back down, hunted around and found a longer Charge one that'd come off the fatty originally. Chucked that on, having to raw-dog the top-bearing, which seems to work (tho leaves it wide open for dirt), and got riding.  High intensity climbing ensued, riding hard up to the level, but it felt great!  Through skidder and almost immediately walking the climb, took a diagonal right hander, up crossing Brake Free at the jump below the wallride and on up into the gums.  Clambered up through the rocks and across the rabbit paddock to my sunset seat.  Had a beer.  

Watched the sun sink behind the horizon and got riding again, back down the rock garden and into the trees, back and forth across, bike so light and nimble, bars comfy and wide.  All the way down through to the gate (at 19th) then across below the road for a nice glide through the trees and popping up the usual onto the wheelchair trail back to the road corner.  Brief clamber and coasting down the road into 235 for a very cruisy flow session down through, over jumping the treebranch and all the way down to lower Harry Ell.  Carried up to road and nice glide to home.

Less than 5 kms with a measly 144 m climbed.  Still good to get out on the SS.

Sunday Ride of Two Portions

Needed to pick up the car from Sumner after leaving it there from Ann & Jimmy's wedding Saturday night. 

Set out from home on the Rocky, up into Vic Park, onlly to find it completely closed form the gate, All Tracks for Fire Response, so, figured I'd ride up the road to Summit and along.  Dropped down to Harry Ell and onto the Dyers Pass Rd and pedalled.  It's actually not that bad mostly, just a couple of narrow sections cars cant pass safely, but mostly there's almost a lane, in the gutter, that you can stay left of the white line.  Got to the Kiwi and nope, no go - cones, Road Closed, a cop car on the other side, and a dude on this side saying, "sorry". So, back down to home, cop on my tail for a bit of it, and peeled home - just under 7 kilometres done, 250 m climbed.   

Rocky away, Troll out, change of shoes and off down Longhurst, carrying and wheeling down the steps, carrying up the steps and onto Holliss Ave, ooh, rear tyre a little low, sketchy...  Down, crossed over Centaurus onto Sloan, over the bridge, back around the bottom of the Loop onto Eastern Tce along to next pedestrian bridge, then over into the park where I put some air in the tyre (in the shade).  From here up onto Centaurus, around and right, then into the wee alley way through to Korimiko, Wilsons, Beckford, through the NW carpark to Wades/Prossers, alleyway to Derrick, over the bridge, Ford, then around the river on that side to the next bike bridge, Sheldon, Radley Park, along the tow path, over the motorway bridge back to the northside of the river and Towpath all the way around to Ferrymead Bridge.  Over the road and onto the bike path to Sumner, all nicely finished now.

A varied and interesting route across the flatlands - slightly less than 16 kms and weirdly 150 m climbed. Nice

Thursday Smokin' Hot Green Pleasantry Captains

Excellent recalibration ride with Nelson tonight.  Parked up in Scumnervale and set off around the foot of the hill, briefly stopping to feast on blackberries before skedoodling up the old skool Captain Thomas and the rest.  Next it was the long slog up the road to the pines, onto the Shit Track for a short climb to the road, around to and up, slogging on the gravel on Broadleaf to the top of Pleasant for a good view back up the harbour to the Port Hills Fire 2.0. 

Into the descent and fark it was bony! Nelson pinged off every single rock there was. I had some good flow on, weaving and twisting - all the while being careful not to crash given the wounds I'm nursing after my commuting crash last Friday in the wet. Meandering around the new fence infrastruction, and through the ruins, and into some hard work descending, majorly fatigued by halfway and we needed a break.  Out of practice obviously.  Into the lower reaches and the weed-eaten grass was fairly off putting, and, thinking it would be slippery - neither of us wanted to push it too hard, but otherwise I dont think we were any slower than usual. Nice flow otherwise. 

Finally, the Captain. Whooee. Great blast down here, cleaning all the usual cleany stuff and blazing away.  Into the lower reaches, loving the pop and twist, weaving through the tech, very awesome. 

Grand total of16kms(!) and somehow 638 climbing points

Chortling to Chorlton

Quick hour or less Trolling up to Chorlton, a little higher on gravel to shade and a cooling coast back down. Nearly hit one of a small group of roadies on their way up the hill.  

A relatively unsatisfactory 8.03 kms with a levelheaded 300 m climbed.

Wednesday, last of January, Nun for Breakfast

Last chance to get a ride inside the month of January.  I was awake, so got up, dressed and was out the door at 6.15am.  

Muggy, up through Vic - usual route, and into the Thompsons 1 and 2, down through Kiwi and up the road.  As I climbed, looking back at Lyttelton I could see through the mist a new pack of floaters ship being docked down at the port.  The mist was hugging the valleys and tops towards Gebbies.  Up Worsleys Rd and I hit the top of the Nun at 7am, deciding on the Nun (rather than the Gnarly) and dropped into the descent - taking this pic first... 

and 

Railing around the 2nd rocky corner I started losing it on the rocks.  Dew from grass coupled with dust from trail were conspiring to give me fuck all grip!  Yikes!  Nearly cooked it but got rolling again and was slightly more wary of the shitshow rocky corners.  Swooped through the swoopy bits and faffed around through some of the faffy bits, into the lower reaches, pumping and flowing sweet.  Across the Kiwi again and up the road, plodwise to the top of Vic, swooping in down around through the jumps, very nicely popped, and over the see saw, railed through the first of Brakefree then peeled out down the rabbit paddock, into rocks, gums, bombing, all the way down to 19th, below the road, back up onto it, into 235 swoop swoop over cooking and nearly losing it then jumpity jump and down out through.  Home by 7.20...

Nice and early 10.15 km with 335 m clambified.

Friday Snout, Out and About; Snout wrong with it

Couple days at Waikawa, hauled the fatty out of the car and rode out the snout and about.  Rode the road from the bach, past the boat ramp, beach, down a cul-de-sac across a bridge past the marina and onto the Waikawa-Picton cycle path, peeling off up a zig zaggy climbing trail (Sue's?) up onto the ridge, then onto the Kanuka trail along the side, chasing a ferry for a bit, out all the way to the end of the Snout.  A few tourists in residence, I took in the view and got back on the bike.

Back from there, meeting a son then dad on their way down, back around Kanuka and then left into the horridly steep Lions Centennial trail (didn't remember it being so steep last time), climbing up onto the tops of the hills down and up and over and down.  Finished the fun by sliding into the GDS trail for a fun wee bomb down some rooty tech back to the cycle path, and back the way I'd come.

15 kms round trip, with 530 m climbed.  Not bad.

Tuesday Knuckle Sandwich

Drove myself round to Whanganui Inlet and parked up to ride Knuckle Hill track. Very nice easy climb, sometimes granny steep but kinda rolling a lot too and a couple of downhills before final climb to an intersection; Kaituna route straight ahead and Knuckle Hill to the left. Rode 150 or so m til I couldn't anymore and  then started walking, sans bike, up up up trudgery climbing into semi alpine, to the 506m summit. Spectacular views 360 degrees - the back of Mt Burnett (dolomite mine) and right round down the west coast, Mangarakau swamp, Whanganui (Westhaven) Inlet, Kaihoka Lakes, Wharariki, Farewell.  Walked back down and back on the bike and bomb bomb bomb...  able to get way faster than was comfortable, wide quad bike track, climbs were nice and short.  Met one walking lady (german?) and continued on.  Fun.

Just under 8.4 km, 460m climbed

Monday Rameka Pack Expectation Klicks

Great ride yesterday with Tony, father of H's gf Holly. We parked at the bottom of Rameka valley and rode up the Historic Pack Track (one I'd only ever ridden down once before). Great climb, out the top of the Project and up the gravel road to bottom end of the Rameka proper. Into the Packtrack, me on Tony's tail for a start, thinking I might be slower on the fatty, but no.  Asked if maybe I could take the lead and then took off, hauling. Great hoon down, then over into Great Expectations for a switchback city wunder-ride. Loads of fun. At the bottom, into the Klicks for some good times and eventually back to the car.

Hot stuff, 13kms with 526m clambered

Sunday Aorere Golden Hour

Steep hot today.  Parked at the end of road past Devil's Boots, and got riding, up the 4wd track.  Steep bastard that.  Only one tiny bit walked, managed to ride the rest, with lost of rests.  Fricking hot, but early enough that there were shadows to lurk in.  Took the second shortest route, (not straight to the caves) but up to Druggan's dam for a good rest in the shade.  Then on down the water race track, more overgrown than in the past, and getting a bit more tech.  Dropped down to Ballroom cave, had a poke around, then back up and onwards for the fun bomb down.  Techy rutty good, then mega rocketship blast down the last smooth bombsville.  Final wide section passed a couple of walkers then bomb down to car.

Golden, 9.3 kms and 260m climbed

Saturday Para Para Golden Steel

Druv round across the inlet and parked up. Rode up the road and into the steep hot dirt, climbing up all the way to the seat view. Very hot and dripping. Bombed down to the singletrack and leaped in. Rutty to start which caught me out a little, resulting in a weird tip off unable to clip out just after catching my wrist on a branch. Rolling again, more carefully this time, cruising, rolling down and through. Lots of little explores and findings of interesting features and then out the exit and along the gravel back to the car. 

Fun fun, just under 9 kms, 250 m climbed

Couple days before this, I rode along the beach to the Excellent St walkway, carried the bike up the steps, steep as fuck, hot as fuck, and up onto Excellent St for the cruise down past the historic cemetery and into Gibbs and down this to town back round to the house... a short 4 kms with under 100 m climbed.

Monday Short Fat Dusty Climb; Car Pick-up

In the morning we drove up to top of Waiharakeke track and walked 8 kms back to Totes.  After a couple of beers, some popcorn and a swim, I jumped on the fatty and headed up the road. Hot. Sunny. Dusty as hell every time a car went past, which there seemed an awful lot of. Made the top and nice free coast cruise down to the car - not nearly as far down as I had climbed.

4 kms on 200 m altituded.

Thursday LA hill and View Hill

Long, hard, fat ride up the valley and over View Hill. Hot stuff.  Ground up the valley, stopping many times for breathers but cleaning the whole lot.  It was HOT, so shade was sought regularly.  Didnt see many cars.  Once up on the summit there was a little more cloud cover and now and then, and then I peeled onto the ridgeline, long grass and very runny poo, walking a bunch, eventually seeing the herd of cows, steers, a bull and some calfs hanging around towards the end of the ridge paddock.  Over the fence and up then across, and then up up to the top of View Hill, practically IN the cloud, tho a view out to the northerly down into the LA valley.  Snacked, and got riding, for the fast bomb down.   Just over an hour of riding time to the top and less than 20 minutes down.  Fantastic speed down past the Eagle's nest and then more down the road...  Got home, into togs and straight back to the beach for a cool dip, sharing the beach space with 2 other people and a Hector's Dolphin!  Nice.

A viewsome 17.5 kms and a smidge under 800m climbed.