Saturday a.m. Up Across Down Up Across Down

Quick blat across and down Huntsbury and back.  First coffee, then I hit up the hill on the Jeht.  Up through usuals, 19th, Skidder, Gruntsville and up to top and into Worm onto the Traverse for the hoon across here.  Uneventful, a few oncomers but early enough that there werent many around.  Stopped for a bit of a rest at top of Hunts-DH.  Chatted to a slightly older dude who said, "Have you done the Ghost Rd?"... yep, "is it harder than this?"  They were relieved when I told him it's wider and less tech than sections of this (other than below Ghost Hut).  They left and I dropped.  A lot of wind about, bit gusty, but the first jump was all good.  2nd is almost inaccessible now due to rutsville, then 3rd and last couple are excellent.  Out onto the landing strip section, I mistakenly stayed on the straight-ahead and flowed out through it, but bailed off it an back up the landingstrip to taken in the more technical flow over rocks and around and down, then on Aliexpress all the way down to the gate below (for Old Skool).  Back up the climb for this pic.

On up and up the grind of the gravel to the top of Huntsbury Track, and onto the Traverse the opposite direction.  Good blast with some nice tail-wind sections.  Back all the way and enjoyably through the jumpies, down through the gate (as oposed to the seesaw), into the first section of brakefree, railing the new berms, then out onto rabbit paddock and down the rockgarden, gums, blitzy blitzy out the bottom and then rolling down the road into a very busy carpark, weave through cars to hit the fun trail, all the way down and out to H'Ell, to clamber back up onto Vic Park Drive and home. 

Whole lotta fun - 11.7 km and 420 m climbed

Thursday Night Victorian Nun

On the tail end of a bad cold, had a choice spin up the locals tonight with Nelson. 

Up the usual route, over 19th, skidder, gutser and up onto the Thompsons one and two.  Through Kiwi and up Summit, pulling onto the walking track (to avoid the BoyRacer action (lots out last night hooning)) from where the Nun meets the road.  Good climb up here, cleaning lots of steep and stepping up the odd bit.  Up Worsley's Rd to top then along the access trail to the Nun.  I dropped in first and missed the first peel off but got the old one and the big rock wall corner that I slipped on last time, cleaned out but lost a bit of speed through caution, which I soon made up for.  The new bike handles it all so nicely and on the faster straighter section was a fucking rocketship.  Hauled ass, and Nelson said he struggled to keep up.  Trail riding pretty good until lower down, but even that was okay.  All the way down to the Kiwi, Nelson saying the dust I was chucking up towards the end was chokey.  

Across Dyers and an event free climb up to the upper Thompsons, I dived into the little shortcut, only to find my way blocked by a fallen spruce branch.  Around this and into the cruise and slowly steepening climb, evil pincher towards the top where a dude (familiar face - see him on the trails regularly) was waiting for us to exit.  I was maxed out so needed a good breather up here.  Off into the around and down descent, over the jumpies, over the see-saw and hang a hard right along the fenceline up to the end.  Over the fence and lined up for Pedalfine.  Biff boff baff down here, left into the unused duffy trail dropping down with minimal traction and peeling left along the slippery wee bridge and some green mossed dropover onto the cross track 4wd.  Across and into Razza's, dropping through some climbers on the next cross track down, dropping into the tech with gusto.  One of the corners near the end has turned weirdly nasty, a tree root looks to be ready to be a pedal grabber, as it's come loose from the ground attached at each end.  It'd stalled Nelson (don't actually think he caught it, but stalled nonetheless), and so I stalled too.  Managed to get going again into the next droparound corner, and boffed it out the bottom (where 4 ebikers were waiting).  We started climbing and they climbed off ahead of us.  Up to the junction and off over into lower Pedalfine, dropping down the next section, then we rode up the 4wd back to the bottom of Razza's, and took, effectively the continuation of it into the Brentzone, across to the far side of this and down into the bottom.  

From here was time to introduce Nelson to the Corporate Ladder, climbing it's steepness (which made me stop to breath twice! (still getting over the ffing flu, afterall). up onto the start of Sneaky, where we climbed on up to 40fter and back up where we'd climbed before, around into the steeperer and up to Skidder where we ran into Mel and her friend.  Up over 19th, dropping down (nearly crashing where we hit the road, skidded slideways onto the right drop over, then down Tawhairanui up to the dogparkcarpark and into my 235 for a very nice flight, swooping through the bush and over the first jump realising on landing how greasy soggy it's been since last rains.  I baulked around the 2nd jump and we flowed all the way out to the very end, with the carry from H'Ell up onto road and final blat down home.

Well worthy 11.65 kms and a piddly wee 435 m climbed.

Saturday, Too Easy

We headed out with Dave and Jana and looped out Easy Rider... Dropped down Easy Rider all the way, staying on it this time (not taking Perserverence), cos it's the level at which Jana could handle.  Eventually got to Snakes'n'ladders and T and me took that eventually meeting Dave up at the corner.  T chased off after Jana and Dave and me rode through to Camp Track and back along past the DOC base and through the tech challenge zone, intending to meet the girls at the bridge.  They werent there.  We headed up the road a bit, no sign, then back and lo they were on T and my picnic table from yesterday.  Headed back to the house from here.

Started MMR a little late, so around 10km and 100m climbed.

Friday Hanmer Fat ride.

Sweet and slow, both of us exhausted from a week of sickness, we toodled around a few trails in Hanmer.  Cruised up Bristol St and dropped over to the pond and up to Swamp for a cruisy climb.  Really fatigued we both were, utterly spent.  And climbing's not T's forte anyway, so was good for her to get into this.  Down Swoop for a fun descent, fatty handling the whole thing beautifully.  Then it was off around Western Link track and over down through past the DOC base and through the tech practice zone to the road bridge.  I bombed back up to the car and grabbed us some eggy pie which I rode back up a different street, down to Dog Stream and back up to T on a picnic table.  From here we headed off down Easy Rider, fun down stream through onto Perserverence through to it's end.  T had had about enough now so we headed back along Easy Rider, then climbed back up to the streets and back to the car.  Hot pools soak and steam infusion followed and we were toasted.

An easy 14.15 kms and nearly 200m climbed.

Saturday Morning Jeht Up Down and back Up

Local shake down of the new ride.  And it was good.  

Gorgeous day, sunshine and in most places no wind. Headed up into the park from home, climbing at no different a clip to previously.  New bars and stem definitely making a difference in the way it feels, over 19th, and up the grunter, cleaning it no problem all the way (with one rest).  First difference noticed, climbing steep is easier - not having to focus on the balance point between leaning forward to keep the front down vs the back wheel losing traction, the long wheelbase keeps that back wheel planted and it just keeps chugging.  Puffing hard, up through Brakefree where there was a working bee, topped up my water and kept on to the top, dropping right on Thompson's #1.  After clearing a couple of walkers it was a nice wee spin then back up the road and dropped around down through the jumps, flying nicely, then down the rabbit paddock into the rocks and gums.  Excellent down here, even if lamenting the loss of my old, now log-blocked, route (i'll bring the axe and pruning saw up soon).  Out to skidder and up into top entrance of Razza's, dropping and rolling sweetly down through this, the baulked corner from last time cleared nicely, handling impeccable.  Climb from here up to the corner for a breather, then photo-op... pre drop in.

Dropped from here into lower Pedalfine, dropping down and down into the gully.  Straight into Corporate Ladder, climbing back up around this and up onto Sneaky Ridge with lovely kereru flapping about above me.  Dropped off down Sneaky with the bike handling everything immaculately, boof boff down through around and out over the fence onto Flow immediately behind a couple of other riders who I rapidly caught up to and undertook on the lower trail, stating what great nick that trail was in.  Off down nuBridges at mostly a great pace and then zapping down valley, hauling up to hang the right into HiddenValley bonus climb, and clambering up this, cleaning all the corners wonderfully with my new climbing mojo (with one rest before the last two).  Out onto Old Skool and stopped at the highest point for a good long rest, helmet off and some chugging of the water.

The two riders I'd passed earlier came along and I was just about to take off, but offered if they wanted to go first but they said, "you look better than us." So I said, "I'll try not to embarass myself!" and took off, blasting.  They never caught me, didn't see them til i was on the traverse back across they were above me.  Nice blast down through the rest, bike handling it all with aplomb.  Straight into the climb again, up valley, what a grunt.  All the way up to Hospital Corner no problem, really revelling in the climbability of this beast.  Up the hospital rocks and then a short walk on the steepest bit, then riding all the rest, even over the roots.  Past Texaco and onwards, nice, nice, nice...  Under the pylon, up past 40fter, through the Rad zone, out to Skidder, then quick drop down the 'park' entrance zone, peelign right and out to 19th, below road for nice roll, then back out and coasting roll to dogparkcarpark dropping in for a railing berm ride, jumps, steep right up to lower dogparkcarpark and down from the microwave tower behind houses fast, home.  

Yes, it's heavier then the Rocky, but just climbs so much better.  And on the downs it's SO planted.  Feels awesome.

Sweet as!! A valid 11.7 kms and 480 m climbed.

New Bike Day!!

The Jeht arrived last week and has had the Rocky components transferred to it over the weekend by Josh. Picked up last night and Tra'y forced me out of bed this morning (cos I'd been thinking about doing this) to ride up to top of Vic with her (on her E-commuter) as the sun rose.  Riding position a little awkward given the stem and bars not quite being right for the lonnnnng frame, so I pushed her bike and she mine up the steepest part of the grunter.  On up around to the top.  She headed off down the road and I rode the single-track back, around over the jumps, nice, then down into the gums.  The rocks were smooth and fast and my favourite line has a log across it now so I had to take the steep left hander.  Further than I remembered it and quite fun.  Out all the way on single to the 19th where I waited for T and we rode the next bit of road down to the carpark where I peeled off and flew into the greasefest.  Sweet rolling down here and the bike just felt so planted.  Very nice.  Jumped both smoothly and then careened all the way down to the bottom.  Brief jaunt on H'Ell then lugged up onto the road and home.

Sooo Lonnnnnnng compared to the BFe

Enjoyable way to start the day, 5 kms and 156 m climbed.

Update: Deity stem and bars ordered, should be here by end of week.  Weekend will see me riding proper trails to see how it shakes out!

Sunday, Fatty and Skinny ride Reynolds Valley, Bossu Rd, Railtrail

At the bach for the weekend and I'd planned to ride with Nelson, so I drove back out to Little River and met him early Sunday morning.  LAk was in the fog when I left, but up valley I came out into basking sunshine.  Pigeon was full of fog too, but Akaroa not, it holding off at the heads.  Down into LR and it was cold - frost on parts of the old railway carriages.  We got riding and headed around into Okuti Valley.  We met one car down here and no more for a long time.  Up valley then into Reynold's Valley, steep and narrow, very smooth packed gravel and a tunnel of bush.  Beautiful.  Lonnnnng climb - maybe an hour and a half to get to the top.  Was quite good, a few steep pinches with flatter gentler bits in between.  Ends up very high up on the ridge, and then climbs around a couple more corners some more once on Bossu Rd too.  Little bit of frost in shady places on the way up and up top.  

View out to the west...

At this stop we were overlooking Te Oka and the Devil's Gap to the left, Okuti Valley to the right, the Southern Alps right the way across.  You could see the backs of Bradley, Herbert, Fitzgerald, Sinclair, all the way across to Mt Pearce and View Hill top of LA.  I heard voices, then spotted some Gravel riders on their way up Bossu Rd.  As we took off down and came to them they were saying "ice" (i thought they were saying 'nice' about my bike) and sure enough around the corner, ice on the road.  No biggie.  Some speed and a couple more riders, and more speed, fun blasting down, and chilly!  Views were spectacular.  Approaching Kinloch Rd spotted some motorbikes coming up.  We hit the climb (on much deeper gravel) from here and they caught and overtook.  Further along they were stopped for photos and we got ahead of them then.  Lonnnng bomb down down down, sheep encountered, all the way down.  Such a long way.  Quite heavy gravel so not really trusting cornering traction much.  More amazing views half way down, looking straight up the Little River main street.  Then dropping down over towards Birdling it got very cold, with fog rolling over the township.  Down to past the cool homestead and onto the flat, across the bridge and into the gravel, bogged.  Walked a bit, then eventually it firmed up enough to ride - you'd never get a 2wd car through it.  

Onto the road, a km or so to the rail trail then the slog along this, eventually me slipstreaming behind Nelson, getting totally knackered.  We stopped at Caton's Bay for a snack and then rolled on the last 3 kms at a flying pace.  Back to the cars at 11.40 or so.  "Nice".  

A tenable 33.6 kms (or probably more like 34.6 km, cos MMR was being a pain in the ass in LR and wouldnt start til we were around the corner) and rather good 960 m escalated.

Sunday Explore and SS spin

Tray and me out for a spin, both a little worn from yesterdays' big circuit, her on her E bike and me on the Troll this time.  

Bombed down Dyers, into Hackthorne, hauling up and hard left into Lady Polson, down and around the dirt/gravel bit into Chittagong, left up the rest of Bengal and down through the greasy wee path to the top end of Shalamar driveways.  Bomb down this, through the Stone House, out to Holmcroft, right on Worsleys, left into Hurunui, down here, right into Opihi and out onto Cashmere Rd.  I took her on a wee detour through the park and along the creek, across Penruddock, along the creek again out into Croftfield Pl, into Willowdell Reserve for a steep climb we both failed on out to Happy Home Rd.  Easy coast down here and I spotted an entrance to the new Te Kuru wetlands reserves across the road.  Big old meander around in here on the nicely chip-gravelled paths, eventually finding out way out onto Sutherlands Rd.  Up here to Milnes, through exploring new slobdivisionings when T said to me, "can we go home now?" 

So off we headed, more direct return, Sparks for a bit, into the Sparks Rd wetlands, bumping into a fellow LA-er, Geoff, walking his dogs, then slipstream time, me tucked in behind Tra'y setting the pace back along Cashmere Rd, around and hard right into Bengal for a steeeep climb for me, back up the way we'd come down except Hackthorne the rest of the way.

Down, about and back up.  17.2 kms with 265 m climbed.

Sunset Singlespeed Spin

After a bit of an afternoon nap had ensued, at 5 I decided I really needed more, so I headed out and up for a bit of a burn on the Singlespeed.  Clamber clamber, over 19th to Skidder then cut right across into the firs for the descent back down to road, across from skidder below for a bit then back up onto road to drop into Dog Park Car Park into the greasy fun, feeling good, singlespeed a perfect wee hack, both jumps in the oaks, even had an audience on the lower, then cut through and all the way down to Harry Ell.  Clambered back up onto road, fast bomb home.  - a proper groove.  Less than 4 kms, but an additional 100 m added to the day's total.

Saturday E-Summit, Sumner Loop

Tra'y, Lynne (on Hugo's) and me all on ebikes, leaving home around 11am, up through Vic to Summit, all the way across the tops, glorious day, but cold, even some frost on the road in the shade of Scott's Knob.  Lovely blast down to Rapaki-top then through up to Castle and down over Bridle-top and under the Gondola.  Stopped for a picnic at Cavendish Saddle, overlooking the LYT, then back on road up through the cutting and downhill alllll the way down Summit Rd to Evans, super fast blast down (over 80kph) to Sumner where we stopped at Beach and had an Espresso Martini each.  Back onto the bike track here, boardwalk past the surf club and onward around, first time for Tra'y, following the bike track around the Estuary and causeway and across the road at Ferrymead beach.  Squirrelly muck behind Ferrymead, under the motorway to the cutting, over the footbridge and back along to the otherside of the river to ride the rooty tree vibes around Heathcote opposite the fish factory and joining the Cycleway (T and me rode weekend before last) at the tankfarm, then along Tannery and then stopped into La Voute.  From here, usual routes home, Hawford, bridge, past the supermarket, roundabout, Buxton, bridge, Eastern, Corson, Malcolm, and up the hill.  

Bike said 41kms, MMR a little less...  over a grand in altitude too...