Labouring on Labour Day

Hard work on the hill today - I really struggled, but kept on pushing.  Up from home via the usuals, with a bleeding nose kicking in just as I got to Brake Free, so stopped to quell that with the help of the water fountain.  On up to the top and straight into the the jumps, everything a little soggy under the trees after the 2 inches of rain we got a few days ago.  Straight into Worm and up onto the Traverse for a many-times-interrupted flow across.  I welcomed the stops for breathers to let others through, but there are still too many people who haven't got the memo that downhill gives way.  

Up onto Vernon, good blast down here with only a couple of sidles to let climbers through, jumped over the Rapaki-top and straight into Witch Hill ("closed" according to the signage - Pah!).  Cleaned it all and had a breather at the high point before launching in to finish and hit the road.  I truly considered turning back here, it was all just too much, but I perservered and got to Castle Rock feeling okay.  My rear wheel loose-spoke squeek on every rotation was annoying so I flipped the bike and tried to find the culprit - to no avail.  

Launched into the descent and held rapid speed and flow, ducking and weaving the rocks across the slope.  Some nice tidying lower down, but speed was good.  Brief breath at the hairpin and then eased back into it, and the climb was goood.  Straight onto the road and climbing, grinding my way back up to the top.  Clamber clamber onto the Tors and, "damn!" some walkers on their way up it.  "oh well..." off I went and they were young enough not to be bothered by me, and even stepped out of the way.  I let their tail ender come through cos she was puffing and I said "no, you come through, I'll probably fall off and embarrass myself."  This was just as the steeper tech started, all of which I cleaned until the last-worst.  As I was getting going again nearly lost it over the bars, but kept rolling down foot not clipped.  Onto road and coasting cruise back to Witch for the clamber to a nice long rest at the high point.

Rolling off again, fun blast to Rapaki-top and onto the road for the climb (too tired to do the trail), slowly reeling in a rider ahead.  He stopped at Huntsbury and I rolled straight past into the Traverse for a good hoon around here.  Really puffing tho.  Good times had and into the trees, jumpies, straight down to Rocks, Gums, not too greasy, lower section below Skidder had the usual wetspot, then out down the road into 235 which had some grease, that's for sure.  Jumped the tree and the next one not greasy in there, then across and all th eway to the bottom, nice flow all the way.  Onto road and home, wiped.

A typically substantive 20 kms, with a leg-tiring 731 m climbed.