Happy Birthday, Stooge

Arrived today... 2025 Stooge Speedbomb - BIKEPACKING.com

Sunday, Kinda Like the Old Days - Rapaki to Sumner loop

Good ride today, catching up with some of the old crew.  Met Wazza, Nelsie, Andy and Jenna at bottom of Rapaki, and off we went up.  Jenna was meeting a walking friend and rode with her while us 4 boyz headed off up Elevator for the grind.  Was doing okay for a start but slightly stupidly I followed Nelson and Wazza into the 'extra' loop bit, while Andy took the short cut, putting him miles ahead.  Then the chase was on and I found I didn't really have it in me, so much.  Struggled away as they pulled away from me but we all slowly caught Andy.  Wazz had no problem given he was on his ebike, but it took quite a while us other two, in particular, me, who didn't get there til the start of the Montgomery.  Bit of a breather here and I followed Andy into the 'hard' line, catching me off guard given I had no idea there was that tech section.  I dabbed, Nelson had to choose a different line behind me, but we all survived.  Above the track for a bit then onto the main drag up the hill, passing Jenna and her friend again.  

Breather at Rapaki-top then off into the Witch.  Nice churn through here, chuffing a fair bit I was tho.  Then up the road to Castle and Nelson and me led the way, at great speed.  Pinging all over the place and I felt like it was slow, but I think we carried pretty good speed in the long run.  

Then it was along the road below the gondola and up through the cutting into Britten for the hoon around the outside - sheepshit-fling, it was.  Andy led, Nelson, Wazz and me.  Down into OG Greenwood entrance and I was in the lead, and ended up having to have a breather at the worst of the rocky tech bits and the others all ploughed past.  Down to the ruins, breather, and Nelson and me led the way, flowing and enjoying.  Chain off on the sidle before gloomy gulch, and lots of wet spots.  Cleaned all the techy troublesomeness in Gloomy too.  Breather break at the usual spot and then it was off down again, carrying speed with finesse, flying and grooving.  I was catching and cruising, catching and cruising with Nelson almost all the way.  Out the bottom and around up onto the Summit Rd to the Captain's entrance.

Waited here for a bit, and well earned breather, for rider we'd spotted climbing.  Then it was on again, hauling and balling, railing and wailing.  A couple of haul ups by Nelson in a couple of weird spots, but was all good.  Into the old school section and funtimes.  I had one very close call on the bridge bit, there was some grass or horseshit on the left hand entrance to it, not to mention slick rocks, and my front wheel squirrelled alarmingly.  Survived.  Excellent weavy ride the rest of the way, pumping through sections, railing corners.  Loved it.

Finaly, down the road to DotCom, coffee and brownie, eventually Jenna arrived and we headed off around the coastal pathway, losing Nelson at McCormacks and Wazza at Ferrymead Bridge.  We went around the back of Settlers Cres, under the motorway bridge, and Sheldon etc and I left them at Opawa bridge to head around the park to the car in Hillsborough Tce.

Started it late, beyond the highest point on Elevator, so adding a couple kms and 250 m climbing, I guess, call it 30 kms and 880 m climbed...

Thursday, Trolling Cameron, Laverick, LeBon and Panama

Nice jaunt out on the Troll this fine and cool autumnal day. Parked at top of Okains summit and tootled along to Cameron's Track. Down a smidge then up up up, high point somewhere around 700m,

then descending to the Laverick's Ridge Rd around and down a bunch, kinda deciding where to go as I went. Not that many choices but some bigger to chew than others. At about the 300m mark I stopped and considered turning back. Nah, and bombed down steep ridge to corner and down into Le Bons. Slouched around the waterfront through the Domain and back out the suburban side street, then up valley. First and only 3-4 cars of my whole ride passed me down here.  Up to the St Andrew's church, which I stopped and checked out - gorgeous mid century modern, lovely wee gem,

and this is where MMR stopped my ride, annoyingly. 

From here it was a little further up valley and I chose the harder of the two options to me here... Panama Rd. Steepest road in New Zealand??? Definitely a contender. Certainly steepest on Banks Peninsula... Lulled me into a false sense of security for a while

then after a bridge it just went straight up, I'd just run out of push and 3 big off-road tourer bikes roared past. Unbelievably steep, and then got steeper further up!. Lots of walking, all the way seeing the rarking the bikes had had to do to get up there that quick... Probably 45 minutes bottom to top with a good 25 of those just plodding upward. 

Finally on the nice stuff again, back around past Wevern, and Laverick's Ridge Cottage, with a wee steep climb (ridden) then around onto Cameron's again climbing for quite some time, bit of walking, stopped to oil a starting-to-squeak chain, to the high point again for a bomb down down down, some speed! Do I let it go?? Do I refrain??? Not if both, methinks. Final crawly little climb to the Summit and a final cooling blast to the car.

This is what it should have been...

 (26 km according to google)

if MMR hadn't ripped me off.  at least 600 more than that 554..  puts it over a grand climbed

Wednesday's Troll took a Dump (run)

Chucked the old chch recycling bin on the 24pack, with a thin rope and a couple of bungies, and took the recycling and rubbish up to the dump.  Lovely day, nice sunshine, tho strong cold sou'wester pushing down the valley.  Nice 2.something kms climb of 75 m altitude.  Re-tied the bin once empty and bombed back with aplomb-line

4.69 kms, 77 m climbed.

Tuesday Chortling Troll to McHales and Views

Sluggardly few days under a couple of the tails of Cyclone Tam at Little Ak. Moved, split and chucked wood, otherwise bathed and read. Finally, out on the Troll (in need of a little maintenance (namely, the chain)) up to Chorlton and hovered briefly before rolling down through the 2 dips to climb into McHales Rd. The original dwelling from our place is one of these houses, according to local lore. I think I know which one but I can't be sure. Nice gravel road roll down for a bit, 1.1km if the end-of-the-line gate is to be believed, followed by the nice climb back. Great to see these views from a new perspective, and the view into to Raupo is something else. #cue picture.

- a good angle of the Troll between two of my absolute favourite types of bush, with a view of one of my favourite beaches in the world.

Back around through Chorlton-proper, then left and up View Hill Rd - as far as I could, and it was further than I'd ever managed before on the Troll, by far. 

Could look into the kitchen through the window next to the back door from here...
More views taken in here before turning down hill and fast. 

A 12.12 km jaunt, with a felicitous 435 m vertically wrought.

Sprungday Livings

Found myself with an opportunity to ride so I bailed over to Allandale, parked, and went for a couple of laps hoon of Living Springs (blimey, 2 years since last time!).  It's not feeling very used, tho there were some skids in Zanes.  Climbing is steep but manageable and nice surrounds, bellbirds glorious, and fantails everywhere.  Up the forest and then into Mississippi and around to Zanes.  Not very fast, anywhere, not being in chase mode like usual, I was being quite careful and not quite trusting any grip anywhere, even though it was alright.  Fun down Zanes, more fun the second time.  Should have pushed a 3rd lap, but I'd been very tired all day.

A measly 6.4 kms, miniscule 235 m climbed...

Satur-Lab-E-Day

T and me headed out on our Ebikes - Down the hill via Lady Polson and Bengal, then through the wetlands, all the new cookie-cutter sloburban development that is now Halswell, exploring a few back and side streets, sort of trying to get to that wee hill with the steps but not quite making it, then around Old Tai Tapu Rd, finding a lovely section of river trail to the church, then busy main road between Tai Tapu and Lincoln, finally making our way into The Laboratory.  Here we enjoyed very nice salads, coffee, and a couple of beers for me and wines for her.  

Home via Birches Rd beside-road trail (nice!), then Trice's, Saby's, Candy's and back through Halswell Sloburbia, Wetland again, gentle up Happy Home, zoom down park, Pencarrow, climbing zig zag to Worsley's and then home up Bengal.  

An excellent outing, (I forgot to start MMR until Halswell, so it says 38km but was) just shy of 50 kms, with 360 m electrically-assisted climbing. 

Friday Long Troll-Way Home from Work

Rode the Troll to work and on the way home meandered across to Rapaki, up the Elevator - which takes a lonnng time and seems further and harder than Rapaki itself would be.  Cleaned no problem all the way up Rapaki, onto the Summit Rd and then onto the Traverse, sun-setting just as I was coming around out of the top of Hidden Valley.  Still enough light around to Vic then down the Gummies, into Skidder, and over 19th, down road and getting pretty dim in the DogParkCarPark trail (meeting (and freaking out) a nice wee doggie who barked at me a lot), then out the To H'Ell track, down to home. 

Good commute bonus, 17.4 kms 485 m climbed

Sun-Daylight-saved More Down than Up around Cavendish, Castle and Pleasant.

Great wee ride tonight, first of the non-Daylight Savings, Winter is Coming, ride.  I drove to his and chucked my bike on his roof and we headed up the hill, parking at Summit / Mt Pleasant Rds intersection.  

Headed into Britten and around the front, then rather than up onto the singletrack for the ballbearing descent, we headed down the road through the cutting to Cavendish Saddle, and climbed up the zigs and zags to the back of the Gondola building.  Off down the steppity-steppity-steps and rocknical techery through to the Bridle top and onroad to top of Castle.

I led down Castle Rock, keeping good pace and ducking and weaving the rocks and sketch.  Nice blast down and around then around again and climbing, slower than Nelson's usual pace on this bit, meeting an ebike guy coming the other way.  Onto the road again to head around under the Gondola, up to Cavendish Saddle again and this time onto the trail for the steeper-than-we-ever-remember-until-it-levels-off-a-bit climb up and around.  Between a couple of rocks I got stymied, wedged, feet not clipping out fast enough, and ended up toppling off and tumbling, leaving my bike standing.  Rolling again balance was all off, and I struggled up the rest, cleaning waay more than I'd expect, given those conditions.  Up to top of Mt Pleasant, couldn't see Nelson so assumed he'd ridden around the building to the top and over, but once I was up there I could see him down at the top of the trail...  I bopped down to where he was and he was gone, oh, there he is, up towards the trig.  

Dropped into the top of Mt Pleasant descent, biffing and boffing down, stalled and nearly otb'd on that 2nd corner, but survived and rolled on, struggling in the stoppiness of the rocks, and then getting my groove back in the grooves lower down.  Down above the ruins and hauling ass across the OG (original greenwood) entrance to the road again.  Up around to the car I suggested we leave and drive back for.  

Down Britten (V-twin) and across the front, then exploring all the techy rock features down the left hand side, eventually dropping down and entering ("i didnt see the any no bikes sign") Kenton track, for a fun, tech, speedy bash.  Excellent cleaning of the trickery, eventuating at the bottom of the steps up to Rockview Pl.  From here, Belleview, Mt Pleasant and Soleares to Nelson's.  He put his bike away and I chucked mine on the back of my car and ran him back up to his.

Good vibes, 13 and a half kms, with 420 m climbed (+ an extra 300 m descended).

Tuesday Night, Traversed Lava Skooling

Drove down to Bowenvale and picked up Nelson and his bike, leaving his car there, and brought them back to mine from whence we rode up into Vic.  Clean climb to the top and then popped off around the two jumps, onto Worm and up onto the Traverse for the hoon around here.  I was really struggly on the climby bits, legs weak for some reason.  We stopped at the top of Lavaflow for a good rest.

A dude on an ebike turned up about when we were gonna head down, commented, "good to see a Cotic," and he ended up dropping in with us.  I baulked at the first feature, having picked a dropping line rather than a flowing one and he bowled on past me, chasing Nelson.  I picked my way down, baulking at a couple of other features, dabbing a couple, and then stopped where Nelson was below two rather steep features.  He'd thought scotsman-ebiker was me on his tail and thinking at the time I was doing well!  I picked my way down to the trail ahead of Nelson, then we dropped into the corner next to the cabbage tree.  I baulked again.  From here I examined features, and cleaned them all, thinking wtf was I worrying about? after each.

My fat ass riding something steepish...

And nelson dropping down to me

After this it was down into the lower bushy reaches, and baulked again at the final rockdrop (which I have ridden before.  

Then it was climb to Old Skool, and dropped in for a rapid and enjoyable (and fresh in the memory) descent, holding on to Nelson's tail the whole way.  A couple of big dings on the back end seem to have resulted in a flat (which I noticed the following morning).  Down the road to the car and home.

Not massive, but massive, 8.75 kms with 261 m climbed (meaning a around 460 m descended)

Saturdaze Epublications

Bit of healthy socialising with workmates, riding from pub to pub.  Due to the climb home, I took the ebike and just stuck to the Eco setting until the Turboboosted slog home.

23 kms in all, with 270 m climbed.

Thursday Mental Health Ride

Bailed work a little early, got home, set something running once home and headed up on the Jeht (with the new tan-wall tyres). 

Gaspingly hard to start with, but once I was going it wasn't quite so bad.  Struggle street to the rabbit paddock and above, then dived into Thompsons #1 and flowed down here, then back up the road.   Dropped around down into Vic-top, over the jumps and around into Worm, then stopped just through the fence on the start of the Traverse...  Hmmm, where to go??  

Boffed off down through the fence and hung a right, down Upper Fenceline, nicely nicely, then across top of Cool Ruinings, climbing up across to Razza's, dropping down this, then up the track to where Pedalfine crosses, and dropped down here, hanging a left on the 4wd track back up to bottom of Razza's, to drop into the extension of that, through across Brents and out the bottom of that.  Then up the Corporate Ladder, stopping to move some sticks on the singletrack bit (where i took this:

(everything is brown!)

Next into Sneaky Ridge for a bit of a hoon, talking myself through the ballbearings in the oaks, jumping out onto Bridges (or whatever it's called at this point) in front of a woman (orange top) and dog, then off down here into the pines, around into NuBridges, flowy flow, and fast down the valley.  Not sure why, but chose to do Hidden-Valley climb up to Old Skool at this point and clamber clamber, under howling pylons, nicely fun blast down, especially with the tail-wind bits (most of it), all the way, rolling out and up the valley for the climb, yet again.  Saw the woman in the orange top down here ("back up for some more, eh?").  Crawled up the steeps, cleaned it all, with a good breather just above Hospital, then on upwards, getting overtaken by a very fit looking, slightly older dude on a very light looking XC hardtail just before the pono's pylon.  He made it look effortless, in comparison to my hugging and chuffing.  Up around past 40fter and up around to the skidder, all the while suffering, but coping.  

Then across skidder and into lower(gums) singletrack and out to 19th, below road flow, coasting, rain just starting to spit, into DogParkCarPark, nice under the trees, and flowy, blazing alllll the way down to H'Ell and clamber, down to home just as the rain started proper - timing couldn't have been more perfect.

A bittersweet 11.7 kms, with a valid 496 m wrought height.

Stoney-Owney Fatso Saturday Loopy.

Heesh, what a climb... Took Kuan and his friend Andre to Akaroa for them to have a look around.  It was Le Race day, so we passed a few stragglers before Little River, then one or two on the hill, and the Summit Rd was closed to cars, so it was lucky we were going to Akaroa and not LA.  Parked at the far end, just up from the Wharf, and the boys went for a wander while I rode back around to Stoney Bay Rd and headed up valley...  Long climb.  Gravel from part way up the valley and then big long switchbacks, in granny most of the time, crawling.  By the time I made the top I was pretty toasted.  Hour and a half that took.  

Then was onto the trail across below Flag Peak and behind the Brasenose, it was surprisingly hard going, given it wasn't very steep, energy sapping mown grass farm track, and I was HOT.  Stopped and had a rest in the shade of the pines on the flatter bits along the top, even taking my top off and lying on the damp grass and snacking half a onesquare, the first food since a bagel before we left town.  Was putting my shirt back on just as a walker lady arrived.  Bit of a chat then off I went, onwards further across the top then the trail dropped down, becoming very steep and narrower, more like a quadbike track, quite eroded out where water had been pouring and stepping down, a few interactions with gorse bushes on various parts of my body that then became a problem later.  Trail rounded off more level for a bit then climbed a bit and the final climb to the next top was very steep, too steep to ride, up to the 692 point.  Walked up to here, nice view, looking back towards Brasenose and the whole harbour, Akaroa kinda hidden behind the hill.  Fun descent (tho short) down to Flea Bay Rd, then onto Lighthouse Rd, for a mega-fast descent - catching up to a car surprisingly fast, then road flattened off a bit and they got away then thankfully they'd stopped for the view and I bombed on by and hurtled down the road, tires screaming on the seal...

Rolled around through town and got a big feed at the local Kaimoana takeaways.  Then went and picked up the boys from their Giant's House experience and we headed over to Little Ak.  A swim was relished, cooling down my heated brain.

A laboured-epic, 16 km in the making with 920 m heaped on top. 

Friday Night Fat Trail Fix, then Troll to Dinner

As the title says, rode up on the Fatty with the hatchet and cleared the Gum section with the tree down.  Hard(ish) yakka:

During  

After

(more of my handywork visible further down the trail too 😁)

Once cleared I pushed up to the Rabbit Paddock and dropped over to my sunset seat for a juicy beverage and a chill.  Once done, I pedalled back over and boffed off down the rocks and into the gums and through my cleared section and fun times all the way down.  Fatty popping and weaving nicely, then below road from 19th and coasting to the DogparkCarpark blast, lovely berm railing and jumps through the oaks and all the way out to the very bottom - doing a tiny bit of clearance just above the final drop to H'Ell.  Clamber to road, and home.  

Got a text from T saying, come on down to Pia's for dinner, so I jumped on the Troll and took some backways down the hill, zigzag, Kidson, Whisby, MacMillan, Rhodes to Garth, Crighton through the park then down river into Ernle Clarke and over the bridge, Studholme, park, Stenness and I was there, for food and some another beverage.

8 and a half km in total, with a measly 154 m escalated

Wednesday Ada Troll, Cratered

Shitty day, shitty mood, shitty sleep, shitty day at work, mood: glum.  So, to clear my head I took the Troll up the hill... Grunted up through Vic (same pace as a girl running (ahead) until above the first gate where it gentles off a little and I passed her before the upper dog park entrance).  Up through the 19th and over to skidder and the usual walk up the grunter.  All the way to the Summit Rd for the nice roll down to the Kiwi.  Across the Pass and up the next section of Summit Rd, jollying up and up til it settled off.  Nice cruise down(ish) around to the first saddle where I took to the Crater Rim walkway and rode (and dabbed and walked) through the slippery rocky trail along adjacent to the road.  Nice bush, lovely bellbirds singing.  Explored off down Bush Rd to the left a wee ways, then back up to continue through the next saddle and staying on the Crater Rim up around the flank of Ada (past Ella's) through the previously burned section.  Very overgrown, ended up walking quite a bit of it, but rode some.  View towards Marleys and town (Sugarloaf on the right).

Left up the Ada track to the top, riding and walking.  Excellent view up here. 

Off down from here down to the road again, some fun, narrow then at the bottom wide speed.  Onto the road and towards home, rolling start, then tucked speed through the first saddle and fast standing cranking around to sitting climbing gently back towards Marleys and then faaasstt rolling coast down back to Kiwi, through the top and up, climb climb to top of Vic and off down the usual singletracks, rocks, gums (log needs cutting - still), then out to skidder, over 19th, down to Dogpark Carpark and weaving and jumping through this, ballbearings!!! (acorns), and out to home.  

A nice jaunt, all round - 14(ish) km, and a little under 500 m climbed.

Scorched Sunday Thomas the God Botherer's Captaincy

Took myself out to Slumner with the Jeht on board and parked up in some shade before Scumnervale. Headed up the OG Captain and it was hot. Really fucking hot. Many times I thought, "it's too much" but each time I continued. Scorching, bit of walking right at the start then not so bad from there on out with the usual rocks needing the foot-use.  Sumner Triathlon was on and there were cones and signage and people all over Evans Pass, with Godley Head Rd closed to traffic, I headed out there with the knowledge there'd be no cars.  Climbed up the grass onto the trail - utterly surrounded by a kaliedoscope of butterflies (or was it a whisper of moths?).  Breather at the top here and chatted to a bloke on a Santa Cruz here (that I'd seen from below the wondering whether he'd been through or not by the time I got up there).  He asked about the trail, it'd been a while since he'd been on it, and then I gave him the lead off and waited a bit longer.  Off down after him and had a nice blast. Then at Livingston he was waiting at the big gate, opening it for me but (to him) I'd disappeared behind the rock, and was at the small gate (where the old cattlestop roll-over used to be).   

I felt better from here up and over, cleaning all the rocky tech on the up, nice flow down around, over pfmtbc rock to Breeze, then took the Breeze Bay walking track around the back, with literally a good breeze coming up off the sea round here. VERY Needed. Caught some walkers before the stile - giving the guy a heck of a fright. Over the stile ahead of them and bombed down to the carpark where I filled up my water. Then, around the front on the OG Godley section, enjoying, and crossing paths with the Santa Cruz dude again.  At Breeze I intended to head back on the road, started out that way but where the top Anaconda entrance is I climbed up the paddock to the Godley trail again.  Nice from here back in this direction over the techy rock and missing the wasted descent on the road to Livingston (which would have been a nice rest, I guess).  

From Livingston stayed on the trail and climbed it. My figuring was, it's the same altitude gain as if I'd ridden the road and up track. Hell of a lot more effort tho. Oh well. Received a compliment from an American-accented woman who'd stopped to let me tackle the wee bridge thing at the head of the gully up here. Impressed with my body-English manoeuvrings methinks... I didn't know what to say I was so toasted. I said, "no worries" like she'd thanked me! Then realised my error and said, "thanks, heaps" and continued on my merry way, then wondered if I should have stopped to chat...build some community, like??  Looking back a little further up I could see someone following me, way back, who'd pulled over to let her by.  He was present in my mind, chasing, for the rest of my ride (but didn't catch up til I was on the road next to my car). Blasted the tech rock all the way back to Evans, tho one sticky situation near the end that resulted in a nice lump on my shin/ankle.  My right foot was violent smacked out of my pedal by a rock at almost exactly the same time as my left foot hit a bigger rock, all-but stopping me in my tracks.  At the second foot-strike the pedal from the first intersected with my ankle...  ouch.

Through the pass and straight into Captain Thomas for a rip snorting descent. Had an audience in a couple of the crucial moments, a trio of walkers and dogs above the two rock dropdowns, and a runner who leaned out of the way with a big grin on her face as I dropped down the second of those. Cleaned all of everything except the short climb after the rocky techs, but made it higher on that than I have in a while.  Down in the OG section I stopped to have a single chat with Doug at the bridge and T rang wondering where I was.  Cleaned all the rocky roll-overs lower down here, and had a lovely lively jaunt down the trail.  Dusty finish, and across the road to the car. 

An efficacious 18.4 kms and 765 m climbed, unanticipatedly.

Resolute to ride more as this climbing lark was hurting me...  My playing-up knee survived nicely too.

Saturday Morning Mount Grey in the Grey

Nice ride today with Nelson and a dude he's met locally recently, Harvey.  Harvey kindly drove, through quite a lot of rain, which buttoned off as through Amberly and up Cramptons Bush Rd, down to a shmizzle at least.  We headed all the way in, up and over past "Lake" Janet, down to the bottom end of the Mt Grey track, where the blown-out ford is.  

Rode up the road from there - very overgrown and narrowing with gorse. At the "Lake" we didn't head up the zigzags on account I didn't think my knee would handle any walking, and Nelson pointed out that the overgrownness of the trail would be very wetting, instead, staying on the road the whole way to the top, including from above the lookout.  We were immersed in clouds from a bit below there, all the way to the top with some a couple of smatterings of drizzle on the way. I kept getting left behind cos I was climbing really slow, all sorts of excuses really: post covid, not enough riding, my knee...  and they're both super fit.  

Started into the down and it was a bit sketchy, tho stuff came at us seemingly quicker than usual. Hairpins, already? Rock roll, already?? Then as we headed into the forest the sun came out. Still very wet in the there, and the roots and moss were slippery, rocks about the same.  Hairpins?  Boy, the Cotic is long... After climbing slower, I wasn't as fast descending as them either, but it was all very enjoyable taking my own pace.  Fucking mucky lower down, especially in the muckzone.  Passed one or two walkers. Was sweet sweet ride, but my hands were getting sorer and sorer the whole way down.  I think the MeatyGrips are okay on non-tech...  have switched them to the singlespeed, and put the (brown) Burgtecs onto the Jeht now - colour coordinated!

Washed our bikes in the river under full sun and blue skies for the drive home.  Coupled with my commute time from home to Nelson's and back again, (not to mention Harvey was about 25 minutes late), made for a surprisingly long day...I'd left home at 7.40 am and it was 2.40pm by the time I made it home.

Slightly toilsome 13.7 kms and 690 m arduously climbed (by me).  Interestingly, this trip was 2 hours 25 minutes of ride time, vs at least the last 5 times we've done it have only been ride time of 1 hour 40 or so...  I'm wondering if I really was that slow, or if the climbing from the bottom slows down the higher steeper stuff... turns out my MMR was set Auto-Pause Off...  that explains it, I didn't think we were 45 minutes slower.

Thursday Singlist Usual

High intensity single speed blitz up and back the usual routes tonight.  Roughly an hour (47 minutes ride time).  Grinding away testing the knee, which seemed to enjoy it.  Hard work in the steeps, really struggling with it all, I'm SO unfit - breathing hard and heart racing.  

Down Thomson's #1 then seated climb back up road, popped up to the rock shelter, quick talk with Doug and see if there were any blackberries around (nope), then seat down and bombing, so much flow.  Another log across my favourite so I'll have to get up with the axe this weekend.  Otherwise, lovely descending all the way, especially below the dog park car park, weaving nice and loosely through those curves, and awesome flow over the jumps and through the oaks and beyond.  Popped out on H'Ell and clambered to road and home. 

Short and sharp, 5.8 kms with 205 m gouged out of the acclivity

Sunday Morning Codger's Dog's Firball, 51 Horses

Hot ride in Nelson today. Plans were malleable and changed as I rode... From base, down the walkway and then out across behind the Cathedral and then up my usual entrance to the Brook, via that nice path along the creek then a bit of a zig and zag up to bottom of Codgers.  Climbed on up here, not that many people around and yet still a few.  Into Tasman Journeys for a zig and a zag up to Jacks then up to Middle road, grannying along the steeps.  Jeht was in 29:29 guise, and riding pretty nicely.  Blessing was so far all of it was in the shade, and there was still some cool dampness in the air from the night, tho was fixing to be a bit of a scorcher.  Stopped at a picnic table for a short break and look at Trailforks to work out where to go.  Decided on the top of Lollipop and see where from there, thinking maybe Hotbox then try the climb up from Maitai over that side.  Got to Hotbox and Beer Bottle climb and another rider rolled up and we talked then I led off up Beer Bottle, cleaning it nicely.  I went all the way to the very top (view from here)

The other dude had headed off down Top Dog from the corner.  Had a wee look down Lolli but nahhhhh...  and Hot Box had closed tape all over it, figured best not to annoy the trailmakers, so took Top Dog and proceeded to enjoy the bejeebus out of it.  Reminded me of the sections of Great Expectations that are in the pines, tho a little more tech than that.  Was too soon over and I was on an access road.  Headed up this passing the top of the climb trail, then DIVAs (compulsory gap jumps - nah), then Hotbox (closed tapes all over, so no go there) so continued back up to the skid (at top of Take me to your Leader), proceeded back up to the main Fireball Skid, then up Firball climb to access the Trig.  Even better view than top of Top Dog.   

I'd spotted a new trail on the map from this Trig, and had been aiming for it, Koata Whetu.  I'd done Koata Marama last time I was up here so this was a good option for heading back down.  It was fun.  Popped and weaved, up top wider and less steep than Top Dog, through a bit of regen native, a few pines near the top and then across the grassy scrub around to eventually join onto the bottom of Fir Ball.  Boffed down through this then through the saddle and climbed up to Whanake and into P51 for a nice rolly back and forth, a few nice tabletops, one cased bollocking (OUCH), then down through into the bottom.  Chose Crazy Horse instead of the bottom of Firball based solely on that it was shorter slightly shorter than Firball (figured it might therefore be steeper and more fun).  Not that great, anyway.  At Container Skid I stupidly didn't take Young Codgers instead climbing up back onto the main Coppermine trails and headed down this against the traffic flow.  

Rolled back down through town (swinging past the Gallery to see if Anth was there for a coffee) and got hot and bothered climbing up Locking St and the walkway back to base.  

Somewhere in the vicinity of 18 kms, and around 600 m climbed (recalculated because bloody MMR straightlined it from the top of Firball to the top of Whanake... (at least 100 m altitude from saddle up Whanake))

Sunday Shortish Nun and back.

Testing the Jeht out as a non-mullet, running the 29 rear I got off trade me around the time I got the frame. It's only running a 2.4 Minion on a 30mm ID rim though, so is a far cry from the balloon I normally run. The minor change in geometry felt minor but it was noticeable but probably was hardly anything.  Handled ok, except the tire was definitely lacking sufficient grip in some dust-on-rock corners. I'll try the 2.6 off the front some day soon for size, see if it fits in the frame and if it does then get a new front, otherwise a 2.5 for the back (which is what's recommended as the maximum size)...

Off up through Vic, climbing from skidder made harder by the low gear now turning a bigger wheel.  I was slow, and puffed, but managed everything with only one breathing pause halfway up.  Thompsons one and two, then through the Pass and on up Summit Rd, grinding away to the top of Nun, where I peaked and looked at the view.

Nun was sketch dust, but bike handled mostly nicely, albeit rear wheel slide due to lack of bite, and then some dudes came in from the park, looking hot, but actually slow-bos, and got on the lower end ahead of me, making me have to catch up, hold back to increase the gap, then catch up again... 

Good faff up the road to Vic-top overtaking a bunch of riders, surprisingly cos I was feeling pretty spent - it was HOT - and then dropped down into a nice jump thru, down to the rocks, and gums (doug), and on down the usual below the road from 19th - coasting into the dogparkcarpark for a nice cruisy roll through here, trail riding well.  Just ahead of the final corner, the end of the trail before dropping onto lower H'Ell, there was a dead log across the path.  I stopped and moved it, and in the process, tweaked my already sore wrist - not to mention putting a nice vertical scrape on the back of my calf.

A whopping (not) 10.5 kms, and 345 m escalated.  Got home hot and was hot for hours afterwards.

Thursday Gilded Gloaming (predominantly) Singletrack

Good night out for a ride this evening. Drove to Nelson's and then in his car we drove up to Upper Major Hornbrook to find a bit of an easterly blowing, but once riding it wasn't too cool. 

Rode up through Britten, me leading and, as usual, pushing harder because not wanting to hold him up.  Took a new sidle onto the 'round the front' track from just before the top, all the way around and out the "Cutting" exit.  Across the road and over the fence and up the overgrown grass (I rode the other day) to the main track, this time turning right and dropping, ball-bearingly, down to the stile and then down through Cavendish Saddle, climbing up the Crater Rim for a start, then hanging a right through the wee gate onto the old zig zag climb up to the Gondola building.  Checked out the view then down around behind the building and up to the left-hander for the dropping down steps and steps and rocks and good flows.  Tricknical down, taking the main trail (due to the old line down to the fence being overgrown now) and nearly losing my front end on one bit.  Through the top of Bridle Path and we stayed on the crater rim trail climbing up around above Whakaraupo track and then up to the top above the Castle and then dropped down below the Tors for yet more techy goodness - very hard to see the trail in the gloom of sun ahead, shade below the long grass and tussocks - "where are the rocks!?".  Nelson had a close call down near the bottom, tipping somehow off, but saving himself well. 

Back up the road to Castle, into the single-track at inordinate speed, flowing smooth, railing and bombing, slowly reeling Nelson in, but also wanting to stay back a bit to avoid the dust he was raising.  Around the hairpins and into the climb, started well but I started to really lose steam on the last of the climb, while he just blazed on ahead, disappearing from my sight and waiting for me on the road.  

Onto the road, around under the Gondola and into the wind, that seemed to get stronger the closer we got to the gate.  Then it was howling through the Cutting, and we dropped into Britten, I was feeling my way on the singletrack cos tussocks were overgrowing.  Nelson picked the high line and we went up over (below Broadleaf) rather than around the front, then onto Vee Twin as usual for the bomb down, peeling off the usual corner and across the front.  Once across we explored sheeplines, some interesting connections here, and ended up above the last dropdown to pylon and exited the park at Longridge, climbing back up to the car via Clearview and Ridgeview.   

Unquestionable 11.79 kms and peculiarly only 487 m shimmied

Coincidentally, Andy, Wahayno and Wazzah had parked near us and were riding Greenwood at approximately the same time.

Fri Day-after-Waitangi, Wood of the Captain Green.

Took the Jeht to Scumnervale and headed up Das Kapitan. 2 weeks since covid and as a result of this I struggled pretty much the whole way. Especially up the road above and then even worse up to the top of Pleasant.  Climb was uneventful, apart from a horse between the gates on the OG Captain.  I gave him a wee fright rolling over the beside-the-stile fence rock roll.  Luckily, he turned around and had his head at the trail (rather than the kicking machines), and I talked nicely and let him sniff me to know me as I passed.  Up from here was nice.  Up the rest was alright, but struggling began in earnest higher up.  Then, up the road, and by the time I made Jollies Bush I was a bit toasted, then up Sheep Shit Alley, and back onto the road and around Britten, the longer way, then up over the fence from the cutting and it looks like no one rides there anymore.  Grass all overgrown to buggery.  Onto main trail and it looks like a trainload of bikes has been through (- an event?).  Clambered and had a rest at some rocks, ate something, then moseyed on, struggling away.  Utterly spent by the top, thankful it was downhill(ish) the rest of the way.

Trails really look like some event has been through recently, do they still hold the Crater Rim enduro??  Top section, rocks, more rocks, and then some rocks thrown in for good measure.  Down through the tussocks was alright.  Lots of new fencing, and through Downhill got better and better as I descended to the point where I was very much enjoying myself.  Good roll down all the usual techs, and into the OG zone, very nicely indeed.  Horsey McHorseface had gone when I came back through.

An undiminutive 16.78 kms and wondrously 663 m upwardly mobile

Saturday First ride post-Covid, Camp Troll Swim

First ride since my second dose of covid. Drove to Lyttelton, pedalled over to the ferry and found the next one wasn't gonna be for another 45 minutes, so back to the car and I drove to Diamond Harbour instead - arriving a good 15 minutes before the ferry was going to leave.  Parked about halfway down towards the cafes.  

Headed up Waipapa to the very top, left down Bayview - quick steeep gravel down then right onto the sweet singletrack trail to Purau that I hadn't ridden for years (since an early Herbert trip, must have been pre-blog), stopping for a call, then scoffed a few blackberries. On down thru Purau and onwards, seal first, then gravel, around above Ripapa Island and around to Camp Bay, first time ever, where I coasted down and made the beach.  Carry/pushed around the rocks to the main beach, parked the bike, grabbed my togs, sarong and travel towel that I had bundled up in my seatbag, and wandered across the beach, changed and went in for a swim.   Lovely.   

Back onto the beach and changed back into bike shorts, back to the bike and pushed it up the narrow steep track, over the fence to the carpark and then climbed back out of the bay and around, hitting lots of nice rolling back, up and down to Purau then back into the single-track for the climb.  More blackberries in here.  At the road end I explored a wee track, which had two sets of steps and one too-techy rock section, otherwise lovely gentle bush track, which took me down to Rawhiti St.  Around onto Te Ra, short climb, then back down Waipapa and back to the car. 

An efficacious 15 kms journeyed with 400m conquered

Sunday Arvo Solo Local Singlist

Up on the BFe for a blow out blast, getting all my blood and air flowing hard. Up the usual way to the top, walking the usual little bit.  Headed straight into Thompson's #1 for a nice wee flow, then back up the road and dropped down around, past the jumps, then down through the rocks and gums all the way out to 19th, below road briefly, then into the Dogpark Carpark trail, jumping all the jumps in here, then grunting up for a second lap of the main bit, finishing with - down all the way through to the bottom, surprising a young woman (or they/them?) peeing on the end of my track just above H'Ell... rolled out to their male friend and said, "I just gave her a fright." 

Minimal 6.3 kms grueled and 217 m wrestled from the hill in 32 minutes.

And then i got Covid...

Friday E-tour with T, then a Short Saturday Sunset Figure-of-8 Dog Fat-Spin

So, Friday, T and me on our ebikes headed up thru Vic Park Rd, down onto Dyers to turn right at the Kiwi and all the way around the Summit to Gebbies, bombed down to Teddington and along towards Governors. At Allandale we hit the Old Coach Rd along the waterfront to the Jetty. Out to the end of this, then up the hill, checked out Nainy's old driveway, then up to the pub, Otoromiro, for several drinks and a yummy meal. Finished with back up and over the top and home. 

Not bad 35 kms and over a grand's climbing.  And good to know what the ebikes are capable of...

Saturday evening, on the loose end of a few beersies, I took Jet up on a weird little short, puffy fatty-spin up a little local loop-about. Surprisingly, a sweet little workout given the low speed. Granny (or slightly taller) ups, and short-shrift wee blitzes of flowy groove, between waiting for the geriatric old man dog, downs.   Hope it isn't too hard on his weary old joints. 

However, a lovely taste of what I should get up to every night - really... Close encounters with gorgeous setting sun rays through the trees, and kereru.  Ridiculous how much fun a rigid bike can be. 

Less than 2 kms and stupidly only 55 m of altitudinal gain, in a whole 32 minutes.

Thursday Evening Croc of Climbing

Buncha ups and downs out in Halswell tonight. In from the carpark, meandering around all the new-path-fenced-off areas, up to the trees to the start of the trails.  Straight into Download, and up C2, chuffing alllllll the way up to Siberia and over, then back down the lot, across to the right following a family of big cattle beasties and dropped into Off the Cuff, up Upper Crust, down Murph's, back up the OG Croc -v stepper than I remembered it, down Spurious, back up C2 and down Mish Mash... Shitloads of other riders around and everyone seemed to be faster than me going up. 😩

Less than 10kms and only 289 climbed (tho I calculate 360m...), which seems a bit of a rip off, considering.  I gotta ride more.

Sunday Bowenvale Jeht Planing

Bonza, mate. Bonza! 

Left home at 1 on the dot and ground my way up the usuals to the top of Vic. Popped off down Thomson#1, enjoying the absolute cush and speed of the Jeht, weaving through the gap and into the hairpins to head back up the road to the top again.  Next, I boffed off round, popping the jumps and hauling straight back around and up the Worm to hit the Traverse for the cruise across.  I could see a couple of riders ahead, a long way ahead when I first got onto it, they were rounding the stile further ahead.  When I got there they were slightly less far away, then when I was coming around towards the Sugarloaf saddle carpark they were just negotiating the pond and then the rock feature after that.  I caught the young girl as we rounded towards Lavaflow and she stopped to let me by at that rock feature just after that.  I stopped at the top of HuntsDH and let her roll by to her dad(?).  

Dropped off down what was fourpause and had an audience just below the first jump, a guy riding up the gravel stopped to observe.  Wind behind me, quite quick down here.  First left into the swervy version of the landing-strip-adjacent trail, and enjoying the flow.  Onwards over the top of Ali Express, finding, after the cattlestop, a new route into the zig and zag, Sheepshit City it should be called.  Dropping down all the rest of the rocky sections, nice flow and bomb.  Strong winds on the zig and zag before the Old Skool proper, pushing or adjusting...  Stopped for a rest and saw a couple ahead.  Headed off, bombing, flowing, tailwind, fast and smooth, funtimes, the pedestrians were out of the way just before the cattlestop and I just rolled on through.  Nice flow, riding well.  Zig and zag back and forth flowing and pumping, flying then into the bottom and onto the grind, the endless steep, grovelling up valley, eventually out the top and over the skidder into the singletrack descent to 19thy, below road, through, coast, into dogparkcarpark, hello to Jo from work who was parked in my spot, and bombing through the curvy grooves, all the way down to H'Ell, clamber up, blast home

A congenial 12.5kms with 540m risen

Friday Towards Menzies and Back, on the Fatty

As per the title, climbed out of Little Ak, daydreaming away and enjoying the view, up to Brockworth then bombing gravel down into Decanter, across the bridge and climbing again, up and around and on up the downs all the way to Rehutai where I took a nice pic

(combo of Godley and Scarborough Heads in the distance there).
and then turned around and rolled and coasted and bombed back down, stopping for views - this one in particular:

(Long Lookout in the distance, The Decanters in front).

And also not stopping...  Down through Decanter again and climbing back up the other side, back over and then bombing again on the noise of angry bees down down down and fast, through the hairpin and down to the bach, then up the road to the house where I got into my togs, grabbed T and we went for a swim - her riding the fatty down and me on the old globecruiser.   

Minus the swim, 17 odd kms, and a juicy 670 m upwardly mobile

Saturday View Hill Part-way

T, Nik and Blair were walking up to Chorlton.  I ran Jet around a short loop with the bike, then rode up past them to the top and up the gravel road, walking the steepest bits then riding on up to the pine tree intersection. 

Rested out of the wind for a bit, took in the view and bombed back down.  Fast as all heck on the gravel, not feeling quite as comfy as on the fatty.  Once on the seal it was faster still, around the corner and into the wind, which slowed things a little.  

Windy, 10.66 kms and 468 m climbed. 

First not-really-Ride of the Year, Troll Dump

Dump run needed so I headed up on the Troll with the rubbish bag bungied to the front rack. 17 minute round trip, 4.7 kms total and amazingly 81 m climbed.