Friday Chasing Chorlton's Sunset

A day of 'working' from the bach (that wasn't particular successful), and the sun had left the house before 3, so figured I needed to chase it.   

Left it a little late and didn't quite catch it, as it was nearly finished with Chorlton by the time I got there. 

Nice 'set anywho, from the top.

Met a chinese guy up here, he rolled up in his rental as I did.  He was on a bit of a tiki-tour, 2 days in Akaroa, after attending the TRENZ conference.  

I got hot riding up the hill and cooled nicely coming down.  My new light mounted on the front.

Relatively laconic 6 kms and 220 metres.

Saturday Climbing Track Dig Day, Sunday Shortstuff.

Fair bit of bike related activity this weekend...  Big Bike Film Night was on Friday, usual inspirational stories and footages.  Favourite was the Tall Bikes film...  was so good.  Petor who runs Bespoked was super cool dude.  And Annie Ford was cool too.

Saturday, got there slightly late, but rode the Stooge up to find no-one around the Ranger Station, no-one at the Skidder, so made way down through the trees eventually finding people gathering at the bottom of Brents/Rad etc, to build the new Uphill track in the valley there.  A bit lost at first, I found my niche, kinda at the front, tentatively scratching the way in, absorbing the wisdom of the old-hands, learning on the job and.  We got so much done, it was amazing. Ranger came up and said, "Time gentlemen, please" and so I walked back down with my tools to the bike and it was incredible the progress that'd been made.  Rode it up and out, what bits I could at least.  BBQ at Skidder, good talking to new people, then hit the trails home the usual ways.  Ride (and grubbing) was only 5.8 kms.

Sunday, up with tired legs on the Jeht, across the summit where I ran into Pete, caught up for a bit then along walks Hubby and (his wife who's name I cant remember!).  All the while talking I could see Tra'y on the Bowenvale Valley track walking up, following her progress until when I eventually Pete and I went our separate ways I got round to the Sugarloaf sign/stop/carpark area and she was heading up the ridge, not that far from me, so "TRA'Y!" caught her attention and she came down to me.  I was feeling jaded so I headed back, but dropped down Upper Fenceline, across top of Cool Runnings, popped up into my little bridged exit of Pedalfine to see if there was scope for part of the new climbing track, pushing right up until I spotted where the big tree had fallen and the re-alignment of Pedal.  Turned back and then baulked on one of the corners...  Dropped into Razza's, then ground my way back up to skidder, and just for the punishment, climbed up from Skidder again, ugh.  Across and then detoured into top of Pines, had a wee break, then dropped in, Gums, best-fun-newby down home.  Sweet 9.4 kms, 382 m of mostly steep.

Then later Tra'y and I rode alternative byways to my folks' place, and I forgot to map it back.  oh well.

Wednesday Night Britten Pleasant

Not overly large ride tonight. Bumped into the boys too.

I had to feed and walk Golly, so Nelson drove up to Joy's and joined me on the walk.  We did the zig zag and Drayton Reserve / Ave loop.  Then both drove up to Upper Major Hornbrook where we found the Hydestor van - so we knew the boys were about.  

Cruised up Britten, I felt okay considering my messy sleep of late, and we got to the top in no time.  Around the front, rocky section past Broadleaf getting the better of Nelson (both times, last time and this) and then up to the road.  Over the fence and up the well weedeaten zig and zag.  Commenting on the insanity of some of these trail workers that've been through there.  Some sections very nicely carved, in others, all the grubbed root and turf sections have been piled along the trail.  We can see the point, but if they start to grow again, maybe not such a good idea. 

It got worse from the top of Mt Pleasant.  The tussock has been grubbed, and some fool has deliberately laden it into the track, obviously hoping it'll mulch and provide some substance to the dry dirt surface, but all it's done is hide rocks, made the trail horribly slippery, and generally destroyed the joy of riding it.  Nearly lost it multiple times on corners because of the slipperiness. Madness!

Down and around into the OG Greenwood entrance, then dropped down Sheepshit (namesake appropriate), and as we hit the second section at the pines we spotted (and heard) the boys on the road below.  Nice catch up and met Maggie, Wayne's cute trail sheepdog.  Nelson and me continued around to the ruins, grunty climbs, and back, then back up Sheepshit, onto the road and into Britten.

Night riding Britten in the dust and lack of sightlines is kinda no longer fun.  I'm second guessing myself every corner, leaning, turning, braking too late or too early.  General muppetry, and nearly losing it constantly.  Found it really hard, but the ruts didnt help, nor that I crashed last time.  

We decided against Kenton, even tho we should have done it for the altitude. 

All of 9.72 kms and 308 m escalated.  

Sunday Haulin' the Stooge's Singletrack Ass

Exquisite jaunt on the day before tomorrow. Started out with Tra'y, splitting at top of the dogs. Over 19th, up the Grunter, had my bottle today, so had a good drink at the fountain and refilled, then on up the Worm and onto the Traverse. Loving the applied power and rolling goodness. 

Over Vernon, loving the groove, railing the down.  Straight through Rapaki-top into clambery climbing Witch, hoofity-bumpsville, then across the road onto the first little piece of 360, before dropping out and heading up the road to Castle. 

Dropped in and flowed, a couple of big rim bashes across the really rocky section, that thankfully didnt result in flats, down around the zig and zag and into the climb.  Gloriously applied power through the climb, then getting tired, popping out to Bridle-top.  Started heading up the road, but then spur of the moment, surprising even myself, I turned around and headed back into the climb on the singletrack.  It was hard but I really enjoyed it.  Walked a couple of wee bits (2nd hairpin and the very last steep before final corner) but otherwise great - need to add this to my modus operandi - it's a good workout.   

Clambered up to the Tors track and dropped in, having a glorious descent of this, couple of dabs, then bombed to 360 above the road and hoo-wee it's tight; overgrown. Quite tricky not to tip over the edge every pedal stroke. Need shorter cranks and/or to rotate the EBB, or the trail needs some maint. Into the Witch for another sweet tech climb to flowy decent to Rapakitop, rolling through and heading up the road.  Then, surprising myself again, just after the cattle stop figured I'd hit the Vernon. Climby climby climb climb singletrack around and up. 

At the Traverse I had a breather and a young guy on a Velduro rolled up.  I said, "you may as well go you'll be faster." We chatted a little more then off he went, with me a few moments after.  Chasing, I mostly held onto him until the little climby bit, but then I gained on him again in the long rolling descent, and then all of a sudden, at the pond, there's Tra'y across the road, jogging along.  "TRA'Y!!"  Nice catch up.  Split, I headed on around the summit, having a lovely blast with the tail wind.  Into the trees, both jumps, then Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, Newby Home.  Nice.. 

Just under 20 kms this time, with 711 m wrought.

Saturday Nun Gov Ultra Vixen

Good wee spin on the Jeht, with an uplift.  

Climbed up through Vic, over 19th, Skid, Grunt.  Realised at the water fountain I didn't have a bottle.  Bother.  Oh well, drank some and kept rolling, into Thomson's Both, Through Kiwi and up the Summit, Worsley's into Nun.  Bit of a stop a the top and 4 old buggers on eebs turned up, we chatted, then I let them go off, and gave them some time to get ahead.  I dropped in and eventually caught the tail-end Charlie.  At the corner closest to the CAP he let me past and I railed the rest of it.  Felt like I was riding pretty good.  We all set off down the next section and I was having to hold back on the same dude's tail, but I bailed at the road, crossing over to hit down the Governor's Bay trail.  Slick in places, but fun.  Down around, and into the climb, cleaning more than ever, just seemingly having the power.  Walked a tiny section to the road, crossed over, finished off the lower Nun, and popped out at the road.  A mum and kid bikers rolled up and I asked if Zero Ultra was open, "Yes.  Yes, it is."  

I dropped in a little after one of her grom kids and proceeded to stay on his tail, reel him in even.  Then peeled off into Zero for the first time down.  It was much as expected, a few pops that would be giant air if you were carrying the speed, scenic (not that I got to see much - too busy focussing), loved it when it got into the trees, fast, jumpy (not that I did), and then one by one other tracks joined in from either side then I recognised the last sections.  Down to the fountain, drink, up to the lift.

Nice chat with nice peeps on the lift, then off down, pulling over to let them haul-arse through (all practicing for the racing tomorrow), all the way down lower Nun and through the Kiwi and up the road, dropping into Thomsons the upper.  Topped out, jumpies, see-saw, Brakefr-- out to Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, then into fun Newby Home track having a good session down here.  Really enjoying this trail, it's so tight.

16.3 kms travailed, with 846 m ascended, of which 400 odd were chaired. 

Sunday Ups and Ups.

Very strong southerly kicked up just before we left the house, Tra'y walking and me on the bike again.  We tootled (I struggled) up the steep behind the houses and I stayed with her until the top of the Dog Park where we parted ways.  

I trundled on up the hill, the usual over 19th, Skidder, and up the grunter.  Lovely and sheltered in the trees with the wind howling in the tops of them and roaring in all the powerlines.  Straight into the Worm and popped out of the trees and observed the conditions.  Scudding clouds thickening, a bit of really light drizzle around.  A couple of other bikers said it'd been hard work staying on the Traverse, so I decided against that and instead figured I'd stay in the lee of the hill, dropping down Upper Fenceline, around onto Rome, back and forth down this, taking a right fork part way down and deciding to walk back up to take in the left, which has a steep rollover drop to start.  Out the bottom and across to the left, then then up the steep access track through Cool Runnings, and on up.  

Popped down into Pedalfine below here, but found a tree across it (bring the saw next time), so pushed back up and headed on up through the Rad intersection to Razza's where I paused for a gasp or five.  I was just about to roll in when an ebiker came across from above and dropped in, so gave him a bit of a stretch before dropping in myself.  Ended up catching him stopped for a woman and a guy, who let us both past (briefly, the guy said, "oh, Cotic, I used to have a Soul," I replied, "I've got a broken Soul at home...").  Out the bottom, onwards down, sidling through Brentzone (Macros (after Macrocarpas, I'm assuming)), and took that new high line above the Corporate Ladder, which I turned up and climbed.  

Steep up, in under the sprawling gum tree and onto Sneaky Ridge, fun tech rocks down, blippity blop, oaks, jump onto the main trail and on down Nube-Ridges and down valley into the Hidden climb.  Up this, still contemplating where to go, finally deciding on hitting the Old Skool and facing the climb home.  Brief pause at the high point listening to the high-tension lines above, so loud, then dropped in, total tailwind blast across, revelling in the push and rush of tussocks and wind and noise from above, pylons screaming.  Back across into the wind for a bit, but enough down to keep me moving, then back around, tail wind, overtaking a couple and their dog, biff boff baff down to the next hairpin then dropping down into the final squiggles, rail rail humm, and out onto the main drag.  

Climbed back up valley, vest layer on at the seat, the up into the trees, and ugh, the grind up K2 - one breather stop, then up to Texaco, and on up, grind grind grind.  Eventually made the Skidder, and rolled over into the trees and down through the first bit, stopping at my stop (before CAP trail), to oil chain which had an annoying small squeak each rotation.  Then finished off this bit, out the gate and into the Newby for a lovely blast down and through, all the way home.

500 m steep as, over not that far 10.6 kms.

Hiker's Wool Delivery Service

Call from T. She was out walking with Layla who got a blister so I hoofed it up on the Troll. Nice HIIT climb to meet them on the road out of the Skidder site.  Delivered the goods, then I rode up to the 'CAP entrance' track, peeled off that down and popped out at the gate (where the other two were just arriving), then across the road and into the local Newby singletrack descent, for a most interesting wee hoon down through here with no dropper post.  FUN

Short but intense, 3.4 kms, with a measly 80 m climbed.

Friday Date Before Sunrise

Awake at 5, so T suggested we exercise. I was reluctant at first but then thought what else am I gonna do?  She headed out the door on foot, while I fed the dog, got my shit together and headed up on the Jeht. It was insanely warm (19 degrees - warmest place in the country!).  

Puffed up the road and then poached the Tawhairanui, nicely nicely, then stayed below the road up thru the woods to 19th, then up to the skidder where I layered off down to a merino singlet.  A green light appeared, and I'm like, wtf? then it moved, and then another light showed, up.  A dog (green) and it's master.  

Up the gruntster, where I needed a breathing break half-way, but cleaned up the rest ok.  Dropped over Thompson's #1 and back up the road to top of Vic whereupon I checked T's positioning... Ok - got ya..  Surprisingly, a few runners around.  So dropped off around the jumpies, straight around into Worm, up and out of the trees and onto the Traverse and I could see her coming up the valley. Gave her a flash or two from my first high point then rode around, and then down the walking 4wd track to her. We rode/walked together back up to the pond, over the fence, across the road, then she went up the steep and I sidled around and up the ridge and we met on top of the knoll. 

Photos taken

and off down, techy rock to the carpark, across the road and onto the Traverse for a lights off blast around towards Vic.  Into the trees and ooh! dark!  Lights back on brights, into the jumps, one and two, then down the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, across to drop into the new local for a lovely twisty hoon home. All before the sun actually lifted above the horizon.  Nice!

Nascently resplendent 9 kms and 322 m climbed

Wednesday Night, Extremely Pleasant Pleasantries and Mucho Muppetry

Amazing first night ride of our year, with a mild and still evening.  Perfect for being out on the hills.

We (somewhat lazily) drove up from his to Upper Major Hornbrook, parking at the bottom of John Britten.  Got riding up here, puffing and chuffing (I'm always struggling chasing him).  Stopped to check out a jump next to one of the corners, then continued on up.  Around the top-front and across the road at the cattlestop, climbing up the (recently weed-whacked) trail to the now-tidied climb to the top of Mt Pleasant.  I had to stop along here to de-layer was so damned hot (and I was puffing so much).  Way cleaned up, climbing a lot easier than not that long ago.  

Dropped off down off Mt Pleasant and the top rocks are tidied, but not for long.  Tussock overgrowth made for tricky descending; ruts were annoying too.  Made it to the bottom alive, and dropped off through the ruins and down Greenwood.  This was a blast, riding nicely for a start.  We stopped at the usual just-past-gloomy spot and both our left quads were burning.  I realised I haven't had many lonnng downhill runs for a while.    Off again and I was good for the next rocky bits, but then started to muppet my way through some of the next series of corners, nearly losing because I couldn't seem to work my dropper and steer at the same time.  Lower sections were a bit better, other than dust rarked up by Nelsie.  

Onto the road, and up the hill, holding a pretty steady pace all the way until the pines, where we hopped over the stile and I was suddenly bonking.  Blooooddd sssuuugggaaarrr craaassshhhhhh.... Stopped just up sheepshit alley and Nelson gave me some baby food.  It was goooood.  Got going again and I was slow, but made it, and then up the road and into Britten for the final descent.  Dust again being a problem, espectially through the bit near the top that Nelson had worked on last weekend.  Then I crashed - wheel rutted and down I went, luckily the tussocks and grass were soft - tweaked my right calf really hard, somehow, it cramping as I was crashing.  Got going again and Nelson was waiting waaaay down at the next hairpin.  We finished off to the car.

Mostly pretty sweet 11.5 kms, with 450 m climbed 

Saturday Morning Stooge Date

Had a ridey-walky date with T. 

Rode up the back of the houses, then on up to the upper dog park carpark with her and we went our separate ways.  She went over and I went up.  

Just round the corner from the next carpark I dropped into the woods to climb up under the trees, across at 19th, then took in all the singletrack I usually descend to this point. Had to walk a couple corners in the gums, and the rocks, but surprisingly little. Thomson's #1 down and back up then jumpy into Worm and on around the Traverse, stopping a couple of times to let riders through. 

Tracked where T was and dropped off down Huntsbury DH to find her down AliExpress... Rode back up the 4wd with her to where she turned off (into where I'd come down), and I headed up the main track to the top of Huntsbury/Vernon and grabbed the Traverse back. Caught her again above Lavaflow (a few riders riding through as we spoke) and then we went our separate ways. Chased the riders for a bit, basically catching them up, then stopped to give them some space.  Nice flow rest of the way, straight into the jumps, Rabbit, Rocks Pines Gums, all the way down. Then across into the Newby for a lovely hoon home.

Nearly 12 kms and 438 m climbed.

Monday Observed, Sunset Stooge Stretch

Painting the roof all weekend has left my body sore and twisted, so I thought a wee jaunt on the Stooge might be in order. Must say! I went further than I thought I would.  

Up the road, 19th, grunter, "is that a Jones?" - took me a sec of processing to realise the reference and that he was talking to me, "oh, ah, no. It's a Stooge." From which followed a conversation. Interesting stuff, and I recognised her, but not him... 

Up onto Thompson's both, and return on both. Very nice. Then around the jumpies and down across the rabbit paddock to the sunset seat. Chat with Doug and a There Will Be Signs, my favourite beer this year.

A glorious pause of just stretching and easing out of the day.  Suddenly realised the sun was getting pretty low, so climbed back out across the paddock and dived on into the pines'n'gums, lovely flow all the way out to the gate. 

Then it was dropping in time into the new home trail. Love it. Getting to know it now and carrying speed thru sections I previously slowed on.  And one section has received a name, a lovely handpainted sign, "Sleepy Hollow."  Sweet!  Carrying the buzz through the glorious sunset light and surprised to see it gone as I did the clamber home.

A lugubrious last one for April (?), 6.3 kms and just shy of 200 m

Sunday Stooge Illustrious

Good hoon out on the Stooge again today. Buncha water blasting to start with then T went for a walk so I followed about 40 minutes later.  

Up to dogparkcarpark, dropping in and around the first few swoopies, then off down through the firs cutting around left to the new trail.  Climbed up here, only having to walk one little steep root section and then up the dappled light paths to 19th, and straight into Skidder and up the grunter.  

Top of Vic I called T and she said she was just at top of Lavaflow, and was taking the bike track, so I rode the road to the Sugarloaf saddle carpark and dropped onto the trail here.  Met her near the top of the climb and we chatted for a bit.  Then she headed down to go down valley, and I headed on around towards Vernon.  

While T and me had been talking a rider couple rode under us, and at Lavaflow I was riding past them and the guy was, "it's R isnt it?"  I had no idea who they were, but once we got talking, I knew exactly who they were.  Last met when I was on my first Troll attempt to LA a few Christmasses back.   Jovial chat with them for a while, then I continued on to the end of Huntsbury, turned around and headed back.  Nice flow around, (they were still there, getting ready to drop into Lavaflow) so I continued on around the Traverse, keeping the flow on, and enjoying it greatly.  

Into the top of the trees, and across over the jump, down Rabbit, Rocks, Pines where I ran into Doug, then Gums and out, tucking into my Newby, flowing down the first section and then at the end of it, climbed back around and took a second go at that top end again before flowing down the rest of it, all the way out, clamber, home. 

Venerable 11 kms acrossed with 372 m upped

Saturday Stooge Brief Interlude

Short hard local again, this time on the Stooge.  

Busied the day water-blasting the roof - ugh, my neck was dying after 6 hours of it, so figured a ride would straight me back up.  

Climbed up the road, and over 19th, through skidder and rather than climb, headed straight over into Razza's - nice drop down through here, Stooge performing admirably in the tech and rooty goodness, boffed out and decided to continue down through into the Brentzone, down and across and taking in that extra wee over bit to then hit Corporate Ladder back up to top of Sneaky and then back up the 4wd trails, across at Radzone climbing to Cool Runnings start, where I met a random guy and we chatted a while.  He didnt know his way around that well, but kinda knew some trails, so rode with me up and I sent him off down Razza's to find his way to Sneaky Ridge (which he knew he liked).  I continued into Skidder, hung a left and took the cypress descent down and out to the road, and into the new Newby section, biffing and boffing down here for the fun to the very end.  Clamber and home.

Shorter and steeper than yesterday, 4.8 km and 207 m, 

Friday Rapido (heartrate)

Much needed nice little blast on the Jeht tonight, first ride of April (on account of Tasmania) this late in the month!  

Up to top of Vic, dived straight into both Thomsons - both ways, down and down (nearly running into a couple groms who were very apologetic (as was I, "dont worry bro, it's a 2 way track!"),, turning straight around on the road and climbing back up, then diving into the upper and climbing on up here up to the top.  Spin around in the carpark and straight back in, down around over the jump and then down rabbit paddock through into the rocks, Gums all the way down and out to the 19th gate. When I hit the road saw a rider heading in somewhere unexpected. Hmmm...  I followed over and she'd stopped, and it turned out to be Rachel (from Hackthorne Rd) nursing a wrist in a splint.  She'd been told about this trail and on account of the wrist let me drop in first and it's awesome.  Fun, interesting, not overly hard, but loose enough to keep you on your toes.  All the while keeping you above H.Ell.  Exit onto an access track, then just up from that exit is the rest of the "Newby" newly added to my repertoire.  Down this all the way, and home.

Short and sweet, high intensity, just over 6 km, just under 200m, 37 minutes. Tight and twisty

Sunday Trail-Clearance Stooge

Gardening and house maintenance (hot waterpanels) most of day but got up on the Stooge with the pruning saw to clear that tree. Up road, then into the dogparkcarpark entrance rolling through the overgrown pylon-meadow and finding a dead tree almost blocking the track.  So, I set to it, to bust a bit, cut a little and shove a bunch, moving it out the way - cleaned up and got rolling again.  At the fir tree section, I peeled left and headed down onto the new track to head up that.  Stopped and cut one potential handlebar-grabber branch, then continued up to the big mess.  Set to it with the pruning saw, making pretty good work of it, and getting extremely sweaty in the process.  Cut through what I needed to, one thigh-thick trunk and 3 arm-thick branches on the main tree, plus a few other broken/fallen trees all arm-thickness, pushing and pulling and shoving everything out of the way.  

Before.... 

And after....

Then I headed on up trail, riding up the nice forest gentle slope to all the way up to just below 19th, where I turned around.  Off to the left (downslope) I spotted a way down from here, which took me to the connector trail (from H'Ell to Infocentre) where I climbed back up to the trail I'd climbed.  Then moseyed down and up to the picnic table, and stopped where I'd crashed.  Here, I sawed off the tree that got me.  

Finally, down into the newby, through my clearance - in an instant, and then a nice, interesting ride down and out, through oaks and then all the way to the bottom, all with a nice bit of a flow.  Clamber to road, and home.

Nice ride, but short - 3kms, 88m climbed

Saturday Morning Studied Speedbombing

Nice we spin this morning. Nursing the concussion of last Thursday all week, finally had a good night's sleep, so I took the Speedbomb out for a test ride. Not coincidentally, T was out for a walk so I rode to meet up with her at Vernon.  Took the road up Vic, through to skidder (not diverting over 19th).  Up the guts was okay, SO much tree-trash around after the gale winds we had Thursday-Friday.  Balmy, calm day today, post tropical system coupled with nor'west warmth.  Spectacular.  

Took the Summit Rd around to top of Lavaflow, and spotted her down just below the Huntsbury, so onwards around the road, and down the gravel, full noise to meet her just below the gapjump.  Turned and rode up with her.  At Summit I hit the Vernon track for a bit and she summited the peak.  I pushed through lonnnng grass to the trail up the front and rode to meet up top.  Shared a few dates and then turned down.  I rode all the way down to the Summit trail and then left towards home.  

Climbed around Vernon to Traverse, and started caning it along here.  Caught some women with a dog about the same time an e-rider caught me, so I let him past then waited at the highpoint for them all to get further ahead.  Then I had a free-speed bomb-run down, catching up at the pond, following for a bit, passing 2 of the women, then taking a rock-tech freeline just before the 4wd bit, passing the ebiker and the last woman and dog.  At the sign, the Ebiker passed me, then I was on his tail the whole way.  Climbs he'd only go slightly faster, and descents I was having to hold back then catch him, hold back and catch him.  At the last high point I could see a couple walkers and dogs ahead, so I stopped and let them all get further along.  That way I got the free-speed bomb-blast again, down through, past the walkers on the last flat stuff, and then into the trees.  

First jumpie good, then flow through, hit Brakefree - splecky muck in between jumps, off into Pines, Gums.  Moved a few sticks and one tricky fallen tree as I descended through here, otherwise just a lot of scrap on the ground.  Down into the cypresses and through to the CAP track, and on down to gate.  Below road here, rolling nicely down around. "What are you photographing?" to guy on side of track with camera contraption, "Fungi."  "Nice!" as I turned up towards the picnic bench adjacent to the crash last week.  Here there was a steady stream of parents and children out on a big YMCA adventure.  Waited a while.  Then down again, noticing the tree that got me, and then down to the new, as yet uncoined, trail.  In I rolled, stopping a few times to kick sticks off, then then found a blockage.  Most of a big snapped off tree right across the track.  I'll take the pruning saw and hatchet up tomorrow, or later?  Negotiated my way around it through the bush and then continued my trail.  Very nice.  Tight.  Not fast.  A couple of climbs.  I enjoy it profusely, feel like it's "my" trail, even tho someone else made it.  Through the lower reaches then oaks, and last blast to the end, smooth flow.  

Popped out onto H'Ell and followed, very slowly, and at a distance, some walkers down to the high point where I clambered to road, and home.

Call it 13 kms, with 432 m climbed.  Brain, not too rattled.

    

Saturday On the Top and CAP

Pretty good ride tho I'm knackered now.  Bad night's sleep - brain still processing from the smack on Thursday.

Up from home on the Jeht and straight into heading across the Traverse towards Nelson and Kirsty who were riding up Rapaki.  I had a good run across the top here, stopping for quite a few in the right places and not budging when it was my turn.  Parked up, tired, at top of Huntsbury and sat for a bit and as they weren't appearing I headed up onto Vernon and rode across the first flatter section, parking up just above with a view to the road below.  Not long after they appeared and Nelson recognised me above and waved.  I rode back and met them.  Kirsty took the road from here and I followed Nelson around.  We had a pretty good run, not bad pace, tho stopped for a breather above that weird solar-weather-station-electric-fence-looking thing, then got moseying again down around to the top, straight into the Thomson Twins and rolled through to meet K at the Kiwi.  

Up summit road from here, I lagged along here but they were kind enough to wait up a couple times.  Up Worsleys Rd and into the Body Bag - been a while.  There was a moment half way down I thought I was gonna come a cropper, a nasty slump hole eating the rut I was running.  Managed to pop onto the grass to the side and no harm done, but that could catch the unaware easily.  Nelson was spooked by it too.  

Through the gate and steeeep climb up to the chairlift top.  Kirsty went green and we went Bako, rough and tumble down, it's pretty mumpty, and so long.  Got nice and smooth when we eventually hit Duncan's, then we headed into Loose Connections and waited at the start of Omnishambles and, not long after, Kirsty arrived.  She took SnakeObs to Active Rest, and Nelson and me dived into Omni for a start then peeled into the Down Low soon after, weaving our way down this.  Again, quite bumpty and dusty.  I like the reminiscent feeling I get down in the trees near the bottom where it's recognisably part of the old DOHC end.    

We had coffees and I had a not-very-good cookie, then we parted ways.  They rode back to their car at Rapaki and I caught the lift, Summit Connector, lower Nun, up Summit to Vic and down my usual ways.  Brain wasn't functioning properly and I had lost my flow on the way home.  I was stuffed.

Capacious 22.5kms with 560 m climbed under my own steam, lift accounting for the 960 m total

Thursday Flying Nunnery to Flying Off

Good ride on the Jeht tonight until I crashed hard, taking a bit of a knock to the head.

Nelson turned up at mine, and we headed down Amherst and around up Vic Park Rd (due to plumbing works on the driveway).  Reasonable pace but I was getting pretty huffed.  There was a group of chatting younger folk behind us, so we kept ahead and dropped them once it'd flattened out.  Up over 19th and up the grunter.  He piled on up keeping on a couple of fasties while I ground away on my not-low-enough gear.  Massive pile of bikers at the waterfountain.  We rode on by and up into Thomsons #1.  Nice roll down here, then even better in #2.  Onto the road, through the pass, and up to top of Nun, grind, grind, grind.

Dropped in, Nelsie in the lead, and we railed and biffed our way down.  Jeht was riding very nicely, it is an awesome bike.  I was staying on his tail, or catching him, lower down.  We stopped at the Park exit and then I took the lead for a bit cos he was feeling a little off, keeping good pace on.  Then, below the road, my front wheel had a PING on a rock and then under certain loads I could hear the fisssshhhh, but it stayed up for a good while, then was too low and I hauled up and we positioned ourselves at the top of Drainpipe to patch (on account of me carrying around a holed tube (d'oh!))(only had one patch too, and so had to 'borrow' one from Nelson).  Patched, being checked on by everyone riding by (including the last patrol letting us know the park was closing), and including Mel, the ubiquitous.  She stopped for a wee chat (we'd seen her riding down from the park on our way up to Nun, so she'd hauled).  

Tire fixed and we headed down the rest and through the pass and up the Summit to Vic-top.  I led down around the jumpies, down rabbit, into rocks, across gums and down through below all the way out, then below road from 19th and just after the wee up to picnic table and over, handlebar smacked a branch I thought would give (quite thin!), which didnt, and wham, down I went.  Hard.  Really smacked my head.  Picked myself up with a scrambled brain, dejavu on thoughts I thought I was thinking before the crash (or maybe they went through my head as I was crashing!??).   Pulled myself together and we got rolling again, down onto my new-find, which I led through and enjoyed through the pain in my leg and weirdly frazzled brain.  All the way through and down out to the bottom, then clamber to road, and home.    

Negligible 10 kms, and one-third of a km climbed, but light was fading. 

Sunday Jehting about the place, and a discovery

Most excellent ride today... Left the house with Tra'y and toodled with her until the lower dogparkcarpark and then said my good bye.  Ploughed on up through 19th and over to Skidder and up the grunter, pushing hard.  Out the top of Vic to the road and wondered where to play.  Hopped off down around the jumps then Worm back up to Traverse and moseyed around here, seemingly stopping for everybody (bar a few).  

At top of Huntsbury DH I looked at T's tracker and saw she was below, so texted her and I could see her down there, so I headed down, jumpiddy flow rail and then down the more tech of the landing strip variants on AliExpress, then down all of the zigs and zags with sheepshit as bonus spleck, meeting her half way down/up.  

We caught up and then I continued my rocky way, dropping down into Old Skool and having a mighty fun fang.  Blip bloop blop all the way down into the valley and started the clamber back up into Vic.  Stopped a couple times to scoff on some berries, then worked my way up K2, steep gasping bastard.  Into the trees below Texaco, nice climb around in here then up past the jump and on up the steep bastard of a track.  

More berries up near Pono's and then up through the Rad Zone, dropping over then up a shitty steep to Cool Runnings entrance, hanging a right and moseying around and up.  This way is nearly right.  I think the way I went last time was better, but needs a little work.  Less steep than going up the usual.  Out to Skidder, and left across to the lower 'gums' track, stopping for a rest in the shade here and organising my day.  

On again, riding out to 19th, below road then back up at Tawhairanui entrance, road, DogParkCarPark dropping down checking out the mud, then realising there's a way across the mud at the bottom where it's dry.  Hmm...  back up to the rocks, found my way through and onto the lower old trail, which looked more used, and lo and behold, found and followed this all the way up back up to the steps below the Tawhairanui start.!!!  Fantastic.  Now I have no need for the road anymore, from 19th, all the way to the bottom of H'Ell.  Wonder what the trail should be called?

On fleek 12.85 kms, with 562 m climbed

Thursday Night Thomas Godley to Livingston presumed

Good ride tonight with Nelson. Drove to his, took his car to Slumnervale and hit up Captain Thomas, stopping a few times to scoff some blackberries.  At the second stop the old 29er crew we'd ridden with a couple times over the years turned up.  They were moving so we got in behind and followed, variously attempting (not me) to sketch up some techknuckle rock sections, with various success or failment.  Some were on eeebs.  Up above one of the walky dropdowns one of them had a derailleur mechanical and they all stopped and Nelson caught up with his old buddy, then we got going and they were ready go to too, so variously passed, or didn't, us on the rest of the way up.  I was 4th to the top, nearly fucking dying of asthma - gasping.  We split our separate ways at Evans, with them heading down the Scarborough Bluffs track to venture all the way along and over to Taylors Rd, while we headed up Godley. 

The tech was good - I walked or dabbed a few sections.  Nelson cleaned 99%.  On the ridge we headed into the descent.  Railing down towards Livingston my back end was making some weird noises.  Stopped, couldn't find anything wrong, continued, and we triple checked it over at the Col.  Found the rear left dropout pivot bolt loose!  That's the second bolt to loosen on this bike.  Not enough loctite?  .... Tighened it up, checked all the rest, and headed up the road.  Up the usual farm track, light starting to diminish, some nice sunset action out on the plains, and into the descent(ish) back to Evans.  Good railing.  Lots of near muppetry, including one adrenalin-raising near-off that I just managed to dab through.  Then into the Captain.  Oh yes.  Very nice.  Flowy, techy speed fun.  Nice through the OG, tho Nelson mysteriously offed and ended up inside his bike and not on the ground.  Lower down it was DARK in the trees.  Was a bit of a shock.  Slowed a bit then it wasn't quite so dark.  Nice finish down and out, then across to the car and she was getting pretty dusky.

Well-nigh 13 km, with a luxuriant 727 541 m climbed (previously 20km, 727m, but that's cos I didn't turn off MMR until Nelson's place...  now deleted)