Follow-Up Rooting

Short rest at home post eeb ride, and decided I needed some more, and I was keen to see how far the Vollies got on the next section of Uprooted. So, headed out and up on the Stooge for a wee jaunt.  Popped into the DogParkCarpark entrance to climb Sleepy and up to the walk track, then below road to 19th.  Up through the gate and climbed the singletrack to Skidder, then straight into the new Uprooted extension.  Wow.  Surpassed expectations; incredible job. I do regret not joining in, but it just wasn't gonna work. Other priorities, ie a TFC Planting that would have taken my volunteer precedence, but that also got overridden by time spent with T on our interesting urban exploration. 

I climbed it to as far as they got, and then pushed up the steps of the walking track it parallels, then up the top of the grunter out to Brakefree then last climb to the top.  Loop around the carpark and back in, down over the jump, then usuals, rabbit, rocks, pines, gums all the way down.  Heavenly Heavenly, then sleepless Sleepy, Hollowed out all the way down.

Sweet f a travailed (5 kms) and 178 units of bugger all climbed.

Saturday Eeebs about Town, Cameron's for lunch

Sweet eeeb ride with my missus. Dropped some cookies off to the olds, then meandered to Riccarton Bush market via the backstreets of Somerfield/Spreydon, through Church Square and Hagley Park edge.  Then up to Uni for an architectural wonderlast.  Feeling peckish, we detoured across to the Fendalton shops for coffee and a scone, then detoured back through to Uni, Staff Club, Halls, byways to The Avonhead, and across to Sockburn, some bikeroute in that strange triangle to the Sockburn Roundabout.  Footpath around the caryards and up-and-overbridge to Cameron's Japanese Family Restaurant, the old Burger building.  

I had a very nice Pork Bone Ramen, but Tracey's Karaage Chicken wasn't so great (affecting her badly later).  We crossed busy Main South, stopped in at Mi Woolies, then alongside Wigram old-airfield and took the Wigram Drain, under the motorway, through Nga Puna Wai grounds and downstream on the Heathcote to Sunnyside Hillmorton, Domain Tce bike route meandering past Pioneer then through to Bengal, Delhi, Lady Poison, Hacked up home.

Electrifying 33 kms, and just the 278 m (most of which is our hill).

Sunday's Cavendish Coffee Stop

T and me headed up, her on the Charge again and me on the Jeht.  I had to walk the worst of the grunter because I need a new drivetrain (and my legs were super tired from going up it 3 times yesterday). 

Hit Worm onto the Traverse with lots of stops for oncoming traffic (and meeting Pete and Alistair at the top of Lavaflow).  Up onto Vernon for a nice flowy blast (stopping occasionally to make sure T was okay, she was).  Then I did Witch while T took the road under, then together around to under the Tors, then we tried out her towing me on the climb to Castle, which was good, although hard on my arm.  Then I hit Castle for a nice blast, riding well, and together we rode round under the gondola to Cavendish Saddle, and up the hill to the top station to get a coffee and enjoy the beautiful day, and view with all the tourists. 

From here, T headed back down the way we'd come, and I headed around the back of the building and down the Crater Rim, biff boff baff on the steps and rocks, meeting T at the Bridle-top (and getting a clap from a kid who watched me negotiate the rocks at the end). She gave me another tow up the Summit from to Castle-top, then it was a nice coasting roll to Rapaki (skipped Witch - I was tired after yesterday), then another tow up around most of Vernon. 

Onto Traverse for the hoon towards home, into the jumps, down rabbit, into the rocks - which T handled spectacularly, then gums, again, but my usual way here (she only walked that one corner), then all the way home.  In the steepest bit in the first Heavenly Creatures section, T had a weird wee crash, ending up pinned by the bike and her own leg.  Peaky ankle and knee... Good flow from here tho - but she was hurtin' and knackered.

Substantial 22kms and a not insubstantial 880 m supersumed

Saturday, Ride of 2 Parts

Up with Max, and Tra'y trying out the turbocharged Charge. Went really well for her. I was on the Stooge and had a nice time. 

Up thru Vic, Max doing pretty well, walking a bit of the grunter.  Topped out then headed around the Traverse to the Bowenvale saddle carpark where we got onto the road, taking this around to Huntsbury/Vernon. The trail riding was maybe a little hard for Max, but Tra'y was rocking it. Hit the Traverse back around, both only walking the rock at top of Lava and that one bit just before the pond. Stopped briefly in the macs just after the jumps, and Nick from work rolls up, brief chat.  Then it was thru Brakefree, into Pines, and what I thought was 'easier' gums, which turned out harder than I imagined for them (steep corners), but out the bottom was okay.  At the gate we said goodbye to Max who was knackered, and hadn't expected mountain biking to be so hard.  T and me headed down Heavenly Creatures all the way home and she absolutely caned it!  Very proud I am.  

A reasonable 10km and 320m climbed. 

Then I was home and hankering to ride a bit more so I headed back up. Dogpark carpark into Sleepy climb, over 19th, up from Skidder and topped out.  Hit the Thomson's -both, then back up the road. Bumped into Nick again at top of Vic then dropped in round the jump and Worm, Upper Fenceline, Rome - piecing something quite cool together. Up Rooted, then weirdly up from Skidder (3rd time today), and down Rabbit, Gums and all the usuals home again. 

8km this time with greater upward mobility, 350m   

Tuesday Night Nun-Vic Combo

Bit of a hoof about tonight.  Up the usuals, granny cog playing up again on the climb from the skidder.  I'd forgotten about that, I guess I need a new drivetrain.... Couple of walkers had just dropped into Thomson's so I topped out to the carpark before turning around and heading down, passing them part way down.  Onto road, dropped into the second one, then out to Kiwis.  

Up the road and into the Nun for a flowy jam.  Had to stop part way down after some weird cornering vibes, chucking some air in the back tire. Better flow after this.  First couple of bits below CAP still closed, so dropped in part way down road, and ground out the rest to pop out at the Kiwi.  Up the road and into both Thomsons again, then topped out to carpark again.  Turned and dropped into the jumpies, undercooking the second one, then down gums, moseying out at the Skidder.  

Here, I randomly decided to head into Dazza's to take the new entrance to (what I call) Razza's.  Sweet rooty tech in here, then continued down, down eventually into Macros, sidling to Brents, and taking the newish highish sideline over on the left, dropping down to the bottom of Uprooted.  Climb, only able to go as low as 2nd gear, topping out, crossing Skidder, back into the trees for the flow around and down out to the gate.  Across into Heavenly, where, down towards the end of the first section my light caught an invisible lemonwood branch, mild whiplashing to my neck, before continuing out, up, into the next bit, nice flow, groove, and fun.  Oaks, last bit to H'Ell, and clamber home.

Not too shabby for a night ride, 11.3 km and 425 m climbed

Sunday's Stooge, Full of Bluster

Bit mucky in places, up for a scramble. 

Topped out Vic then hauled the Traverse, mix of both tail and head winds, blustery nor'west peeling all over the place. Biffed down Huntsbury then sheepshitty-Alley Express, mums and lambs, tech rocks slow and considered. Into top of Old Skool for a snack in a sunny and just-breezy spot.  Headed down to start with, with the expectation of turning back due to muckiness, which in short measure, I did - climbing what I'd normally only descend and finding it ok. Around under the pylon and surprisingly fun descent around into the trees, dropping down and finding extra muck, all the way from Lavaflow through to the valley bottom. 

Climbing now, usual steeps, struggle street. Up and over just a little bit to check Pedalfine - still needs a saw (which I might tackle soon). So, back up and dropped onto Raceline down a couple of bends and popped off onto Uprooted, climbing this out, then up the gutser for 2nd haul, and a run at the gums and the Creature, Hollow down home, flow. 

Propitious 11.3 kms, 489 m 

Thursday Night Habitual Creature Feature

Up on the Jeht tonight to wash out the week's worth of work brain and see how underwhelming my fitness is. Quite, but good for me and fun as fun can be. Peaked, splecked both Thomson's both ways then just down the usuals, somehow keeping control of the grease.  Heavenly sleepy creatures and Hollow, slow styles and chuffing. Home. 

6 kms and not even au, 200 m

2 years of the Jeht!!!  crikey, that's flown.

Sunday Rail Reynold's Bossu Trail

Ride with a couple workmates today. Parked up at Kaituna Quarry and honked it around to Okuti Valley at quite a clip.  Things were splecky, and I think we may have gotten one shower - otherwise we were extremely lucky.  These boys were fast, young, and on light weight xc machines, and I was working hard on the Stooge. 

After flushing a large flock of kereru out of some tagaste, we hit the Reynold's climb, and I was almost instantly dropped.  After a couple of corners, they powered on ahead, soon disappearing from view, and I just continued my own pace, plodding my way up that massive climb. They were waiting in the 'bothy' out of the howling wind at the top, and there was the forgotten extra climb to deal to. We stuck together on this, tho I was lagging before it's top.  Man the view of Kaitorete from up here is amazing.

Then it was down time. I set off first, but in short order Mike powered past. My top gear wasn't tall enough so I couldn't spin to keep up. One small level and minimal climb and we regrouped at Te Oka top.  Next was another last climb. They dropped me again and then I cramped. Even had to walk a bit so they got a massive gap on me. I slowly wound in Callum, finally coasted, tucked, past him and we met Mike at the bottom. 

Across the gravel and onto the road to trail trail again to return. More cramping... 

A cramping 45 kms and 980 m (😮) climbed

Saturday Eeebs in the Fog

Up from home and along the Summit Rd in the absolute thickest fog, other cyclists and walkers looming out of nothing ahead, and howling blusters across the saddles, or randomly off slopes, until Cavendish Saddle where Tra'y got the weirdest pain that felt like it could have resulted in a hospital visit. In the fog, in the wind we sheltered on the side of the road to see if it would pass. It didn't seem to be, so I rang Joy and she came and rescued her and the bike. I bombed ahead and then we got warm and ate and Tra'y came completely right - very strange... This leg was 14.6 kms 558 m, electrically enhanced. 

Remembered to start MMR part way down Mt Pleasant Rd, then rode around to Toff's for a look.  Back on Ferry we're spinning along and alongside pulls Susan with mum and dad in their car.  They pulled ahead and pulled over and we had a catch upon the side of the road... From here it was home through the usual sideways, low-ways, high-ways and back ways, 11.7 kms, 231 m electrically ridden.

Friday Night Stoogilla in the Mist

Nice we spin up on the Stooge after work, due to no commitments, to take in a bunch of my favourites.  Fun times, if a little greasy in places.  Dropped into the bush from dogparkcarpark, looking at the old route to start with, wondering about the connection into the new, in the clearing below the pylon.  I'm guessing the intention is to ride up around into it?  Anyway.  Nice climb up through Sleepy and then up the walking tracks to 19th.  Up around the back of it, then up from skidder, grinding, out to the top.  Down around past the jumps (too greasy) and down Rabbit, rocks, Gums, out to skidder, and off down Shazza's, Macros, into Uprooted, climbing away, and then back over into the singletrack and down, into heavenly Heavenly Creatures for a lovely biff down here, all the way home.  Lubbly jubblies.

Just about 6 kms, and two-fiddy metres honked

Sunday Walk-Ride Stooge

Headed out and up for a date with my girl. We stuck together all the way to the Skidder then she headed down a big dog leg to meet me where Eastside track meets the mtb track. I took Shazza's flowing into Macros then out the bottom and around the newly re-furbished Flow.  Stopped and waited (quite a while) for her at the walktrack interseciton.  When she arrived we headed the same way with her following me down NuBridges to the valley-bottom. 

Up valley from there with much cleaned and some walked. One small tumble, tripped by a flax. Then it was the lovely flow back towards the bike track gulley and into Uprooted. Lovely climb, first time on the finished product. Next it was over Skidder and into the singletrack.  Met T at the gate and we headed down the heavenly Heavenly Creatures and Sleepy Hollow. 

Only 5.6 kms and 242 m uprooted.

Saturday Good Godley Mistaken Snake Escape

Cruisey ride with Nelson today. Picked him up 2 ish, bikes on back, we headed down, around through Scumner and parked up Evans.  Headed up onto a very-nicely-tidied Godley.  It's so much flowy-er than it was and is now a joy to ride. I reckon even the Stooge would be fun on it now.  Made very good time up to the high point and headed off down with much speed to Livingston.  Next climb has had a slight tickle as well and also rides quite nicely.  Good fang down to Breeze, with me managing to stay on his tail the whole way.  Next up the side above the road, then onto our old sketched sheep-trail, which has obviously not been used by anyone for a long time.  Brief rest at the Lookout bunker, with Nelson jumping off it, and then down, fast, to the carpark, along side and over the road onto the OG singletrack.  Back along here watching incredible murmuration of starlinks and a hawk and some gulls.  Good roll, fun times back to Breeze, then up road a little and onto upper Anaconda for a very fast smooth blast down.  Tail rolled good and then up the Escape, riding it well and cleaning it all. From Livingston decided to ride back up Godley, cleaning it all nicely and enjoying not climbing up the paddock from the road, and enjoying the blast back to the car.  Rollin'!  

Pretty good 15.6 kms, and over 600 m climbed.

Sunday Late Afternoon Loop

Quick pint at Moon and left T and Nik there to walk home.  I got home and jumped on the Stooge to ride up to the Skidder, down Shazza's, into Macros, and out onto Flow, New Bridges, and all the way down out the bottom of Bowenvale.  Down the road, left into Wedgewood, Landsdowne, then along the river.  Stymied at the library, back over the bridge and around, then chasing the girls down Colombo to Wherstead corner and catching up.  I then took myself down Wherstead, through to Ernie Clarke and along a splecky riverside, following the river up to PMH and cutting in next to Hackthorne to climb up the steeper and steeper dirt track to get up onto the Sassalong Sidle.  Lady Poison, MacMillan, then up Whisby, down to Kidson climbing up here then up our zigzag and home.  I beat them home too, strangely.

Eveningly 12 kms and 330 m climbed. 

Saturday Post-Southerly Troll Summit.

Up for a hoon on the Surly, after the storm had cleared, with a couple of Summit Rd Peaks summitted. 

Vic climb, brief walk on gutser, then onto the Summit Rd.  Checked gmaps and saw T and Nik were below me, so popped into the lower Thomson and waited for them, then waited for them again at the end of H'Ell, then met them again when I was filling water behind the Kiwi.  From here, I meandered out the Summit Rd towards the Bellbird.  Annoyingly a guy (older than me!) on a mtb left the kiwi same time as me and proceeded to slowly creep away from me.  I just didn't have the push to keep up or spin ahead.  He departed up Worsleys and I continued, nice and sunny and calm on the north face of Ada, otherwise a good cool southerly blasting across the tops.  

I pulled into the Bellbird and changed out layers and ate a bit of OneSquare then continued my quest.  Pulled out at the top of Living Springs, walking up to the top of the knoll here to add to my peak-bags.  That done, I headed back towards home, but just around the corner I popped up onto the Crater Rim and started pushing.  Left the bike for a bit, walked ahead, then thought, nah, I'll bring it.  Back to it, then pushed for a bit, then rode, then left it and explored to the top of this knob.  (on the topo, it's the pointy escarpment-top between the 524 and 505 (between the radar dome and Coopers Knob)).  Good views and there was even a bit of snow around.  Back to the bike (a slightly different route) and on along the poached singletrack, enjoying it's downwardness.  

Back on the road and onwards back towards home.  Nice roll down to the kiwi then up the road to top of Vic.  Checked the maps again and could see T was just around past Sugarloaf on what we call her knob, so I headed on around, watching them descending it and arriving at the saddle by the pond just as they got there.  Nice surprise and another catch-up.  Said our so-longs and I headed back around the Summit.  The Traverse below was wet as, so I stayed off that, then took the main track down through to skidder, then road all the way home for some nice smooth speed.   

Disappointingly, and somewhat surprisingly, only 11.6 kms and 480 climbed...

Sketchy Stoogilicious Sundowner

Groovy ride. Rapid departure from work and home in no time to leap on the Stooge to ride up and meet T on the Summit Traverse for a Sundowner. I had a nice DVB Wizardry and took her a Go-Go Juice. We watched the sun sink behind the mountains then I was racing the darkness home. Fine in the open, but getting dark in the macs top of Vic and then super hairy times in the woods as I got closer to home. Hairy times... 

Sketch a f, 7.4 kms, and 255 m escalated.

Nice pick from start of Gums rockgarden.

Sunday Sweet Date Ride Walk

Rode with my sweet, walking. Worked surprisingly well and gave a reasonably low impact Stooge treatment for my injured knee, with good company. Finally got to show her my new locals, too.

We headed up from home, not really planning to stay together the whole time but then it just worked out that way.  Up the wheelchair track over the info-centre hill knoll (what is a bike if not a wheelchair? It's got a seat; it's got wheels!), then up over 19th the way I always go, then up the steep from skidder, Tra'y walking along with me the whole way.  Then up top of Vic and we cruised along the Traverse.  It worked pretty well, it was slow for me along here, but all the climbs were pretty even, and I'd just stop and let (very few out) riders or runners (lots of them) through and then wait for T to catch up.  I took this picture just before the Lavaflow and that's where my MMR stopped. 

Continued around, rolling downs, coasting ups, stopping, waiting, rolling together when possible.  It was really nice.  At end of Traverse we went across the road and into Scott's Knob.  I realised how much I like this trail.  It's got some interesting tech, especially when greasy.  On the second knob we stopped and checked out the rope net.  Amazing, cellular looking literal sculpture.  

At the pond we popped across the road and back around the rest of the Traverse to Vic.  Worm down to rabbit, and I showed T my usual way through the rocks, pines, gums, the steepest bits proving tricky for her, but mostly good.  Then down from gums to gate, she didn't necessarily know this route.  Then, across the road and into Heavenly, she'd never been through before and I think quite liked it.  Finally, the last section, I showed her my tree clearance, and the way to Sleepy Hollow - which she dug.  Then at the 'to H'Ell' track she peeled off, I finished off my favourite ending and we hooked up at the neighbours' driveway again.   

MMR stuffed up when I took the pic. A very similar route to this one, this one from a few weeks back just minus the bit where I rode back along the Summit Rd, so more like 11 or 12 kms, and similar 400 odd m climbed. 

Thursday Night Greenwood, Richmond Valley Newby

Good hoof with Nelsie tonight. Rode up the usual Santa Maria, Assissi, Drayton, Mt Pleasant from his, taking Madeley, Major Horny, then Long-Clear-Ridge-View to Upper and into the start of Britten when I realised I hadn't turned on my Map - 3ish kms and a couple hundy metres missed(!)... Climbed Britten, road, OG entrance to Greenwood for a bony rocky mucky descent.  They're working on it at the moment and have spraypainted yellow spots on 'offending' rocks.  To me, the yellow spots are completely offensive, drawing the eye and totally mucking up the flow.  So many of the rocks they've spotted dont need removing!  And some of the work already done is a mess, but I guess it'll bed in and wash away a bit over the next few.  Anyway, it was better once we got below the paint.  Lower half was good.  

Onto the Summit Rd for a steady climb up to the big pines.  Dropped over into Frog Pond, been a while since down here, and it's running pretty good.  It's a weird change lower down with all the trees gone.  Then Nelson had spotted a new trail the other day with Kirsty, so we headed down into the valley (as if we were heading across to Richmond Hill) and then off down this new track.  Got some flow on and then >SMACK< my pedal hit a rock, throwing me up and out of control, ragdolling my left knee into a rock and tumbling over onto the ground.  Handlebars/stem were tweaked crooked, so had to straighten them, got back on and followed Nelson down.  He'd been entirely unaware I crashed.  Rest of the way was nice, with some interesting tech, and a back and forth in the valley that's quite cool.  Tight and twisty, with one walking rock tech bit with lots of exposure.  

Out of the trees onto Richmond Hill Rd and out into Sumner for the cruise around the waterfront bike path.  Into McCormacks/Drayton, climbing (and me walking a few more spots than usual) and back to his.  Knee: Sore but not as mashed as I'd expected, thankfully.

Nelson's map with the actual distance... 19 kms, 740 climbed

Tuesday Night Jeht Hoon

Sounds like some Korean dude: Jet Hoon... Another night another ride, different bike similar trails. Nice fun, Tawhairanui, singletrack, pushed my way up Pop'n'Fresh - man it's big! There's a lot of space in there but an uphill trail would be tricky to place. I reckon there's a way but it would probably have to meander back and forth across Popnfresh, skirting into Gums a little, and the top bit would probably need to cut into the sidling entrance I usually take across from the Rocks below the pines. Could work.  Another option would be to chuck it through the fence and zig and zag up in the grasslands beyond.

Next it was up the rabbit paddock, up onto Thompsons both, both ways, down and back up, then around the jumps and back down Rabbit into rocks pines gums. Exit over Skidder, dropping down Razza's, Sneaky, up the usual down and into Uprooted for a good hard climb. Then over Skidder again into the Heavenly blast on singletrack home. 

All in all a good time. I had a lot of interactions with possums tho. Should put some effort into taking a few out... 

7.17 kms and 296 m clambered

Monday After-Dinner, Mint Stooge

Stooged about on the hill tonight. Nice wee hoon, not too high but some sweet climbs and fun descending.  

Up the walking path just above the road, over onto Tawhairanui, then back up the wheelchair track to the Info Centre, then down the back of that and up over the 19th.  At skidder I took the middle road across to the exit of Fenceline, explored down Flow-Rider but found it a tad double-black, pushed back up and hit Cool Runnings which was a bit of fun, tho not very jumpy cos I just dont know it anymore.  Out the bottom and up Uprooted, nice climb, checking out where it hits Razzas this time.  then over from Skidder and down the usual, into Heavenly Creatures for a very flowy and fun bash.  All the way down, with good speed.  Clamber, road, home.   

A smidge over 5 kms and a peaky little 188 m climbed

Sunday Stuffed Short Stooge

Nice quick planting this morning at Wilmers Rd and still feeling the effects of Gryph's 21st on Friday night.  

I hauled my aging carcass up the hill on the Stooge. Air pumping into my lungs and oxygen burning hard in the meat wrapped around my bones. Gasping, I was. Up the usuals, road, dogparkcarparkstart, climbing sleepy out up walktrack to 19th, skidder, grinder to top of Vic.  Blipped off down both Thomson's, and back up the top one, up to the carpark, then down around the jumpies, peeling into Worm and realising there was nowhere that way I actually wanted to go (couldn't be arsed going out the Traverse, or Fenceline, or Pedal...), so back around for a second go on the jump and into the rabbit paddock, down through rocks pines gums, exiting out through Skidder and over into Shazza's, all the way down through the newer bit and instead of heading into Brents or Macros hung a hard left towards Sneaky, and tight into Corporate Ladder, down this for the first time and it's not ideal.  Down into the valley and up Uprooted (nearly finished! - it's amazing), over Skidder again into the trees and stopped for a wee break where I often do just to take in the airs.  Drinking much water and a half-half-a-one-square, then the rest of the singletrack from here and into Heavenly Hollows, all the way, and stopped right near the bottom to try to work out my new exit option...  (I think I've got it). 

Stoogelicious 7.7 kms and 320 odd climbed.