Sunday, Speedbombing the Ghosts of Lyell.

Packed out of Carter's Beach and hooned up to Lyell to take in the first 11 kms of the Old Ghost. Very nice it was too!!  

We treadled our way up and up and up, in and out of valleys, checking out the historic sites all the way.  I was remembering back to the very first time up here on one of the boys' bike trips, a trail of lore for me at the time, and just started-on as what is now the Old Ghost Road.  At the time they were barely even across to the Ghost Lake and wondering how to get the next stages built.  

Tra'y loved the ride, the e-power helping her so much.  I just plugged away at it, remembering the first day of my full Ghost trip with Nelsie and the Wellingtonians.  They'd let me lead and I'd felt the pressure from behind and tried to keep a stupid pace in a far too hard a gear, blowing up in about 10 minutes.  Someone else took over and pretty much grannied it and we all slowed down and it was much easier.  I took that advice this time and kept it slow and steady.  I was therefore surprised when I spotted some riders ahead, and proceeded to catch them up!  Overtook; a couple of slightly older ladies from Wanaka, heading for the Lyell Saddle Hut; and left them behind.  Maybe a couple of kms later, we made it almost to where I'd gotten the first time with the PFMTBC crew, nearly to the slips, just past the 11 km marker.  Stopped in a sunny aspect, had a snack, and then turned to head back.  

In this pic, I'd stopped for T and she'd ridden past and I just caught her (see the red)

Not long until we passed the two ladies again and the bomb began.  What a flow.  Speedbomb lived up to its name.  It handled gloriously, so much fun.  I'd rocket forward, careening down the straights, hangin' on around the corners, always keeping an eye ahead for climbers (none).  The most fun possible.  I'd stop at the bottom of a straight and wait for Tra'y to appear, check she was good and then blaze again.  Sometimes there was minimal wait, she was loving it too.  Sometimes there was a long wait and I'd wonder if I was gonna need to turn back to see, but then she'd appear.  Fun times, and then they were done.  Across the bridge and back up to the car.    

Amazingly, somehow, 1129 m of climbing over a total altitudinal difference of maybe 800 m (really not sure where the rest of it came from).  Gloriously beautiful.

Coastal Kawatiri, Carter's to Charleston with a Comeback on a Cooperating Wind

Left the unit at 9.30 and headed out to the beach into the wind south to take in the Kawatiri Coastal Trail.  

Composed of a few quite long, quite boring sections of farmland, but also some very lovely regen bush bits full of birds and reportedly with kiwi in them. Some spectacular coastal formations, incredible seascapes, and lovely bush.  First bush section was from the Cape Foulwind was very nice, as was the largest bit in the middle.  River crossings were pleasant swing bridges, and there were various shortish sections of nice boardwalks too.  All very nice.  

Only complaint; in the bush at one stage the overwhelmingly disgusting smell of dairy effluent permeated everything.  It somehow got into my nose and just wouldn't shift.

Heading home was incredible.  The tailwind just powered me along and we made very good time considering the distance and how rinsed I was from the Mokihinui the day prior.  

Super easy trail compared to yesterday, reflected in the 68 kms with only 489 m climbed. Head wind was hard heading there but the tailwind home was perfection. Home at 4.45, so a pretty long day. 

Friday Ghosting Forks, Mokihinui GOATs

Awesome ride today, with Tra'y on the Electric Cooker and me on the Stooge. We were the only car to park at the Mokihinui end of the Old Ghost Rd, and in we rode. 

Initial climb followed by instant bliss.  "This is the best thing in the world!" I holla'd back to her.  So nice.  Then, onto the end of the road, down to the gate and onto the trail proper.  It was beautiful and spectacular and the weather held and the river roared, or was eerily quiet. It all felt so good.  Even the climbing wasn't terrible.  Not horribly tech.  Speedbomb loved it; it carries momentum so well, rolls over everything so nicely.  Couple hours to the Specimen Hut, so many good views of the river, roaring or quiet and sedate, quite varied.  Steep drop offs, in places, and Tra'y had a few scary moments.  She ended up with some quite juicy bruises from nooby mistakes.

Managed to get all the way to Forks Hut. Ostensibly 20kms in (but our total of 37 might beg to differ slightly). 1226 m climbed tho, so that's quite something given the lowest point was 22 m and the highest was 188 m. Long tho, Started at 8.30, 11 at the Forks Hut, 11.15 departure, 1.55 back at the car. 2.5 hrs each way, pretty much... 

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   

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.

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.

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. 

Saturday, Which Hill?

Tra'y and me headed up, her on her ebike and me on the Troll. Up Vic Park Rd, up through Skidder, and up the grunter, me pushing both our bikes for a bit.  Hit the Summit Rd and she cruised while I chuffed.  At Vernon I headed up onto the singletrack and had a nice conTrolled cruise around and down, meeting her at the gate and heading on around to the other end of Witch Hill, where we took the walk track up for a bit, locked our bikes and walked, clambered, scrambled up to the stone seat on the top. There were a couple of Furries having themselves a nice photoshoot up here.  Interesting.  

We clambered back down to the bikes and headed back around the Summit.  I took the Traverse and then lost Tra'y somewhere above.  Rode down the grunter through Skidder, out to 19th, turned back and spotted her coming down into Skidder.  Then we hooned back down home. Fun riding the Troll,  

15.5 kms rolled, and over 500 m lofted.

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 Moveable Feast, Tour de Bridges du Heathcote

T and me had a hoon. Her on the E and me on the Troll. Down Dyers and Hackthorne, Lady Poison, out to Bengal and then across the Ferniehurst Bridge, #1.  From here, we crossed every single bridge across the Heathcote River from Cracroft(ish) to Ferrymead.  All told, 31. (tho, technically 30, because the Heathcote Cut bridge isnt necessarily over the Heathcote River as such).  It was fun.  We alternated sides all the way to Hanson's Park where we were stymied by a closed trail along the frontages of those houses, so we went back over that bridge (Steiner school - #20) and popped over and back on the next footbridge (Aynsely Tce - #21).  Continued the alternate-sides thing from there on down.  Diverting, first off the river to Stuff Woolston and the Salatore Armani, on Ferry Rd, then over the next 'couple' of bridges, to La Voute on Marshall St.  Back to Cumnor to roll around and detour into the Tannery.  Had very moderate feed on Sushi, then down for a drink at Cassells, then a little more shopping and it was time to ride again.

Bridge number 28, Garlands Rd and immediately right onto King Edward Tce then around the back of all the factories on the inside of the loop (stopped for a small feed of blackberries and rearrangement of baggage at the start).  What a lovely trail along here.  Lots of well-grown native planting, quite real singletrack, some roots, nice fun.  Then, Long St, bridge, singletrack again along to the Tunnel Rd Bridge, under this, to then salmon back over it towards the roundabout and along the towpath trail the rest of the way to Ferrymead Bridge (#31, tho technically #30), crossed this, used the lights to cross Main Road and then back over bridge to ride along the estuary and into Charlesworth Reserve (man the plantings are coming up!), straight shot up Linwood Ave to the cemeteries and moseying through the dead's zone.  In hindsight we took a wrong turn here, heading across into Cypress Garden Reserve and up into Ruru Lawn, onto Ruru Rd, then McGregors up to hit Kerrs. (should have stayed in Bromley Cemetery then gone Keighleys and McGregors Rds to Linwood Cemetery (for future reference)).  

Straight shot up Kerrs Rd, to Kerrs Reach, finding new landscaping and fenced off areas, stopping us getting onto the new tarmac path in there.  Found a way in, then out, and followed this new, amazing, path from here over the first new bridge, through Dallington Loop, all our old redzone dog running grounds, beautifully planted up, cycle crossing across Gayhurst, more plantings augmenting the old garden plants, new bridge into our main old dog running loop, amazing, looping around this and over the new Medway Bridge then up the new closed off River Rd towards our old streets.  So great to see it all coming up so beautifully.  Along past Riverlution and then stayed on this side of the road following it to Fitzgerald into into Poms for some imbibement and fries.

Kilmore St and then around the river through Victoria Sq, then along the strip, locking the bikes and checking out Kanoshi for some kai, then we headed for Electric Ave, meandering around the outside edge of it (another bridge involved) and checking out the vibe.  Certainly getting later now.  Continued across Hagley and around past the hospital, all on bikepaths, and then took the Antigua, Strickland, Colombo straight shot home.  Hard yakka up the hill for me.  I kept telling T to go ahead and get home, but she loyally stayed with me all the way.

 

A rather fun 44.87 kms, with 314 m climbed (220 of which were hard chuffed).

Sunday, Coupla Rides: E with T and a short Stooge

Nice hoon with my missus up across the tops and back on the ebikes today.  We rode up through Vic Park Rd together and I peeled off to the Skidder and rode up the gutser and out to the top, while she headed down to Dyers Pass Rd and up around Summit to meet me.  Together, glorious day, we rode out around, bitingly chilly wind in the exposed saddle places, while warm and basking and calm on the north east facing slopes.  Good bombs on the downs, and easy climbs on the ups, we headed to Cavendish Saddle, stopping for a nice view and then headed home again.  Me splitting off down through Vic the way I'd come up while she took the road and met me at 19th.

 E-xhilaratingly e-lectric 23 kms and 901 m e-scalated

Later, after vacuuming and hedging I took the Stooge for a go. Short and local, started by dropping down the 'zig zag' below us, out Derrynane Lane, up Longhurst into Harry Ell Drive, and up through to the bottom of Dog Park, out to Vic Park Rd, and from there the usual - up over 19th, skidder, gutser, Thompsons #1, back up road, "how are you so fast?" from a young'un struggling up the road as I passed - "lots of practice, I guess?" I replied.  

Down around the jumpies, down through rabbit into rocks, gums swoop swoop, all the way down to 19th, then below road, through, back on around coasting to dog park carpark and into the groove.  Still soaking wet but maybe slightly lessening? in the oaks, then lovely final hoon down to the bottom.  Clamber to road, and home. 

Stoogeliciously minimal 6 kms with 220 m scrambled.

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. 

Sunday Troll with T (on the E), Summit, Kennedy's, Library and Quarryman's to car

Needed to collect the car from P&J's after Paul drove me home after our gig last night.  

Rode up Vic Park Rd on the Troll with T on her E.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her down towards the Kiwi and we hit the Summit Rd climbing up and around, all the way to Kennedy's.  She wasn't sure, but managed fine, rough ride down, all the way to the end of the trail (I took the singletrack from the Siberia gate, then onto the road smoooooth flying.  Headed along to Te Hapua Halswell (that ends well) Library, where we got some books, and then snuck backways into the Domain and rode through this to meet the Quarryman's trail which we rode all the way, into the wind, to Pioneer Park where we caught up with P and J who were having a wee community planting lunch picnic.   Tracey rode home via Bengal while I chucked the Troll in the back and brought the car home.

Nice little 20 kms and I did 374 m climbing, (T added another 220 to that riding home)

Off to balmy Lake Poteriteri on Tuesday, so, no more rides for November...

Saturday Troll and Epic-nic

With me on the Troll and Tra'y on her e-commuter we rode up through Vic to the top.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her at the bottom of #2 where she was waiting.  Through the pass and up and around all the way to the Bellbird looking for a sheltered spot to sit for a picnic.  At the Bellbird we popped over and up to a nice stone seat out of the wind and had a magnificent-salad picnic.  

Back the way we came, she went down Dyer's Pass where I rode up top and down the gums etc out to Skidder and down.  Good run.  Then I took the dogparkcarpark trail down, cutting out the walking 'To Harry Ell' track.

Not much under 16 kms, and 475 m climbed.

Couple ebike rides over the weekend

As per the title... 

Saturday, T and me rode to brunch on our ebikes - down Dyers, Hackthorne, Lady Polson to exit down Bengal, across onto the Uni-trail, flowing through past Pioneer, then back streets and across the alley to Domain Tce, up past Hillmorton, under the motorway and hung a right, down along the bike track all the way to Lincoln Rd, where we went to Maxine's for delicious yum cha brunch, eating entirely too much.  Home via Addington back streets, out to cross Collins/Simeon crossing of Brougham, then Simeon all the way through cemetery park and Studholme to cross river, thru Thorrington and up the hill home.  Didn't map it - but it was around 17 kms.

Sunday, up through Vic, Summit Rd to Mt Pleasant, then Upper Major Hornbrook, down through the park to Cannon Hill, through past Ferrymead around the river, lots of nice squirrelly singletrack, then onto the bikepath all the way to Tannery where we saw stopped and went to the movie Lee at the movie theatre, then home the usual way across the back streets of Opawa, St Martins, Beckenham and up the hill, home.  

30 odd kms (see I started it up around the 19th), over 700m climbed. 

Saturday Troll with some e-Ladies

With Tra'y, Pia and Natalie on ebikes, I rode the Troll, and we headed up through Vic and along the Summit Rd to just past the Bellbird. Parked the bikes off the road just inside the bush and went for a short walk to check out the totaras and then the view of the harbour.  Back to the bikes and we rode all the way back. On the way up I took both Thompson's, and on the way back the girls went down Dyers while I went up to top of Vic and down all the usuals and we all met up again at 19th where I said goodbye to the visitors as I bombed off and took all the single-track home.

A groovy 16.4 kms and not a bad wee 491 m climbed.

Saturday, Too Easy

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

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