Munting Friday Stooge.

Killer of a ride today. Absolutely sucked every ounce of energy from me.  

Headed up to Skidder, drank some water, refilled, then dropped down into CAP, spotting Toka, which I'd never done before, and heading in, given it leads to Askins and lower Gungho, both of which I knew.  Well...  it's not very long, in no time flat you're on Askins, jumpity jump, then eventually I peeled off into lower Gung-Ho, which was more my style.  The combo should be called Tokaskungho... 

At the bottom I had a rest then headed down through the carpark and out into the wetland tracks, following my nose out to Worsley's Rd.  Headed up this, grind grind grind up then dropped off into Farside, somewhere I'd not ridden for over 5 years - long time since.  All the way into the bottom of the valley and meandered down and out to Penruddock, then over Happy Home, cruising from here into the wetlands area, finding my way across towards the Quarry park.  

In here, drinking heaps and refilling again, and up to Download, then climbing C2, Crocodile, Low-Road, Siberia and finally the long and painful grind up Kennedy's. Heesh, what a bastard. Across the Summit Rd, and climbing up the Mt Ada track, surprisingly long way to where the crater rim track crosses, peeling left here for a fun blast down to the saddle, then onto the road to cruise around and enter Lower Nun for a hefty rockstrewn descent.  Surprisingly the Park was shut by this stage, but I guess it was 6.30ish.  

Up the Summit into the top of Vic Park for the usual fun, down around the jumpies, down the rabbit, into the rocks, gums, pop and weave all the way down to 19th, then road from here to dogparkcarpark and entered the overgrown ways around and through lots of lovely bermy fun, good jumps, and nice flow out to the very bottom.  Clamber, road, home.

Substantial 25 kms with 806 m climbed - no wonder I'm so stuffed.

Off to Poteriteri early tomorrow.  

Waitangi Morning Loopies

Parked off Barrington again and moseyed around through Craycroft and past the CAP entrance and up the good old Worsley.  Got off road after the bottom hairpin and rode up the grassy track to the top of Farside, where, I dropped in and bombed down for a wee reminder play (Loop 1).  At the bottom of this, I got back to climbing, this time on the road (easier, slightly quicker).  Up, up, up, onto the gravel and grovelling on up.  Gets more real before the body bag, and then it gets really real.  Walked about 10 m near the top, and rode out onto the road. 

Over into the climb for the Nun still feeling pretty fresh, standing and cranking even.  There was a dude up here to whom I said "nice clean bike."  - said he'd cleaned it after a mucky xmas break...  I gave him a good head start, taking a couple of pics for the MMR, then dropped on in.  Whooah...  Overgrown!  You cant see far round the corners at the start, so it was a little surprising, cos the broom has grown up so much.  It improves, but even lower down a couple of times I was thinking, "this is really getting neglected."  Kept good speed and was catching the dude ahead, he was stopped at the Park crossing and I continued on past him down the original lines (not bailing right for the Gnarly Nun ending).  Bombed on through and the popped up onto the midway carpark.  He rode past, looking pretty cautious.

I crossed the road and headed into the Governors Bay track (Loop 2).  Man was IT overgrown.  It's really narrow now, and visibility is super tight.  I was just thinking 'I wonder if I'll meet any walkers' when a runner appeared.  He wasn't sure if I'd seen him but no trouble, I'd stopped with plenty of room.  Bombing down, some nice tech in here now, and 2 extra wee climbs I didn't remember.  Stays quite high as you sidle round, and then I was climbing again, struggling with the steeps.  Cleaned lots, but walked the last to the top. 

Back on the road, I headed back up to the midway Nun carpark and dropped straight in, bombing bombastically the rest of the way out.  Contemplated the option of Capt Torpedo, but that entrance was still shut, so continued with my original plan, and popped up to the Kiwi for some water. 

Up road to top of Vic Park, and into the Traverse, cruising around this, and pulling over for lots of oncoming.  Overtook a dad and kid (out for first ride), and then bumped into Brad from work.  Finally got to top of Fourpause and was still feeling surprisingly good, having had plenty of power on all those climbs. 

Dropped into Fourpause and bombed it.  Excellent flow over first, third and last jumps (middle one into the rutted berm, not so much).  Down through the swoopy tussocks and then over the edge, way more grip than recently and down to the stile.  Over this, and dropping through all the bits.  Only one dab through that super tricky rock edge and lavishingly enjoying the rest of it down into the off cambers. 

Final singletrack buzz, the Old Skool Bowenvale at it's best.  Awesome run down here.  It's just so familiar and predictable.  Passed a couple runners and their dog near the bottom and finally rolled on down the valley, taking directional backstreets back tot he car to complete the largest loop. 

A triple looped 21 kms, with over 750 m clambered vertically.

Wednesday Night Farside Worsley Nun Traverse Skooling

Quite a sizeable ride this evening. Met at Nelson's after work and we moseyed across the loop and Thorrington, along the river, Cracroft, to Worsley Rd. Headed up the grassy side and dropped back down into the Farside. Excellent wee roller this, and has been cleaned up since the other month when I did it - with fallen tree removed. We blasted it it all the way to the bottom down in the catchment pond dam valley, and then explored up the valley towards Andy's new place.  Ran out of tight singletrack in the valley, so climbed up onto the 4wd track, then up the old zig zags back up to Worsleys Rd and on up - riding the brand new seal above the road before onto the old singletrack above the road.  Then up past Worsley Heights, and just past Agaia Pl, Nelson noticed a wee trail off to the right, which google maps tells me is called Helius Way.  Could be a nice lead in sidling track around to the Worsley zone if it continued...  unfortunately it ended at a planting area so we rode back out.

At the old carpark (end of the seal) we rode through the gate, into our old entrance up towards the burned forest...  Rode up this for a ways, under the burned trees, but up near where the stream used to be, decided not to continue on that track, as it was looking less used, so we climbed up to the road and continued our way up.  Seems steeper than it ever was in the past, even tho it's smoother.  We think it used to level off, and have short steep bits, now it's just constant.  A van passed me just before the top of the smoother stuff.  Nelson was waiting for me there.  Next section is more old skool then it's up into the Body Bag.  What a prick.  I ended up walking quite a long way up top.  For some reason my legs just about run out of climbing juice.  Up the track to the top of the Nun and we settled in for a snack and observation of the view - and a layer for me.

Into the Nun, rocky and bony as hell, with a fair bit of easterly wind, and I was catching a bit of dust from Nelson's progress ahead.  Bombed down, enjoying most of it, railing the berms and smooth until the really rocky section started, then I stalled a couple times and lost my mojo.  Below the Park section I got a bit of grove back, and man the lower half is hacked up.  Too many muppets braking too much and wrecking the trail.  Into the Summit Rd and the climb was just SO hard for me, up to top of Vic, and we hit the Traverse and all the climby bits were killing me.

FINALLY we made the top of the Huntsbury trail.  I took the lower line, Nelson started from up top.  We bombed it but I didn't have as good a run as last time with Paul.  Easterly wind was pushing all the tussocks over the track making it hard to spot the line.  And I wonder if my lights were set wrong.  Down the landing strip and we explored the tussocks for an entry line, eventually finding it where I usually do, then I led down first section to the stile/gate.  Then Nelson led into  the fun sections, tho missed one of the crossings, went back up and put a couple rocks for directing people into it, and we continued on down.  My back end was getting rattly, so under the pylons I took a call from home and then tightened up my loosened rear axle. (second time this has happened, i need to keep an eye on that.)  And into Old Skool, I was getting really tired down here and my flow was out of whack, and I just couldn't reel in Nelson.  Out to the end, and down the road back around to his place...

A very generous 22.8 kms, with 669 m of climbiness

Sunday Solo Utopian Worsley Traverse Nu &Old Skool

Post O's overnight party with 9 extra 13 or 14 year old boys, squawking away gaming.  With most gone, I managed to get out for a solo spin.  Feeling a bit naff cos they'd been up late, limiting my sleep, not to mention all the junky food we ate: chips, lollies, chocolate, ice-cream, pizza, and combinations of the above.

Parked on the river off the bottom end of Barrington and headed round the foot of the hills. Straight past the CAP and on up Worsley, first time in a long time.  The heat and the climb and the gasping wheezing lungs resulted in a massive bleeding nose half way up the grassy steep (alongside the Farside), so stopped and dealt with this, enjoying the views and clarity of the nor'west blown landscape.  Riding again, decided to torment myself again and drop into the Farside, to see how it's rolling.  Quite overgrown, and looks little-used.  There was a tree across it half part way down, but the rest of it rolled pretty good.  There was a family right in one of the swoopy corners at the bottom, and the woman sort of panicked and ran along the track in front of me momentarily, but I was friendly and they were fine.

Back into the climb, again, slightly slower pace to a guy on the road who proceeded to overtake a couple of guys also on the road, who I caught up to and overtook once I was on the road.  Continued up and up, surveying the missing houses for the first time up here since the fires.  Through where we used to park all the time and on up onto the gravel.  Total road...  Feels like it follows a different route, but I think it actually does follow the old, at least until further up.  The 'road' part finishes quite high up, but still below that top Adventure Park gate, so it's almost the old ruttsville momentarily before that gate and into the Body Bag which is just like it used to be.  I made it up to the steepest bit and then had to walk about 10 m before getting back on and rolling out the top.

Clambered up to top of Nun and had a wee bite to eat - couple of young guys headed in, then another dude.  I paused a bit before going in myself.  Nor'wester had picked up a bit and proved a bit interesting up top on the jumps, tailwind one moment, headwind the next.  Solo guys had pulled up part way down, and I was gaining on the young guys but they bailed out at the road exit half way.  On down, and there were mucky wetspots and lots of rocks.  Onto the road at the Kiwi, I've never seen so many cars parked here.  Nuts.  Across Dyers and up the road, overtaking an Enduro boi on an Evil Something.

Into top of Vic Park, and onto the Traverse.  Good blast across this, stopping for some.  Then, into my new favourite downhill top of Huntsbury, popping the jumps and grooving down the hill, then down the landing strip and into the second section, fun drops down to the Old Skool zig zags, taking all the new lines.  Excellent descent, interesting rocks.  Then off camber sections and into the Old Skool proper.  Caught a woman walking some non-tech rocks near the beginning, passed her then caught her partner and passed him, over the stile and cruise-ville all the way down the rest.

Got to the bottom, onto the road, went to lock out the rear and found it was already locked out!  All the way down, riding a hardtail...  Hit the river, around past the library, then back to Ashgrove and car.

Biggish loop, 21.2 kms and 640 m climbed.

Tuesday Night Threes Ride Night

With trails posted shut or otherwise likely to be mucky we did a weird thing and rode three different rides in three different locations...

First off was checking out Farside which we hadn't been to since before the park closed.  Parked just up hill from the corner.  Rode up, rode down.  It wasn't mucky, but it wasn't exactly hardpack either...  no spleck, but plenty of grease and a fair bit of fun.  Short and sweet - 1.16kms, 60m gained.

Drove back down around and up Hackthorne, Dyers, parking at the halfway Nun park.  Headed up the walking track, and right at the start noticed what looked to be a newly built trail...  hmmmm... Nelson wandered up and looked and came back, then we got riding up the walking track, walking around any mucky flat bits and up the various steps, onto the road and past all the Nun Closed signs, actually finding that the Nun would have been fine, except that we saw the new trail entrance, unfinished, and decided to explore...  Fun, DH oriented trail, one or two reasonable sized drops (off big rocks), but mostly pretty rideable, and in nice condition, no damage done.  It petered out when it crossed the old 4wd track in there, so we followed it's route down through the scorched earth scrub to find the Nun just before the final bends into the carpark.  Short and curly this time (with a big MMR skip).  2.45 kms, 109 m altitude.

And finally, drove round the Summit Road to the top of Rapaki, and headed into Witch Hill, (past the Track Closed sign, again, it needn't have been there, there wasn't a wetspot on the whole thing).  Climbed over and around, across the road onto the walking track, this is quite techy in this direction, and only 2 puddles and one cowpoo the whole way.  We'd thought about exploring over the fence in a new area of trail Quetty had told us about, but decided it looked too cattle pugged and mucky, so off up the road to the Castle Rock corner.  Up above the corner onto the Tors track, and a wonderful blast down this.  Two flat wet bits, and the most techy rock also had water and muck over it, so I walked that (but Nelson rode it, of course!).  Last tricky descent was a bit clipped out but rode it all.  Then back on the walking track just above the road, around, and up Witch Hill, stopping for a nice rest out of the wind and to look at the moon and view, before a final fast blast around, enjoying the boniness of the trail back to the car.  Slowly increasing in ridings - There and back again, 4.8kms, with over 200 m gained.

Making a grand total for the night, 8.4 km, 375 m altitude gained.  Third day of riding in three days (nearly 80kms ridden), my legumes are burned OUT.

Saturday Worsley Jet Loner

Finally got out for a ride... A week in Fiordland, then family time all week.  Couldn't join Steve and others on their meander today, so got out a little later after dropping H off at a friend's.  Parked just above the hairpin on Worsleys Rd and headed up the singletrack next to the road.  Hung a right and having a look found that there is no longer an entrance to my old favourite, Utopia.  So, jumped into Farside for a quick blast down.  This is still fun, and less open ground so less overgrown than OneShotLucy (which I rode down later on).  Fun to the bottom and then back up the grinding climb, this time continuing on up on the grass beside the road and up the next bit of overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and then up the road proper, Jet loping along side me all the way.

Headed through the gate from the carpark and up the singletrack-doubletrack up into the relief of some shade in the trees.  Ground up the steeps and clambered onwards and upwards, noting all the exits from above as I climbed.  Up round and through Braille and up to the top to find a whole bunch of bikers resting, including a dog (and it's accompanying rider) Nelson and me saw another time right here.  I headed off down the newby that travels below the Worsley main-drag, bombing down and ticking off the entrances to the alternative routes down, choosing number 3 (or 4, depending), and blasting down it.  It's one of the shorter ones, spitting you out onto the 4wd climber in no time.

Back up the 4wd climbing track, and back up through Braille and there're all the riders again...  Jet talked to the other dog this time, and tried to have his way with her - dirty boy.  Back into the singletrack again and a sweet blast, all the way on the high line all the way to the end this time, finding some of the riders at the bottom again (weird).  I walked up the steep walking bit to the jumpy trail entrance and the blitzed down this, popping some of the jumps but not the big ones and not the fence gap, again.  Down through the lower section, more popping and weaving and out the bottom then up to Epitaph and riding down this to the carpark.

Jet got a nice drink (belonging to the other dog, methinks), from an icecream container that I kept refilling, and he had a wee rest here too.  Then I made him follow me down the road, not rocketship fast like usual, as I didn't wanna get too far ahead of him, then down the overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and down the roadside into the Farside zone, this time blitzing down OneShotLucy, all the way.  Man, it's overgrown now, moreso than the other week with Nelson.  Finally the last climby bits and back down to the car.  Hot and bothered, jetty panting happily but me a little worried about his heat.

Only 12.35 kms, and only 468 m climbed...  but they wuz steeeeep(ish)

Wednesday Evening Worsle None Guv

Usual pick-up from work with the usual traffic issues getting to where we were going.  Parked by the poplars next to the Adventure Park entrance, and we headed up the hill. Next to the road for the first steep, and up the singletrack beside the road higher up too.  Finally to the carpark and then on up the main drag, meandering out left of the trees overlooking the park again (like last time) climbing the singletrack to the watertank then on up, this all way more overgrown than last time.  Then over the fence and up the main rutted usual Worsley old skool track.  Nelson pulled ahead, chasing some other rider, and passing a walker, who I took ages to catch, dabbing out in lots of the technical stuff, til finally I passed her and kept on rolling.  Brief stop at the bottom of the Body Bag, deciding where to go, and choosing the same, heading on up, with me dying a slow death up here til eventually I had to walk. 

Over and up to the top of the nun, chatting to some folks up here before following them in. Not a bad run down here for me, with Nelson pulling over to add air to his rather soft rear-end, and so I flowed and popped and wound my way down.  Pulling out at the half way(ish) stop and watching as Nelson came down the hill.  

We crossed the road here and headed into the Governors Bay trail, down this, with a close call for me (nearly launching myself off the trail) and then around the hill and up the grunty climb, most of which Nelson cleaned (seemingly effortlessly), while I cleaned heaps, but just blew up towards the end, dying on the final steep bit that I'm sure wasn't there last time.  

From here we headed up onto the Crater Rim walkeway above the road, walking the first few rocks then riding the rest nicely, back to the start of the Gov's Bay track, then across the road again, and onto the next section of Crater Rim walkway, walking all the bigger steps and steeps.  Up to Worsley Rd and over the top and down the fang-worthy Body Bag, keeping on top of the rut-ridge at speed is tricky, and I couldn't see a thing as I approached the big launchy jump at the bottom due to Nelson-raised dust.  

Down a little and off to the left, into the 'new' trail in the forest before the Braille entrance.  Into here and, 'huh!', a new track peeling off to the left not too far in. Explored this and it flowed quite nicely, with one or two wee pops but eventually it petered out (in an area we'd explored before), and so we rolled on down through the sort of trail to the 4wd track, and climbed this back up the 4wd thru Braille, nearly getting taken out by a speeding youngster who was ripping down Braille (obviously fast enough to clear all the gap jumps).  Finally reached the top and headed back into the 'new' trail.  Nelson took the wrong turn towards the jump (that's too big), and I blindly followed him, then got back on track and led the way down, keeping the gap a reasonabl size.  Great flow down here with nice wee jumps over roots and some rocketship speed zones and skiddy loose rear endage.  Kept on the highline all the way down, and dropped out onto the 4wd just above the wee creek.  

Peeled right here, and walked and walked up the hill (under the powerlines) to the jumpy trail.  Nelson did the first really big double, and I followed him through most of the other jumps pretty well, but baulked, as usual, on the fence gap.  Good speed through the rest, tho I pulled over for a grom who was bombing through, and then over the last few jumps and down onto the 4wd again.  Peeled right again, climbing up to do the final Epitaph and out through the gate.  

Down the road tucked into speed mode, grabbed One Trick Lucy - which was a little on the overgrown side.  I got loose in the lower gummy/wattle area, and Nelson got past me, then this vine got all tangled in his rear wheel, so we stopped and cleared that, then lower down everything was really overgrown, hard to see the trail ahead.  Final wee climb out and bombed down the last dirt trail and onto the road at the corner, rolling fast back to car.

17 kms and 700m gained...  all good
What wasn't good was listening to the US Election coverage on the way home.  What a bunch of fucking morons.

Friday Night, up and down

Nelson picked me up from work just after 5 and the traffic was stupidly slow until we got across Brougham, then it wasn't so bad and we got to Worsley's Rd, parking next to the poplars on the flat before the new Park's entrance.  Rode up the road, round the corner and into the climb on the grass next to Fluffy Sheep.  At the top of this, we dropped into 1TrickLucy, boffing it down this, swoopy, clippy, yumpy, cruising.  Didn't look very well ridden, lots of overgrowth starting and just all a bit unkempt.  At the bottom of this, Nelson led off jetting down the switchbacks into the bottom of the valley, and we climbed up the lefthand (true right) side, steep little mother this is.  Levelled off and then through a gate, across a brandspanking new bridge, up some steps, then up a nice new gravel track, couple of switchbacks and then level-ish for a bit, then up a couple more switchbacks and then across the new slobdivision zone back onto Worsleys Rd, for to climb, up the singletrack bit then on up the seal to the top.

Into Worsleys proper, figuring the alt-route from the gate might be slick as shit like the other week.  We headed over to the left hand side through the trees to check out whether we could see anything of the new Park works.  Not really.  Rode up this singletrack to the water tank, then on upwards eventually finding ourselves IN the park, behind the sign.  Over the fence, and across the main track to ride up the 4wd mess-up-zone next to the jumpytrack forest.  Off camber as fuck up here, then on up and back onto the main drag in the big corner.  Cleaned the next few sections, really enjoying the challenge and just blazing up stuff I would have struggled with not that long ago.  Dunno what it was, but wasn't feeling all that bad.  Eventually got to the top, ie, the bottom of the Body Bag, and sat down for a rest, and to wait for darkness to get more in.  We'd ridden all the way to here without lights on.

Heard a couple of voices and spotted some lights over at the top of Braille, so we headed down and dropped into the little valley here.  Two guys with a boxer dog, parked up.  Brief chat, and we headed off into the newby singletrack here.  We had a nice blat down, I led the way, and we were keeping an eye out for any trails on the left.  Eventually, found one, but it proved a dead end in short shrift.  Meanwhile the two guys rode past, as we pushed back up to the track, and found what was really actually a droppy wee track just metres further down.  Couple of filters at the top but the rest of it was sweet, zigged and zagged steeply down onto the 4wd track in here.  Climbed this up to Braille and climbed on up.  Nelson gapping me, and then finding another newby off the right-hand side of this at the top.  Checked it out, no go, and another further down, no go, then back onto the climbing track to the top again, meeting the two guys and the boxer again, chatting longer this time.

They led off first, dog chasing hard, one of them took the jump line, and so we all got ahead of him and then when Nelson dropped into the steeper left hander lower down, the dog followed us down this, while the other two guys fanged off down the rest of the the trail, calling for the dog.  We hooned down the 4wd trail to their exit (quite along way further down), and then the dog turned up.  Down, and we spotted a trail exit on our right, so Nelson rode it and I pushed up it and eventually we found it's another new exit for the rest of the new track up there...  Back down this from where our droppy track started and out the 4wd all the way, getting caught, at speed, by the slickmud...  Nearly lost it, but managed to scrub enough speed, get back under control and follow on down the rest of it, spraying clods off  the tires.  Up to Epitaph, and down this back to the carpark.

Zoom down the road, bits of hard mud flinging off cleaning the tires, singletrack, then into Fluffy Sheep for a swoopy speedy descent back down, onto the road and back to the car.

2hours22 total time, just over 15kms and 578m climbed.

Sunday afternoon Farside Jetting

Short ride for me today after a big night prior.  Jet and me headed across to Worsley's Rd and parked just on the bottom corner.  Didn't bring tools or bag cos figured I was only ever gonna be 5 minutes from the car.  Headed up and rode the trail next to the road that used to be overgrown but is now clear.  Jet had a lovely time running ahead and pissing on everything.  First lap I went down Farside, the middle trail.  Some muppet had left a bunch of manuka branches just down from the entrance, but the rest was good.  Really enjoyed this trail, lots of swoopy ups and downs and good fun.

Back into the climb, going a little better this time, climbing in 2nd gear all the way.  This lap I headed down 1 Trick Lucy (2nd left) and it was good, a couple of interesting and tight features to start, then twisty turny in the trees.

Up again, climbing well, and into Utopia this time.  Sweet run down here.  A couple of the wee ups a little tighter than Farside.

Climbing again, and this time into Valhalla, 1st on the left.  Takes you quite low into the valley with some cool droppy bits, before climbing back out to the exit.

Once more, up again, and this time it into Fluffy Sheep.  Fastest of the trails, and most direct route down too.  A couple of the corners were a bit weird and a nice jump at the end.

Finally, one last climb, and back into Farside, which today I think was my favourite...  It's got everything in it.  It swoops up and down, isn't overgrown or too tight, but keeps it really interesting.  Final blast out the bottom, through the fence and back down to the car - total riding time 47minutes.

Grand total of 6kms, less than 1 km per lap, and only a bit over 300m climbed...  negligible but needed.

Sunday morning Crapaki to Sketchy Worsles

Left my place 8.30 for an 8.45 start from Steve's, finding him and Tones awaiting myself, Pete and Wayne who both turned up shortly.  Everybody wanted a shortish one, so we toodled off up cRapaki, making reasonable time up here.  Bit of a regroup at the end-of-trees-gate, where Steve continued on ahead, just disappearing around the first bend as we followed, and it took me a bit of effort to chase him down, catching him up just before the manuka tree.  On up to the top, feeling pretty good, then while we waited, Steve cruised on ahead.  As we got to the first hairpin, he'd just disappeared around the hill, and then I didn't see him again til I'd got around past the Farm Track and up a bit, saw him disappearing over the ridge.  He was waiting for us at the Traverse.  Lots of Pioneer Race signs all over the place...  Good pace around here, startling a couple of jogger-women but otherwise uneventful.  All the way around under Sugarloaf and just after that wee jumpy bit there were some people lying around and on the phone and looking worried.  Didn't stop to see, but they seemed to have it under control, whatever had happened... 

Regroup before the trees, and it was only 10am, so I convinced them not to bail down Vic/Bowenvale, and to check out my most recent favourite in McVicars, so we headed through and down the Thompsons and across Dyer's Pass.  Here we saw what must have been the tailenders of the first Pioneer race of the day (blue numberplates), a whole bunch of them heading from the Nun and down into the Old Dyers.  As we climbed the road, the riders on the Nun were pretty hopeless looking.  Many of them were walking the rocky bits and going REALLY slow...  On up and around and up to top of Worsley's.  TVNZ camera guy (who's name i've forgotten) was up here chatting to another guy I remember from the shop rides of old...  We bombed down the Body Bag and up into the forest.  It was wet.  Wasn't as greasy a climb as Tuesday night, but it'd soaked up a shitload of water, and was pretty bad.  Made it up to the entry to my trail and I led them all in.  All did pretty good for a first time down something.  And it didn't help that it was a bit greasy either...  So, was good anyway.  They could see the potential.  Nice lines down and through then across the off-camber was hard work keeping traction...  and when we got to T2 I was a bit surprised.  It'd been pretty churned by riders and the roots were all super sketchy.  Pete and me cleaned it all the way down except for my one old nemesis corner.  The boys had varying degrees of success and walked a few bits, but that's not surprising.  I probably would have too if I hadn't been down there so often recently.  At the bottom, we cruised on up to the exit trails, down, across and onto Epitaph.

Down the road and into the Farside trails.  Tony bailed off down the road.  Wayno took 1 Shot Lucy, Pete and me took the original Farside Track, and Steve shot down Fluffy Sheep.  Regrouped at the bottom, then down the rest of the trail to the corner, and down the road to Cracroft Reserve.  Through this, up the steps and there's the 2nd race of the day, a bunch of Pioneers with orange numberplates heading around towards Kennedy's.  We meandered along following the river all the way past the Library, then eventually went our separate ways at the St Martins shops, Wayno peeling off from us at the roundabout and Pete and me heading Wilson's etc through towards his place...

Just over 34kms round trip, with just under 700m of altitude...

Thursday night Worsley's Nun Worsleys

Out and about so made my way to Nelson's work and awaited his return.  We negotiated traffic in both our cars to Worsley Rd and parked by the poplars on the flat.  5.45 by the time we got rolling, up the damned hill, chuffing and puffing, him powering away from my gasping self.  Rode up Fluffy Sheep and then on up the new 'singletrack' mowed in above the road.  Above here we were passed by a heap of bikes on cars and arrived at the carpark to see shitloads of #enduro groms.  Straight through the gate to the right and on up that singletrack, climbing ever climbing, gasping for air and chuffing.  Nelson disappearing as usual, and me plodding away, legs burning.  Caught up to him chatting to some blokes, and we rolled on ahead on and up.  Where the exit climb out of the bottom of Braille turns up we caught some girls who'd come up from there, and a dude.  We both overtook the girls and the dude followed on my tail all the rest of the way up to the main track.  Chatted a bit with him here, and then we all headed up the BodyBag.  Puke making, kinda.  Got nearly all the way up there, but me and the new dude walked the top section. 

Then, up into the Nun.  We were gonna show him the corner where the link from Nun to Goat peels off, so he followed us down.  Nelson set a searing pace.  We followed and our new friend sat on my tail.  I pointed out the corner then said "you wanna pass me?" but he was okay.  Then, before we got to the carpark exit he'd backed right off, with a flat we found later.  On down the lower Nun we were flying, first time down here for me since September.  Burning forearms and hands and feet and calves at the bottom. 

Back up the road where we met our new friend finishing off fixing his flat, then the three of us headed up the old 4wd track that bisects the Nun, grunting up the climb, to the corner where Ghost track cuts out.  Ice Cream container lid for a sign post.  Over the fence and a little riding then climbing over logs, then walking and then a bit more riding and a couple dabs and walks and more riding out to Throw the Goat.  Nice.  Our friend was planning on heading the other way from here so we said catchyalater and headed off down the Goat.  Nice descent, dusty as hell.  Jumped the first log no worries, and rolled on down, then second log, pulled up.  Nelson went back up a bit and rolled/jumped it while I watched.  Then we poked our noses down Yoda.  Nelson decided he could ride it, and did.  I scrambled down, struggling to get the bike down, but then rode lower sections no problem at all.  Got to a sign Chutes'n'Ladders, and off to the right Raiders of the Lost Rockface.  Bloody Hell!  Vertical rockface, we walked down to look, no way.  Chutes was almost but not quite rideable for me.  Nelson struggled too.  But the lower section was fine, and wham, we were at the bottom of all the trails - goat, t2, alice's, fightclub etc... 

Climbed out of here and headed up the guts, ugh, but I cleaned it all nicely and survived and we met again on the cliff top.  From here we headed down old Waynes World line, jumping to an audience with much whooping, then cut across to the old line into Fight Club and then fanged it down here, awesome blast down.  Back up the exit climb and then across the main track and into the trees for the jumpy trail.  Nelson showed off how he does all these gap jumps now and I popped a couple of the easier ones.  Then he showed me how the fence gap is done, and I rolled in several times and nearly did it but bailed each time getting the fear more and more each time.  I'll do it one day.  Down the rest, jumping many, nearly taking out a clusterfuck of groms in the lower section, then out onto the descent track we'd climbed up to start with.  Then up for Epitaph for a final blast down to the carpark.  Caught up with our friend here and actually introduced ourselves, Quetty, or something, was his name. 

Down the road, over 50kph, and onto the 'singletrack' then down to the Farside trails, choosing 1 Trick Lucy (second left) for a change.  It's changed slightly, but is still tight as anything in the trees lower down.  Madcore.  Then out and down the road back to the cars.

18 kms, over 700m alt.  followed by yummy burger and beer at burgers'n'beers...

Tuesday Lapping up the laps

An hour or so to use tonight, before a PFMTBC trip organising meeting at Pete's, so Nelson picked me up from work and we twisted and turned through heavy traffic to Worsley's Rd.  Parked up just round the first corner, at the bottom of the Farside tracks.  First lap, up the old skool dirt track close to the road, puffing like crazy, gasping in fact.  Then took Valhalla, first time down here, not having any idea where it was taking us or how.  Steep few off camber corners, dropping quite a bit of altitude, close to the old original zig zag track that used to be in here, then it peeled across the slope, dropping now and then, and climbing a little towards the end.  Lots of interesting features, but quite low speed on account of the off camberness.

Back onto the road and up for lap 2.  This time, the next track on the left, 1 Trick Lucy.  I'd been down the top of this once before, but peeled back across to Farside that time.  This time, all the way.  Somehow it squeezes in between Valhalla and Farside and finds it's way down in a similar nature to Valhalla.  A few very cool wee features on it, lots of fun.  Ends up joining Farside towards the end.

Back onto the road and up for lap 3.  This time, skipping over Farside, and taking Utopia.  Woot.  Had done this once before with jet back in November, so it felt vaguely familiar.  It blends into lower end of Fluffy Sheep which we got onto the next lap.

Back up the road for Lap 4.  Into Fluffy Sheep this time, the first time either of us had been down this (tho I'd been up back in Nov.)  Sweet wee blast down here, quite flowy and swoopy.  A couple of really small 'jump' features, and smooth.

Lap 5, into the original Farside.  Bloody brake ruts in the first steep section, but the rest of it was alright.  Usual woopdewoops and squirrelly drops.

Lap 6, gave Valhalla another go, with me in the lead this time.  Good spin down here again.  Gonna take a while to get used to those off camber corners tho.

Lap 7, final lap.  This time 1 Trick Lucy again.  Haha, this time, Nelson missed the entrance, so I led the way down with him well behind me.  Had a good run down and finished it in no time.

Each lap was about 5 minutes or less up, and 5 minutes or less down.  Seven round trips done in 1 hour.  Total altitude of the trail network is around 60 metres, so we did a bit over 400 m in total.  Not bad for an hour's up and down. (updated with more accurate information from the boys doing it a week later and MapMyRiding it, measuring the altitude more accurately(ish) than my Topomapping guestimation).

Grabbed Noodle Canteen and a couple of beverages on the way to Pete's and made it there only minutes late.  Wellington seems to be the go for the Annual Trippage this year...

Swansong in the woods, Tuesday Worsley

Well, quite a nice wee ride tonight.  Met the boyz on the flat approaching Worsley's at 6.20 or so, Andrew and Tony rolling in from their nearby abodes, Steve and Robin in the TFC van, and Wayne, Warren, Pete and me all in our own vehicles.  Bikes all onto racks of Wayne and Warren and we drove to nearly the top of the road, riding from there up into the woods to find a sign saying Forest Closed, and Danger Keep Out tape that we promptly decided to ignore, riding up the guts of it all. Andrew had been through in the weekend, so how much could they have done in 2 days?  Put up some tape or something???  Yeah, nearly.  So, grunty grunty up the guts to the clifftop where a well earned break was had, then onwards up to the top of the forest, and up the steeeep to the top of Debbie Does...

Into here and one or two difficulties for one or two but a great run had.  As we came into the darkness of the spruce, and the old stone ruins, I noticed how low the forest was, way more branches than usual kinda in your face.  I led the boys up the garden path, peeling left onto the wee exit traverse track, but hell it was overgrown, and they, as usual, gave me stick (pun intended) about "Richard leading the way again".  Weird, considering only 2 and a 1/2 months ago it was sweet...  Anyway, once out of the dark forest it was alright, and back into the bigger woods and down a short bit of The Original B-Line before hopping over onto Tommy's, where I chose the left hand choice, bombing it down, swoopty woopty through veering very slightly left as far as you can swoop towards the pylon clearing then leading back to the main guts drag.

From here it was decided to have one last swansong on Fight Club, seeing as how it might all be shut up and ruined, so, short climb and then into it.  Awesome run, swoopty woopty again, down and down, dusty as all get up, out to the exit climb, only to be greeted with a Closed Keep Out sign and tape.  Also a brit Blur TR rider was coming down, and we gave him directions back up, so he was ahead and round the corner there's the bloody big skidder machine and a fair bit of forest already cleared - removing all the windthrow from last year's storm.  Met him again at the junction and followed him down the exit trail out, then down the road, again giving directions to Farside.

Past the cars and down the road to Farside.  Straight into it and what a wee blast.  The brit on Wazza's tail on Pete's tail on my tail.  Both Pete and Steve were first timers on this and enjoyed the crap out of it.  Finally, down the road to the cars.  Ribulet feeling the ride with a bit of an ache.  I took the other two shuttle drivers back up while the others very kindly waited, and then Pete and me stopped at Poms for well earned beverages.  Yummo.

Thursday night altitudinals

Rode Spot to work and after that rode to Nelson's work and we rushhoured to park next to Cracroft Reserve.  Proceeded to grind up the road then on up the dirt.  At the 'junction' we hopped over the fence to the right, and rode up a wee singletrack that cruised up the grass between the ruttsville main drag and the trees on the downhill side of the main drag.  Up, under the powerlines, then up into what used to be 'rest corner'.  Back on the main drag and up the techy rocky section, both with limited successes, then riding out the rest of it in good form, crawly crawly granny cruising.  Bottom of the body bag, for a change, headed on up.  Been a long time since I last ventured up this, May 1st in fact, the quagmire just over half way up now but a memory imprinted with scant evidence upon the trail.  Ended up walking a fair bunch at the top as I just wasn't carrying my Bodybag lungs or legs.  Nelson cleaned it all the way.  Back on, and through the Lovers Leap carpark, up the gravel, me speeding up a bit, to top of Nun.  Bit of spitty rain around here, but stopped for a bite to eat before we got rolling again.

Muppetry is the word.  Rolled it all pretty smoothly, but kinda with our Cautious Colin hats on.  There was definitely the potential for greasiness, but we didn't seem to get that much of it, and there was quite the (b)easterly blowing through, making any airborne sections sketchy.  I felt like a rooky most of the way down.  Like I wasn't used to the bike and wasn't used to the trail.  2/3rds of the way down the top section I dropped my chain, so Nelson got a good lead on me then.  Metres before the midway carpark woofdog and son were doing some trail maintenance.  Caught Nelson waiting here and we plowed our way down the rest of it, still not at great speeds, but not too bad either.  No sketchiness, and powered out the end and straight back into the climb back up the road around and up to the top of Worsley's again.

Into the bodybag, me leading, taking the right hand side and regretting it several times.  Good speed towards the bottom but still pretty dodge.  Up the forest access, with Nelson leading straight into the extra bonus climb towards the very top, greasy as a greasy thing, with some slips and slides on the way.  Onwards past Debbie's, and up to the top of T2 and the Goat (or Hangloose as we once knew it).  Carefully into the Goat, but finding carefulness not absolutely necessary.  Top section a little greasy, but manageable, and it kinda dried as we descended, tho was still sketchy in places lower down too.  Did the first log drop after pulling up first round, walking back up a wee ways and dropping it wondering what the hell I'd been worried about all those other times of stepping down it.  Second one further down, not so much.  At least it's got an easier nana line.  Then we stopped at the top of Yoda and walked climbed down it, checking it out.  Hell of a track.  walked climbed down to where Nick crashed on it a couple weeks back, then clambered back up to our bikes.  Onwards down the trail, steeeepnesssss, picking our ways carefully, bailing only one corner that you get to and it doesn't know what it's doing, leaving you guessing.  Out the bottom and sweeet as.  Into the climb.

Up the access to the 'junction', and then up the guts, all the way up to the clifftop, then into Waynes World, one really sketchy part near the top and the rolling out wondering if it's the right one (it was) and then into the lower bit and down into Fight Club and fanging it nicely all the way down and out, and back up the climb.  'Junction' and down, riding a different (older) line for a bit and enjoying it's flow, then jumping well towards the tank and finally out the bottom of it and down to where the groms park.  Over the fence and into the grass track down, then joining the overgrown grassy singletrack down to the normal carpark and down the road (via a couple of sidelines) and eventually, into Farside, bombing down this, bottoming out in some of the dips and clinging for dear life to the side of the hill with the knobs on the sides of the tires, and out.  Back up the road, me verrry slowly this time, for another go at the same trail, faster in places this time and finally out the end, down the road to the car, 8.05pm as we drove away.  Home, and a bit tired after all that effort, close to 1000m of altitude climbed (and the same descended...) - not helped by a 5am start this morning.

Sunday Worsley & Far Side Jet sprints

Needed to keep it short this morning, and nearly got out really early, like 8am, but eventually what with one thing and another it was about 9.20 I found myself over near the bottom of the hills, heading for the top of Worsley Rd with Jet in the back.  Parked up and headed up behind a couple of motorbikes.  Clamber clamber, with the newly working forks working bloody well.  These are the white 55s that gave me so much gyp on the trip - Josh chucked in a coil instead of the positive air component, and she works a treat.  Up the grind, and before the powerlines came across one of the motorbikes.  He was fiddling around in the front of the bike, and it wasn't going...  rode on up, eventually catching up and passing a young running/walking couple, her giving Jet lots of pets.  Ground out to the top where the other motorbike was waiting and he asked about his mate and I said it looked like trouble so he was gonna head back down..

Then off up the entrance to the B-line talking a bit to a dude who'd just come down bodybag.  Him and his mate went down, I went up, grindy grind to Debbie Does Dallas -lead in, and fanged off down here.  Slow to start but gradually speeding up, and then down past the ruins and into the Douglas fir darkness then out. Below the big cliff stopped and had a wee look at a trail being built just above this one.  Got going again down the steeps into Alice's Restaurant where I baulked the usual couple of corners cos they're just so damned steep.  Saw 3 riders across on T2 briefly, and then spotted them on the climb out.

At the junction I followed these guys up the guts track, riding all the way, but they'd lost me by the time I crossed the pylon gap.  On up to the cliff top, a young DH couple hangin' out sayin' hi.  Sat on the cliftop for a bite to eat and a wee rest before heading off down Wayne's World and then across and down into Fight Club (passing the young couple pushing back up on the way).  Fight Club was a blast, suspension just soaking everything up beautifully.  Out the bottom and back up the exit track to the junction.  Nor'west wind was starting to pick up, so figured the forest might not be too safe any more, so we headed on back down the usual to the car.  Loaded the bike on and we drove down the road.

Just before the bottom corner I pulled up and parked.  And rode up one of the new downhill tracks in the Farside network...  Fluffy Sheets or something.  Anyway, decided on the way it wasn't that great for climbing, but stuck with it.  At the top I explored, first, off down 1 Trick Lucy but it descended in a direction I didn't like, and looked like it was gonna leave me in the bottom of the valley, so, pushed back up onto Farside and pushed to the top of that.  Into Utopia I flowed.  Very familiar feeling, like farside, with some sweet wee swoops and dips and off camber corners, and then it spat me onto Fluffy Sheets near the bottom.  Back up the usual next-to-the-road off-road track, meeting some very tentative riders coming down, and cleaned out the top in no time - much better than going up Fluffy Sheets.  Here I dropped into Farside and had a real blast down this, arriving back at the car in no time, 11am-ish and headed with my hot and tired doggy, home.

Wednesday Worsleying

Another week another ride.  Rode from work to Nelson's and we negotiated traffic to Worsleys Rd.  Parked on the flat alongside the poplars, changed, and rode off up the hill, taking the off road track for the main brunt of the climb.  Tricky, hitting the hill, and then bumpy off road trail from cold.  Had me wheezing and gasping, and dabbing a couple times.  Back on the seal and onwards to the top.  Then straight into the dirt track climb.  Decided on staying on the old skool, riding the usual ridges and ruts all the way.  At the 'rest' corner we checked out a wee track appearing at the fence, walking briefly up it, and then a dude on an old specialized showed up.  Asked him where it peeled off but his description could have been anywhere.

Onwards up the rocky section, with varying degrees of success.  Sure is a mess in here these days.  Lots of bits further up where it's pretty tricky.  Finally made the bottom of the Body Bag and up the access track for a well earned rest.  All of this to here was done without lights.  Quick snack, and we decided to head down and find that new bit of track.  Lights on, headed down Tommy's all the while looking for the new track on the left.  Quite a ways down we figured we'd missed it further back, but then chose a left hand line (that wasn't at all familiar) and it turned out this was it.  Not particularly long, but fun.  Over the fence and back into the climb for the second time.  Cleaned more, but dabbed other bits this time, and thankfully made the top of the access track eventually.

From here we headed up the access to Tommy's2 and about half way took the left into the lead-in to Debbie Does Dallas.  Fanged it down here popping and rolling through past the cool old stone ruins, then into the descending Debbie trail, which, due to tree falls, now peels a hard right and leads down and across a cool wee bridge then upwards briefly, and into a whole new section which is across below Tommys2 (but we couldn't see that from it).  Into a sequence of madcore steep bits, a couple of which we walked, and this really cool volcanic dyke rock formation - total wall of rock.  More steep stuff and a couple more groovy raw wood bridges (North Shore style of build, but short) then eventually into the very bottom of Tommy's2, out this and into the climb back up around.  Nice and dry now, but still slightly soft in places.

At the junction at the top we headed back up the guts track, grannying away, my legs starting to get weaker, all the way up to the cliff top.  Into the original 'b'line down from here and then connecting onto Waynes World where it crosses and then off down a new line to the right that showed promise but then turned out to be a total waste of trail by hooking into Fight Club - ripping us off by missing heaps of it.  So we walked back up this dumb shortcut and got back into Wayne's and then proceeded on into Fight Club, wafting, floating and launching our way down this, loving every minute of it.  Great run bookin' down all of it, including all the lower off camber stuff, and back out onto the climbing return track.This time climbing I was very slow, grinding away, getting especially sucky in the softer stuff, while Nelson jetted off ahead.

Down the exit routes - more sweet sweet rollin', and then down the road, flying, flying and flying, before pulling off to access the Farside track, only to discover three options now.  One, to the right, called Utopia which appears to stay above the forest, swooping back and forth in the broom and grass (beside the gorsey track we'd ridden up next to the road), and another one, Short Lucy or something, in the middle, which we didn't see where that went or came out.  And Farside, which has had a bit more work done.  Was fun and swoopy, and excellent in the dry, and there's an alternative line lower down that peels off and runs parallel all the way to the end (which we didn't try but may next time - it looked a bit easier)...  Out the bottom of Farside, big smiles on our dials.  Awesome wee trail.  Finally, flew down the road into the cold air of the valley bottom and back to the car, about 8, on the way grabbing Nasi Gorengs and beers upon which to feast at my place.

Tuesday Muckvicars Round 3

Nelson picked me up from mine and we cruised across town post rush hour.  Parked next to Cracroft park and rode up Worsley Rd, checking out the bottom of Farside as a possible option, and choosing it, then regretting the choice.  Not really a climbing track, and greasy as shit, so quite difficult really...  Finally got up onto the road and continued our merry way up, a while since we'd done this climb, having parked up top so often recently, and our legs suffering from the lack of riding in recent weeks.  Got up onto the dirt and it was squishy and sticky and slick.  Was okay most of the time, but occasionally it was just slick as.  Wet enough that the tires didnt carry too much on themselves.  That was to come later.  Up the main track, all the way, the river running in the ruts, minimal bits of rideable terrain the higher we got.  You'd be perched up on the top of the rut, and one wheel would slip and you'd lose it.  So, walk a bit, get rolling again then the same would happen.  Bloody nightmare.  The access track up into the forest was greasy as too, and I ended up walking a fair bit of it.  Nelson cleaned it.

Into the trail, not quite as greasy as Sunday last ridden, but still pretty damned slick, and more churned, but once under the trees, much betterer.  Hung a right into the original line, the wee rocky climb as greasy as something covered in grease, and back under the trees all good again.  Full suspension bliss, squishing my way down and through, one near miss in some slick shit between a cut fallen tree got Nelson ahead of me and we got out onto the clifftop and headed into the original line, all the way down.  Stopped and watched a couple riders coming up the internal track, and then blasted across and down bottom of Tommy's then into Fight Club, great flight down this, swooping over the humpties and railing round the bends.  Lower down, over the log hip, super greasy, then into the steep chute I bailed up right on where we'd trenched the other night ride here.  Nelson headed down through and I followed cautiously to find him off his bike nursing his squashed balls...  yowch.  Took a few minutes and we rolled out the bottom of the trail onto the worst I've ever seen the climbing-out track.  Spun and struggled up this, Nelson's tires gripping, mine just picking up crap and turning into fatbike tires...  I ended up walking a fair bit.

Next up, scraped heaps of crap off my tires and off up the middle internal track, me walking heaps til the pylon gap, then riding a bit, walking a bit and riding a bit more out to the cliff.  This time, into Waynes World and taking it all the way down, but bailing out at Fight Club entrance, and off down through the gap and hard left following the newish trails we had that other night, over a jump that nearly threw me then kinda stalled Nelson, then on down eventually crossing the trail and then through the junction and on out the bottom exit stuff.  Stepped over the log on the left higher line - bloody useless roll in and hopeless landing, so kinda dodgy to be popped.  Down past the tank, some sweet riding through here, then down through the final section, the full suss aiding my travels nicely.  Slowly down the greasy muck to the road, then speed mud removal - the marshguard working exactly as planned, and Nelson holding his head out to the side to avoid his fleck.

Down the road and into Farside, awesomely slick, but manageable for a while.  Til i got to one steep brown slick section where my front wheel lost it and we went down.  handlebar spun and i was super worried the brake hose would stress, but was okay, and I got rolling again no injuries.  the rest of it was good as, and out onto the road to a waiting Nelson.  On down, more mud removal and along out to the car.  Got sticks and scraped and prodded the bikes into some semblance of clean then hit the road home.

Sunday, mucky Sunday.

Very low ceiling of cloud all night, providing no drying opportunities for the hills.  Drove over to Andrew's and met up with him, Wazza, Wayno and Tones, and, after oohing and aahing over my new ride, we headed around Cashmere Rd to Halswell Quarry Park and up C2.  Not so bad under the trees, dry-wise, but once on the Crocodile proper it was a grease fest and we were exactly the types I was complaining about in my post about my last ride up here...  Oh well.  Wasn't as bad as if we were coming down it.  I dabbed out most of the big corners, their ruts and grease just too much, and a technique thing with the new ride too, methinks. 

On up the Low Road for a bit, but when it met the main track we all bailed off it and up that.  Siberia was fun, but sloppy under the dripping trees.  Then the clamber.  Up up up we went, further and further into the clouds, greasy muck under tread.  All made pretty good efforts at the top section, my wee rests helping my heartrate, and Andrew doing a bit of a loop-de-loop - he lost balance, veered to the right until he was heading down again, then juuust about managed to turn it back round before dabbing.  In the rocky guts I lost it once, walked a tiny bit then got rolling again, til the very top ledge sort of up, the back wheel just spun out and sideways.  The narrow broom infested top track was sticky as shit (and actually, there was a lot of actual sticky shit on the trails today, some cows seem to have had laxatives).

Onto the road and around to Worsleys.  A rider on his way down Kennedy's at the time had told us the 'Nun was really bad, so we skipped that and went for Worsleys.  Hoo boy, what a descent.  Just enough grease on the surface of the clay to make for no chance of stopping, and barely a chance to keep the speed down.  I survived it, Andrew lost it, the others took other lines that proved less slick.  Bottom of bodybag we headed up into the forest, the access track a total slick little shit.  Andy cleaned it all, the rest of us walked. 

Then it was into the woods.  Greasy as all hell for a start, we veered right onto the Original.  A couple times my chain dropped off the front.  Annoying.  It was only under zero power, if my rear was up on 1st or 2nd.  Good rolling down under the trees here, full squish doing it's job beautifully.  Lovin' it, I was.  Out over the clifftop and into the trees again, taking the right hander, some new line in here then onto the old, absolutely wafting over the rocky bits, then when we met Waynes World, took it's lower half and pulled up at Fight Club.  Next rider after me was Zane, on his 5.Spot, so we discussed then he headed down.  We followed shortly thereafter, the upper half rolling beaut, the lower half all fixed up and sweet as, lots of tricky off-camber.  Zane was waiting at the bottom an so cruised up the greasy climb behind him to the Juncture. 

Stopped, chatting for a bit at the junction and saw someone climbing the fence across the main track, so after Zane and friends had headed off up the guts track we ventured across to check it out.  A nice we entrance to the trail Nelson and me found a few weeks back, and so we rolled down this, avoiding all the jumps.  Over the fence and there were some bikes (quite flash bikes) parked and lots of fresh trail grooming, rolled on down and found some really young kids working their magic.  We continued on down, doing more of the jumps below here and enjoying the end, the onto the exit track out to the carpark. 

Down the road, a mud clearinghouse for the tires, then into the new Farside Track.  I followed Andy down it as he'd done it before.  What a little beauty!  Sweet sidling and not losing too much, but always downwards with a few wee whoop-de-dos spitting us out above the bottom corner.  Sweet.  Cleared the mud off the tires again as we rolled and then to Andrew's for a coffee and bickies. 

Spot ride report number 2, awesome.  Gonna really enjoy this bike.  Still wondering if I need more air in the chamber tho.  Really must remember to bring the pump for it next time.