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

Wednesday Night, Extremely Pleasant Pleasantries and Mucho Muppetry

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

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

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

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

Mostly pretty sweet 11.5 kms, with 450 m climbed 

Sunday Pleasantly Green Thomas McCormack

Parked up Nelson's and we hauled up Mt Pleasant Rd into the Upper Major entrance to Britten.  

Chuffed up around VTwin and then around the front (hard to find) and around onto the road.  Over the fence and overgrown climb to the singletrack up the side of Mt Pleasant where we dropped on into upper Greenwood, technicalia ensued then lower down it was railing-fast in the tussocks.  

Into Greenwood proper and rocks were the name of the game.  Very rumpty but we carried our speed the whole way, smooth(enough) riding and I was on Nelson's tail the whole way, pretty much.  Good rest after the lung-burning sequence of Gloomy then got moving before a runner caught us.  Great rail the rest of the way down to Evans.  Both of us seemingly on fire.  

Across the road and into Thomas, lots of walkers for a change, on their way up.  Cleaned everything that needed cleaning, into the OG section and rock and roll.  Heaps of flow and groove.  

Off down the road to Dot Com for a coffee and slice, and then around the bikeways, lots of people about, and headed into and up the McCormack's Bay / Drayton Reserve trail (over 3 years since last up here!), steeeeeeep and lung-burny.  I dont remember it being that steep...  Hung a right after the bridges for a nice groove across to the last couple switchbacks (which required walking) before popping out on Drayton Rd.  Then we finished on road, down through Assisi etc to Nelsie's. 

Superlative 20kms with nearly 700 m climbed

Satur-heated Greenwood Godley Taylor's Godley Captain

Scorcher today. Parked in McCormack's as Nelson pulled up, and we took his car to top of Mt Pleasant Road.  Into the OG Greenwood entrance, diverting into Sheepshit Alley for a weird descent, then climbed around up to the ruins.  Into the bony-arse Greenwood. Heesh it was bony.   Pinging descent, ruts catching me weirdly.  My whole game was off, because I's in my new(ish) Ride Concepts shoes, and I've installed the cleats too far back, so my whole centre of gravity was off.  Kept catching my toes too.  Then into the rocky Godley start from Evans, not something we've done for ages, and quite hard work for the first few hundred metres, but gradually better as you go. Ruts were particularly problematic today.  Good blast once in the descent for Livingston - weaving okay, but never quite letting it all go.  Over to Breeze was a breeze. 

Then up the road a little to hit Anaconda in full, tentative and sketchy in the upper reaches, finally letting it go a bit lower down.  I seemed to keep ending up on Nelson's tail for a while, but he got away on the Snake's Tail.  Down into the Taylor's Carpark, loaded up some water, considered queuing for an ice cream, but I got water instead.  Incredibly busy down here.  Next, we toodled around the carpark seeing if there was a new entrance for the new trail up, but it was just the old exit for the entrance, so hit up the new MT1 and MT2, which were very good.  At the top we headed up the old walking track we used to ride regularly (last time was 5 years ago) to the paraglider launch site - it's getting some development so hopefully they'll chuck in a few more zigs and zags, cos fuck is it steep at the top.  

Along the road a little, and back up into Godley.  My brain was starting to fry and weakness was setting in hard.  Muppetted back to Evans, not terrible flow, but exhausting, then dropped into The Captain for the win. So exhausting but good riding. Finally around the flat back to the car. Chucked my bike in the back, Nelson's on the back and up the hill we went to drop him back to his car at the top.
 

Unmitigated 25 kms, 770 climbed -with bonus total 1170 descended

Wednesday Night's Captain Greenwood, I Presume

Up into the fog and back down into the darkness... 

Parked at about 7pm at Slumnervale and headed into the OG Thomas climb.  Walked the usual bits, and dabbed a few others.  Pretty mild down here, and overcast and foggy on top so quite humid.  Good enough climb, struggling with my weight and feeling every inch of belly fat.  Onto the road, decisions to be made - up into the fog? or out Godley...?  Upwards.  Locked out the squish and pushed a good pace up the road.  Into the clouds just up and around a little.  The big Richmond Pines were making their own rain, and I climbed over the stile and went up Knapsack/sheepshit alley.  This was nice.  

At the top of this I was debating heading around the road and up Broadleaf for the full run, but it was 8pm so I checked sunset on Met which said 8.20, so decided against the top of Pleasant - instead, hung a left and rode the OG Greenwood 'entry' and then proceeded to enjoy, thoroughly, the descent of Greenwood.  Bony. As. Fuck. But Jeht responding and performing laudably.  A couple of short rests and in the lowest gulch (before the last blast to Evans) it was 8.15.  Hoo-boy, 5 minutes to sunset...  Blitzed out the rest, down to the road (with audience in the boy-racer carpark) and straight up onto Captain Thomas, the overcast sky getting dimmer as I descended.  Stopped a couple of times to get blood flow back into hands, otherwise cleaning all of the trail, loving the tech.  Light was still good even once into the bushy sections, but man, visibility was hard once into the piney section in the lower reaches.  Feck'n'ell.  Managed to cleane out the nether reaches and then back along behind the gabbion wall and through the park to the car for around 8.30...  Nicely nicely.  

As close to 14 km as you can shake a stick at, and deliciously, 575 m climbed.

Saturday Morning Mucky Greenwood

Practically a month since last ride, due to Galapagos. 

Sweet ride up and over from Nelson's this morning.  Up Santa Maria, Selleck, Assisi, Drayton into the Reserve, greasing up the zig zags and onto the road, all the way to Upper Hornbrook and Britten. Good climb to top and down the short bit of road to OG Greenwood entrance. Squirmed across here then I led into Greenwood proper, overreacting to every little bump, too much braking and not enough flow.  Still, made good speed into the Gloomy Gulch where I had to walk the worst of the rocks. Nelson caught up here having had a little slickness trouble earlier.  Cautiously down the next section of rocks, which weren't as bad as I thought, then some fun flow through the usual fast section, drop that I rolled and around the big corners, back and forth, grooving through the grooves. Through the fence and it was the worst I've ever seen it. Greasy rut city. Then, north facing fast and fun... And last corners before the road were not great... 

Where to from here? Settled for up-the-road, plodding all the way to the Richmond pines, and onto Sheep Shit Alley.  Nice climb here but man were my legs tired. Took it easy with a break and also a nice long look at a section of trail that needed drainage.

Back into the road briefly back into Britten, out the front on the 'new' trail (that's not). Dropped down here for some great flow, stopping a couple times to check where we were then off to the left to pick new lines down rocky sections. Fun exploration. Finally out the bottom and flying down the roads back to his place.

Remarkably, 15 kms with 620 m climbed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An undiminutive 16.78 kms and wondrously 663 m upwardly mobile

Saturday's Mal-Pheasant-ries and Pleasantries with some Green Wood

Quick catch up with Steve at the Travis Planting, Jeht in the car, headed from there over to Mt Pleasant for a nice little solo spin.  Parked up just next to Kaikoura View.  Toodled up the road, up into the old bathtub entrance and across Britten, climbing climbing.  Around the front and up to the cattlestop, over the fence and as I climbed here a reasonable sized grey bird was running through the grass ahead of me.  A duck? No, has to be a pheasant!  When I hit the main track she flew from cover down across the road.  Nice!  Climby climb climb to the top of Pleasant where I had a brief gasping rest with some rams, then off down into the gnarr... Weird riding down through here, felt like every rock was pinged off and stalling me.  Down in the tussocks I caught and passed a couple of walkers and then down the long straight bit got caught in a rut and the ground angled up to hit me...  owch.  Right knee and shin took most of it but the saddle somehow pinched my left inner thigh, and the handlebars got slightly off skew with a bunch of grass caught in the brake lever.  Straight back on and down to the farmtrack where I stopped, readjusted, tightened and cleared, and got rolling again, around a family with two small kids and a poodle.  

Into Greenwood, rocky blast this, slightly put off by my fall, adrenalin still lagging out, was not riding on form.  Lower down I suddenly noticed a rider on a switchback above me.  I put on a burst of speed and kept him at bay but I had to stop from exhaustion just after Gloomy like I usually do.  He wasn't that far behind.  Older dude, the type that's probably done every single Coast to Coast since it started.  Fit but old.  I said gudday as he passed and gave him a good gap before I took off again.  Turns out I was slowly winding him in but before the final switchbacks to Evans he turned around and headed back up.  Fit bastard.  I thought about it, but didnt do the same, hit the road and started the climb.  It was a grind.  Though, in the gloomy corner, I spotted another female pheasant flying...

At the pines the family with poodle were loading into their car, I headed up Sheep Shit Alley, onto the road again, around to Britten and the blast down this, across and down the usual.  Good roll, tho very wary of ruts-villainry.  I'd parked lower down thinking I might ride Kenton, but by the time I got there I was too stuffed, so just took the path and road back to the car.

A malpracticed 13.6 kms with nearly 600 climbed (given I'd started the mmr late).  

Thursday Smokin' Hot Green Pleasantry Captains

Excellent recalibration ride with Nelson tonight.  Parked up in Scumnervale and set off around the foot of the hill, briefly stopping to feast on blackberries before skedoodling up the old skool Captain Thomas and the rest.  Next it was the long slog up the road to the pines, onto the Shit Track for a short climb to the road, around to and up, slogging on the gravel on Broadleaf to the top of Pleasant for a good view back up the harbour to the Port Hills Fire 2.0. 

Into the descent and fark it was bony! Nelson pinged off every single rock there was. I had some good flow on, weaving and twisting - all the while being careful not to crash given the wounds I'm nursing after my commuting crash last Friday in the wet. Meandering around the new fence infrastruction, and through the ruins, and into some hard work descending, majorly fatigued by halfway and we needed a break.  Out of practice obviously.  Into the lower reaches and the weed-eaten grass was fairly off putting, and, thinking it would be slippery - neither of us wanted to push it too hard, but otherwise I dont think we were any slower than usual. Nice flow otherwise. 

Finally, the Captain. Whooee. Great blast down here, cleaning all the usual cleany stuff and blazing away.  Into the lower reaches, loving the pop and twist, weaving through the tech, very awesome. 

Grand total of16kms(!) and somehow 638 climbing points

Tuesday Night Pleasantries and flats

Parked on Parkridge and we rode up Britten.  I felt full and hot and gasped for air.  Didn't help that Nelson was way faster, and we were talking a bunch...  Around the front and up to the cutting, across the road, over the fence and zig and zag through long grass up to some rocks overlooking Lyttelton where we watched a cruise ship depart as well as I layered off.  Riding again, couple more zigs and we were up to top of Mt Pleasant.  Nelson adjusted his brakes.  

Into the down, and the weed-eaten detritus was strewn all over the trail, hiding all the rocks.  Sketch.  I followed, then Nelson got gazumped by the same rock as another time, and I took the lead through the tussocks.  Nice flow.  Then into Greenwood.  Through the ruins, and into the rocks, I's tight on his tail then oh, flat, front tyre got lower and lower stopped and started to fix.  My glue was shit.  First patch came off.  After I'd put the tube back in.  Ugh.  Nelson's glue was new.  Got rolling again and had a good blast down Greenwood, except for him blowing it just after the Gulch.  Good rest of the way down.  Bony as fuck.

Up the Summit Rd.  Steady pace, nothing to report.  Stayed on the road, and into Britten.  Hmmm, my front's not feeling great.  I led on the stretch across the face (from the hairpin) and down the final rocks, by which time my bike was steering itself fatbike stylez, so reneged on riding Kenton's track down and riding back up to cars.  Bailed to cars.  

Verifiable 12.77 kms, with 544 m climbed

On the way home I picked up H's ebike from Joy's and as I couldn't fit both on the rack I chucked mine in the back of the car.  Halfway home the patch obviously gave it up, and a high pitched whistle filled the car for a few minutes.

Wednesday Night Bony Captain Greenwood

Mint ride tonight with Nelson. We met at Slumnervale and headed back down Finnsarby Place (never knew it was called that) and across the redzone to hit the up on the old Captain Thomas exit.  Nelson cleaned his way to the steepest steps bit, whereas I lost it on below the first corner and struggled my way upwards.  Very muggy and sheltered down in here.  Once on the level tho it was good rolling, albeit extremely overgrown for a good portion of it, which we didn't really notice until on the return.  Mostly good climbing; Nelson cleaning more than me, I was just feeling wiped from the week.  The trail was really crunchy, sheep having wrecked it in the recent wetness.  Heading into a sugar crash, we had a break before the final climb.  I felt better once moving again and the hard bit before the last gate got the better of us both.  Final climb out to the road was okay.  

Long schlep up the road to Jollie's Bush where we avoided stinging nettle, walked and rode our way to the top of the bush, over the stile and then up the new walking route to the 4wd track which was much closer than we ever realised.  Up this and hung a right to blaze out the, also crunchy, old Greenwood entrance, out to the road, and up here to Broadleaf and up.  Cool dead stick insect on the road, probably 10 cm long and 7mm thick...  Hup up up to the top and a well earned rest.  Then we tootled to the highest point and took in the view before our descent.

Down through the annoying gate, and around to the stile, Nelson getting his sideways-action on on the rocks just beforehand.  Over the stile and the bombing began.  He led, I stayed on his tail until the tussocks where I kinda gained and lost and gained til losing more towards the end of this upper section.  Down the 4WD bit, and into the Greenwood proper.  Tight on his tail for a bit, even catching him a bit before the sidle, where he always loses me and then eventually he stopped after Gloomy and I caught up and we had another rest.  I led from here, keeping the pace up and fast and a good blast down, all the way, losing my speed in the first rocky up with the wrong gear.  On out to the bottom, overall a good blast.  

Through Evans and up a little for another bit of a rest before dropping into The Captain, him in the lead.  Big gap to start but I'm pretty sure I was slowly gaining to the gate, then we held pretty tight the rest of the way down.  It's SO bony, rocks poking up where they never were, trail embedded in itself by the sheep traffic.  Eventually, over the fence into the old-skool section, discovering just how overgrown the bastard was.  Quite low speed compared to the usual rush, never quite knowing where the holes were, or rocks, hidden under the grass.  We both survived our nemeses, my tree and his rock, and got out to the bottom and back to the cars in one piece each.

A surprising 631 m climbed, over a rather bony 15.4 kms 

Tuesday Night MacPleasant GreenThomas

Good spin tonight with Nelson.  We met about 6pm at McCormacks Bay.  

Headed up the Drayton Reserve valley (first since January - which coincidentally followed the same course).  It was steeper than I remembered. Lots of super extra chuff on the climb.  Onto the road, up around and up through the wee 'park' bit to Clearview, over the fence where the bath used to be and up thru Britten.  Cold easterly blasting across the heath, pushing us around a bit.  I was finally getting my breath back as we proceeded up the singletrack, not letting Nelson get away from me by this stage.  At the top headed around the front, tail wind pushing, and around to the cutting.  Over the fence and climbing again, Nelson getting his speed on and me breathing hard again.  Usual excuses, hayfever, asthma and bad sleep night before.  Parked up on top of Pleasant for a bit, and I chucked my jacket on.  

Climbed to the trig and took in the view, then dropped in.  Down to the gate, down to the stile, down through the rocks then tussocks, all hussing.  Cold-ass easterly howling across, lower down the tussocks Nelson took the old jumpy line to the left, and we found it sheepshit-raddled and grassy - no one seems to know it's there anymore.  Jumped down into the start of Greenwood proper, blasting across the ruins and into the rocks.  Around, and through the first rocky-af section, I focused on riding with right-foot-back after noticing my left leg getting sorer.  So hard to do, but I persevered 'til the corner, tight on Nelson's tail having to commit to the sketchy lines he was choosing.  Good blast, tail wind across the level bit before Gloomy, then Nelson got all snarled up (too tall a gear) through this and the rocks after the boardwalk stalled us both.  We had a rest here.

Then dropped into the next traverse and drop down, great blast the rest of the way.    and all the way down from there.  Audience in the carpark below for the final switchbacks.  Climbed up to Captain entrance and paused, seeing some riders below navigating the gate and the next section and through.  "Wanna lead?"  "Yeah, why not!? Let's see if we can catch them" so off I went first.  Good stretch across the start.  Good blast through all of it, tho that rock I nearly crashed on a while back, I clipped a pedal juust as I was about to go over the drop, which could have ended badly but I held it together.  As we rounded a lower corner I could see one of the other riders carrying down the rocky drops, so got pushing and dropped through them and caught them, the last one just navigating the drop into the wee climb.  Both of us sketched this, and then we were chasing them down the traversy bit around to the old skook section, meeting them at the gate (which has had a massive slip right under it).  They thought we were the ebikers of their group.  We weren't.  Apparently they set off 15 minutes ahead of them and they still hadn't caught up (Scarborough, Taylors, Boulder Bay, Godley, Captain...).  They let us go ahead and we fanged off dropping them instantly.  I was in the lead again, good fun times.  Lots of little surprise slips and dodgy narrows, quite overgrown lower down.  I ducked the branch that wrecked my last helmet, and Nelson clipped his foot on the same rock that threw him another time.  Final stretch down was sketchy narrow overgrown.  Nice tho, and then the winter's erosion has laid a nice smooth solid mud surface behind the gabions (which will be hell in the wet).

Final legs, blasting around the road back to the cars.  Some lovely tail wind around the narrow corner at Shag pile, and then a pretty good blast along through Redcliffs...

A splendid 17.21 kms with (apparently) 672 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Loner

Good hoon out tonight.  Headed up around Belleview and up Major Hornbrook to the end, through the park to the bottom of Britten.  Rode up under the pylons, steep getting the better of me walking a couple of the worst tech or steep.  Riding up across the reserve finding a sheeptrack on a better angle, to the mtb track then climbing up around the front and along to the Cutting exit.  Over the fence and back and forth and up and round up to the aerials at top of Pleasant.  All before needing any lights on.  6.30 or so at the top.

Into the descent, light on - just the headlamp tonight.  Good blitz down the rocky bits then weaving down through the tussocks, not quite as fast as usual, lambs scattering out of the way.  Spotted a horse rider over in the gloom near the gun emplacements, and as I rode down the 4wd bit passed a farmer looking bloke with a couple of dogs.  Around and down to the main drag, bomb bomb bomb.  Pretty good, not as fast as daytime, but still some good paces.  A little bit of slop across the flatter face towards Gloomy, but then all dry in there.  A big slip had crossed just after here, but the track had been repaired, then it was into the droppy rocky pop and weave down over the drop and around into Dave's zigs big corners.  Around into the gully, and the slip that's always been there has expanded, and been repaired.  Dry now.  Fast blast down the last and then a slow back and forth to the road.

Up the road, long drag, but kept a good pace, and peeled into the Sheepshit Alley, climbing, back on road, up to Britten and in.  Fast, around then off the corner across the hill following, just, the line all the way down then onto the main and under the pylon, much faster than on the Troll the other day, suspension doing what it's meant to.  Over the stile and down Kenton track, new, tech, rocky, and nicely edged, with massive exposure off the left, lights picking up rock then black black void.  Definitely want to explore this further as I peeled right and found myself just at top of Major Hornbrook.  So bombed down here, two stretches then into Belleview and round to home base. 

Supreme 15.43 km and 635 m escalated.

Sunday Thomas Green Thomas

Good ride in the heat today (summer returned for a day).  Bit of a late start, met Nelson in Scumnervale at about 11.30.  We treadled off down the street, and took a cul-de-sac through to the redzone to get to the bottom of Capt Thomas.  Around the fence and along back of the gabion wall, stopped to eat some blackberries and Andy and Wayno turned up for a chat, just finishing.  Pete was nearby too.  

Into the climb and a wee walk, with more blackberries as we passed, then riding, climbing, good pace, good times and nice in the shade for the while.  Around the head of the valley and out onto the open ground, sun pounding down on our backs.  Clamber clamber, up the hill we went.  I was nearly to the point of puking by the time we got to the gate.  Took it easy to the road and we headed up it to the Richmond Pines.

Over the stile and into Sheepshit Alley (new name on the sign, cant remember what).  Up this, nice cruise and onto the road, around up to Broadleaf, and up this.  Road wet under the pines up here due to overnight cloud flow (I'm imagining).  Up the gravel and there were a few people around up top.  

Into the descent, soon overtaking a couple, the woman of which was obviously in over her head - really struggling with the rocky tech.  I led the way, and was fanging, bombing down through the weave of tussocks.  Easy across the flatter bits.  Then down into the Greenwood proper.  Nelson leading this but I stuck to his tail the whole way, until Gloomy Gulch where I was finally getting tired.  Stopped for a bit of a break usual spot before bombing off down through the rocks.  Again, tight on his tail, great run down.  All the way gaining on a dude who'd gone past while we were resting.

Last blast, into Captain Thomas, both on top of the speed all the way down.  Good tech, good vibes.  Into the old exit, around the valley head, lovely singletrack, lots of very nice flow.  Blasting down the last bits just as the trail splits (walking down, bikes to the left) there was a couple picking blackberries here, and at the junction Nelson clipped a rock and went full summersault over, ending up off the track, on his back, still attached to one pedal.  Incredibly he was unscathed.  On from here good last blitz down the steps and back around to the cars.

A parching 15 and a half kms, with surprisingly 637 m climbed. (considering our peak was 500 m, where'd the extra 137 come from? just the lower end of the Captain??)

Went and visited David.

Sunday MacPleasantries to the Green Captain

Rebuilt rear wheel, new (40mm internal) rim, and a new Dirt Wizard on front, and new (to me) Nobby Nic on the back (biiig volume with the 40mm rim!).  

O and H (and a friend of his) were going surfing so I drove them out to Redcliffs and got out there, riding back around to McCormacks Bay and hitting the climb.  Hot work in the valley.  Took a call from Steve in the shade below the lower switchbacks, eating a couple of blackberries (just coming on) while talking, then got rolling again.  Cleaned the first, but not the second, as usual.  Exhaustingly hot up the rest of it, same (2nd) switchback making me dab as seemingly always, but got the rest to the steps.  Then it was up the road for a stretch to the steep wee connector park, then up the Upper Major to the entrance.  

Clamber clamber up the Britt, gasping in the heat and taking a direct line at the top to the macracarpa shade on the ridge.  Sat here for a bit to cool off, then rolling again, around towards the cutting - rocks knocking me around a bit - bike felt really noisy too.  Up over the fence and up zig and zag-wise, through a clusterfuck of walkers and with another rider who was struggling with the rocks, to the aerials.  Bit of a sit down up here in some shade too.  There were 3 others up here, and all of us bopped off down through the gate to the stile at the same time.  The solo guy had gone ahead, but the 3 let me through here and I never saw them again.  I eventually caught the solo dude down in the tussocks, not sure where he went, but I turned right and hit the Greenwood.  

Bombed all the way down feeling tired and slow a good portion of the time but good and flowy in other bits - definitely not a record time.  I'd let a bit of air out of my tires earlier, but I think they might still have been a little hard.  Jarred and rattled my way to the bottom

As I finished Greenwood a rider coasted through the pass and into the Captain.  I got to the trailhead and released a little more air from the tires, watching for the other dude to appear (eventually) on the other side of the valley.  I got rolling then.  Slowly winding up the speed, had a good run down through, until the first of the rocky steppy bits (the one with the wee sideline cut that we still ride the tech line on).  Fucked it up on the tech line, dont know what I did but I was almost passengering it watching the rocks coming towards me and expecting the pain any second.  Amazingly I managed to stay upright and survived, shaken and strained, but not pasted on the rock.  Ugh...  Got rolling again, shakily, and cleaned out the rest of the trail, catching the other guy just as he was about to drop into the first hairpin on his way down and out, I bombed past behind him to the O.G gate.  He'd stopped and was looking at me enquiringly.  I said "it's open again" "gate used to say 'No Access' but now just says 'Please shut'" and I took off, relishing the tightness and bush and fun.   Great descent, fun all the way, and finally along the back of the gabions, out onto the road and down to the beach to find the boys.  

Ended with a swim.    

A rather knotty 14.7 kms, with 575 m climbed.

Thursday Night Captain Pleasant Green Captain

Surprise exit this evening. Glorious it were too.

Took a while to get going and was really tempted to just not ride, but got round to Sumnervale and riding by about 7.  Headed up, good pace, and managed to stay on top of the wheeze.  Good going pretty much all the way up, feeling strong.  Cleaned out the top, the whole time pondering where was I gonna go...??  The tops were in cloud so I thought it'd be interesting to get up in it, so, turned right and headed up the road.  Good grind up here too, steady as she went.  Plod plod plod, watching the clock, 7.43 was at the Richmond Pines, 7.59 at the top of Mt Pleasant aerials in the cloud ready to drop in.

Excellent run down through the fog, no visibility except the metres of track ahead.  

It's been buffed, looked like an Enduro had been through it, everything a bit worn, but was riding really good.  I was well down the tussocks pretty much at the ruins by the time any view came in.  Then lower, in Gloomy Gulch the light was fricking spectacular.  Total glow.  Good bomb down from here down the swoopy rocks, cleared the drop and on round, speed off to build back up back and forth, weaving up the banks down into the next valley then blast down (juuuust about cleaned the first rocky up, single dab) the last stretch to the back and forth at the end.  Nice.

Next down, Capt Thomas.  Usual fluff, nice bomb.  Cleaned everything nicely the way I always do, even the wee climb has been chipped away at and would just about be cleanable now.  Then across the face to the first hairpin, I'd heard the old route was opened up again (woman I was on a course with had done it on Tuesday) and I was interested to see how low down it went.  More than 10 years since I'd been in there.  Wasn't expecting what I found, that's for sure.  Awesome riding around the old techy rocks lines that used to be a bit of a challenge, and around the gulch and below the cliffs, through.  

(Looking back up there:

Some work's been done to make it more rideable, and boy it's good.  Further across, above the pony club, there's some big rock movements that are worked with, it's all done really well.  Swoopy flowy bombing, total joy.  Nice and narrow track, and with enough wee ups to keep you on your toes.  Further down it was IN forest, which I dont remember at all, and the walking track heads down but the bike track just keeps going around all the way to where it drops down at the end, where it always was!  Then you're down behind the gabion walls separating you from the road, only metres away, but you could be in this bucolic wilderness as you file back up valley to get out via the gap at the end of the fence against the cliff.  Then out to the road and up to the car.  

Awesomesauce.  Just about 15 kms, with just over 600 m climbed.

Thursday Night Windy Pleasant Greenwood

Blowy evening's ride tonight.  Nelson and me met at Parkridge and headed around and up, over the fence where the bath used to be and across.  I was really gasping, struggling with the climbing and breathing, mainly due to sleep and maybe hayfever issues.  Bloody annoying tho, considering how I'd been feeling like I was doing alright when riding on my own...  Maybe it's just cos Nelson's that much quicker, I was pushing to keep up.  Anyway, up Britten, then across into the gale and over up Broadleaf where he took a call to organise his weekend, and on up the gravel to the radio towers.  Still plenty of light til this point, I think I took my sunnies off up here.  

Dropped over into the descent, a good blast, but man she's getting bony, and the wind was pushy at times, good on the tail, but from the side - nearly off course a couple times in the tussocks.  Down to the start of Greenwood, we hung a left out the original entry across, pushing hard into the wind around and then dropped into Sheep Shit Alley, tail wind dropping down nicely nicely and around into some shelter from the wind beyond the pines.  Sat and took in the view of the ships and sunset lightings with a snack.  

Into the traverse across towards the ruins, up the bastard climby cornerers up to Greenwood again.  Lights on medium to start, and dropping in.  Wind, Rocks, Visibility, I was struggling.  One point I clipped a rock and it nearly stopped me dead, the impact resonating right up through my bones and jarring me something wicked.  Was almost like I'd blacked out for a moment, and nearly threw me off.  Helluva shock.  Picked up the pace a bit after that around, catching Nelson as he squirrelled on an angled rock, then he dropped me across towards Gloomy and obviously had a great run through there, ditching me.  I didnt, rocks fatiguing me, but got my groove back on the steeper descent, popped the drop at the bottom and Nelson was waiting for me here.  Into the lowers, Dave'sZone, blasty blasty, good pace down and out.  Gale winds massive at the bottom just before Evans in those last corners.

Up the road, lonnnnnnggg grind, then into Britten where I led for a change and we had a good blast all the way down, wind died down a bit now, but still pretty strong on the final face.  Super bony down to and under the pylon, and finishing at the cars.

Windy windy ziggy zaggy, 14 kms with 611 m gained.

Thursday Night Greenwood Britt Pleasant Greenwood

Good loop tonight under a very big moon (being one night post- super blood moon).  Nelsie and me met at Evans Pass, very dark but not windy here.  Decided to ride up Greenwood, which proved to be quite good.  I was huffing and chuffing to start with but Nelson kept the velocity down and we crawled away, him cleaning all stuff, while I cleaned most.  Had some weird balance issues up around that drop, then lost it just before the steepest rocky bit before gloomy and had to walk that section cos I just couldn't get going.  Rest of the climb was mint, and at the ruins we headed out the old entrance, going well across there.  

Then it was up the road to Britten, and I led around the 'long way' round the front, through the cattlestop and onto the road at the cutting.  Up over the fence, gasping, and then up, climbing away up Mt Pleasant, into fog/scudding cloud at the top, which cleared when we got there.  Moon was bright above the whole time, at times glimpsing like someone's headlight on the hill above us - before you realised it was just the moon. 

Into the descent.  Moisture was sticking to a few rocks, and the tussocks all had some dampness so it was a little bit rock pingy slick at times, but mostly good.  All the way down I was really trying to focus on swapping out my dominant leg (left leg back is the norm and causing me my gyp), so on the less tech stuff I was focussing on right leg back.  I reckon by the bottom I was getting a lot more happy with it.  Good bomb down, nothing too sketchy.  A couple of riders were near the ruins when we arrived but they headed down the trail towards Richmond Hill pines, and we contemplated at that point doing a quick lap of those two trails, but decided on just heading straight down.  Anyway, good blast.  

Not a bad wee 10 kms and a smidge under 400 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Richmond Frog Pleasant Green Captain

Great ride tonight. Watched NZ win the America's Cup then jumped in the car and skedoodled around to Scumnervale to meet Nelson.  I had a plan that didn't involve going up Captain Thomas.

We headed down into Slumner-proper and around into Richmond Hill Road, riding up this grunter, and to punish us more, a headwind up the main ridge, me surprised at my ability to nearly keep up with him.  I didn't flag and we made it up to the top with no issues, stopping a couple of times to check out For Sale signs.  Dropped down the stormwater catchment reserve, and onto singletrack climbing into the valley and then upwards out of the valley towards Clifton Tce, then around and up the rooty trail no-longer under trees.  Quite exposed here, with the southerly ploughing across the Gethsemane Gardens.  Into the Frog Pond climb, both cleaning the entrance which I'm pretty sure we used to fail on (due to overhanging branches of the trees that aren't there anymore).  Good climb up the rest of it, up around and on up to the pine tree stile and then up the rest to the big pines.  Across into Sheep Shit Alley, climbing climbing, feeling good and strong the whole way.  

A break on the road at top of old Greenwood entrance, then off up the road and up Broadleaf Lane, into the gravel and still feeling good powering up this climb.  The hill work I did over the weekend, clambering for work on the Hawkdun Range, definitely benefitting me (since the pain of Tuesday had gone).

Wind singing in the tower guys, we hit the trail down.  Excellent blast, I was on Nelson's tail pretty much the entire way, following closely.  Surprised myself how well I held on, but once heading around towards Gloomy Gulch he lost me.  I just couldn't keep up, then I took a weird new high line before the boardwalk section, but stayed high too long and basically couldn't get down, having to dab down onto it.  Luckily he'd stopped around the corner and we had a break while watching a crew of 6 or so down the trail below.  Jumped on and got fanging, bombing the rocks, wafting the walls and dropped around into Dangerous Dave's squiggles, flying, and maintaining my tight-on-his tail position all the way down.  

Across the road and onto the Captain.  Another excellent blast down this.  Again, really holding on all the way down.  Wicked blast.

A moveable feast of 13.75 kms, with a veritable 561 m climbed.