Wednesday Night Britten Pleasant

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All of 9.72 kms and 308 m escalated.  

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 

Wednesday Night Brit Cavendish, Castle Pleasant Kenton

Sweet solo ride tonight.  Nelson was away and had asked me to feed Maude, so I drove from work to Major Hornbrook and parked up above Madeley.  

Headed up through the Long-Clear-Ridge-Views to Upper HornB then into Britten, climbing the first bit a weird way.  Usual chuff up, and filled my bottle from the tap at the intersection.  Then back into Britten and around the front, dabbing a bit, over the road/fence, long-grass climb to Crater Rim descending to Cavendish Saddle.  Up and around the back below Gondola building (Crater Rim, not the zig zags to top) and dropped down the steppy rocky tech to Bridle Path-top. 

Realised when I got to the road that my rear-end had been locked out!  No wonder it'd felt a bit dodgy.  

Cruised up the road, spotting a rider on the trail below, and we both reached the top of Castle Rock at the same time.  He was with 3 others, one of which had been motoring (literally) up the road, whereas behind him were a meat powered and another eMpTy-B.  I awaited the latter two's arrival, chatting meanwhile, and then dropped in.  Nice smooth run down the Castle, flowing good, tho never felt exponentially fast.  The climb section was smooth and nice, then dropped off down to the Bridle-top again, and headed along the road.  Sitting up, no-hands, all the way around to the Gondola and a headwind struggle up the climb.  Stopped and oiled my chain at the gate, then headed up and back into the reserve to climb the Crater Rim where I'd come down, deciding to push myself a bit and not take the easy route.  

Climbed to top of Mt Pleasant and dropped off over the other side.  Nice bony run to slightly smoother lower tussocks, tho some of the line choices left something to be desired, nearly crashing once because my body was saying 'left line' and my brain was thinking 'right' resulting in a bumpy tussocky rut-ridge line.  Not ideal.  Down the 4wd section and into the OG entrance line around and out to the road.  Bony as all get up in here too.

Up the road, and into Britten, dropping down, flowy flow, across the front and dropping down under the pylon.  Popped over the stile and boffed off down Kenton.  What a great track - one of my favourites for flowy tech.  Exited the small parky reserve, rather than up the steps, and the climbed out Rockview and back up Major Horny to the car. 

An assiduous 14.6 kms with a smidge over 600 m vertical.

Drove down and fed Nelsie's cat then picked up the new German from climbing.

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

Wednesday Evening Pleasant Until Inclement Castle Return

Groovy ride with Nelson tonight.  Drizzle had started to push on the blustery wind on my way home from work, and I nearly called it, but he said it was fine at his place so we figured we'd manage...  

Got to his and it was fine, so bikes on his car we shunted up to Upper Major Hornbrook where it was humid and very windy, easterly/nor-easterly.  Hit up Britten, not really knowing where to until we got to the top of there...  Decided on Castle Rock, so off we went around top of Britten, staying high, then up Broadleaf to get to a nice blast down towards Cavendish.  Nelson OTB'd not long into the overgrown, twisty, rocky singletrack.  No harm done, so onwards, and I didnt get any flow on until we were on the long traverse towards the west, nice tail-wind behind.  Nearly lost it on the fateful corner of time's-past, but kept it reigned in and we were over the stile and down to the saddle in good time.  

Up the ziggy zaggy to the top of Cavendish, around behind the building and into the steppy steppy rockville down to Bridle-top.  All good.  All fun.  Although I dabbed a fair chunk of some sections.  As we climbed to Castle the cloud lowered, the wind pushing hard, and we dropped into slicky rocks and drizzle driving into the eyes making for some seriously blurry descent.  Sketch was the way.  Greasing gingerly around the hairpins and between, then Nelson powered off on the climb while I was committed to muppetry, slip-pinging all over the rocks as I ascended, rolling out to the road to where he was waiting.  

We ventured around under the gondola.  Nice and calm out of the wind around here, then full facial blast around the corner, but only briefly - finding that a little further up the road it was sweet calm again.  Weird wind direction.  The drizzle certainly wasnt relenting tho.  Low visibility up around the road through the cutting, a couple of cars encountered, then dropped off into Britten, for a keep-it-to-the-lowest-common-denominator roll around in the slick rocks.  Full blast wind around the outside edge, then down the new(ish) sprayed in trail to the VeeTwin descent, which we just took back to the car, wetter and wetter as we descended.  No mudguard on Nelson's bike meant his face was splecked up good.

Surprisingly miserly 10 kms, but with 457 m climbed, not a bad climb:distance ratio

Wetnesday Whetted Mean Streets

Wet evening so not really any off-road options available, as such, it was decided a 'roadie' ride to be had.  I headed to Nelson's in the car with the Troll (still wearing its mudguards) in the back - useful for the conditions.

Off we headed up the hill - Santa Maria - Selleck - Assisi into Drayton and then up Mt Pleasant, grinding away to the top. Nice climb and there wasn't really any rain, nor traffic, around at all.  However, once we headed down the Summit Rd into the fog (headlights too bright, handlebar okay) the rain started to spit a bit.  Down to the big pines and through the gate and over the fence.  Sticky but surprisingly good traction track down to stile and then down to some more.  Mucksome track, it was.  Decided against Frog Pond and took the more ridge based track.  I walked a couple of tech bits, not trusting my traction, but Nelson boffed off down them no probs.  Took the lower exit to Clifton and headed up Revelation Drive to explore, as far up as we could, then back down to Galilee Lane, dropping down a wee ways, but not that far, before clambering back out.  Then down Panorama, surprised how far down York's old place was, and dropping down his old (private access!) driveway past his house and dropped to the watertank, around this and then walked down the steps.  Then we were on Tuawera Tce and couldn't quite work out where the 'secret' alleyway was down.  Went too far down here, then turned back and decided to hit the driveway that led us to it - dropping down this (i walked the steps) onto Kinsey Tce, and it was left down Mulgans.  Tricknical cornering (dab, dab, dab).  

On the flat again, around Moncks and then up Augusta, all the way to the top, trying to work out where a shortcut through I found once was...  Ended up taking a driveway up (much to the chagrin of a dog) and around to a vacant lot but couldn't work out how to get across to Challenger Lane so back off down, around into Taupata, then up Egnot and Challenger, steeeeep.  Zigging and zagging on the road seemed to help, but it was definitely walking up to Daring Lane, onto Glenstrae and upwards, more zig zagging and Monck's Spur top, riding no problem, and out to Mt Pleasant Rd for a sweet descent down, Drayton etc back the way we'd climbed.  

Good ride, nice loop. Over 15kms and 670m climbed, a little of which I had to walk

Sun-Daylight-saved More Down than Up around Cavendish, Castle and Pleasant.

Great wee ride tonight, first of the non-Daylight Savings, Winter is Coming, ride.  I drove to Nelson's and chucked my bike on his roof and we headed up the hill, parking at Summit / Mt Pleasant Rds intersection.  

Headed into Britten and around the front, then rather than up onto the singletrack for the ballbearing descent, we headed down the road through the cutting to Cavendish Saddle, and climbed up the zigs and zags to the back of the Gondola building.  Off down the steppity-steppity-steps and rocknical techery through to the Bridle top and onroad to top of Castle.

I led down Castle Rock, keeping good pace and ducking and weaving the rocks and sketch.  Nice blast down and around then around again and climbing, slower than Nelson's usual pace on this bit, meeting an ebike guy coming the other way.  Onto the road again to head around under the Gondola, up to Cavendish Saddle again and this time onto the trail for the steeper-than-we-ever-remember-until-it-levels-off-a-bit climb up and around.  Between a couple of rocks I got stymied, wedged, feet not clipping out fast enough, and ended up toppling off and tumbling, leaving my bike standing.  Rolling again balance was all off, and I struggled up the rest, cleaning waay more than I'd expect, given those conditions.  Up to top of Mt Pleasant, couldn't see Nelson so assumed he'd ridden around the building to the top and over, but once I was up there I could see him down at the top of the trail...  I bopped down to where he was and he was gone, oh, there he is, up towards the trig.  

Dropped into the top of Mt Pleasant descent, biffing and boffing down, stalled and nearly otb'd on that 2nd corner, but survived and rolled on, struggling in the stoppiness of the rocks, and then getting my groove back in the grooves lower down.  Down above the ruins and hauling ass across the OG (original greenwood) entrance to the road again.  Up around to the car I suggested we leave and drive back for.  

Down Britten (V-twin) and across the front, then exploring all the techy rock features down the left hand side, eventually dropping down and entering ("i didnt see the any no bikes sign") Kenton track, for a fun, tech, speedy bash.  Excellent cleaning of the trickery, eventuating at the bottom of the steps up to Rockview Pl.  From here, Belleview, Mt Pleasant and Soleares to Nelson's.  He put his bike away and I chucked mine on the back of my car and ran him back up to his.

Good vibes, 13 and a half kms, with 420 m climbed (+ an extra 300 m descended).

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 Night Pleasant Castle Britten Kent

Worked from home so got to Nelson's early and we rode up the hill by daylight!  Very cool breeze from the south that we came into as we climbed.  Brrrr...  from his place, up Santa Maria, Assisi and Drayton, Belleview and Hornbrook up to Upper, into Britten and climbing climbing climbing.  Feeling like I've been fighting something, turns out was probably just the usual July/August hayfever.  Trails in good nick.  Across top of Britten and up Broadleaf, just the usual grind.  

Dropping into the singletrack towards the Gondola.  GREASY as fuck.  Damp dirt, turning rocks slick, and my tyres were too pumped - we were both pinging all over the place on the rocks, and the ruts were not helpful either, not to mention I only had my headlight, no handlebar light, so visibility not great.  And to top it all off, the light was wobbling/shaking everywhere for the whole ride.  Slowly got into a better groove once the straighter bits turned up towards the end, albeit shortlived.  Into Cavendish Saddle and up onto the Crater Rim under the back of the Gondola building it was, as to be expected, southfacing slope, even more greasy, rocks like ice. 

The steps blop, blop, blop down had greasy tops but weren't quite as bad as I'd expected.  One of the routes we used to use was almost impossible to find and a lot rockier than memory served, but we made the top of Bridle eventually and it was time to climb.

Into Castle Rock track, some speed ensued and it was a generally good run.  A couple of expected wet spots, but in good nick mostly.  Into the climb and Nelson had a very good run up it, me, not so much, but not terrible.  I was feeling unexpectedly good, powerwise, most of the ride.  Out onto the road, and around under the gondola, stopped to watch some interesting fog rolling over parts of the city.  Climbed up through cutting and dropped into the Britten across and around the front - different in the dark, we got to the end of the 'round the front' fast.  

Time for descent, again, wary of the grease and ruttage, bombing, trying to keep pace with Nelson but under-lit.  Across the front and we found the second half of that to be difficult to find, then found a massively stupid popper gap jump being built mid slope.  Stupid kids.  Down from here and down into the pylon finish, over the stile and into Kenton Track for a techy, grease-fest.  Cleaned a lot less than I did when I rode this in May - darkness and greasiness getting the better of me.  Nearly at the end, I spotted a gate on the right.  So, up through this, and out onto Rockview without having to carry up all those steps!  From here, down the Major, Belleview, Pleasant, Drayton, etc back to base

Chilly 16.3 kms and a pleasantly surprising 665 m climbed.

Bony Pleasant Thursday with a Shocking Blowout

Rode from Nelson's place tonight. Up Soleares, which happens to be a right bastard steep (worserer than Vic Park Drive from mine). Right on Belleview and then left up Major Hornbrook - Kaikoura View, then up through the parky bit and up across the Long/Clear/Ridge-Views to the Upper Hornbrook entrance of Britten.  A nice night up here.  Zig and zag across the front of Britten and around up to top, then around the front and out the exit by the cattlestop/cutting.  Over the fence and up through the long grass narrowed trail onto the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Nelson dropped me up here, whereas I wasn't doing so bad lower down, boosting to catch him every now and then.  Up ehre on the rocky bits I just kept hooking feet or stalling on the rocks.  Bit of a break at the top of Pleasant.  

Into the descent, nice rolling but fucking boney.  Much worse than last timast time, which was bony af then.  Good times through the tussocks thought and I think for the first time meeting all the new fences at the bottom of this...  Down into 'Knapsack', where I found I had no idea where I was going - hussing around blind hairpins into unexpected turns, and then towards the far end I just had no idea and it seemed to just go on and on...  Climbed up the 4wd trail (diagonally towards the gun emplacements) meeting the new fence/gate across this, and eventually (it's always longer than I remember) got to Greenwood OG entrance trail.  Across this, fun times, removing the stupidly placed (metal) trail closed sign that was perched in the middle of the new cattlestop, then dealt with all the rocks across the top here.  Next we dropped into Sheepshit Alley.  Droppy fun descent then a short climb and at the top of this on a corner I heard a weird skreek.  Not the kind of noise a rock strike makes, almost a cracked frame type sound, but bike was riding fine so carried on, tho noticing handling was getting a little weird.  Anyway, when I finally got to the bottom (again, longer than memory served), pulled up and thought "why is my waterbottle leaking?" "wait, that's not water, that's OIL!"  Pissing out of the top of my shock all down over my bottle and frame...  Huh.  Air was staying in so it was still springy, but no more damping.  

From here rode up the road back to Britten, bouncing a bit, and dropped into here bombing down, bike feeling pretty much fine.  Bombed down the way we'd come up tho turned off down Madeley Rd to Mt Pleasant and bombed down Soleares back to Toledo.  

Shockingly good 14.6 kms hastened and 537 m vied. 

Later follow up...  damper shaft broken in the shock, not just an o-ring.

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

Thursday Night Convoluted Topspin

Great wee ride tonight with Nelson, staying up high and looping about Mt Pleasant.   We'd figured ridgelines would be best given the amount of rain we'd had a couple days ago...

Parked on Parkridge and headed the usual byways entering Britten at the gate on Upper Major and singletracking up from there.  Zig and zag then at the top we hit the road and coasted down to hit the OG (Original Greenwood) entrance, peeling left into Sheepshit Alley for a nice cruisy descent.  This always has more upwardsness than I feel it did (considering the climb it is the other way), but a nice blast down and took the 'Moab' line towards the end.  

At the bottom we hung a right and cruised up the farm track, noticing for the first time a bulldozed fence line being put in.  Continued onwards all the way to the gun emplacements.  Bit of a tootle around here then rode and explored the closed Bluffs track to the point we couldnt.  Turned back and bombed down to the OG line across, me leading and juuust making it through all the tech bits.  

On the road again and back up to Britten for 'around the front' and then across the road at the cutting and up over the fence and up the very overgrown long grassed (especially for this time of year) zig and zag climbing all the way to the top of Pleasant.  Very pleasant to get to the top for a bit of a rest and snack.  

Dropped in, me in the lead, and pinging all over the place but enjoying the rocks and the down.  Carved our way through the tussocks and then out to then end.  Down the farmtrack briefly then dropping into what Trailforks calls Titus (Previously the Greenline/Greensticks/Swoopy).  Hero dirt stylez down here, carving back and forth with great gusto and grip.  Fun times.  Then climbing (what Trailforks calls) Knapsack but I call Sheepshit Alley back to the top for the final stretch along this road.  

Dropping into Britten, Nelson took off like a rocket.  I was not far behind but wasn't quite as gungho.  Good across the front then he missed a turn and I took the lead for the drop down, then we explored out to check out the rocks.  Back on track we bombed down the steep section (that freaked me out last time I took the Troll down it) and over the stile to hit down Kenton Track, this time all the way.  It was mint.  He led the first bit but took the high line (towards where I exited last time) and I went low, leading the last section.  Some awesome tech in there.  Finally, up the steps, pushing up alongside houses then out on to Rockview, and up Major Hornbrook to the cars.

A very pleasant 13.8 kms with 520m climbed.

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.

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.

Saturday Pleasantly Trolling the Gods

Glourious day, for a good jaunt over the knolls and tumps.  

Up the main road on the Troll to the summit, then around to the cutting and over the fence for the singleteck trach to the aerials.  

As I got to the gate, a Karen said to me , "you know the mountainbike track's closed?"  

I wish I'd said, "thanks, Karen, I did know that." And also wish I'd pointed out how inappropriate the bike and tires were for that track.  

But alas I wasn't fast enough, and just replied, "uhhh, yep, I just wanted to get to the top and back."  

Which I did, fuck her very much.  Nice rest and snack overlooking Lyttelton.  

Onto the gravel for the skittery hoon back down to Broadleaf.  Passing Karen on the way (proving my point) but also nearly losing my front end before the cattlestop...  slightly overcooked.  Down Broadleaf and right turn onto the Summit for a cruisy blast all the way down to Evans Pass.  Seeing Harry from work on the way down ("Gudday Richard!" Me turning back to see..."oh, it's you, hi!").  

Staying on the road, out Godley, nice cruise, to Breeze Col, where I hit the OG trail below road, having a very nice cruise around here, reminiscing back to when it was first made, 25 years ago! and keeping a good pace going.  At a point a couple of walking guys said "stop and enjoy the view!" so I did, and we had a friendly if slightly awkward conversation about poisoning ants, of all things.  Enough of that, I got back on the bike and hooned off down the singletrack from here, nearly losing it in a rut, but not, oops.  Out to the end and off up the 4wdy track above the road, staying on it and riding the 'bike track' rather than the usual narrow overgrown sheeptrack (or indeed Breeze Bay).  Back down to Breeze Col and back on the road for the clamber (then descent) back to Evans.

For the hell of it, from Evans I went over the stile into the old Greenwood exit and started the push up the ridge.  Long push.  Pushing til it levelled off, then riding for a bit, then back to the pushing, little bit more riding, them more pushing up to the stile where the trail up from Urumau (and Chalmers) comes to.  Chatted to an old walker here then rode across the saddle and over the next stile, from whence I carried the bike, head through frame on shoulders, up the steep rocks.  As I crested through the rock formations there were 3 women (30s/early40s maybe), one of whom said, "we were just saying what a bad ass you are." 

To which I replied, "well, the bike gets me from a to b quickly and occasionally I just have to lug it."  

And another one said, "we're pretty impressed, mate." 

Nicely flattering, ego stoked, I got back on and continued riding for a bit, cleaning some good tech within view too.  hehe.  Across gun emplacements and down the 4wd to the OG Greenwood entrance trail, across this, managing some pretty good tech, to the entrance and then fast blast back down via Upper Major, the Ridge- and Clear-views down Longridge and main road to the house.

Was an awesome ride, 26 kms with an over the tonne 1050 m climbed.

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.

Sunday MacBritten's Pleasantly Green Captain

Met Nelson at McCormack's Bay and we headed up thru the lush spring growth - amazing how much the green veg has returned to the previously scorched earth of February (first time up here since then too). A lot of breathing heavily up the steeps and zigs, but cleaning it all (bar one over steer on the upper hairpins that let him get past me), and then we got it the top on Craigieburn Place and on up Mt Pleasant Rd. Up thru the little reserve then up the road to the Britten entrance, gate kindly held open for us by one of a massive group of riders... Up, back and forth on Britten, feeling quite good and leading the whole way, a few riders coming down.  Around the front and pedal-strikey rocks to the cutting, over the fence and climbing around and up to Mt Pleasant aerials.  Riding up the 4wd road was a couple of guys, one with a blanket draped over his bars.  I had no idea what that was about.  We got up to the top and there was a cluster of a few people.  I didn't really click was was going on, but there was one very sorry looking guy and they were (I realised later) clustered around him.  As we came down through the gate we held it open for a guy who was walking 2 bikes up.  He told us the sorry looking guy had fallen, and suspected broken arm, possibly compound, elbow...  yikes.  He'd got his weight wrong, dislodged a rock and fallen a ways down.

Ride from here was (now, slightly more careful but still) a blast.  Nice descent, bombing ever bombing, through all the way and down.  Through some runners on the tussocks run (one of whom works here and said he recognised me but I was gone in a flash).  We stopped eventually a little before the Gloomy Gulch, and it was nice to have a different lookout view for a change.  Once recovered from the rapid descent, we got going, and this time was a lot fresher through the tricknical rocks at the gulch, and a good pump through before the fast rocky descent.  Nice pop off the rock drop and around cruising then accelerating through and around.  For the first time in, I think, forever, I pedalled through the first rocky up, juuust maintaining enough torque and balance to get through it no dabs!  Amazing. Helps that I'd only done it a couple days before. Finishing touches out to the road with an audience at Evans quarry overlook.

Into the Captain.  Leading again, and flowing well, all familiar from having only ridden it also 2 days before, cleaning all the usual rocks with aplomb and EVEN cleaning the techy tricky wee climb, for the first time in forever as well.  Woohoo, that's a first for many many years.  Smooth roll around to the first hairpin and straight through it to the gate (minding out for the big hidden hole on the right! immediately before).  Great riding this old section again, second time in 3 days after >10 years off.  What a blast.  Even the smells are familiar.  Nelson was rapt with it too.  Good flow through, tho they've put a couple of bits of fencepost across the top of one rocky overdrop feature, making it a definite get off.  Lower sections, flowing nicely, grass felt as if it'd grown even since Thursday night, and definitely fun riding down through the pines again and out the bottom.  The stretch behind the gabions felt like the grass had grown there too...  Finally, out the fence gap and onto the road for a smooth cruise, still with plenty of power, back to the cars.  

Good circuit, 17 and a quarter kms, with 672 m climbed.

Off to Waitutu on Tuesday, so an enforced week off the bike, walking in the bush.  Looks like it might be a bit wet.  Yay.