Sunday Morning Codger's Dog's Firball, 51 Horses

Hot ride in Nelson today. Plans were malleable and changed as I rode... From base, down the walkway and then out across behind the Cathedral and then up my usual entrance to the Brook, via that nice path along the creek then a bit of a zig and zag up to bottom of Codgers.  Climbed on up here, not that many people around and yet still a few.  Into Tasman Journeys for a zig and a zag up to Jacks then up to Middle road, grannying along the steeps.  Jeht was in 29:29 guise, and riding pretty nicely.  Blessing was so far all of it was in the shade, and there was still some cool dampness in the air from the night, tho was fixing to be a bit of a scorcher.  Stopped at a picnic table for a short break and look at Trailforks to work out where to go.  Decided on the top of Lollipop and see where from there, thinking maybe Hotbox then try the climb up from Maitai over that side.  Got to Hotbox and Beer Bottle climb and another rider rolled up and we talked then I led off up Beer Bottle, cleaning it nicely.  I went all the way to the very top (view from here)

The other dude had headed off down Top Dog from the corner.  Had a wee look down Lolli but nahhhhh...  and Hot Box had closed tape all over it, figured best not to annoy the trailmakers, so took Top Dog and proceeded to enjoy the bejeebus out of it.  Reminded me of the sections of Great Expectations that are in the pines, tho a little more tech than that.  Was too soon over and I was on an access road.  Headed up this passing the top of the climb trail, then DIVAs (compulsory gap jumps - nah), then Hotbox (closed tapes all over, so no go there) so continued back up to the skid (at top of Take me to your Leader), proceeded back up to the main Fireball Skid, then up Firball climb to access the Trig.  Even better view than top of Top Dog.   

I'd spotted a new trail on the map from this Trig, and had been aiming for it, Koata Whetu.  I'd done Koata Marama last time I was up here so this was a good option for heading back down.  It was fun.  Popped and weaved, up top wider and less steep than Top Dog, through a bit of regen native, a few pines near the top and then across the grassy scrub around to eventually join onto the bottom of Fir Ball.  Boffed down through this then through the saddle and climbed up to Whanake and into P51 for a nice rolly back and forth, a few nice tabletops, one cased bollocking (OUCH), then down through into the bottom.  Chose Crazy Horse instead of the bottom of Firball based solely on that it was shorter slightly shorter than Firball (figured it might therefore be steeper and more fun).  Not that great, anyway.  At Container Skid I stupidly didn't take Young Codgers instead climbing up back onto the main Coppermine trails and headed down this against the traffic flow.  

Rolled back down through town (swinging past the Gallery to see if Anth was there for a coffee) and got hot and bothered climbing up Locking St and the walkway back to base.  

Somewhere in the vicinity of 18 kms, and around 600 m climbed (recalculated because bloody MMR straightlined it from the top of Firball to the top of Whanake... (at least 100 m altitude from saddle up Whanake))

Queen's Birthday Old Codger

Took Jet into Codgers for a spin. Forgot to turn on the MMR til just up the road. Headed up the main trail towards Tantragee, overtaking a dad and his kid.  Hung a left into Pipeline, around and then up Jack's, which had a fair bit of grease under tread. Spotted a couple of riders ahead, catching them up in the bushy part of Jacks, and then finding a couple more waiting for them at the Middle Rd.  Hung a right here and headed up to Fireball Rd where I found some dude waiting - I asked him what Turners might be like after the rain overnight.  He didn't know cos he was from Chch too.  We exchanged stories a bit then he headed for Smasher, while I headed off up the access link to Turners.  Cool 'Reign' seat/sculpture thing here.  Dropped in to the trail and it was good.  Greasy in places so's not to be too careless, and carefulness was needed in one or two bits.  Bombed down swooping and popping, to the bottom and then headed up Take Me To Your Leader, nice steep wee zig zaggy climb. Big skidder site here with Fireball to the left, and heading up round to the right I rode up to top of Lollipop (also the top of Hot Buns and Top Dog) for a look. Walked down a ways to check it out but decided not to ride it - was looking scary greasy.  So, from the parkbench I headed down the top of Top Dog, fun, not tooo steep, interesting trail through fir and pines and gum, rolling out to the road again.  The trail continued downwards, but I didn't wanna climb all the way back up, so figured I'd go check out Smasher.  Headed back down to the skidder site and the up the start of Fireball and into the Smasher Climb.  Steep little bastard through trees (last time, with Ian and Leigh, this wasnt here), that got me walking near the top.  Into the start of Smasher and I remembered how cool this top section was.  Once through the open bit and back into the forest the trail sidles nicely for a while before starting into a few corners back and forth that just get steeper and steeperer and steepererer until I had to walk.  One, then another.  Then, 'oh bugger', another one, then 'uh oh, shiiiiit' another one, then uh huh...  but once into the gums near the bottom all good and rolled down through the rest of it back to the Sunday Hole swimming spot.  Jet was pretty grubby from mucky bits on the trails so I chucked a stick in for him and he washed off.  From here we cruised back down the Maitai, him meeting lots of new friends.  Passed by Nile St and headed further down to stop in at the Suter Gallery where the family were and found them just leaving, so I headed back to Flamedaisy and cleaned up before they got home.

1 hour 20 ridden, 15kms, with 500m climbed.  Not bad for a post-hungover morning spin.