Saturday, Which Hill?

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

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

15.5 kms rolled, and over 500 m lofted.

Sunday Haulin' the Stooge's Singletrack Ass

Exquisite jaunt on the day before tomorrow. Started out with Tra'y, splitting at top of the dogs. Over 19th, up the Grunter, had my bottle today, so had a good drink at the fountain and refilled, then on up the Worm and onto the Traverse. Loving the applied power and rolling goodness. 

Over Vernon, loving the groove, railing the down.  Straight through Rapaki-top into clambery climbing Witch, hoofity-bumpsville, then across the road onto the first little piece of 360, before dropping out and heading up the road to Castle. 

Dropped in and flowed, a couple of big rim bashes across the really rocky section, that thankfully didnt result in flats, down around the zig and zag and into the climb.  Gloriously applied power through the climb, then getting tired, popping out to Bridle-top.  Started heading up the road, but then spur of the moment, surprising even myself, I turned around and headed back into the climb on the singletrack.  It was hard but I really enjoyed it.  Walked a couple of wee bits (2nd hairpin and the very last steep before final corner) but otherwise great - need to add this to my modus operandi - it's a good workout.   

Clambered up to the Tors track and dropped in, having a glorious descent of this, couple of dabs, then bombed to 360 above the road and hoo-wee it's tight; overgrown. Quite tricky not to tip over the edge every pedal stroke. Need shorter cranks and/or to rotate the EBB, or the trail needs some maint. Into the Witch for another sweet tech climb to flowy decent to Rapakitop, rolling through and heading up the road.  Then, surprising myself again, just after the cattle stop figured I'd hit the Vernon. Climby climby climb climb singletrack around and up. 

At the Traverse I had a breather and a young guy on a Velduro rolled up.  I said, "you may as well go you'll be faster." We chatted a little more then off he went, with me a few moments after.  Chasing, I mostly held onto him until the little climby bit, but then I gained on him again in the long rolling descent, and then all of a sudden, at the pond, there's Tra'y across the road, jogging along.  "TRA'Y!!"  Nice catch up.  Split, I headed on around the summit, having a lovely blast with the tail wind.  Into the trees, both jumps, then Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way, Newby Home.  Nice.. 

Just under 20 kms this time, with 711 m wrought.

Saturday Morning Studied Speedbombing

Nice we spin this morning. Nursing the concussion of last Thursday all week, finally had a good night's sleep, so I took the Speedbomb out for a test ride. Not coincidentally, T was out for a walk so I rode to meet up with her at Vernon.  Took the road up Vic, through to skidder (not diverting over 19th).  Up the guts was okay, SO much tree-trash around after the gale winds we had Thursday-Friday.  Balmy, calm day today, post tropical system coupled with nor'west warmth.  Spectacular.  

Took the Summit Rd around to top of Lavaflow, and spotted her down just below the Huntsbury, so onwards around the road, and down the gravel, full noise to meet her just below the gapjump.  Turned and rode up with her.  At Summit I hit the Vernon track for a bit and she summited the peak.  I pushed through lonnnng grass to the trail up the front and rode to meet up top.  Shared a few dates and then turned down.  I rode all the way down to the Summit trail and then left towards home.  

Climbed around Vernon to Traverse, and started caning it along here.  Caught some women with a dog about the same time an e-rider caught me, so I let him past then waited at the highpoint for them all to get further ahead.  Then I had a free-speed bomb-run down, catching up at the pond, following for a bit, passing 2 of the women, then taking a rock-tech freeline just before the 4wd bit, passing the ebiker and the last woman and dog.  At the sign, the Ebiker passed me, then I was on his tail the whole way.  Climbs he'd only go slightly faster, and descents I was having to hold back then catch him, hold back and catch him.  At the last high point I could see a couple walkers and dogs ahead, so I stopped and let them all get further along.  That way I got the free-speed bomb-blast again, down through, past the walkers on the last flat stuff, and then into the trees.  

First jumpie good, then flow through, hit Brakefree - splecky muck in between jumps, off into Pines, Gums.  Moved a few sticks and one tricky fallen tree as I descended through here, otherwise just a lot of scrap on the ground.  Down into the cypresses and through to the CAP track, and on down to gate.  Below road here, rolling nicely down around. "What are you photographing?" to guy on side of track with camera contraption, "Fungi."  "Nice!" as I turned up towards the picnic bench adjacent to the crash last week.  Here there was a steady stream of parents and children out on a big YMCA adventure.  Waited a while.  Then down again, noticing the tree that got me, and then down to the new, as yet uncoined, trail.  In I rolled, stopping a few times to kick sticks off, then then found a blockage.  Most of a big snapped off tree right across the track.  I'll take the pruning saw and hatchet up tomorrow, or later?  Negotiated my way around it through the bush and then continued my trail.  Very nice.  Tight.  Not fast.  A couple of climbs.  I enjoy it profusely, feel like it's "my" trail, even tho someone else made it.  Through the lower reaches then oaks, and last blast to the end, smooth flow.  

Popped out onto H'Ell and followed, very slowly, and at a distance, some walkers down to the high point where I clambered to road, and home.

Call it 13 kms, with 432 m climbed.  Brain, not too rattled.

    

Sunday Summit Troll

Still hadn't fixed the Stooge flat; still waiting for the suspension part from Cotic; so resigned to take the Troll (didn't even occur to me to take the fatty or the BFe...) out for a nice blast out and back. Rode some nuts single-track and a bunch of road. 

Up through all the usual, over 19th, Skidder, short walk up the grunter and then riding the rest to the top of Vic.  Popped up to my stone shelter to see if there were any blackberries (they were all scody), then back onto the road and stuck to it all the way to Huntsbury-top, hitting Vernon singletrack from here.  Nice flowy slowy bomb down, keeping it sketch, then through Rapaki and stayed on the road from here to top of Castle.  A youngish couple arrived and I said, "You heading down?" "Yep, but we'll be slow"  I said I wasn't sure what I was doing but then I decided on the spot to head down too.  Dropped in and proceeded to flow where it was flowy and slow where it was slowy.  Went pretty well, including only one dab due to traction loss on the climb.  Onto the road and climbed back up, seeing the couple riding slower than I had down the trail...  Up the road and down, fast coasting roll through towards Witch, decided to take the Witch Hill trail and proceeded to climb up it no problem at all, bar that one rocky section.  Breather at the high point then dropping around cleaning all the tech carefully to the end, and up the road below Vernon.  Annoying head wind up overlooking Dry Bush valley.  

Into the Traverse and hoofed it around here pretty nicely.  Love the standing-in-the-pedals-cranking mode on the rigid machines.  It's a very lithe bike.  All the way around the Traverse I was slowly winding in a rider ahead.  Caught her and a few others right at the end.  Into the trees, dropped down through, onto Brake Free then peeled left into the Pines, and dropped down through the Gums, exiting at the Skidder (figuring the trail below to still be blocked).  Up towards 19th and passed a guy on an interesting looking rig. "Is that an Evil Sovereign?" "Nah, it's a Marino" which I misheard as Merida and was surprised, until I realised what he'd said.  It was one of the Sick bikes of the recent past.  Slack and low, sweet steel.  I realise now I've seen it out there before.  Anyway, we chatted for ages.  Then I headed off down and through, into the DogParkCarPark, overgrown to start, and a little damp.  Peeled onto my new line, and appalled to find the water in the woods emerging even higher up.  Bloody Council slack-arses.

Lithely provocateured, 20 odd km, and up 710 m

Sunday Post-Poteriteri Field-Power Athwart the Tops and back

Mint ride today. On the Jeht, toodled up through Vic and across the Traverse as far as the Bridle Path - taking in all the singletrack to Castle Rock and back again. Seemed to just keep requesting power and receiving it, even on the way back... A week in the field (this was day five) really does wonders - walking through rough forest 8 hours a day for a week.  Jeht rode very nicely and I completely cleaned the Tors with no dabs.  A runner girl had gotten out of my way just where it's rockiest and steepest towards the end, and I said to her, "this is where I usually dab" and lo, I didnt!  Magic.

Must say tho.  Trail Etiquette...  for fuck's sake people.  Learn some fucking sharing skills and think before you drop in, morons.  And remember, typically, uphill has right of way.  Look the fuck ahead before you hit the downhill sections of the Traverse in case someone is just there about to finish the fucking climb.  If it's near the bottom I'm happy to pull up and let 2 or more riders through, but if it's near the top, fuck you, pull up and fucking wait, you cunts.

besides ill-mannered dickheads, a nicely trundled 20 km with 730 m of altitudinal gainage.

Thursday Commuter-Stooge Travelator

Nice ride to work this morning on the Stooge. Gorgeous mild and windless nor'west spring day.  Huffed up from home through skidder and up the grunt.  Into Worm and onto the Traverse, a few wet spots but nothing major or soggy. 

Over Vernon, lovely jubbly and then (Full Monty closed, so) down upper Rapaki at an expeditious rate of knots.  At the gate on the flat bit Ranger Nick Singletrack appeared in his ute to open the trails.  We had a quick catch-up and I rode back a bit and up, ahead of him, opening the gate for him, then had a chat to a lady with a dog of the same name as Jet, before heading in and hitting down the Elevator.  Fun times and only a few splecky bits - leaving my pants (new 24/7s from NZO (in Plum)) slightly less than work-appropriate (nothing a good scrub-down with my bikeshirt didn't fix once I got to the office).  

Down Rapaki Rd, detour into that wee park at the corner, then the haul across town, Centaurus into Wilson's Rd for the main drag then back-alley-street-cutting through Austin, Jacksons Creek to Huxley/Burlington, Cadogan, across Blenheim and down Buchan - Byron - Colombo to join the usual commute route over the bridge into CBD. 

Just under 17 kms with surprisingly just over 300 m climbed - which means 500 odd of descending. A most pleasant way to get to work

Saturday Morning Tops-Tooge

After 2 weeks of actual influenza, my lungs were cooked. 

Headed up on the Stooge and was pleasantly surprised how capable of climbing I still was. Breathing wasn't nearly as difficult as I'd expected, and my strength seemed pretty good.  Up the usual, road, over 19th, grunt up from Skidder (cleaned with no stop!), some water at BrakeFree, up to Thompson's #1 and nice we hit down here.  Back up the road, still not really sure where to go, decided on heading out the Traverse.  Nice cruise around here, keeping good pace.  Up onto and rolling down Vernon, straight into the Witch with a nice lot of tech (one dab).  Across the road from here and over the gate, headed up towards the top of the Pirate track, just to get some extra.  Linda Woods Reserve, I believe.

Then, turned back, taking it all in again, including climbing Vernon (instead of the road). Bloody good!  After Lavaflow at the saddle I left the bike for a sec and had a wee look across the road.  There's an out and back trail here I think we'll poach some time.  Back onto the Traverse for the finishing touches back to Vic, blip blop down over the first jump (not quite enough speed) and then down Rabbit, into rocks and gums for a lovely flow down around, Skidder, CAP track entrance onto OG back to 19th road, and then coasting to the dogparkcarpark, sneak between the cars and oooooohhh, noooo...  this isnt good...  mucky mucky. and then the Oaks at the end were an absolute morass.  Didn't continue and headed up the (also very wet) climb cutting to road, up to the dogparklower and headed down, super low slow and twisty Charles's Track then out behind the houses for the final blast. 

Slow and steady on the tech, big wheels rolling, torque control and a good strengthening workout- just under17 km with a not-at-all-bad 609 m climbed. Tschuite!

Sunday Celebrating Andy's Birthday, with me on the Stooge

Left home on the Stooge at 7.30am, pre-sunrise, up into a frosty Vic to the Skidder and headed down Shazza's, flowing into Brent's, nicely nicely. Out of the trees, looking up the hill to see if I could see Tra'y who'd left 40 minutes before me.  No sign, so off thru the Bridges and down valley, then clambered up into Hidden bonus onto Old Skool for a grease infused hoon of fun.

Freezing cold, feet blocks of ice and colder still down Bowenvale Ave, around Centaurus to Rapaki 10 minutes early, trying to thaw my toes.  Brrrr!

Wazza, Andy and Jenna, Nelson, and finally Wayne, all turned up and off up we went. Jenna hooked up with her friend Avril who runs and we saw them again up top of Huntsbury.  Us boys went up the zig zag climb, Wayno suffering the remnants of a lung lurgy.  Boy the Elevator climbs high.  Down to the main track and on up the rest to the top.  Onto climbing around Vernon, soaking up the sun while chatting with Jenna and Avril, then off around the Traverse, good pace, especially by Nelson and the Electric Wazza.  Regrouped just before the Vic trees, and into the Thompson's and holding up just after the Kiwi, letting hoards of chain-free kids who were enduro-ing Pork'n'Puha. We followed them into Choir Boy and found them all clustered on the short climbs.  Past Pork and Puha the way was clear again and we headed down Gung Ho.  This wasn't familiar to me because it'd been years since I'd ridden it, and I think the only time(s?) I'd done it I'd peeled onto Askins part way down...  Anyway, the  Stooge was awesome, surprisingly so, keeping speed and handling all the rough with finesse.  Final valley bottom we were in amongst the chain-free groms and not holding them up. 

Coffee and brownie at the CAP then I bought myself a 10-ride pass and headed up the lift to finish with the Slummit Connector, onto the road, then up to and down through Vic. My usual go-to in the gums has more than a bunch of trees across it so I had to take the steep line to the left, which was actually pretty fun.  (Gonna be a fair bit of cutting in my usual... I could see at least 3 sizeable logs in the way, possibly more further down.  May well be easier just to haul my chainsaw up there)  Out to Skidder and down the road into DogParkCarPark which was wet and soggy in the oaks, but fun blast to the bottom and clamber to road to home.

A hard wrought 30kms, with an actual 717 m climbed (1117 m total (of which 400 were lifted))

Sunday Sunset Stooge - Chasing Daylight to Dinner

Up and across the tops on the Stooge tonight to Joy's for dinner. 

Spectacular sunset as I rode, with it coming out briefly from under the clouds and casting a beautiful light.  I love the ride on the Stooge, it's just so responsive, and handles something wicked.  Traverse was nice, Vernon fun, mild it was.  Was freezing when I left home, then got weird warm patches up in Vic and mild across the top.  

Got this shot approaching the Tors.  Peak glow.  

Clamber up road to Castle from here was all good, and the sun had faded by the time I got to the top - the singletrack down to Bridle was sweet - surprisingly raily, even in the rocky tech it felt good, tho defo slower than Friday.  You absolutely have to stay focussed and keep an eye on where you're putting the front wheel, and use quite a bit more body english - but that's all good: for the skills, for the fitness / strength.  Road climb was okay, getting cooler 'round under the gondola, and darker.  Then, Britten was getting tricky cos the light was getting so low, but still enough to see by.  Finishing with a fast bomb down road to dinner.

MMR crapped out on me at that photo above (8 kms, 317m - workout deleted), so I've replaced it with a copy of one from 2021 - same route, different bike and conditions, but close enough.  15.7 kms, 580 m climbed.

Matariki Jehtset Castle

Sweet ride out and back on the Jeht today...  (2 of 3 rides out the Traverse in a week - each time venturing slightly further).  Up on the Jeht again, feeling sweet to ride it, and smoothing out all the bumps is gooood, out the Traverse, Vernon, Witch, Castle and back.  Didn't hit the Tors, there were walkers on it, and stayed off the walktrack immediately above the road between Tors and Witch on account it was likely soggy.   Rode the road from Rapaki to Huntsbury, figuring I'd done the Vernon climb the other day, didn't need to do it again.  Traverse, good flow, and fun down through Vic, usual Rocks'n'gums droppy droppy.  Oh boy, the 235 / DogParkCarPark trail is even worse in the oaks.  What a wet mess under dead leaves.  All the way out to H'Ell and clamber to road, home.  

Rambled just under 20 kms, and scrambled just under 730 m

Wednesday Night Traverse Vernon-Stooge

Out and up on my own on the Stooge in the dark tonight.  Bad headspace so took it out on a ride, which improved it markedly.  Climb up through Vic, straight into Skidder - everything is still so wet, and took a bit of a breather here.  Some riders showed up and so I headed off up the gutser, around and up to the Worm.  Hit the Traverse and trundled on around this, not really knowing how far I might go, not really knowing how much I could be bothered with.  Got to the end and up onto Vernon and parked up again, puzzling and deciding.  Checked MMR and found I'd only travelled 5 kms and so thought 10 return isnt enough and headed off around Vernon, bombing nicely all the way down to Rapaki-top.

Turned around and headed back up Vernon, climbing pretty nicely.  Back onto the Traverse, cruising smooth with a good (cold!) tailwind, bombing the bomby bits, tho careful careful on the greasy rock before the pond.  Around into Vic, semi-cased the first jump and then down the rabbit paddock, into the rocks, and gums, and flow and smooth, alll the way down (through the 'closed' bit) and out to the gate.  Headed here back up to the Skidder and took the Latter's Spur track down, fun easy rolling, then took the lower exit, having to walk up the steps on Kill-your-mum-with-a-brick Alley then out above the dogpark, over the road, through the carpark and into the singletrack for a slightly-less-greasy-than-Sunday greasy ride down.  The oaks are still a total sodden mess, so gingerly sidled through there, then all the way out down to H'Ell, staying on it to the very last, down the steps, down the road, and around back up home.

Nice 13.5 km blat with 440 m climbed.

Stooge-urday's First Shake-down - and 20 years of the blog!!! (and nearly 1500 posts)

Excellent breaking in of the Stooge Speedbomb+. What a beast. Climbs beautifully.  I've potentially got a too low first gear (30:48) but I did use it on the grunter from Skidder. I didn't want to stop riding. It handles really well, eats stuff unlike any other rigid I've ridden. The BIG wheels and tire combo rolls super smooth. 

Stopped several times for tweaks, mostly saddle height, but also saddle angle. 

A dream come true. 

Where most dudes my age are electrifying themselves, I've taken the step "backwards" with the fully rigid, uber-capable modern klunkerbeast.

To Rapaki and back, 13 and a bit kms with 460m elevated

Labouring on Labour Day

Hard work on the hill today - I really struggled, but kept on pushing.  Up from home via the usuals, with a bleeding nose kicking in just as I got to Brake Free, so stopped to quell that with the help of the water fountain.  On up to the top and straight into the the jumps, everything a little soggy under the trees after the 2 inches of rain we got a few days ago.  Straight into Worm and up onto the Traverse for a many-times-interrupted flow across.  I welcomed the stops for breathers to let others through, but there are still too many people who haven't got the memo that downhill gives way.  

Up onto Vernon, good blast down here with only a couple of sidles to let climbers through, jumped over the Rapaki-top and straight into Witch Hill ("closed" according to the signage - Pah!).  Cleaned it all and had a breather at the high point before launching in to finish and hit the road.  I truly considered turning back here, it was all just too much, but I perservered and got to Castle Rock feeling okay.  My rear wheel loose-spoke squeek on every rotation was annoying so I flipped the bike and tried to find the culprit - to no avail.  

Launched into the descent and held rapid speed and flow, ducking and weaving the rocks across the slope.  Some nice tidying lower down, but speed was good.  Brief breath at the hairpin and then eased back into it, and the climb was goood.  Straight onto the road and climbing, grinding my way back up to the top.  Clamber clamber onto the Tors and, "damn!" some walkers on their way up it.  "oh well..." off I went and they were young enough not to be bothered by me, and even stepped out of the way.  I let their tail ender come through cos she was puffing and I said "no, you come through, I'll probably fall off and embarrass myself."  This was just as the steeper tech started, all of which I cleaned until the last-worst.  As I was getting going again nearly lost it over the bars, but kept rolling down foot not clipped.  Onto road and coasting cruise back to Witch for the clamber to a nice long rest at the high point.

Rolling off again, fun blast to Rapaki-top and onto the road for the climb (too tired to do the trail), slowly reeling in a rider ahead.  He stopped at Huntsbury and I rolled straight past into the Traverse for a good hoon around here.  Really puffing tho.  Good times had and into the trees, jumpies, straight down to Rocks, Gums, not too greasy, lower section below Skidder had the usual wetspot, then out down the road into 235 which had some grease, that's for sure.  Jumped the tree and the next one not greasy in there, then across and all th eway to the bottom, nice flow all the way.  Onto road and home, wiped.

A typically substantive 20 kms, with a leg-tiring 731 m climbed.

Post number 1450

Sunday to the Castle and back

Excellent empty stomach solo blitzkrieg across the top and back, taking in Vic, Traverse, Vernon, Witch, Castle and the Tors, there and back identical to a certain March ride of this route.

Grunted up the usual, gasping on the steepest bit.  Climbed all the way up to the top where there was a massive crowd of teens making a huge noise, some sort of organised walking trip.  They let me past and I boffed around over the jumpies and peeled right into Worm climb, out to Traverse whereupon I met many riders coming the other way.  Good blaze around here and then up onto Vernon for a biff boff baff down and around, not so many riding up this.  Straight through Rapaki-top and into Witch for a techy dab-free climb.  Stopped for a well earned breather at the usual high point then bopped off down to the road, railing the berms like a happy thing.  Onto the road and climbing, cruising, keeping up the pace, up to Castle where I stopped and had a tiny nibble on some One Sq.  

Now, the crux of the matter, Castle Rock track.  Keen to test the Jeht here and I was not disappointed at all.  Railing blast of a flight down it, superlative handling.  Good climb in here then final bits of rock and onto the road at Bridle-top and straight into the climb back up to the top, and ebike hooning past me.  At the top a couple of runners above held me off from pushing up to the Tors Track.  Then waited for them to get low enough I wouldn't catch them, then off I set.  Cleaned more of it than usual, the usual dab points ridden right over, until I found a new one.  Rode unclipped for the last bumpy descent then flew off down the road.  Along here, I got a nose grab of petrichor - the beautiful bushy, musty, dank smell you encounter at a certain perpetually shaded point on the Summit Rd between Witch and Tors.

Onto the Witch, a few riders coming through towards me as well a couple of walkers, cleaned the climb and then hooned over and down to Rapaki for a long slog climb up the road, around to Traverse again, good blast around here, catching a couple of women just after the pond, and then a good flight to the forest, jumps, see-saw, first few berms Brake Free and out down Rock garden, gums, through where I cut the other week and all the way down.  Onto road, into dogparkcarpark for the slightly greasy but fun 235 and blasting out to the very end, clamber up to road and home.

Over 20 kms, and 720 m altituded, felt good.

Sunday Trails Along the Summit to get the car

Bandi-Gig last night at Greg's on Bridle Path Rd and neither T nor me could drive home so we left the Leaf there -  and I rode from home today to collect.  

On the Rocky, I headed up through Vic, taking Worm to the Traverse.  Not bad run round here, bit of a head wind, pulling over a few times to let people through and having the same courtesy applied to me a coupla times.  Onto Vernon, good descent, fast in places, leaping through the usual Rapaki-top and hoofing it up into Witch, clamber clamber.  Bit of a breather at the highpoint then down to the Summit Rd and a-cruising up it to Castle Rock for a very fun blast down, railing, weaving, wending.  Clamber clamber it's up bits, back onto Summit for the roll round under the Gondola and climbing climbing up to the cutting and straight into Britten.  Around the front - dont often do it this way, was alright, then bombing down the socalled VeeTwin blasting and railing, across the front to the down track - missing one section of the across the front track cos it's seemingly been unused and I couldn't see where it went, down, connecting back onto the main across track and descending rock section under the pylons to the bottom.  Over the stile and onto the technical Kenton ("walking") track - fun times had, popping over most tech issues, but dab-scooting through a couple too.  At the steps at the end I headed down, bike on rear wheel then riding a little, dab-scoot or pushing through the techest of the tech and descending all the switchbacks and steps down the Heathcote Quarry track. Great technical ending, and finishing directly where I'd parked the car.

Close to 16 kms of sweet (mostly) off-road goodness, with 574 m escalated and a coupla hundy metres bonusly descended. 

Tuesday To Bridle and Back

Home from work and I was full of anger - mostly at the moronic government we're stuck with. 

So, jumped on the Rocky and headed out and up.  Usual route up through Vic, 19th, skidder, climbing the bastard pretty good, then straight up to top for to roll around and pop the jumpies and hang a right on Worm to get back up onto the Traverse for the slog across.  Pretty good run across here, never feeling too tired and pushing hard.  

Onto Vernon and up and over, only meeting one girl as I came down off the overgrown detour.  No one else so a fast, curvy, smooth run.  Straight through Rapaki-top, suprisingly empty, and into Witch, clamber clamber out and around and straight through, onto the road for the slog to the top of Castle.  

Brief breather, then straight in.  What a blast.  Wiiide open, clear, tidy, clean, fast, and smooth.  Still enough techknuckle rocks to have to weave around and over but felt smoother and faster, well mown.  Rocketship down to the first hairpin and around, then more sedate, but loving it.  Clamber clamber up then drop to the road and straight into the climb.  Along here these long legged bugs were flying and catching the sun, and then swallows were hooning all over the place catching them in mid air.  Spectacular.  

Big cluster of mixed roadies at the top of Castle, "hello," and I pushed up onto Tors just as a dude was running by.  Sat and looked at the view and waited til he was nearly at the road before dropping in.  Good run across here, probably cleaned it best of any time, including the bit that usually got me.  Onto the road and runner dude was on the trail above it so I stayed down and coast-rolled down down back to Witch, one dab on the climb before cruising around (meeting one rider) and boffed off down onto the road where I stayed to climb back around to Traverse, pushing hard all the way, never letting up.  There was a dude following and he never caught me, which is good.  He dropped down Huntsbury as I hit the Traverse, with a woman in a pink top a little way behind me.  By the time I was below Sugarloaf she was miles back.  Good run the rest and into the trees, jumpies, see-saw, begining of Brakefree and then out to the paddock run, rocks, gums, usual droppy route, bombing through out all the way.  Below road, out to road at corner, up around down to Dogpark carpark and alllll the wya down 235 to H'Ell and the clamber up onto the road for the fast blast back to the driveway.

A pleasant 19.92 kms, with (unsurprisingly - given; and, and, and...) 726 m climbed.

Sunday Tops Again but Mountained

Good leg stretch hoon along the tops similar and back similar to yesterday but on the single track on the mountainbike.  Up the usuals, 19th, skidder, gutser (brief breather half way up), to top of Vic, down around the jumpies and hard right into Worm back up to Traverse.  Into the long slog around here, going well, then over Vernon, bomb to Rapaki-top, into Witch, decently negotiated.  Along road up to Castle and bomb in behind a couple of other guys (dad and son) I'd crossed paths with a couple of times, after giving them a good gap.  I popped out the very end closer to them than I'd been to start with and straight into the climb back up the road.  

Up onto the Tors for a good waft down this.  Very overgrown.  Onto road again and good blat around to Witch, up and over again, then up the road around Vernon, catching and overtaking another rider.  Into Traverse, nice bomb, then through the jumpies, rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, road, 235 out and up and down behind houses home.  

Similar but different, 20kms, 740 m climbed

Wednesday Night Along the Top, Lights

Nice ride tonight. Beautiful evening after so much crappy weather.  Nelson met at mine after work and we headed up into Vic Park, bumping into first Mel (7 weeks into recovery of shoulder) and then along power-walks Jenna.  Nice to see her.  Up through 19th, Skidder, and up the guts.  I had to stall to breath, but cleaned it onwards and we took Worm onto the Traverse for the ride across.  Bit breezy at this point, cold, so I donned my vest and we carried on.  Quite a few on-comers, some rude some not.  

At Vernon stopped for a rest and was completely still and calm.  Bombing down around this, pulling up to allow climbers through a couple times, then bailing off it at the final cattlestop to let a big group up.  Onto Witch, cleaning it all sweetly.  Breather at the high point then onto the the summit and the climb around to Castle.  Couple runners here, and then we were in.  I led the way, fun and weavy.  Narrow! but riding well.  Clamber clamber and back to the road.  Upwards, ugh.  Stayed on the road all the way back to Witch, bombing fast rolling coast.  Back into the Witch and again with the funtimes.  Starting to get a bit tired, both of us, now, so we stayed on the road around Vernon, back onto the Traverse.  

Good Jaunt back around here, Nelson leading the way, but not gapping me much except in the climbs.  Into Vic, over the jumpies, and down to Gums, rocks'n'rolling, tapping it round through trees, awesome grip and fun riding.  Down to the road from skidder, onto the below road trail, mucky through the oaks here, then poaching the Tawhairanui out to Dogpark then down, fast, the road to home - both of us overcooking the granny selection and nearly falling off through spinning too quick.

First in a while and a good long one... Very serviceable 19.8 kms and 740 m clambered - and only the 7th night ride of the year!  It's been a long wet winter.

Saturday Afternoon XC Intro Ride For Paul

First time out for Paul (our German exchange student) on a mountain bike. He's very fit, riding a road bike up the hill every day from school, not to mention being a bouldering legend, so nothing was much of a problem for him. I gave him a few skill tips along the way and we rode some fun trails. 

Up from home, usual 19th, skidder, grunter.  Then Worm, and onto the Traverse.  A couple of rocks caught him out and he learned the lesson of not stepping to the downhill side for letting people pass.  Stopped for other riders quite a few times, but he kept up with me pretty good.  Over Vernon and he really enjoyed the downhill.  Again, one or two of the rocks were tricky for him, but he was definitely improving.  Then down the upper cRapaki trail, Full Monty, from the top, fun blast down this.  The steep hairpins were hard for him, but I think he managed pretty good.  I had major speed on the lower reaches beside the main track.  Then up onto Taramea, and he really liked this one too.  All the way round, with a wee pause at the rock play ground over which I rode all the features.  

Then into the singletrack above Rapaki and onto the main drag for the final climb.  Around the road on Vernon, and back onto the Traverse for a good spin towards home.  Into the trees, and I warned him I'd do the jumps, then pointed out the see-saw over which I went meeting him on Brake Free.  Another guy was on the trail just ahead of me, and he moved aside for me, then followed us into the Rock Garden.  Both of them had to walk the final rockiest section.  The other guy was from Rotovegas and hadn't ridden for a while.  Had no idea where he was going, but I sent him off down my favourite while I waited for Paul to negotiate some tech.  We cruised down through the Gums and around my usual favourite route.  He only walked the one steep corner (below where I cleared the most recent tree), then all the way down and down the road into the DogCarPark trail for a nearly final hoon.  Jumped the jumpies and then we climbed up to the Dog Park and down the final blast behind the houses.  

Half way down the last blast, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted an insect incoming on a collision course with my cheek.  It impacted and I was hit with instant pain.  Fucking wasp, sting, to the cheek just below my glasses.  OUCH!  

Quite a warm 19.73 kms and 623 m climbed. Not bad at all!

Saturday Morning Out and Back

Bike service completed over last couple weeks, suspension, shifter cable (and derailleur).

Warm and sunny, up what felt early, had a coffee (no breakfast) and headed out, up through Vic, up through the usuals to the top, and popped around for the jumps then back up Worm and onto the Traverse for the slog across.  Lots of oncomers, most of whom I pulled over for (me being solo, them in groups, and giving me a rest before stuff).  Onto Vernon blast down around popped through cRapaki top and tech-climbed into Witch.  Feeling good right through.  Rest at highpoint (to let some walkers get further ahead), then caught them up just before the end.  Up the road, climb climb.  Chat to a couple of ladies at the top of Castle, then dived in.  Fun blast, lots of speed, bike feeling very good.  Hit the climb and cleaned nicely over to Bridle Path and it was time for the slog back.

Longish climb back up to Castle, then too many walkers on the Tors so I bombed down the road and onto the singletrack just above it in the next section.  Ugh, bad choice.  Totally overgrown, no view of trail in long grass, so hard to follow, balance, slow riding tech on unexpected rocks, and no speed to carry through any whoop-de-dos.  Out the end, into Witch, climbing to a nice rest, then bombing around to cRapaki top again.  Into the Vernon climb, and second hairpin there's 3 ebikes parked, one of the dudes lying on the ground with a very deformed ankle.  Ouch, I said.  On up and around, tiresome, but clean.  Over and down, across the road and straight into the Traverse for a good hoon back around here.  Into Vic, straight across into the jump, jump, seesaw, first bit of brakefree then out to the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, zig and zag, a plant of some sort whipping me across my eyes (unprotected) and drawing a little blood.  On down, quite a few more low branches and angled trees though all this.  Out to 19th on the lower, then below road briefly to the corners.  Coast to carpark, into 235, lovely blast down here all the way to bottom and then road to driveway home.

Just shy of 20 kms, and just shy of 740 m climbed