Monday Night Stooge Shrift

Quick blat up to stretch the lungs and legs.  Hoofed up the road and over 19th, through Skidder and up Upper-rooted.  Nice climb.  Up through to top of Thomson's #1, into #2, then immediately turned back in and climbed back up them both to the top.  Off down over the jumpy into Rabbit, Rocks, Pines, Gums all the way down and out the gate, then across the road into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely flow through both lots, Sleepy, climby new to pylon and 235 continuing on down through the oaks and out the bottom section to H'Ell.  Nice sunset to be seen here,

then clamber to road, and home.

Lubbly Jubbly, 6.3 kms, and 200 m climbed.  

Wednesday Solo Stooge, Vic'n'Traverse'n'Vic with a Smash

Doozy wee ride tonight. Up road, in at the carpark, down into the climb, wee extra over past the bit I crashed back in March (the irony), then up to 19th, back around over it into Skidder and straight into Upper-Rooted. Nicely done in here now and out the top. Meandered up to the top, being nice and saying hi to the various 2s or groups I saw.  A loop and water at the carpark and dived off into it.  Down over the jumpie and onto Worm, climbing up to the Traverse to spin across here.  I seemed to have heaps of energy and was keeping a cracking pace.  Riding with Nelson on Sunday must have really boosted me. Made it around to Lavaflow and seriously considered it, but unsure how much fun it would be on the Stooge.  I considered Huntsbury down and back, or Old Skool, but decided I didn't want all that extra climbing, so turned back on the Traverse for another very nice blast, tail wind, keeping good pace and pump.  

At the top before the trees I dropped into Upper Fenceline, across, then rather than dropping down I moseyed across above Cool Runnings, catching a guy here, I said, "not really sure where I want to drop in tonight" and so we rode across.  I boffed off into Dazza's to peel right into Razza's while he took Shazza's.  I cleaned out the top Razza's and just about to drop across the 4wd track when a pelleton of speed whizzed under me.  Bloody lucky I noticed them or we would have collided.  They'd shot through and I dropped down into the lower forest, picking up some speed, when suddenly my right hand jumped/bounced? off the handlebar and I was going down in a big jumble.  The ground was quite steep, so from where I was going over the bike there was a long way to the ground.  I think I travelled a little way on top of the handlebars, maybe glanced off a tree, and the wheel turned and flipped me over to land in a heap entangled in the bike.  Scrapes to elbow, both sides of my front torso, both legs around the knees, massive lump on the thigh, right forearm...  Ouchy. (and strangely, tweaked my right calf again).  There's an interesting unidentified bike-part shaped mark on my rib (which feels tweaked underneath).  Perhaps maybe I'm testing my limits a little too often these days...  I'd been feeling so strong and fast!

Dusted myself off and the guy I'd ridden across with turned up, then I followed him down Macros, down around and then I headed straight into the climb (ahead of a bunch).  My chain was making noises, so I stopped to check that and they passed, then I proceeded to catch them and sit on their tail until just above where I crashed.  I rode through them and continued, making sure I was keeping pace ahead once they'd started, although, one of them (not the ebike one) did catch me by the top.  

At Skidder I headed down and got more water, then decided to continue back up Upper-Rooted again.  At Brake-Free I headed down the paddock, stopped and upsidedowned the bike to tune the gears a bit better, and then off into the Rocks, Pines, Gums flow time blast all the way down for a rest at the gate.  Then it was into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely jaunt, climb, jaunt Sleepy, nearly forgot the climb to pylon and 235 drop down around, then blast through the final cut.  Love it.

Chafed and tender 11.5 kms, with 390 m climbed.

Sweet Sunday Stooge

Quick chuff up on the Stooge tonight.  

Cruised up the road, lovely mild late afternoon after a morning of working, and tired laziness after a late night.  Dropped down into Sleepy from DPCP and cruised up this, then up to 19th, backtracking to pass over the top of it, then through Skidder and took the 4wds across to pop down Cool Runnings.  Some funnings, then straight into Up-rooted, all the way to the top of both, then up to the carpark at top of Vic - basically saw no-one in Vic Park the entire time (there were a couple people rode down through Macros as I climbed, but no-one else on the trails).  Some ladies in the carpark were the first I'd encountered.  

From here, dropped off down, first jump, then down rabbit, into rocks, pines, gums, nicely nicely, then cedars, through to 19th, into Heavenly for a lovely buzz down through here.  

Out the last and up straight into the lower half, good flow, Sleepy Hollow then climbing, attempting a little bit of line building in the climb to the pylon, then down oldskool 235, new line, around onto old, drop, oaks, and final blast to H'Ell.  Clamber, road, home - in other words, all the usuals.  

A nice local schmooze about.  A needed, and welcome wee blast of 6.77 kms and 285 climbed

Wednesday Evening Local Loopies

Mellifluous spin tonight taking in all the tight (and right) local singletrack and putting together a nice loopy pattern. 

So cool tonight to realise the various works being done in the below-dog-park-carpark-zone have made a sweet wee extra loop.  Basically, the bit I've been diving into recently, before heading up the Sleepy Hollow section, is actually meant for climbing - and loops around under the pylon to head down what was the 235 - I'd been puzzling the nature of the curve under the pylon.  This now turns left before dropping down the rocks towards the wetzone, peeling back and dropping into the lower new section just below where it peels off above.  It's very cool (and reflected in the end of tonight's ride).  

So, headed up the road and dropped down into the oaks and up across the wetzone through the bypass track I'd cut (which is drying out, seemingly (finally!)) and that's where I found the new connection from the rock drop.  I headed in this, meeting and chatting with a runner and dog, climbed up into Sleepy, meeting and chatting with another walker with dog, then out and up the forest track to pop out at 19th.  Back along the road here, up and over 19th into Skidder, and into Upper-rooted, a bit more work done in here, then up to top of Thompsons #1.  Dropped down here, nice flow, down into the #2, with a good blast here too.  

Down through Dyers and up the Summit to the Nun saddle.  Left off over onto the Governor's Bay track for an interesting wee blast down here.  It's becoming a little overgrown in places, the natives are doing too well.  Across the level bit and into the techie climb.  Did really well for a start then started muppetting, cleaning some, walking a little, and clambering out the top.  

Dropped then, over onto lower Nun, finishing this off then back through Dyers and climbed up into the Thomson twins, topping out Vic.  Brief puffing loop around the carpark, much to the bemusement of the groms up here, and straight in, down for the jumpies, but!!! my brake hose came unstuck and started buzzing (grinding, more like) the tire.  Grahh!  Semi-repositioned it, but didn't trust it, so rolled down to the drinking fountain and asked some young'uns here if they had any zipties...  nope, but one girl had some excess electrical tape!  Yuss!  

Sorted, I headed down into the rocks/pines/gums for some fun times, then across Skidder and into Dazza's-start, peeling right into Razza's (bazzas) and popped off down these steep droppy roots, across the 4wd into the continuation, down through Macros and up onto the sideline, stopped to move a tree, down some newly cut bench (part of what turns out to be a walk track they're building from that new bridge Nelsie and me encountered), and straight into the bottom and into Uprooted ahead of a couple of young women.  Clamber clamber here.  Once up to the first corner, the girls had started and I felt their pressure (even tho I gapped them) all the way up.  Young and fit, obviously - cos they were chatting away.  Up at the Rad zone 4wd crossing a group of fellas entered the next section of Uprooted ahead of me and I followed them the rest of the way.  2 non- plus one e-bike gapping ahead, and another non-e rider struggling to stay ahead of me.  

Out through Skidder, across, and dropped into cedars for my usuals home.  Excquisite blast down Heavenly, it's really been trodden and scuffed, so nice and free of leafy detritus, great flow.  Out and up for the continuation, then great flow and into Sleepy and beyond, where rolled into the 'new' climb from the pines, up to the pylon (only one little section of a switchback levelling needs adding), and around into the oldskool '235' for a lovely hum down here and around and back and around the new onto the lower sections to roll down all the way through the oaks and then the last fast blast beauty out to H'Ell and my clamber to road (where I ripped out the broom bush growing on here) to rip down the road to home.

 

Transcendental 10.5 kms with 411 m upped

Tuesday Evening Wandering

Too much other life getting in the way and I hadn't even realised it was a whole week undone.  

Short jaunt up in the local trails with Nelson tonight. Up road, over 19th, Skidder aind into Upper-Rooted, not a lot of progress made in the bit I've ducked out on, with stumps still in the ground, but push a little further up and the trail is all but finished, bar maybe 2 corners.  The final exit is practically done, and they're even extending it to join the wee zig zag feeder return for BrakeFree.  Topped out Vic, turned around in the carpark and dived off down jumpies, back up Worm, and dived down into Fenceline, pelunking down here, Romey, and into the bottom.  

Back into Uprooted, all the way up to Skidder again and this time down Shazza's, across into Pono's, which felt like aaages since (which was a surprisingly similar route - nothing new under the sunset).  Out at the 23/Texaco, and this time into the walking track (Eastern Valley?), nicely nicely bar the longish step section (which really wasn't that bad, and out to a hairpin where, "hang, on, what's this?"  A new section of track heading across and slightly down into the Sneaky oaks, even with a brand-new bridge installed.  Quick wander, and speculation where they must be taking, then rode up from fence jump, around to climb back Uprooted to Skidder. Light was going, and I was taxed by the climbs, so we headed out the road from Skidder, and ducked into Heavenly Sleeps... down my super familiar homeward trails.

Only 7.5 kms and 350 m clamberated, but was nice to get out.

Quick Sunday Local Pruning Spin

Sweet wee ride with the pruning saw to tidy a few stray branches about the place.  Headed up the road, over 19th, then dropped over Dazza's for a biff baff boff.  Then climbed across and dropped into that wee section of Pedalfine that had the branch across it.  Someone had kinda taken care of it, but not done that good a job, so I got to it with the saw and cut it off near the bottom, then cleared it right out of the way.  Continued my way down here into the bottom of the gulley, nearly losing it in slick muddy dirt.  Into Uprooted, with it's nice new carved sign,

climbing all the way up and out to Skidder, then into the new section, which was about where I'd left it last time, a couple weeks back.  I knew they'd been working on it so I didnt understand until I was further up the grunter and I could see they've been working on the middle-upper section isolated.  Not a bad idea that - stop people riding it before it's ready, by not connecting the bits being worked on.  

Climbed to top of Vic, headed down Thomson's #1 and turned back up it to the top again.  Then down around the jumpies, down Rabbit into Rocks, Gums, down and out.  Into Heavenly and had a lovely spin down here, cruising nicely.  Where T crashed the other week, I stopped and cut off a wee stump that's always bothered me, then took off a piece of the branch that took out my light the other week, whiplashing me.  Continued, more nice riding, then in Sleepy I stopped and cut a few more pokey-outy stump-branches, which will improve the flow both directions.  Downwards again, through, and in the final corner before dropping to H'Ell I stopped and explored for a way through.  Feel bad tackling this section because there's so much re-gen going on.  5-fingers and lancewoods all self-sown coming up...  Might just leave it and live with the clamber.

Short'n'sweet, 6.4 kms, 250 m climbed

Follow-Up Rooting

Short rest at home post eeb ride, and decided I needed some more, and I was keen to see how far the Vollies got on the next section of Uprooted. So, headed out and up on the Stooge for a wee jaunt.  Popped into the DogParkCarpark entrance to climb Sleepy and up to the walk track, then below road to 19th.  Up through the gate and climbed the singletrack to Skidder, then straight into the new Uprooted extension.  Wow.  Surpassed expectations; incredible job. I do regret not joining in, but it just wasn't gonna work. Other priorities, ie a TFC Planting that would have taken my volunteer precedence, but that also got overridden by time spent with T on our interesting urban exploration. 

I climbed it to as far as they got, and then pushed up the steps of the walking track it parallels, then up the top of the grunter out to Brakefree then last climb to the top.  Loop around the carpark and back in, down over the jump, then usuals, rabbit, rocks, pines, gums all the way down.  Heavenly Heavenly, then sleepless Sleepy, Hollowed out all the way down.

Sweet f a travailed (5 kms) and 178 units of bugger all climbed.

Sunday's Cavendish Coffee Stop

T and me headed up, her on the Charge again and me on the Jeht.  I had to walk the worst of the grunter because I need a new drivetrain (and my legs were super tired from going up it 3 times yesterday). 

Hit Worm onto the Traverse with lots of stops for oncoming traffic (and meeting Pete and Alistair at the top of Lavaflow).  Up onto Vernon for a nice flowy blast (stopping occasionally to make sure T was okay, she was).  Then I did Witch while T took the road under, then together around to under the Tors, then we tried out her towing me on the climb to Castle, which was good, although hard on my arm.  Then I hit Castle for a nice blast, riding well, and together we rode round under the gondola to Cavendish Saddle, and up the hill to the top station to get a coffee and enjoy the beautiful day, and view with all the tourists. 

From here, T headed back down the way we'd come, and I headed around the back of the building and down the Crater Rim, biff boff baff on the steps and rocks, meeting T at the Bridle-top (and getting a clap from a kid who watched me negotiate the rocks at the end). She gave me another tow up the Summit from to Castle-top, then it was a nice coasting roll to Rapaki (skipped Witch - I was tired after yesterday), then another tow up around most of Vernon. 

Onto Traverse for the hoon towards home, into the jumps, down rabbit, into the rocks - which T handled spectacularly, then gums, again, but my usual way here (she only walked that one corner), then all the way home.  In the steepest bit in the first Heavenly Creatures section, T had a weird wee crash, ending up pinned by the bike and her own leg.  Peaky ankle and knee... Good flow from here tho - but she was hurtin' and knackered.

Substantial 22kms and a not insubstantial 880 m supersumed

Saturday, Ride of 2 Parts

Up with Max, and Tra'y trying out the turbocharged Charge. Went really well for her. I was on the Stooge and had a nice time. 

Up thru Vic, Max doing pretty well, walking a bit of the grunter.  Topped out then headed around the Traverse to the Bowenvale saddle carpark where we got onto the road, taking this around to Huntsbury/Vernon. The trail riding was maybe a little hard for Max, but Tra'y was rocking it. Hit the Traverse back around, both only walking the rock at top of Lava and that one bit just before the pond. Stopped briefly in the macs just after the jumps, and Nick from work rolls up, brief chat.  Then it was thru Brakefree, into Pines, and what I thought was 'easier' gums, which turned out harder than I imagined for them (steep corners), but out the bottom was okay.  At the gate we said goodbye to Max who was knackered, and hadn't expected mountain biking to be so hard.  T and me headed down Heavenly Creatures all the way home and she absolutely caned it!  Very proud I am.  

A reasonable 10km and 320m climbed. 

Then I was home and hankering to ride a bit more so I headed back up. Dogpark carpark into Sleepy climb, over 19th, up from Skidder and topped out.  Hit the Thomson's -both, then back up the road. Bumped into Nick again at top of Vic then dropped in round the jump and Worm, Upper Fenceline, Rome - piecing something quite cool together. Up Rooted, then weirdly up from Skidder (3rd time today), and down Rabbit, Gums and all the usuals home again. 

8km this time with greater upward mobility, 350m   

Tuesday Night Nun-Vic Combo

Bit of a hoof about tonight.  Up the usuals, granny cog playing up again on the climb from the skidder.  I'd forgotten about that, I guess I need a new drivetrain.... Couple of walkers had just dropped into Thomson's so I topped out to the carpark before turning around and heading down, passing them part way down.  Onto road, dropped into the second one, then out to Kiwis.  

Up the road and into the Nun for a flowy jam.  Had to stop part way down after some weird cornering vibes, chucking some air in the back tire. Better flow after this.  First couple of bits below CAP still closed, so dropped in part way down road, and ground out the rest to pop out at the Kiwi.  Up the road and into both Thomsons again, then topped out to carpark again.  Turned and dropped into the jumpies, undercooking the second one, then down gums, moseying out at the Skidder.  

Here, I randomly decided to head into Dazza's to take the new entrance to (what I call) Razza's.  Sweet rooty tech in here, then continued down, down eventually into Macros, sidling to Brents, and taking the newish highish sideline over on the left, dropping down to the bottom of Uprooted.  Climb, only able to go as low as 2nd gear, topping out, crossing Skidder, back into the trees for the flow around and down out to the gate.  Across into Heavenly, where, down towards the end of the first section my light caught an invisible lemonwood branch, mild whiplashing to my neck, before continuing out, up, into the next bit, nice flow, groove, and fun.  Oaks, last bit to H'Ell, and clamber home.

Not too shabby for a night ride, 11.3 km and 425 m climbed

Sunday's Stooge, Full of Bluster

Bit mucky in places, up for a scramble. 

Topped out Vic then hauled the Traverse, mix of both tail and head winds, blustery nor'west peeling all over the place. Biffed down Huntsbury then sheepshitty-Alley Express, mums and lambs, tech rocks slow and considered. Into top of Old Skool for a snack in a sunny and just-breezy spot.  Headed down to start with, with the expectation of turning back due to muckiness, which in short measure, I did - climbing what I'd normally only descend and finding it ok. Around under the pylon and surprisingly fun descent around into the trees, dropping down and finding extra muck, all the way from Lavaflow through to the valley bottom. 

Climbing now, usual steeps, struggle street. Up and over just a little bit to check Pedalfine - still needs a saw (which I might tackle soon). So, back up and dropped onto Raceline down a couple of bends and popped off onto Uprooted, climbing this out, then up the gutser for 2nd haul, and a run at the gums and the Creature, Hollow down home, flow. 

Propitious 11.3 kms, 489 m 

Thursday Night Habitual Creature Feature

Up on the Jeht tonight to wash out the week's worth of work brain and see how underwhelming my fitness is. Quite, but good for me and fun as fun can be. Peaked, splecked both Thomson's both ways then just down the usuals, somehow keeping control of the grease.  Heavenly sleepy creatures and Hollow, slow styles and chuffing. Home. 

6 kms and not even au, 200 m

2 years of the Jeht!!!  crikey, that's flown.

Friday Night Stoogilla in the Mist

Nice we spin up on the Stooge after work, due to no commitments, to take in a bunch of my favourites.  Fun times, if a little greasy in places.  Dropped into the bush from dogparkcarpark, looking at the old route to start with, wondering about the connection into the new, in the clearing below the pylon.  I'm guessing the intention is to ride up around into it?  Anyway.  Nice climb up through Sleepy and then up the walking tracks to 19th.  Up around the back of it, then up from skidder, grinding, out to the top.  Down around past the jumps (too greasy) and down Rabbit, rocks, Gums, out to skidder, and off down Shazza's, Macros, into Uprooted, climbing away, and then back over into the singletrack and down, into heavenly Heavenly Creatures for a lovely biff down here, all the way home.  Lubbly jubblies.

Just about 6 kms, and two-fiddy metres honked

Sunday Walk-Ride Stooge

Headed out and up for a date with my girl. We stuck together all the way to the Skidder then she headed down a big dog leg to meet me where Eastside track meets the mtb track. I took Shazza's flowing into Macros then out the bottom and around the newly re-furbished Flow.  Stopped and waited (quite a while) for her at the walktrack interseciton.  When she arrived we headed the same way with her following me down NuBridges to the valley-bottom. 

Up valley from there with much cleaned and some walked. One small tumble, tripped by a flax. Then it was the lovely flow back towards the bike track gulley and into Uprooted. Lovely climb, first time on the finished product. Next it was over Skidder and into the singletrack.  Met T at the gate and we headed down the heavenly Heavenly Creatures and Sleepy Hollow. 

Only 5.6 kms and 242 m uprooted.

Sunday Late Afternoon Loop

Quick pint at Moon and left T and Nik there to walk home.  I got home and jumped on the Stooge to ride up to the Skidder, down Shazza's, into Macros, and out onto Flow, New Bridges, and all the way down out the bottom of Bowenvale.  Down the road, left into Wedgewood, Landsdowne, then along the river.  Stymied at the library, back over the bridge and around, then chasing the girls down Colombo to Wherstead corner and catching up.  I then took myself down Wherstead, through to Ernie Clarke and along a splecky riverside, following the river up to PMH and cutting in next to Hackthorne to climb up the steeper and steeper dirt track to get up onto the Sassalong Sidle.  Lady Poison, MacMillan, then up Whisby, down to Kidson climbing up here then up our zigzag and home.  I beat them home too, strangely.

Eveningly 12 kms and 330 m climbed. 

Saturday Post-Southerly Troll Summit.

Up for a hoon on the Surly, after the storm had cleared, with a couple of Summit Rd Peaks summitted. 

Vic climb, brief walk on gutser, then onto the Summit Rd.  Checked gmaps and saw T and Nik were below me, so popped into the lower Thomson and waited for them, then waited for them again at the end of H'Ell, then met them again when I was filling water behind the Kiwi.  From here, I meandered out the Summit Rd towards the Bellbird.  Annoyingly a guy (older than me!) on a mtb left the kiwi same time as me and proceeded to slowly creep away from me.  I just didn't have the push to keep up or spin ahead.  He departed up Worsleys and I continued, nice and sunny and calm on the north face of Ada, otherwise a good cool southerly blasting across the tops.  

I pulled into the Bellbird and changed out layers and ate a bit of OneSquare then continued my quest.  Pulled out at the top of Living Springs, walking up to the top of the knoll here to add to my peak-bags.  That done, I headed back towards home, but just around the corner I popped up onto the Crater Rim and started pushing.  Left the bike for a bit, walked ahead, then thought, nah, I'll bring it.  Back to it, then pushed for a bit, then rode, then left it and explored to the top of this knob.  (on the topo, it's the pointy escarpment-top between the 524 and 505 (between the radar dome and Coopers Knob)).  Good views and there was even a bit of snow around.  Back to the bike (a slightly different route) and on along the poached singletrack, enjoying it's downwardness.  

Back on the road and onwards back towards home.  Nice roll down to the kiwi then up the road to top of Vic.  Checked the maps again and could see T was just around past Sugarloaf on what we call her knob, so I headed on around, watching them descending it and arriving at the saddle by the pond just as they got there.  Nice surprise and another catch-up.  Said our so-longs and I headed back around the Summit.  The Traverse below was wet as, so I stayed off that, then took the main track down through to skidder, then road all the way home for some nice smooth speed.   

Disappointingly, and somewhat surprisingly, only 11.6 kms and 480 climbed...

Sketchy Stoogilicious Sundowner

Groovy ride. Rapid departure from work and home in no time to leap on the Stooge to ride up and meet T on the Summit Traverse for a Sundowner. I had a nice DVB Wizardry and took her a Go-Go Juice. We watched the sun sink behind the mountains then I was racing the darkness home. Fine in the open, but getting dark in the macs top of Vic and then super hairy times in the woods as I got closer to home. Hairy times... 

Sketch a f, 7.4 kms, and 255 m escalated.

Nice pick from start of Gums rockgarden.

Sunday Sweet Date Ride Walk

Rode with my sweet, walking. Worked surprisingly well and gave a reasonably low impact Stooge treatment for my injured knee, with good company. Finally got to show her my new locals, too.

We headed up from home, not really planning to stay together the whole time but then it just worked out that way.  Up the wheelchair track over the info-centre hill knoll (what is a bike if not a wheelchair? It's got a seat; it's got wheels!), then up over 19th the way I always go, then up the steep from skidder, Tra'y walking along with me the whole way.  Then up top of Vic and we cruised along the Traverse.  It worked pretty well, it was slow for me along here, but all the climbs were pretty even, and I'd just stop and let (very few out) riders or runners (lots of them) through and then wait for T to catch up.  I took this picture just before the Lavaflow and that's where my MMR stopped. 

Continued around, rolling downs, coasting ups, stopping, waiting, rolling together when possible.  It was really nice.  At end of Traverse we went across the road and into Scott's Knob.  I realised how much I like this trail.  It's got some interesting tech, especially when greasy.  On the second knob we stopped and checked out the rope net.  Amazing, cellular looking literal sculpture.  

At the pond we popped across the road and back around the rest of the Traverse to Vic.  Worm down to rabbit, and I showed T my usual way through the rocks, pines, gums, the steepest bits proving tricky for her, but mostly good.  Then down from gums to gate, she didn't necessarily know this route.  Then, across the road and into Heavenly, she'd never been through before and I think quite liked it.  Finally, the last section, I showed her my tree clearance, and the way to Sleepy Hollow - which she dug.  Then at the 'to H'Ell' track she peeled off, I finished off my favourite ending and we hooked up at the neighbours' driveway again.   

MMR stuffed up when I took the pic. A very similar route to this one, this one from a few weeks back just minus the bit where I rode back along the Summit Rd, so more like 11 or 12 kms, and similar 400 odd m climbed. 

Tuesday Night Jeht Hoon

Sounds like some Korean dude: Jet Hoon... Another night another ride, different bike similar trails. Nice fun, Tawhairanui, singletrack, pushed my way up Pop'n'Fresh - man it's big! There's a lot of space in there but an uphill trail would be tricky to place. I reckon there's a way but it would probably have to meander back and forth across Popnfresh, skirting into Gums a little, and the top bit would probably need to cut into the sidling entrance I usually take across from the Rocks below the pines. Could work.  Another option would be to chuck it through the fence and zig and zag up in the grasslands beyond.

Next it was up the rabbit paddock, up onto Thompsons both, both ways, down and back up, then around the jumps and back down Rabbit into rocks pines gums. Exit over Skidder, dropping down Razza's, Sneaky, up the usual down and into Uprooted for a good hard climb. Then over Skidder again into the Heavenly blast on singletrack home. 

All in all a good time. I had a lot of interactions with possums tho. Should put some effort into taking a few out... 

7.17 kms and 296 m clambered

Monday After-Dinner, Mint Stooge

Stooged about on the hill tonight. Nice wee hoon, not too high but some sweet climbs and fun descending.  

Up the walking path just above the road, over onto Tawhairanui, then back up the wheelchair track to the Info Centre, then down the back of that and up over the 19th.  At skidder I took the middle road across to the exit of Fenceline, explored down Flow-Rider but found it a tad double-black, pushed back up and hit Cool Runnings which was a bit of fun, tho not very jumpy cos I just dont know it anymore.  Out the bottom and up Uprooted, nice climb, checking out where it hits Razzas this time.  then over from Skidder and down the usual, into Heavenly Creatures for a very flowy and fun bash.  All the way down, with good speed.  Clamber, road, home.   

A smidge over 5 kms and a peaky little 188 m climbed