Sunday Mucky Stingy Wharfdale

Paul and me drove out to View Hill Rd carpark.  The ford wasn't too bad and the road in was a little rough for the i40 but we made it up to the end of the road no problem to find a pretty chocka carpark.  New experience for him opening gates I think...  and a LOT of wasps around (tho not as many as the fateful time with Tom).  

We got riding and there was a bit of water (read: mud) on the track in places so it wasn't long and we were pretty splecky.  Nice to get in here again, 5 years since last time (and 2 before that!).  Trail is in very good condition, with many of the old double round parallel post drains removed entirely, and only one tree across it (the bulky chunk of which I removed (a tricky shin height sapling was unyeilding)).   The cooler shady zones were all but wasp free, but the sunny dry faces were busy (and buzzy).  Chch under fog, we were in a beautiful crystal clear day.

One of the creeks we crossed had a hell of a slip through it too.  All the way almost entirely rideable now, all the creeks etc...  much better.  Paul crashed on one droppy in and out creek.  The rocky bluffy section around 2/3rds of the way out has been majorly worked on, entirely rideable up (used to be a very tech drop coming back, pushing from this direction) until around the corner it got a bit steep with loose exposure making it 'scarier'.  The creek crossing just past it was majorly shifted further up too, due to slipping.  Passed a couple of sets of walkers, one near the saddle.  The zig zags near the saddle, section used to be super rutty and big rooty holes, now fully rideable, smooth.  Seemed like no time and we were at the saddle, finding 3 quite young women (high school age) with music playing.  Very respectful, they turned it right down when we arrived.  Chatted a bit, we ate our sandwiches, the last couple we'd passed turned up.  The girls left.  We were visited by a nice wee tomtit.  Then we headed off.

Good rolling, nice riding.  On the fast stretch down just before the first hairpin I felt a wasp between my lips.  I blew hard quickly, but not quick enough, bugger stung me on the lower lip.  Ouch!  I pulled up and stopped, and stuffed a couple of antihistamines in me. Paul turned up.  We got riding again.  Joyful riding, but my lip started swelling and was getting quite uncomfortable as we went along.  Good riding tho!  I'd stop every now and then and let Paul catch up then get rolling and caning all the tech sections, floating and wafting over stuff.  Passed a mum and kids at low point before the final climb.  Climb climb climb easy as, then through the gate and bombing again, mouth closed (and swollen) avoiding unwanted guests.  Big group of youthful walkers not far from the carpark.  They turned up while we were dismantling the mud and mounting the bikes.  

Got driving and they ended up catching up and training through our gate openings.  

A swollen lip of 17.5 kms, with 670 m climbed

Sunday Wharfdale Surprise

Got a surprise leave pass so headed out to Nelson's.  Nice fine nor'west day, and we headed around to View Hill and up the road.  Pete's Ford ford is all good now, raised concrete that it is, but the 2nd ford was a little marginal, but Nelson's pretty confident, so he just powered on through, no problems.  Shared gate duty with a girl in a Rangey (ie, I opened them, she followed Nelson through), but luckily it was only the first and last gates (2 in between open).  Gale blowing at the car park, quite cool, but still a sunny day so off we rode.

First time up here for 2 years!  Nice uneventful climb in, up, down, up.  On the longer downhill cruising along, trail pretty dry, a few puddles but no bother.  Moved one tree that was easy.  Tried to move a couple others that weren't.  Met three hunter/tramper guys.  Said there were 6 more trampers behind.  The first of the six was rather chatty.  Then proceeded to meet the rest, first a couple.  Then a couple of guys.  Then a woman.  Spitty rain started to fall.  It was looking pretty bleak further up, but on we rode.  Made the saddle and the rain was slightly heavier, but we were keen to check out the Black Hill track, so rode down towards the hut to the turn off for that, thinking we might carry up it for a bit before turning back.  Got there, walked up the first 20 metres of it and realised it'd be sketchy as hell.  Rain was quite heavy now.

Turned back here, climbing, and the trail was ever increasingly running with water the further we progressed.  Jackets soaking wet, water pouring off us.  Awesome blast down from the saddle, after having cleared a log off it on the way in we had a clear run, high speed, roots-a-poppin' blast.  Around the corner, down over the trenchguts, around the corner and onwards.  Fantastic.  Climby bits weren't too bad, and the descent to the creek that used to be quite dodgy is all nicely benched now.  Same with what was once a rockface drop after that creek.  More cruising climbing, wind howling in the trees around us, more and more as we progressed.  Sometimes tailwind pushing along, other times blasting from the side.  On the ridge where all the windthrow was from the past it was blasting through just before the descent through all the bridges. Great blast down this and then final climb, soaking wet, dripping.  Passed a bunch of walkers on the final descent blasting down to the car where the wind was ripping through, freezing cold.

Worked out well tho, cos we got in between the walking group's two vehicles, and the girl from the front one opened and shut the gates for us all.  Got to the ford and it had risen quite a bit.  The front 4wd got through, and stopped to see if we would.  Water right up over the bonnet, but made it, then the 2nd (less burly 4wd) also made it.

Good ride.  Tho mucky and cold(ish).  22.5kms, 724m climbed.

Saturday Wharfdale afternoon

Out to Nelson's with Jet in the car yesterday, collecting some wood on the way to cut on Sunday, and chucked some garlic in his ground, then after some lunch we headed around to View Hill Rd in the Subie.

Got riding at 2.10.  Was quite wet in places, water running down the trail, and there was evidence of a few bikes having been through.  Heaps of cars at the car park, way more than people we saw...  Met three riders coming out, and then overtook a walking couple going in, and then at one of the river crossings we met two other guys on bikes heading in as well.  We left them behind, and it took us an hour to get to the saddle where we stopped for a wee break.  Headed on over for the hut, enjoying the recently worked up trail.  On the way down we spotted one of the other bikers on a section of trail behind, so we figured they mustn't have stopped at the saddle - didn't see them again til at the hut tho.

Trail was greasy in places, roots were sketchy, eyes were spleckedy. General softness of the trail made it a lot more work than usual, so I got pretty tired.  Also, the stream crossings, especially the river before the hut, made for wet feet and on the way back our feet were blocks of ice, absolutely frozen solid.  Also, with the sun shining sideways through the trees, the flickering was like a strobe.  Nelson said it was like looking at camo on camo with a strobe in your face.  He wasn't wrong.

Jetty was awesome, running ahead, running with, and dropping behind on the descents.  He was so good, and loved every minute of it, but man he got filthy.

Spent a little time down at the river below the hut (where there were a couple of bikes locked to a tree), cleaning our chains and re-lubing before the climb back out.  Chatted briefly with the other bikers at the hut, they were gonna head down river for a ways then come back and stay at the hut.  On the climb back out we met the walker couple again, on their way down the hill.  It was a long hard climb up that hill.  Making the saddle was a relief, and my feet were SO cold.  Got riding again and the downhill was much appreciated.  Stopped half way and wrung out our socks.  This helped the feet iceblocks for a little while, but once we were in the final descents the wind chill turned them back to ice.  40 minutes from Saddle back to car.  Took a while for the heater to warm up...

Total time riding was 2 and a half hours, over all time 3 hours 20, so we must have spent nearly an hour standing or sitting around...  We made it back to the car at around 5.30, and there was only just enough light to have finished in.

29ish kms, and only 883 m climbed.  Less climb than Thursday's ride... Felt like a lot more.

Friday Night Wharfdale clearing

Left work early and managed to get to Nelson's close to 4.20-30pm.  We loaded his car and hooned around through Oxford and Woodstock Rd and then up through the fords and gates to an empty carpark (no surprise there).  No idea what time we got there, maybe 5ish?  Off up the track, Spot climbing well, and Jet running off ahead and waiting and running ahead, veeerryy happy.  Trail quite wet in places but I was feeling good, but Nelson's heart rate was all up the wazoo on account of having imbibed a RedBull on the way to the trailhead.  Got to the gate and the first descent, bomb bomb bomb, yikes, skiiiid, stopping as my handlebar hit Nelson's ass.  A big tree across the track.  Out with the Pocket Chainsaw, manning a handle each, cut through the quite rotten log, wearing out our arms in the meantime, jumped on it a bit and got through it, and moved it off.  One down, how many to go??  Got riding again, and just around the corner the climbing began again.

Climby climby climb, in and out and round and round over the bridges, feeling pretty good.  Nelson's heart rate still out of whack.  Jet loving every sniff.  On a windthrown ridge we got to our next project.  A bit of a mess of branches and trunks, many snapped off and in-your-eye spiky.  Out with the saw and many branches cut and moved and a clear way through except for one large log, easily stepped over.  Jet was wondering what the hell we were up to, "come ON, guys!"  Onwards again, and lots of nice swoopy descending, trail in perfect nick, light starting to get low, especially in the gloomier spots of forest.  Another tree across, more work with the saw and cleared, and now it was time for lights.  Another smaller (but wedged) tree, another one cleared.

Up the rocky outcrop, largely unrideable down to the creek that follows, and the slog up out of that, skirting the slips and back on the bikes, onwards ever onwards.  Another tree cleared, arms and shoulders starting to ache from the sawing. All the creek crossings are a lot more rideable now, there's been a fair bit of work put in in recent times, since all the slips and tree-throw of the last year or two.  Rode on, loving the downhill bits and enjoying the climbs.  Approaching the the switchbacks towards the end, the mudpugs were unavoidable.  I think there was maybe one or two more trees moved before the end.  We were at the saddle about 7pm, moreporks calling.  Pitch dark without the lights.  Surprisingly, I discovered I had cellphone reception, so flicked off a couple texts to home.

Then it was time to head back.  After the mud and the first creek crossing, we picked up speed down towards the first corner, assuming Jet was just behind, but got round that corner and looked back.  No Jet.  Waited, no sign.  Walked back up round the corner, calling, no sign!  Started to freak a bit, called and whistled, and no show!  Oh noes, I thought, I've lost the dog :(.  Then, in the distance, his wee glowing eyes, trotting along down the track.  Dunno what had kept him.  But he trotted onwards.

Rest of the ride out was good, I kept him in sight a bit more carefully, which slowed me down at times I'd have liked to go faster.  Somewhere, there was a tree across the track at about waist height we'd left on the way in, thinking it too hard, but we got sawing and cut nearly all the way through it but then couldnt move it.  Eventually, we pushed over a dead-standing widder-maker nearby and managed to use it to smash through our cut trunk.  Then we levered and bruteforced it off the trail.  Brilliant.  Continued on up to the high windblown point before the swoopy best fun descent began.  Once more I got a bit ahead of Jet and worried we'd lost him again, but he showed and just steadily trotted past and on not waiting for me - I think his wee paws were getting sore from all the sharp rocks. Awesome flow through this section now down to the low.  Final climb to the gate I was slooow and tired, legs spent, and lack of dinner taking it's toll.  Good pace down from the gate, waiting a few times for Jet, before finally getting back to the car, low cloud skudding through that saddle.  Was after 9.30 or so by the time we got to Nelson's place again.  A beer and a feed there, then I wasn't home til after 11.  Drove through some really heavy drizzle at Swannanoa.

Sunday Wharfdale with venom

Tom picked me up at about 8am and we trundled in his truck, north, then via South Eyre Rd to View Hill, through all the gates to the end of the road.  We both had our dogs, my Jet, and his, Jake.  Noticed a few wasps around and commented on how we should probably have brought antihistamines along for the ride.  Oh well, we thought.  Hit the trail around 9.20 at a good pace, climbing steadily to start with.  I'd had a reasonable sized night the night before, so was not feeling on top of the weather, and Tom hadn't ridden since our short Menzies Bay ride early in the new year, so I didn't think we were going very fast at all, but as it turned out we were anything but slow.  All the downs on the way in were awesome, all the ups worked up a good sized sweat, but it was kinda overcast and reasonably cool in the bush, so was pleasant riding all round.  The dogs were awesome.  Mostly off ahead, but once the trail pointed down, I'd catch them up, tell them to wait, they'd let me past then would stay on my tail from there til I started climbing again.  Really cool, seeing them enjoying themselves so much.  A few times, as I was gasping for air, I thought to myself, 'sure would suck if a wasp flew in the mouth...'.  We got to where Nelson and me got last time we did this in seemingly half the time it took us then.

Clambered up the rocky section, over to the creek, and walked up the steep rocky bit after the creek.  Up above, got riding again once things levelled off a bit, and rolled on happily, blasting the descents, and riding well on the ups.  At some stage, I thought I'd been stung by something in my eye.  It really hurt, but it cleared and on I went.  Just before the couple of hairpins not far from the Saddle, I caught up to a guy who was obviously struggling with the technicality.  Greeted and passed, and proceeded to clean a couple of really tricky rooty ups.  On up through the hairpins, around through a small creek and on up in no time to the saddle, basically on an hour square.  Not long after, Tom rolled in, and a wee while later the guy did too, dogs barking vociferously at him.  It'd taken him 2 hours and he was still game enough to continue onwards to do the entire loop out Lees, Ashley Gorge and right back round from Oxford(!). (whilst riding back I thought, how could he miss out on this!)

Tom and me turned back towards the car and rolled on down.  Had a great blast on the downs, ducking and weaving, popping and diving.  Jet and Jake having themselves a nice time.  After the worst of the creek crossings and the rocky interlude, I was climbing, and breathing heavily, and I felt a wasp suddenly in my mouth.  Quick as I could I rolled it out with my tongue, coughing and spitting it away, but I could taste the venom, horrible flavour it is.  Wasn't sure it'd stung me, other than the taste, but the roof of my mouth was going numb, and my swallowing becoming harder.  I upped the pace, figuring to get as close to the car as quickly as possible in case everything started turning to custard.  I was still breathing, so hoped I'd probably be okay.  And I'm sure the adrenalin of fear of my impending suffocation coupled with riding fast down blissful singletrack worked in my favour.  Eventually, just after about the only tree across the track, I stopped and wondered where Tom was.  I waited.  I walked back just a little and waited some more.  Finally he appeared, saying he'd had to stop to get his shirt off on account of the wasp that'd flown in there.  He'd gleaned a few stings on his front for his efforts.  So, on we rode, blasting down the 2nd to last, main, descent, with all the bridges in it, awesome riding.  Climbed well to the gate, then it was the final wide open blast.  Throat getting sorer...

Arrived at the truck and loaded up.  No antihistamines in the first aid kit... drove out, through to Oxford, and thankfully found some Loraclear at the wee supermarket there.   In the mirror i could see my uvula was twice its normal length, and the flap of skin behind it was all pink and swollen and kinda flappy.  Both kinda made me speak like I was snoring a little.  Scarfed a pie and a Ginger Beer each in Oxford, then figured I was feeling okay, so we went and met Nelson and we all spent a couple hours on the chainsaws at Harvey's woodlot.  Got another trailer load back to Nelson's and the families all came out and we drove go-karts and had a BBQ.  All good.  Cheers!

Sunday morning Wharfdale pre firewooding

Up early and off out to Nelson's place, with Pete's trailer in tow, stopping to grab a few pallets at Homebase first, got out there just after 8am.  Nelson took his truck and trailer and we parked it and my trailer up at the woodlot and headed through Oxford and for Wharfdale.  Made the trailhead about 9.  Good climb to start in and i was wheezing.  Bit of dampness about, and spitty rain now and then, and muggy as.  First blast downhill from the gate was good, but into the main climb, the odd bit of slick rootage caught us both out a couple times, having not ridden them for so long, both felt a little out of practice.  Great climb followed by a better cruising rolling descent.  Trail pretty clear of trees, but quite a few have fallen away, making holes in the track having lifted their root boles.  Bit of a climb and got to the rocky section, clambered up and we were about an hour in, so figured may as well turn back here.  Walked ahead tho, and checked out how the trees just past the steep creek bit had been cleared.  They had.

Turned back, rode the rocky droppy descent section then cruised and moseyed back, climbing the gentle climb.  Met a couple of (campervanning) Aussies, one from Melbs and one from Hobart.  They'd been touring around the south of the south, and were finishing off with the Wharfdale.  They seemed to be enjoying it.  We climbed on a little ways then the funnest descent began.  Heaps of good maneuvers, excellency at the handling, well and truly on form again.  Wet areas spraying up the muck, splecking me in the eye one time badly, nearly taking out my stereoscopy, and causing me no end of gyp the rest of the day.  Alas, all good things must end and the bottom arrived, and i just about slid out into the final corner trying to carry momentum into the climb.  Nelson jetted off, and i kept the pace for a bit then mellowed off and in no time was back up to the gate.  Then it was the final blast.  Eventually winding it up into top gear and really blasting, spraying ourselves with splecky spray, railing through the final throes of the track, high speed, back to the car 45 mins after we'd turned around, bikes and clothing covered in wet gritty muck.  

Drove back to the wood lot and proceeded to chainsaw for 2 hours.  Filled two trailers, killed one chainsaw...  (Nelson had brought the wrong fuel and hadn't realised til it was too late... :(  
Unloaded the wood back at his and i got home with time for a shower before T's fancy schmancy aunt and uncle came for afternoon tea at 3.

Sunday Wharfdale Adventurings

Bit of an epic today.  I'm certainly feeling like I've done something pretty huge.  Got out to Nelson's around 9a.m. and checked out his environs before we Grand Wagonned around through Oxford to View Hill and parked up.  Somehow it was like 10.30 as we were making our way up the start of the trail.

A perfect day, cool, with blue skies and sunshine.  As usual a bit of water around on the trail, and some really soggy sections.  Looks like there's been a lot of riders through it of late.  But the dry north facing stuff was nice and dry.

We were good trail pixies all the way through.  By the time we got to the saddle we'd cleared off 6 logs, with only a couple of major wind-throws we absolutely couldn't have budged. 

Seemed to make the saddle in no time, tho, I don't know how long it really too, maybe an hour?  possibly more, what with all the stopping.  Anyway, carried on over and headed down towards the Hut.  Fucking mucky along the top section, but then it got good, for a while.  Before the big historic slip, there was a big bunch of trees across the trail, requiring a bit of schlepping and scrabbling.  On down, I was getting more and more tired.  We stopped and cleared a few more logs before finally making the river, hoofed up the climb then negotiated a tricky descent (I rounded a corner to find Nelson's bike and him separated in a big pile on a corner) to the hut.  Checked out the river below the hut, wrote in the book and feasted on One Squares...

Then we hit the trail down towards where the Townshend Hut used to be.  What a fantastic wee section of trail.  Bit of a climb to start, but then it just flows wickedly.  And riding it back was surprisingly good too.  Tho, by this time I was feeling weaker and weaker.  From the Wharfdale hut we began our climb back.  Ugh.  Took as long as it took.  Most puddles, I'd pull a wee wheely over just in case they were deeper than expected.  Ever more tired, on the way up to the saddle I was crossing a puddle, and thought, "I'll just let it roll through."  Big mistake.  My front wheel stopped dead and I overbalanced and toppled straight over the bars into the muck.  D'oh!

From the saddle, the downs were spectacular.  So much fun, so much flow, so good.  The climbs seemed to get betterer too.  My legs were burned out, but what had been granny crawls became more and more middle ringed.  Second to last descent, with the bridges in it, was amazing.  I stuck right on Nelson's tail and we just flew.  Final descent was fast and loose.

Other users:  Met a guy on his way out, who told us the Hut had seen the Canty Uni Tramping Club's 'Bushball' overnight.  Met a guy on a bike with a climbing helmet and big pack, just come from the Bushball.  Then a girl walking, obviously the same.  There were a couple at the hut, who left while we were there, and later we passed them maybe 20mins from the end.  Met a guy and his son on bikes on their way down from the saddle negotiating the big wind-throw.  Rounding a corner I thought I was hallucinating, 4 or 5 sheep??  Nope, Huskies, and a guy, walking out.  They'd been to the snow up high.  Then one guy on a bike looking stunned as we flew past him, then a family of 4 near the end.  And a tonne of cars in the carpark when we got back, where their occupants were, who knows? 


New fork report, perhaps not as much small bump compliance as the Fox when it's tuned right, but it certainly felt good, and I think the 20mm axle really makes a difference.  Steering felt really precise.

Sunday Coopers Wharf soaking wet dale

Forecast looked none too hot with a couple of southerly blasts expected, but figured we should just ride anyway, so got me out to Nelsons just after 8.30 and we headed round to Mountain Rd in Coopers Creek to ride to the Wharfdale track.

Drizzle was pretty well set in when we headed out and we were pretty much drenched within a few minutes. Along the river for a little with a couple of weird ups and downs, then lots of up. Largely rideable for starters except where it was too steep. Further in there was lots of gnarly rooty sections and the odd mudpug. Quite a cool track, every now and then there's little marker label things telling you what species of tree its next to. Kinda weird considering if you were walking the first one would be like an hour in...

We jokingly estimated the percentage rideable on the way in was maybe 72.6%. Anyway, eventually, after much trudging and climbing and a couple of descents (one quite steep but all rideable) we made the end of the 'link' track, which is the Wharfdale Track. Total altitude climbed around 360 m.

Whew we thought, now it'll be a bit easier. And it was! The Wharfdale's like a highway in comparison. Not far in, after the bridges, Nelson got a flat tire, so he replaced the tube with a 'race' tube (thin, light). I was getting really cold, so changed out the longsleeve lycra for a fleece. Some walkers cruised past just as we were heading off and said, "You're insane riding this". We said "you should have seen the trail we just rode up!"

Not much further on we stopped at that clay-ey corner and had a snack, and while we sat there we could hear a sssssssssssing. Yep, his back tire again. So he put in my tube, and we were off again.

Met another walking couple just before the switchbacks and not far later hit the saddle. Rain was infintessimally lighter here, sky too. Ate more OSM, and a couple of germanic runners passed by while we sat there, and we met another just after we'd set off down the way we'd come. Half way down my front brake started sounding like the spring on rotor, so we stopped at that rocky drop (after the unrideable climb from a creek) and i swapped in my new ones. My rear brake was dodgey-as too.

Nelson had a few wee moments, when his shoes wouldn't unclip, crashing a few times. Didnt stop him flying off on the main descent away from me. I was experiencing physical wreckedness most of the ride, my neck really sore from lugging hay bales on Saturday maybe, pretty uncomfortable, so was taking it easy, and i wasnt enjoying water and grit induced blindness when at speed. Eventually caught him at a treefall just at the start of the final climb, and we headed back up to the gate and track junction.

Hung our left down our track which starts off rooty and mucky, but largley, rideable, followed by a really nice section which seemed to go for a while. There are a few awesome blasts down through this track, a reasonable climb (ie, steep enough to have to walk) in the middle, and more really nice sections, all interspersed with nasty bits, heinous bog holes and unrideable slippery roots. In the dry you might clean some of them, but many were just too big and poorly spaced. Some hail, and thunder, and more rain kept us in check.

I came a cropper on one such section when my front wheel just went out from under me and threw me off to the bank side of the track. My handlebars spun too, leaving, for some reason, my rear brake with no action, ie, lever went right to the grip with no effect. So, hung the bike on a tree, removed the rear wheel and swapped out the worn out pads for some spare used ones that still had half left i had in my bag. the wee spacer spring had worn out too, so i had to run them sans spring. They still worked much better from here on out giving me a little more confidence, tho i was still struggling with the eyespleck.

After my brake change we were on pretty much the main final long descent, towards the end of which you leave DOC land and there's an open bit after some young macrocarpas with some rock outcropage, where i caught up to Nelson, just picking himself up after bouncing down the steps and off the track.

Some final steep down from here, couple tight switchbacks, over a couple of stiles, more steep down, then back onto the flat, passing a couple of walkers on the weird uppy-downy bits, and back to the car just as my hands were starting to get shooting nerve pain on the grips, frozen solid and wet through. i was SO glad to be back and into dry clothes and warm(ish) car. Pies consumed by both from Oxford dairy... Back to Nelsons to warm up some more.

Total kilometreage, roughly 14 kms each way. I'd ridden this route once before... i think i now remember why at the time i chose not to go back down the Coopers Creek track... Tho, under nice conditions, it really wouldnt be that bad but still a fair bit of getting off and pushing... We estimated about as much total effort as doing the usual View Hill Carpark right through to the Townsend and back.

Sunday sloppy Wharfdale goodness

Got word on Saturday that a couple guys i know were gonna do Wharfdale on Sunday. i's keen as mustard, so did a little prep on the bike, regreased headset and nicely oiled up the chain. Also, chucked on a new tire i'd got. Ritchey ZM Premonition i'd picked up from Torp7 a couple days before.

Tom and Matt picked me up at 8 and we headed out the Tram Rd. Left Chch's dreary grey and headed into blue skies and sunshine. First car in the carpark, tho some walkers (and dog) arrived while we were getting ready. Somewhere on the road there, something must have been flicked up by the back wheel of the car, slashing Tom's front tire, totally slicing through tire and tube. no spare tires on board, so we cut up the old tube, folded it several times, inserted between new tube and tire, and pumped her up. kinda bulged a bit, but wasnt too bad, but just to be safe, we put a random ziptie (that i just happened to have in my bag) around the tire, which held it quite nicely.

hit the trail. pretty good knick. excellent muckiness, lovely slippery roots. hit first pile of snow at about the 3rd bridge. counted somewhere between 6 to 10 tree falls. wonderful flowy section half way in, love that groove. fair bit of snow and extreme muckiness up towards the switchbacks, and the saddle. Tom figured his tire was gonna blow out, by the saddle the ziptie had gone, so he turned back, while Matt and i headed down for the hut. first 50m or so was messy snow, but beyond that was good, mostly. lots of snowloaded branches down, all of which we cleared off the track, and quite a lot of ice down this side. very cold, and cool eerie mists kinda hanging around.

made the river, got across without too much bother, and then this heinous climb kicked in. i didnt remember this from last time (years ago!) i'd been to the hut... anyway, got to the hut, signed in, had a One Square. brrrr, got moving again, back up and over, then the long slog back to the saddle. one off at a creek when my front wheel dropped and i leaped over the bars and stayed on my feet. at Midday, Matt replaced his front pads.

made the saddle, and the down began. for a bit anyway. not bad, bit splecky. on the climbs my legs were really starting to burn. the second to last descent (the one with the bridges in it), i think would have to be one of my favourites. its when everything comes together, all your skills honed to perfection, cept for feeling utterly shattered having not had a good long inclement ride like this for a lonnnng time.

the climb to the gate nearly killed me. but the final descent made everything better, getting faster and faster, briefly slowing for that metal pipe and following little creek, then on down to car park. sweeeeeet!!

Tom had made it back just as the bulge eminating from his tire was starting to rub the fork arch. he'd been waiting a fair while for us... Lots of cars in car park now too. We'd seen a couple of couples runners en route.

Meanwhile, my new tire worked very nicely thanks. was predictable. a nice size, good and big for a 2.25. didnt hook up as much as some mud specific tires would, but never gave me any issues of spinning out. should be a good tire to go on with. expecting another newby soon too, a Schwalbe Muddy Mary. chuck that on the front for a while methinks.

home 3ish.

Friday Night, Wharfdale in the wet

glorious ride last night. Chris and me drove out through downpouring rain along the Tram Rd to meet up with Nelson and the Rally Bongo, within which we plied the byways and fords and sideways drifting of the road to Wharfdale. parked up, couple of hunters just heading in, and another bike car parked up, low cloud, bit of drizzle in the air, and i'd left my helmet at home! luckily, Nelson's street one was in the van, and it fits me! yay..

trail was reasonably wet, with a small flow of water along it, but otherwise not too bad. we had a good spin in, enjoying the slippery roots and eye-splecking goodness of the dripping bush. played a bit of a game at the suggestion of Nelson, where, whoever was in the lead, if they baulked or screwed up, dabbed basically, they went to the back and the next guy got the lead til they fucked up too. sometimes you'd hold the lead for ages, sometimes you'd hold it for 10 metres. was good, and gave all of us a chance to lead. the other rule was, if the leader had baulked, the other two didnt have to clean the section either, tho sometimes we did. anyway, that kept it interesting, altho it was excellently interesting anyway. no one had any offs, and we made the saddle in damned good time.

hail started falling on the approach to the saddle. brrr... bit of a munch at the saddle and we layered up in the few extra bits we had (ie, not enough), and got moving asap. nice flow down for a while, each having their time in the spotlight. fingers slowly numbing. funny, i felt like i was cleaning stuff i'd never have cleaned in the past, and Nelson reckoned it was cos we just wanted to hold onto the lead...

eventually, ran into the hunters again, nelson in the lead and his brakes squawking letting them know he was coming. Chris had a clickity mystery shifting chain, so we caught up to Nelsie, pulled up and he repaired the culprit, a slightly botched job from his repair in the BrakeFree zone the other night. whilst standing there, the rain suddenly got heavier, downpouring and wind shaking more out of the canopies. then we heard voices and a couple of other mad bastard bikers showed up. then two more. (obviously the owners of the other bikecar at the trailhead), they'd been down to the hut and back. their tailender (a certain (ex?) local dmr distributor...) fell off when he got to us, and stayed clipped in as he stumbled over the bank. offered help and a laugh, but he righted himself okay and got going. i led off chasing him and his mate, and keeping them in sight for a long while, thinking i could have gone faster, but didnt need to as they were clipping a pretty good pace anyway. then i baulked on something, so chris took the lead, but cos he couldnt see for shit, nelson stealth passed him and dropped us. i followed the blind Chris til i made it past him somewhere around the bridges and then it was the last climb and then the drifty flat tack eyesplecking good time descent to the cars... wicked.

friendly other bikers musta felt sorry for us not having any dry gear as they all changed into theirs, so handed over a beer each, which was nearly warm compared to our frozen selves. rally bongoed ahead of them leaving the gates for them to shut. no stock anywhere, so no worries...

All up an awesome time. wet, rooty, cold, just as you can expect on the Wharfie. i reckon 70 % of the times i've ridden it its been at least drizzling if not wetter.

Coopers to Wharfdale and back out ViewHill

Well... Ended up being a solo musicked ride...nice clear day, nursing quite the hangover, drove out to coopers creek entrance to the oxford forest, end of whats known as mountain road, took the track to wharfdale track. crashed within the first 5 minutes, back wheel spin, right foot pedal down, failed to clip out, balance lost and over i went, down a bank of blackberry and gorse. fantastic way to start a ride, back of arms and my back all scratched up. then trail becomes unrideable in lots of bits. one section in cutover broom scrub just taller than handlebars and the path way narrower, puts on the brakes slowing progress, so mostly i walked the bike on its back wheel. had to do that a lot, and sometimes carry. but some riding. probably an hour to the Wharfdale track, then blissful singletrack riding, nice and clear, well groomed, lovely. the southfaces were damp with dripped mist and possibly rain the foothills collected that the plains didnt. the northfaces were all beautiful and dry. good progress, to the rocky outcrop bit, decided there i was tired and needed to head back. decided not to take the messy track back the way i'd come up, so rode out to viewhill carpark and down the road thru all the gates, back round woodstock rd, over the tawera bridge, round through tawera on rampaddock road and back up to the car.

tonight, Nelson and me drove to scumner and went up capt thomas and up the new evans track to top and back. the fog was fantastic. thick swirling, no visibility, getting soaked in mistiness. amazing. made for a ride of epic proportions even tho it was just a quick 3 or 4 hundred metre altitude jaunt. probably 8 kms to top and back down that... steady, middle ring climb all the way.

back to court tomorrow... JURY. silly silly boys.