Saturday On the Top and CAP

Pretty good ride tho I'm knackered now.  Bad night's sleep - brain still processing from the smack on Thursday.

Up from home on the Jeht and straight into heading across the Traverse towards Nelson and Kirsty who were riding up Rapaki.  I had a good run across the top here, stopping for quite a few in the right places and not budging when it was my turn.  Parked up, tired, at top of Huntsbury and sat for a bit and as they weren't appearing I headed up onto Vernon and rode across the first flatter section, parking up just above with a view to the road below.  Not long after they appeared and Nelson recognised me above and waved.  I rode back and met them.  Kirsty took the road from here and I followed Nelson around.  We had a pretty good run, not bad pace, tho stopped for a breather above that weird solar-weather-station-electric-fence-looking thing, then got moseying again down around to the top, straight into the Thomson Twins and rolled through to meet K at the Kiwi.  

Up summit road from here, I lagged along here but they were kind enough to wait up a couple times.  Up Worsleys Rd and into the Body Bag - been a while.  There was a moment half way down I thought I was gonna come a cropper, a nasty slump hole eating the rut I was running.  Managed to pop onto the grass to the side and no harm done, but that could catch the unaware easily.  Nelson was spooked by it too.  

Through the gate and steeeep climb up to the chairlift top.  Kirsty went green and we went Bako, rough and tumble down, it's pretty mumpty, and so long.  Got nice and smooth when we eventually hit Duncan's, then we headed into Loose Connections and waited at the start of Omnishambles and, not long after, Kirsty arrived.  She took SnakeObs to Active Rest, and Nelson and me dived into Omni for a start then peeled into the Down Low soon after, weaving our way down this.  Again, quite bumpty and dusty.  I like the reminiscent feeling I get down in the trees near the bottom where it's recognisably part of the old DOHC end.    

We had coffees and I had a not-very-good cookie, then we parted ways.  They rode back to their car at Rapaki and I caught the lift, Summit Connector, lower Nun, up Summit to Vic and down my usual ways.  Brain wasn't functioning properly and I had lost my flow on the way home.  I was stuffed.

Capacious 22.5kms with 560 m climbed under my own steam, lift accounting for the 960 m total

Sunday's Stoogin' About the Joint

Had seemingly sorted the dropper issue, as in, it's all in how you hold your mouth and other people have had exactly the same issue with that model, so took the Stooge up the hill today.  Cruised up to top of Vic, down the Thomson's, 1 and 2, then through the Pass below Kiwi, and dropped into the Choir Boy...  over took a couple people, and had some epic speed, then slow around to Locomotion which was closed and announcing that Loess was too!  Damn, both of them I had wanted to do...  So, off down Rere Pia, which was slightly rougher than is preferable on the Stooge, tho really not that bad, and mucky in a couple bits too, splecking me up real good.  Down into the park and cruised down through the carpark to find the Uphill track closed too!  Argh.  Now what??  Moseyed down through the wetlands then headed up Worsley's.  Been a while.  I cant believe we used to do it on the regular.  I poked my nose into the Farside thinking I'd drop down it and back up, but it really was too greasy, so off I continued up and up and up.  The gravel was a grind, then the body bag was even more so.  Walked a tiny bit at the top.  

Into the Nun, pretty good blast down, not too greasy and not too mucky, tho, below the road was a mess, or, at least, made me a mess.  Out at the Kiwi and onwards up to top of Vic, dropping, nailing the first jump, only just, then down rabbit, into rocks, through gums, excellent until just before you meet Sesame lower down I smacked a tree and nearly ended up off the side just winding in the loss of control before that happened.  Down and out to skidder, then down road to the Dog Park Carpark, into this trail and man was it messy.  Wettest I reckon I've ever ridden it.  The oaks were an absolute mess.  All the way down, bike loving it, out to H'Ell, and the clamber up to road and home.  

Good blast, just shy of 20 kms, and a healthy 673 m escalated.

Sunday Parking Lots

Met Nelson at a ridiculously full CAP carpark and we climbed the climby Uphill climb, steep bugger tho it is, good for a while and I kinda held my own almost all the way to the Worsley.  Obviously riding to and from work everyday (albeit on the Ebike) and a few extra mtb rides than him is benefiting me slightly.  

Into Worsleys and it really was the worst lees.  Bumped into Rowan (a wilding-pine colleague) walking her dog and her man, and then we grunted off up the climb.  The Body Bag got the better of both of us eventually, me waaaay sooner than Nelson - I thought he was gonna make it for a second there, but gravity and traction got the better of him.  

Up the temporary permafrost to the top of the Nun, we stopped for a bite to eat.  Into the slick and dodgy, me in the lead, never quite trusting it the traction on dampened tires, potential for ice, and slick rocks.  We talked about it later and both agreed the trail is getting tired - lack of use up top and over use below.  Through the muppetsville crossings and then joinings of the Adwenture Park, catching up to a few peops on the lower Nun, then diving into Old Dyers, aka Choir Boy, singing for our supper.  Pulled up just round the valley cos Nelson's bike was making weird rattly noises.  Not really sure what it was, but we set off rolling again and progressed fast enough rolling to overtake a couple on the roll, no pedalling involved, then down through the new 'features' and out to the top of Pork'n'Puha.  

Nelson gapped his way in while I took the nanna way in, and all the other nanna lines next to gaps the rest of the way down.  Good to see the top of 3rd Base again, been a while, then left into the new to me Pork and Puha.  Bomby bomb bomb droppy dropping down, back and forth, down, and then rolly roll pop out down the bottom, catching up to multiple other riders who looked faster than they were.  We definitely more than held our own speed-wise against all the gromlins.  

A sweet spin, with lots of exertion expended.  Kinda similar distance to yesterday, 9.8 kms, with a measly 425 m climbed (compared to what it felt like).

Saturday Morning Heated Steeps

Nelson, O and me left our place and headed up Vic Park Drive, O powering off and causing Nelson to comment as to what a hurry he seemed to be in.  We went up to the main park area and dropped down the old access route to the top of Loess Rider etc. Across the road and O dropped over the normal entrance, whereas N and me took the new way straight off the road into Capt Cooker, dropping down the rocks and around, finding O waiting at the Karma/Shred/Loess start.  

I led off down Loess and at the first corner, pulled up and peeled off the trail.  O continued on down while Nelsie and me explored this new (to us) access trail across towards the 35s...  Several options off the left of it, and maybe 2/3rds along there's this massive rock wall with a route down it, leading into a jump and a berm and off down.  Nelson pushed to top to check it out but decided against the drop.  Who knows the speed you'd have into that jump and corner!?  We continued on across the trail, eventually getting to the 35 zone we knew, and were pleased to see cool 'rules' signage up here "Dont talk about it, dont facebook it, dont instagram it..." (So, officially, i'm not talking about it here).  Dropped in, holding on to the right hand side all the way down, weaving and dodging.  Nelson left me behind and then I wondered if he'd peeled off to the left somewhere because the dust had cleared and I couldn't tell where he was.  I caught up eventually.  I think we'd ridden the bit we finished on before, but who can tell?  Rolled out, much nicer end to it now (not having to climb up to Loess, for a start), finishing down at the skills zone.  Rolled out and around up to the base, spotted O, filled up water, cruised in and caught up with O and friends, then left them to it.

Down the carpark and into the climb.  Foosh...  First bit to the base of long zipline is a prick, but then it's not so bad, zigging and zagging, zigs and zags getting tighter and tighter and tighter.  Passed a few walkers up and down.  Eventually up the ridge and then nice cooling descent and around into the later climb, reminiscing about Daves (ACJoint) track and Fight Club and the likes...  Through the gate and up the Worsley.  Oh joy.  Cooled off in the shade next to the Park gate and then hit the body bag.  Ugh.  Nelson cleaned it, amazingly.  I failed at the usual spot then kinda caused another rider who'd snuck up behind me to fail too.  He practically ran the rest of the way to get ahead.  Nice cool breeze at the top. 

Climbed up to the top of the Nuns and decided on the Gnar.  Nice start, quite easy and relaxed corners, nothing too tech, then you hit the rocks.  We stopped and examined several sections before (or after) riding them, giving a couple of bits 2 goes to get the best lines sorted.  Then, across the Park track and bloomphity bloomph bloomph down the roughest line, near the bottom of which I'd taken a new (to me) line and just perched on top of a ridge of rocks between two nasty bits I did not want to fall into.  Then, as I re-entered the Nun proper, my front end bottomed something wicked and a very weird noise emanated from it...  ugh.  Rest of the run was fast and fun, until the exit to the road, some dipshit had left their bike right across the exit...  I commented "pretty dumb place to leave your bike" as I rode past.  Wish I'd ridden over the back wheel.  Filled up water at the Kiwi, and off up the road we went.  

Into Vic, usual down and around over the jump, loads of people standing around the jumps, and then next to the see saw, guy said "watch how the pros do it" as I went over it, lookin' good.  haha..  First few BrakeFree jumps and out down the rabbit paddock, and hard right over the cattlestop, into the pines, Nelson led down over the log and then I led down through the gums, usual route, swooping back and forth on the edge of traction.  Onwards down, then quick right and walk out the top of the CAP track, and up over 19th, down, around the road, into the carpark track, (broken window glass all over the carpark), bombing, swooping, getting to know this well now, and final climb before final blast down behind the houses...  

A hot af 13.5 kms with, what felt like a lot more than, 541 m climbed.

Waitangi Morning Loopies

Parked off Barrington again and moseyed around through Craycroft and past the CAP entrance and up the good old Worsley.  Got off road after the bottom hairpin and rode up the grassy track to the top of Farside, where, I dropped in and bombed down for a wee reminder play (Loop 1).  At the bottom of this, I got back to climbing, this time on the road (easier, slightly quicker).  Up, up, up, onto the gravel and grovelling on up.  Gets more real before the body bag, and then it gets really real.  Walked about 10 m near the top, and rode out onto the road. 

Over into the climb for the Nun still feeling pretty fresh, standing and cranking even.  There was a dude up here to whom I said "nice clean bike."  - said he'd cleaned it after a mucky xmas break...  I gave him a good head start, taking a couple of pics for the MMR, then dropped on in.  Whooah...  Overgrown!  You cant see far round the corners at the start, so it was a little surprising, cos the broom has grown up so much.  It improves, but even lower down a couple of times I was thinking, "this is really getting neglected."  Kept good speed and was catching the dude ahead, he was stopped at the Park crossing and I continued on past him down the original lines (not bailing right for the Gnarly Nun ending).  Bombed on through and the popped up onto the midway carpark.  He rode past, looking pretty cautious.

I crossed the road and headed into the Governors Bay track (Loop 2).  Man was IT overgrown.  It's really narrow now, and visibility is super tight.  I was just thinking 'I wonder if I'll meet any walkers' when a runner appeared.  He wasn't sure if I'd seen him but no trouble, I'd stopped with plenty of room.  Bombing down, some nice tech in here now, and 2 extra wee climbs I didn't remember.  Stays quite high as you sidle round, and then I was climbing again, struggling with the steeps.  Cleaned lots, but walked the last to the top. 

Back on the road, I headed back up to the midway Nun carpark and dropped straight in, bombing bombastically the rest of the way out.  Contemplated the option of Capt Torpedo, but that entrance was still shut, so continued with my original plan, and popped up to the Kiwi for some water. 

Up road to top of Vic Park, and into the Traverse, cruising around this, and pulling over for lots of oncoming.  Overtook a dad and kid (out for first ride), and then bumped into Brad from work.  Finally got to top of Fourpause and was still feeling surprisingly good, having had plenty of power on all those climbs. 

Dropped into Fourpause and bombed it.  Excellent flow over first, third and last jumps (middle one into the rutted berm, not so much).  Down through the swoopy tussocks and then over the edge, way more grip than recently and down to the stile.  Over this, and dropping through all the bits.  Only one dab through that super tricky rock edge and lavishingly enjoying the rest of it down into the off cambers. 

Final singletrack buzz, the Old Skool Bowenvale at it's best.  Awesome run down here.  It's just so familiar and predictable.  Passed a couple runners and their dog near the bottom and finally rolled on down the valley, taking directional backstreets back tot he car to complete the largest loop. 

A triple looped 21 kms, with over 750 m clambered vertically.

Tuesday Night Rambling Sneaks and Climbers Before the Squall

Met at Nelson's after work and we rode around Centaurus not really knowing quite where to go yet, but formulating a bit of a plan as we rode.  Turned left into Rossmore Tce, riding up this with my bottombracket creaking like a mo'fo.  Pushed up the steep steps and then rode out Whareora Tce, across Dyers into MacMillan, and up the Whisby 'Rd' walky-steep.  From here it was up Dyers Pass Rd, left into Hackthorne and I grabbed a drink from the fountain at Takahe (cos I'd left my backpack at home).  Up Dyers around a few bends, and we dived into the Sneaky-35 trails.  Last time I kept right, this time we dropped into the left (which proceeded to swoop across the right hand lane).  Back and forth we dropped, swoopy swoopy.  I lost my front wheel momentarily in some loose loam, but kept it together.  A couple of quite greasy spots were interesting.  We travelled further down and to the right than I did last time.  Eventually tho into the lowest section I'd experienced then, and finally across the bottom of the valley, over the log, and up onto Loess for a flowy fun finishing finale.

Across the bottom of the park and straight into the bastard Uphill track.  Nelson motored away, as usual, and I just plodded away as good as my legs could handle.  The whole time we were in the park, from 35 through to this climb and beyond, a helicopter was hovering over (probably) Lord of the Possums.  Cleaned all the zigs and zags, no dabs, and by the time I got to the easier 4wd section, Nelson was miles ahead.  He waited at the top, before the quick speed down then climbing again as the chopper flew over and away.  Around and up to a locked gate, so we pushed around the fence, and on up Worsleys.  Nelson totally gapping me again..  Ambulance and CAP quad came down the road while we climbed.  Up the Body Bag, a couple of guys ahead.  I managed most of the way up, whereas Nelson obviously cleaned it.

Up to the Nun, and we decided on Gnarly Nun.  First time since the scorched earth of yesteryear, was vaguely overgrown, but we picked our way down, cleaning everything very nicely, including some good rocky droppy sections I probably wouldn't have on the Turner.  Then across the 4wd track and onto the super gnarly rocky dh descent down to lower Nun.  One non-rollable, pop-the-front-wheel jump that I mastered perfectly, and we zoomed through the first swoops of lower Nun.  Nelson pulled up with a flat, leaky pig of a tubeless tire that wouldn't seal.  Pumped, rode on down, up road above Thomsons and pumped again at top of Vic.

Could see a big squall making its way across the city towards us from the northwest, so we bailed quickly, straight down to the rabbit paddock, rain and wind howling in as we flew into the rockgarden, and around through the gums.  Felt like trees could come crashing down with the wind thrashing around us, and indeed, a couple had lower down before the last sweep across to the skidder site.  Straight into Shazza's and bombed out the bottom of that straightlining down to Sneaky Ridge, bombing the rocks and through this, over the jump to Bridges and straightlining across and down to Hospital Corner, before fanging it down the valley bottom and out.  Road wet with rain as we made our way back around to Nelson's whereupon the weather fined up again.

Lots of climbing, for not a lot of downward rewards.  19.6 kms, and 712 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Farside Worsley Nun Traverse Skooling

Quite a sizeable ride this evening. Met at Nelson's after work and we moseyed across the loop and Thorrington, along the river, Cracroft, to Worsley Rd. Headed up the grassy side and dropped back down into the Farside. Excellent wee roller this, and has been cleaned up since the other month when I did it - with fallen tree removed. We blasted it it all the way to the bottom down in the catchment pond dam valley, and then explored up the valley towards Andy's new place.  Ran out of tight singletrack in the valley, so climbed up onto the 4wd track, then up the old zig zags back up to Worsleys Rd and on up - riding the brand new seal above the road before onto the old singletrack above the road.  Then up past Worsley Heights, and just past Agaia Pl, Nelson noticed a wee trail off to the right, which google maps tells me is called Helius Way.  Could be a nice lead in sidling track around to the Worsley zone if it continued...  unfortunately it ended at a planting area so we rode back out.

At the old carpark (end of the seal) we rode through the gate, into our old entrance up towards the burned forest...  Rode up this for a ways, under the burned trees, but up near where the stream used to be, decided not to continue on that track, as it was looking less used, so we climbed up to the road and continued our way up.  Seems steeper than it ever was in the past, even tho it's smoother.  We think it used to level off, and have short steep bits, now it's just constant.  A van passed me just before the top of the smoother stuff.  Nelson was waiting for me there.  Next section is more old skool then it's up into the Body Bag.  What a prick.  I ended up walking quite a long way up top.  For some reason my legs just about run out of climbing juice.  Up the track to the top of the Nun and we settled in for a snack and observation of the view - and a layer for me.

Into the Nun, rocky and bony as hell, with a fair bit of easterly wind, and I was catching a bit of dust from Nelson's progress ahead.  Bombed down, enjoying most of it, railing the berms and smooth until the really rocky section started, then I stalled a couple times and lost my mojo.  Below the Park section I got a bit of grove back, and man the lower half is hacked up.  Too many muppets braking too much and wrecking the trail.  Into the Summit Rd and the climb was just SO hard for me, up to top of Vic, and we hit the Traverse and all the climby bits were killing me.

FINALLY we made the top of the Huntsbury trail.  I took the lower line, Nelson started from up top.  We bombed it but I didn't have as good a run as last time with Paul.  Easterly wind was pushing all the tussocks over the track making it hard to spot the line.  And I wonder if my lights were set wrong.  Down the landing strip and we explored the tussocks for an entry line, eventually finding it where I usually do, then I led down first section to the stile/gate.  Then Nelson led into  the fun sections, tho missed one of the crossings, went back up and put a couple rocks for directing people into it, and we continued on down.  My back end was getting rattly, so under the pylons I took a call from home and then tightened up my loosened rear axle. (second time this has happened, i need to keep an eye on that.)  And into Old Skool, I was getting really tired down here and my flow was out of whack, and I just couldn't reel in Nelson.  Out to the end, and down the road back around to his place...

A very generous 22.8 kms, with 669 m of climbiness

Sunday Solo Utopian Worsley Traverse Nu &Old Skool

Post O's overnight party with 9 extra 13 or 14 year old boys, squawking away gaming.  With most gone, I managed to get out for a solo spin.  Feeling a bit naff cos they'd been up late, limiting my sleep, not to mention all the junky food we ate: chips, lollies, chocolate, ice-cream, pizza, and combinations of the above.

Parked on the river off the bottom end of Barrington and headed round the foot of the hills. Straight past the CAP and on up Worsley, first time in a long time.  The heat and the climb and the gasping wheezing lungs resulted in a massive bleeding nose half way up the grassy steep (alongside the Farside), so stopped and dealt with this, enjoying the views and clarity of the nor'west blown landscape.  Riding again, decided to torment myself again and drop into the Farside, to see how it's rolling.  Quite overgrown, and looks little-used.  There was a tree across it half part way down, but the rest of it rolled pretty good.  There was a family right in one of the swoopy corners at the bottom, and the woman sort of panicked and ran along the track in front of me momentarily, but I was friendly and they were fine.

Back into the climb, again, slightly slower pace to a guy on the road who proceeded to overtake a couple of guys also on the road, who I caught up to and overtook once I was on the road.  Continued up and up, surveying the missing houses for the first time up here since the fires.  Through where we used to park all the time and on up onto the gravel.  Total road...  Feels like it follows a different route, but I think it actually does follow the old, at least until further up.  The 'road' part finishes quite high up, but still below that top Adventure Park gate, so it's almost the old ruttsville momentarily before that gate and into the Body Bag which is just like it used to be.  I made it up to the steepest bit and then had to walk about 10 m before getting back on and rolling out the top.

Clambered up to top of Nun and had a wee bite to eat - couple of young guys headed in, then another dude.  I paused a bit before going in myself.  Nor'wester had picked up a bit and proved a bit interesting up top on the jumps, tailwind one moment, headwind the next.  Solo guys had pulled up part way down, and I was gaining on the young guys but they bailed out at the road exit half way.  On down, and there were mucky wetspots and lots of rocks.  Onto the road at the Kiwi, I've never seen so many cars parked here.  Nuts.  Across Dyers and up the road, overtaking an Enduro boi on an Evil Something.

Into top of Vic Park, and onto the Traverse.  Good blast across this, stopping for some.  Then, into my new favourite downhill top of Huntsbury, popping the jumps and grooving down the hill, then down the landing strip and into the second section, fun drops down to the Old Skool zig zags, taking all the new lines.  Excellent descent, interesting rocks.  Then off camber sections and into the Old Skool proper.  Caught a woman walking some non-tech rocks near the beginning, passed her then caught her partner and passed him, over the stile and cruise-ville all the way down the rest.

Got to the bottom, onto the road, went to lock out the rear and found it was already locked out!  All the way down, riding a hardtail...  Hit the river, around past the library, then back to Ashgrove and car.

Biggish loop, 21.2 kms and 640 m climbed.

Sunday, hot hill work

Out on my lonesome leaving home about 9.20, drove and parked at bottom of Bowenvale on Eastern Tce - and caught up with an old friend, Ben, who I'll definitely ride with sometime soon.  Headed up Major Aitken Drive, figuring there might be a bit shade on the way up.  There was, tho it was still pretty warm getting up there.  Ground away and got to the gravel and grabbed some shade up the first section on a nice singletrack next to the gravel.  Then out in the open thankfully a bit of breeze around.  Under the pylons and then up to the high part hung a right and climbed up onto the singletrack, heading for the landing strip then up the last gravel, feeling a bit weak from the heat and the downhilling yesterday.

Brief break at the start of the Traverse, breeze cooling a bit, then I was off.  Good ride around here, tho the wind was a headwind for a start.  Met a couple of uni-cyclists (one of which was a young girl (9 or so?)), and was sort of chasing a guy on a carbon XC steed.  Good blast down to Vic Park-top and then through Thomson and Thompson and across an insanely busy Kiwi, cars clusterfucked everywhere...  Up the road slowly gaining on XC dude, catching him juuuust at the top of Worsley.  Cooled right off here in the breeze under that big pine and chatted to a few other bikers.

Off down the Body Bag, hugging the left hand lane (on account of a guy riding up the middle), which only gave me a little bit of gorse sting on the way down.  Into the park, climbing up the steep trail, and touching base with Paul and family who were celebrating Luka's birthday down at base.  Into Yeah Yeah Gnar and then a little way down decided Tommy2's, why not (just over a year since last down here).  Into here, it was cool, following pretty much exactly where it used to.  Bloody dusty as hell, but fun, and familiar and I rocked my way down it, cleaning everything.  Out the bottom and into DOHC, blasting.  By the bottom my arm pump was mental, and quite sore.  Popped into the base and said happy birthday and caught up with peeps and had a beer (nothing else on the menu or in the fridge appealed!).  Then off again, down the road, freshly watered, so not dusty, and then around the foot of the hills back to the car.

A smidge under 20kms, 660m climbed, 1.5 hours.  Hot.


Later Edit:  the next day the fires started, burning for a week, over 2000 hectares, including most of the park, and the Thompsons, top of Harry Ell and Marleys, and all the way across the top of Worsleys Rd to Kennedy's and into Gov's Bay.

Wednesday Night Adventure Climb Worse Nun Traverse Lava OldsKool

Pick up from work and across town to park on Ashgrove Tce next to the bridge into Ernle Reserve.  Over this and a mellow cruise up the Heathcote River past Cracroft and then up the gravel into the Park.  Straight into the Uphill climb, ziggy zaggy, jiggy jaggy...  we caught up to some other guys and sat behind them for a while, got past one and were happy enough having a rest behind the next guy, til it opened up and we plodded on ahead, up and over and down and through the midpoint and then on upwards the old way we used to climb out of Fightclub etc.  around and through the gate and up the techknuckle grovel little bitty shitty rut-city.  Cleaned our ways up this and then had a bit of a social rest outside the gate of the park, chatting with others, snacking and resting before heading off up the Bodybag.  Cleaned it a long way up.  Nelson got it all the way, but I blew out pretty near the top, rested, breathed and then got going again, cleaning up the rest.  Nice - best effort for a long time.

Over and into the Nun climb, quick piss stop and off down.  Nelson on fire, me chasing and struggling a little, flying down the Flying Nun, popping and grooving.  Big fuck up on the trail just after the big corner closest to the park - the Pioneer Race had been through on the weekend and all the muppets had fucked up the entrance to that rock you used to jump over...  On down through the rocky sections feeling pretty good, keeping Nelson in sight, but struggling a little to keep up.  Past the carpark and bombing through the lower section, no wuckers, Nelson still getting away but not too far ahead.  Strangely we met some dude riding up, near the bottom, and we finished it off. 

Across Dyers Pass and up the road, Nelson taking the lower Thompson, me staying on the road.  Up here were some dipshit boy racers with a lowered ute, mashed up front and tires off the scuffed up rims.  Dumb-arses had lost it into the barrier.  "Ohh, That doesn't look good.  Whoops" from me, and "Looks like you're gonna need a wheel alignment" from Nelson, to which they slung him some abuse, little shits.  Lucky no one had been riding or driving up cos they'd crossed the centre line to hit the barrier, obviously at some speed, the skid marks were lonnnng - hope the little fuckers get done for dangerous driving.  Into the upper Thomson for us, dropping down the recent wood-chip entrance, laughing at their misfortune all the way.  At the top there was a couple with electric plus-size bikes with kid trailers hitched up.  They'd come up Bowenvale Valley and the K2s!!!

Into the Traverse and a good blat round here, meeting quite a few other riders.  Legs were getting tired on the last few climbs, ending up at the top of Lava Flow.  Guy and a dog were here getting ready to go down, so we headed in and Nelson rode everything...  I walked one or two bits, but rode a heap I'd never had thought of in the past.  Was fun. It's a cool track (7 years since I'd last attempted it).  At the bottom we headed up the steps next to the 3rd bridge (we'd come down them one night back with the Thursday Night Crew).  Bit of a hike, but once you're up it's a cool singletrack across to the Hidden Valley Link Track - avoiding losing altitude on boring track, the creek crossing and the first two hairpins.  Into this and climbing climbing up to Old Skool. Great blast down this, seems to have been cleaned up a bit in the middle traversing section and looks to be seeing quite a bit of traffic.  Fast down the bottom and then out and down the road and round the river and back through Ernle to the car.

All up, 634 m climbed, in 22.1 kms over an hour and three-quarters riding.

Saturday Worsley Jet Loner

Finally got out for a ride... A week in Fiordland, then family time all week.  Couldn't join Steve and others on their meander today, so got out a little later after dropping H off at a friend's.  Parked just above the hairpin on Worsleys Rd and headed up the singletrack next to the road.  Hung a right and having a look found that there is no longer an entrance to my old favourite, Utopia.  So, jumped into Farside for a quick blast down.  This is still fun, and less open ground so less overgrown than OneShotLucy (which I rode down later on).  Fun to the bottom and then back up the grinding climb, this time continuing on up on the grass beside the road and up the next bit of overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and then up the road proper, Jet loping along side me all the way.

Headed through the gate from the carpark and up the singletrack-doubletrack up into the relief of some shade in the trees.  Ground up the steeps and clambered onwards and upwards, noting all the exits from above as I climbed.  Up round and through Braille and up to the top to find a whole bunch of bikers resting, including a dog (and it's accompanying rider) Nelson and me saw another time right here.  I headed off down the newby that travels below the Worsley main-drag, bombing down and ticking off the entrances to the alternative routes down, choosing number 3 (or 4, depending), and blasting down it.  It's one of the shorter ones, spitting you out onto the 4wd climber in no time.

Back up the 4wd climbing track, and back up through Braille and there're all the riders again...  Jet talked to the other dog this time, and tried to have his way with her - dirty boy.  Back into the singletrack again and a sweet blast, all the way on the high line all the way to the end this time, finding some of the riders at the bottom again (weird).  I walked up the steep walking bit to the jumpy trail entrance and the blitzed down this, popping some of the jumps but not the big ones and not the fence gap, again.  Down through the lower section, more popping and weaving and out the bottom then up to Epitaph and riding down this to the carpark.

Jet got a nice drink (belonging to the other dog, methinks), from an icecream container that I kept refilling, and he had a wee rest here too.  Then I made him follow me down the road, not rocketship fast like usual, as I didn't wanna get too far ahead of him, then down the overgrown-by-long-grass singletrack and down the roadside into the Farside zone, this time blitzing down OneShotLucy, all the way.  Man, it's overgrown now, moreso than the other week with Nelson.  Finally the last climby bits and back down to the car.  Hot and bothered, jetty panting happily but me a little worried about his heat.

Only 12.35 kms, and only 468 m climbed...  but they wuz steeeeep(ish)

Wednesday Evening Worsle None Guv

Usual pick-up from work with the usual traffic issues getting to where we were going.  Parked by the poplars next to the Adventure Park entrance, and we headed up the hill. Next to the road for the first steep, and up the singletrack beside the road higher up too.  Finally to the carpark and then on up the main drag, meandering out left of the trees overlooking the park again (like last time) climbing the singletrack to the watertank then on up, this all way more overgrown than last time.  Then over the fence and up the main rutted usual Worsley old skool track.  Nelson pulled ahead, chasing some other rider, and passing a walker, who I took ages to catch, dabbing out in lots of the technical stuff, til finally I passed her and kept on rolling.  Brief stop at the bottom of the Body Bag, deciding where to go, and choosing the same, heading on up, with me dying a slow death up here til eventually I had to walk. 

Over and up to the top of the nun, chatting to some folks up here before following them in. Not a bad run down here for me, with Nelson pulling over to add air to his rather soft rear-end, and so I flowed and popped and wound my way down.  Pulling out at the half way(ish) stop and watching as Nelson came down the hill.  

We crossed the road here and headed into the Governors Bay trail, down this, with a close call for me (nearly launching myself off the trail) and then around the hill and up the grunty climb, most of which Nelson cleaned (seemingly effortlessly), while I cleaned heaps, but just blew up towards the end, dying on the final steep bit that I'm sure wasn't there last time.  

From here we headed up onto the Crater Rim walkeway above the road, walking the first few rocks then riding the rest nicely, back to the start of the Gov's Bay track, then across the road again, and onto the next section of Crater Rim walkway, walking all the bigger steps and steeps.  Up to Worsley Rd and over the top and down the fang-worthy Body Bag, keeping on top of the rut-ridge at speed is tricky, and I couldn't see a thing as I approached the big launchy jump at the bottom due to Nelson-raised dust.  

Down a little and off to the left, into the 'new' trail in the forest before the Braille entrance.  Into here and, 'huh!', a new track peeling off to the left not too far in. Explored this and it flowed quite nicely, with one or two wee pops but eventually it petered out (in an area we'd explored before), and so we rolled on down through the sort of trail to the 4wd track, and climbed this back up the 4wd thru Braille, nearly getting taken out by a speeding youngster who was ripping down Braille (obviously fast enough to clear all the gap jumps).  Finally reached the top and headed back into the 'new' trail.  Nelson took the wrong turn towards the jump (that's too big), and I blindly followed him, then got back on track and led the way down, keeping the gap a reasonabl size.  Great flow down here with nice wee jumps over roots and some rocketship speed zones and skiddy loose rear endage.  Kept on the highline all the way down, and dropped out onto the 4wd just above the wee creek.  

Peeled right here, and walked and walked up the hill (under the powerlines) to the jumpy trail.  Nelson did the first really big double, and I followed him through most of the other jumps pretty well, but baulked, as usual, on the fence gap.  Good speed through the rest, tho I pulled over for a grom who was bombing through, and then over the last few jumps and down onto the 4wd again.  Peeled right again, climbing up to do the final Epitaph and out through the gate.  

Down the road tucked into speed mode, grabbed One Trick Lucy - which was a little on the overgrown side.  I got loose in the lower gummy/wattle area, and Nelson got past me, then this vine got all tangled in his rear wheel, so we stopped and cleared that, then lower down everything was really overgrown, hard to see the trail ahead.  Final wee climb out and bombed down the last dirt trail and onto the road at the corner, rolling fast back to car.

17 kms and 700m gained...  all good
What wasn't good was listening to the US Election coverage on the way home.  What a bunch of fucking morons.

Friday Night, up and down

Nelson picked me up from work just after 5 and the traffic was stupidly slow until we got across Brougham, then it wasn't so bad and we got to Worsley's Rd, parking next to the poplars on the flat before the new Park's entrance.  Rode up the road, round the corner and into the climb on the grass next to Fluffy Sheep.  At the top of this, we dropped into 1TrickLucy, boffing it down this, swoopy, clippy, yumpy, cruising.  Didn't look very well ridden, lots of overgrowth starting and just all a bit unkempt.  At the bottom of this, Nelson led off jetting down the switchbacks into the bottom of the valley, and we climbed up the lefthand (true right) side, steep little mother this is.  Levelled off and then through a gate, across a brandspanking new bridge, up some steps, then up a nice new gravel track, couple of switchbacks and then level-ish for a bit, then up a couple more switchbacks and then across the new slobdivision zone back onto Worsleys Rd, for to climb, up the singletrack bit then on up the seal to the top.

Into Worsleys proper, figuring the alt-route from the gate might be slick as shit like the other week.  We headed over to the left hand side through the trees to check out whether we could see anything of the new Park works.  Not really.  Rode up this singletrack to the water tank, then on upwards eventually finding ourselves IN the park, behind the sign.  Over the fence, and across the main track to ride up the 4wd mess-up-zone next to the jumpytrack forest.  Off camber as fuck up here, then on up and back onto the main drag in the big corner.  Cleaned the next few sections, really enjoying the challenge and just blazing up stuff I would have struggled with not that long ago.  Dunno what it was, but wasn't feeling all that bad.  Eventually got to the top, ie, the bottom of the Body Bag, and sat down for a rest, and to wait for darkness to get more in.  We'd ridden all the way to here without lights on.

Heard a couple of voices and spotted some lights over at the top of Braille, so we headed down and dropped into the little valley here.  Two guys with a boxer dog, parked up.  Brief chat, and we headed off into the newby singletrack here.  We had a nice blat down, I led the way, and we were keeping an eye out for any trails on the left.  Eventually, found one, but it proved a dead end in short shrift.  Meanwhile the two guys rode past, as we pushed back up to the track, and found what was really actually a droppy wee track just metres further down.  Couple of filters at the top but the rest of it was sweet, zigged and zagged steeply down onto the 4wd track in here.  Climbed this up to Braille and climbed on up.  Nelson gapping me, and then finding another newby off the right-hand side of this at the top.  Checked it out, no go, and another further down, no go, then back onto the climbing track to the top again, meeting the two guys and the boxer again, chatting longer this time.

They led off first, dog chasing hard, one of them took the jump line, and so we all got ahead of him and then when Nelson dropped into the steeper left hander lower down, the dog followed us down this, while the other two guys fanged off down the rest of the the trail, calling for the dog.  We hooned down the 4wd trail to their exit (quite along way further down), and then the dog turned up.  Down, and we spotted a trail exit on our right, so Nelson rode it and I pushed up it and eventually we found it's another new exit for the rest of the new track up there...  Back down this from where our droppy track started and out the 4wd all the way, getting caught, at speed, by the slickmud...  Nearly lost it, but managed to scrub enough speed, get back under control and follow on down the rest of it, spraying clods off  the tires.  Up to Epitaph, and down this back to the carpark.

Zoom down the road, bits of hard mud flinging off cleaning the tires, singletrack, then into Fluffy Sheep for a swoopy speedy descent back down, onto the road and back to the car.

2hours22 total time, just over 15kms and 578m climbed.

Sunday morning small posse

Got myself across to Steve's by 9am (via Stanmore, Nursery, Wilsons, Opawa) and found there him, Wazza and Wayno.  We headed around and up cRapaki, taking it at a nice easy Steve's pace.  We held back with him until the flat bit where Wazza and me headed over a wee singletrack above the trail, then for the final climb I pushed hard ahead and exhausted myself for a nice rest at the top.  Somewhere on the way up cRapaki my MapMyRide died, stopping at 7.99kms, stupid thing.  Off up Vernon, following a couple of real slowbos, and staying on their tails because we were holding back for Steve, but once we got past them I powered on ahead and around and up and around and over and stopped at the start of the Traverse.  Quite a few people around here.  I snacked and we regrouped, then onwards around the Traverse, keeping a good pace going, catching up to various oldies on the way round.  Fun fang round and then I lost my chain just before the end, coasted to a stop and re-engaged, following the other three to the top of Vic.  Into Thomson and Thompson, nice blasts through the two of these.

Up the road to top of Marleys, and time for a lap of the Nun, so lined it up, waiting for a young grom to put on his knee pads and get going, but these two older slower guys got in ahead of him.  I headed in after him and never saw him again (til he'd popped out half way), but I caught the older guys in the rocky sections.  Once past them I had a good blast down, only muppetting a couple spots.  Good speed in the lower reaches.  At the tree on the corner near the bottom a rooster clucked out in front of me and squawked and holla'd ahead of me for a few metres before getting out of my way.  On down and through the jumpies, missing them, and avoiding my nemesis jump. 

Back up the road and over and down the Body bag, getting some good speed down here, the bike feeling really smooth.  Hung a left towards Braille, and then a hard right onto the newby Nelson and me had found.  The guy was working on it, so I thanked him and he wished us good riding.  We had a good blast down here, the boys enjoying the trail a lot.  Dropped onto the trail at the end and fanged off down this.  Wet spot where Nelson and me headed up for the Jumpy trail, and the 4wd below here got greasier and wetter and muckier the further we went.  Total passenger material, with one loss of control by me when we passed a riding couple squirrelling their way up.  Where the jumpy trail comes out the trail was dry again and bombed down to the road losing a lot of the muck off our tires.  More removed at 60 whatever kph on the road, diversion on the mtb track on the left, then into the Farside tracks.  The boys all took 1 Trick Lucy, where I opted for Utopia.  I felt like it isn't used much, and was fun, but got me out the bottom quicker than them. 

Down the road and stopped in for a coffee at the cafe in the Cracroft shops, then met Andy and Jenna around the road a bit from here and chatted, before heading around the river, across the Beckenham Loop and I peeled off up Eastern, Wilsons, Nursery, Stanmore home.

Steve'sMappedRide says he did 28kms, and over 720m or so altitude...  chuck an extra 10 kms on that for my commute, and we're even.

Wednesday night, Worsley short shrift - before the snows?

Late start departing my place, Nelson and me, to the top of Worsleys Road and a nice cool southerly blowing through there.  Rain earlier in the day, we figured maybe under the trees somewhere would be dry enough to ride.  But first, we headed up the main drag of Worsley Track, marvelling at how dry the lower sections were...  Further up, not so much.  A lot of wheezing earlier on, and various muckfest sections later, with a little mucky walking, and we were entering the bottom of the cloud at the bottom of the Bodybag...  Checked out the Park sign here and their access roadage and then headed back down and into Braille.

Fun little track, except for the bigger gap jumps.  Nelson tackled the earlier ones, I tackled one or two, even going back up for a couple of them, but not really allowing myself to give them everything, due to the greasiness under-tread.  Bombed on down, bypassing the worst humps, and continued on down, dropping into the lower section below the access track down towards the lower pylon, twisting and turning our way down to the end.  Back up the climb-out, and then back up the 4wd track amongst Braille to the top again, chuffing away, wondering where next.  Decided on another Braille run, and Nelson cleared a few more of the jumps, or better anyway, this time, me, worse than before...  Decided I really need a service, my rear is squeaking annoyingly and my fork needs some fettling.  On down all the way again, and we found ourselves climbing again - "Weren't we just here?"

Upwards to the top again, and this time back across towards the main Worsley Track, through the wee dip, and all the while looking left to find the track we'd explored last time we were in here...  Hmmm, someone's been digging.  Very nice wee fun (quite easy) track has been built here, pretty much following the main Track from just inside the trees, a good distance down.  We got some nice speed through here, and there were one or two interesting features on the way.  I noticed at least 2 or three alternative (less ridden or dug) lines off the left side, dropping into the valley more, so there's plenty of exploring to be done, and scope for way more trailage through this area.  Popped out on the climbing track, at around about the steepest bit, and found our way down to below the powerlines, where there's a wee creek.

Climbed up through the powerline clearing, then headed left down into the jumpy track.  Nelson knows this well, so let it go and jumped the jumps he was comfortable jumping, including the fence gap.  I toodled around most of them, including stepping over the fence gap...  On down through the last of it, ducking and diving, then dropped onto the climbing track, skirted some mud pugs, and climbed up to the final Epitaph - which I rode quite carefully on account of the slippery dirt.  Nelson, not so much.

440m climbed, in 8.3kms...  short and sweet.

Wednesday night Worsley Nun Gov's

Usual pickup outside work, 5.20 or so, and we cruised the streets, not really knowing where to go, then deciding on Worsley's...  Old Skool Stylez, up the main drag all the way, checking out the 'security' on the new Park.  Looks to me like people have been accessing the old route in at the top, but.  Not us.  Up the BodyBag, chuffing, then top of Nun for a break.  Dude we'd met in the back in January, Quetty, rolled up and he remembered us and we remembered him, and we chatted for ages.  Then Nelson and me headed off, with me eating Nelson's dust the whole way, no matter how far I backed off...  Struggled with that, so not such a great run, but some fun had.  On down the whole way all the way to the bottom - no flats this time, yay, then up the road to the upper entrance for the Governor's Bay trail.  Off down this, nice smooth run down, tho at times corners were hard to see round due to bushes...  Into the climb, manageable, but a couple dabs, and only one really bad one on the steppy rocks near the top.  Cleaned the final grunt tho, which is a first for a very long time. 

Up the road again, this time all the way up to top of Nun again for a second go at the top section.  I led the way in this time, and Nelson gave me lots of gap for the dust, and I had a mint run, jumping stuff I hadn't on the first, and cleaning berms better and all sorts of good stuff.  Off at the carpark and back up, this time on the walking track above the road.  Nice climb up this, a few steppy walking bits, but mostly bloody good, including the last steeeep bit before it levels off and descends a bit...  Up Worsley's Rd, and over down the Bodybag.  Ducked into the forest a little further down on the left and found some un-ridden trails, massive stupid jumps in them, but lots of rideable stuff, and found spraypaint markings for future trails(?), and eventually arrived where I thought we would, and took the 4wdy trail the rest of the way out, tho peeled right at the clearing below the pylons, and walked up then got into the jumpy trail in the trees here, then peeled out of it at the big clearing (old entry to Guts track, / junction) and over the fence onto the lower finishing trails (which are actually outside of the Park's gambit).

14kms all up, with 555 m in altitudinalities.

Saturday's posse catch-up, up, round and down.

Trundled across town to Steve's for a 9 oclock, and found there Wazza, Steve and Robin, soon followed by the arrival of Wayno.  We headed around through Hanson's Park and up the usual route, Ramahana, Aotea and up.  All sticking together and chatting catching up, for 't had been a while since I'd ridden with these fellas.  Ground our way up the gravel and topped out, me starving hungry, scoffing half a one-square as the others rolled up in short shrift.

Was a big posse assembling up in the road, and a couple of young dudes headed thru ahead of us, so we got going. Took a while but I wound in the young dudes by our usual regroup spot below Sugarloaf. They headed out while I awaited the others, then there were a few riders coming the other way so we held off our departure. Then, these total dicks came up behind us and proceeded to totally fuck up any flow the oncoming riders had, going ahead of us. We ask commented on their rudeness and followed them, me continually winding them in, letting them off, winding them in,  the rest of the way to Vic.

Into the Thompsons, blast blast blast, then ride chatting to the previously mentioned young dudes as we climbed up the road...  I dropped back and joined the boys, mainly Wazza and we plodded our ways up the road then up top of The Nun.  I led straight out thinking most of them were gonna bail in the middle, and had a rather wafty ride.  Slow in the slow bits but fast and jumpy in the fast jumpy bits.  Made it through the top half and dropped into the lowers.  Riding really cleanly, lightly, til the stretch before the corner next to where the Governor's Bay trail comes up, and I double pinch flatted.  Walked up the exit trail to that corner on the road and proceeded to start patching.  The boys rolled up, all but Steve, with Robin continuing on, while Wazza and Wayne waited a bit, the Wazza left.  I patched two holes, then found two more, so Wayne gave me a tube, then took off.  So, I finished up and got going.  We all met up with Steve at the top of Worsley's. 

I led off down the 'Bag and bounced and rolled, trying to stay out of the ruts.  With the forest closed we headed down the old skool main drag, first time down this for aeons (St Patrick's Day, 2011, to be precise).  At the big corner, old entrance to the Guts climbing track, we caught up with Tim Prebble, who was manning the 'info' station (ie, his truck, with leaflets on the windscreen) about the new Park.  Chatted a whiles, then headed on down the track, Epitaph, then road, and into Farsideville.  I took Utopia, which I really enjoyed.  The others all took various other ones, which they all really enjoyed too. 

To finish, off down the road, and into Zero's for coffees (and greentea) and grub.

I's home by 12.45pm
35 kms with all that road, and 729m climbed

Wednesday Night Solo Jet Forest

Worsley's loops with Jet, windy!  Forecast was looking shite right up until I was riding home from work and it was raining, but that rain passed and Jet and me headed up to park at the top of Worsleys.  Witnessed a mtnbiker having a quiet word with a dickhead with a motorbike here, about fire risk, and that they'd be banned from the forest soon anyway, what with the private ownership, and the millions being pumped into the place for the Park, and the trailbiker seemed oblivious.

6pm we got going, through the carpark gate and up the paddock into the new(ish) climbing trail on the right hand side forest.  I seemed to have plenty of juice in my legs and lungs and kept a good gear all the way, surprising myself by not using granny on the first of the steepest bits.  The pylons were screaming with wind noise, and could hear them from miles away in the forest, trees buffetting a lot but not so much on this side of the hill.  Lots of cracks and groans too tho, from the damaged tree tops making me question the wisdom of being in the forest.  Climbed up through Braillesville, checking out and climbing up a wee trail I found which eventually joined back to Braille, then on up over the top and up to the top of the B-Line zone.  No stopping, just rolling on through and up up up to the top, seeing evidence of some motorbike cunt having been up here!  Straight into ThrowTheGoat, bombing down and through, down down down.  Stopped at about a third of the way down and had to wait ages for Jet.  Then he caught up and the wind was blowing a gale through the trees at the cliff tops, down over the jumps then bypassing the one just before Yoda, as usual...  Then into the steeps, dropping down and down, and seeing more evidence down here of the fucking motorbike.  Most likely the dick in the carpark...  Into the bottom, 35 minutes since I left the car. Climbing again, straight up around and up, then into the Guts climb, keeping a good crank on up, under the wailing pylons, and all the way up and out to the cliff top, cooling wind much thanked.

From here it was up the old original, spotting more trail bike sign, and then up to the top for my first real sit-down rest.  I tightened the cleats in my new shoes here too.  Then, off up the upper climb again, past Alice's Restaurant, and then into my newby fave, down through the cool U shaped gut between the dikes, and then into the dark forest and across the off camber slopes, so much faster than ever before, and especially faster than that time with Steve et al.  Into where it joins Tommy2's, and I could see where the fucker on the trailbike had rarked up corners and off the side of the trail etc...  Down into the lower reaches, and jumpy jumpy near the end, and out onto the climbing road again. Around about 7.05 here.

Up the Guts for a 2nd time, the wind seemingly stronger, and the racket from the pylons singing.  As I got to them, around 5 riders came down past me, WITH LIGHTS ON!  it's like 7.15 or 20, and NOT dark...  I said to the first guy, "Little early for the lights, isnt it?" and he just smiled and nodded...  oh well.  On up the guts and out to the cliff top meeting a couple of guys here.  Chatted about the wind and the noisy trees, then they headed off down, and after a time I followed.  Original Line, where I had a wee off...  I decided at the last second to make a tighter turn than I was gonna and my front wheel just stopped, folding me over on top of the bike.  Garked my left knee a little and right calf.  Got going again and down round and through into Fight Club which I loved, swooping and floating and whooping all the way down.  Passed the guys at the bottom, saying "i love that track", and rode on up, light diminishing, maybe 7.40 odd by the time I's back at the top and riding down under the howling pines and across onto Epitaph for the final flail to the car...

12 kms with 629m of climb...

Sunday Solo Forest and Jet

Jet and me got away from home about 10.40 and to the top of Worsley's Rd to park with all the other cars parked up there in the car park.  Buncha XC whippets entered the trail ahead of me and, about 11.10, I started my hot plod up the trail through gate, through the paddock and into the trees, climbing ever climbing, catching a walking dude on the steep bit then chatting with him as I slowly left him behind.  Climbed on up through the Braille region, then across the main drag and on up into the B-Line zone.  Chatted briefly to some young'uns here then headed on up to the very top. 

Into Throw The Goat and dusty bombing down down down, back and forth down and over and through and dropping and weaving.  Nice descent, but I still baulked on the 2nd log jump.  Passed some walkers not far below this, then wove on down to the bottom.  Climby climb around in the hot sunshine and then up the guts track, cleaning it all to the Clifftop where we stopped for a nice breather and there was a spot I found with breeze and shadow, and Jet puffed and panted, hot tired doggy, while I had a bit of OSM and drank my fill. Got going again, into the old-school lead in towards Fight Club then had second thoughts and turned around and hit down Listerine Sandwich.  What a funking waste of altitude.  Straight down the hill, dropping dropping dropping, missing all the best bits of Fight Club and then entering it on the log-wall-corner thing, before the final drop down to the bottom.  Pointless, like a listerine sandwich would be, I guess.  Back into the climb up and around and then finished off the usual down past the tank and across into Epitaph back to the car. 

Nice bit of riding in almost exactly one hour.  450 m altitude climbed, in 7.7kms...

Saturday shorty short woofy short

O and Jet and me headed up and parked up top of Worsley's for about 11am and headed up the main drag.  Always over estimating his skill level, or under estimating how tech a trail is, and so we climbed and it showed me how tech the main drag actually is.  He managed heaps, but quite a few bits caught him out.  We just took our time and had a nice easy cruise on up.  It also showed me how long it actually is, how normally I just jet on through it, but at his pace, each section seemed really long.  Finally made the bottom of the body bag and up the climb to the forest.  MMR told me at this point we'd actually only been riding 20mins, but it had been nearly an hour since we left the car! 

I led off down into Tommy's.  We bombed, jumped, stopped, bombed, jumped, wove and stopped.  At one point we stopped and checked out a massive jump sequence off to the left.  Got rolling again, debated doing Fight Club, but decided against it and headed off down through the Pylon gap and on down the trails on the left of the Guts track.  then, out the bottom, and across to Epitaph and back to the car...

4.4kms and 230m of alt.