Thursday Commuter-Stooge Travelator

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, Kinda Like the Old Days - Rapaki to Sumner loop

Good ride today, catching up with some of the old crew.  Met Wazza, Nelsie, Andy and Jenna at bottom of Rapaki, and off we went up.  Jenna was meeting a walking friend and rode with her while us 4 boyz headed off up Elevator for the grind.  Was doing okay for a start but slightly stupidly I followed Nelson and Wazza into the 'extra' loop bit, while Andy took the short cut, putting him miles ahead.  Then the chase was on and I found I didn't really have it in me, so much.  Struggled away as they pulled away from me but we all slowly caught Andy.  Wazz had no problem given he was on his ebike, but it took quite a while us other two, in particular, me, who didn't get there til the start of the Montgomery.  Bit of a breather here and I followed Andy into the 'hard' line, catching me off guard given I had no idea there was that tech section.  I dabbed, Nelson had to choose a different line behind me, but we all survived.  Above the track for a bit then onto the main drag up the hill, passing Jenna and her friend again.  

Breather at Rapaki-top then off into the Witch.  Nice churn through here, chuffing a fair bit I was tho.  Then up the road to Castle and Nelson and me led the way, at great speed.  Pinging all over the place and I felt like it was slow, but I think we carried pretty good speed in the long run.  

Then it was along the road below the gondola and up through the cutting into Britten for the hoon around the outside - sheepshit-fling, it was.  Andy led, Nelson, Wazz and me.  Down into OG Greenwood entrance and I was in the lead, and ended up having to have a breather at the worst of the rocky tech bits and the others all ploughed past.  Down to the ruins, breather, and Nelson and me led the way, flowing and enjoying.  Chain off on the sidle before gloomy gulch, and lots of wet spots.  Cleaned all the techy troublesomeness in Gloomy too.  Breather break at the usual spot and then it was off down again, carrying speed with finesse, flying and grooving.  I was catching and cruising, catching and cruising with Nelson almost all the way.  Out the bottom and around up onto the Summit Rd to the Captain's entrance.

Waited here for a bit, and well earned breather, for rider we'd spotted climbing.  Then it was on again, hauling and balling, railing and wailing.  A couple of haul ups by Nelson in a couple of weird spots, but was all good.  Into the old school section and funtimes.  I had one very close call on the bridge bit, there was some grass or horseshit on the left hand entrance to it, not to mention slick rocks, and my front wheel squirrelled alarmingly.  Survived.  Excellent weavy ride the rest of the way, pumping through sections, railing corners.  Loved it.

Finaly, down the road to DotCom, coffee and brownie, eventually Jenna arrived and we headed off around the coastal pathway, losing Nelson at McCormacks and Wazza at Ferrymead Bridge.  We went around the back of Settlers Cres, under the motorway bridge, and Sheldon etc and I left them at Opawa bridge to head around the park to the car in Hillsborough Tce.

Started it late, beyond the highest point on Elevator, so adding a couple kms and 250 m climbing, I guess, call it 30 kms and 880 m climbed...

Friday Long Troll-Way Home from Work

Rode the Troll to work and on the way home meandered across to Rapaki, up the Elevator - which takes a lonnng time and seems further and harder than Rapaki itself would be.  Cleaned no problem all the way up Rapaki, onto the Summit Rd and then onto the Traverse, sun-setting just as I was coming around out of the top of Hidden Valley.  Still enough light around to Vic then down the Gummies, into Skidder, and over 19th, down road and getting pretty dim in the DogParkCarPark trail (meeting (and freaking out) a nice wee doggie who barked at me a lot), then out the To H'Ell track, down to home. 

Good commute bonus, 17.4 kms 485 m climbed

Saturday Afternoon XC Intro Ride For Paul

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

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

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

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

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

Friday Long Way to Work

On the Troll, headed up from home through Vic Park, Worm and across the Traverse.  At Huntsbury/Vernon I cruised down the road and into the top of, I guess, the Taramea (alternative to main cRapaki track (Full Monty)), descending roughly on this.  Onto the main track across the flat, then up into Elevator, descending it with occasional finesse.  Finally bomb down the road and across town to work.

Sweet Commute! 16 and 3/4s km with 287 m climbed  

Wednesday Accoustic Commutes, tick! Post 1300

Felt like a change, lack of riding (field work last week, lots of bush walking), and needed some extra exercise so I rode the Troll to work this morning, thinking I'd get some extra work climbing home.  

But then, sitting at my desk looking at the hills, and Rapaki in particular I thought, why not?  So, for the journey home I mixed it up a bit and headed over Waltham Bridge and eventually Wilson's Rd and around Centaurus into cRapaki (over 2 and a half years since I last went up there).  Clamber clamber clamber.  The low gear is just low enough to clean it all sitting down, and with the street tires, standing up in taller gears requires rearward weighting to keep from spinning out.  Mixture of sitting mostly and standing sometimes got me up pretty good.  I was even "neearly" as fast as a couple of ebikers that crawled past me (but not the guy on the final straight who bombed past on I-dont-know-what-kind of plus-tyred bike).  Over took a fellow accoustic rider (mtb).  Onto the Summit Road for the up and around Vernon, then at Huntsbury, I hit the Traverse.  A little sketchy for the first stretch, so at top of Lavaflow I 'adjusted my suspension' (ie, let air out of tyres).  A guy rolled up, "need any help?" "nah, i'm good, just adjusting my "suspension"" "hey, you look familiar..." and a chat ensued where we worked out how we might have known each other.  (turned out he knows Derek well (plus a whole bunch of others I know)).  

Onwards, around Traverse, Trolie performing exceedingly well, and me having a jolly time.  Under Sugarloaf up rolls Ranger Nick Singletrack, so we stopped and chatted (especially about my suggested options of climbing track out of Bowenvale).  Finished with him, I rolled on and across top of Vic, down Rabbit, into Rocks and down my favourite Gummies, clearing yet more sticks off track.  Out to Skidder and bommmmb down road to home.

Grand total of 15 kms with 485 climbed.

Friday Night Bonanza, *post number 1111

One-thousand, one-hundred and eleventh blog post...

What added up to a fairly sizeable total tonight.

First up, I parked in Hillsborough Tce and rode around and up Ramahana, Aotea and Huntsbury, then across Vernon, Witch, single-track above the road, Castle.  Back up the road and up onto the Tors, slippery down here with all the dried weed-eaten grass, and a wee low-speed OTB crash onto soft tussock.  Then back on the above-road-singletrack and through the fence and up onto the top of the Duncan Pirate Track.  Into this, and man is it dry. So dry.  Dry AF.  A tinderbox.  Hoped like hell my hot disks wouldn't set a fire.  In the forestry at the bottom I took a muppet route down.  Looks like there's been more work done in there.  Then back on the road and around and over Centaurus Rd hill and back down to the car.

A veritable feast of 18.5 kms and 807 m climbed.

Meanwhile, T and Beck were walking up Rapaki Valley and I txtd when I was back at the car.  T suggested I ride up and meet them.  So, drove around and up to the start of cRapaki Track and parked and rode, leaving my gloves and bag behind, because I was thinking they'd be on their way down and I'd meet them... But no... every corner, are they there?  nope.  Once up on the flat I spotted them, rang, "is that you near the top?" "is that you under the pylons? Hi! - come on up!"  "Ungh, okay"  Off I treadled, meeting them just shy of the top.  Grabbed a snack off them, then headed up to the new singletrack and bombed down (pausing part of the way down, out of view, for a quick chat with Douglas), waiting for them at the flat and riding with them til it got steeper and my coasting got faster and faster til I was bombing to the bottom where I waited in the car for them.
another 250+ m in another 8 kms...

Well earned, we went to Zaffron and ate.  mmm

Thursday Night Groupies

Hit it with some new peeps.  I met at Nelson's and we rode round to the bottom of Crapaki, meeting there George, Glen, Jackie, another Richard, and another whose name I dont recall.  We headed up the Crapaki, climbing at a nice pace, talking all the way.  Glen was sporting a brand-new first-ride-ever Yeti SB-something with 29r wheels.  It was spanky a.f.

At the Taramea we regrouped and were joined for a stretch by an older guy on a 'lectric contraption.  Headed up into the singletrack.  George OTB'd almost immediately, which was amazing considering it was on the climb.  Regrouped again at the rocky techsession bit, then Nelson and me blasted ahead of them down and around and across and all uppy downy as it is.  The climb back around in the sun was pleasant and not at the same time.  Straight into the singletrack climbing above the maindrag, and then Nels and me stuck to the main drag for the straight and up around to the top.  All the rest of them took the singletrack.

Up Vernon, and Nelsie and me seemed to have the lead, but George wasn't far behind me, then Nels met someone to talk to, so we continued on, me following George at his pace.  Regrouped again at start of the Traverse.  Sun was lowering (half hour to sunset), so we decided to show them Fourpause and 'the' way into Old Skool. 

Around the summit and no mucking around, straight into the descent.  Dirt was damp under overgrowing grass, but grippy enough, and we blasted down the rocks and over the jumps and as per usual now I cleaned that last jump.  Regroup and they all arrived with shit-eating grins, not having expected so much excitement...  Down through the tussocks and over the edge, down, again, the rocks catching some of them out.  Then the real descending began.  Most of them didn't clean the steep rocky droppy sections, and Jackie bailed out and rode the 4wd track.  Glen was wary of destroying his brand-new ride, so was careful Colin all the way.  But mostly they enjoyed it, and now they know the way, they can come back and practice.

Into Old Skook and it was a blast.  Best flow I've had, chasing Nelson tight on his tail, for ages.  With all the regroups, I was still feeling pretty fresh, and so pumping through the flatter bits was easy and good.  Out the bottom, and FREEZING cold in the valley.  Ice-cream headache making.  Regrouped, and then down the road.  Most of the group stopped in at the Brickworks, but I needed to push on so Nelson and me headed back to his.  I even had enough energy to clean the wee alleyway next to his place up to the car.

Not a bad 17.86 kms, and 526 m of altitudation.

Sunday Post-party Car Pick-up

Band gigged at Joy's party on Saturday night, and we left our car behind, so, my job was to collect it.  Was rather tired, but got two-tired and got rolling. 

Usual route to town, funnily, at Heaton St I ended up a few metres back (far enough not to slipstream - cos that would be lazy), from another mtnbiker dude, who was keeping the same pace.  I was behind him all the way to where I peeled left on Disraeli, where I zigged and zagged to Wordsworth, then on through Opawa to bottom of Rapaki, where upon he was exactly the same distance ahead, all the way up Rapaki.  Back was killing me on the grind... We both turned left onto Taramea Loop, and I started to catch him a little.  Then, on about the 5th switchback he stumbled slightly, and I over took him.  I dropped him a bit on the down, but then he caught me again a bit further round, but never quite kept up.  Back at Rapaki I kept on up the Full Monty, and he was gone - I can only assume back down? 

Up the Full Monty, steep bastard that it is higher up, but got it all bar one steep rock I stalled on.  Phew, the top of Rapaki, and left onto an easy going Witch Hill, stopping for a well earned break at the usual high point.  Off down to the road and then stuck to it around and up to Castle-top.

Awesome descent, usual rocketshipping to the first corner, good between hairpins, and then not bad start to the climb.  The top of the climb was a bit of a drag, then okay to finish.  Onto the road and around under the gondola, bumping into Connor and Jade along here.  Then climbing up to the cutting, past fire engines, ambulance, and the contents thereof up on the hill carrying a stretcher down from the bluffs, with the ambo repositioning itself as I rode past. 

Into Britten, and out around the front of the top.  Nice roll this way, and last of the climb nice and easy up towards the main entrance, before descending at sometimes ridiculous speeds down the fun, yelling at the sheep to get out of the way.  Around and back, under the pylon and across the front, bombing down into the descent down the rocks and under the last pylon, over the fence and down Longridge onto Mt Pleasant Rd for the bomb do the car.  Ambulance passed me as I was getting in the car, not in a hurry either...

Long and tiresome 29 kms, with 722 climbed, and a smidge under 200 less descended.

Tuesday Fatty and Tally, mucky and splecky

Nelson picked me up from home (where I'd been all day with a sick O, and getting the fire installed) and we parked next to the river over off the bottom of Bowenvale Ave. Headed around to and up cRapaki, first time up here since Jan.  Struggle for me on the fatty and absolute ease for Nelson on his 29er.  Nice cold southerly kept the heat down once we were further up.  Vernon, uneventful, other than Nelson going over his bars... - he caught the front wheel badly on a rock and over he went, very suddenly. Rest of it was fine and we got to the intersection of the road and Traverse.

Options were, Scotts Knob reserve walking track, which would have been wet as, the road, or the Traverse.  Sign for the Traverse said Open, but I wasn't convinced, so I checked the website which also said Open, so, off we went round this.  Pretty mucky for a start.  Splecky as.  But, not so bad.  Fatty was good on the descents, fun in fact. Top of Vic, and we dropped into the Thompsons, then down through the macs near the end of Thomson 2, onto the H.Ell track.

Very nice cruisey blast down Mr Ell's track.  Rather damp and splecky in places, but a nice cruise, and no-one else met.  Across Vic Park Rd, and down a little further, til we found an upward trail which took us up towards the Ranger Station, a left on the usual transit bike track (19th to crossing of Dyers Pass Rd), down this a wee way to the corner, and up the steps to the Tawhairiki Track, boardwalk inclusive, and up this and across to the dog park.

Tech-fest down this to the top of the forest, greeaasy as in the tree lucernes before the gate, then into the forest edge trail, Barbed Wire Roots track around below the forest to the top of the houses, then down the trail below the houses, again, greeaasy as, front and back wheel skidz.  All the way down, and out onto Longhurst, across onto the steppy track down (and a little up) to Holliss, for a fast mud-flinging blast down the seal before a cruise back to the car.

17.3kms, 540odd m climbed

Sunday Hot Stuff

Drove over to Steve's with the Fat on the back for 9am finding him and Wazz, Wahayno, Robin and Andy all ready to roll. Pete would be chasing...

Up the most busy Rapaki we've ever seen, Steve and me stopped for a good chat with Ranger Singletrack who was on his way down in a Ute.  The others treadled onwards up and took in the Monty Loop.  Meanwhile, STeve and me struggled our ways up to the top and waited for them, wondering how they could be so long.  Pete showed up, and then we spotted the boys coming up behind.  Bit of more of a rest for us, and then off up Vernon, hot grind, but Fatty handling everything pretty good.

Lost count of the comments "ooh, they're big tires"... "what's that for?"...

I had to bail early, so was keen on keeping it short, and Steve was keen on that too, so we headed around the beginning of the Traverse then took the new track down to the top of the Old Skool zig zags.  Pete rode on ahead a bit and got his drone out, and we bombed off down past him under it's buzz.  Here's where I said my good bye to most, and bombed off ahead, but on a new section of trail being built Pete got the jump on me and took the lead through sketched out cleared grass down the slope avoiding the worst bits of 4wd to the pylons.

Onto the Old Skool proper and fat bike was riding really well.  The dropper post works a treat.  I took off ahead from the stile, and left the boys to it.  Nice blaze down the rest of it, surprised at how well the fatty soaked it all up.  Tire pressures must have been about perfect.  Through the bottom and then down the road and around the river back to Steve's.  Then home and off Sailing for the afternoon.

My MMR crapped out so I had to copy Steve's,  - my finishing route back to his place was different - where I took Eastern Tce, over the bridge and through to St Martins Shops, alley way, bridge, Ford Rd., but other than that, the same(ish) (top speeds probably different).  16kms and a gain of 460m.

Sunday Posse Loop with mechanicals

Boys were meeting at Steve's at 9 and heading for St Andrew's Hill, so I figured I'd head down Linwood Ave and meet them at the bridge.  Pete ended up catching me up at the Eastgate lights, thinking he was running late and that they were heading up Huntsbury, a quick call straightened that out and we continued the length of Linwood and round Humphreys to the Ferrymead bridge.  We waited not so long til the boys to roll up. Was good. I hadn't ridden with these guys for ages so was good to catch up with each in turn.  Up St Andrews, climbing away nice and easy at Steve and Robin's heart-conditioned paces, then up to the old entrance to Britten, with it's new little extra entry.  Up here was into fog, getting cooler and damper the higher we got.  I blazed on ahead needing to keep the pace on myself to regain anything I'd lost over the last couple weeks.  Didn't have much of a wait and one by one the boys rolled up.

Down the road and into Greenwood entrance, deciding here to head down the new track having a nice roll down this, the odd off piste on the off cambers.  Then the next new bit towards the ruins, a bit sluggardly with the soft dirt.  Wetspots have had some good work, and climbing the switchies up and then up the 4wd to the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Sticky greasy on the rocks up here, but the rest was fine.  Lots of dabs and quick slips, but all made it eventually, then straight ahead to the gate, Robin vanishing from view before he got to us waiting...  Had caught one of the hidden rocks and toppled off the side, landing upside down and trapped by his bike...

Off over and down, lots of rear end slippage in the corners at the top, but the rest was sweet, slowly descending out of the fog. Round under gondola, with a bit of a stop to check out the view over Lyttelton before heading into Castle Rock.  Good wee climb this.  I dabbed on the first hairpin but cleaned up the rest, conserving energy til the last blast to the top, where I had one small dab, spinning out and wheelying to a halt, got going again tho and headed on to the top.  Regroup, and then off down the road, with Pete and me taking the single track above the road, which put us behind the other boys, but saved our tires a bunch. 

Into Witch Hill, and around and I popped one of the rocky sections as a jump, hearing what I thought was a rock hitting the spokes, but at the next rock I tried to grab some rear brake but there was none.  Stopped and looked and NO PADS!  Huh!  Quickly ran back to the jump and found the spring, then the two pads, phew!  Pete gave me a zip tie and continued on to let the others know.  I did my trailside repairs, replacing my lost bolt (and circlip) with the ziptie, and headed on down to meet at the top of Crapaki.  When I got there I was told Pete had clipped one of the rocks and busted his derailleur cage, but it seemed to still be going, so he led off down.  Bombed down the new singletrack, weaving nicely all the way down and then getting some real speed towards the bottom.  Pete popped a bunnyhop over a ditchy thing at the bottom and when he landed the derailleur spat itself into his spokes, snapped off, broke several spokes, pierced his tubeless set up, and locked up his back whee.  Hmmm...  a walk ensued.  Andy sped off to get his van, the rest of us rode the rest of the way down Craphappy and around to Fava, and Andy and Pete arrived not long after. 

I split and headed home across town after coffee... completing 32 kms, with 784m climbed.  Not a bad effort.

Sunday Morning Fat Posse

9am meeting at Steve's, and I was on the Commando because I'd only gotten the parts (SLX 11spd cluster, shifter, chain, and derailleur + Blackspire Snaggletooth) to repair the Turner's drivetrain on Saturday afternoon and hadn't had a chance to put them on it yet.  So, angry bees buzzed across town to find Steve, Tony, Andy and Wayne waiting on the corner for Pete (who didn't show) and finding me instead.  Then I got a text from Paul saying he was 5 minutes away.  The boys took off at a leisurely pace and Paul arrived and we chased, catching them just after Grange.

Around Aynsley Tce and then on up Crapaki - busy as always.  Reasonable pace up here but Steve was complaining of his guts when we headed into the Taramea Loop.  I stopped to adjust my suspension - ie, let a little air out of the tires.  Nice climb up and around with me at the back, then fun bits, with only me taking the 'harder' option, getting in behind Andy and Steve for the next section rolling across the face of the hill.  Fat tires gripping so so well on the off camber corners; very sure footed.  We stopped and peered down at Glenelg spur (just now realised Glenelg is a palindrome) looking for potential ways up here.  Steve, here, decided that he'd be bailing when we got back to the main track.  We cruised the climb through to the end, Steve bailed and I led the way up the singletrack above the main drag.  Good roll up here, the fat bike feeling pretty good.  All the smooth trails were sweet on it, but the rough stuff is hard work.  Only Paul and me stayed on the singletrack, the others choosing the easier climb, and I blew up at exactly the same place as last time, just before a rocky steep.  Walked that and then rode the rest just fine, peaking before the others, then a regroup at the top.

Up around Vernon, easy riding, and then into Traverse, speaking with a clusterfuck of riders all seemingly taking turns at attempting to fix some guy's tire...  Left them to it and had an awesome run around the Traverse.. Regroup at the usual spot, and let some riders through, then on around to Vic Park for another regroup before the trees.  Into the trees and down past the see-saw then down through the rockgarden and my favourite gummies trail.  Even this was fun on the fatty, tho the roughest stuff was hard, and the seat doesn't drop easily, so it was oldskool stylez.  Rolled out to the skidder site and there's a guy under a space-blanket being tended to, blood on his head, not looking too flash.  Usual over cooking of the jump, landing nose first and being polevaulted head first into the ground.  Ambulance on it's way.

Off down Spazza's, the lower rooty bits bloody difficult, battling the bike with who's steering it.  Then straight down between Pono's and Brents and out the ridge straight ahead, and into a new wee one I'd done a wee while back on my own.  Sweet steep entry, then a couple of techy features, then more steep and then zigs and zags in an oak forest, then onto Flow (or bridges?).  Down this main trail into the lower swoopy zigs and zags and down the bottom of the valley.

Into Hidden Valley Track, I cleaned the creek nicely and was just making my way up the steep bit after it when I couldn't hold onto my balance and started tipping.  Left foot wouldn't eject and over I went, landing upside down, bike pretty much still on the trail, with me attached, lying in a big old pile of blackberry.  Elbow blooded, and knee must have smacked the bike somewhere, and arm a little shredded by the blackberry, but managed to climb out and get riding, cleaning the first and last two switchbacks but not the second.

Into Old Skool.  Mostly a good run, some of the rocks proving a bit pushy, but I reckon I'm getting the jist of this fatbike thing, and quite enjoyed it til the last few corners.

Down Bowenvale, and Paul and I went our separate ways (and it looks like Andy, Tones and Wayno went for coffee).

So, what with all the riding across town and all, totalled 31 kms, and climbed 585.

Replaced the drivetrain on the Turner when I got home, and then we headed out to Bottle Lake for a family ride with Lisa and Tane, and Ollie...  Alas, Hugo had a big smash on one of the jumps on the pump track before we left for the ride, smacking his head and scraping up his whole right side.  I took him home and the others went for their ride.  However, the chain on the fatbike snapped when they were most of the way out and T had to walk back.  (my bad I think, I should have checked the click -- click -- click -- I'd noticed on the way back across town in the morning... ooops).

Also.  On Saturday, Mark had his first session in the Chch Adventure Park, and Nelson had his first day on Monday...

Sunday Morning Hilltop Meander

T was out doing the stupidmarket shopping and so I couldn't leave home til 9am, the same time as Steve and Wayno were leaving his.  I cruised at a good pace across town and followed them up Crapaki Track, getting a text about half way up but not reading it til I got up to the flat bit, less than 10 minutes later.  Sat on a seat and read the text which was saying they were doing the new 'Full Monty' ride out round Montgomery Spur.  I didn't want to chase them around that, so I sat and watched the punters ride- and jog- and walk-by below me for about 15 minutes til the two boys turned up.  We got rolling again on the singletrack above the main drag, and then continued up the newest section (just finished the day before as per link above), above the top section.  Got a little steep in here and Wayne bailed while Steve ran out of oomph exactly where I had.  We walked maybe 20 m and then got steep riding again, then across to the gate.  Quite good up there...  Suggested improvement is a zig and zag or two out for the steepest bit...

Onto Witch Hill, cleaning all the technicals and cruising around, along the road, into Castle Rock, me chasing down a woman on a Santa Cruz.  I had insane bursts of speed at times, weaving and gnarling down the trail, catching her just around the first hairpin, her pulling over to let me by, climbing nicely out and over and then awaiting the two boyz.  Dampness of previous days rain keeping the dust nice and low.

Around the road, and figured why not head over Mt Pleasant and get the top section down to Greenwood, so that's what we did.  Slightly damper riding up here than further back (cos its higher, I guess), but nice down the rocks, boogying through to the end.  Then my ride around the original Greenwood entrance was smooth and sweet.

Finally, up the road and into Britten.  Quite long grass down here, so trail narrowing a little.  Good fang down and around, then where the old stile and fence/gate were I noticed a new trail to the left, so followed.  I wove right across the Britten Reserve, one nice rock section, in the middle, then all the way over the far side, and around under some rocks and cool descending down to the top of Longridge Pl.  The boys had missed the turn and arrived above me down one of the original trails in there... 

Zoooom down the road to Craigieburn, and into the zigs and zags, nice roll down through McCormacks, enjoying it except for the carefulness on the spikey boardwalk bridges, then the final blast down the bottom reaching rocketship speeds.  Finally, around the bay, onto the main road and I split at the bridge and cruised the length of Linwood Ave home.

Good number of kms (30+), 750 m climbed.

Wedkneesday Night, XC beat up

Pick up on Moorhouse by Nelson and as per usual we trafficjammed it, tonight to the top of Huntsbury.  I headed off up the jumpsy track, gasping away on the clunk that's still in the bottom of my lungs.  Part way up I looked back expecting to see him catching me up but he wasn't there.  Hmmm, that's strange.  Figured I'd keep going and check further up.  Again, not there.  Over the brow of the hill now and up to the gate, wondering what was keeping him.  So, from the gate I rang him, and then saw him right down at the bottom, so killed the call and settled in to wait.  Eventually he turned up across the fenceline, having come up the main track - it being faster.  Then we set off up the singletrack, me in the lead and pushing hard, getting the air into the lungs and burning up the legs...  Over the fence and up the landingstrip onto the gravel, where another, older, rider was powering off ahead of us.  Nelson overtook him up past the cattlestop, and I didn't catch him til the top.

Off over Vernon, for a start, blasting down the older line and then peeling off down across the road into the top of Farm Track.  Been a while, that's for sure (all the last few times have been upwards).  We avoided the main track, choosing the tussocks and sheep trails instead, meandering down finding a really good line, albeit slightly rutted in places, to the pond above the gate.  Dropped to the gate, over this, and on down the main track for a while, until I chose a sheeptrail off to the right, around through tussocks to the pylon track.  Ignored the (obviously out of date) No Bikes sign on the gate, and headed up and over, into the steeper and steeperer descent into the Rapaki Valley, stopping to admire the view of all the wee bods cruising up and down Rapaki, then dropping in, down down down to the bottom, some fun techy steep shit near the end.

Over the gate and up the valley, reminiscing on the old singletrack up here, cleaning lots of the fun tech, before eventually cutting across onto Rapaki at the bottom of the last climb.  Headed back down Crapaki, on the singletrack above, down to the new sheep/cattlestops and into the new Montgomery Spur (Taramea) Loop the boys explored the day before.  Good zig zaggy climb then swoopy, some off camber weaving down.  I took the 'Harder' line and Nelson took the 'Easier' line and I ended up miles ahead of him.  Enjoyed the vista across here, and the carved in bits were quite cool.  Thought the trail was a lot further than it looked too.  Finally, lots of climb back up to the start, and off down back to the singletrack above Crapaki until the drudging climb continued.  My right calf feeling knotted and sore all the way up, puffing and chuffing, to the top where the views were spectacular and the breeze nice and cool.

Into Witch, both cleaning everything, and powering through it all pretty good.  Onto the road and Nelson chose the walking track above, while I took the easy option of riding along the road below.  I ended up at the top of CastleRock track first, Nelson having cruised up on the verge-side of the road to save his tires.  Whilst here the sun finally disappeared behind the clouds in the west and it suddenly got really cold.  I layered on, and we decided light was gonna be pushing it to loop Castle Rock, so up above the road and up onto the Tors track.  I found this more technical than usual, but cleaned nearly all of it, then rolled down across the road and onto the walking track Nelson had climbed.  Nice blast down this and through onto Witch for to climb hard, cleaning it all to where Nelson was waiting at the high point.  Then off down, popping and grooving all the knobbly rocky bits, making for a much smoother roll than usual stalling on the rocks.

Across Crapaki Top, no one around now, and into Vernon, me starting to get pretty tired, climbing climbing up and around and over.  Then across the road, where there was an Enduro-as-fuck group of guys, who took off down Huntsbury and then into Old Skool.  We took the traverse across then dropped down through the tussocks and blasted down the gravel (on account of slowly losing light) and across the landing strip, over the fence and onto the singletrack, sweet blast down this, Nelson messing up the big jump.  Then over the gate and down, jumping all the jumps (except the wooden one for me), and flying down to the car.  Awesome.

20.4 kms, and over 700 climbed.  All good.  I was really feeling it, the beat up by the rocky sections, and the overall size of the ride, having not done much lately.

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.

Sunday Classic

9am start at Steve's (who was doing his own flat heart recovery thing), and I was running late, then got stymied by the railway tracks on Wilson's Rd being worked on, so detoured through Charleston, thinking I might be able to get to the railway for a shortcut...  nope.  Met the boys by the church: Tony, Andy and Wayne, and we toodled around to Crapaki and headed on up. A lot of walkers today, older folk, and a few riders.  Delayered after the 2nd gate, and then I got my climb on and just tapped away at it, putting a bit of a gap between me and the boys, regrouping on the flat then pushing off ahead again.  Brief stop at the top and then off up Vernon.  Not a bad climb up here, and over to the Traverse - Andy flatting on the final drop to the road.

Chatted with a couple guys here then we headed off around, for Vic Park.  Nice flow around the Traverse, such a familiar puppy.  Noted some new brick work on what I never thought of as a particularly damage-prone section.  On the descent to the pond, bits of head wind, I was chasing some dude, who put the power on the climb to keep ahead of me.  Regrouped at the usual spot before Sugarloaf and then off again, chasing down the some dude again, some sections of no wind, some of tail.  Stopped before the trees and then we headed in, down 'coffee break', Andy hard on my tail down here.  Bypassed the see-saw and off down the paddock, looking back to see the rain on the plains heading our way (or so it looked).  Good tail wind down here too, over the cattlestop and into the rocks, ducking and weaving through them and into the trees, across then around and down, peeling left into my old favourite, all cleared of the trees of old storms, and heaps of fun again.

Out to the skidder site and we re-layered before heading into Shazza's.  Nice pop and weave down through here, tho rootier bits at the bottom were less so.  Across and down into Brent's, taking the hard left line, and blazing down through the forest to the bottom.  Regrouped again, and off into Bridges and Flow, across and into Nu Bridges, back and forth, back and forth, last couple of corners starting to get a bit weird.  Then down onto the 4wd track and blazing down to the Hidden Valley.

Bollocksed about a metre after the creek then rolled on round the first hairpin, down into granny for the sluggardly climb.  Dabbed around the second corner and waited until Andy swung into view, then off again, climby climbing like a climbing thing.  Nicely nicely up the last, wind really howling in the trees and powerlines overhead.  Regrouped at the stile, and off again, up and around then blasting.  I thought I was flowing really nicely; certainly felt good on the bike.  Floated over some rocks and blasted away, then pffft pffft pffft...  dang.  Stopped on one of the corners and had to swap out a tube.  A few riders passed through while we were stopped, and Tony and Wayno continued on ahead.  Once fixed, Andy and me continued our merry way.  BLAST of wind nearly took my bike from me climbing the stile, then off again, staying light on the tires, and prancing down the hill.  Slowly wound in the girl and her guy that'd passed us earlier, stopping briefly to give her a bit of gap.  Then caught her later and she pulled up, then I chased down her guy.  He stopped pretty much at the bottom for her, so I passed on by and proceeded to stuff up the last dodgy offpiste final section.  Rolled down the final track to Tony and Wayne at the bottom stile. 

Off down the road, tail wind pushing us all, and Wayne and me split from the others, over to Eastern and around, him continuing on when I peeled off for Wilsons.  Had forgotten about the roadworks, and had to go to the tunnel, then back streets til Stanmore for the last, tail wind assisted, blast home.  Home by 11.30 am.  Nice.


28.7 kms with just over 500 altitude.

Sunday morning Crapaki to Sketchy Worsles

Left my place 8.30 for an 8.45 start from Steve's, finding him and Tones awaiting myself, Pete and Wayne who both turned up shortly.  Everybody wanted a shortish one, so we toodled off up cRapaki, making reasonable time up here.  Bit of a regroup at the end-of-trees-gate, where Steve continued on ahead, just disappearing around the first bend as we followed, and it took me a bit of effort to chase him down, catching him up just before the manuka tree.  On up to the top, feeling pretty good, then while we waited, Steve cruised on ahead.  As we got to the first hairpin, he'd just disappeared around the hill, and then I didn't see him again til I'd got around past the Farm Track and up a bit, saw him disappearing over the ridge.  He was waiting for us at the Traverse.  Lots of Pioneer Race signs all over the place...  Good pace around here, startling a couple of jogger-women but otherwise uneventful.  All the way around under Sugarloaf and just after that wee jumpy bit there were some people lying around and on the phone and looking worried.  Didn't stop to see, but they seemed to have it under control, whatever had happened... 

Regroup before the trees, and it was only 10am, so I convinced them not to bail down Vic/Bowenvale, and to check out my most recent favourite in McVicars, so we headed through and down the Thompsons and across Dyer's Pass.  Here we saw what must have been the tailenders of the first Pioneer race of the day (blue numberplates), a whole bunch of them heading from the Nun and down into the Old Dyers.  As we climbed the road, the riders on the Nun were pretty hopeless looking.  Many of them were walking the rocky bits and going REALLY slow...  On up and around and up to top of Worsley's.  TVNZ camera guy (who's name i've forgotten) was up here chatting to another guy I remember from the shop rides of old...  We bombed down the Body Bag and up into the forest.  It was wet.  Wasn't as greasy a climb as Tuesday night, but it'd soaked up a shitload of water, and was pretty bad.  Made it up to the entry to my trail and I led them all in.  All did pretty good for a first time down something.  And it didn't help that it was a bit greasy either...  So, was good anyway.  They could see the potential.  Nice lines down and through then across the off-camber was hard work keeping traction...  and when we got to T2 I was a bit surprised.  It'd been pretty churned by riders and the roots were all super sketchy.  Pete and me cleaned it all the way down except for my one old nemesis corner.  The boys had varying degrees of success and walked a few bits, but that's not surprising.  I probably would have too if I hadn't been down there so often recently.  At the bottom, we cruised on up to the exit trails, down, across and onto Epitaph.

Down the road and into the Farside trails.  Tony bailed off down the road.  Wayno took 1 Shot Lucy, Pete and me took the original Farside Track, and Steve shot down Fluffy Sheep.  Regrouped at the bottom, then down the rest of the trail to the corner, and down the road to Cracroft Reserve.  Through this, up the steps and there's the 2nd race of the day, a bunch of Pioneers with orange numberplates heading around towards Kennedy's.  We meandered along following the river all the way past the Library, then eventually went our separate ways at the St Martins shops, Wayno peeling off from us at the roundabout and Pete and me heading Wilson's etc through towards his place...

Just over 34kms round trip, with just under 700m of altitude...

Messy Sunday ride to dinner

Dinner at Joy's in Taylor's so I biked before the family drove.  Left home after 3, and headed across town, weather deteriorating as I navigated the streets.  Originally I thought I might head up Huntsbury, but with the drizzle seeming to thicken I decided cRapaki might have to be endured.  Pretty uneventful climb, usual people out there, running, biking down it(!), one guy just ahead of me all the way up riding too.  Mist/cloud seemed to come and go and I thought maybe it was lightening a few times.  Hung a left and onto Witch Hill.  Trail was in good nick, rocks pretty slick but the dirt was hard enough, even with the water.  Obvious that maybe 2 or 3 other bikes had been through prior and they certainly hadn't done any damage.  Cow poo and hoof prints were another story tho...   Stopped and changed at the highest point, into my jacket and 3/4 leggings, then got rolling again, pin-balling off the rocks, squirrelling being the motion of the day. 

Onto the road and around, sometimes in complete mist with no visibility, sometimes able to see down into the valleys.  Up to Castle, saying good-day to a roady, then blitzing on into the trail.  Once again, the rocks were slick as sheep shit (of which there was much), and the dirt wasn't bad, except where sheep had been at it (as I was to discover a bit later on...).  One or two puddles, but nothing bad, and the recent work down here had really helped with drainage and rock armour.  A couple of dodgy bits, but mostly a good run, down then up then down to the end.

Onto the road again and around into the wind and mist and drizzle below the Gondola, mostly no view to be had below or much around.  Up past the saddle entrance to Mt Pleasant trail, and up through the cutting then decided to give Britten a blast.  Headed around and the rocks were slick and the dirt pretty good, but the wet tussocks and grass really made my feet wet.  Decided to see what all the fuss was about the 'new' route around below the rock outcrop and trees, instead of up and over, and it was a MAJOR mistake.  The fucking sheep had been trotting up and down on this track, and as it was level, their little hoof divets had captured the water along with their shit and my tires were slipping and sliding all around in it and also picking it all up, to the point where they were mud tires shaped like my fork and rear triangle frame profiles...  Got off and walked a bit then rode off the trail for a bit til I was out of the worst of the sheep trodden zone and then tootle, tires clearing in the wet grass somewhat, as I proceeded to the end of the track. 

Onto the road and down to the old Greenwood entrance.  Figured, how bad can it be? and headed in.  Hmm...  not bad.  Slick rocks and good dirt most of the time.  Had a sketchy and slow wee trip around to the ruins, nearly lost it below here where the first rocks are, then had a good run through all the top rocks and switchbacks.  Around across the face before Gloomy Gulch the sheep had had a go at the trail and it was a bit messy, but not too bad, then into Gloomy Gulch and no worries.  Down the rocks after this it was good, cautious-Colin, me, and down down down.  A few mucky bits, especially that shitty clay zone after the cattle stop, and super careful down the blasty bit before the rocky ups.  Totally woosed out on the first rocky up, on account of not knowing where my wheels were going.  Final blast down to the road was a bit specky but no real harm done. 

Onto the road again, and down over Evan's Pass.  Decided against the Godley track, as I just couldn't face the slick rocks whilst climbing.  So, up and around the road, treated with (seemingly) clearing weather and views of Sumner and beyond.  At the launching spot for paragliders tossed up between Anaconda and the walking track, and decided Anaconda would have some nasty wet clay lower down, plus the 'tail would have been slicky too, so chose the walking track down.  This was good.  Super fast blast down the gravel road, then over the stile and a fast wee run down the fenceline, then around and into the hairpins, all good, and the last section down to the fence and stile was nice.  Over the stile and onto the road down to Joy's place and down the steps. 

My legs were brown, my bike was brown.  Everything was dripping brown.  Mucky...  Hosed it all down, including my legs and feet and leggings and changed on the door step into a completely dry set of clothes, then down for a nice feast.  Sweet as.

Mapped up, 25kms, and 740m of climbing...