Grey Sunday under a Nor'west Arch - Happy 1000 blog posts!

Firstly, let me welcome you to post number 1000.  This is the 1000th post posted to this blog by me since May 2005.  Not bad going, eh!?

Looked to do something a little more interesting than a bash on the Port Hills, so this morning Nelson picked me up at about 8.20 (new time) and we hooned out to "Lake" Janet. Straight into the steep, we rode (and walked) up bastardly steep walking track from the 'Lake'.  We had a wee explore out the recently opened trail to the road that we've always thought must be there, finding and identifying the landmarks as to where it comes off the road.  Turned around and headed back through it.  Future rides will most certainly enter this way up the road first, methinks. Back on to the main singletrack and on up huffing and chuffing all the while, past some guys walking with dogs. Zig and zag, there's always one extra dog leg on this climb that I forget about. Got to the Lookout and looked out. Haze over the city, planes tracking in for the nor'west runway, and massive spectacular nor'west arch overhead.

From here we headed up the walking track, nice climbing now between the broom, through some scrappy beech, with a better gradient than the zigs below.  Usual tussock trickiness higher up and we stopped for a perusal of the view and rest out of the wind.  We spotted some other riders struggling up the scree to the trigpoint top across the way, and they hung out up there for a while.  A few photos

Nelson's bike and foot, Arch, and people on the other summit

Out towards Amberly...

and

Over the other side, looking west. (trail below)...

Nelson set up his gopro and gimbal and it was time to head off down.  I led the way, and we bombed it... cleaning more of the switchbacks than ever before.  Our new switchback technique is unstoppable.  Made for one of the fastest trips, if not the fastest trip, down, Nelson on my tail pretty much the whole way filming.  Met one walker in the switchbacks right at the top of the bush.  After him, we had a mint trip down, speed carried through so much, and more clean corners than ever before.  Stopped at the bottom of the most numerous pile of switchbacks and rested our fingers and hands, and had a snack.

Got going again, and fanged the rest of the way out.  The (usually) boggy muckhole was pretty good, some new looking drainage finally having been inserted.  Much much lower down near the bottom we met a dog, followed by his people, and that was it for other trail users.  Finally out the bottom, hands aching from the brake control, massive grins on our faces.

Into the road climb, once again, several sections we always forget about before landmarks loom, like, after the beehives, I always think it's just a corner and a straight to the ridge, but no...  and from the bridge after the brief descent, not far up to the level of the car from there?  Nope, way further, lots of corners, and a couple of side roads I feel like I've never noticed before.  Finally onto the level and slight descent back to the car.  Loads of cars in the carpark. We dropped off packs, pocketed phones, and headed up the road (~7 minutes) to the new singletrack entry for a wee bonus.  Another minute or so up this and it was into the descent, steep skiddy section to start, then under the big trees over their roots, across and into an old DH track, a few jumps, lots of loose tree litter / bark and a couple of stops to look at stuff, and after carving a few corners, we were back out to the car.

A sweet 15.6kms looped, with 756m gained.  (couple other pics associated with this MMR).

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Tuesday Night Moonlit Godley

Drove to Nelson's after work and parked up, then we hooned in his car, with Fatty and skinny bikes onboard, to Taylor's Mistake.  Got riding, straight into the grunt, up the Tail, pausing at the cattlestop to chat to a friend of mine (Fiona) running her dog, then on out the Boulder Bay track.  A couple of photo ops along here,

Scar, bro.

and then took a singletrack down into Boulder Bay, slightly more interesting than the highway, but ending in overly tech rocks before dropping into the macracarpas behind the houses.  Steep climb out of here, back onto the main track, then the usual climb up the zigs and zags, round to the full-arsed moon hanging out just above the horizon.  Parked up at the gun emplacements and took a couple pics,

MooonZooom

then rolled on up to the the end.  Over the top and down the other side, zig and zag and zig and zag, then up the steps and climbing again back up to the old buildings.  Phone call and more pics from in here.

Arty farty had a party...

Then it was out to the carpark to watch a massive posse of riders bombing down the hill and onto the trail below the road back to Anaconda.  Nelson and me climbed up the hill and around onto the Breeze Bay track.  Fun times around this and as we got to the stile the big posse were heading off down Anaconda (not very fast, we thought).  Next, we took the skinny fun trail above the road around, stopping to enjoy the view for a bit just before that weird half buried shed, then onwards around and instead of down the 4wd track we went a little bit further towards Breeze Bay track again and headed down the walking track back to the car park, along the fence, and over the road onto the original Godley section below the road.  The climb from the bridge slowed me up and Nelson got a big lead on me.  I had a nice run around until the last slight climb to Breeze Col.  Ugh.

Finally, into the 'Conda.  Good blast around here, and it was surprisingly dry considering the rain we'd got over night and this morning.  A total beat up on the Fatty, rocky sections pounding through my arms, and a bit of a battle with the steering in some of the narrower slightly rutted sections.  Out the bottom and onto the tail, this REALLY beat me up, with all its pesky rocks I'd normally just flow over on the full-suss.  Oh well.  Got to the bottom and felt like I'd had a ride, for sure.

A good 13 kms, with just over 500m climbed...  Nice.

Sunday Morning Shorty and Jetty.

Headed across and parked up top end of Bowenvale Ave with Jet and O. We rode up the valley, Jet on the lead the whole way.  I delayered at Hidden Valley Link track, and we headed up that.  Nice new bridge at the bottom now, much easier than that pesky creek crossing was.  Let the dog off the lead once we were in here.  Good climb up.  Otis walked a couple of bits, cos his gear isn't low enough.  Got up to the fence and over, bit of a rest, then up under the pylon and up the 4wd zig zag track. Bloody steep.  We both walked a bunch, little bit of ride, then walk.  Up up up to the gate, then rode on up to the landing strip.  Here we headed down, onto the fun descender, back to the gate in no time flat.  Over this stile and down all the best lines, Otis managing everything with aplomb.  He rocks it, no trouble.  Jet was very happy, panting and running, big smile on his face.  Then down all the rocky bits and around the off cambers, and into the Old Skool, for a flowy bomb down this.  Awesome run, stopping a few times to see how O was going, and make sure Jet was still in pursuit.  Family fun!

Only 6.7 kms, and 323 m climbed, but they were mostly a pretty steep 323.

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

Saturday One Million Trees

Jumped on the Troll and headed for Travis to plant the millionth tree.  Was a bit of a head wind.  Meandered a bit, but got there faster than Google said I would.  Very soggy and mucky planting site.  Glad I'd carried my gummies on my front rack.  Planted heaps.  Family joined us for the ceremonial gathering.  Pete and me helped the mayor plant one of the ceremonial trees.  We scoffed some sossies.  And then I rode home, a slightly less convoluted way.  Alls goods.

Flat as a pancake (with a whopping 48m altitudinal gain), 22kms there and back (including wandering around on foot at the planting and ceremony) .

Thursday Night Flow

Met Paul at Volstead after 5 and took him back to his place where he got ready and we sorted out lights etc.  Rode from there across to Major Aitken, and chuffed up here, nice and mild - we were down to teeshirts and shorts.  Off the road and up the dirt, lights just starting to be needed here.  Climbed up onto the singletrack and up to landing strip, then up the gravel grovel to the top.  Quite a bit of westerly wind blowing up here, pushing us up the road to the start of the Traverse.  Turned into the wind, and hit the Traverse, hanging a right into the fun descender, wind affecting jumping, but not too much, down back onto the landing strip and then I looked for the alternative line in the tussocks, not really finding it but checked it out and this led us into the rest of the fun descender down to the gate.

Over the stile and down the droppy good times, cleaning every inch of it, bombing down into the off camber zone to the Old Skool.  One option I'd been thinking about was to head through HiddenValley and up Vic to drop down the closed walking track zone, but neither of us could be bothered with the extra climbing, so we just flowed it on out the Old Skool and dropped it down to the valley bottom, enjoying it muchly.  Oh yes.

Finally, down Bowenvale Ave, across the river, around the river, up to Moon Under for a pint and some chups, and then as we were heading back to his place, on Strickland, we heard this clatter like one of us had run over something.  I stopped quickly and went back to see what it was, and it was my car key!  Bloody fallen out of my pocket!  Too Close!

17kms, cos of all the town flat stuff, with 431 m climbed.

Sunday Posse in the Sun and Cold Wind

Steve doing a shortened ride again, meeting us up the top...  I parked at Ferrymead Bridge and awaited the boys. Wayhayno arrived first, then Andy in his van, parked next to my car, then Robin, then Pete and Alistair, then Nelsie. We toodled up St Andrew's Hill, Nelson putting on the gas and me struggling to keep up a bit, while the others all just chatted away behind.  A couple of breathers here and there as we had plenty of time before meeting Steve at 10.  Top of Major Hornbrook all but Robin took the singletrack under the pylons.  Everyone walked the steepest bit.  Then it was across and here we met Steve (who'd done a wee loop of his own across the lower slopes).  We set him to lead, and he gave us a very nice pace up to the top.  Then I led off around the top/front and up to the road cutting and up onto the climbing track.

Long break here then off up the zig and the zag and the rest to the top of Mt Pleasant all at various speeds.  I led down, having a lovely ride, flowy and fast and smooth.  The new gate and entrance flow quite nicely.  Lower down, in the tussocks I had a great run.  At the ruins Steve peeled off to ride the skinny tracks before heading back, and the rest of us bombed off down Greenwood, Nelson leading the way.  I started off with a bit of a gap behind him, but I slowly (and surprisingly) reeled him in until for a while I started stalling on the traverse with muck before Gloomy.  He stalled on the rock in there, so we regrouped just there til all arrived.  Then off down the rest of it, fast and fun.  Heard a loud noise above me when Pete dropped the drop, but continued on and bombed the rest of the way, reeling in Nelson until the two rocky ups.  Got to the bottom and watched as one by one the rest of the boys (except for Pete and Andy), plus a few randoms, rolled in.  We could see them waaay up the hill just below the drop.  Turned out Pete had burped but also holed his rear, stopping to pump it twice on the way down.  Nelson and him worked on it for a bit once he was down.

Here at Evans, Pete, Alistair and Robin scooted off down the Captain, leaving just four of us to hit up the Godley.  I had one of my worst times up and out the rocky climb and sections beyond.  Smacking pedals left right and centre, generally struggling to keep forward motion.  Was pretty fucked off by it all before too long.  We stopped at one point and watched the boys below negotiating parts of the Captain, and could see that Pete and Alistair didn't appear to know Robin was following them.  At the highpoint, where we had a short rest, we discussed options other than Taylors, but decided to continue onwards, and from here on down I had a much better run, with uber-speed down towards Livingston - reeling in Nelson again!, albeit gradually.  A better climb up from here, but gasping for air, then a sweet spin down to Breeze.

Finally, Anaconda.  This was fast and smooth runnings.  Heaps of fun, I think we all railed it better than ever.  Brief pause before the 'tail, and Nelson and Andy careened off ahead.  I was knackered before we even started the climb out of Taylors.  Pushed hard with lots of huffing and puffing, up and over, then we dropped into Nicholson Park, taking the steep(fun) route down to Flowers and then out the between-the-houses track to Whitewash Head Rd, bombing down this, down the road and bunnyhopping onto the footpath narrowly missing pedestrians and wheelchairs and children on bikes and in prams and pushchairs...  haha.  Nice slow meander along the Esplanade and the other three peeled off for coffee, while I had to get going.

Pushed it hard all the way back to the car, which seemed to take forever and absolutely killed me.

Felt longer than 27.7kms but I can believe the 935m climbed...

Wednesday Night Cashmere Craziness

Fatty and skinny went for a ride. In to a few places they'd never ridden before - or not for a very long time.

Left Nelsie's and headed up to the first cul-de-sac, then down the walkway, over behind the shops, around the river, through Thorrington, and along the river again.  Next it was up Bengal Drive to the top, and up Sassafrass (or Sasaram, whatever), and down across an empty lot onto an alleyway.  We had a look around this to Chittagong Pl, then back down a 'secret' singletrack we found that led into a jumpy zone I'd heard about (this is the valley behind Princess Margaret's (where the ring-laser is)).  Found some mad jumps and cool routes down this valley, arriving out the bottom above a derelict tennis court.  We then rode back up the main park track bit, mucky as, and up to the alley we'd started at, and up onto Lady Poulson Ln.

Crossed Hackthorne down into MacMillan, and headed up to the steps down into Valley Rd - bumpedy bump bump to the bottom of these and hung a right to explore up to the top of Valley, dead end, so back down around and down, across Crighton and up steeep bastard Garth Tce to Dyers Pass Rd.  Back into MacMillan past Marie's and up Whisby, then up Dyers and left into Hackthorne, climbing all the way into Vic Park.  Part way up the track we dropped across the road into the bush, through onto Harry Ell track and climbed up this, stopping and pulling over a couple of times to let runners past.  All the way up to Vic Park Rd, and hung a left back towards the 19th, and Ranger Station, then into the wheelchair track over through to the car park.  Orienteering buffs were everywhere.  Headed down through the picnic area, and across behind the slide and down the rocks to the dog park, passing through a whole tonne more Orientards.  Over the dog park on the high track (dryer than the usual sidler), and down to the pines where we stopped just through the gate for a snack.

Then it was down the rooty barbed wire singletrack, tight bumpy fun - tricknical goodness.  Over the stile and below the houses, riding through yards (it feels like), a bit greasy in places, but rode all the switchbacks perfectly, all the way to the bottom, and out onto Longhurst.  Climbed up to Derryname lane, through and under Nainy's old place onto Takahe Drive and up this to the Sign of the Takahe, into the park, up over, and down back onto Hackthorne.  Rolled down this a ways, then onto the footpath til we found the alleyway that dropped us down to Kidson, where we flew down to Dyers Pass Rd, bombing down this to just past Overdale Pl, and peeled left into the bushes at the top of the valley that dropped us down to Purau Place.  Found some cool lines in here, nice singletrack - kinda, with, finally, a few steps at the bottom.  Down Purau, around the roundabout, onto the river track, Ernie Clarke Reserve, around past the locked watertaps, through the library, over the bridge, Sandwich Rd, Birdwood, Martin Ave, over the bridge, through the reserve onto Centaurus and back around to Nelson's... not yet even 8pm.

All up, 18.7 kms, and 442m climbed - which felt like more...

Sunday Bottly Jettly Fattly

Took the dog and the fat bike to Bottle Lake and we did a lap. Like me, he's not as fit as he used to be (tho, more because since his accident and since our move of house he's hardly ever getting a walk or run), and so the second half wasn't as fast as the first, cos I had to keep stopping and encouraging him along.  He was pretty knackered by the end, but soldiered on to the last. Gotta get him more exercise, so he can start accompanying me again.  We rode in, hung a right, and headed out towards the gazebo and through to the beach front.  Along the front there, and I ventured up onto my fun singletrack along the dune top (once in the pines again), then headed back into the park, and cut the loop shorter along 'muddy road' (which was muddy), and then back through.  Towards the end, we detoured along a couple of the roads to cut back to the car.  Fun on the fat.

a 13km loop, with the usual negligible altituded (apparently 80 m)...

Saturday Nice Hill Ride

Steve's first ride since his treatment started, so he met us at the top of the tarmac on Huntsbury having got a lift from J9.  I'd driven to the bottom of RamaHareRamahana and arrived just as Robin did. We toodled our ways up the hill, both suffering from colds, to meet Steve at the top.  Nice easy going pace up the dirt, staying on the main track all the way to the top.

Across the Traverse.  Felt good up here, beautiful day and the trail was riding well.  I cracked out a reasonable pace, stopping a couple times to regroup but steady onwards we rode.  On the last run down towards Vic Park I passed a runner (who'd leapt out of the way) whilst in the air on one of those wee jumps through there.  Flow was good.  

Regroup at the start of Vic Park, and then down through the usual, finding a couple of new jump features, one of which I bailed up on not quite ready for it's gapdrop.  Next time I'll be ready for it.  Steve peeled off down the 4wd, while Robin followed me through into the gummies.  I took him down my usual favourite, which is rolling pretty nice, and we sidled out to Steve at the skidder site, tonnes of other riders in residence here.  Cruised down to the 19th then followed the new signage to the park, via the roads.  (not doing that again...).  

Down the Dyers Pass Rd and to the Park entrance, I led off down the new-to-me Captain Cook(er?), and it was greasy as hell.  The two corners super steep and nearly no traction.   Then we were at the top of Shredzilla and Loess.  I opted for the former, for the first time ever. It was sweet.  The right amount of dry-ness.  I baulked on the techy rocky section, but cleaned everything else no problem.  Stopped and greeted the boys as they rolled past at the first connections with Loess, then again at that rock section.  Then bombed the rest of the way down what must be lower Kama Sutra, and out back to the bottom on the same line as the rest.  I like the new exit with the bridge too.  Waited a while for the other two.

Then up to the base and I checked to see i still had uplifts on my card (I do), and then we went up to the cafe.  I had a OnePA while Steve and Robin had healthy kombuchas and we scarfed down some fries (thanks Steve!).  Then it was off down the road and around the river-ways and across Beckenham Loop.  I peeled off down Koromiko St, and through the alleyway to Centaurus and back to the car.

18kms and 500m climbed.

Sunday Otukaiplantingkino

Treadled down to the rail trail and slowly rode towards town (pre Rossall St) til I saw Andy, Jenna, and Wayhayno coming towards me and we headed back north to Sawyers Arms Rd, out this, and thru Roto Kohatu, finding lots of people parking, Steve, and under the tunnel through past Omaka and down to the planting site.  Planted lots of plants, a million and hundreds in fact, and then scoffed us some sossies and lollies and then rode back the way we'd come.  I peeled off at St James Park and rode through to home.

Nice 17kms there and back again, with an almighty 49m climbed

Friday Night Weird Runnings

A post work-week ride that involved quite a bit of walking, many weird ways, steps, and slippery mud and slippery rocks.

Started from Nelson's new place, me on the fat bike and him on his 29er, and headed up Parklands Drive, hanging a right into the first cul-de-sac, to ride down the walkway (that I'd ridden up a couple weeks or so ago).  Along Centaurus to Whaka Tce, and left up this.  It just gets steeper and steeperer as you go, then hits the walkway and steps to carry your bike up to the top of.  At the top is Vista Place.  Cruised up this and discovered a small area where kids have cut a wee jumpy track in some bushes - it was a bit greasy to ride properly, so will check it out some other time.  At the top, on Huntsbury Ave, we headed across the road into the Huntstbury Walkway.  Never been down this before.  The entry is a massive filter of gnarly rocks - designed, and enough, to put most cyclists off - but not us!  Carried down these and then the trail below was a swoopy fun sweeper of a beast, steeply rushing down the hill in nice regen bush and some big pines/macs down below.  Weren't really sure where we were heading, so explored off to the right, proceeding up the valley, into the canyon that's off the end of Albert Tce, below Farm Track.  Eventually got onto the walkway in the valley bottom and followed this up, lots of carrying and pushing, tiny bit of riding, up valley to connect to the Dry Bush Track.

Back down-valley sidling and climbing to the Farm Track, then headed up this steep pig.  Climb, climb, climb, Nelson miles ahead, and the southerly wind howling across here (whereas everywhere else was mild and calm).  Midway up to the track that heads under the pylons, across this up and over, then the fun steep downhill into the Rapaki valley, getting steeper as you go.  Then we sidled down onto the valley track and followed this techy goodness (and badness) down.  Just above that weird shelter thing, I misplaced a foot and toppled head-first over, getting my thigh wedged between my frame and handlebar, other leg on top of frame holding me down.  Was quite painful and difficult to extricate myself.  Helluva bruise now.  After recovering a bit from this, from the shelter, we carried our bikes up the hill to the track that's above (and peels off waaaay earlier from the valley track), riding this sidling track across to the Vernon walkway zig zags, down into the Hillsborough Tce.

Down this to Charlene and Leonard Places, Albert Tce and around into the alleyway that heads up to Aotea.  Rode up this, another one that just gets steeper and steeperer and steepererer, eventually pushing up the steps at the top.  Hoo boy - thems some climbing.  Then up Aotea, up Huntsbury, down Vista and into the Whaka(?) reserve dropping down the fun trail next to all the little flights of steps (that I'd only walked up once before).  Some super greasy shit down the bottom, I ended up rearwheel overtaking my front at one point.  Then down around the pond in the bottom, and back up to Major Aitken, down, round Centaurus back to Nelson's.

Arnica for the leg, and a beer for the head, then home...

A very interesting 11.1 kms, and 531m climbed...

Sunday Solo Mucky Crock

Dropped H off to a birthday party and sleepover and headed to Halswell Quarry car park.

Headed up the valley and up onto C2, via the Download.  Clamber clamber up through the trees, through the cattle stop into instant cattleshit.  Avoiding the worst of it and then watching out for big cow-apples (and pancakes) on up Crocodile, ever climbing.  Top of the road, and into the Low Road, bit of mucky flat bits to avoid, bailing out to the road at the lying down squared-off lampost.  Up this last steep and over the gate into Siberia, finding a few wet puddles, but the rest of it nice.  Bombed through the bends and down the last bit to the bottom.  Decided here to try the new ziggy climb, Anne's Ascent or something, and gave up on it through sheer boredom after a few bends, bailing out to the main track and just powering up that instead of 20 times the distance going back and forth.

From the gate, headed down the singletrack, actually a really good run, until a jump that threw me off towards the bank, I just managed to pull it back under control before landing and landed awkwardly, kinda tweaking my back.  Carried on down and then into the Crock.  Stopped here for a moment, maybe a text?  Then got going again, on down, pulling up left to C2 and straight into Murph's, bombing down this, lots of fun, then tootled through the mucky bottomlands and climbed up Upload, then into the Crocodile climb, clambering up this to the top and taking the Bypass track to the bridge in the valleybottom, and left up Gorge Rd, meandering up the valley til I found a midlevel track leading back down valley.

Down this, joined into one of the switchbacks on the Crock, climbed up from here to C2 and headed Murph's again, enjoying it just as much if not more than the first.  At the mucky bottomlands again, I hung a right this time and around and up Upper Crust, which climbs from the jumps up through Murphs (near the top), topping out on C2.  Headed down this to the wee bridge, and followed (pushing bike on back wheel), a track up the valley there, to see what I would see.  Turned back from the top and rode and scooted down through the tech and long grass back to the trail.  Then I took the downhill track (Mish-Mash) that starts just there, and bombed that down into the valley again, basically at the end of Murphs.

Around the muckybottomlands again and back up C2, to the wee dh track again, down it but slightly different line out onto hairpin of C2, back onto it and out the bottom again, this time to ride out the old entrance, and back down to the car, done.

Only 11.5kms, with 323m climbed.

Wednesday Night Foggy Glarey Hilltop Foray

Post work Sumnervale park up, and we headed up the Captain. I'd remembered my asthma inhaler for a change, and had had a blast at work an hour or so prior, plus had a couple puffs before we rode, so I was for once not dying.  It helped that Nelson set a mellow pace for a change too, and so by the time we'd gotten up to where it levels off I was feeling pretty good.  Cleaned the first rocky climb after that short descent, but neither of us got up the next two rocky ups.  Good go from there on up, me almost enjoying the climb for presence of oxygen in my blood. 

Up to the Evans Pass and off up the Summit Rd, taking it nice and easy, and climbing into scudding fog and peering over the downhill side scoping lines for a potential climbing track below the road.  When we got to Jollies Bush, we headed up into it, climbing the through the few switchbacks to the stile at the top.  Over this and up to the singletrack, we hung a left and climbed up to the Greenwood junction. 

Climbed from here, up, out towards the original Greenwood entrance.  Before we made the entrance tho, Nelson's puncture from last ride started to leak again (he'd taken out the tube and put in more goo, to no avail).  He faffed with this for quite a long time, while I perched and froze in the blowing fog.  A massive posse of riders passed through, heading up and round onto the wee singletrail descending from here.  Then about 15 minutes later they rode through again, on their way out this time, surprised to see us still there. Help was offered - thanks guys.  Finally Nelson reneged and put my tube in and off we rode. 

Up the road and onto Britten, we rode out round the top, then through and across the road and over the fence to climb up Mt Pleasant.  Fence changes up here, with a Track Closed gate across it, which we ignored and then found a fence through the middle of the first downhill!  Backtracked then round the old one and more fence.  Over this and down to the stile.  Then down down down, fun times, but hard work in the fog, and damp tussocks.  At the bottom we figured Greenwood would be mucky as hell before Gloomy, so we headed through to the gun emplacements and bombed down the ridge track here.  Fun, but sketchy-as slippery slickness in some rocky bits, but good rolling the rest.  Across to the ridge above the cliffs they're destroying (above Evans-Lyttelton Rd), and then back across and down to the lower reaches of Greenwood, entering just before Dangerous Dave's section.  Excellent bomb down here, it's rolling well, and wasn't wet. 

Finally, across the road, and into the Captain.  Awesome blaze down here, it was good.  Cleaned everything I was supposed to, and had some fun.

Excellent ride.  16.5 km, with 540 m climbed

Sunday Midday Mid-level Loner

Before noon headed over and parked at my often spot on the river below Bowenvale Ave. Headed around Centaurus, passing by the Major, Whaka and the shops, to the Huntsbury Walkway and headed up this.  Managed to ride the whole of the first leg, getting pretty steep near the top.  Then it crosses a couple of driveways (at the end of a cul-de-sac) and climbs steeper still for the next couple bits, so walked all the first, and most of the second, finally riding out the top onto Huntsbury Ave just below Aotea.  On up the usual route at a nice cruise. At the top of the seal I got a txt from Paul (I'd invited him earlier) saying he wouldn't make it, and I checked in on my MMR. It said 22mins, 336 calories, 0.00 kms, and had me parked on Colombo St in Sydenham (wtf?), so I deleted it, restarted it, checked it was going, and continued to ride on up, under the pylons, wind humming in them, onto the singletrack, up the landing strip, turning back to look for the rest of the new trail, found the line, but it's pretty rudimentary, back onto the last of the landing strip and on up the gravel to the top.  Strong wind buffetting me around.

Up to top, tailwind on the short section of Traverse, and then dropped down the fun upper Huntsbury, jumping in the wind proving interesting, and then down the landing strip, hanging left into the new bit, scoping the line I'd scoped before, finding it easier with gravity on my side, then dropping down into the valley, over the stile, down all the fun stuff, and cleaning ALL of it for the first time (ie, not scooting through the two hard bits).  Down through the off camber corners, and then I hung a left around onto the Hidden Valley Link. 

Down the first couple switchbacks, and left onto the walking track section.  Forgot it climbed so much.  Across towards the Lavaflow, and down next to the steps into valley.  Climbed up into the gorge, up onto the traversing trail and around to where you normally come out of the trees below Brent's. Onto Flow, chasing a young grom (and catching up to him) and into Nu Bridges, but cutting left onto Old Bridges after a couple of corners, (has been years since I've ridden this bit) across to hospital corner and dropping, dropping, down. 

Back into Hidden Valley Link 'Bonus', bollocksing the creek, crossing, but climbing and cleaning the rest of it. Finally, a flowy bomb down Old Skool and back out to the car.

First bit was 22mins and 220 odd metres climbed to where I restarted the app, then 55mins, 10.7kms and another 300m...  so a total of 520 or so m climbed.

Thursday Night Not So Short One

Met Nelson and Paul on Parklands Drive outside what was to become Nelson's flat.  We headed up this. It's a steep bastard to start, and leads to steeper still then steep bastard Huntsbury... On up, all the way to the top, then across, Vernon, Witch, lots of singletrack, including above the road then up the Tors, and around down to the trail above Lyttelton and down to the Bridle Path.  Then it was up Castle Rock, up onto the Tors - tho i think Paul might have taken the road.  Somewhere, Nelson had flat that took ages to fix. Paul felt flat, a bit knackered by his first big night ride.  Stayed on the road to Witch, rode that, then road below Vernon.  Then it was across and down the fun descender top of Huntsbury, and down to Old Skool.  Paul crashed a few times. It was cool.


Uber 22kms with 850 climbed...

Sunday, Sh'Orton Fattley Planting

O and me drove into drizzle on the hills and over Dyers Pass and down out of the drizzle at about Teddington to get to Orton Bradley 15mins before the planting was to begin. Andy and Jenna had ridden from the ferry and were sifting around, so the 4 of us headed up to ride the loop. I had the Fatty.  It's is a fun wee loop, only 4 kms, with (supposedly) 85m of climb, so not much of a ride really. Definitely worthy of a few laps, but we only did the one then hit the planting, which took like 5 minutes - 500 trees with 70 people.

 (with the phone in my pocket, MMR has some pretty screwy results - top speed of nearly 300kph)). 

Thursday Night Godley Meanderisations

Met Nelson in Sumnervale and we headed up the Captain. First time since February, for some reason... I took off while he faffed his MMR on and I was a wee ways up the singletrack above the stile before he caught up.  Instantly I was set to with wheezing, struggling to breath from here on up.  Bloody dire, and I've GOT to remember to take my ventolin inhaler when I ride.  Up round the bends and up over the rocks, wheeze wheeze wheeze.  Started getting into a groove the further up we got but was still struggling even at the top, and muppetting quite a few sections I'd not normally.

Across Evans and onto Godley.  Not bad going up here, a dab lower down but cleaned the rocky platforms before the going got better.  Nelson was doing good for a start but then blew it on a rocky bit, got out of my way and I cleaned up over it, leading from here til the break on the ridge.  Into the descent, a little muckhole right on a corner after the second of the boardwalk things, and slightly greasy down the Teddington Shit section, but from here on down we were smooth rocketships.  Absolutely fanging down through the curvy stuff before Livingston Col - felt like the fastest I've ever done (who knows!?).  Up the next climb, gasping again, then down to Breeze, all good. 

Up onto the tight narrow sheeptrack-singletrack around then return on the Breeze Bay track, this is rolling very nicely now, fast and getting a little narrower.  Still no tech, but fun.  Into Anaconda, and a nice roll through the top section, speed building, til, tight on Nelson's tail, we were rocketting down and through.  Around into the valley and !WHOOAH!, Nelson bailed, (his wheels had chosen different ruts and gone different directions),  I managed to pull up in time.  We bypassed the nasty muckhole and the rest of the way were a little more cautious, with no problems.  Then it was onto the new walking track to climb.  Always further than memory allows, but a good solid climb and back up to the col in no time. 

Now it was back up Godley, climbing, descending, and knuckling in for the last climb up from Livingston.  Into the last section, speed right from the start.  We both had fast and smooth runs down here, popping and floating over the rocks and no snarls.  I took the high line to finish, Then it was down through Rapanui Bush and around the tricksy wee walk track onto the Scarborough Bluffs Track.  Bit of a rest here, and then onwards, fun times flying.  Nelson failed on the techiest bit (he'd cleaned last two times), and neither of us did very well in the corners.  Nice riding tho.  Across the road and down the last zigs to the bottom of the Captain and then back to the cars. 

Grabbed dinner at the wee Indonesian Street Food place.  Not bad, tho gammy guts since.

20kms and 815 climbed...  Pretty good.

Saturday Huntsbury Old Skool with my boy.

Drove across town with O and we parked in Bowenvale.  Rode back down the road and around and up Major Aitken Drive.  He climbed well all the way, even being a little faster than me a few times (his gearing is taller (and his bike is getting to be too small for him!)).  He had to walk up the steep top sealed section tho, and then again on some of the steeper gravel below the pylons.  We ducked up onto the singletrack (and i found a new bit of that for going down hill on, that avoids the boggy section before that first (big) jump).  We headed up the gravel, which he amazingly rode, and just before that top cattlestop headed across onto the fun downhill track.

He followed me in, and I jumped all the jumps.  Not sure if he did all 3.  Then we rolled down the landing strip and left down onto the newer section of singletrack.  He followed me down all this, and the couple of techy rock bits didn't even phase him.  Over the stile and down again, this time, two of these new bits have pretty steep sections, the 2nd of which is virtually vertical.  I bombed down them then stopped to look back, and there he was, not even bothered, bombing down behind me.  Awesome!  Next section had those two tricky bits with exposure off to the left and a drop that I usually 'scoot' down.  He did the same behind me. Then the last bit he bombed down all the rocky tech stuff no problem again, and then it was into the off camber corners.  I imparted my wisdom around the outside-pedal-down for these and we took off.

Then, into the original Old Skool.  Explained to him how it was the first ever purpose build bike track. Then bombed it.  He did good, and we had a great trip down (me, not locked out this time!).  Last few sections rolly roll roll, and then down the bottom and down the road back to the car.  A very well spent 54 minutes with my boy.

9.56kms, and 390 m gained.

Then I was meant to join the boys for Steve's last ride (for a while) on Sunday morning, but Saturday Night got one over on me and I had to spend the day in bed... :(

Wednesday Night Solo all over the place

Out on my own tonight and probably could have done a proper ride or even a fatty ride on the trails, but figured they were sorta off limits so just had the Troll in the car.

Parked at McCormack's Bay, usual spot, treadled around and grabbed some water and then proceeded to follow my nose...  Around the edge of the park, picking up a nice wee singletrack that petered out, so found my way to the bridge and followed the track from there.  Around towards town, and just past Mt Pleasant Rd headed up a steep wee 'alleyway' (aka Rangatira Tce), right onto Quarry Rd through the park and down The Brae, not realising I could have headed left on it up to St Andrews.  Along the Main Rd for a minute then ducked up Te Awakura Tce, crossed St Andrews and on upwards, around and up the alleyway to Cannon Hill.  Down this, fast, right at the bottom and along what's known as Ferrymead Tce, then across the bridge and into the towpath.  Met a guy on a commuter cyclocross in here, our lights clashing, then had the rest of the greasy way to myself.  Quite squirrelly in parts.

Across the Tunnel Rd bridge and back down the other side, super greasy and squirrelly along here, slick tires finding little purchase.  I proceeded around the ex-maori village site and then stayed on tracks that followed the Ferrymead Park Drive.  Took a wrong turn and found a greasy dead end, so back to the Drive and on up into Heathcote.  Up through the school and out onto Bridle Path Rd, up this as far as the Gondola turn off, and then back, lots of speed, down to Morgans Valley Rd.  Up this to the top, the steepness of the upper end proving a good work out on the Troll's gearing.  Turned around and bombed back down and hung a right on Bridle Path Rd, down to Cannon Hill.

Up Cannon, checking out Chablis Pl, and choosing to stay on Cannon all the way, again, steepness near the top giving a damned good work out.  Around the top of the Crescent and down to Freeman, then left on Major Hornbrook, right into Billy's, and right into Mt Pleasant Rd, proceeding up this til Drayton.  Down here into the McCormacks Bay tracks, sidling (surprisingly some climbing) around to the main valley track and taking this down, a bit greasy, to the bridge, then around and up the zig zags to Avery Place, the steep in here getting the better of me and making me walk for a stretch.

Up Avery and left on Glenstrae, right into Daring Lane, and down the zig zags we discovered a few weeks back, onto Challenger Ln.  I had a look up here at Defender Lane which supposedly has a way back up to Glenstrae, but it was a 'Private' r.o.w, so I left it to it, and turned tail and bombed high speed down Challenger - Egnot Heights, left into Taupata and then back to the car on the flat.

All over the place...  23 kms and 477 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.

Wednesday Night Big Ken

Big one tonight. Firstly, I was home all day with the boys on school hols, so I rode to Nelson's work for 5 o'clock. Then we trafficjammed it across town and parked at the main gates of Halswell Quarry.  Rode up the drive and then through to the mtnbike zone, popping down Download before climbing C2 up onto the Crocodile.  I was gasping.  Felt I had no energy.  However, I was testing my new oval 30t chainring, and it performed admirably.  It felt like I was getting more drive for each pedal stroke.  This I was noticing most later once we were further up the top. So, it was a long way up.  The Low Road was wet as, so we headed up onto the main track and rolled up that, Nelson riding with some XC guy while I struggled on behind.  Through the gates and the long climbs began.  Hard. Work.  Eventually, cleaning everything, we made the top.

Hit the Summit Road around to Worsley's and up to top of Flying Nun, (debating with then ignoring the Track Closed sign - how bad could it be?).  Not that bad.  Into the Nun and the fun begun.  Bomb bomb bomb, taking it reasonably easy in case of slick, which there wasnt much of.  Bailed out at the road, and headed back up it.

Just past Worsleys turn off we headed onto the Crater Rim (/360) walkway; climbed up to the top, nice views to be had and trail in good condition.  Black sheep around, only evidence being their eyes in the dark.  Stopped for a snack then headed onwards and down.  Fun descent, with flaxes whipping faces all the way down.  Across a carpark and into a techy wee climb, rocks and a bit of steep that Nelson ploughed up and I stalled on.  Walked a bit then back on for across the top and around about and down, flowy poppy down. 

Then, opposite where you used to enter Kennedys, we continued along the crater-rim, a section neither of us had ever ridden before.  It was steeep (but I still managed to stay on top of my new gearing), and climbed for waaay higher and further than I'd have thought was possible given the terrain I didn't realise was up there.  Eventually we got to a junction.  We could have turned right - down to Kennedys; or straight ahead we chose - towards the Bellbird.  Excellent singletrack resulted, a few techs, but nice, rocky and through bush the odd step, a fair bit of speed.  Then at a rocky saddle, we could have dropped to the road just below, but we continued up, pushing bikes over rocky bits, then a bit more riding, more rocks, more riding, a good sized surprise totara, to eventually the Bellbird carpark.

Across the road, decided to try the trail back to Kennedys from here.  Down a ways and into tiiiight forest singletrack, not much room.  eventually a wrong turn and we ended up at the road, so over the fence and onto this, along a bit, and "hey, there's the track" so, onto this and along, more super tight singletrack, then more open and climbing and descending to, through a gate and over the stile, top of Kennedys.  Time for a bomb.  Seats down, suspension opened up, and away.  Super speed down, warp speed catch up.  Down, down down.  Insane speeds reached, lights the limit of visibility.  Over the stile and climbing then into the singletrack, bit of slop but mostly okay, and down to the Crock avoiding any water on the track, down into Murphs, droppy drop into there ducking and weaving, then last climb out killing me before finally down through the Quarry Reserve and back to the car...

Quite big in the end, 22 kms and 777m climbed... (oh, plus the 4.6kms from home to Nelson's work).

Saturday pHat-nmer Round Two

Out for round two.  Headed down the street and around thru town, getting lots of stares (freak on a fatbike!) and headed around Jacks Pass Rd and up past the camp in Chatterton Rd, up the valley to the walkway and up this for a ways (further than memory served), then hung a right on the singletrack that obviously doesn't get much use at all, climbing and sidling up to cross the 4wd track, onto the pylon access track up the steep under the pylon. Cleaned all the steep here (first time in years) then stopped for a very well earned breather at the peak point between two trees (that are much bigger than they were last time I was here (3 years ago)).  After the rest, it was into the down, and a nice sidle across and then past the beehives and up to Clarence Valley Rd, and the water tank.  A dad and his teenage son were just about to drop into Tank Track.  They offered me the go, but I stopped for a drink and let them get ahead.

Into Tank, lovely flight down this, and about halfway down I found I'd caught up to the dad, reeled him in and he pulled up to let me past.  Powered into the climb and out to the end of the track.  Decided on the Yankee, so headed across to and into it, climbing in the nicely grown young pines across and back and then into the larch gully and out onto the big open area. 

Photo op here (for the MMR) before hitting up the final bit of climb on singletrack and then the descent.  Decent, as.  Nice now, what was a pain in the ass in the past was really fun again, almost like old times (but not quite).  Went on for ages, then then I was out the end.  Hit up Swamp, climbing to it's top (after first telling some random couple the climb wasn't too bad) and then stopped and chatted to some guy at the top of Swoop.

Off down Swoop, chasing down a couple, getting past them both and flying down the bottom end, very splecky on one section (of melted frost).  Then it was similar to yesterday, back into Timberlands, just taking my time on the climbing, to the saddle, giving some germans some directions (they were impressed with the fatty), and then up onto Jolliffe Saddle track, climbing more and cleaning the top corner again.  Bit of a rest here at the top this time, and into the downwards facing dog.

Across the bridge, and into Bigfoot climb again, climb climb climb, blitzing the downhill, 2nd time in 2 days really paying off on the smoothness and flow, out the bottom, and down the road a little then straight onto Mach 1 down and climbing and descending, and repeat.  Fun!  Finally, onto Camp track, thinking about doing the green trail that winds it's way around on the flat in here, but taking a call from T saying she was waiting to go to the pool, so...  Straight back to base I headed, via the Western Link Track, and through the parklands and up over the hill for the final blast down to the house.

Hour and a half this time, nearly twice the distance to yesterday, 19kms on the dot, and 475 m climbed.

Friday pHat-nmer, post soak cruise.

Hours spent at the pools, soaking the muscles into subjugation, possibly a bit silly pre ride...  Got back to the house, grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed out for a quick fat spin.

Left the bach we were staying at and up the alleyway over the rise and down to the Woodland Walk Recreation Reserve and thru to Timberlands trail climb.  Nasty wee granny gear bastard start that it is, gentles out towards the top before the final slog to the saddle.  Then it was off up the Jolliffe Saddle track to the top, cleaning the big corner at the top quite nicely before dropping the seat and dropping into the wicked tight upper Dog Stream track down through zigs and zags and flow finishing with a couple of tight corners to the bridge.  Across this and walked up the steps to the road and up to the carpark. 

Into the Bigfoot climb, one point where the trees are so tight they don't fit an 820mm wide bar...  Cleaned all the zigs and zags up this and then into the descent.  Some patches of permafrost, and some splecky melted frosty bits, fun downhill, weaving and cruising and back and forth, then into the fir trees and back out, so much fun.  Met a family at the bottom (who'd just come down the Fir Trail), rolled through and down to Detox. 

Mucky climb to start with, lots of water rivulets running down the lower 4wd part of the road.  Steeper 2nd half not as wet, climbing pretty good, but relieved to be onto the flatter section through to the singletrack descent.  Fun flight down through the trees, feeling like a speeder-bike through the forest in Empire Strikes Back.  Got to the end and hung a right onto the end of Mach 1 through to where it crosses Dog Stream whereupon I turned downstream and flew down here, bit of spleck in the forest, before hanging right and up the hill back up to the saddle I'd been through earlier. 

Next it was into Red Rocks track, nice climb to a super fun descent, a couple of re-alligned corners, including a whole new section in the forest out to the right at one point, then got down to the turning and peeled right into the Eeny Meenies.  Chose Eeny to the left (once up the hill) and peeled around back and forth on this, eventually making the Western Link Track and taking that back to the Market Green to head back over the wee hill back down the the bach. 

Just over an hour spun, 10.7 kms with a surprisingly small 334m climbed.

Wednesday Night Ashley Trails

Parked up on Forestry Rd Barron Ave corner (after finding Barron Ave to be a 'private' road and 'tenants cars only'). Rode up Forestry, steeper than you'd think, and through the gate into Purple Heights where we entered last time. Climbed this up, longer than memory served, to Mt Grey Rd at the 2km marker, and then, just like last time headed just over and onto the open jumpy connector track. Hung a right at the end of this and went back up Mt Grey Rd for a second lap. 

At the bottom we turned left (unlike last time) and were faced with a choice.  Figured taking all the trails we found from left to right would be the best bet, so headed left and it took us down a really fun steep twisty descending trail. This ended at a couple of jumps and a skidder site (which I ascertained (as per my map-in-the-headedness) to be approximately somewhere we'd passed by last time we were in here, and next to Thomsons Rd. Figured, how far can it be, so we headed left up this and found out it could actuallly be quite a long way, pretty much mostly climbing up eventually to the Mt Grey Rd, this time at the 3km marker. Nice roll (but waste of altitude) down this, all the time looking for trails off to the left.  One short detour to a skidder site and some beehives to see if there were any hidden trails, but no, so back onto Mt Grey to the 2km marker. 

Down the jumpy, third time lucky, and left to try the other option.  This time wee found an xc style descent that seemed to go for ages, eventually meeting the first descender at the first jump and the skidder site again. Decided it was probably designed to be a climber, so we climbed back up it, (took me a while, but Nelson loved it!) and then across back to Mt Grey Rd again. 

Left down this and into the zone we rode with the locals last time.  This time we checked out the trail that had logs all over it, finding them cleared, so bombed down it.  It was fun and flowy, but then it took a turn upwards, and in no time at all got us back onto the trail we'd ridden last time.  We fanged down this flowy, mostly down, but sidling slighty, trail, always on the look out for other tracks.  Missed one turn off (on what I think we must have taken last time), then ended up at an intersection (of the cross-forest track we'd ridden from the jumps skidder site first time), and it was a bit mucky here, so we took a right and knew pretty quick it was probably the wrong way.  Through a barrier fence, and we ended up at the top of Courtney Drive. Headed down this onto Barron (which didn't look familiar at all!) and back to the cars.  Considered a 2nd lap, but it was nearly 8pm, and we were both feeling a bit hungry. 

Bailed down to Rangoon for some Thai.  Nom nom.

14kms on the dot, and just a smidge under 300m climbed...  felt like more to me.

Early Loner Sunday Morning with Jetty-boy

Big day ahead, with a band-practice / bookgroup party in the afternoon, so Jet and me headed out early, leaving home about 8am.  Parked at the usual spot on Eastern Tce bottom of Bowenvale and headed up Major Aitken Drive, Jet pouncing along happily, or trotting at a heel on the narrower bits.  Up Kenmanure onto Huntsbury and on up the steep, keeping a pretty good pace the whole way.  Onto the gravel and then up onto the singletrack to the landingstrip and on up gravel to the top, Jet meeting a few other friendly dogs on the way.

Straight into the start of the Traverse and across, then I dropped straight into the cool (newish) descent track, popping the jumps nicely, even tho the wind was strong.  Down the landing strip again and around into the new stuff, descending down cool steep rocky faces and across back to the gate.  From here, the new lines (several of which follow the old lines) of fun, drop, pop and roll through, across, rinse and repeat.  Steep rock sections and then off camber corners and I was into Bowenvale Old Skool, bombing it in the usual cruisy wafty moments of intensity moments of calm cruise, stopping to wait for Mr Jet at various hairpin corners.

Finally out the bottom and he befriended a dog called Marvel and they played and played and I chatted with his owner while they proceeded to get themselves into the fenced part of the creek up there.  Luckily a locked gate opened enough to let them out, and Jet was very reluctant to stop playing, so I dragged him away on the lead.  Down Bowenvale Ave he trotted along very slowly, so it took AGES to get back to the car.  a 10.5 km round trip, with 420 m climbed...

Wednesday Night Piecing it together to avoid the Closed bits

Cool wee ride tonight.. Pretty much all tracks out east closed (Godley, Captain, Snake, Greenwood, Britten) so we headed out that way anyway, figuring we'd piece something else together...

We parked on Nayland, and headed up onto The Zig Zag, but took Aratoni Track, first turning to the right.  A bit of walking, but a fair bit of riding too, eventually up some steps and out onto Clifton Tce.  Up this for a bit thinking to take the Zig Zag up to Panorama, but couldn't fathom the driveway entrance so continued on up Clifton til we hit The Frog Pond track.  This was greasy in spots but has some new drainage, and we managed to avoid most of them quite well, then up the ridge up to the big pines on the corner.  Stopped for a snack here and saw the ISS cruising by.

Next it was across the road up onto the climbing track which we took up to the Greenwood entrance.  Rolled into this and across and around, all in good nick, not mucky at all, to the 4wd track (before the ruins).  Here, we hung a right and rode up to the gun emplacements on the ridge which we toodled around for a minute or 5 before heading down the ridge on the 360 / CraterRim / Mt Pleasant Bluffs / Call-it-whatever-you-wanna-call-it Track.  Fast and flowy for a bit, then steep as hell and techy as shit, with a stile in there somewhere for good measure.  Across the top of Chalmers, over the next stile and on down between the macrocarpas sidling across the 360 walkaway section, all above Greenwood, across behind the bluffs they're messing with for the Evans Pass Rd, and then down the stupid-fast access track down the ridge towards the works buildings, to the end of Greenwood.

Through Evans Pass and decided against Godley Track (it being closed, and remembering how many bits I walked last time due to it being wet and closed) so stuck to the road, out, til we found a wee singletrack entrance which took us above the road for a bit around towards the 4wd track entrance.  Climbed over the fence before this following a natural line across to the 4wd track then up this.  And across the Godley track, on up the ridge (as per last time (too)) all the way to the top.  Nice views up here.  Here we were on the 360 track again.  Excellent descent ensued back down to Evans Pass.  (oh, while we were up here, we spotted some douchebag on Greenwood - much of his descending matched ours). 

At Evans again we headed into Rapanui Bush, hung a right and teched through to the Scarborough Bluffs track again (the Greenwood-douchebag seemed to follow us - but he missed our right-hander).  This time was excellent too, tho a bit wetter than last.  Nelson cleaned the lot, whereas I dabbed in similar places to last time.  Awesome descent, this track.  At the road we decided it'd be mucky below, so we hit the road down, high speed, flinging / clearing the mud from the knobs and down into the fridge of the valleybottom, then back to the cars at a cruisy pace.

An interesting 15 kms, with 570 m climbed...

Wednesday Night Not as Mucky as one might expect

Fatty and Tall-y out for a spin again. Post work meet at same spot on the river bottom of Bowenvale as last time, and headed for the Major Aitken.  Swapped bikes for the climb, me still much slower than Nelson, even with him belaboured with the fatty.  Up Major Aitken and Kenmanure onto Huntsbury and on up to the top. 29er skinny tires, locked out forks, rolls pretty easy, so I wasn't as stuffed as I'd usually be by the top.

Swapped back to our own steeds at the top, and headed off down Vernon, fat tires a little over-aired from a brief pump-up in the morning.  Manageable tho, and still plenty of grip.  Across cRapaki top and into Witch Hill, where we clambered to the high point and stopped for a quick snack.  Tonnes of lights on the track (and Monty's Spur) below.   Turned around here and bombed back again, across the saddle and on up Vernon, climbing slow and steady for me.  Eventually made the top and caught up to Nelson.

Bunch of riders assembled at Traverse, but none made the move so we I headed in.  Nelson stuck to the road above cos he thought the track might be wet and mucky like last time and he didn't wanna dirty up his nice clean bike. It wasn't, so he joined me for the 2nd half, around to top of Vic.  He gotten ahead of me, and we'd caught up with some other guys and one of them had a yellow jacket so I chased them down finding it wasn't Nelson.  So, I was at the seesaw and holla'd up to Nelson who then joined me and off down the rabbit paddock we cruised, into the rockgarden and around through the gummies, usual fun little lefthander, and through to the skidder site.

Into Spazza's, catching up to a couple of guys at the bottom, and we sidled across from the 40footer and over down the 4wd track to half way down Cool Runnings, left into here.  Fun whoopdedoos and into the valley bottom (the other two guys working down from above that in behind us) and then out onto Bridges and Flow, and across Nu Bridges heading straight across towards Hospital Corner.  Long time since i'd been down this section, had forgotten how fun-steep it is.  My uber-grippy tires kept me in control all the way down, but Nelson's skinnywhippet-tiny-knobs couldn't hold on and he even walked a little.  Final gravel road blast down was fun - it's what fatbikes do best.  Then down the road back to the car and we were done by 7.15pm!  Headed to Moon Under Water for a beer and a snack.

over 16 kms, and 632 m climbed... not bad for a week night.

Sunday Wharfdale Surprise

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesdee Pre-Trees Meet Street Feat

Had to pick up H and drop him home, then met nightmare traffic all the way across town.  Luckily Nelson had had a malingering customer and didn't get away til late either, so we both arrived at McCormack's Park carpark within a minute of each other.  He had his clown-wheeler and I had the Troll and because of the wetness everywhere, we were gonna ride streets and alleyways/walkways. Also, I only had my bike mounted (non-superbright) lights. 

Headed up Glenstrae, steep and hardwork on the Troll's gearing (must get a smaller front ring for this time of year).  I took a few breathers at various spots, but made it to the levelling off, and we headed up and into Daring Lane where we had seen on gglmaps there were some zigzags down.  Entry of rough rock steps, but then sealed and smooth back and forth down to Challenger Lane.  Good bomb down this to Egnot, fast descent to Taupapa.  Around Augusta onto the Main drag and around to good old Mulgans Track.  I walked a lot of this, it's just too steeep to ride on the Troll. Up, up past the tanks and up past York's old place to Panorama, and into Brownlee Reserve.  Found the downwards trails in here and then it was onto  The Zigzag, weaving carefully down this (not seeing it at all very well), slick tires struggling in the wet leaves and dirt, but keeping it together with a restrained descent.  Amazing how long it is.  Reckon this'd be a good climb.  Eventually onto Nayland, and then around the Main Rd back to the cars by just after 7.

Collected some Thai and made the meeting in very good time

8.3kms, and surprisingly 330 m climbed

Sunday Mucky Fatty Jetty Slowy, lotsy off Pistey

Beautiful morning to be out early. Parked up Evans Pass and on the fat bike with Jet poached in on the (closed) Godley track. One or 2 mucky spots but the fat tires do no damage and leave little trace of having been through.  And I walked on several of the mucky bits (as well as some of the techy bits) anyway.  A good run down to Livingstone, only a bit splecky on the Teddington Schipt bit, with smooth fun sailing, no puddles or muck the rest of the way down.  Jet struggled with the cattlestop, and a runner helped me out with the little doggy gate, and then we headed up and over to Breeze - again, no mucky bits, tho I was cautious on that last paddock ruttsville zone before the final cattlestop, not to mention the cattlestop itself.

Next, it was across to the stile and onto the Breeze Bay walking track.  Jet seemed to know we were going that way and led the way to the stile, over it, and off up the track, without any direction from me.  Nice to ride in this way, mostly climbing, and the gravel is starting to be grown into by the surrounding grass, so the trail is getting a better feel.  Still way less tech than it used to be, ie, none now.  Over the stile at the end, and I stopped to take a couple of pics.

(in the glare behind the Kaikoura Mountains were in their full glory...)

From here, treadled across to the bunker on the hill, then headed up towards the trig, zigging and zagging a couple times. Over the fence, across to the higher bunker and up to the trig where I was tempted to take more pics.  View up Lyttelton Harbour and over Chch to the mountains and out to see spectacular all around.  A runner grunted up here and past, stopping to take in the view but completely not engaging with me...  I headed off down the fenceline for a start, then had a second thought and went back over the fence and back up the hill, then over down, where sheepshit flew off my tires and onto my face.  Nice and fresh it was, all over my lips, nose and mustache, nearly in my mouth - eeewwwcchhhh..  Took a bit of wiping to make me not smell it any more.  Continued down and met with our usual wee tight narrow singletrack above the road back towards Breeze Col.  This was fun. And tricky. And quite slow.

Through Breeze Col and off up the road, then decided to ride a sheep trail below the road (above the Anaconda), and along this to the first corner which when I rounded, decided too many sheep to not freak them out with Jet, so climbed back up to the road.   Stayed on this, around past Livingstone, up past the Para's launching spit, and around above Scarborough to the usual gate (now moved) to head back up to the Godley Track.

Climbed up and crossed over this and continued up the 'landing strip', all the way to the top, nice long climb, and joined the 360 trail up here, ready for the descent to Evans.  Excellent downhill this - couple of rocky tech sections that were too much for me on the fatty, but fun bits in between and in no time I was back on the rock part of the trail, then I continued with the walking track section above the entrance, and dropped down to the final stile (dog gate for Jet) and back to the car.

Very happy dog, and me well satisfied with my micro-adventure.  A 13kms round trip, climbing around 520m.

Wednesday Night Mt Relatively Pleasant (out of the wind), Greenwood and Bluffs

Bike fits good in the new car.

Left work 4.30ish and drove to park at McCormack's Bay park, watching the big clouds and sunset drift away.  Nelson turned up eventually, parking, and we headed up the valley track.  Not a bad start, but when it got steep I started to struggle big time, gasping and wheezing up through the switchbacks, and then losing momentum on the bridgies (which have had their stupid posts removed, thankfully).  Food choices in the day, or general lack of riding fitness getting the better of me. Greasy as greasy in a few of the corners on the upper zigzags, but cleaned one of them, and didn't clean a couple of others.  Nelson dabbed once, I think.  Up the road, to the wee reserve steep climb then up to the bath-trough and up into Britten.

Good climb up Britten, trail in good knick even with the day's rain, and, for a change, round the top, then over the road and up the trail to the top of Pleasant, southerly wind blasting across this face as we climbed.  Bit of a rest on the top by the trig, nice views to be had, and a bit of shelter out of the wind.

Hit the descent before we got too cold, into the down, over the stile and down, a little greasy on the Lyttelton side, but good through the tussocks.  Around above the ruins and into Greenwood, which was boney as, rocks all bigger than ever, and not too slick except for puddle avoidance along the face before Gloomy.  Short break after this and then rapid descending from there, me stalling in the creek crossing rocks, before the final blast down the final face.  Bumpy as hell the last steep finish.. 

Stopped on the road and watched lights up on the top (as well as a couple riding up Captain).  Then headed down to a trail we'd never ridden before, the Scarborough Bluffs track... I figured it would be dryer than the Captain, and it probably was. Has some serious exposure, good tech, fun stuff, and tight switchbacks.  Down to cross the road, and a few more switchbacks with pushy bushes on the sides, down to the bottom of the Captain.

From here it was down Sumnervale and out around through Scumner and around back to the cars, completing an 18.3 km loop, and gaining 570 m total.  Nice night ride.

Sunday Trees For Charlesworth

No rides this week cos from Tuesday to Thursday was in Wellington (Tues), then Hamilton. 

Trees planting at Charlesworth Reserve, so took the Troll across town.  Rode, Windemere, Railtrail, Rossall, across the Park, Armagh, Colombo, Gloucester, Linwood there.  Took me 31 minutes, 12.4 kms.

Got there, did the planting, lots of people, good vibe.  Ate a couple sossies and off again home, this time same route back through town but the nor'west was getting up so thought I'd stay in the park and do the railtrail the whole way, but next to the golf club figured, "haven't been up Garden Rd for ages", and peeled off across towards Helmores Lane bridge, and then Holmwood, Garden up across Wairarapa, and then through to Rossall again, and home via the school and Condell.

24.7 kms all up, no Map My Ride cos it's stoopid.

Saturday Kennedy's Across and Down

Sunday expected to be wet so planned my ride for Saturday afternoon.  Morning dawned wet, but that soon cleared, to no detriment to the trails.  Drove to Monsieur deSpa's after 1 and we headed for Kennedy's, around the roadways (getting funny looks for not turning into Worsley's Rd).  Cashmere Rd and then into the Quarry Park, heading up to C2.  Download, and up.  Good climb, though I was feeling really unfit.  Gasping for air a lot, and generally feeling wrong.  Put it down to lack of good sleep and nutrition.  Made pace overtaking a couple of older guys, and another solo guy, and in Siberia caught up to a fellow plus-sized tire guy, and the 6 of us all headed up the steeperer Kennedy's track together, with Paul and me kinda gapping them but not.  By the time we got to the really steeperer bit my cock had gone completely numb, so I had to stop to get blood back into it, so the others all caught and overtook me, with Paul leading out the top.  I knuckled in behind the solo guy (behind the two older guys) and meandered on up, feeling slow when such slow people could beat me.

Onto the road and plussizedtire guy rode with us around to Worsley's, where we peeled up into the Nun.  Excellent blast down this keeping good flow all the way to the bottom.

Then up the road to Vic Park, avoiding the Thomsons, spotting some gloves on the road, which Paul picked up.  There was a couple at the top "these your gloves?" "nup", "alrighty".  And off we went around the Traverse.  Nice bomb around except for the climby bits, and then we bumped into a workmate (Jenny) halfway around.  While talking to her the couple from the top turned up saying that a guy had come up asking about the gloves, so they'd chased us (above on the road, then back along the singletrack towards us) cos they'd said they'd put them somewhere for him.  Here I realised it was 4 o'clock and I was supposed to be home at 4, so now I was in trouble, so off we headed.  Good run the rest of the way round and then excellent descent down the ridge singletrack, nice pops on the jumps, and then out the landing strip to the new track Nelson had found on Tuesday night.

Into this and down, all the steeper bits are so nice, and cool rock features, and then after the gate it gets better, with one really steep drop (with good roll out), then around and across, avoiding all the old 4wd zigzags...  NICE.  Then into the recent entry to Old Skool, and with the muscle memory fresh from 4 times on Tuesday, I absolutely honked down the faster flowier bits, while cruising mellow on the slower bits...

Out the bottom and a haul across town back to Paul's, into the car, and was home by 4.45 - straight into the dough making for pizza night, not tooo much trouble to be had.  (phew).

Big loop, 32 kms, with 754 m climbed.

Tuesday Night Loopy Loops

Trees meeting tonight, so limited time.  I parked up the end of Bowenvale Ave and got riding about 5.17pm. Nelson had a meeting til 6 so I started out on my own with the intention of him catching up later. Got going up the valley at a reasonable pace, no lights needed yet, and feeling the warm blasts of nor'west air, mixing with the cooler valley-flow air pockets.  Up left into Hidden Valley connector trail, failing just after the creek crossing, but then cleaning all 4 of the switchbacks nicely.  Under the pylon and straight into the descent, with a young guy on a Yeti, no baggage, bombing in ahead of me from above.  Adjustments to suspension and onwards, sheep-shit avoidance systems all go.  Taking it easy on the slower bits and getting into the groove of it on the flowy-er bits.  Bombed down and straight into the climb, txting Nelson to let him know lap number 2.  20 minute lap.

Up again, this time nearly needing lights - turning them on as I got into Hidden Valley Link trail.  Bollocksed the creek again, and the cleaned all the switchbacks, better climb this time.  Into descent number 2, nicer flow, better groove.  Bombed the last and straight back into the climb.

Txted Nelson again to say lap number 3, then a bit further up received the 'Just leaving work now' txt, it being 6pm.  I txtd back saying that'd work perfectly wait for me at the bottom of Old Skool if ya get there first.  I continued on up the steep and into the Hidden, again cleaning all the switchbacks and bombing, faster again, down, and really hucking the jump on the Old Skool descent part.  Got to the bottom and rolled on down to the bottom, over the stile and down to find Nelson getting ready at the cars.

625 or so, we headed up valley again, this time at a faster pace (me struggling, already tired, to keep up), by-passing Hidden Valley track and continuing all the way up the valley, past the exit of Lavaflow and on up the tech. A little bit of walking and riding til eventually we were up on the sidling track back towards Bridges.  Time was pushing so straight into Bridges and down Nu Bridges and bombing down, then into Hidden and climbing, this time me bollocksing both the lower switchbacks on account of tiredness.  Cleaned the top two, and into the descent, me leading the way and flowing nicely through the faster bits - losing Nelson a few times, but him catching me when I's taking it easy on the flatter bits.  At the bottom we said our good byes and he trundled off back up the valley while I headed to the car and off to my meeting, driving at 7.10 or so and making it just on time but with no food.

Ended up getting 16.5 kms and 646 m of altitude under my belt.  Not bad for a limited spree.

Nelson went back up the valley, up K2, and up through Vic, then around the summit trail and down New Skool Old Skool, discovering new the singletrack descending trail bypassing the old crawler track zig zags.

We met at Twisted Hop after the meeting and did the 2 for 1 dinner deal again.

Sunday Styx and Stones

Boys were coming from their respective parts of town so after popping into Mitre10 I trundled back down the railtrail and met them just after they'd crossed Wairakei/Rossall St.  We headed north, at a reasonable clip, stopping into Cosy Cafe for a leisurely coffee, then onwards to the planting. 

Good turn out, with 1800 plants in the ground in about an hour, then sossies, and back on the trail south again.  Losing Wahayno at Northcote Rd and then me at St James Park, the boys continued on and split off accordingly til all that was left was Wazza, heading home on his own.

For me, a 13 km round up and back trip.  a whopping 23m of altitude gain.  Not really a 'ride' as such, just 'going somewhere on my bike'.

Wednesday Night Ashley Forest Exploration

Met Nelson in Rangoon and we met the locals at 6.30, making a posse of 7 all told - mostly older guys, one on an electric.  We managed (with very little wheedling) to convince them to ride in the hills - as opposed to the river tracks.

Headed north over the Ashley Bridge, then a right onto the (eastern) Loburn road along here (Carrs Rd), right into Mowatts Rd, then left onto Boundary, mostly climbing all the way. Up this to a gate we jumped onto Forestry Rd (Purple Heights?) which took us up to Mt Grey Rd at the "2km" mark.  From here it was over to a cool wee section of singletrack, with a few nice whoopdedoos, finishing down on another cross road, then short ways back to Mt Grey Rd (lower down than the 2km mark), and along a little way to where singletrack-city started.  Started off into a section that had trees across the trail (thinning), so turned back and dropped into a fun section that meandered for a ways, sense of direction completely blown.  This section finished and we were off down into another section, with roots galore, nicely made trails all in forest.  finally down this long blasty section and we were at the corner of Thomson, Barron and Laurence where a locked gate sits.  Electro man was supposed to be here, so we rode back up Thomsons and met him coming down.  We continued up and took a side track that had several singletrack diversions until it met the last trail we'd just come down, down this again, shorter and faster than first time round.

Now it was onto Barron, down this, crossing Forestry onto Gories, to Boundary, down to Downs (with a bike bridge across a creek) across to Marshmans, spinning like crazy down this to Ashley Township.  Down High St to the river and along the river singletracks back to the main Loburn Rd bridge, and zoomed back into town.  Lots of fast (me absolutely maxed out in my low top gear) spinning, spinny puffy puff puff spin spin pufffffed.

All over, 25 kms with 276m altitude, maybe 15% singletrack, and roads 45 % sealed, 40% gravel.