Wednesday Eastern Excellence

Mint ride tonight. I started off slow but warmed up pretty good by the end.

Met at Slumnervale and moseyed up the Captain.  Usual gasping for air and my legs just had nothing in them.  Seemed unable to put any power down.  I put it down to lack of sleep and massage yesterday and insufficient nutrition through the day, but maybe it's just 'getting old' or some weird pre-diabetes bollocks.  Anyway, moseyed up, and was starting to get a bit more groove towards the top, tho still walked a tiny bit before that last sprung swing gate.

Into the Godley, cleaned a surprising amount of the early-stage rocks.  I never stopped moving and at least one foot was always clipped in, such were the dabbages that propelled me through the few tech spots that I blew out on.  It got easier towards the high point, where we took a brief rest:

and then we blazed on down the blastzone, speed and lack of traction our friends.  At the squirrelly swoopy bit towards the bottom, we stopped and Nelson set up his phone to film. 
(overlooking Taylor's)

Then we rode back up the trail a bit and dropped back in, whooshing past the camera and swooping back and forth below.  I bombed out the bottom and Nelson turned back to collect his gear. 

At Livingston, headed out around the CraterRim/360 track, nice bit of tech to start, then steeeeep bastard steps and a couple of hairpins that Nelson cleaned and I didnt.  Brief respite at the top:

before dropping down to the stile, over, and on down.  A few tech-steps and lots of nice rolling, droppy, interesting trail to enjoy, with spectacular views and stunning light out across the harbour and heads.

Across Breeze Col to Breeze Bay track, climbing on the pea-gravel, up, up, up
(me looking stuffed, as usual)

and around,then nice roll around to the stile with a hawk cruising the currents above us.  Around to the Lookout bunker where Nelson did the wee gap jump a couple of times, and then into the tight narrow long-grass sheeptrack around above the road back towards Breeze Col. 

Awesome in this direction with the tightness easier to handle.  Nice blast down to the col and straight into the Snake.

Shitty gravel on the first bit, but once into the Anaconda proper we were going a nice pace.  Not quite as fast as last time, but still pretty quick, and it was nice not being dropped by Nelson and also not being too far back through the whole tail section.

Up the road and into the Sumnervale Track, climbing up steeply (cleaned it all) to the deer fence which Nelson rode the whole length of, but tired legs as usual got the better of me - making me walk maybe 50 m.  Up the gravel Scarborough track to the parasailer launch spot and around and back up onto Godley.  Awesome blast down this, my chain coming off about half way down the techy-est rock sections towards the end, but I kept my flow and pace and made it all the way through to the end.

Finally, the blast down Captain Thomas.  Very fine it was.  Cleaned everything bar the usual climb, and had lots of fun doing so, tight on Nelson's tail the whole way too.

A rather respectable 19.3 kms, with 765 m climbed.

Thursday Night Huntvern Witchduncan

Cool ride tonight.  O and me drove over to Nelson's and parked, and together we rode up Parklands, into the 2nd cul-de-sac and up the alleyway, onto Huntsbury, to the top.  Bit of a grind up the gravel and singletrack and gravel, but made it to the top in one piece.  O on the back of his win at the highschool races the day before.

Into Vernon and the first couple hundred metres we pulled over about 10 times for climbers, but from there down it was the bomb.  Straight through the staring zombies at Crapaki-top and into Witch Hill, clambering through the technicalities and around the front.  Down, across the road, over the gate and up the steeeeep dry grass farmtrack, over the fence, and up through the rocks to the top.  Phew, most of the climbing done.

Picked our ways down, with O following us down the steepest most tricknical lines, and bailing off over one of the steepest cliffy sections...  He was okay, and got straight back on, and we picked our way down the ridge.  Awesome fun times.
O and Nelsie somewhere below me on the ridge here:

Down the final steeps, under the pylon over the gates and around into the forest.  We dropped down into the jumpy trail, jump, followed by drop, followed be me nearly bollocking myself and nearly going over the bars stalling in the washed out corner.  On down, pop over jump, around and down into drop through to berms and another jump to finish.  Nice.  Moseyed up to look at the Dreamtrack line - mental!  Then off down below and out the bottom, and flashies on for the haul back around the roads back to Nelson's.

Excellent 14 kms, and 600 m climbed.

Saturday Mounting Mt Lyndon, and Looping The Luge and Dixon's

Biiiiig day.  Nelson got to mine about 7.30 or so and had a coffee then we were off.  Got out to Lake Lyndon after just after 9am and hit the trail.  Across the lake edge and into the the climb...  What a climb.  I carried from the get-go, but Nelson pushed his heaps.  I pushed a bit, but then carried more.  We carried for a good hour or more,
(zoom in, I'm down there pushing somewhere)

eventually riding bits of the ridge, and pushing a bit more towards the top.
(Nelsie riding the wrong way!!! overlooking the Castle Hill Basin)

Fantastic views off the top, 360 degree magnificence.  Gorgeous day, no wind at 1500m, calm as calm.
(Lake Coleridge, Rakaia River, and various icefields in the distance).

Then it was into the down...  Explored bits around the top a bit and found the trail, jumps, drops, weaving back and forth, steepness, looseness, sketchiness, fun, exposure...  all good.  Kinda not hard to lose your way, but kinda loads of options you wonder if you should have taken.  We stuck to the main route all the way but where we ended up we weren't 100% sure where to go next.  Took a slight wrong turn following our noses across to an exit track, but that was fine and a nice blast out.  Looking back up, we could see several options we could have chosen.  Oh well.

On the flat, and gravel road, back around the most of the kms back to the car.

Over 760m climbed, in less than 9 kms.

Then bikes back up on top of car, and off round the road to Broken River carpark.  Straight into the Sidle73, climb puffing me up as usually, then down around to the Craigieburn Rd and up this to the Anti-Luge, clambering on up this.  Nelson cleaned the whole damned thing, whereas I was so toasted I walked more than I've ever walked before.  I just had nothing left in the tank for the climbing...
(me looking stuffed)

Eventually we made the saddle.  Phew.  What a wreck.

Into the Luge, what a trip.  Awesome blast.  I held onto Nelson's tail most of the way, until that seat half-ish way down, and then he just vanished.  I tried to speed up but couldn't.  A slight moisture on the roots kept them bloody interesting.  Passed a girl, and then a guy, nearer to the bottom, and we blazed out the end and hung around til they arrived.  They'd bitten off more than she could chew, and so were heading back down to their car.

We headed off up the road, a slow grind for me, but not too bad.  Along above the Envt Ctr and then up around the new(ish) sidling trail climbing onto Bridge Hill and into the new Dixon's entrance.
(me looking stuff'der)

  Cool.

Awesome blast down this, jumping jumpies, or not, and then I lost my chain just before the one little uphilly bit, putting a bigger gap between us.  He'd stopped in the bush part for me to catch up, and from here we had an excellent run down to the finish, roosting and railing and wailing.  Singletrack along the fence to the 4wd climb track, and we hopped the gate and headed back along the road to the car...  Me?  Toasted.

Total 13.2 kms loop, with 490 m climbed.

Grand total, 1250 m climbed for the day.

Thursday Night McBritten, Pleasant Green Godsnake

Pretty quick one tonight... Met Nelsie at McCormacks Bay, and we headed up the valley.  Grunter always gets my breathing badly, so stopped at first opportunity to puff some anti-asthma, and we managed to scrounge a few blackberries too.  On up the valley, scoffing on more blackberries a couple of times a bit further up, then into the hairpins, me dying on a two.  Up the road, and then up the reserve to the bath and over the fence.

Up through Britten for a well earned rest at the top, before heading around the top of it, and over the stile and up Broadleaf to the towers.  STraight into the descent, boff boff boff, super quick and super smooth with a bit of a tail wind the whole way.  The corners were railing!  Meandered into Greenwood and the bombed it too, both on record times for the descents, methinks.  I slowed a bit on the traverse to Gloomy Gulch, but beyond this we bombed.  Nelson flatted jumping off the jump to flat, so stopped for a good while while he fixed that.  Then off again, fresh and fast, stayed on his tail til the pumpy bit into the valley and so he'd dropped me for my usual favourite bit before the two rocky ups. 

Across Evans, and into Godley.  Cleaned it up to the first break then bollocksed a few rocks then less so further along, even cleaning something Nelson bollocksed.  Good go most of the way til i crapped out on the rocks before the first boardwalky thing.  Brief break at the usual ridgetop,

and then we were off again, fanging down the way to Livingston, some of the fastest ever we reckoned.  Good climb from here, and then fastness down to Breeze.

Into the 'Conda, cruising to start then nailing it lower down.  Nelson got the drop on me on the 'Tail and was rolling across the paddock at the end while I was still above the houses. 

Finally, ugh, the grind up the road.  Luckily I'd brought my flashies, cos she was pretty dim light (heavy nor'west cloud cover).  Made it to the top though, and we headed into Nicholson Park, dropping down the steepest lines (over rocks and roots) and into the top of the Flowers, cleaning all the switchbacks with our switchback technique (except the last one for me), and then flying down the narrow alleyway to Whitewash Head Rd, down here, jumpy jumpy flow to the Esplanade and a nice cruise along this before the increasingly fast slipstream back through Redcliffs and around to the car.

A tiny smidge under both 24kms and 900m climbed

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.

Thursday Night Hunting Witches, Castle Tors Duncan

Met at Nelson's after work and we headed up from his, taking the first cul-de-sac and up the steep bastard steppy alleyway to Huntsbury Ave and on up from there.  Hot and tiresome work up here, into the gravel and on up, me getting a fucking sore back and having to stop several times to stretch it out.  Nasty.  Up onto the singletrack, through to the landing strip then up towards the gravel.  At the bottom of this, Nelson did the new jump (which he skipped when I did it cos he was on his XCmachine). 

On up to the top, and into Vernon.  Awkward start to this, but got the roll on lower down towards the end and it was good.  Straight across the Rapaki summit and into the Witch, climbing well, cleaning all the rocks where Nelson bolloxed it first time round.  On round and on the descent I lost my chain, so had to stop for that.  Onto the road for speed, up to Castlerock.  Chatted with a couple of guys here before they took off and we rested a little longer.  The in we went.  Rockships on.  Flying down the trail, it's smooth, wide and fast now (til lower down).  Good run all the way into the first hairpin, then back the other way, not quite as fast, and then around the next, down and into the climb, where Nelson powered away and I just plodded my way up.

Up the road, climbed up onto the summit walkway and up to the Tors track, Nelson cleaning almost the whole climb.  Brief snack with the view... 

and then down the Tors, all the good tricksteriness, down onto the singletrack above the road, and good run along this to the fence-corner where we climbed through and climbed to the peak for Mary Duncan. 

Into the descent, hard to follow, and super super dry.  Ridiculously dry in fact.  Found our lines, but some were really hard to see, then, down the ridgey bit towards the rocky knob.  Bit of a look for what I thought I could see from the Tors track - nope.  And then Nelson did the tricky board drop thing while I took Nana's line, down and the up onto the razorback ridge.  Excellent ride down this, one of my smoothest, and lower down the I swear I could smell the grass burning on our brake disks.  Dropped on down to the pylon and under, over the gates, and around into the forest.  To the left, and dropped into the jumpy droppy track.  Checked out some of the new (stupid) lines, and then out the bottom and out the exit track, meeting a couple of (jump building?) young guys riding in. 

Final blast around the streets, standing cranking up Centaurus and down and back around to Parklands up to the car (which had been tampered with by Wazzaaaaa).

Finally a proper ride... Over 18 kms, and 820m climbed.  

Monday Night Shorty with O

Opportunity arose for O and me to go for a ride, with him on his new bike (Trek Roscoe (P. Coltrane)), and for him, a bit of training for Wednesday's school XC racing.  We headed over to Bowenvale valley and rode up the gravel, steep stuff getting my asthma going, had a puff just into the trees, and then on up the steep into Hidden Valley 'bonus' climb.  Stopped and scoffed a few blackberries, then on up the steeperer to the fence and under the pylon.  Into the first descent, stopping now and then to see how he was going.  He was liking it a lot more than his old bike.  Bombed down through where he crashed last time and twas all good.  Out the bottom and into another climb.

I felt better this time, plenty of air, whereas he was struggling a bit more this time.  Into the down, faster again, and feeling really good.  Him not quite so much,but no crashes and he enjoyed profusely.  A good short blat.

6.72 kms in two laps with 281 m climbed.

Thursday Night Eastern - Cut Short

After work parked at Sumnervale and promptly discovered I'd left my bike shoes at home. Bah. Only had my Keen sandals or some Chucks, so while I waited for Nelson to arrive, tried both out and settled on the Chuck Taylors cos the Keens were too wide and sorta angled sideways badly...    He arrived, and we got rolling, up the El Kapitan, climbing, ever climbing.  I kept my pace slow, so that I wasn't gasping for air too much, and I had a few more dabs up in the rocks than usual, because of not being attached to the bike.  Stopped for Nelson to adjust his seat but otherwise a good climb.

Across Evans (getting ready to open !!!) and up onto the Goddles. 

Here's me on a smooth bit.

And me just after that first grunter from Evans.

(Pics courtesy Nelson's MMR..)

Heinous climbing in these shoes, with rocks knocking me off kilter all over.  Not surprisingly, Nelson got way ahead, while I struggled on behind.

I found him on the ridgeline and we had a bit of a rest.  And then, my phone rang:  

"Where are you?"  

"Top of the hill, why?" 

"They're going to be here at 7!"  

"What!?  I thought they weren't going to be there til 9?"  

"Nope."  

"Fine, I'll turn back."  ...6.44pm 

In some ways, a relief, cos riding in these shoes was tricky, so, Nelson headed on and I turned back and had a solo ride back.  Much easier going the other direction with some downhilliness assisting the getting over of the rocks.  Feet moved around a fair bit, and something I noticed, that must apply to flats, is that I was holding onto the seat a lot more with my thighs.  Had a good flowy ride back and met about 5 riders coming the other way.  

Across Evans and into the Captain.  Nice flow down here too.  Cleaned everything as usual and had a jolly fine time doing it.  Just gone 7 when I got back to the car, and half an hour later I was home.  As it turned out, "they" (Paul and Justine) didn't turn up til 9, so I bloody could have stayed out there after all!!!

Only a 9.2 km ride for me, with a measley 346 climbed.

Sunday Morning Urumau Loops

Bought O a new bike over the weekend, (a Trek Roscoe 7) and as he was staying at Tane's, I thought I could incorporate a ride, a ride for him, and pick-up into one trip.  So, Nelson and me met on Fosters Tce at 9am, figuring to do a lap or two then get O across for some.  Also, I had Jet the Dog with me.  And was hung-over from a bad night's sleep recovering from Nostalgia Fest.

Headed up from Fosters, steep wee climb, and then up the main drag 4wd track, encountering 3 guys who'd never been in there before.  My nose started bleeding near the top.  Took a while to staunch.  Pretty much met them at the top of it all and 'guided' them down the droppy ridge (top of Jackasaurus), then left over into Zombie Lurch.  The bottom end of this looked completely different to my memory.  Once we got on the climbing track, Sloanstar, I worked out where we were.  I reckon it's cos normally we've ridden in here in the afternoon, whereas in the morning the light was all wrong.  Steep bastard climb up Sloanstar, around and the couple of bits of down and more climbing through the fence around Sunnyside and across to the junction hub, ready for climb number 2.

Kinda meandered up with the boys again and we all set off from the top similar timing.  This time tho, they went a different way, content on finding their own ways, and we took the left hand from the top of droppy ridge, following on down Stormer, bombing down this one which was getting more familiar.  At some point this becomes Grommies, about half way down, then the swoopy fun continued, with me taking the nana line around the one big drop jump.  Back up Sloanstar, around and back to the hub.(other boys gone now).  I rang Otis at some point and he was bailing on me, on account of a sore ankle from rolling it at sports day on Friday.

A different group of guys were climbing this time (including a dude on a Taniwha, who was in a VERY low gear and crawling, using "it's my 3rd up" as an excuse.  "Oh, huh, same here," I said).  Hadn't even realised they were in there.  Up to the top again, this time heading down Jackasaurus again, off to the right, where there's the really steep cliffy drop-thru that I've yet to ride (today inclusive), followed by the cool 'cliff-face' that's fun to ride down.  Into Grommies, swooping and dropping, and this time Nelson slowed for the big drop, and I followed him over.  Not bad!  on through to the bottom.  And, ugh, back up the climb again.  Stopping along the way for Nelson to session the cliff-face drop.

Met T's old boss at junction point, and had a chat.  Then off for the final climb, this time taking Looper for an easier access to not far off the top.  Last blast down the ridge jumps, then down Lurch again, this time at higher speed and more funs.  I dropped everything smoothly this time.  Nearly lost it on one corner, and Nelson did the big trail-gap jump near the bottom.  Finally, climbing up and around, and back down to the cars, I was toasted.

A miniscule 8.78 kms ridden, with just on 600m of (very steep) climbing.

Tuesday Night Pre-Meet Heat

Parked up Parkridge and beat my way up Britten.  Hard going to start with, I was really wheezy and struggling for air.  Also, it was hot.  Grass was very very dry.  Sheep all seemed surprised when I rode past them.  Headed around the top front, and then along towards the cutting, across the Summit Rd and over the fence for the climb up Mt Pleasant.  Getting into better form up here except for a few silly dabs on rocky corners.  Sat at the top of next to the Trig and watched a cruise ship depart the inner harbour.

Back on the bike and into the down.  Good run down, flowing nicely through the rocky sections then weaving well through the tussocky turns.  Dropped down the 4wd farmtrack to the Greenwood Entrance and rode up this towards the road.  Took me a second to see the 'new' lower track (above the road) that heads for the Richmond Hill pines, but once on it I tucked and wove my way down to the corner, then continued around the rest of it, climbing above Jollies Bush and up the zigs and zags towards Greenwood.

Into Greenwood, rocky bony bastard, but good flow and float, taking some of the top corners faster than the last few times.  Getting a bit tired across Gloomy, so took a short rest, before hitting the droppy down, pump and float, drop off the drop-off, and around into Dave's territory, heaps of speed, back and forth, around and pumping into the valley around for the final descending to the rocky up and out the bottom.  Excellent.

Onto the road, not long after 6.30, got my pace on and plodded away, puffing pretty hard.  Caught up to a couple of (I thought, older) guys, and one of them I knew from Hockey last year.  So, rode and chatted to them.  Their pace was just that little bit slower than mine so I got my breath back and had them puffing hard...  Rode and chatted all the way up the road to top of Mt Pleasant, where they took the road down and I hit Britten for an excellent blast down and across and down through the pylon steeps, back to the car dead on 7

16.6 kms and 580m climbed.  Not bad for a quick solo.

Sunday Hot Hunting Skool

Quick lap from Nelson's.  Another hot day, and he's recovering from a bad gastro thing.  He was on his XC whippetmachine due to a broken nipple on the GT.  We headed up his street, down the alleyway, along Centaurus, and up Major Aitken, figuring we might get some shade up here, which we did.  Up to the dirt, I was feeling pretty good, but even recovering from the bott he had more gain on me on the whippet.  Up the gravel, hottest section just before the gate below the pylons, with a smidgen of breeze kicking in beyond this.  The grass is dry up further, really dry.  Up the singletrack and over the fence.  Bit of a rest here, and decided where to go.  Dropped down the new line towards Old Skool, checking out whether it'd been weed-whacked or not.  It had, and that whacked grass was slippery.  We headed back up the 4wd track and on up the rest of the Huntsbury gravel to the Summit Rd.  Nearly a breeze up here, to cool on, and then we headed into the Traverse, me getting the lead on a slower old guy that Nelson got stuck behind.

Into the fun descent, my rear tire still too hard from yesterday's pumping onto the rim.  But a good blast down here, jumping the jumpies, and bailing up on the new final gap-jump to check it out.  I walked back up further and re-rode it, cleaning it nicely.  Not so bad at all.  Next, down the paddock and through the upper section we'd already ridden.  Over the stile and on down the techy descents.  Unfortunately, a couple of these sections hadn't been whacked.  We took the second one that wasn't, and it was okay.  Into the lower drops and then into the off-camber zigs and zags, lots of overgrowth on these making it quite slow going.

Now it was into the Old Skool proper.  Nice flowy fast fun.  I was quite coasty, not pushing it too hard pedal-wise, on account of tiredness and heat.  Blitzed out the bottom and then street time back to Nelson's.

Got home dead on 12 noon, and we headed for Lyttelton to catch the ferry to Diamond Harbour.  Had a lovely refreshing swim off the wharf as soon as we got over there.  Absolutely perfect.  Then walked around the Clifftop walk, and up to a shady spot near a band playing and had a couple of nice beers, followed by a swim at the end while we waited for the ferry again.

A baking 12.34 kms, with only 475 m climbed.

Saturday Sprung Hot Solo Living

Out on my own today.  Relatively limited time, and lots of heat, so chose the ride for shortness and shade.  Headed to Governors Bay and parked at the Living Springs Farm Park.  First time over here since my heat exhaustion just over a year ago...

Treadled up the valley and around into the Pines for the climb.  Nice and shady in here, so wasn't bad going.  Sure was hot tho.  Up through the Orange Rhyme, then through the gates above the Outdoor Ed centre and up through the gums into the douglas fir, climbing, walking a bit, very overgrown and lots of stinging nettle about.  Not so bad when climbing, but took note of any really sketchy bits.  Eventually made the ladder-stile, clambered over this and continued on up, into the open paddock, and up to the cabbage tree corner.

Rested in what shade I could glean and then headed downhill, back the way I'd come.  Fast blast through to the ladder, over this and bombed down, instantaneous plant recognition skills coming into effect.  "Is that a mahoe/kawakawa/foxglove or an onga-onga?" all the way down.  Ducking and weaving through them all, and positioning feet to avoid the low level ones. Not long and I was out tot he gums and down the field to the gates again.

Into Mississippi, back and forth like all the ss's in the name, around into the climb for Zanes and my back tire was weaving all over the place.  Stopped and pumped it up, then bombed on into it.  Fun and weavy, fast when I could, but visibility from all the overgrowth was tricky.  Stopped and pumped the tire again, and rode some more and out the bottom.  It was getting worse, but I wondered if I'd make it, so headed into Totara Valley (below Pines) and squirrelled my way down.  At the bottom I bit the bullet and flipped the bike, got the wheel out and chucked a new tube in.  Pumped it hard to get it seated, and go rolling, hot and bothered from the pumping.  Down down back to the car.

.  

A measly, but steep, 7.8 kms, with a hot 289 climbed.

Got home and took the two boys out to Roto Kohatu for a nice fresh swim.

Sunday Park Laps with the Boy

Took O to the park, we parked about 11, and Nelson wasn't far away so we did some drops in the skills area.  I 'e.t.a'd him and he was in the parking lot but had no pass, so headed home and we headed up the lift. 

Into the main entrance of Lord of the Possums, we bombed down, yumpity yump the way down.  Then into Jandal Handle, and more jumpy mumpy.  Fun times.  Out the bottom and there was Nelson, so off up the lift again.

This time, into Summit Connector.  I nearly lost it over the bars from a jump over some rocks that kicked my back end up too far, then not far further (on the grassy slope across to the Nun) Nelson flatted, front first, then we noticed the rear too.  So, I fixed his back holes in situ, and he did the front.  Got rolling again, taking the Gnarly Nun entrance across the nun down the droppy rocks, and then in the second whoopdedoo he flatted again, front wheel, nearly losing it off the side no less.  We needed to get going, so left him with my glue and left him to it.  Rocked on down the rest of the way, bombing Old Dyers.  I showed O the entrance to 3rd base, and we headed on round to Captain Cook and into Shredz.  He followed me down the first section then dropped onto Loess, while I continued down the rest of Shredz.  Good fang.

15kms, with 2 uplifts...

Thursday Night Eastern Meander

Met at Nelson's, changed into my biking gear and then had to patch my front tire - found a couple of poke-through gorse or thistle needles. Then we convoyed to McCormack's bay via a reasonably traffic free, but quite convoluted route.  Parked and hit the hill.

Up the valley, hot, and long grass.  Gobbled a few blackberries along the way.  Cleaned up to the 2nd hairpin, as usual.  Then after the bridge, a steep section before a little bridge stopped me, and I missed one hairpin in the top set.  Up the road and up through the wee reserve to Upper Major, and up very long grass, past a dead sheep and onto the usual Britten climb.  Sheep shit everywhere and I had to stop a couple of times to stretch my lower back.  It was really sore.

Around the top and bailed over the stile and up Broadleaf, climbing all the while, and my back killing me.  Big relief to be at the top.  Some nice views up here, with a bit of fog around

Then it was off and down, following Nelson and watching his back wheel getting knocked all over the place.  Good blast down the rocks, but tussocks and grass below these were overgrown and sheep were running ahead.  Popped on down to the ruins where Nelson stopped to clean up some stinky shit from all over his face.  Bleugh.

Fog was rolling up the hills, but cleared not long after.  Rest of the way down Greenwood was rocky as hell, bumpy and rough.  I did the drop jump properly for a change.  And chased hard on Nelson all the way down.

Next it was out the road and climbed, me struggling more with the ups and my back, up onto Godley for the fun, but fucking overgrown, blast back to Evans.  Held pretty tight on Nelson's tail down this.  Plenty fun.

Across Evans and bit of a pause at Captain - Nelson checking messages, then I led off.  Slowish start, through the overgrown top section, but once into the rocks my speed crept up, cleaning everything pretty smoothly, jumping, popping and grooving all the while.  Neeeaaarrrly made it up the climby bit, but just stalled.  Then it was cruising again, slowly increasing speed around the flatter section before fun times down the switchies into the cabbage tree detour and bombing out the bottom.  As we mounted the stile at the bottom the phone blinged a few times, and then riding down Sumnervale Ave we discovered why.  Wazza, Andy and Robin were just finished loading their bikes on cars, having just completed a loop 10 minutes ahead of us!

21 kms with a tough 718 m climbed.

Sunday, Heated Hunts with a couple Park Laps

Met Steve, Wazza and Nelson (on his xc whippet) at the bottom of Ramahana.  Steve wasn't feeling up to the climb so he headed on around to the Park, whereas us three remainders headed up the hill.  Was hot and we were all in our black pfmtbc tees - good choice.  Made the top, and blatted around the Traverse, chatting with various peeps at various points.  Blat through the Thompsons, and across onto Old Dyers for a charging scream down this.  Noted that 3rd Base was Closed...  Decided on Loess Rider for a change, and had a great run down this, finding Steve at the bottom (having expected us about 15 minutes earlier (the time we'd spent yakking)).  Nelson headed home to collect his DH bike (not wanting to ride anything interesting on his noodly whippet), and so the other three of us headed up the lift.

Into Yeah Gnar, good bomb down here, then Possum, pop pop pop.  And into Handle the Jandal for a good floaty waft down all the jumps.  At the bottom Nelson was still a wee ways away, so we headed in for coffee (tea etc) and when we'd done he'd arrived.  The other two boys decided they were done, and headed home.  Nelson and me took the lift.  Into Summit Connector, lower GnarlyNun and it's fun rocks, then lower Nun, followed by Choirb, stopping at the now open 3rd Base.  I checked out the squirrel catcher.  Followed Nelson in and cleared it no problem, then the fun began  Awesome trail, exactly my kind (tho I skipped on the harder features).  Some pretty sketchy greasy spots in the steeps under darkness and wetness of the firs and eventually we made it out the bottom intact.  Fun times.

Decided I was done, and needed to get home, so rode back to Nelson's car, and I continued on down the road and around the streets and riverbanks to my car on Buxton.

Quite a big ride, leaving me pretty toasted. total of 33.5 kms, with 1369 altitudinal descent.  (minus the 2 uplifts giving me total 30kms ridden, and a naturally aspirated gain of 590m).

Three days, Three Rides, St James and Amuri

Spent 3 nights off the grid (hence no Map-my-...) at the St James Homestead. First was a short there and back with Jet, up to Peters Pass and back, at his pace, on the Homestead Run.

Second was a loop and a bit. Up the road towards Lake Tennyson, left up the Edwards and down to Peters Pass (where I'd ridden the day before), then I dropped down a steep technical horses track to the Edwards Valley and along a km or two, then turned around and headed back up the 4wd grunt climb, and back down to Peters and speed back to base.  This ride was about 20 kms all told, with maybe 300 metres climbed?

Third was up and back on the Amuri/Hanmer Springs Ski Area road. Steep fucker. 1 hour 15 up, 13 minutes down. Wind was so strong I had to walk a few times to stay on the road.  Descent was well fast.  Around 7 kms each way, and around 660m climbed.  

Monday Ride of 2 Halves Hanmer.

First off, out with Jet and O, up Conical Hill zig and zag.  One grump said "you know it's not a riding track?" to which I replied, "yeah, but it's a good climb, and we're not abusing anyone". 

Then into Eagle's Nest.  Nice steep wee trail, with a few interesting features.  Spotted a super tech line off to the left, which I'll look at next time.  Across the walktrack into C-Line, which was even more tech.  Steep tech corners, and on down onto Swoop for a blast out to the end.  Next, up Timberline, steep bugger climb, but not too long, and up Red Rocks. 

O was having enough of the climbing, so from the bottom we headed back around to the house and dropped him and Jet off.

Paul was back from his family ride, so joined me out for more.  We headed across to and up Timberline, then up Jolliffe's, where the top difficult corner has a new line out further and back.  Then, into the fun tight descent, good blat down this, across the bridge and up Big Foot. As usual, a good hefty climb, and a lot of heat, so we had a good rest at the top before hitting the DH, fun blast all the way down and back around into the forest and around and out the bottom.  Next up, climb into Detox.  Near the top we heard and saw a guy with fresh legs chasing us up.  We kept our lead across the top and dropped him on the downhill.  Then we headed straight into Mach 1 for the blast out to the end.  More climbs, but less height in them, than my memory usually serves...

Finally, back across Camp Track into Western Link and back to the house.  After this it was soaking time with the kids at the pool. 

Overall, 16.34 kms, but what felt like more than 522 m climbed.

Saturday Well Cooked Park Play

Met at Nelson's and we headed round to and up Merlewood Ave (the wrong way), across to Dyers, and on up.  We intended to drop into the Sneaky 35 but discovered it's been stopped, finding a "Park privileges revoked" sign, so we bailed around to Shredzilla and bombed down that, me nearly losing it on the rocky section (cos Nelson was right in front of me and I couldn't see for the dust).  Rest of the way down was sweet, bombing into the bottom as usual.

Up to the lift for uplift 1, and headed into Swinger's Party.  Lots of fun, with me in the lead, cleaning it all up and enjoying it profusely.  Then into Jandal, lovely floaty air all the way down.

Uplift number 2 and we headed across Summit into lower Gnarly dropping the rocks and the rest of Nun into ChoirOldDyers, with the intention of doing 3rd Base.  For some reason it was closed, even tho we'd seen people coming out of it earlier on.  Damnit.  So, we decided on a Vic Park blat. Across the road and up the old way in to the 19th Memorial, then skidder, and into Spazza's, dropping down Sneaky Ridge - taking a couple of lines I'd not taken before.  Dropped into Nu Bridges, then clambered up Hidden Valley, just about dying on the last reaches of climb, and out Old Skool for the finish.  I was getting so exhausted by the bottom sections, Nelson was miles ahead.

25kms, 1200 climbed, of which 780 was assisted

Sunday Little Fat-aloa Gravelling.

From the bach on the fatty, headed up the road and down the gravel into Decanter, then the long climb up towards Menzies, to high point Rehutai gate, and turned around and rode back down again. Muggy and warm. Jumped off the wharf into 15 degree coolness afterwards.

I gleaned satan's elevation gain (666m) in 17.7kms

Sunday Short and Slow Dog

Took Jet to Nelson's and we headed from his, up the hill to the first cul-de-sac and down the walktrack, then around Centaurus and up Holliss.  Up the singletrack below around the houses, checking out a new unnoticed-before track, then on up along the barbedwire roots into the dog park where Jetty had a nice play with all the woofs he'd met a couple days earlier.  Up past the rangerbase and up the steep skidder, past brakefree and up Worm to the top of Vic.  Into the Traverse, meeting a drone following a rider just before Lavaflow, then down the jumpy grease to the grasslands, and then down the next jumpy with some grease to the top of Hunts.  From here it was slow, down the road, and then down Vista and down the Whaka Tce track and back around to Nelson's.

12.something kms, 490m or so climbed. Good dog. Woof

Sunday 3 Lapsa th' CAP

Nelson had 3 uplifts to use and I had a couple left on my card and was needing to buy a new 10 lift before they ran out.  We met at the park, me quite hungover from a Camel Cottage party, and not having managed breakfast (dropped it, breaking the plate on the way out the door, and spilling hot coffee all over my tum-tum) and barely drank any of the coffee... 

Up the lift we went.  Taking it easy first run, straight into Yeah yeah nah, which was okay, then into Lord of the Possums.  Mostly a good run down here, good jumps on most, clearing them smoothly, tho one nearly toppled me over forward.  Bottom of this and we were into Handle the Jandal.  Handled this very nicely, excellent boost on most jumps, tho one close call where the jump landed me into the inside of a corner rut/drain that I just managed to not quite get into.

Straight into the next lift, me wanting to puke on the way up, but managing to keep it down.  This time trying out the tech.  Into Throw the Goat, Nelson doubling everything, me taking bunny lines.  I thought there was an 'escape route' from Throw the Goat across to Swingers Party before Yoda, but no, there's not (only the 4wd part way down) and so we ended up dropping down Yoda, which proved to be actually extremely fun.  Cleaned everything, albeit all the "easy" lines (they're not that 'easy' but all rideable).  Then across and into DOHC for a boosty fun blast trailing in Nelson's dust, but keeping him in check. 

My ticket had run out so went and got some kai, Nelson kindly shared some of his free burger with me, and I managed a hangover-curing smoothy (oats, banana, ginger... good!).  Down to get a new pass, and we hit our third lift of the day.  Took Summit Connector, and dropped into the Nun via the bottom droppy section of Gnarly Nun, excellent blast down here, and then a speeding Choir Boy / Old Dyers, overtaking a couple down here, and hoofing up to Capt Cooker, and straight into Shredzillaville for an excellent trip down.  I cleaned everything again, and stuck to the non-'easy' lines, no problems! 

All up a nice run, and didnt bother with MMR, so there's no proof other than my memory.  Estimating about 1200 or more metres of descent.

Monday Night, Overgrown in the Gloom

Biked home from work, jumped in the car to Nelson's, traffic delaying me somewhat.  Hit the hill just on 6pm, up Parklands, into the second cul-de-sac and up the steep steppy walk track to Huntsbury Tce.  Climby McClimbface.  Up the gravel, onto the grassy singles up, all getting overgrown, and up the sheepshit paddock, finally and up the gravel.  The climbing hurting me; probably over-tapped-ness from previous day's ride.  Gloomy skies were above us the whole ride.  Creaks from the bottom bracket not evident today, for some reason.

Into Vernon, chasing some runners, overtaking much lower down, and bombsville to and through the Rapaki-top, straight into Witchypoo.  Slow climb for me, single dab on usual pesky rock, good climb from there tho, to regroup and snack on the usual high point, before the drop through the end.  Across the road onto the singletrack, - been mowed since we last rode it, but the long cut-grass on it was sappy of energy.  My tiredness made it really hard.  Out of this and up the road to the Castle.

Hadn't been down this for a while, and it was fast.  We were bombing through it and approaching the first hairpin I was hot on Nelson's tail when he jumped, landed, and POP, hiss, hisss, hisssss, hissssssssssssss, goo spraying everywhere.  Bloody bacon-strip and dislodged from his rear tire.  15 minutes later, he's attempted to continue with bacon, failed, and resorted to put in a 29er tube, squeezed in.  I dont think it was bulgey at all...  Onwards down Castlerock, the climby section nearly killing me cos I's cold, and off up the road.

Before the top, we lumbered up onto the 360 walkway, to climb up to the Tors Track.  Then it was an awesome blast down this, me cleaning the one little rocky-over that usually catches me out.  Yippee.  Back onto the trail above the road, around to where a fenceline comes in from the right, where we climbed over and headed across through the long grass, onto the climbing track to get to the top of the Mary Duncan track.

Into this, picking our ways down, bit by bit, cleaning lots of the rocky-droppy bits, Nelson taking at least one extra bit (wooden droppy bit), then up onto the fun razorback ridgeline, down down, techy goodness and fun, under the pylon eventually, and through the gates, and around into the trees, a new way, skirting the top to the left.  Followed down through some droppy sections, a couple of bits of flow, and around then pushed back up and checked out one or two other features, re-riding the droppy flow again, and then out.

Back around the road, the nasty climb around Glenelg Spur and speedsters down Centaurus, around to Parklands and back up, to the car.

We managed 18.43 kms, and 807 m of climbing.

Sunday Posse to- and in- the Park

Met Andy, Wayne, Robin and Paul at Steve's (he'd left at 8.30), and we chased Steve up Ramahana, Aotea and Huntsbury.  Hot work, with Robin struggling in the heat and all of us feeling it a bit.  My bottom bracket area was having a whale of a time, creaking away on every pedal stroke.  After the grind up the gravel, we found him (and his old flatmate VJ) at the top.

Into the Traverse, a good pace apart from getting stuck behind rookie slowbos, who (being the lead) I'd stop to let get ahead, and my team to catch up, before setting off and reeling the rookies in.  At the usual sugarloaf pullover they pulled over and I was chasing another semi-rookie again, catching him in the dipper, where he struggled with the 'tech'.  I got the lead then and blasted the rest of the way round to Vic.  Regroup in the shade.

Up and into the Thomson and Thompson, freaking some walkers in the 2nd one.  Then into Choirboy/Old Dyers, good blast down this, tho lost my chain part way down (first time on this bike).  Treadled around to top of park and when the others rolled up Paul was showing signs of a crash - front all dusted, knees and elbows scraped...  nice.

Into Captain Cooker, and we split up a little, with Andy, Wayne and me taking Shredzilla, the others Loess Rider.  Excellent bomb down Shred, with me in the lead for a start, then Andy stealing it and leading the way, quite fast, down the rest.  He baulked slightly in the steep rocky, which I cleaned for the first time, but kept the lead and I followed him at speed the rest of the way.  Awesome fang, with our rear shocks quite hot at the bottom.  The others all lagged in in dribs and drabs, then up to base, VJ bought a pass, and off up the lift.  I sat with Andy, Wayne and Robin.

Andy, Wayne and me hit Swingers Party, my first time down here.  I led.  It was fun.  I enjoyed it profusely.  Then Robin and Paul and Me hit DOHC (while the others hit Jandal), which was also super fun.  And I did it fast.  It's heaps smoother than last time.

Twenty-five after 11, so Paul and me decided to bail, but the others all headed up to the lift for another go.  Put me home about 12.15...

28 kms all up, with 975 m climbed (albeit, (a smidge under) 400 of those on the chairlift).

Tuesday Night Rambling Sneaks and Climbers Before the Squall

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

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

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

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

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

Soaking Sunday Drenching

O was gonna mow the lawns at Joy's again, so we headed up into the clouds, and had arranged to meet Nelson there.  The clouds at that end of town had actualy droplets, and it was quite wet.  No lawnmowing was to ensue so he ended up walking their dog and doing some painting for them.

We decided to ride anyway, and headed up Mt Pleasant Rd, then up the steep wee park, and up onto Upper Major Hornbrook.  Checked out the singletrack on Britten, but it was so greasy and lots of poo around, so we just hit the road.  It wasn't cold, but it sure was wet.  Up to Summit Rd, hung a right, around down under the gondola and across the top of the Bridle Path, and on up to Castlerock.  Very low visibility, IN the clouds, and wetter by the minute.  Soaked to the skin I was. 

Turned around at Castlerock and bombed down the road, eyeballs washed by the rain, back around under Gondola, meeting the odd single or group of roadies out enjoying the wetness.  Final climb up through the cutting, standing and cranking it up.   Then, blast down Mt Pleasant Rd, left into Upper Major Horny, down through the byways - Ridgeview and Clearview - then down back onto (the real) Major Hornbrook, across Madeley, and back to Joy's.

Drenched, 13.1 kms, 534 m climbed.

Thursday Night Hunts the Vernon Witch Tors, with a Skooling for the boy.

I'd, inclusively, asked O if he wanted to come riding while he was mowing the lawn.  Initially he'd said no but then said, "actually yeah, okay".

So we drove to Nelson's through painful traffic getting us started quite late (6.20pm).  We rode up from there.  Steep bastard Parklands, then steep section Huntsbury, O struggling away like a trooper in his not very low low gear.  Up the gravel, and a right-hander across the fenceline, then up the singletrack.  Next, up the old landing strip, sheepshit everywhere, then up the grovelly gravel to the top.  O was stuffed, and didn't want to continue, and he was happy to wait for us, out of the wind and in the sun, so Nelson and me headed off down Vernon, pulling over for quite a few climbers, before bombing the descent to Rapaki Top.  Through here and into the Witch, climby climb, both stalling in the same place, tho he kept rolling while I foot-downed outright stopped.  Oh well.  The rest of the climb was good, and then we hit the descent, seats up for some reason.

To save time, we took to the road, heading for Castle.  Met the boys on our climb below the Tors; Robin, Wayne and Wazza, and couldn't convince them to turn back uphill to ride the Tors with us.  Castlerock was too wet, so we climbed up and headed down a very overgrown Tors track.  Hard to find the way.  Fun descent, with a couple of dabs in the usual spots.

Harder still was the singletrack above the road back towards Witch Hill.  SO overgrown was very slow and therefore more technical than usual.  Back into the Witch, me slowing on the climb, but racing the descent, and then off up the road around Vernon, legs tiring, back to find O, roughly 40 mins after we'd left him.

About 8 pm now we headed across the Traverse, and straight into the jumpy fun descent.  O doing well to keep up with us mostly, me hard on Nelson's tail.  Down the 'landing strip' attempting to avoid the crap, and then struggling to find and see the trail off to the left.  Well overgrown, bloody tricky, but we got to the stile alright.  Over this, and down, all the fun sections more difficult on account of not seeing the trail, and thistles smacking needles into our knuckles all the way.  Owie.  Dropping over the rocky sections, all good and fun, then in the off camber corners below, thistles of last time all cleared off, nice - what a relief.

Into the Old Skool, all breathing a sigh of relief at the lack of thistle action.  Good fang down this, O keeping up pretty good.  We'd gapped him a bit, so after the dip (after the back and forth pumpy section) we stopped and watched him proceed to jump, then crash into a rock and over the bars to disappear down behind/into a gorse bush!  Yelled out, "you okay?" "Yep." "Injured?" "Nope." I went back to him and his knees were a bit garked and the blood proceeded to trickle down his shins for the rest of the ride.  His hoodie was all full of gorse needles too.  Brushed him off, joked a bit about it and off we rode.  Good blat for the rest of it, then down the road and back around to Nelson's where he cleaned up under a tap a bit before heading home, 8.40ish.  LATE!

18.8 kms for Nelson and me, with 705 m climbed.

Sunday Hunted the Duncan

Parked and rode again. Parked off Centaurus on Hillsborough, and headed around and up Ramarama and Aotea, and on up Huntsbury.  Gravel grovel, into an uneventful (but fast) Vernon and a good clean Witch, catching up to some guy on the road (on a mtnbike), across the road and riding on the singletrack up to the gate.  Over the gate and the grass is very long, up the steep arse farm track to the bit of fence you climb over, then up through the tussocks to the top.  Everything super overgrown and hard to find the trail.  Kinda stayed on it most of the way. down the Mary Duncan steeps, cleaning lots, and taking the more technical version below the rocky knob.  Kept the flow on all the way down, and cleaned stuff I'd not before.  Finally the steep arse slope down to the pylon, new signage here talking about the Summit Road Society ownership and that it's public land and there are no trails but cautious transit is acceptable.  Never seen it so overgrown tho.  Into the trees, and there's new jumpworx in there, fun descent weaving down through these and then out to the road and the tarmac return to the car.

The view from half way down. (trail sightly off to the left of the bike and ridge)

Only a 13.7 km loop, with a nice 588 climbed.

Friday Solo Sneaky Park Gov Vic Skool

Parked on Ashgrove Tce and rode around and up the trails behind Princess Margaret, up onto Lady Polson Lane and on up Hack and Dye.  Above the Takahe I stayed on the road and at the 35 km sign, just out of the houses, headed down a trail someone (here at work) told me about.  Upon entering I found a gazillion trails to try from, so mostly kept right, with the occasional crossing of other trails, made my way down the steeps.  Some excessively steep stuff in here, and eventually across a log in the bottom and a short clamber to the lower reaches of Loess Rider.  Into the park and up the lift, chatting with Josh and riding with a couple of his mates (who are trail volunteer crew for the park (and who told me of lots of plans)).

Off the lift, and Slummit Connector into Nun, then across the road and dropped into the Gov's Bay Trail.  Dropping down this, it's running pretty smooth and then decided why the hell not all the way down, and zigged and zagged to the road corner driveway and dropped into the lower reaches, only my second time ever down this, first in daylight.  Good wee trail down tho not as fun as it possibly should be, considering the climb it is back out.  Which is what I did next.  Ugh.  Long bits of walking cos it was just too steep and hot.
On the way back up, looking back down.  Nice bushy shade to rest in.

Up and up and up, riding as much as I could.  Finally, out the top, across the road into the lowest end of Nun and then up the road and into Vic Park, dropping down across the rabbit paddock and into the rocks and gums, then Spazza's into Sneaky Ridge and bridges, off new bridges into old and down to hospital corner.  Then up the hidden link into Old Skool.  Finally following the roads back around to the car.  Good spin.

20.96 kms ridden (and lifted), and 990 m climbed, of which 400 odd was lift...

Sunday All Over the Show, Britten, Pleasant, Greenwood, Godley, Chalmers

Fam time visit, and O mowing the lawn again, so I rode from Joys.  Up the road, and up the walk track over the bathtub fence, then up Britten, around the front, across the road and up the zigs and zags to the top of Mt Pleasant.  Chatted to some peeps up here, then dropped into the fun down, rocking the groove.  Straight through and down Greenwood, making some of my best time ever I reckon, absolutely fanging it.  Brief pause after Gloomy, then on down, and dropping the drop properly for a change.  Down and around, keeping good pace the whole way and off the ground a lot.

Out the bottom through Evans Pass and headed out Godley Rd for a bit, enjoying the view and the nice day all the way, then thru the new bike-cattlestop at the gate we always use and up the farm track to the mtb track where I turned back towards Evans. Received a quick phone-call from Tra'y which informed me of changes of plans: they were off to Lyttelton.  I didn't commit, but said I'd be in touch when I was at a crossroads further up the hill.  I continued on down Godley to Evans, having a good bomb, finishing by passing a bunch of oldfolk walkers who were sitting down to lunch next to the walking track section just above the end/start of the track (which I was on).

Next, it was up the Summit Rd under Greenwood, good pace, watching the age old battle between a harrier and a magpie for a good while before Jollies Bush, then at the Richmond Pines, over the stile and into the climbing singletrack up to original Greenwood entrance.  Here I rang Tra'y and decided to go that way, so, rode in the old Greenwood entrance track, then up the 4wd track to the gun emplacements on top of the ridge.  Straight into the descent down the ridge walkway, cleaning more of the rocks below the stile than nighttime wetness in winter usually allows, and then at the saddle struggled to find Chalmers Track...

Found it, VERY overgrown, (closed, apparently) but headed into it, and man was it steep, at times entirely unrideable, and full of stinging nettle - every stop I'd find the nettle at face height, and millimetres from my elbows, knees, shins.

Amazingly, no stingings received, and lower down more riding than stumbling-avoiding-nettles, then out the bottom through a couple gates and the final super speedy bomb down the streets into the town for a delicious huevos rancheros at Lyttelton Coffee Co with the family.

An excellent, 20.5 kms, with a surprising 742 m climbed (but 900 descended due to starting the ride ~150 m higher than the finish).

Wednesday Solo Cashmere Vic Skool

Straight from work, parked up top end of Bowenvale Ave and rode back down this, left, right, left into Holliss. Stopped up the first corner and lubed my chain which was sounding rather dry.  Then into the steep going, grinding up the road to the top, and into the steps, which I rode down for the first time ever.  Don't know what I was ever so cautious about...  Brief roll, then up the first steps, and then up more steps, resorting to carrying the bike on some of them.  Then, across Longhurst Pl into the singletrack climb, cleaned all but one of the hairpins higher up under the houses.  Good ride the rest up to the stile. Then the barbed-wire roots track up to the dog park, cleaning more of the rocks than I'd have expected, then and up thru Vic Park, through the skidder site, and up K2 climbing up to and through Brake Free finally all the way to the top. 6pm here.

Down thru a few of the Brake Free jumps, then back out and down to rock garden, into the Gummies, usual left on my fave, and rocking on through back to the Skidder.  Into Shazza's, bermy bermy jumpy jumpy, and down into Sneaky Ridge for a nice bomb down the rocks and jumps and oaks, over onto Bridges, and the Nu, back and forth into the valley bottom.  6.10pm here.

Into the climb up Hidden Valley bonus, cleaning it all, climbed into Old Skool for a fun last descent which went quite well, and spat me out the bottom back to the car before 6.30.  Very warm...

Another 10km loop (like Sunday), with 396 m climbed.  Hot stuff.

Grabbed a No.3 from Noodle Canteen and headed to band practice. Gig on Friday!!!

Sunday Solo Short and Howlin' Windy

Short amount of time available to me before a 1pm band practice. Parked in Bowenvale Ave and headed down the road and around and up the Major Aitken.  Kept a pretty steady pace all the way, overtaking some dude (who I feel like I always see on Huntsbury), and up Kenmanure and on up Huntsbury to the top.  Up the gravel, still a good pace, and up onto the singletrack, then the rest of the grovelly way to the top.  Howling nor'wester on all the exposed parts.

Howling head wind across the Traverse, and then dropped into the fun jumpy trail down, wind nearly pushing me off and I definitely traveled sideways on the first jump.  Easy roll down the landing strip and left into the groovy droppy down to the stile.  Then on down, wind less of an issue, but really howling across these parts.  Cleaned it all down and in the lower switchbacks the thistles are really bitey.  Nasty fuckers just at the right height to spike the shins and forearms and knuckles.

Into the Old Skool, marginally slower on the headwind bits, and flowing across the tailwind bits.  Nice bomb in the lower reaches, tho pretty cruisy, then dropped into the vallybottom track and rolled on out.  Easy going roll down to the car.

A 10 km loop taking in 421 m of climb.

Sunday Pooch Britten Pleasant

O had the job of mowing Joy's lawn so I took him and Jet up there.  Jet and me headed up the roadways (with O on Joy's electric bike for a ways), then up Longridge and Clearview into Britten at the bathtub water trough. As I rode up the couple of zigs I saw a guy riding down above, so pulled over in plenty of time to let him by (and hold Jet out of his way), and lo it was Steve on his way down from leaving the boyz who were off down Greenwood. We chatted for a bit as a bunch of older very slow women (including my Physio - Carol) rode past.  Then we parted ways and I continued my way up.  Round the top front then along and across the road and up the relatively not un-Pleasant climb.

Bombed down into the trail, Jet in behind, tho once below the rocky sections me having to stop now and then to check he was catching up and just making sure he really wasn't interested in the sheep (he isn't).  Down across above the ruins (on the singletrack not the 4wd) and then across over onto the single track across above Jollies Bush, pumping through all this flowy stuff toward the Richmond Hill pines, holding up a couple of times for Jet to catch up.  Near the trees, headed on up the nice singletrack back up to the original Greenwood entrance, (struggling with Jet and that last cattlestop) then slowly up the road to the cafe water tap where I used the cup to pour water for him to lap up. 

Finally, last little bit of road, open the gate for Jetty, and into the bomb down Britten.  Flow flow flow, stop, wait, "good boy", flow flow flow, repeat a couple times, lastly bombing down the rocky section under the pylon and over the two stiles, then down to Major Hornbrook, slow pace, him just trotting now, across Madeley, around the corner and back down to Joy's.  Thirsty puffed doggy with a happier human.

11 and a half kms, with 388m gained.  Clever doggy!

Labour Day Fatty and Skinny View Hilling

Last day of a wonderful long weekend and Nelson came over to the bay for a ride. I had the fatty and he brought the 29er. Up to Chorlton on the seal then up the gravel. Steeper and steeperer. Lots of sun and heat. A break under the big pines in the shade, then onwards up the double fenced track.  Through the gate and up the grassy steep zig and zag to the top, just over an hour and a half all up. Awesome views all around; Kaikouras to the north, looming massive, and low sea cloud below us, out beyond the heads, and banked up on Godley, Taylors and Scarborough.

Made an adjustment to my suspension (released air from my tires) and then we turned around and bombed on down. Fun, but bumpy ride down the top section, extreme speed on gravel and screaming tires on seal, and 15 minutes or so after departing the top we cruised up the drive to the bach.

18kms and around 750m climbed

Panorammed:

Wednesday, Trip, final ride on way home, Teetotals

Departed Nelson, fueled up and headed south.  At Belgrove, hung a left through to Golden Downs, and left here on a road I'd never travelled before.  A LOT of forestry through here, massive country.  Eventually, over to St Arnaud and we parked down by the lake.  Rode up, into Beechnest Ave through to a DOC built link track that switchbacked up then down and through to the main Teetotal Trails area.  From here we took Rattling Rim track along the terraces, winding in and out through matagouri and kanuka following a road now and then, then eventually big open country.  Met a couple of women who said a few tracks were shut.  We continued up the road and into Big Bush, for a long climb in beech forest (or half and half beech and doug. fir) eventually to the top of Flying Moa (which we should have gone down).  Thinking maybe we could ride the dark blues / blacks i led us down the ridge from here to the top of Kaka, where there was a big barrier saying Tracks Closed for the dark blue and black tracks (Duck Drop and Rocky Horror), so we headed down Kaka which was a bit boring, but still fun.  Then it was back to Teetotal base and across the road onto a nice smooth singletrack back to the village, through some back ways past the visitor centre and back down to the lake.

Cool ride,  but we'll do it a different direction next time...

20 kms, 433 m climbed.  Great views and some nice bush.

Tuesday, Trip Day 5, Sharlands Wiggling and Sucking

Bit of rain in the morning, so stuff was gonna be wet, so we all had a restful morning hangin' out at base and then headed into town for lunch and a wander about then headed back for naps and lie arounds.  Later in the afternoon we headed out, down into town and up Nile St and up the Maitai into Sharlands Rd.  Debatable as to whether we should have entered the forestry, but didn't look like there was any action, and it was after 3, so Wazza reckoned they'd be done and out by now.  So, rode up all the way to the old 506 trig point, waaay the hell up.  RnR had been logged which I now realise is why it's no longer on any maps.

Photos etc taken and off down the G.Effect Slingshot trail.  Now, 10 (or more) years ago, this seemed like a good trail.  Today, it's overgrown and has WAAAY too much uphill in it.  Pain in the ass.  Below this, Scottswood Wiggles, was just as bad.  Promising sections ruined by being too flat or climbing, and the flat bits were all full of water.  I punched a hidden pine cone which very hurt my hand.  Lower down, into the dark redwoods things were wet to start but sort of got better, except for dumbly designed corners that were tight at the bottom of steep downs, followed by abrupt ups.  Just bad trail design.  The lower we got, the better things got.  The Lancewood Wiggles were better, and then Waterloo was better again, and What the DOCtor Ordered better again.  And finally, out down the road, cruise cruise cruise. 

I stopped into Anthony's and him and Lynne plied me with strong Green Ginger wine and chicken noodle soup which both hit the spot, then i headed on back up to base.

A reasonable sized, 34 kms, with 905 climbed...  Considering we only went to 506, that shows another 400 was climbed while coming down.  heesh.

Monday, Trip Day 4, ride 2. Codgers - Firball, P51, Firball

From the Free House we headed back up the Brook and up the Codgers climb, and into Jack's. Split here with the boys on Middle Rd, with them heading down and across to P51, while Nelson and me headed up to the top and up to the Fireball Trig. We hit it, hell-for-leather down, getting more and more floaty on the jumps galore, having a stoker of a time. Then it was across and climbing up the track that starts with a W, up, and into the top of P51.  This gave us more speed and jumps, flying down through, into lower Firball, more old skool this, and out to the Brook and down through town and back up to base

A nice 17 kms, and just under 400 m climbed.

Monday, Day 4, Ride 1, Fringe climb The Ara Koa

A relaxed 10ish a.m. start, we rolled down Vanguard and dropped into Flamedaisy for a coffee then headed up the Brook and into Codgers headed for the Tantragee Saddle.  From here, we headed up Fringe Hill Climb, gravel road, and a good lonnnnng climb. Took a good hour or more, and finally we made the towers (after a rather rough rocky section that only Nelson cleaned.  From the top, the view is spectacular. 

Then it was into the descent.  The first section is as sketchy as fuck, with many many roots, all of them still damp from many days' previous rain, and no doubt cloud, and both front and rear tires were pinging with multidirectional madness, leaving us all pretty wary but allowing our glorious skills to be transcended.  From where the main road corner meets it (not too far down), the trail got a bit more used, tho roots continued to be one of the main factors of tech the rest of the way, albeit with less and less frequency.  Fun descent, that went on for 45 minutes, a couple of breaks here and there to let the brakes cool or for a catch up.  Brilliant ride.  Highly recommended.  Eventually, we made it down into The Brook, from whence we rolled down into town for lunch (and a pint) just before 2 at Prig and Sperm, with which we followed a pint at The Free House just after 3. 

All up, from base to lunch, 21kms, and 822 climbed 

Sunday Trip Day 3. Richmond and Smashing it

Exited our Mot accommodation and drove to Richmond, exploring our way through to some park somewhere and here we entered said park and climbed and climbed and climbed up the Escalator.  Bit of a break at a skidder site, talked to a couple of electric 'mtnbikers' (more like motocrossers) then proceeded to explore, losing Robin in the process, and climbing bloody steep firebreaks to the top of Richmond Hill.

From here it was Into Upper Slippery Rail which ended up proving pretty fricking steep, beyond the majority of our capabilities (obviously Nelson managed it).  Then across and up slightly on a forestry road to the Lower Slippery Rail, fanging it down through fun roots and yumpies, diving into dark forest in places, and around onto to some serious berminess and beyond. Eventually we found our way back on to the Escalator, riding it down and taking all the shortcuts to the finish and Robin awaiting our return.

8.5 kms, with quite a good sized 443 m climbed.

Off for lunch at the Richmond Mall (quite the experience!), and then through to Nelson and our accommodation in Vanguard St.

After settling in, Nelson and me got out for a spin (the boys followed for their own about 20 minutes later).  I forgot to write this up, so here it is right here...

Sunday Afternoon, Day3, ride 2, Smashed It.

On Sunday after riding at Richmond and after we'd settled into the units, the boys had already started having a beer but Nelson and me were still keen to ride, so we went into Codgers, climbing to the Turners/Firball skidder then down to the Smasher entry. Climbed up this and dived on in. Steep steep steep, with the usual 3 corners catching me out as usual. I blame it being a bit wet.  Ended up landing out by the Sunday Hole from whence we toodled back down river and back to base.

Meanwhile the boys had seen the errors of their ways and headed out for a ride (about 20 minutes behind us).  They went up Codgers, Jacks, Middle, Wayne's Passage (to much laughs and jokes at Wayne's expense - it never died...) and down Firball, P51 etc.  they had fun, and got back half an hour behind us.

Base to base, 15.3 kms, 389 climbed.

Saturday 2nd Trip Day 2nd Ride -Mill Rd Singles

The boys all buggered off back to Mot but Nelson and me wanted more so we took the TFC Ute to Parapara inlet and parked up.

Another rider passed by and we chatted, then headed up the road (after I rechecked the locking of the truck). Steep gravel low speed then onto tight narrow descent. Fun,!

Less than 8 kms, and around 260 climbed (for some reason mmr not showing it).