Thursday Locked Down Up and Back Rigid Single Quickster

Quick blast up to top of Vic on the BFe SS. 

Good climbing, standing and chuffing, getting the rhythm going nicely, finally taking a seat around the dog park car park, and riding with a guy on a Marin Pine Mountain (new 29r steel hardtail) who I'd been slowly winding in.  I peeled off to head up to Skidder and up the guts.  Got a wee way up then off to walk.  Just for the fun of it I decided to take the diagonal path to the right, crossing Sesame St and taking me up into the middle of the Gums where I found a way up (that could be marginally rideable?) climbing above where I hatchetted the tree and up that dh bit in the pines out the top.  Through the cattlestop to rabbitsville, climbing up this, finding it not as wet as when I got sideways on the fatty the other day.  A lot of people about, how many live local? I wondered...  

Into the pines (nice late afternoon lighting) 

and across the Worm, then turning back, across and down, over the See Saw, pumped through first BrakeFrees and out, down the soggy Rabbit paddock, rock garden and across back and funtimes down the gummies.  On down the trail below here, greasy, then out 19th, coasting down the road, into the 235/UpperDogParkNewby, good to start then mucky suck hole down below.  Last climb out and tire-clearing down the road, home.

Four and three quarter kilometres, with 166 m climbed. 

Sunday Fatty Mucking

Quick ride this afternoon. Headed out on the fat bike.  

Up through Vic, up the gutser through Brake Free, onto Worm and onto the Traverse.  Cruised around this as far as Four Pause /  Huntsbury DH, checking out the car below the track that'd scuffed a big chunk of track out.  I'd heard the chopper rescuing these fucktards on Friday night, flew over at 2.30 am, and could hear it hovering til it flew back over at 3.00am.  

At the top of Four Pause I debated with myself the pros and cons of heading down that.  The cons won, and I turned back, bombing back across the Traverse nice and smooth.  Into Vic trees, across and down the Rabbit Paddock, greasy af, got sideways in the worst spot, then over the cattlestop and into the Gummies, across and down my usual favourite.  Out to skidder and into Shazza's, bopping and grinding down this then straight into the climb past the 40fter, back up to skidder, then over and into the wee finishing track out to the 19th.  

From here, down the road and into 235, which some mongs have put little rock jumps in (Dumb), and then it was greeeaaasy mucky fucking quagmire, and even worse in the Oaks.  Climbed out and cleared the tires with speed down Vic Park Rd...  

Around an hour all told, dead on 10 kms, with 350 m climbed.

Thursday Night Captain Windy Sketchville

Awesome ride tonight.  

Met Nelson at Slumnervale and we headed into the Closed Captain Thomas.  Not too greasy, a few wet spots, ie, too wet to ride down, but fine going up without destroying the trail.  Gasping for air as usual, we stopped at the top of the hairpins and I really struggled to breathe.  Didn't help that I could SEE the motes of pollen in the air either...  Up through the rocky sections, I walked once or twice - grease and rocks getting the better of me or my lungs not up to capacity.  Upper section was good and we made the road.  

Headed up into the Godley, but once up the nasty rocksection we got our clamber-walk on and pushed up the ridge fenceline walking track, wind starting to pick up a bit as we climbed this exposed section.  Some riding, some pushing and eventually made the top.  Short break and around the top over the edge towards the darkness that was the harbour.  Nelson found it entirely unfamililar thinking he'd never ridden it before but I knew he had, last year even, and before that in 2017.  Neat drop down, not as techy as I recalled, but around the back heading across towards Livingston it was pretty greasy, water running on the track a bit.  Bomb down the ridge to Livingston Col and familiarity returned.  Out Godley from here, good riding, with only the final paddock to the cattlestop at the end the usual quagmire which we attempted to skirt widely after pfmtbc rock.  Stopped at Breeze Col in the 'breeze' (read, gale), and watched as several spaced out riders came down the road and past us. 

We dived into the OG Godley, below the road, and headed outwards.  It's been tidied and benched better and rode pretty well, very few wetspots.  At the road end we headed up the 4wd track towards our bunker, wind pushing at us hard making the climb harderer than it would normally be.  Then across and over the stile onto Breeze Bay track.  I ducked behind some tussocks here cos the wind was doing my head in.  Nice break and snack here then off around the track, out of the wind, spectacular riding, easy going cruisey as.  Into the teeth of the gale at the stile here, nearly blown off, and pushing hard into the wind to get to the road.  Then it was back along the Godley Head Road, pushing hard into the gale, but once, eventually, around above the new Escape trail we got the tail wind pushing us uphill to Livingston, nearly plucking us from the bikes across there, then a bit of work up the rest to the Para-launch place, into the wind around then pushed all the way back down to Evans.

Down into Rapanui bush, definitely ridden it wetter in the past, and techy goodness around to Scarbluffs track.  This was tricky with the wind, and felt dangereux with the exposure, but mostly a pretty good run out across towards Scumner then dropping down the tricky hairpins, water running down the track towards the road.  Across and over for the last blast down below the road, fun times had.

An interesting and quite spectacular 16.44 kms, with 701 m climbed.

Sunday Summit Hailing McTrollface

Wintry blast teeming through so got out for a gravel roady on the Troll.  Up Vic Park Drive, then through the Skidder and up the gutser, walking most of this - gearing and tires overwhelmed.  Brief chat to an old friend Doug up here, then on up through Brake Free and up to the top Thompson.  Down this singletrack, good fun, then up onto the road and a nice coast down to the Kiwi.

Across the Dyer's and up, up around Marleys, onwards out the summit.  All fine, no snow, but lo! - Bradley and Herbert were dressed in white about a third down from their summits, right across the tops there.  Further round I could see low on the plains as well - Oxford / Sheffield kinda ways, and squalls marching across the plains too.  After a nice descent I pulled into the Bellbird and had a snack and tidied a little of my clothing for warmth.  Big hail storm came in, so I was in the perfect place for it.  It buttoned off a little and I hit the road again, not really knowing how far I might go, and at one point even considering all the way down Gebbies to Motukarara and taking the rail-trail back to Lincoln, Taitapu and back round, but figured it'd be well dark by the time I made it home from that adwenture and my lights were already showing the red spots of low battery.  

Continued along the summit, climbing into the wind, descending into the wind, the occasional sheltered bit.  Popped up to check out the Living Springs summit, had a wee look in the bush track on the top there  ("rescuing" a seedling for my garden).  Rode again.  Hail again.  Eventually, Gibraltar Rock hove into view, and Omahu Bush, which I'd never explored before.  Popped down into the top zigs, parked the bike and walked (and slipped) down to the bush edge.  Bumped into Douglas again here, I swear the dude was following me, random.  Looks to me like there could be some good riding in this Bush, at night perhaps... Hail through again while I was in the bush.  

Back on the road, headed for home, tail wind (tho not so's you'd notice), more down than up.  Saw another (gravel or road bike?) rider at that water fountain thingy.  Moved a (dead) possum off the road a bit for the hawks.  Up and down, hail storms coming along and moving on.  Some lovely long rolling coasts, then easy ups.

At the Kiwi I could see the traffic was just starting to move, green light, so I bombed down, then they seemed to be stopped, one car having trouble, so I passed them all and jumped in behind the one car that made it past these guys who were struggling and so I had the whole length between the lights and beyond to myself.  Peeled right into Vic Park Drive, Climby McClimbface up to the 19th and then rolling home free, some good speed on that final descent, then brake checking hard and into the driveway.

23.43 kms Trolled with 772 altitudes.

Sunday Planton Bradley

Met for the 8.50am sailing to the Harbour of Diamonds.  I arrived to find the Bush team and Pete already on the wharf, then Nelson and Kirsty rolled up once we were on board.  

From DH we headed up and proceeded around the road.  At Whero St I said, "lets go up to the high road" (not knowing that Whero was a dead end, but then discovering at the top a nice singletrack that led all the way up.  Nelson and Kirsty disappeared.  She'd stopped to delaminate and when they got going again couldn't figure out where we'd gone...  ooops.  Never de-group guys.  Pete jetted down, couldn't see them, jetted back up and we proceeded around Bay View, steep down followed by bloody steep up that nearly killed me given my Troll gearing.  Up under Elaine's house and then it was mostly down from there, down into that nice Hunter Reserve valley, short climb then bombing down down down, Pete and me (J9 taking it easy and Steve sticking with her) to the main road and around to Andersons to regroup.  

Nelson and Kirsty turned up with the Bushes again and we all rode together up over Andersons', fast bomb down the last with Pete in the lead, onto the main road and into Orton Bradley.  The planting was just off the main route in after the tollbooth, off up to the left on a very muddy (to start with) track through oaky forest out to some farm country - a small gully being fenced around a creek.  Chucked a bunch of trees in the ground meeting some nice people, then back to the School Room and a cuppa then back on the road again.

Around the road and a steady pace, Pete and me out in the lead.  Above the yacht club we took the wee walk track drop down and up then steps and stopped for a regroup.  Then climb climb climb around and some nice downs back to DH, getting down to the cafe just before the 12 o'clock ferry was ready to leave, Bushes and Pete bombed and caught it while I waited for Nelson and Kirsty and we caught the half hour later one, 12.30.

Forgot to start the MMR til we were up top of the Whero singletrack, about 1km in and 120m alt, but the rest of it was 11.85 kms over 270m climbed (so, total 13 kms, 390 up). (mmr website playing up at this point)

Thursday Night Taylor's Escape and some Snake

Nelson and me met in Taylor's.  It was not as cold as expected, but the wind had a little bite in it.  

We headed up the new Escape track.  Mostly in very good nick, the new benching really helps, but the deep gully is dank and soggy.  Gonna need a little boardwalk maybe, or a bridge and some re-direction.  Good climb; kept a good pace most of the way, I was feeling better and even breathing better than I'd expect given the lurgy that's sitting in my lungs still.  More switchbacks than we'd remembered.  Stopped at the road and yarned and watched a couple riders heading down towards Livingston Col.  After they'd passed above us (while we rode along the road to the Col) we got on the trail and hung a right, out above the major exposure and along the walking track.  Climbed this surprisingly well too, tho just prior to the first hairpin got the better both of us - Nelson via traction, me via lung capacity.  

Over the stile and into the descent, steps and besides, me not trusting the grease factor, which had the potential for offness.  Good blast tho, and then right across Col, fun tech, to the Breeze Bay track.  We climbed this cruising around, it ending sooner than I expected, over the ladder-stile, and out onto the lookout bunker roof.  Neither of us jumped from it this night.  

I led us into the skinny track, around, very tight, good skillzone, then into the bomb down back to Breeze Col.  Then we decided to climb up Godley to above the new entrance to Anaconda, nice climb still feeling good tho my legs were starting to tire.  Over the fence and dropped down choosing an interesting way down to the Conda and then Nelson led the way, bomb bomb, bomby bomb.  Great run down, tho not the fastest ever, cautiousness getting the better of me on the damp clay surface.  No slop, surprisingly.  

Long break chatting overlooking the sea here, then into the Tail, for a final blast back to the cars. Good tech.  

Felt like further than 9.6 kms, with a reasonable 386 m climbed.

Sunday Bottle Jet Single

After a week and a half of being sick with a bad cold, and 2 weeks of no rides, finally got out for a spin.

 Had a beverage pick up to make in Burwood so took the dog and the BFe SS out to Bottle Lake.  Headed in the middle and hung the leftish route to keep it short for the tired old dog.  Through the grown up trees, into the tall forest past the pond then on through, Jet keeping a good steady speed the whole way.  Out, around and along the middle front, all familiar trails, albeit with taller trees than even last year's Fat bike outings.  

Along muddy road and into a brand new trail to the left, opposite the trail from Spencerville.  Rolled through this, through two sections of forest, then onto a road for a long haul west, down to what used to be known as Andrew's Favourite, all the good bits in between now decimated.  Through this dark forest, Jet slowing down a little, but still steady as he went.  Then, intersection, options rightish, through what was a new section a few years ago, or leftish into newer forest, kinda following old ways but all newer trail, which i took as it's shorter.  Wound around this for a while and eventually out.

A reasonable, easy 10 kms, spectacularly 89 m climbed, for a happy dog and a recovering sicko.

Sunday Parking Lots

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday Victorius

Quick spin up down and up.   Up the road from home, and dropped down the connector just before the Dog Park, climbing up 235.  Up through 19th, then up the gutser, chuggalug, all the way to the top.  Around and down, yumpity yump, then see-saw, top end of #nuBrakeFree and then out and down Rabbit to Rocks, Gums #MyWay, across the Skidsville and into the Shazz.  Poppity Pop down here, a squizz at the Sick and then ploughing through the Brent, long time since last time.  Out of the woods and across Flow, a few mucky splotches, around and down, nuBridges all the way down.  

Hidden Valley Bonus climb, said closed, but it's been a while since rain so figured it'd be fine.  Steep bugger forest, good clean then around and into descendy mode.  Untrusting of slick so careful careful bopping and popping my way down.  A few walkers climbing, but no other riders (people abiding the signs?).  Straight into the climb back up Bowenvale valley, usual chuckles, then into Kfucking2.  Managed it, but did stop when it slightly levelled before the last few metres to the turn-off to the right.  That sidle was good, then the 23fter, and more nasty grunt, possibly the worst spot, good to the pylon, then more yuck, then a bunch of folk at the 40, and more shitty climbing.

Over the Skidder and into my usual connector, bopping on down to 19th then rolling rolling rolling down the road and into the 235, bomb slick bomb (kinda chasing another dude who rolled through the carpark at the same time, but I never saw him after I said You go first...

Down the road, tire cleaning, and home.  A worthwhile 10 and a half kms, up 437 m.

Monday Night Head Fix Short'n'Sweet

Missed any riding opportunities in the weekend so took off for a quick jaunt as soon as I got home from work.  

Headed up the road into Vic Park, dropping down the wee access track towards Harry Ell that I usually ride up from the 235, taking this in reverse for the first time.  Mucky as hell under the oaks, and blew the steepest corner but climbed out the rest, surprised at how quick/short it was.  Up the road to 19th divert around the top and over to the skidder site, straight into the gutsy climb.  Up across Brakefree and up through the pines to the top of Vic.  

Downhill mode engaged, dropped around and down, over the jumps, past the see-saw and down the Rabbit Paddock into the rockgarden entry of Gums, bombing around, shortcutting down a line that hasn't seen much action, back around and down my lefty fun blast down and out, across to the skidder, and dropped into Dazza's (rather than Shazza's) for a change.  Not nearly as 'dangerous' as I thought it was, popped all the drops no problem at all and took a rather rooty line down and out to the 40footer. 

Brief look down at the first jump on Rad^Sick and thought, "yeah, could probably do that no probs," but not tonight, and rode on up, climbing climbing climbing out to skidder, dropping back over to where I'd come out of the gums, dropping down out to the road, then below the road and walking tracking it back up to the corner avoiding Tawhairanui (likely mucky af), down the road, into 235 dropping down nicely, careful across the greasy oak leaves, and up to the road for the final bomb down the seal, cleaning the tires centripetally.

Nice wee 5.6 kms, with a smidgen under 200m climbed.

Thursday Night Fatty and Skinny Along the Top

Cool ride tonight... Literally, quite cool when we left.  Nelson had his Scott, and I was on the Fatty for a change.  

Rode up the walking track next to Vic Park Rd, up into the 19th and had a bit of a walking explore around up there at the top to see where all the trails went, finding one we'd done with the gheybois a couple years back, and making mental notes of the access route.  On through the Skidder, following a red flashing light ahead, Nelson catching her (Mel), and me grovelling up behind gasping for air.  Took the worm to the top where her and a dude were hanging, then we hung a right back to the top of Vic road, crossed to the walking track to that shelter and climbed up to the carpark on Sugarloaf.  

Onto Cedric's track across (I'd done this route a few months back on the fatty), which was all good chuffing.  Feels good to be on singletrack that is unfamiliar.  Tricknical over the fence where it meets Gilpins, with super slick rocky sections, then short up to the carpark, across this and onwards along the craterrim track, no recollection of ever riding it in this direction.  The 2nd section, into the bush, walked a bunch, rode some, good times, been vastly improved from what it was years ago when we used to ride it of a night, occasionally.  The 'tech' bit that dropped down to the road has been majorly tamed and was all rideable (where 10 years ago it wouldn't have been in these conditions).  Across along and up onto the Scott's Knob section.  Again, some rooty walking then all good riding, fun cruise through to the top of Huntsbury Track.

For a change, we climbed up the back of Vernon, pushing the last steeply rocked to the  top.  Then over and super technical switchback city, with waaay too much exposure, and finally a controlled braking blast down to Rapaki-top.  Back onto Vernon track and climbing, huffing and chuffing around the way to the top, across onto Traverse and a nice cruisey flow around this, the new 'dumbing down' of it actually performing as desired in these conditions, making it truly, "all weather."  Bit mucky as we approached Sugarloaf, but beyond that, not bad.  I found a tube and it's strap at the jumpy flow section before the final flat to Vic.  

Into Vic, and down to the rabbit paddock, into the rockgarden, and down through the gums.  Nice riding, fatty feeling pretty good the whole way infact.  Before we'd left, I'd topped up the air to 'just moving the dial' and so they felt quite hard.  Realised I should have changed into the Surly tires I have, they'd grip good in the mud soft dirt.  Down the trail below the skidder, out to 19th, onto the trail below the road, popping up onto the walking route then down Tawhairanui, mostly good surface til the very end, ugh.  Then decided to bomb down the road instead of '235' because it would be greeaasy, and the road speed would clean off our tires.  Hosed bikes at mine.

A very enjoyable 12.4 kms, with a surprising 466 m climbed.

Saturday Arvo Vic Park Meander

Nelson came over in the afternoon and we headed up into the Park. 

Up the road, seeing Sophie's parents and little bro walking up Vic, quick chat, then onwards up the road.  My route around the top of the 19th and over to the skidder, then up the grunter guts climb, to the top of Vic. 

 Across to the edge of the trees and dropped down to the top of the black and double black lines, looking down Cowabungaitis and wondering...  Decided tho on original plan, upper fenceline.  I was untrusting of the slick but Nelson bombed off down ahead.  Around and across, looked into Roam (which got very mucky below the massive log drop), and Flow Rider, but dropped into Cool Runnings, wafting down with a brief sessioning of one step-up feature.  Then down all the way into the gulley.  Climb out, this time through Cool Runnings towards Rad^Sick, which is steep but maybe not as steep as the other way I went last time I ground out of there.  

At the 40fter we headed across into Ponos, which was very sloppy in places, especially where there was water and muck on redrock, sliiiccckk as.  Out to the 23fter, back up the 4wd climb.  Zig and Zag around and up to Skidder, then up the grunter guts following a mum & daughter(?) who were walking faster than me, but the same speed as Nelson.  

Then it was around a 'new' access to Sesame St, dropping down this, pop pop pop, and out through skidsville down Vic and into the 235, ducking under the tree and not too greasy til the wet spot in the oaks.  Clamber back up to the road and upwards, lo and behold, there's Sophies folks and bro again walking down.  Lolz all round.  Into the descent behind the houses, a little sloppy in one section but the rest good.  Back home.

A pretty steep sub-8 km, with only 336 m climbed.

Tues Day Ride of All the Singletrack

One last day of TOIL to use up so stayed home of a Tuesday and got out for a nice long ride.  City had been under fog all morning, but by the time I left it'd burned off and a nor-west 'squal' was approaching across the sky.  That spat on me most of the way across the top til I was about below the Tors.

Up through Vic, grinding away up the guts and out Worm to Traverse across.  Catching a woman and passing her just before I got to the turn off for the 4pause/HuntsDH.  Popped off for a short blast down this, a pretty greasy section of track, but the jumps were good.  Took it down across and left down to the gate on Old Skool descent then ground my way back up to the top of Huntsbury.  

Into Vernon, occasional moments of weavy flow and a pretty relaxed attitude to the whole thing.  Bounced across Rapaki-top and straight into the Witch.  One dab but rolling-on, no stops.  Okay climb, not bad descent, nothing special.  Across the road and straight up onto the walking track single.  Techy this direction, slow and techy.  Stuffed up a few spots, fear of falling to the road below getting the better of my balance.  All done and onto the road to under-pass the Tors, treadling up to Castletop.  A roady was stopping and checking out his bike here, and it turned out to be an old colleague (now retired).  We had a good catch up, moseying a little down the road from where he pointed out his house to me.

Parted ways and I rode back up to the trail entrance, dropping into downhill mode and slowly increasing speed as I rolled, until I was travelling quite quickly, grooving and weaving, pumping and jiving, haring down the rocks and through the weave, tight around the hairpin, gaining speed again, back wheel flicking on slick rocks, next hairpin, roll roll, pop pop and..., climb.  Pushed it hard, stayed on top of the whole situation, negotiating rocks and roll.  Over, down again and round out to the road.  Peered into Lyttelton for a sec, then hit the climb back up to Castletop.

Walked up onto the climb to the Tor track, then rested with a snack in the sun before skiving off down the trail.  Rocks slick, tech-trickery, blitzy blitz, dab or three, and down across the road onto the singletrack walker, enjoying it this direction a bit better.  Lots of cleaned then into the Witch, better this way, and nearly rode up the road after Rapaki, then decided to do ALL the singletrack, and climb Vernon.  Pretty not bad.  

Back into the Traverse, all the way into Vic, picked up a bit of speed and into the jumps, over the seesaw, around the track closed, "why's the track closed, it's perfectly surfaced and dry,...  oh, right, oh well, all good after that, but out, down to rockgarden entry of Gums, and across and down my usual roots and routes.  All the way down, out 19th, down the road and into the 235 for a nice greasy spin.  The broken dead old tree that fell over the other week is still there so I broke a couple branches off it, thereby making it slightly easier to get under...  should take the hatchet up, I guess.  I was surprised no one else had broken any more off (one or two on the other side had been done).  Nice condition, grip-wise, lower down too.  Then leafy climb and up the road briefly again before the bomb behind the houses, which was stymied by a woman and two dogs, then fear of grease-city.

Well worth it, 21.4 kms, with 847 m climbed

Saturday Kai- Kowhai Kaiterau -koura

Up to Kaikoura for the weekend to Dave's 50th, so, got T to drop me at the Kowhai River Bridge.  

Hit the trail on the true left bank for the long cruisy uphill.  Singletrack, grade nothing, flowing ever forward, with enough little dips to be able to use a little body english on for a pumply addition of power.  Surface was a good gravelly chip, with additional leaf matter humous which could be greasy at times, tho never really lost anything.  If anything, I'd like some of the corners to be bermed a little more so you could carry speed through them more safely.  I had no idea how many kilometres were ahead of me, other than that it didn't look that many on the map.  Turned out (looking on MMR) that it was just under 7 kms to Postmans Rd, from where it was another 3, plus change, on gravel roads to the Mt Fyffe Carpark, with a bit of  a climb up in the last one.  

Then it was into the Kaiterau climbing trail...  Switchback City.  Nicely graded, relatively steep but lots of level(ish) bits, and plenty of wee boosty down-dips before the sweep-grind switchbacks.  Stopped a couple times, once to layer off, was getting hot, even tho it was quite cool.  I was expecting at least an hour, given it was 7 kms over 480m climbed, but pace was kept quite good on the climb and the total time elapsed climbing was only about 40 minutes.  Stopped to take in the wickedly cool view of Kaikoura Peninsula at the top of the track.  

Dropped into the 2.7 km descent, instantly getting plenty of speed for the flowy, occasionally quite jumpy, trail down.  This thing is gonna be amazing in 10 years time when the seedlings and ferns have re-invaded the sides and it's a beautifully formed ribbon of singletrack squirrelling down the hill.  A lot of fun, and all perfectly rideable.  The lower I got the greasier some sections were.  All too quickly it was over and I looked at my watch and only about 13 minutes had gone by.  What a blast.  

Then it was down the original Mt Fyffe track, which was not how I'd ever imagined it, and then through the (very full) carpark, and back down the road, some very good speed down here.  One wee climb then down down down, gravel roads for a little over 3 kms, 3 and a half on singletrack back down the river forest, MUCH faster and cruisier than on the way up, then about 6 kms on tar-seal to Daves place.  Much muckeriness to clean off the bike...  gave it a good hose down, then took myself to the motel and got cleaned up for the party.

A long slowly climbing then slowly descending ride, with a good peak in the middle, over a smidge under 30 kms, and 580 m climbed 

Saturday Sylvanian Mucking Fess

Left Chch at 5.45 am, and were in Nelson about 10.15am, unpacked at FlameDaisy and I drove around to Richmond and parked up the bottom of Sylvan Forest, a cloudy, misty day, not yet raining, but certainly headed that way.  Also, noted that it's 2 years since I'd last ridden up in Nelson!

Rode in and started on Alpha Tahi, climbing, proceeding up Tahi, Rua, Toru, Wha, good ziggy zaggy ascent in forest, mostly dry, some damp spots but still quite a few dry spots.  Once or twice heard people somewhere nearby but pretty much on my own.  Passed one woman walking with her small kid on his bike, down on Tahi or Rua...  Out of the forest into the cleared zone, now planted in manuka/kanuka by the looks of it, even with pines/firs poisoned, and finished off up all the way up top of Rima, completely entrenched in mist up here.  

At the top there was the option of Jericho (black, dh) or People's Choice, which I chose.  Upper section, some tech, some tech because it was wet, but nothing major.  A bit of exposure, you wouldn't wanna fall off the edge cos it's pretty steep up here, but the trail was fun, back and forth, crossed a couple of access road/tracks.  Considered detouring to Ezra Mamaku, but consulted the Trailforks website (app useless) and stayed on People's all the way down to Jacob's Ladder which took me across back to a corner on Alpha.  Crossed into the lower half of Ari Mahoe, nice fang down here, nearly losing it on one front-wheel-wash just keeping it together and buttoning back on my gnar after that, finishingdown at a 'hub' zone.  

Headed back up Alpha, through the trees, then out, climbing to the top of Ezra Mamaku where I dropped down fun blitzy and peeled briefly onto the upper bit of  Ari Mahoe, then back onto Ezra all the way down to Heaven Up Here, across a little then dropping into Kircam Alley out to the 'hub' of before, rain actually falling now, making the bottom pump section fo Kircam a fucking mess, gumming up the tires with clay.  Dropped over the edge into Hare Down, nice waft and faff down this, where I hung a bit of a right and across into Omega which had wet gouged slippery clay corners and speed was carefully positioned to survive the final strokes.  Rolled out to the car, messy as hell, bike pretty dirty, and rain fall increasing...  

Mucking fessy 10.5 kms, with 573 m climbed. 

Thursday Night Ride of Two Bikes. *post number 1200

Having rebuilt the Cotic BFe last weekend, into a singlespeed based on the wheels and drivetrain of the Switchback that had been at the bach, I decided to give it a whirl. A specacular bruiser cruiser of a bike, with the Surly Sunrise bars and sweet sweet Reynolds 853.

I ground my way up the hill, using all three gears (sitting, standing and walking) to the top of Vic.  The road from home wasn't too bad, once I got my rhythm gasping for air timed with the the standing and cranking of the bars and pedals, and even got my breath back and got to sit down once up on the flatter sections.  Good rolling over into the skidder site, and I tried, I really tried to get going up the grunter but it is just too damned steep.  Got off and walked for a bit, rode once up then walked up the steep next to BrakeFree, and rode a bit and walked a bit to the top of  Thompson's number 1.  First chance at descending, let a bit of air out of the tires, then hit the down.  Nice mellow cruise, then grunt round the corner and walked the 2nd hairpin.  Up the road, dropped over into the top and down around towards the jump, but sidled past and down past the seesaw down the rabbit paddock and into the rockgarden.  This was sweet, picked a nice smooth line between the rocks and across past my hatchet job, dropping around and into my gummie's favourite, then all the way down and out to the 19th.  Down the road from here and into the 2-35.  Sconed my head battery on the leaning dead-tree in here, then had a sweet run, lots of traction, down til the oaks, where it was soggy as.  Across, pushed up to road, down home where I swapped bikes and checked in with Nelson who was Hour of Paining with Craig.  They'd just finished and he was rinsed, therefore bailing.

Second round, on the Fatty.  Up the track, up the road, repeat of the previous except for a detour up around top of 19th and over, then actually riding the grunter up from skidder.  Thompsons again, back up road, same way around down to Rockgarden entrance to Gums, out the bottom of this to the Skidder, and down the road, dropping below onto the trail below 19th, taking this down around to Tawhairanui walk track then into 235, meeting a Graveller who confirmed it was a no good climb in the wet.  Walked under the tree, then got rolling, taking a better line through the oaks, and dropping down to H.Ell track and tucking into the one that links back up to the road.  Down the dirt again, and down to Takahe to meet T, and roll back up home with her and Jet. 

All up, and down, 11.5 kms, with 400m climbed.

The Dankness

Unprecedented massive rain system smothering us for 3 days, torrential, and after a damp walk on Saturday, and then a wet walk earlier today, I decided to take the Troll out and up in the dark and rain. 

Headed down Amherst, left and up Vic Park Rd to the first track on the right, which took me, greasily, down to Harry Ell, up which I proceeded to ride.  Minimal light, just using my wee Lezyne mounted to my 'basket.'  Not totally smooth, but pretty smooth, a few rocks and roots to negotiate.  I met a grand total of one runner coming down, and he didn't seem to mind me being on his track.  Walked the rocky steps up then finished out to the upper bit of Vic Park Rd.  Left here up towards the 19th, then hung a hard right into the track over to the Skidder site.  Got a drink of water and let my eyes accustom themselves to the glow from the city, rain pouring continuously. 

Into Eastside track over and down, squalling brakes getting better once they'd shod their water, riding in the dark for a start, then switching the light on as I wasn't sure of the track surface, which was actually very good.  Into the trees however it was a different story.  Greasier and greasier it go, as I climbed up to the high point, over and oop, a step, not trusting of the landing I put my foot down and proceeded to fall over, below the track, bike tumbling down on top of me...  Ugh.  Picked myself and it up, no traction underfoot, walked and slid a bit further down the track then got riding a bit and walked a bit and rode a bit again.  Phone rang.  Couldn't answer, but made my way into the slide park and under the little conical shelters, where I returned the call.  Then a nice smooth blast down the road, lovely sound of water pumping through the mudguards, tires gripping well through the torrents flowing down the road.  

Only 4.1 kms, but 90 m climbed, which is something.

Thursday Night Greenwood Britt Pleasant Greenwood

Good loop tonight under a very big moon (being one night post- super blood moon).  Nelsie and me met at Evans Pass, very dark but not windy here.  Decided to ride up Greenwood, which proved to be quite good.  I was huffing and chuffing to start with but Nelson kept the velocity down and we crawled away, him cleaning all stuff, while I cleaned most.  Had some weird balance issues up around that drop, then lost it just before the steepest rocky bit before gloomy and had to walk that section cos I just couldn't get going.  Rest of the climb was mint, and at the ruins we headed out the old entrance, going well across there.  

Then it was up the road to Britten, and I led around the 'long way' round the front, through the cattlestop and onto the road at the cutting.  Up over the fence, gasping, and then up, climbing away up Mt Pleasant, into fog/scudding cloud at the top, which cleared when we got there.  Moon was bright above the whole time, at times glimpsing like someone's headlight on the hill above us - before you realised it was just the moon. 

Into the descent.  Moisture was sticking to a few rocks, and the tussocks all had some dampness so it was a little bit rock pingy slick at times, but mostly good.  All the way down I was really trying to focus on swapping out my dominant leg (left leg back is the norm and causing me my gyp), so on the less tech stuff I was focussing on right leg back.  I reckon by the bottom I was getting a lot more happy with it.  Good bomb down, nothing too sketchy.  A couple of riders were near the ruins when we arrived but they headed down the trail towards Richmond Hill pines, and we contemplated at that point doing a quick lap of those two trails, but decided on just heading straight down.  Anyway, good blast.  

Not a bad wee 10 kms and a smidge under 400 m climbed.

Sunday Mounting Sinclair but not Fitzgerald

Short ride cos limited time. Quick flying visit to the bach to check on it and collect some feijoas (and grapefruit for marmalade and a couple of limes) and some seedling natives, and headed back and parked on Pettigrews Rd.

Over the first (of many) stile, got riding, up up up endlessly up.  Over the next stile, then the next, caught up with and passed a couple of walkers, saying "you'll see me again later."  Up over another stile, and up through the nice bush, stile, open stretch climbing, stile, then up around back of Sinclair, steep, short walk then climbing okay again.  At the gate and stile at the top of the steep, stopped for a stretch then got riding again, pretty soon seeing a solo female runner.  Across the northern side of the peak, over then next stile and a bit of a descent, meeting 2 more walkers who were laughing a lot, then their companion lady just standing up and pulling her pants up after a wee...  Fast descent from here down the side of the totara forest, then into singletrack goodness, some tech, along the ridge, stile halfway, with some up and some down.  It was the last high point along here I decided it was time to turn back, giving me as much time as I'd just taken.

Turning back, the ridge trail was fun, up and down, tech, goodness, then a steeeeep climb up through the totara forest, walking a little near the top, before it levelled off and the rest of the way was good going. Over the stile again, around to where I'd stretched, over this stile, and fast descent, but first, past the 3 walkers (who were surprised to see me even tho I announced my presence with an, "I'm baaaack"), bombing, watching for the greasy rocks, fun times.  Met the original two walkers down here, (they hadn't come that far since earlier, now I think about it).  Across then down down down, fun down, bombing, stile after stile, into the nice bush, wafting through the woods, then across the open again, small climb then speedy bomb back to car.

A fun there and back, 11 kms with 522 m climbed.

Because i was back to the car earlier than I'd expected, I popped up to see the giant totara.  Been years since I'd been up there.  a nice 10 minute jaunt.

Sunday Rides, Planting Charlesworth, then To Dinner Across the Tops

Planting

In the morning I e-biked to the planting at Charlesworth.  Just under 9kms each way.  The planting became an 'In Memorium' for Tracey Turner, long-time employee of Trees For Canterbury who died suddenly last week.  Got lots of plants in then scored a wee Coprosma give-away, and then grabbed a Meulhenbeckia astonii and a Leptinella from the nursery, which I skillfully packed in my carry bag on the rack for the journey home. 

Riding

Then, last thing in the afternoon, timed perfectly for arriving asap after sunset, a nice 1 hour and 9 minutes of blasty single-track across the tops to Joy's for dinner.  Up through Vic Park, a squeaky spoke bothering me to the point of stopping at the Skidder site and tightening it, then gasping like crazy up the gasper, around onto Worm and hitting the traverse, sun behind me, blasting along feeling pretty strong the entire journey.  (nearly) Bumped into Kerry from work, me a silhouette against the glaring sun to her and her companion.  Dumbifuckation of the trail towards Vernon is in full effect, and not as pumpy as when going the other direction.  

Onto Vernon, good climb, better descent, felt really on form and controlled and flowy.  Flew across Rapaki top and into the Witch, switching down through the gears so smoothly and weavingly cleaning all the rocky tech, hooning around the front and bombing down the backside onto the road.  Cruise cruise cruise, climbing gently up to Castle and straight in, making good time.  Fantastic flowy bomb down this, really enjoying it and getting some wicked speed before the first hairpin.  Around, good pedaly flow, and then climbing plenty of power up thru to the Bridle top.  

On the road around under the Gondola, easterly making it's presence felt a bit more, especially at the corner, climbing up grinding to the cutting and finally into Britten.  All the way around the front and back to the top of Vtwin, then into the bomb.  Cruisy flowy faster and faster, blazing down across then off the main onto the traverse flow down down around to the rocky last and bombing down to the gate, juuust catching a guy in orange who'd been below me as I was approaching the Vturn at the top.  Not sure which way he'd gone.  Then, down the walkway to top of Major Hornbrook, blasting down this, right on Madeley, and down to Joys, in perfect time for a quick change, beer and dinner.  

An excellent 15.3 kms, with a boosty 582 m climbed.

Saturday Local Solo Explorationing

Less than an hour til sunset, I took a quick loop or two up the back, down a bit and a bit of clambering off piste.  

Firstly, got the grind out of the way, up through skidder and up the grunter through Brake free and around to the first Thomson, flowy flight down here, around and up so smoothly, then up the road to top of Vic again.  

Into the descent, bomby bomb down around over the jump and next then seesaw down the first few brakefree flowpumpzoned, then cut out to the left and down towards the usual rock'n'roll, but hung a tight right after the cattlestop and into the top pines, dropping down the line I'd helped with cutting that log.  Around and bombing the usual favourite Gumline, flowing through and out to Skidder, straight across in Shazza's, twisty turny flowy drop down then across considering Pono's, but deciding on Sneaky Ridge.  Flompity plomb down here, enjoying it all, and over the jump onto bottom of flow or bridges or whatever, then dived up off onto the East Side walking track, pushing the bike up a few zig zags to a stile, up another zag onto a rideable sidle.  Along below the K2 4WD track (below pylon) good to ride til some mega steps, where I peeled left, carrying bike up through some open pine ground, popping up onto the 4WD.  

Clamber clamber, grinding up under Pono's, past the 40 footer and on up, more grind, then across the skidder into the connector down to 19th, rolling the road, relaxed as anything down to 235, dropping into here for a flowy bomby canter, slightly greasy following days past rain and finally the clamber out up to dog park and down the back of the houses home. 

A smallish 7.3 kms, and a worthy 308 m climbed.

Black Dog on a Black Night Ride

Jet is now too slow to ride with me... Left home and headed up into the park, him on the lead trotting alongside happy as anything.  Up through to 19th, over the back of this exploring a singletrack line I'd only walked in the other direction before not really remembering what was to come, over to the skidder, and up the grunter.  He was all good for all of this.  Up into Brakefree, where I turned and pointed down the new flow.  Not bad, bombed in, swooping and pumping and railing out to the turn off for Sesame St, and turned to see no dog...  hmmm...  a group of guys rode through (the Thursday Night 'Gheybois' Nelson and me have ridden with a couple of times) and then Jet turned up.  

We sidled across to the cattlestop Rock garden entry of gums and I helped him under the fence and got rolling again, bloop blop down the rocks, into the gums and turned back to see if he was there, and he never showed. I whistled, I called, I went back up the track to where I'd last seen him, then rode down, all the while whistling and calling him.  No sign of his wee glowing yellow eyespots trotting infront of his shadow body.  Further down, where the back and forth takes you over that old log and into the corner next to the jumps track I stopped and whistled and yelled, then heard a whistle and shout from the skidder site.  He was there with the 'Gheybois' (who were just wondering who'd get first go at him, lol).  I told him off and we headed downwards...  From here on down he was annoyingly slow, making me stop every 20 metres to look back and make sure he was coming.  We cut down below the road, then through to the Tawhairanui track and then down the 235, up, past a car smoking pot at the dog park and down Charles's track in the bush behind the houses and then home...

Just under 5 kms and a total 171 m climbed.

Sunday Short Local E-ride

Hugo and me got out again.  Cruised up through Vic Park, and up to the skidder site, then into the grunter.  My 1st gear wasn't quite up to it, and I was losing traction with my road tires too, so I ended up walking half of the steep.  H tho, he made it.  He really got the technique down well.  His 1st gear is still pretty high (due to the 42t that came with his conversion) but he managed it.  Well done him!  I managed the top half once over the steepest, and reckon with good technique I might make it with another try.  Up through Brakefree, which has come along quite sculpturally, with the dude working on it while we passed.  Then up through to the top and onto the Summit Rd, we toodled along to the Sugar Loaf Carpark and checked out the view, then down we went.  I didn't want to take the Momentum down the slippy gravel, so I bombed off down to the kiwi and down Dyers Pass Rd.  I ignored the red light and got on the other side of the cones and rode down, waiting at one digger for the cars to pass, then a free run out the bottom and right into Vic Park Drive, where I met Hugo waiting for me 19th.  Short bomb home from here.

7.7 kms with 235 m assisted climbed

Thumurau Ursday

Met Nelson on Fosters Tce and up we rode.  Ugh, what a climb, every time, grind grind grind...  No lights til we got up into the trees at the top, sun long set.  Started off down the ridge, initial baulk at the 2nd drop, rolling it no worries then and into Stormer for a fun blast down.  I didn't do the log drop on Grommies this time round.  Climbing, evil climbing, back around and up to the top again.

2nd lap, down the ridge and into Zombie Lurch, drop cover and hold, nice riding, then Nelson did something weird and instead of continuing down we explored across the Traverse Track all the way and then all the way down the extended Connector out to Evan's Pass Rd.  Instead of riding down the road and up the other connector, we headed back up this.  Not too bad a climb.  Back onto Zombie Lurch, I was tentative and a bit of a muppet on most corners, cleaning them but carefully.  Back up the climb, ugh.

3 time lucky, from the top, down the sideline, then Stormer again, way more comfortable this time, even dropping the log drop, showing myself I could do it.  Climbing back up again, and in no time off to the left sidling across and ending up right on the descent to the cars.  Fun times.  

A very uppy-downy 7 kms with a slightly ridiculous 480 m climbed.  Steeperer than the usual 1 in 10 ratio that I'd define as normal.

Sunday E-biking adventure

 Saturday was somewhat written off due to a surprise party for me Friday, so still seedy Sunday, Hugo and me took our ebikes to Sumner for a treat.  

Up through Vic Park on the road, me noticing that his motor is loose in the frame (!!!) but unable to fix we continued onwards, over to Dyers Pass Rd, running the red light and riding inside the cones for the one car and 3 bikes we met, left onto the Summit Rd and all the way along it to Evans Pass.  Lovely lovely day, beautiful views, nice temperature, it was splendid.  Powering up the ups, and bombing down the downs, me being quite a bit faster than Hugo given my extra weight, and so below Gloomy Gulch I stopped and he seemed to take an age to catch up to me.  Down Evans into Sumner at a rip-roaring speed, we went to somewhere he'd been with GG, the cafe on the beach next to Cave Rock.  It. Was. Packed...  I was on limited time due to supposed to be meeting her at Brighton so we went across the road and had a hotdog each, some fries and he had a thickshake (which I wished I'd had one of).  

21 kms it was to Sumner, and I'd burned 2 bars on my battery.  Heading home, the bit from Shag Rock Pile to the yacht club (and a little further) is bad because it's so narrow and there really is no room for people to pass.  Council, get on with it!  They've put that amazing wide sweeping track to Shag Rock Pile, but it's pointless with no way to get across the road easily, nor room for both directions until well round the corner...  Anyway, it's nice once you're on that sidestreet and around to the Causeway...  then Ferry, the Cut, Chichester, Richardson Tce under the bridges, Ford Rd, through to St Martins New World to see if the ebike shop was open (nope), then Gamblins Buxton Beckenham Park homewards and up the hill, mine going to one bar just as we hit the hill, but holding steady all the way up. My bike seems to be faster than his on the hill, but on the flat, he can just sit there and turn the pedals with no pressure and is jetted along at 32 kms or so...  

All up, 37 and 1/3rd kms travelled, with, according to MMR, over a thousand metres gained...(seems a bit much - my estimation would be half that.)   Still, a good effort for H, and fun, and what a way to see the world.  Felt pretty good blasting past roadies on the climb.

Thursday Night, Last Ride as a 50 year old

Birthday-eve, out on my own.  

Usual slog up through Vic Park, sun creeping behind the horizon as I rode.  Up the grunter, and there's tape all around Brake Free, with a dude working on it, sculpting new berms and jumps and routes...  Up Worm and into the Traverse, a nice cruise, but after the dipper, the Dumby-fuck-ation has crept in, Teddington Shit compacted into a smooth as tarseal track surface.  Yay, not.  It only extends as far as the saddle, but it's made everything nice and easy for the fumbducks.  Good blast from here on round to the next dumbed down bit.  

Lights on, dropped into nee Four Pause Huntstbury DH, wopping and peaving down, gapping the gaps and into the tussocks, quick light re-adjustment, onwards down towards Old Skool squiggles.  Down all the tech, tho stalling on the newly steeperer bit due to wariness under lights.  Worked out the line, then crept into and rolled out the rest.  Bomb bomb the rest of it, very nice indeed.  Then, into Old Skool proper, blasting down the groove, eating my own dust as I rounded each hairpin.  

Out to the bottom, and straight back up the valley, but before turning up into the gully, I peeled left up the steppy walk track.  Half way up this and there's a hundred lights, runners?, below me, some of who were heading up the valley behind me!  Argh.  Rode the bits I could, walked the steps, and managed to beat them to the top.  Hung a right onto Hidden Valley Link track, bombing down this, but it's not as fun as I hoped.  Pine needles slippery!  As I descended the lights were all heading up the valley - musta been 50 or 100 people...  

I got to the valley bottom just as the last ones passed, so grannied up behind them to Hospital Corner where I grunted up to the right, climbing the evil K2 killer.  Cleaned up into the trees across, then worked my way up to the right of the 23 footer and then on up K2 from there, up up up, past Sneaky Ridge, 40 footer, and stopped for a couple of lights coming down Razza's, they popped down out of the forest and it was two young guys on ebikes, who then proceeded to whirr away effortlessly ahead of me, while I sweated and grunted on behind.  They peeled left where I turned right on up to Skidder.  

Down through Vic, poaching a couple of walky bits then down 235, funtimes, across the leafy oak forest, righthand climb, up the road, under the Dog Park into the forest, across to the Barbed-wire-Roots, bombing this, over the stile, below the houses, all the way down to the bottom, then, ugh, steep grunt up Longhurst and steeper Amherst home. Ugh!

A redoubtable 13.1 km, with 593 m grunted up.

Monday-ised ANZAC Day

Quick loop up over some of the locals today. Hit the driveway, then up thru an incredibly busy Vic Park, sidling up my new usual 19th pathway, over to Skidder.  Delayered and got riding just as a couple entered the grunter, meaning I had to stay at their pace so's not to lose face, all the while telling myself, if i'm slower, it doesn't matter...  I wasn't slower, but it did seem to matter.  Huffing I was, and glad that I'd had a quick squirt of inhaler before I'd left.  

Up around to the Thomson and Thompson, medium cruise down this, still catching a couple guys just as I wound through the hairpins, and then chased and caught them at the end of the second one.  Down the road, the past them and up the road, on my own, to the Nun.  Nice big rest up here before heading in.  

Not on form, but rolling pretty good.  Blasty blasty all the way down to the midway, then up and out over to Governor's, taking this very easy, as it bit me last time and also it was greasy as hell, given recent rain.  Very easy...  even dabbed through where I'd crashed last time and took it easy round the back and into the climb.  Cleaned most of the climb for once, tho stopped a few times for air.  Didn't clean the very top, but did clean the step-up just before.  Back up the road to midpoint of Nun and then chased some Park-muppets, catching, releasing, catching, them finally they realised but I hooked up to road at Kiwi and down and across Dyers back up road to top of Vic,  

In the usual way, around over the jumps and see-saw, first few Brake Free and then rockgarden and gums, usual route, switching and swatching, bombing and drombing, through to 19th, then down road and into 235, bombing this with style and then hup hup, over and down the final run.  And home.

A smooth 11.8 kms done with 440 m climbed.

Snaffled some lunch then did a big walk up around the Sugarloaf...  Heesh.

Thursday Night Night Ride, Right?

Had been talking about doing Living Springs, til I remembered Dyers Pass Rd is shut at nights, which would have stymied our return...  So Nelson came up to my place anyway, and we headed up through Vic for 'the Usual'.  Climby climb, through my 19th Memorial route, into Skidder and up the shitfuckcrapgasp climb, refill water at Brakefree and on up round Worm onto the Traverse.  Good roll across here tho I was struggling entirely too much.  Annoying we both gave way to a descending E-biker, to whom I muttered under my breath but audibly, "Hmmm, e-bike, should give way to others."  Around we went and discovered the dumb-ification of the trail from the top of Lavaflow, basically Teddington Shit compacted to concrete-like surface, for the Ebikers I guess!?  

Also a re-route and new entry to what was Four Pause(forever now to be called HuntsburyDH).  Stopped for a look before heading down.  I then proceeded to eat dust.  And visibility was awkward due to said dust too.  Oh well, blast blast pop pop...  Good ride then across the lower to the cattle grate and I led into the Rocky Ridge trail, 'Rock Up', and we negotiated this with some skill and some unbalance (from me).  Bomb down, jumpity jump, avoiding the usual, and all the way to the bottom.  Then, back up the main drag of HUnts, tho, going through the gate and across onto sheep trails and back up the DH.  Stopped on the landing strip to watch for the Space Station (thought it was meant to appear at 7.27 (had that wrong - was 7.42!)).  It didn't so we climbed the road, hit the Traverse and headed around.  At the Sugarloaf place we often stop, I looked up and spotted it (7.44pm), just as it was fading...  On around, feeling a bit better, but still struggling with the dust (my eyes are red and sore today).  

Into Vic and across, just catching the gap jump (kinda almost from below), and when I landed "CRACK", feck!, my back end was locked out!  D'Oh.  Reached down and unlocked it and then from the rabbit paddock I led into the rockgarden and the gums cos Nelson was getting tired.  Bomb bomb, nice run, swooping around and through, all the way down, then onto trail below 19th, skimming through (meeting two climbing riders) then up onto walk track, and down the Tawhairanui Track, fair game at night, and across Dog Carpark into the fun twisty pylon descender, through, up, back up road briefly and down behind the houses at full noise to home.

A cracking 13.75 kms, with 491 m gained.

Thursday Night Lights Foggy Delights

Caught up to Nelson as we were both driving up Mt Pleasant Rd. Parked on Parkridge. Fog was building on the top of Mt Pleasant, half way down Britten (whereas the rest of the hills were clear, d'oh)  

Got riding up the tarmac and in through the Upper Major Hornbrook entrance into Britten, good climb up here, into the fog, amazing light as the sun was setting as we rode, glowing through the fog behind the Macrocarpas as we cruised around the front.  Dusty.  Across the road and up over the fence above the cutting, dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, getting confused by trails here, but taking the non-zigzag Crater Rim trail (that i rode last time i was up here) behind the Gondola.  Down the steps, blop blop blop blop, then rocky tech fun down and along fencelines etc to the top of the Bridle Path top.  

Up the Crater Rim walk track, climbing til we couldn't anymore, then walking a bit, then riding like being drunk through lack of light induced loss of balance.  Light finally failing when we stopped for a break at the peak.  Fog had followed us to here, making it super moody.  

Lights on, low (to save battery I didn't know how much of I'd have), and down the poppity steppy rocks, baulking on one, but rolling the rest nicely...  Into the climb, I think I made about the same progress as Tuesday, heigh-wise, meanwhile Nelson clambered right up to the corner...  Rolling again, trying to use minimal light, and thereby failing a bunch, finally lighting up good and rolling down around and up to the entrance from Castle.  Into the Tors descent, fun times, dabbing a couple extra times to Tuesday, Nelson blasting out ahead.  Definitely bonier than the past.  

Up the road and into Castle Rock.  Excellent blast down this, not quite as raily as Tuesday but not far off.  Climb was slower but smoother.  Out onto the road, no lights for a while, just basking in the glow of the city, but under the Gondola we started seeing things and so lit the scene for the rest of the way to avoid riding off the cliff.  Through into Cavendish Saddle, and up the trail towards Mt Pleasant, dropping down to the road where we'd come up earlier.  

Around original line of Britten staying below the road, then into the descending blast.  Dust and fog, left at the hairpin across the face and dropping funtimes down down rocky tech at the bottom and out to the cars...  

Good spin, 12kms, worthy 455m climbed

Let it be noted here that I had not a single night ride in 2020 (due to my back).  This was the first since September 2019

Tuesday Afternoon Jaunt, There and Back

At the bach for Easter, no bikes present, just walks and swims.  Home earlier than expected on Tuesday (teacher's only day for kids), so had time to get a daylight ride.

Up from home, keeping it puffing on the way up, then grovelling up the grovel from the skidder.  Up through for a water refill at Brake Free then up the Worm and onto the Traverse.  Not a bad ride around here, keeping the heart-rate up and pushin' on.  Paused at Four Pause for a pause, but decided to just stay up high today (couldn't face more climbing than necessary).  Across to Vernon, clambered up this and then blasted down, flying across the Rapaki-top and straight into the Witch, shifting down as I climbed then cleaning (only just) all of the tech and motoring around to the high point, stopping for a well earned break.  

Rolling again, up the road cruising nicely to the top of Castle, pausing only briefly before dropping in.  Slightly pingy blast down here, but cleaning it, no close calls and bombing down.  Brief pause for air at the hairpin then on down and a bouncy climb out, easing through the final swoops to Bridle Path top.  Grabbing some air looking at the view of Lyttelton, then back up the road.

Only til I got to where you can clamber up onto the walking track to climb up around above the road onto the Tors track, straight on blasting down this, tackling the tech with and audience of a couple of young riders down on the road.  Cleaned the usual stallpoint, but then stalled after it.  Bomb down across road onto fun singletrack above the road, nice run through this back to Witch.

Nice cleaning of Witch again, bomb down then climbing the road, ugh, around back to the Traverse, straight in, keeping on pushin' on, blaze blaze blaze, over the jumps in the top of Vic trees, over the See Saw, first couple Brake Free jumps then into the Rock Garden and across the top of the Gums past my cleared log from a few weeks back.  Rolling nice again.  Around, down through my favourites, all the way, then nice relaxing coast down the road and into the last blast from the carpark, swoop swoop, scattering a mum and two kids walking, final climb, up to Microwave tower and fast blast down behind the houses, home.

Good blast, a worthwhile 20kms with 762 metres ascended

Week of late March, walking and fatbiking for Work

Wednesday 24th, took a Hilux and a few workmates up to the Ashburton Lakes and drove in the 4WD track past Lake Emily, onwards down to the Stour River, across this a few times upstream towards the Manuka Lake and just beyond to where we met fellow workmates already in there.  On into the Swin River area where we would work for the next few days.  Got a few rides on my Fatty in here.  Was rather good.  The views are spectacular.

From on the way up the hill... (toy truck below)

Popped up to the Double Hut.

View from hut...

Rode a bit from plot to plot, and around the place a bit.  We drove back out to Lake Clearwater each day (1.5 hours or so).  Second day on the job, checked out down this 4WD track to see if it was an easier way in for future.  Rode down but only mapped back up.  

3rd day, dropped fatty off, drove up, did this lots of walking ... then rode from there, back to the hut for the night..

This one was the last day, after the night at the hut, the boys took off in the truck and left me to bike from bird count to bird count, with a quick walk up hill to line 17, then down valley and walked out and back on line 14, (mmr clipped at a later date) and then 4WD'd down valley .

Saturday Batter-day, Vic Traverse Chunt Skool Vixxed

Yes. T'was a good'un.  Up from home through Vic, climbing well but still gasping for air.  Left up Worm then haul around the Traverse.  Let a fair few through.  

Chatted with a dude with a Vizler dog for ages at the top of Lavaflow.  Then I rode round and hit the Four Pause down, popping good jumps.  

Down the landingstrip section of trail and then peeled right and found my way into the Rocky Ridge route in.  Still havent quite found the entire thing, but got more this time.  Down, nearly hit the bigger jump up top, but didnt.  Then bypassed all the wooden features lower down, but ended up on the line into a big rock jump part way down.  Then finished on the final jump hit no problem, and left around up the new route we've found. 

A zig and a zag near the fence saw me still have to push the bike up the rocks i could have ridden round.  Up through the cattlestop and left across the paddock to the route we often take to the single track just below the rockyridge bit.  

Up around and over dropping down to Old Skool.  Down the steep rocky bluffy bits I came across a couple of girls looking at the big droppy descent.  I came in and baulked, it looks way more heinous than the past, big wheel eating hole n all.  The girl pointed out a side line, which I thought looked okay.  A joke or two made about how embarrassing it would be if I crashed it.  Rode it, with aplomb and they both cheered.  Onwards down I bombed swooping it down through the rocks and off camber switchies, then into the Old Skool proper, hearing the girls above as I dropped in.  Nice run through this, all the fun.  Bomb bomb, spotted someone way below, thinking I probably wouldn't catch them, bombed a bunch more around down and he pulled over for me in the lower switchbacks.  Out the finish and straight back into the climb up the valley.

Clamber clamber, dude on e bike motored past in the steepest bits.  Stopped for a change and rest and snack at Hospital Corner.  Then got riding up valley, through the gates, past the no bikes sign and the trail is tidy as, upgraded and easy.  Still steep but not struggly tech anymore.  Last bit is tho, then across the easy rolling front to the bottom of Brents (exit from Vic Park to Flow/Bridges etc).  In here, then up the skidder trail next to Brents.  Ugh, walked. Too steep.  Phonecall from dad then riding up the rest, past the 40, up up around to the skidder.  

Straight through, then down CAP this way hanging a right off that and out to 19th, down road, into funnest local, bomb swoop flow, then around, up, and fast down behind houses.  Home.  

Almost exactly 14 kms, with (surprise to me) 595 m climbed.  Not bad.

Wednesday Night Richmond Frog Pleasant Green Captain

Great ride tonight. Watched NZ win the America's Cup then jumped in the car and skedoodled around to Scumnervale to meet Nelson.  I had a plan that didn't involve going up Captain Thomas.

We headed down into Slumner-proper and around into Richmond Hill Road, riding up this grunter, and to punish us more, a headwind up the main ridge, me surprised at my ability to nearly keep up with him.  I didn't flag and we made it up to the top with no issues, stopping a couple of times to check out For Sale signs.  Dropped down the stormwater catchment reserve, and onto singletrack climbing into the valley and then upwards out of the valley towards Clifton Tce, then around and up the rooty trail no-longer under trees.  Quite exposed here, with the southerly ploughing across the Gethsemane Gardens.  Into the Frog Pond climb, both cleaning the entrance which I'm pretty sure we used to fail on (due to overhanging branches of the trees that aren't there anymore).  Good climb up the rest of it, up around and on up to the pine tree stile and then up the rest to the big pines.  Across into Sheep Shit Alley, climbing climbing, feeling good and strong the whole way.  

A break on the road at top of old Greenwood entrance, then off up the road and up Broadleaf Lane, into the gravel and still feeling good powering up this climb.  The hill work I did over the weekend, clambering for work on the Hawkdun Range, definitely benefitting me (since the pain of Tuesday had gone).

Wind singing in the tower guys, we hit the trail down.  Excellent blast, I was on Nelson's tail pretty much the entire way, following closely.  Surprised myself how well I held on, but once heading around towards Gloomy Gulch he lost me.  I just couldn't keep up, then I took a weird new high line before the boardwalk section, but stayed high too long and basically couldn't get down, having to dab down onto it.  Luckily he'd stopped around the corner and we had a break while watching a crew of 6 or so down the trail below.  Jumped on and got fanging, bombing the rocks, wafting the walls and dropped around into Dangerous Dave's squiggles, flying, and maintaining my tight-on-his tail position all the way down.  

Across the road and onto the Captain.  Another excellent blast down this.  Again, really holding on all the way down.  Wicked blast.

A moveable feast of 13.75 kms, with a veritable 561 m climbed.

Sunday with Oatie

A week off the riding, mainly due to weather and a field trip, which involved a couple of shortish walks in the Mackenzie country looking for critters...  

Sunday morning, finally O and me skudded out for a local spin. We headed up into Vic Park, wondering what event could be on given the number of cars parked all the way up the road.  Get to the gate and it's shut, road closed, "Gate stuck due to vandalism" sign on it.  Around and on up a nice quiet drive, up through past 19th, skidder and up the steep.  My breathing was big, tricky, troublesome, but I powered up and it was one of my best, least painful yet.  Up past Brake Free and up then across Worm and out of the trees onto the Traverse.

Good blast round here, only having to pull over a couple of times.  O was doing well all the way.  At the top of 4 Pause we pulled up and positioned ready for the descent. I dropped in, and bombed it.  Lots of fun, swoopy goodness, weaving and diving, jumping all the jumps, good flow.  O bypassed most jumps, just not quite confident on them yet.  Down the continuation next to the landing-strip then across through the cattlestop into the next section.  Stayed on the main singletrack down here, bypassed that first big jump, careened over the next one, through the next cattlegrate, weaving down under the pylons, skipping the wooden features, but jumping the rest.  At the bottom, I nearly launched the big finale, but hauled up at last second.  We had a good look and decided it wasn't so bad, so both went back up for another run at it.  O took it first, launched and no problems.  I followed, and I don't know what I've ever been worried about.  It really was nothing.  Will ride in future.

Back into the climb, chatting a bit with a South African (?) dude riding with his kid who'd watched us do the drop jump.  We left his kid behind so he turned back and O and me continued up the main drag.  Really didn't mind this climb either, except my lungs were feeling it.  Back onto the Traverse, and a great blast around this, all the way back and then decided to hit Upper Fenceline.  First steep after the fence/cattle grate got O, his brakes not quite up to the steep, but once back through the fence and on the trail proper he was all good.  Nice waft down through this and around into the trees and back across and then bypassed all the descending trails to ride back up out to the skidder.  

Climbed up over the 19th, down, around the road, and I dropped into the dog-park-car-park trail, railing and nailing it.  Awesomesauce.  Final climb back up and then the rapid descent behind the houses, launching the jump massively, and blazing down the final bits to the end.

The usual solid, 14 kms there and back, 485 m gained

Monday after working at home, I headed up about 4.45, walking with Jet, up through the dog park and on up through the skidder and up into the gums to finish off the log up there.  Wacked at it for a while and chipped my way through it, clearing the track.  Walked back down, a good pace with one or two bits of running, and back home by 5.45.  One hour, 4 kms, and a log finished. 

Thursday Night Narrow Tech

Met Nelson in Taylor's and we headed up the Escape... 

Nice cruise up the valley bottom, and stopped a the first rock feature where Nelson proceeded to move and manhandle a bunch of rocks in an attempt at making 'a line' over a nice boulder.  I wasn't game enough to tackle it, the envisaging of a nasty tumble getting the better of me, but he cleaned it a couple times.  From here the climb got steeper and steeper, and quite nasty.  Then up in the head of the valley it strikes out across the slope, and needs some digging, big time.  

Off camberness clipping the uphill pedal something wicked, and grip?  Meh.  Kinda good grip, teeth of the tires digging in on the sides.  Will be good once it's dug, but right now is rather tech-knuckle.  A right, a left around the head then up onto the side, getting easier as you climb a couple zig zags, then a lonnng sidle climb til you're waaay above the car park and settlement, then a bunch of zig zags and another long run back up to the road.

Rode the road to Livingston, then decided on the walk track around the back overlooking the harbour.  Never noticed the exposure along here so much.  hmmm...  but great ride, and climb, I even cleaned to higher than I have in the past.  Up over then over the stile and the fun stepped descent ensued, blasting down to Breeze Col, across the tech slower rocks up to the Breeze Bay track all the while on the harbour side of the fence.  Climbed around Breeze Bay, lovely track this, and stopped at the Observation Battery No 1 for to film some jumps committed by Nelson.  (have footage on my phone).

Around the skinny run back towards Breeze Col above the road, quite fun in this direction, with a good blast to finish, then it was up the road back towards the new Anaconda entrance, bypassing this and bombing down the road to the Taylor's Escape entrance.  

Into the descent, lonnnng sidling, when into the wind I was eyes-full of dust, but back up valley was better with the wind behind.  Nice run in this direction.  The off camber gave me the willies, where I wasn't all-trusting of the grip my tires were actually perfectly capable of providing.  Nelson had no trouble at all, and even cleaned some rather tricky tech in the head of the valley.  I had the willies, but managed to stay aboard and the blast down valley to the rockfeature was damned good.  Nelson cleaned over this, but I held back, and then we blitzed back onwards down to the cars.  Good blast.  

An exuberant 11.2 kms, with 354 m ascended.

Saturday Morning Heated Steeps

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

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

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

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

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

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