Wednesday Night Living Moonrise Heavy Nettle Springs

Great, albeit short, ride at Living Springs tonight.  4 years since I'd last ridden in here. (and first ride with lights since September)+ 

Nelson picked me up and we jetted over the hill to the Allandale carpark.  A little bike maintenance, and a couple other cars pulled up and guys got bikes out of them.  We got rolling, up the valley, a couple new sections of trail and lots of new plantings (thanks Hannah!) all around the place.  Across the face and into the Totara Valley climb, all the pines gone now and a new line on the true right of the valley (where it used to be on the other side for a while).  Greasy clay/dirt down low, but drier higher up.  Up into some very dark Manuka, line changed from memory up here.  Eventually out to Rhymes With which was waaay more grown than the past.  Sat and admired the moon just risen and barely visible through clouds, then headed over the gate and up behind the Outdoor Education Centre, making our way up through the gums.  Steeeep, my first bit of walking where Nelson managed to ride.  Through the gate and dodging onga-onga, trail pretty neglected.  Cleared a log in the bushy gulley, and found the creek eaten out.  Tech riding with a lot more walking than I remember having to do in the past.  They've replaced the ladder-stile with a gate.  Up into the open to the cabbage tree, where we found the track very well sculpted.  Climbing, me walking again, climbing, walking, climbing.  Nelson rode all but one or two short walks.  Did I say it was steep?  Fiiinally got to the bench, pulled up a pew and admired the (almost) full moon, that we'd seen rising   

Rather decent descent begun.  Full on speed, careful carefully, down down down.  Through the gate, then Nelson kinda overshot the cabbage tree, but I holla'd him down.  Back across into the bush, through the gate (i oiled it cos it was super stiff).  Techy as, winding our way down, auto-checking for (h)Urtica, and having to walk through the creek washout (where I spotted my second weta(?) for the night).  Survived the close encounters with the nettle, and Nelson had the high gate open.  Through the gums, behind the Outdoor Ed Centre and down to the gate.  Spotted a light around the corner into Mississippi and got chasing, seeing it below all the way.  Fun weaving back and forth down this then around, easier climbing to Zanes than I remembered, and seeing more lights below.  Then diving into Zanes and bombing catching the tail-ender a wee ways down, and us managing the tech all good.  Out of the forest and found 3 more (2 of who were the guys at the carpark) waiting.  They were on their third lap.  We took off and around into Totara Valley, minding the grease, and Nelson slid-crashed at the bottom, one foot left attached.  Final bomb across and down through and back to the car.  

Only 8.57 kms travailled with a barking mad 500 m climbed.  That's a big ratio.

Sunday's Mucky Mount Grey.

Excellent solo ride today.  Hooned up to 'Lake' Janet and rode up the road, grinding wee climb that it is.  Missed the lookout just sticking the road for a change, then veered right onto the singletrack climb.  Seemed a lot harder than it has been in the past - sort of slipped a little in places making the riding very tricky.  then super wet for a lot longer portion than usual up out of the forest.  Wind was howling in the tower above, but was nice and calm where I was, most of the time, with occasional gusts popping over the ridge.  Parked up for a rest facing east, and then got into it, heading over the edge of the ridge, the wind making it very hard to stay on on the tech.  It became quite urgent descending, being buffetted, to the singletrack here, wind galing around.  Singletrack a bit rutted and mucky, but settled down after the worst of the wet bits.  Foot-plant method for the switchbacks, then nice roll down the rocky corner droppy bit, and not long later into the trees, foot-plant nearly all the way.   Lovely stretches of good sections, across the creek, on down, around.  For the first time, I headed up the 'lookout' track that veers left, and climbed it all the way up.  Not so much view, but a nice dry rocky ridge.  Back down and left onto the main track.  Good trip down here, passing a couple just before it got mucky.  And then muckier, and was mucky as all fuck for a good while down through all the mucky shit.  Out of the worst muck and trail gets dry again, babyheads and cornflakes.  Hairpins and met a dad and two kids and alsatian.  Clear run from here, lots of fun. Bridges, then out to the road, and the grinding climb back up round to the car - didnt meet any vehicles whatsoever til I got back to the car and chatted to a dude who'd just shown up.   

Mint. 13kms with 700 odd climbed.  I was feeling it in the evening.

Saturday Shopping Expedition via the Top.

T and me both on our E bikes, headed up from home, through skidder and pushed up the grunter.  I started my MMR there.  Rest of the way up through to top of Vic and then zoomed along the Slummit Rd all the way to Mt Pleasant.  Down here, left into Upper Hornbrook, Views, Ridge- and Clear-, then ally path down to Major Hornbrook proper.  Bombed down here, around, Freeman and Michael, Canon Hill, alley way down to Te Awakura then down St Andy's to the lights, over the bridge and across onto the new cycleway.  Hung a left into Charlesworth, and detoured to show Tra'y the TFC extension.  Onwards around Charlies then straight up Spinwood all the way.  Across Woodham and around the river to Swann's bridge, then back upstream along the river all the way to Pikos whereuponst I bought some of my flour.  

From here, a visit to Pom's for a couple of beers (wine for her) and chips, then home along the river all the way past the strip, etc, the long way, Grove, church, Simeon, Thorrington, eventually with plenty of battery (surprisingly) to spare (riding on the lowest setting for a good portion helped, methinks).

Reasonable 35ish kms (i started MMR late) with over 700m climbed.

Hungry Sunday Solo Hunts

On my own, no breakfast just coffee ( + green tea in the bottle).  Headed up the usuals, 19th, skidder, steep.  Up to top, and into Thomson#1 for a nice groove, then back up the road to top, down around the jumpies, hard right into Worm, and up onto the Traverse.  Good spin around here, stopping for a few (telling one group off for not giving way descending), then dropped into Huntsbury DH just after another guy had dropped in, slowly winding him in as we descended, flowing through the last gap right on his tail.  He hung a left on the older version of the singletrack just after that, and I followed, striking up a convo with him and him pulling over for me.  Bombed down through this then across the landing strip and seeking out the wee Rocky ridge entrance ways.  Climbed up the zig zag on the back of the knob to find my front wheel going flat.  Ugh.  Swapped out the tube and said gudday to Doug, and got going again, forgetting to unlock my rear suspension down over the rocks.  Down through the jumps, bypassing the odd one, all the way to the bottom of the dirt end of Huntsbury Ave.  

Turned back up the hill and climbed, and climbed.  Stopped for a rest under the cabbage tree below the rocky knob, snacked half a One Sq for 'breakfast' and continued on back up.  Gave some directions to a lost dad and son, then gravel ground to the top.  Back on the Traverse, good spin around stopping once for riders, feeling pretty strong on the climbs, then dove down the jumpies, see saw, brakestart then to rockgarden and gums dropping down through, out Skidder, road, 235, fun in there, wet landing off treebranch jump, then climbing, last blast drop behind houses to home.  Fun times.

Expressive 14.8 km with 525 m climbed

Saturday Morning T and R on the E and T

Beautiful ride today.  Up the hill with Tra'y, her on her E bike and me on the Troll.  Feels so good climbing on the Troll.  We rode hard through the Skidder and into the climb, with her getting miles up!  I walked up to her and we swapped bikes for the steep bit.  Back on, and riding climbing up all the way to the road.  Hung a left, and cruised nicely along to Castle Rock.  Here, she went off down the road and I took the singletrack.  What a beat up!  Hard work, but got smoother picking smoother lines, but feck it's rough.  Caught up to T just past the Bridle and we looked at the view and then turned back... There were people out everywhere, walking biking, running...

A bit over 20 kms, with an indubitable 762 m clambered 

Thursday Night Convoluted Topspin

Great wee ride tonight with Nelson, staying up high and looping about Mt Pleasant.   We'd figured ridgelines would be best given the amount of rain we'd had a couple days ago...

Parked on Parkridge and headed the usual byways entering Britten at the gate on Upper Major and singletracking up from there.  Zig and zag then at the top we hit the road and coasted down to hit the OG (Original Greenwood) entrance, peeling left into Sheepshit Alley for a nice cruisy descent.  This always has more upwardsness than I feel it did (considering the climb it is the other way), but a nice blast down and took the 'Moab' line towards the end.  

At the bottom we hung a right and cruised up the farm track, noticing for the first time a bulldozed fence line being put in.  Continued onwards all the way to the gun emplacements.  Bit of a tootle around here then rode and explored the closed Bluffs track to the point we couldnt.  Turned back and bombed down to the OG line across, me leading and juuust making it through all the tech bits.  

On the road again and back up to Britten for 'around the front' and then across the road at the cutting and up over the fence and up the very overgrown long grassed (especially for this time of year) zig and zag climbing all the way to the top of Pleasant.  Very pleasant to get to the top for a bit of a rest and snack.  

Dropped in, me in the lead, and pinging all over the place but enjoying the rocks and the down.  Carved our way through the tussocks and then out to then end.  Down the farmtrack briefly then dropping into what Trailforks calls Titus (Previously the Greenline/Greensticks/Swoopy).  Hero dirt stylez down here, carving back and forth with great gusto and grip.  Fun times.  Then climbing (what Trailforks calls) Knapsack but I call Sheepshit Alley back to the top for the final stretch along this road.  

Dropping into Britten, Nelson took off like a rocket.  I was not far behind but wasn't quite as gungho.  Good across the front then he missed a turn and I took the lead for the drop down, then we explored out to check out the rocks.  Back on track we bombed down the steep section (that freaked me out last time I took the Troll down it) and over the stile to hit down Kenton Track, this time all the way.  It was mint.  He led the first bit but took the high line (towards where I exited last time) and I went low, leading the last section.  Some awesome tech in there.  Finally, up the steps, pushing up alongside houses then out on to Rockview, and up Major Hornbrook to the cars.

A very pleasant 13.8 kms with 520m climbed.

Thursday Morning Along the Top and Back

T on her E and me on my Troll set out nice and early up through Vic, across skidder and up the gutser.  Both walked, I pushed her heavy bike and she couldn't believe how light the Troll was.  We cleaned the next bit to Brakefree then rode up to the very top.  Cruised the Summit Rd all the way to Cavendish Saddle, admired the view, then turned back.  Up Vernon we rode out around the wheelchair track which give some quite cool views I didn't realise were there.

At the top of Vic we continued down to Dyers Pass and bombed down the road, around down and into Vic Park Drive top-end, and back down through here.  I peeled off and did the 235 singletrack, enjoying the crap out of that, then out the lower end and home.

Lovely...  24.75kms and surprisingly 968m ascended.

In the afternoon we flew off up to New Plymouth for WOMAD.

Sunday Heated Head Loop

Feeling weary, took myself up thru Vic via the usuals, road, 19th, skidder, and gruntsvillian.  Across Brakefree and upwards to the top.  Peaked to the road and dropped down in, looping over the jumpies then straight into Worm and headed onto and around the Traverse to the top of Huntsbury DH.  

Dropped in, down upper HuntsburyDH, yumping the yumpies and then out onto the landingstrip zone taking the old line to the left over the rocks, and down.  New trail has been split off to the right for an out and back around but dead-ends, so back onto the dropster down to the cattlestop, and down Ali Express, attempting but failing the steepest rocky section I used to ride all the time.  Something about that wheel sized hole at the top gives me the willies every time.  On down the rest of it enjoying the tech, and around the off-camber ruts back and forth before hitting into the Old Skool.  

Nice blast down this, pumping the pumps and feeling pretty smooth.  Out the bottom and straight into the up-valley grind.  Very shortly overtaken by a young fit bastard, who proceeded to gap me all the way up the valley.  I bungled on, losing sight of him before entering the trees.  Grind, grind away, at Hospital corner I continued on up the valley.  Hot and still in here, I stopped after the bridge in a nice shady spot and somewhat unfathomably bumped into Doug. 

He's everywhere these days.  We had a quick chat and he headed down while I headed up, heat starting to get to me.  Walked a bunch and then rode the nice traverse across to the gulley below Brents.  Climbed up over the cattlestop thankful noone was descending hard, and then ground up the steepest bastard to the first 4wd section which was also insanely steep evil climb, stopping a couple of times for breathers.  Took a couple photos of cool fungi,

then ground on up the next not so bad steep to the Rad Zone.  Ugh, up to the skidder site, then easy over 19th again (due to trail closure on usual route), heat was hard... 

Lovely cool blast coast down road and into the 235 for a sweeeet descent in the shade on slightly damp dirt, jumpitty jump and oaked, then climbing granny, up road, last final blast down behind the houses and home.

Heated, nearly stroked, 11.9 kms, 502 m escalated.

Wednesday Evening Local Solo Zoop

Good wee spin on my lonesome tonight.  Quite warm out, and had been wfh getting new windows installed.  

Chuffed up from home, feeling fat and slow.  Usual over the 19th and up the skidder.  A young dude on a Santa Cruz entered the climb about the same time and proceeded to power away from me, making me really feel fat and old.  Survived the climb and proceeded up to the Thomsons, bomb down one and two, then coast through Kiwi and climbing up the road, a million gromlets rolling down the road towards me from the park.  

I bailed over the saddle onto the Gov's Bay track, finding it a little greasy.  Stopped for a quick blackberry munch (finding them a bit past it now) and kept going, around the south sidle and then climbing up the techy rockness.  Cleaned a lot more than recent attempts, tho still dabbed through or walked a couple of bits.  Over the top and dropped onto the lower Nun at the Drainpipe/CaptTorpedo juncture, floating down the rest and popping up onto the road.  Through Dyers Pass and up the Scummit Rd, past some groms walking(!) and on up to top of Vic (where there were more riders stationed).

Dropped in here, down around popped the jumpies, see-saw, then right-hander and along the fenceline up to top of Pedalfine where I perched for a little rest.  The dudes who were at the top of Vic boosted through the jumps and then headed off over down Shrooms/Cowabunga area, and I headed down Pedalfine, seeing them through the vegetation a bit lower down.  I peeled off to the lower left (like last time) and rolled nicely out through to the traversing 4wd track.  Looked at dropping down the bits I did last time, but decided against it and headed along to the bit that leads to Razza's.  Bombed down this, into Razza's and had a lovely hoon down this, one root nearly catching me out.  

Climbing again, up the bastard steepness to the Skidder, and strangely deciding to climb up the grunter again to take in the Gums.  Ugh, anyway, climbed, grunted, and out the top, quick drink and down the rabbit paddock and into the rocks, gums, back and forth, nice roll.  Through the bottom sequence and whooah!  Trail being worked on.  Climbed back up to Skidder and took the 19th route over, then down the road, rolly rolly, and into 235 for a final sweet burst, nearly greasy, good jumps, out through oaks, climb, onto road, climb, then Dog Park/Microwave Tower dropping fast down behind the houses and home.

An propitious 9.8 kms, with 420 m climbed. 

Thursday Night Captain God- Snake Escape -Ley Thomas

Good spin tonight with Nelsie.  I arrived at Sumnervale to find him already parked up, and having already tickled his drivetrain into submission.  We set straight to it, around Finnsarby Pl and across the redzone, along behind the gabion wall and into the grunt of a climb.  Stopped and ate some blackberries (which were a bit past it, in my mind).  On upwards, and both of us, tho mostly Nelson, muppetting and tweaky pinging all over the place.  It was like his balance was all off and he kept losing it, including having to step off over the bike on a couple of occasions.  Great climb (once you're past the bastard start) and it wasn't long before we were clambering over the slipped out gatefence and hitting the main drag.  Still muppetry ensued, with Nelson walking bits he probably hadn't walked for years.  I wasn't quite so bad, but still not 100%.  Eventually out the top and, given we were aiming to be back down before sunset, we took the road out to above Scarborough and headed up the farmtrack to the Godley.  

I led down over the boardwalks and through the curves, getting some great speed on, but bony trail was pinging all over the place.  No close calls but certainly on the edge a lot of the way, but gapping Nelson (for a change).  Through Livingston and Nelson led the climb over and down to Breeze, both of us getting a little hung up on the ruts after the pfmtbc rock (which it looks like hardly anybody rides anymore).  On the road back up the hill and we parked up at the top of the 'new' Anaconda entrance.

I dove in first, finding a lot of bones and looseness.  A little hairy around a few corners, and I couldn't quite get my flow on in this top section.  It's hardly used, by the feel of it.  Once in the OG snake I was away.  Started off a little slow but once speed was up I maintained it.  Super sketchy around some corners, and a few mega pings, but out onto the 'tail and struggling to keep on the offcamber, overgrown grass.  Then through the cattle grate and the final bits were plenty fun.  Managed to gap Nelson a bit too, which is always a bonus..  Straight into the Taylor's Escape trail, I put him out front again, and of course he slowly increased the gap on me.  Man it gets steep in the gully, but the going certainly improved as we clambered.  One rider coming down towards us, she waited off side for us.  Big corners, then across the top, and on the last hairpin I lost my balance and tipped, hand out to steady, I super-struggled to extract my foot.  Strain.

Onto the road for the climbing, up around the launch pad (lots of these floaty guys around today) and then after taking in the view of the spit and Scarborough beach (pumping!) we headed up the farmtrack again. 

Another break at the top then into the Godley, which I led and caned!  Awesome flow through all the rocky mess, and I finished by taking the walking track bit, coming into the last corner just after Nelson on the main track.

Across Evans, another quick break, both feeling pretty stuffed, I led into the Captain, into what proceeded to be a cruisy fun ride down.  All good, flowy, fun.  On the wee climb after the rocky bits I changed down too low, and spun out, managing to dab my way up it, but Nelson had selected the perfect gear and cleaned it!  first time in a while.  Flow flow flow, over the gatefencehole, and then overgrown techknuckle followed.  Fun, but on your toes, tight, lots of narrow and holes getting bigger, cool rock roll overs, trees to duck, so much fun.  In the pines I got a call from T, (how long?  half an hour??), and then down the finish, back along behind the gabions, gorse stinging salty arms, and then I found a grape vine and we gorged.  As we rode through the red zone 3 paragliders landed over us in that paddock.  Back to the cars and done, 5 minutes before sunset.

Moderately valid effort, 20.64 kms, and 8 m shy of 800 m ascended.

Another Shorty with the Doge, and T, on the Troll

Ebike Tra'y and me on the Troll quick spun the doggy up the hill. He ran and panted. I rode and panted. Tra'y just toodled along. We parted ways and I took Jet down the 235 trail for a good hunk of fun. 

Just over a mile again.  One happy dog.

Sunday Short Local Dog Troll

Love To Ride month and needed to keep up the content. Forecast leading up to today was looking like it was going to be shitty but it turned out to be a lovely day. T and me were intending on going out for another e-hoon but got stuck into the garden instead, so later in the day I took Jet out for a wee blast on the Troll, keeping it very local.  Barely worth mentioning, 1 mile with 50 m climbed, but greasy fun with inappropriate tires was had.  And the dog loved it!

Saturday Morning Summit Eeee-berries Breakfast. Then Late Afternoon Troll to Dinner

T and me took our ebikes up thru Vic to the top.  Down the road to Kiwi, and then a long way out the Summit Rd, checking out the views, and Omahu Bush all the way to Ahuriri cattlestop, overlooking Teddington.  Then turned back. Stopped and feasted on blackberries several times along the way.  Totalled 25 kms with a good chunk of 800 m climbed (with e assist, obvs)

Later in the day, I jumped on the Troll, rode up the hill to top of Vic then most of the way along the Summit Rd, into main (V-twin) Britten entrance, taking it easy on the greasy singletrack then across the front and down the steep to the pylon (nearly losing control here - street-tires on steep dirt, not so good).  Bombed down Longridge and Mt Pleasant Rd to Joy's for a family dinner.  Just under 15 kms and 570 m clambered (non-assisted...)

Friday Night Fatty, Dog Run

Weather inclement all day but no precipitation and dog needed a spin so I took him out on the fatty up into the park. Some good climbing and singletrack fun times.  Up the walking track, then bottom of dog park, back down road a little, down the access track then climbed up the 235 dh track.  From carpark, across road up onto the 'new' zig to behind the slide, around through the picnic shelters and up the walking track over behind the infocentre, then up behind the ranger station behind 19th, as usual to Skidder, then up the gutzer...  hung a hard right before the cattlestop and sidled along to start of Sesame St, flowing through into the Gums trails, fun blast down this all the way to 19th, then below road cutting up to Tawhairanui, poaching this, then from Dogpark carpark down the fun single and home.

Minimalia, 4.15 kms and 137m climbed

Saturday Afternoon XC Intro Ride For Paul

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Arvo Death by a thousand Climbs

Oh..  E-biked with the fam to Nostalgia Fest and home again on Saturday.

On Sunday I managed to get out on my own for a couple of hours of climbing and descending, climbing and descending, then climbing a bunch and descending again.

Around about 3 pm, headed out and up the usual route, hot in the sun but a good bit of wind around.  Over the 19th and through the skidder and into the grind up the grunterbastard.  Bumped into Nick from work with his fam at Brake Free, then rolled on up to top of Vic.  Dropped straight into the jumpies, around them then back up Worm to the top and dropped down over the cattlestop-stile-thing into the top of Pedalfine.  

Nice bloop bloop blootch down this, not turning left at the usual spot but slightly further down, which led me onto the lower part of that usual route at about that wee bridge, rolling out onto the 4wd track and dropping into the new one I've been eyeing for a while now.  It took me across RadiGarden and eventually down to where Pedalfine comes out on the next road-track down.  A couple of features I wasn't game to take on blind, but that I rolled (except for one log) from a standstill.   Left out to the Radi/Rad/Raceline intersection, climbing back up the Access track here to Razza's.  Nice drop through here, riding good, then hung a right and climbed back up to the intersection again, this time dropping into the rest of Pedalfine, good blitz down this section, then climbed again on Access track up to Rad^Sick finally hitting up the jump I missed Thursday.  Across same route as Thursday to Sneaky Ridge, dropping down this finding some nice lines, then dropped into Bridges, nubridges and bombed down the valleybottom.  

Into the Hidden Valley climb, gasping but cleaning it all, around and up to high point for a brief pause before hitting Old Skool bombing.  Much better run down here not worrying about the rear wheel being supposedly flat.  Straight into the climb again, grinding up the valley.  Stopped for a poke around in the bushes at the bottom of Hospital, eyeing up my future climbing trail.  Pretty dense country, but the bush is tall enough to get through, just a matter of cutting out the gorse and blackberry.  Up K2, walked a bit, then onto the sidle-climb through the pines, and stopped on the ridge for a over and below as to where the track might come.  I reckon it can be done, will involve a few switchbacks.  

Climbed up under Texaco (27footer) and up the shit climb.  I reckon I've found another place here for a climbing trail...  Then up under Ponos and through the 40footer zone and onwards up around the climbs I'd already done to the skidder where I topped up my water/tea.  Into Lower gums out to 19th, below road, nice coast through forest, up onto wheelchair trail, onto road around to dogcarpark and into 235 for a rapid and loose but flowy descent.  Mint.  Popped the jumps good then out through the oaks, hard right up to road, climb again for one last time, and a fast bomb behind the houses. 

An 11.2 km jaunt, climbing a couple metres shy of 500.

Thursday Evening Out the Numb

Bloody good one tonight. I popped down at 5ish and picked Nelson up from Bowenvale Ave, leaving his car there, and we rode up into Vic from mine. Up thru the usual combo of: road, 19th, Skidder, gutser to the top.  Spotted a FLOCK of kereru from up here, flying past.  Musta been about 12-15 of them.  Amazing!.  Then dropped into both Thompsons for the funtimes they always provide (walkers leaping out of the way etc).  

From Kiwi up the Scummit to the upper Governor's bay trail entrance for a good blast down.  I was taking it a bit cautiously, not sure why.  Wasn't feeling on my game at this point.  Hit this all the way around above the dude's stone house then down the zigs and zags, progressively tighter and now flowing through very nice bushy tunnels.  Across the dude's driveway and stopped in the gums for a moment, then hit downhill trail, which was cool and had been a long time (over 4 years).  It was tinder dry.  Stopped at Reuters Park (halfway down, trail heading around above Gov's to the right), spotted some blackberries, then more, then more. 

Had a good gorge on them.  Then knucked in for the rest.  Across, then dropping down through the valley, cleaning all, nice and dry (wet in the past) followed by a couple of tight wee climbs, before sidling around a little more and dropping into the switchies to the finish.  This time (unlike the last two (only) times) we headed up up the road.  Thankfully hardly any traffic.  Bit of a grind but a hell of a lot less taxing than riding (and walking) up the singletrack.  From the Kiwi, up the road to the top of Vic.

Down here, around over the two jumps, see-saw, Brakefree, and onto Sesame St.  I baulked and rode nanna line into it, but had fun on the rest.  Through the skidder, lots of people here, and into Razza's which was fun as hell, steep and dry and loose.  Into Rad, I should have, but didn't jump the jump in here (gotta session it some time), then across into Sneaky Ridge for a rock filled gravity propelled gnar-fest down and around.  Nelson dropped me by taking the No Road Bikes section.  Jump of the fence and then down through nuBridges, bombing down the valley and straight into Hidden Valley Climb.  Hot work.  Around and we stopped at the high point for Old Skool.  Some blokes turned up, they rested so we took off.  Gooooood blast down here, but starting to feel tired.  Then I heard a rim-strike and after that was paranoid my rear tyre was going down and getting washy so was kinda nursing it down.  At the bottom I discovered this was not so, and we cruised effortlessly down the road to Nelson's car.

A superlative 527m climbed (740ish descended on account of starting high), with 14.8km roamed.

Sundazed Haute E-Townbiking

30 odd degrees, and T and me rode to see her dad 'the long way' then home via Bally's - 25 odd kms.  Then later (not MMR'd) rode to Smashies for a session... tootled home sans lights in the dark via footpaths...

Thursday Steep'n'Hot Ups'n'Downs in Urumau-ns

Parked up on Fosters and rang Nelson.  Him and Craig (who'd parked at the gondola and ridden over the Bridle Path (in 29 degree heat)) were at the top already so they headed off for a lap while I climbed to the top.  It was hot going.  Right to the top, I perched myself on the top of the rocks and waited.  Eventually I saw them come into view below, and saw Craig head off down, but Nelson coming up to me.  

We set off down Stormer, and veered into Zombie Lurch.  Nelson did the log ride.  I just wasn't feeling gungho tonight, so I stayed on the ground.  All the steepness tech was fine, but trickery like logs and big gaps were beyond me this evening.  Into the climb back up Sloanstar and ugh, but my puff was clear having had 2 blasts of asthma-begone before I left the car.  Around the front and up the zigs again.  

From the not-quite-top this time down Sunnyside, with Nelson taking a turn on the super mad steep drop off to the right.  I went down the top of Sunny and he rode to meet me there.  Then down this, loose dusty steep goodness.  Corner that's always got me before was fine and then we took a slightly further line out and down.  Climbing again, zig and zag to the top top again.  

This time into Jackasaurus, dropping over the droppy starts.  I really wasn't feeling 100% confident and so what looked like a gap jump but wasn't, spooked me.  Down to the gutsy dropzone, steeper than I remember getting to it.  I rolled in several times and then still chickened out...  Down from there and I cleaned some more good steeps that were probably just as bad as the piece I chickened out on.  Into Grommies, nice hoon down through here, not even hesitating to drop the log drop.  Around into the Slabstacles, rocky wall drops.  Good for a bit of a freak out but easy as...  Climbing again.  This time just up around and off down the new exit trail (which meander-flows nicely). And down to the car.

The ups are steeeep and the downs are tech.

Extreme ups and downs, minimal distance... 4.94 kms with 309 m (according to MMR -  but my calculation based on low points and high points is 351 m) climbed.

Saturday Family Slumnit Pico-tour

Family ride on Saturday. I was on the Troll. Paul on his roadie and T and H on their ebikes .. up from home, along Summit Rd to Sumner. Ice creams had, then home. I had a few mechanical issues - brake started rubbing, didnt have tools, borrowed one to adjust.  Then rear wheel slipped in dropouts and at Derek's I found out the thread in the nut was stripped...

Other than the breakage, a rather grand 38 km with 985 m climbed...

Tuesday Night Pleasantries and flats

Parked on Parkridge and we rode up Britten.  I felt full and hot and gasped for air.  Didn't help that Nelson was way faster, and we were talking a bunch...  Around the front and up to the cutting, across the road, over the fence and zig and zag through long grass up to some rocks overlooking Lyttelton where we watched a cruise ship depart as well as I layered off.  Riding again, couple more zigs and we were up to top of Mt Pleasant.  Nelson adjusted his brakes.  

Into the down, and the weed-eaten detritus was strewn all over the trail, hiding all the rocks.  Sketch.  I followed, then Nelson got gazumped by the same rock as another time, and I took the lead through the tussocks.  Nice flow.  Then into Greenwood.  Through the ruins, and into the rocks, I's tight on his tail then oh, flat, front tyre got lower and lower stopped and started to fix.  My glue was shit.  First patch came off.  After I'd put the tube back in.  Ugh.  Nelson's glue was new.  Got rolling again and had a good blast down Greenwood, except for him blowing it just after the Gulch.  Good rest of the way down.  Bony as fuck.

Up the Summit Rd.  Steady pace, nothing to report.  Stayed on the road, and into Britten.  Hmmm, my front's not feeling great.  I led on the stretch across the face (from the hairpin) and down the final rocks, by which time my bike was steering itself fatbike stylez, so reneged on riding Kenton's track down and riding back up to cars.  Bailed to cars.  

Verifiable 12.77 kms, with 544 m climbed

On the way home I picked up H's ebike from Joy's and as I couldn't fit both on the rack I chucked mine in the back of the car.  Halfway home the patch obviously gave it up, and a high pitched whistle filled the car for a few minutes.

Saturday Morning Out and Back

Bike service completed over last couple weeks, suspension, shifter cable (and derailleur).

Warm and sunny, up what felt early, had a coffee (no breakfast) and headed out, up through Vic, up through the usuals to the top, and popped around for the jumps then back up Worm and onto the Traverse for the slog across.  Lots of oncomers, most of whom I pulled over for (me being solo, them in groups, and giving me a rest before stuff).  Onto Vernon blast down around popped through cRapaki top and tech-climbed into Witch.  Feeling good right through.  Rest at highpoint (to let some walkers get further ahead), then caught them up just before the end.  Up the road, climb climb.  Chat to a couple of ladies at the top of Castle, then dived in.  Fun blast, lots of speed, bike feeling very good.  Hit the climb and cleaned nicely over to Bridle Path and it was time for the slog back.

Longish climb back up to Castle, then too many walkers on the Tors so I bombed down the road and onto the singletrack just above it in the next section.  Ugh, bad choice.  Totally overgrown, no view of trail in long grass, so hard to follow, balance, slow riding tech on unexpected rocks, and no speed to carry through any whoop-de-dos.  Out the end, into Witch, climbing to a nice rest, then bombing around to cRapaki top again.  Into the Vernon climb, and second hairpin there's 3 ebikes parked, one of the dudes lying on the ground with a very deformed ankle.  Ouch, I said.  On up and around, tiresome, but clean.  Over and down, across the road and straight into the Traverse for a good hoon back around here.  Into Vic, straight across into the jump, jump, seesaw, first bit of brakefree then out to the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums, zig and zag, a plant of some sort whipping me across my eyes (unprotected) and drawing a little blood.  On down, quite a few more low branches and angled trees though all this.  Out to 19th on the lower, then below road briefly to the corners.  Coast to carpark, into 235, lovely blast down here all the way to bottom and then road to driveway home.

Just shy of 20 kms, and just shy of 740 m climbed  

Saturday Paraparallelogrammetry

Evening before, T and me rode fatty and skinny down to the Excellent St Walkway for a look in the evening, and back... walked up the steps and back.

Last full day in the bay so I headed out for a solo at Para para... Parked, and rode up the road and into the DOC / Fairyland gravel road.  Gate open for a change.  I explored the first ridge detour, then continued on up to the highpoint seat (past my descender),

 then back down the road and into the descender.  Bombed down this, great run, 

then explored a few little side bits, then started around the pond, explored and downward trail (to private, turned back), and into the zig zag, but took a low line track which skirted all the way around the pond, then back into the zigzag up up up to the road, then up the road to the top entrance of this and down down down, then through the back track above the quarry, around the back and down, then down the main drag trails out with the final nasty wee peaky climb out to the road.  Bomb down this, then flat gravel back out to the car.

Fun wee 11.7 kms, with a valid 387 m climbed.

Golden Aorere-tunities.

Rode up the steep-arse street behind the Old Courthouse Cafe, across in front of the historic cemetery then down Excellent Street onto the main road for a bit then Plain Road. Gravel haul to the gold fields entrance then up to the farm, down through this then into the relentless climb into the goldfields.  Up for a long time, in vely slow low granny most of the time.  One or two really small downs, but always more up up up to the high point.  This was followed by a massively fast downhill through bush, then some short steep climbs and descents, then next high point, photo taken (same as last year)

Followed by lots of descent, through all sorts of terrain, gnarly babyhead rock gardens and slushy gravel and sand and all sorts.  fun.  Turn off to Druggans Dam, more ups, and downs, mucky bits, stream crossings and this climb.  

Then over and down to the Dam.  Rest in shade and then onto Water Race trail, in and out back and forth then past the caves and bombing down down down the trail, narrow, some bits super tech, some bits fast and rolly, down through the farm, out the gate and along the last section of road along to Devil's Boots still hauling ass.  Found family and friends post-swim hangin' in the camper. I grabbed a towel and wandered through to the river for a quick cooling swim of my own then it was bike on car and homeward bound.

Quite a butty 24 kms, with an acceptable 552 m climbed.

Odin's Day Redwood Mountain Master Beach Loop There and Back

Straight out of bed and onto the bikes, T and me rode into the wind down the beach to Milnthorpe Redwood track.  Parked the bikes and walked a loop nice loop, in the Redwood Trail, onto the Around the Mountain trail, left onto the Old Master trail, which took out through the middle of the swamp and out to the beach.  Walked up the beach back to the bikes and had a nice tail wind home.  

Nearly 7 kms, most of which was on the bikes.

Chooseday Fatster Beach Cruise

Good workout along the beach to Milnethorpe's redwood track. MMR only on for the return. (Forgot to turn it on till halfway along beach so thought better to record one-way (2.7 km, doubled to 5.42 km)

Rameka Tumeke

T and Phee dropped H and me at the high point (~5km in) on the Canaan Rd and we rode downhill from there, thru the Gathering site and onto Rollercoaster. He was a wreck because of a bad night's sleep in Mot and so hated any climbing. I enjoyed the chuff and grunt tho, through the groovy forest to the Harwood's Hole carpark and then the real climb began which he also hated.  We were overtaken by a young fella we'd seen who's parents had dropped him at Harwood's carpark, he was krankin'.  Then while we had a break at the entrance of the forest a couple of guys we'd passed in the car on the way in got to us.

Into the forest and lovely rooty trail that is the Rameka. Nice and dry (as it gets) with cornflakes all the way.  Was the driest I've ever seen it, but still had wet bits.  Creek crossings were all a bit more rideable than in the past.  Roots weren't slippery, which was good.  Fatty behaved wickedly, and Hugo certainly enjoyed it a lot more once we got to where it started heading down more.  

Speed hit here and we bombed.  A couple of new lines zigs and zags where it used to be the rutted guts.  We took another new easy one in the forest too, which was pretty cool.  Avoided where Wayno got the Dozer moniker.  Also seemed different in the gully before the rocky ledge, which also seemed more rideable with less walk on the worst rocky section.  The view from there.  

From here it was much longer than I remembered, bombing through to the official end of the trail.  Then into the Packtrack, which had more in it that I remembered too.  This was super fun.  And the tomo was further than I remembered too.  Missed the lowest section of the packtrack, taking the connector over the hill.  this has fast swoopy switchbacks and a couple of overhanging thistles were interesting.  One we both ducked for, it was at head height and would have really hurt.  The second got me good, right on the nipple.  Felt like it'd ripped it off.

Into Great Expectations, and we had a blast rolling down this, all the way.  Amazing where the water has sluiced one of the streams, cleared he vege completely.  Lot of fun back and forthing in here, into the conifer, into the regen, into the conifer, then regen the rest of the way.  Nice new bridge over the Rameka Stream and then into the Klicks.  These were fun.  both sections, then we popped out on the road lower down and there was T and Phee.  The went up the road to turn around and we got to do a couple more sectoins lower down, before meeting them again.

A muchly enjoyable 19.5 kms travelled, only 207 m gained, but a total of 950 descended.

Hot Friday Local

Back in town after no riding in the Bay due to the brakes being done on the Troll.  (have bought some xts for Troll tho!)   

Headed up from home, trying to stay in a bit of shade as much as possible, up the usuals through Vic, hot af up the grunter, then up through Thompson and Thomson.  Roll down through the Kiwi and up the Slummit Rd, up Worsley's Rd and into the Nun.  Stopped in the shade of the pine near the start to cool off a bit, then headed to the top.  Into it, and went to take that gnarly left hand line for the rocky corner, but damn thing was so overgrown eI had to go back onto the mainline.  It's had a bit of work done through it, so isnt quite as bony as it was.  Usual ways across the muppet highway and on down.  I spotted someone riding / walking up it a little lower down (below the road) and so stopped at a high point to wait for them.  First one up was a kid, "my brother had a crash"  I offered to ring for help etc but they were planning on walking all the way back up to the lift to take it down.  He was only a bit dusty and looked like his arm was well scraped up, but nothing broken.  I continued, bomb bomb bomb, up onto road again, and across the Kiwi and up summit to top of Vic.

Into Vic, down, around the nice jumpies, pop and pop, then haul up and over seesaw.  Hard right and nice gentle pedal up to top of Pedalfine where I rested in the shade of the trees and breeze.  Got going again, dropping down through the usual, and hauling left round.  First corner had a branch across it, so stopped and cleared that, then rolled on down, man it's loose, un-ridden and lots of leaf litter.  Onto the 4wd track, along and dropped into Razza's for a fun wee swoop down, then clambering back up, gasping, through Skidder for some water, and over to the left onto the continuation of the gums out to the 19th, then below the road down and off up, then onto the road, then into 235.  Good swoop through here, and grass cleared that was well overgrown last time.  Nice in the forest, bombing round the corners and leaping the jumps, then through the oaks and hung a right up to road, up road, dogcarpark and down the back of the houses, home. 

Nice wee loopy, 10kms, only 375m

Bike into the shop tomorrow, and Fatbike coming away with me to Collingwood.

Boxing Mini-tour to the Bach, mostly

Long one today... Quite the ride... Boxing Day, 11.43am, Troll equipped with frame-, seat- and basket- bags with sufficient gear to keep me clothed whatever the conditions, I headed up from home.  At the park the rear disc started to rub the mount so I pulled up in the shade of the pines at 19th to bend and adjust.  Got rid of the rub and kept moving.  Push up the worst of the skidder track then at Brake Free stopped and chatted to a couple I'd met at a Halloween party (the night before I got covid, so I asked "did you get it then??" Thankfully not).  Onwards up to the Summit Rd and a nice cruise east along this.  Good pace, feeling good, nice descent to Rapaki and nice descent to Bridle, with the requisite climbs in between.  

Into the Bridle Path and it's a lot steeper than I'd remembered...  Gravel surface, and scared pedestrians.  Jesus some people over-react to a bike riding past.  ffs, calm down, old lady, I'm not gonna hit you, and if you didn't hear me coming you should fucking be more in tune with your surroundings instead of away with the fae.  Anyway, my brakes started to heat up, then make some god-awful sounds.  And by the bottom of the road section it sounded like they were already metal on metal, and were rubbing again (but it was pads this time, not against the mount/frame - cos it went away when you slightly applied them).  So, down through town and to the ferry, with 5 minutes to spare for the 12.50 sailing.  Yay for metrocards!  Hot on the ferry, until out on the actual water, nice breeze and some salt splash through the window.  

Off the boat, onto the wharf and climbing up the road, to the shop.  Bought a peach ice tea and filled my first empty bottle.  It was quite hot.  Little more climb and then a glorious brake free cruising coast into Purau.  Been ages since I'd been here.  Into the climb, and feck it's hot.  I stopped a little way into it, in the shade, and plugged my t-shirt onto my helmet to protect my neck.  This made it better and occasionally there was a nice breeze would kick in. 

Quite the climb up here, took a good hour or more with some walking thrown in.  Very few cars, couple of motorbikes.  T-shirt off head, and into the descent.  A 4WD had been past not too long before, but I figured they had a good lead.  But no, caught them up about 2/3rds of the way down and had to pull over to let them go as they weren't going fast enough.  But because the brakes were cooked and sounding even worse now I didn't want the risk of overtaking and then getting into trouble.  Totally horrible sounds emanating from them the whole way down, then zz zz zz zz once I was on the flat.  2.30ish, hour and half over from DH.  Baking hot in Port Levy, heat from the low-tide rocky shoreline.  Brief climb then here's the Pigeon Bay turn off.  

Narrow gravel road, nice gradient, cruised up this for a bit then decided to stop for a rest.  Nice shade, tree, text out to T warning I might need a lift - those brakes were not going to survive Little Akaloa Rd.  Snack.  Feeling better. 

Had met a silver toyota coming down, then a "Virtual 4WD Tours" Range Rover bombed past, uphill.  And prior to him I'd heard a motorbike in the distance.  Seconds after the Range Rover goes past I'm hearing the motorbike, then seeing it sideways then stop.  I ride up and the guy is pinned under it.  He was okay, obviously in a bit of shock.  Japanese.  Couldn't lift the bike, so I helped and we got it upright.  He'd been going really slowly, the Rangey had given him a fright, then he was kinda in the gutter and couldn't see properly cos of the dust, and had lost it!  I rode on, seeing the Rangy on the road above on the other side of the valley.  The climb continued.  At some point, around 3pm, I rang T and said I'd probably be an hour to Pigeon Bay, could she?  A little while later I see another 4WD heading down, across the valley.  I got quite a bit further up, monitoring their progress towards me, and surprised them somewhat.  Young teen driving, sedate looking father in the passenger seat.  Good on him teaching his kid gravel road skills.  Onwards and upwards.  A couple of walking sections, quite steep.  Quite tired. 

(this second picture is more-or-less looking directly home, the way I came, that saddle being the Purau-PortLevy one, and Cashmere is straightline behind it).  More riding, more walking, meeting a couple more 4WDs in convoy.  Then, nearing the top finally, one last one, and a final steep to walk to the summit at 500m(!).   

Into the descent into Holmes Bay.  Decades since I brought the Marina up over here.  This descent would be glorious on the fatty, or the Rocky.  But the Troll with no brakes, it was kinda nerve-wracking.  I had one close call, sudden appearance of a fast moving white Ford Ranger (Cord or Corde emblazoned on the side).  I kept well left, he 'freaked' foot off gas, veer towards fence, past and onwards.  Rear brake was barely doing anything, front was threatening to skid out on the loose gravel the whole way.  I wonder how Extra-terrestrials would handle this.  Likely a lot better than the Big Bens.   Hairy downhill, final glidey lovely speed into the bottom of Holmes valley, then the road widened up a bit and I was passed by a couple of smaller suv 4wds full of young folk on the final climb, leading to a glorious gravel, sealed, gravel descent of cruisy coasty goodness.  Past the refuse station and an interesting looking kid of the dump guy and through a busy party bach zone, arriving at the Pigeon Bay Valley Road end T intersection at exactly the same time as Tra'y.  

In the end, I'm quite glad I had to call short the trip at Pigeon Bay, my body wasn't really up to it - I was shattered from the heat and work of it all, and that final climb up PBay valley would have nailed me, let alone the rest of the climb up Summit Rd to LA turnoff (520m in total).  And no brakes on the LA Rd is no joke.

A rather solid 41 kms, with 1600 m altitude gain.

Wednesday Night Bony Captain Greenwood

Mint ride tonight with Nelson. We met at Slumnervale and headed back down Finnsarby Place (never knew it was called that) and across the redzone to hit the up on the old Captain Thomas exit.  Nelson cleaned his way to the steepest steps bit, whereas I lost it on below the first corner and struggled my way upwards.  Very muggy and sheltered down in here.  Once on the level tho it was good rolling, albeit extremely overgrown for a good portion of it, which we didn't really notice until on the return.  Mostly good climbing; Nelson cleaning more than me, I was just feeling wiped from the week.  The trail was really crunchy, sheep having wrecked it in the recent wetness.  Heading into a sugar crash, we had a break before the final climb.  I felt better once moving again and the hard bit before the last gate got the better of us both.  Final climb out to the road was okay.  

Long schlep up the road to Jollie's Bush where we avoided stinging nettle, walked and rode our way to the top of the bush, over the stile and then up the new walking route to the 4wd track which was much closer than we ever realised.  Up this and hung a right to blaze out the, also crunchy, old Greenwood entrance, out to the road, and up here to Broadleaf and up.  Cool dead stick insect on the road, probably 10 cm long and 7mm thick...  Hup up up to the top and a well earned rest.  Then we tootled to the highest point and took in the view before our descent.

Down through the annoying gate, and around to the stile, Nelson getting his sideways-action on on the rocks just beforehand.  Over the stile and the bombing began.  He led, I stayed on his tail until the tussocks where I kinda gained and lost and gained til losing more towards the end of this upper section.  Down the 4WD bit, and into the Greenwood proper.  Tight on his tail for a bit, even catching him a bit before the sidle, where he always loses me and then eventually he stopped after Gloomy and I caught up and we had another rest.  I led from here, keeping the pace up and fast and a good blast down, all the way, losing my speed in the first rocky up with the wrong gear.  On out to the bottom, overall a good blast.  

Through Evans and up a little for another bit of a rest before dropping into The Captain, him in the lead.  Big gap to start but I'm pretty sure I was slowly gaining to the gate, then we held pretty tight the rest of the way down.  It's SO bony, rocks poking up where they never were, trail embedded in itself by the sheep traffic.  Eventually, over the fence into the old-skool section, discovering just how overgrown the bastard was.  Quite low speed compared to the usual rush, never quite knowing where the holes were, or rocks, hidden under the grass.  We both survived our nemeses, my tree and his rock, and got out to the bottom and back to the cars in one piece each.

A surprising 631 m climbed, over a rather bony 15.4 kms 

Rainday Sunless Troll

Excellence was had.  Getting on into the evening and no ride had been possible all day due to rain rain rain.  So, as somewhat of a test of the mudguard system I've experimentally set up on the Troll I headed up the hill.  Great to get breathing, standing and cranking my way up the hill.  Took the new zigzag from the top of the dog park, then the wheelchair route over the Info Centre knob and down the zig at the back, then up road to H.Ell Track, riding up this, naughtily, but thankfully not meeting anyone, all the way to the top.

Up the road and into the first Thompson, amazingly cleaning this the whole climb, greasy roots and slick tires no problem.  Then up the ramp and cleaning this too!  Into the second Thomson, climbing again, stopping to rest once, but cleaning the rest of it.  At the top of it I hung a left and followed the 4wd track down, over the gate and then down the main drag  at a hell of a speed into the Skidder.  Then just down the road from here, meeting my first other people/car just before I peeled into the driveway.

Not that big, but fun and wet, 6.4 kms with 214 m climbed.

Friday Long Way to Work

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

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

Thursday's Whole Lotta Climb

Nelson and me out from my place. Usual up over 19th to skidder into Razza's, sweet blast down, quick climb up the radzone to next corner to drop into lower Pedalfine.  At the skidder track, a brief climb back up towards Rad. up and back for no real reason other than a look, then hooked into the lower end of Pedal for a blast down and out onto Flow/Bridges and all the way down to Bridges-Nu.  

Railing down the valley bottom and into Hidden Valley, catching a couple of guys in here.  Around the corner under the pylon and there were a hundred Enduro riders, clusterfucked all over the hill, waiting to start their next stage. We pushed to the front and dropped in ahead of their race. Excellent blast down, tho I was getting tired by the bottom, photographers practicing their shots on us as we descended, and a crowd (like 10 people) standing watching us at the bottom. Tiring. 

Down Bowenvale Ave and around Centaurus to cRapaki..  Up the road, and first gravel then into the new Elevator trail. Pretty good climb, not bad at all. Rinsed me a bit tho, seems way longer and more effort that the piece of cRapaki that it bypasses would consume. Stayed on the singletrack across above the flat zone of cRapaki, then on the main drag struggle street for the rest of the climb.  From there it was on up Vernon, and into the Traverse for a often fog bound cruise around here. 

Into Pedalfine start, peeling left and out on the diversion which was looking and feeling pretty rarely used. Skidder over 19th again and down the road to the dogparkcarpark into 235, very overgrown entrance, excellent bomb down here over the yumpies and through the oaks.  Last climb and last blast behind the houses.

Exhausting 21.5 kms with 624 m climbed

Saturday Jack's Dubiousness

After Arrowtown we drove along the Remarkables for a closer look, stopping at Wye Creek, a wee walk up the track to see the river and falls, then back to car.  On the way back towards town I got it in my head to ride back from Drift Bay, over the Jacks Point trail, thinking I'd go right round Kelvin Heights and back to Frankton and up to the house. T convinced H to accompany me, and so off we set.  

Quite a fun wee descent towards the lake, then sidling around towards Maori Jack Rd, sort of just above the shingle beach, matagouri and scrub and grassland, open flat lakeside country.  It was fine around the lake, then gravel road up to Lodge Rd carpark, and then we headed up the Jack's Hill track, and the climb half killed H. Relatively steep, and legs tired, he struggled.  Good switchback steep down the other side, then rough, overgrown, rocky tech  and up and downy, with several walks due to steep and rough conditions, around the butt of the hill and it all proved too much for H.  So, with rain threatening, I rang T and asked her to come back and get us.  We got to the main trail (which was Queenstown Trail level easy, and climbed back up towards Lodge Rd, eventually bombing down this to a waiting T and car..   

A measly 7 kms, with a couple hundred m climbed, but rough and tiring for tired boys.

Saturday Rude Water Racing Bush

Tra'y dropped H and me up at Coronet Peak (opening day for the season up there - carpark wasn't too full).  We treadled up onto Rude Rock and got descending. Whooee!!  It was fun times.  One chute that H couldn't handle, but otherwise he had the best of times.  We even over took a few people.  

Across the road and dropping down towards Hot Rod, but sidling onto the Water Race, taking this all the way across the face.  A very nice sidle (tho incredibly weedy), through a few wee nice bushy gullies, one or two exposures, and only minimal climbing.  

Finished with an awesome blast down Bush Creek trail.  This was fantastic, some good interesting tech, roots and switchbacks and creek crossings, and lots of bridges too.  Randomly bumped into an old school friend, Carol S., who I'd not seen for 30something years.  Her hubsand had a baby goat in his arms (they'd found it earlier).  From them we blasted down into Arrowtown where we met Tra'y and had a little lunch. 

Marvellously marvelous 15kms with only 180m climbed, but around 1000 descended. 

Saturday First Thing Popping to the Shops.

Needed a couple of supplies so after coffee I headed down to the shops and back.  Down the road then onto the Queenstown Trail around the waterfront, then up to Remarks Shopping Centre.  Down to the river, then along the Trail back again.  

10.8 kms, with 133m climbed 

Fried, eh? 7 Miles of Smiles

Quick morning ride on my own at 7 Mile. Parked at Wilson's Bay.  Headed around the DOC track and into What's up DOC, climbing ziggyzag styles up up and up to the Eagles Nest.  Looking for fun, I headed for Gravitron which swooped me down and about randomly throwing me into Loop 7 which lost me completely, but eventually climbed back up to the Nest and headed into Metolius which took me around to El Dorado which had some nice rock.  Into Cloud Burst for a blitzy descent, including an 'extra' little shooty drop to the exit climb back to What's Up to climb back to Eagle's Nest.  Time a ticking, headed back towards Kachoong, checking out the boardwalky bits briefly, climbing back up to Kachoong, blitzy blitz, onto Jack B Nimble, meandering to the midpointmeetingbit, into Grin'n'Holla cutting off onto IB55 to finish.  Back along the DOC track to the car.  Found a towel in the car so stripped off and dived into the lake to cool off. 

Minimal 5.14 km and 200 m even

Saturday Local Loopies

Nelson came over for an 8.30 start but there was a bunch of drizzle around, so we took our time getting ready, oiling and cleaning drivetrains etc. We headed out the drive and got a little way into the initial climb when I realised I needed my inhaler so we turned back home.  Once there, the rain kicked in harder so we stopped for a coffee and the weather had gone when we'd finished so off up the hill we went again.  I felt okay, given it was my first 'proper' ride since the covid (other than the Troll rides).  Plodded up, usual way over 19th, and up from skidder.  Nasty bugger this but I cleaned it and was breathing pretty good.  Up to very top and then down around the jumps and down through the paddock to the rocks and gums.  Greasy as trail in here, 2 wheel drifting.  I pointed out my log cut and we sidled out to skidder.

Dived into Shazza's, given the steeper ones were gonna be greasier.  Shaz's was not too bad.  It's been tidied a bunch at the bottom, directing you into Pono's which we didnt do.  Headed across into the Rad zone, and dropped down what could be considered the continuation of Razza's.  It is easy and sidles into Brents, to chuck you across to the far side, so down through the Macracarpas we flowed.  

Out onto Flow - Bridges - Nu Bridges, some tapes up for the Enduro happening on Sunday.  Down the bottom and into Hidden Valley Link track bonus up to Old Skool.  Dabbed in the top second to last corner.  

Old Skool was sweet.  Nice flow, nothing too drastic but a good pace.  Into the valley-bottom back up the trail.  Climby climby climb.  I managed all the steeps in the valley, but from Hospital Corner I had to walk a few metres.  Up under Texaco, then on up the 4wd, walking one little bit, then eventually up in the Rad zone another bit. Up to skidder and talked to a guy scoping out for the Enduro, then off into the singletrack to take us down to the road, then below road for a bit, and then cruising and into 235 for a fun blast in here.  Bit mucky on the downside of the first jump.  Then climbed up to Microwave and down the final blast behind the houses, home.

A well spent 10.7 kms, climbing a indubitable 442 m.

Thursdog Trollspin

So good to get out even if so briefly. Rain just starting up as we left home.  Short and sweet, dragging along the dog for the ride.  First time in way too long, recovery from Covid and Poteriteri field trip having got in the way.  Up on the Troll with Jettypuss, on the walking track by the road.  Avoiding another dog in the slide part of the park, then up to the sunset table, over and down behind, then back round, poaching a couple of sections of trail on the way, including Tawhairanui track. From here across the dogcarpark and into the 235 singletrack.  Pretty good.  Down to the jump and over, then stopped to chat to a few riders in here just finishing practicing corners.  On my way, right through to the H.Ell extension, across the road and down home.

Measly 2.6 kms, 75m climbed.  Happy dog.

Trolling the Chorlton Downs - a first effort post covid

First ride post-covid.  

At the bach for the long weekend, and brought the Troll with me figuring it's basically a 'gravel' bike.  Up to Chorlton finding my low gear as low as needed, with standing the final option but not walking.  From Chorlton I continued towards Okains, nice down, a couple of rollers then steep climb followed by a very nice cruisy descent. I took a wee jaunt up Wells Back (no exit) because I'd never been up there before, and had a nice rest at the top before a fat gravel descent back down to the seal.  Thought about turning back here, but was still feeling pretty good so I rode on towards Stony Bay, dropping down to a good view overlooking the Bay, still at 140 m altitude or so.  

Into the climb back and heading back, fast descents that were slow climbs the other way, but none of the climbs as bad this direction.  Super fast descent back into Little Ak, around waterfront and home.

Good climbs good times, 19.6 kms with 618 m climbed.

I was hammered all day Sunday and into Monday.

And then... the 'vid

... I got the fucking covid. First ever positive test on Sunday 30th...

Kibosh on any good riding for a couple few weeks  😩

Tuesday Night MacPleasant GreenThomas

Good spin tonight with Nelson.  We met about 6pm at McCormacks Bay.  

Headed up the Drayton Reserve valley (first since January - which coincidentally followed the same course).  It was steeper than I remembered. Lots of super extra chuff on the climb.  Onto the road, up around and up through the wee 'park' bit to Clearview, over the fence where the bath used to be and up thru Britten.  Cold easterly blasting across the heath, pushing us around a bit.  I was finally getting my breath back as we proceeded up the singletrack, not letting Nelson get away from me by this stage.  At the top headed around the front, tail wind pushing, and around to the cutting.  Over the fence and climbing again, Nelson getting his speed on and me breathing hard again.  Usual excuses, hayfever, asthma and bad sleep night before.  Parked up on top of Pleasant for a bit, and I chucked my jacket on.  

Climbed to the trig and took in the view, then dropped in.  Down to the gate, down to the stile, down through the rocks then tussocks, all hussing.  Cold-ass easterly howling across, lower down the tussocks Nelson took the old jumpy line to the left, and we found it sheepshit-raddled and grassy - no one seems to know it's there anymore.  Jumped down into the start of Greenwood proper, blasting across the ruins and into the rocks.  Around, and through the first rocky-af section, I focused on riding with right-foot-back after noticing my left leg getting sorer.  So hard to do, but I persevered 'til the corner, tight on Nelson's tail having to commit to the sketchy lines he was choosing.  Good blast, tail wind across the level bit before Gloomy, then Nelson got all snarled up (too tall a gear) through this and the rocks after the boardwalk stalled us both.  We had a rest here.

Then dropped into the next traverse and drop down, great blast the rest of the way.    and all the way down from there.  Audience in the carpark below for the final switchbacks.  Climbed up to Captain entrance and paused, seeing some riders below navigating the gate and the next section and through.  "Wanna lead?"  "Yeah, why not!? Let's see if we can catch them" so off I went first.  Good stretch across the start.  Good blast through all of it, tho that rock I nearly crashed on a while back, I clipped a pedal juust as I was about to go over the drop, which could have ended badly but I held it together.  As we rounded a lower corner I could see one of the other riders carrying down the rocky drops, so got pushing and dropped through them and caught them, the last one just navigating the drop into the wee climb.  Both of us sketched this, and then we were chasing them down the traversy bit around to the old skook section, meeting them at the gate (which has had a massive slip right under it).  They thought we were the ebikers of their group.  We weren't.  Apparently they set off 15 minutes ahead of them and they still hadn't caught up (Scarborough, Taylors, Boulder Bay, Godley, Captain...).  They let us go ahead and we fanged off dropping them instantly.  I was in the lead again, good fun times.  Lots of little surprise slips and dodgy narrows, quite overgrown lower down.  I ducked the branch that wrecked my last helmet, and Nelson clipped his foot on the same rock that threw him another time.  Final stretch down was sketchy narrow overgrown.  Nice tho, and then the winter's erosion has laid a nice smooth solid mud surface behind the gabions (which will be hell in the wet).

Final legs, blasting around the road back to the cars.  Some lovely tail wind around the narrow corner at Shag pile, and then a pretty good blast along through Redcliffs...

A splendid 17.21 kms with (apparently) 672 m climbed.

Wednesday Accoustic Commutes, tick! Post 1300

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

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

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

Grand total of 15 kms with 485 climbed.

Tuesday Fatso up to Lumberjackery

Bad weather coming over next few days, with potential for snow, and I felt the need for a quick fatty up the hill to sort out that log blocking my favourite route through the gums.  

Chuffed up the track from our driveway, onto the road, and around up into 19th, bumped into Doug, over to Skidder then up the grunter.  Grabbed some water from the fountain, adjusted my 'suspension,' and rode down into the rocks, across, around, and down to the log.  (see my hatchet sitting on the log in the top picture...) Chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop.  

Took it's toll on my arms - must have taken 15 or so minutes hard yakka (cos total ride time was 28 minutes, but total time elapsed was 47 - you can see the location by the squiggly bit on the MMR track) Got through it in the end and moved the lower half well off the track, and tidied up the other sticks and stuff around. Pics or it didn't happen:

Pushed the bike backwards up the trail a bit ready to ride down and down comes a dude who obviously didn't even know there'd been a log there.  After he'd passed I jumped on and chased, not seeing him for quite a ways, him taking my exact usual route all the way down.  At the 19th, I was gasping for water, total cotton mouth, so I zigged and zagged up the grass to the fountain up there behind the olive tree.  Had to lay on the ground gasping for a bit before having a good guzzle.  From here, around through the trees and then buzzing down the road, off into 235, nicely nicely through the muckery, jumps, oaks, right, up, up road, through carpark, and bombing down the back.  Home. 

Short and fat, 4.8 kms, with 152 m climbed. 

Sunday Grease Skool

Greasy spin out with Nelson today.  Up the usual from mine, road, grass, over19th trail to Skidder and up the gutser, what a grind.  Up Worm and onto the Traverse.  Not many around as we'd left mine just after 8, so the usual 9am Rapaki crowd hadn't arrived out this far yet.  Good going around this, a few puddles around after the smattering of rain we'd got overnight.  All the way to the end of Traverse, then decided further east would be skittery, so we headed back to the HuntsburyDH, with trepidation.

Skittery AF down this.  Rocks with minimal grip, we skittered and pinged our way down, skipping one or two of the jumps each.  Over the final gap and then into the continuation, grabbing the old left and sketching around this trail, then across the landing strip and into the climb over the techy wee Rock Up.  Both bailed on the final descent as grip just wasn't happening.  Decided to climb back over and drop into AliExpress and Old Skool.  A bit sketch down the first drop to cattlestop, then into the 'new' detour section, which was one big greasy sheepshit.  One dab, but trickeriness was in action.  Further down, and more sketch on slick rocks, on and on.  Somewhere we stopped and Nelson put a bit more air in his tire.

Into Old Skool, and mostly good but the odd ping from rear wheels and keeping to the lowest line possible.  Lots of fun, and a bit of adrenalin to boot.  Straight into the climb, and the grinding grunt began.  Ugh, I've GOT to get in and build a climbing trail, it's just a bit ridiculous how horrible the climb is.  Grind grind grind noticing Nelson's rear tire was a bit low under the pylons, pumped it up.  Kept grinding and over the 19th.  He wasn't behind me, but then I saw him on the road below, nursing the low tire.  He continued down the road, while I peeled off at the lower dogpark carpark do run the fun down behind the houses, to home. 

Just shy of 13kms with a commensurate 542m clambered