Wednesday Night Farside Worsley Nun Traverse Skooling

Quite a sizeable ride this evening. Met at Nelson's after work and we moseyed across the loop and Thorrington, along the river, Cracroft, to Worsley Rd. Headed up the grassy side and dropped back down into the Farside. Excellent wee roller this, and has been cleaned up since the other month when I did it - with fallen tree removed. We blasted it it all the way to the bottom down in the catchment pond dam valley, and then explored up the valley towards Andy's new place.  Ran out of tight singletrack in the valley, so climbed up onto the 4wd track, then up the old zig zags back up to Worsleys Rd and on up - riding the brand new seal above the road before onto the old singletrack above the road.  Then up past Worsley Heights, and just past Agaia Pl, Nelson noticed a wee trail off to the right, which google maps tells me is called Helius Way.  Could be a nice lead in sidling track around to the Worsley zone if it continued...  unfortunately it ended at a planting area so we rode back out.

At the old carpark (end of the seal) we rode through the gate, into our old entrance up towards the burned forest...  Rode up this for a ways, under the burned trees, but up near where the stream used to be, decided not to continue on that track, as it was looking less used, so we climbed up to the road and continued our way up.  Seems steeper than it ever was in the past, even tho it's smoother.  We think it used to level off, and have short steep bits, now it's just constant.  A van passed me just before the top of the smoother stuff.  Nelson was waiting for me there.  Next section is more old skool then it's up into the Body Bag.  What a prick.  I ended up walking quite a long way up top.  For some reason my legs just about run out of climbing juice.  Up the track to the top of the Nun and we settled in for a snack and observation of the view - and a layer for me.

Into the Nun, rocky and bony as hell, with a fair bit of easterly wind, and I was catching a bit of dust from Nelson's progress ahead.  Bombed down, enjoying most of it, railing the berms and smooth until the really rocky section started, then I stalled a couple times and lost my mojo.  Below the Park section I got a bit of grove back, and man the lower half is hacked up.  Too many muppets braking too much and wrecking the trail.  Into the Summit Rd and the climb was just SO hard for me, up to top of Vic, and we hit the Traverse and all the climby bits were killing me.

FINALLY we made the top of the Huntsbury trail.  I took the lower line, Nelson started from up top.  We bombed it but I didn't have as good a run as last time with Paul.  Easterly wind was pushing all the tussocks over the track making it hard to spot the line.  And I wonder if my lights were set wrong.  Down the landing strip and we explored the tussocks for an entry line, eventually finding it where I usually do, then I led down first section to the stile/gate.  Then Nelson led into  the fun sections, tho missed one of the crossings, went back up and put a couple rocks for directing people into it, and we continued on down.  My back end was getting rattly, so under the pylons I took a call from home and then tightened up my loosened rear axle. (second time this has happened, i need to keep an eye on that.)  And into Old Skool, I was getting really tired down here and my flow was out of whack, and I just couldn't reel in Nelson.  Out to the end, and down the road back around to his place...

A very generous 22.8 kms, with 669 m of climbiness

Saturday One Million Trees

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

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

Thursday Night Flow

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

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

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

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

Sunday Posse in the Sun and Cold Wind

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday Night Cashmere Craziness

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Bottly Jettly Fattly

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

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

Saturday Nice Hill Ride

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

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

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

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

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

18kms and 500m climbed.

Sunday Otukaiplantingkino

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

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

Friday Night Weird Runnings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Solo Mucky Crock

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

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

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

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

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

Only 11.5kms, with 323m climbed.

Wednesday Night Foggy Glarey Hilltop Foray

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

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

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

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

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

Excellent ride.  16.5 km, with 540 m climbed

Sunday Midday Mid-level Loner

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday Night Not So Short One

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


Uber 22kms with 850 climbed...

Sunday, Sh'Orton Fattley Planting

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

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

Thursday Night Godley Meanderisations

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

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

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

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

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

20kms and 815 climbed...  Pretty good.

Saturday Huntsbury Old Skool with my boy.

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

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

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

9.56kms, and 390 m gained.

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

Wednesday Night Solo all over the place

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

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

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

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

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

All over the place...  23 kms and 477 m of climbiness

Sunday Solo Utopian Worsley Traverse Nu &Old Skool

Post O's overnight party with 9 extra 13 or 14 year old boys, squawking away gaming.  With most gone, I managed to get out for a solo spin.  Feeling a bit naff cos they'd been up late, limiting my sleep, not to mention all the junky food we ate: chips, lollies, chocolate, ice-cream, pizza, and combinations of the above.

Parked on the river off the bottom end of Barrington and headed round the foot of the hills. Straight past the CAP and on up Worsley, first time in a long time.  The heat and the climb and the gasping wheezing lungs resulted in a massive bleeding nose half way up the grassy steep (alongside the Farside), so stopped and dealt with this, enjoying the views and clarity of the nor'west blown landscape.  Riding again, decided to torment myself again and drop into the Farside, to see how it's rolling.  Quite overgrown, and looks little-used.  There was a tree across it half part way down, but the rest of it rolled pretty good.  There was a family right in one of the swoopy corners at the bottom, and the woman sort of panicked and ran along the track in front of me momentarily, but I was friendly and they were fine.

Back into the climb, again, slightly slower pace to a guy on the road who proceeded to overtake a couple of guys also on the road, who I caught up to and overtook once I was on the road.  Continued up and up, surveying the missing houses for the first time up here since the fires.  Through where we used to park all the time and on up onto the gravel.  Total road...  Feels like it follows a different route, but I think it actually does follow the old, at least until further up.  The 'road' part finishes quite high up, but still below that top Adventure Park gate, so it's almost the old ruttsville momentarily before that gate and into the Body Bag which is just like it used to be.  I made it up to the steepest bit and then had to walk about 10 m before getting back on and rolling out the top.

Clambered up to top of Nun and had a wee bite to eat - couple of young guys headed in, then another dude.  I paused a bit before going in myself.  Nor'wester had picked up a bit and proved a bit interesting up top on the jumps, tailwind one moment, headwind the next.  Solo guys had pulled up part way down, and I was gaining on the young guys but they bailed out at the road exit half way.  On down, and there were mucky wetspots and lots of rocks.  Onto the road at the Kiwi, I've never seen so many cars parked here.  Nuts.  Across Dyers and up the road, overtaking an Enduro boi on an Evil Something.

Into top of Vic Park, and onto the Traverse.  Good blast across this, stopping for some.  Then, into my new favourite downhill top of Huntsbury, popping the jumps and grooving down the hill, then down the landing strip and into the second section, fun drops down to the Old Skool zig zags, taking all the new lines.  Excellent descent, interesting rocks.  Then off camber sections and into the Old Skool proper.  Caught a woman walking some non-tech rocks near the beginning, passed her then caught her partner and passed him, over the stile and cruise-ville all the way down the rest.

Got to the bottom, onto the road, went to lock out the rear and found it was already locked out!  All the way down, riding a hardtail...  Hit the river, around past the library, then back to Ashgrove and car.

Biggish loop, 21.2 kms and 640 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Big Ken

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday pHat-nmer Round Two

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

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

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

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

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

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