Sunday Ashley Forest Clubbing

North Canterbury MTB Club had an open day (organised by Committee member Darryn (of Chainreactioncycles, Chch). Total sausage fest (pic, me in the back, Nelson running late) - 40 or so guys (and one woman...)

Headed up Mt Grey Rd (which we'd not entered on before (much easier!), and then up to the top of the jumpy 'bypass' track at the 2km mark.  Then the group split into two, with a bunch of us heading down Sam's downhill track to a skidder site.  I got stuck behind a couple of XCers who were fast on the flats and climbs, but bloody slow on the downs. - mildly annoying.

From the bottom we sidled/climbed across a singletrack on an Access Rd to the bottom of the main one we've headed down a couple times (called Stu's according to Trailforks) and climbed up this (meeting the other group on their way down), out the top to the Tires on the road, along and into the flowy extra trail (that was covered in thinned trees the first time we were here).  Then across the top part of Stu's sidling singletrack and back out onto the road.

Crossed to the Tires and headed into what they were calling Rally Sprints.  Fun blast down this and then back up the road and into the flowy trail around to the sidling single Stu's and all the way down the way we'd come up earlier, and then continuing on down to the bottom on Single Track One, ending at Thomson's Rd.

Headed up this and onto the skidder at the bottom of Sam's, and up the (NCCC) zigzag climber to the top.  Parted ways with the group here as they were just gonna head up to do the Bypass again, then down Rally Sprints.  Nelson and me hit Sam's DH again, then around the singletrack Access sidle, climbing up a slightly different climb (spotting Jack and Jill on our left) up to the Tires and headed down Rally Sprints again, jumping and flowing better this time.  A few of the group were still at the gates.

14kms with lots of up and down resulting in a measly 350m climbed (also a few crappy MMR straightlines action due to lack of coverage and phone in pocket for the first half). Weird that.

Saturday's Parking Slot

Took O across to the Park and we met Nelson there, with his DH rig.  Uplift, and into Swinger's Party.  O handled it all bar one little rocky drop steepy.  Was good.  Then into the Jandal and we leaped and grooved our way down.  O got held up by a couple of grommers who'd slipped in front of him on the last newly finished section, which annoyed him a bit. 

Next uplift, took the Connector around down Nun, Choirs.  Nelson snapped his gear cable but managed to salvage it and dropped into 3rd Base, while O and me headed round and did Captain Cook and Shredzilla.  O was going to bail into Loess at the first meeting but I convinced him to stay in to the next bit (just on the super steep rocky bit) and he ended up following me down Shred all the way, and cleaning the steep rocky section.  Nice one!

Third uplift.  Nelson headed down the GC for an explore, while O and me hit Swingers again, and at the midpoint, I headed down DOHC, which was a bit shit, and he headed down the Jandal again and enjoyed the bottom end more.

Didn't bother with MMR...

Wednesday Eastern Excellence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A rather respectable 19.3 kms, with 765 m climbed.

Thursday Night Huntvern Witchduncan

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

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

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

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

Excellent 14 kms, and 600 m climbed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Over 760m climbed, in less than 9 kms.

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

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

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

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

  Cool.

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

Total 13.2 kms loop, with 490 m climbed.

Grand total, 1250 m climbed for the day.

Thursday Night McBritten, Pleasant Green Godsnake

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

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

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

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

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

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

A tiny smidge under both 24kms and 900m climbed

Sunday Post-party Car Pick-up

Band gigged at Joy's party on Saturday night, and we left our car behind, so, my job was to collect it.  Was rather tired, but got two-tired and got rolling. 

Usual route to town, funnily, at Heaton St I ended up a few metres back (far enough not to slipstream - cos that would be lazy), from another mtnbiker dude, who was keeping the same pace.  I was behind him all the way to where I peeled left on Disraeli, where I zigged and zagged to Wordsworth, then on through Opawa to bottom of Rapaki, where upon he was exactly the same distance ahead, all the way up Rapaki.  Back was killing me on the grind... We both turned left onto Taramea Loop, and I started to catch him a little.  Then, on about the 5th switchback he stumbled slightly, and I over took him.  I dropped him a bit on the down, but then he caught me again a bit further round, but never quite kept up.  Back at Rapaki I kept on up the Full Monty, and he was gone - I can only assume back down? 

Up the Full Monty, steep bastard that it is higher up, but got it all bar one steep rock I stalled on.  Phew, the top of Rapaki, and left onto an easy going Witch Hill, stopping for a well earned break at the usual high point.  Off down to the road and then stuck to it around and up to Castle-top.

Awesome descent, usual rocketshipping to the first corner, good between hairpins, and then not bad start to the climb.  The top of the climb was a bit of a drag, then okay to finish.  Onto the road and around under the gondola, bumping into Connor and Jade along here.  Then climbing up to the cutting, past fire engines, ambulance, and the contents thereof up on the hill carrying a stretcher down from the bluffs, with the ambo repositioning itself as I rode past. 

Into Britten, and out around the front of the top.  Nice roll this way, and last of the climb nice and easy up towards the main entrance, before descending at sometimes ridiculous speeds down the fun, yelling at the sheep to get out of the way.  Around and back, under the pylon and across the front, bombing down into the descent down the rocks and under the last pylon, over the fence and down Longridge onto Mt Pleasant Rd for the bomb do the car.  Ambulance passed me as I was getting in the car, not in a hurry either...

Long and tiresome 29 kms, with 722 climbed, and a smidge under 200 less descended.

Thursday Night Hunting Witches, Castle Tors Duncan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday Night Shorty with O

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

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

6.72 kms in two laps with 281 m climbed.

Thursday Night Eastern - Cut Short

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

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

Here's me on a smooth bit.

And me just after that first grunter from Evans.

(Pics courtesy Nelson's MMR..)

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

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

"Where are you?"  

"Top of the hill, why?" 

"They're going to be here at 7!"  

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

"Nope."  

"Fine, I'll turn back."  ...6.44pm 

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

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

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

Sunday Morning Urumau Loops

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday Night Pre-Meet Heat

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Hot Hunting Skool

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

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

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

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

A baking 12.34 kms, with only 475 m climbed.

Saturday Sprung Hot Solo Living

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

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

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

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

.  

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

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

Sunday Park Laps with the Boy

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

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

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

15kms, with 2 uplifts...

Thursday Night Eastern Meander

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 kms with a tough 718 m climbed.

Sunday, Heated Hunts with a couple Park Laps

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

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

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

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

Three days, Three Rides, St James and Amuri

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

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

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

Monday Ride of 2 Halves Hanmer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday Well Cooked Park Play

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

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

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

25kms, 1200 climbed, of which 780 was assisted