Thursday Night Eastern Beastin' Feast-yearn

Met, as per, Nelson, in Scumnervale after work, about 5, parked up and we rode off up Captain Thomas.  Good climb, asthma not so bad, but usual struggling once the going got steeperer for me up the first bits.  Once on the level things got better, and Nelson cleaned further than usual on the rockiest bits.  Usual near-death on the climb before that top swingy gate, but other than that the rest of the climb was good.  At the road, we knuckled in behind a couple of other guys, climbing the Summit Rd, and eventually caught and got chatting with them, riding the rest of the way with them up to the top of Broadleaf.  They were practising for the Enduro to be held up there next weekend.

Chatted some more at the top, for quite a while, then we led off keeping our blitz power on to stay ahead.  One of them was pretty quick, but the other guy not quite so much.  Tho, seemed on the techier rock stuff we would huss over they bogged down a bit, but on the smoother bits his speed was mental.  I was on Nelson's tail hard the whole way til the lead in across to Gloomy Gulch, then I was utterly blown and had to pull up, lower back killing me, allowing them to pass and go ahead.  Got started again, and saw that Nelson had pulled over below the dropjump, so he took off again once I'd caught him and we chased again.  He caught the slower guy before the rocky ups.  I wasn't that far behind, really...  Bit of a rest at Evans, chatting some more.  The faster guy was responsible for MtbTrailMagic on You Tube...  they took off down Capt Thomas.

We rode out Godley Head Rd, and stopped to watch their descent.  They kept a good clip.  Not long after this, we noticed my back tire getting flatter.  Good slash in the side of my tire...  Stopped and replaced the tube, got riding and it was going down again, but I leaned forward and managed to ride all the way to the cattlestop entry to the climb track, where we stopped again and I patched it this time - tube must have had a hole in it from last time!

Climbed up, gasping, to the trail, and we got rolling back to Evans.  Nelson jetted off ahead, and I stumbled and wheezed through the flatter rock bits, then actually struggled further down more than usual, even having one VERY close call with an OTB.  Bloody close.  Just couldn't seem to get a good flow on.  I took the final high-line walkway bit at the end. 

Across Evans, and into The Captain.  Better descent down this, sticking surprisingly close to Nelsie for a start.  Cleaned everything as usual, and bailed up on the wee rocky climb.  Final blast down the flat into the switchbacks was good, but the Cabbage Tree track was overgrown as.  Blasted out the bottom and finished down past the horses.

Just about 19 kms, with 710 m climbed.  

Tuesday Kaniere Canaries in the Mine

Parked and promptly killed my phone in the boot lid - I put it on the spoiler to catch the MMR satellites and then stupidly forgot all about it an opened said boot - not noticing it slide into the gap.  Then once we were ready to go, Nelson completely unknowingly closed the boot, crushing half my phone in the process.

Hit the trail.  Tech city.  Flat(ish), just lots of little ups and downs, to start.  One of the most fun trails of the whole trip.  Slippery roots, slippery rocks, low speed, hard work.  Tech.nic.al.  Big climb towards the end, with a fair bit of pushing, dragging up rocks to a platform, then a little more climb before a technical arsed descent, followed by a cruisey cruise round to find Steve looking sleepy in the car. 

Amazingly, my phone caught it all, even tho at that point I could only see half a screen...
10.12 kms, 305 m gained.  Screen progressively became unuseable over the next day, and on the way home utterly impossible to see anything on it.

New phone purchased the next day.

Blue Monday, Spurring On

Wet night and morning, but cleared a bit, so Nelson and me headed south of Greymouth to Hoki and up to the Station carpark for Blue Spur.  Had a doozie of a ride in there...

Climbed up the access road, first left into Doolittle, fun little doing, descent back to the road, climbed back up, then left into Seesaw.  Excellent blast down this into the valley.  Up the valley, shoes off 3 times to cross the stream, then up Elevator, and UpCycle, which was really cool.  Then up the main 4wd track again, climbing seemingly forever, passing the starts of all the tracks we'd hit on the way down. Eventually the very top of Edge.

And, down... First The Edge, then a climb on 4wd to Stagg's Drop, which Nelson immediately crashed on, tumbling down and disappearing into the bushes below the track, landing completely upside down.  I had to drag his bike up, while he tried to untangle himself upright.  This was a fun trail, one of the better ones.  Next into Bad Boys which had a heckuva lot more climbing that it should have.  Then the Cutting which was quite good.  Out of here, we headed up a bit over and down the road to the tech top of Tunnels, and dropped in.  Awesome wee trail this, tho a few too many ups in the middle bits.  Through the tunnel, and then out the valley out to Tucker Flat Rd, right here, and along, then up a couple of steep corners back to the car.

A reputable 15kms, with 414 climbed (felt like a lot more than that)...

Sunday's Undeniably Platitudinous, Denunciably Platonic Denizens of Denniston Plateau

Day two of the annual trip.  Checked out of Holiday Camp, so our departure was 10am, headed out of town via petrol pump, and up to Denniston Plateau. 

Nelson's gears weren't working so we waited around a little while he faffed.  Steve set off, with Robin and Pete, while Andy and me waited about a bit longer, but then Nelson said it was gonna take a while, so we set off in chase...  Up the road, fourth right, into Loopy, ex-bulldozed track, wide, but eroded and rocky, short climb followed by fast and rocky descent, with the boys in view across on the next climb.  Pete saw us, turned back to film us on the groveliest wee climb section, which I cleaned!  On up, and over, and met up with the other two.  This trail did this down and up thing a couple more times, then hung right onto Rocky, which dropped over and down.  Pete went ahead to film.  Then we all followed, me first.  Turned to look back and saw Steve have his tumble here.  Damn.  He picked himself up and we climbed over and down, and met Sullivan's Track.  Hung a left on this and climbed steeply, and technically, up and then across and around about the place, with Pete heading ahead to get the drone up for some filming of us.  Eventually back to the road, and Steve and Robin continued on to the car, while Pete, Andy and me checked out Lunar.  This was excellent.  Narrow, hard to follow, technical, and interesting.  Climbed out of that, back to the road, back to the car.  First lap, a smidge under 7 kms with a puny 126 m climbed.

Out with Nelson, without Steve or Robin, for the next lap.  Back up the road, and dropped into Lunar again, and sessioned a couple of sections, and tweaked a bit here and there.  Tidied up the markings too.  Then, climbed Miner's, up and down and up and over, then peeled off into S.O.B, which was techy as all fuck.  Pete flew his drone, tried to capture us riding it.  Got a bit of footage. Then down the rest of Miners, wet and sloppy, to Burnetts Face, and climbed back up the road.  Looked at Teapot, which we should have ridden, but didnt...  Second lap, tiny bit under 11 kms, and only 175 m climbed.  (certainly feels like more when you're doing it).

Saturday Heaping the Heaphy

First ride of the annual trip...  This year featuring the smallest group for a while: the three originals - Steve, Pete, Andy, second original - me, 3rd original - Nelson, and later addition - Robin. 

We'd driven to Westport in POURING rain on Friday, checking into the Holiday Park motel units and having a jolly old time of it.  Up early, and departure time of 7.30am set... 

Day dawned not raining enough, and with a good hour's drive to Karamea, we were on the trail about 9.30.  Nice climb from Kohaihai, followed by a nice descent, then it's just up and down the whole way, with a few flatter bits in between.  We all kinda took turns hanging back with Steve, who's struggling these days, but soon spaced out pretty good. 

At the halfway shelter, Pete chucked his drone into the air and promptly lost it.  It lost touch with his base, climbed up to it's ceiling and sat there til the battery ran down enough to send it down.  It came back into view after about 10 minutes and he kinda guided it back down, but then it crashed in a tree.  I'd seen exactly where it had landed, so we guided Nelson and Pete through the bushes up to it.

On riding again, and easier stretch from the first half, ending at the Heaphy Hut where we cooked up Dehy-meals for lunch.  The 3 less ridey turned back here, and Nelson, Andy and me continued on.  Nelson, I think, had the intention of getting all the way to Mackay's.  Andy was happy to turn back at Lewis, while I wanted to get a little bit of altitude - having come all that way, but knew I'd die if I went too far up.  So, we said our goodbyes to Andy at the hut and headed on up.  That was about 1.35pm, I said I'd go up til 2, which I did.  Nelson kept on at it and I turned back and enjoyed the fuck out of the surprisingly good quantity of down hill.  Then enjoyed the cruise back to Heaphy Hut (back over the bridge not quite finished with the 3 DOC guys working on it), but trying to keep a bit of a pace on, thinking maybe I'd catch up to Andy somewhere. 

Stretched and snacked for a few minutes at Heaphy, then hit the trail again, dead on 3 I think.  Again, reasonable pace kept up, but towards the end I started to really flag.  Type 2 fun was being had along here, suffering and wishing it was over.  Finally got to the top of the final climb and with glee, flew down the trail, detouring left onto the wee loop track and riding this around to the bridge, over, up, and on the final approach to the car park, there's a rat loping towards me on the track.  I veered, ran over it, feeling it under at least my front tire, but when I looked back it was a blur leaving the track!  (later Nelson saw 'a rat' near a culvert just a bit further up the track).  I suspect it was poisoned - dopey, but amazing it didn't die with me squashing it.

Andy was in the car, had been there for 20 minutes.  Then we waited 1 hour 10 for Nelson, who had indeed made the Mackay Hut (his mmr is from hut back, ie, half)!

MMR stuffed up big time, putting me as having started at Heaphy Hut, heading south down the coast then, back north again and finishing at the highest(ish) point that I got to...  mental. Somehow i gained 32000 calories... The mileage is too little, but the altitude may not be wrong.

Sunday Quick Dog Loner Juggle Tings Proper

Didn't know when I'd get to ride.  Was told 5pm would be fine.  Then, at about 2 T said Vanessa had cancelled, so I could go earlier...  Drove across with Jet in the car and parked on Eastern just over the bridge from Bowenvale.

Jet on the lead, headed around to Major Aitken, and up.  Kept him on for a while, cos he was kinda giving me a tow, and cos the road narrows a bit further up.  At the hairpin, quite a way up, I let him off and he ran free from then on, right til the bottom of Bowenvale at the end.  Up Kenmure and up Huntsbury to the top.  Up the gravel, climbing pretty good, my own pace, not too hard, not too soft.  Up onto the singletrack and up the landing strip then up the gravel, and before the top cattlestop we peeled right onto the wee climbing singletrack, walking a stretch, then riding the last zig and zag to the top of Four Pause.  Schlumphfed down here for a rest, small snack, and took a pic.

Onto the bike, Jet in behind, and away we rolled.  Good fang down this favourite trail.  Better traction than the other night, and I did the jumps a bit better too, even with the easterly blasting across the track.  Waited for Jet after the final jump, and then down through the tussocks, weave weave, and dropping off over the left down to the gate, Jet not too far behind.  Over the stile, and blazing, down, drop, weave, pop, drop, sidle.  Skipped that one bit that has the blown-out rocky ledge, using the 4wd briefly instead, then back into the rocky descent down to the water troughs, where I stopped and encouraged Jet to have a good long drink.  Off again, back and forth on the off-camber over-grown corners, and then onto the Old Skool proper.  Bomb bomb bomb, jumpy, pumpy, flow across and back and across, and from where we watched O's crash (almost a year ago!) I stopped to wait for Jet, and then when I got started again, couldn't clip in, making those rocks tricky.  Got clipped, and bombed on down the rest, stopping a couple times for Jet to catch me.  

Bombed down the gravel to the end, and waited.  Jet got straight into the creek opposite the jumps, and soaked and drank, then off down the road, he took his sweet time sniffing and peeing on every. single. tree. down. Bowenvale Ave.  Felt like it took longer to get down this than it had to ride Old Skool...

Only 9.25 kms, with 404 altitudes gained.

Thursday Night Groupies

Hit it with some new peeps.  I met at Nelson's and we rode round to the bottom of Crapaki, meeting there George, Glen, Jackie, another Richard, and another whose name I dont recall.  We headed up the Crapaki, climbing at a nice pace, talking all the way.  Glen was sporting a brand-new first-ride-ever Yeti SB-something with 29r wheels.  It was spanky a.f.

At the Taramea we regrouped and were joined for a stretch by an older guy on a 'lectric contraption.  Headed up into the singletrack.  George OTB'd almost immediately, which was amazing considering it was on the climb.  Regrouped again at the rocky techsession bit, then Nelson and me blasted ahead of them down and around and across and all uppy downy as it is.  The climb back around in the sun was pleasant and not at the same time.  Straight into the singletrack climbing above the maindrag, and then Nels and me stuck to the main drag for the straight and up around to the top.  All the rest of them took the singletrack.

Up Vernon, and Nelsie and me seemed to have the lead, but George wasn't far behind me, then Nels met someone to talk to, so we continued on, me following George at his pace.  Regrouped again at start of the Traverse.  Sun was lowering (half hour to sunset), so we decided to show them Fourpause and 'the' way into Old Skool. 

Around the summit and no mucking around, straight into the descent.  Dirt was damp under overgrowing grass, but grippy enough, and we blasted down the rocks and over the jumps and as per usual now I cleaned that last jump.  Regroup and they all arrived with shit-eating grins, not having expected so much excitement...  Down through the tussocks and over the edge, down, again, the rocks catching some of them out.  Then the real descending began.  Most of them didn't clean the steep rocky droppy sections, and Jackie bailed out and rode the 4wd track.  Glen was wary of destroying his brand-new ride, so was careful Colin all the way.  But mostly they enjoyed it, and now they know the way, they can come back and practice.

Into Old Skook and it was a blast.  Best flow I've had, chasing Nelson tight on his tail, for ages.  With all the regroups, I was still feeling pretty fresh, and so pumping through the flatter bits was easy and good.  Out the bottom, and FREEZING cold in the valley.  Ice-cream headache making.  Regrouped, and then down the road.  Most of the group stopped in at the Brickworks, but I needed to push on so Nelson and me headed back to his.  I even had enough energy to clean the wee alleyway next to his place up to the car.

Not a bad 17.86 kms, and 526 m of altitudation.

Saturday Solo Jet Grey

Nelson organised to ride Mt Grey on the weekend.  We (and I invited Derek) were going to ride and Kirsty was going to run.  Then she pulled out.  Then Derek said he couldn't make, then Nelson decided he had too much to do at his old place, so I decided I'd just go do it myself (with Jet).  Left home just after 9 and took about 45-50 minutes to get to the "Lake." Only a couple of months since last time, and a year (almost to the day) of the previous to that

Left the car at 10 and cruised up the road, not detouring to the singletrack this time, just sticking to the gravel climb.  Met one woman riding down.  At the Look Out I stopped and took a couple pics

 and then walked the steep singletrack to the road above, crossing over and riding the upper singletrack sidle across what, if it isnt, should be called, Sunrise Face.  Gorgeous day up here.  Warm, sunny, windless - mostly.  Tight in the trees, fun climb.  Wind over the top was howling in the towers, but so sheltered on my side.  Fantastic views.  Got to the top at 11.

Took the immediate descent track to the saddle, a few very steep techy rocks to start, then the wind was absolutely blasting across the saddle, nearly pushing me off the bike.  Quite tricky.  Around into it, dropping down the guts to the singletrack the other direction, around the face, wind lessening a little but still strong in places.  Wetspots were still wet, but not bad.  Met a quite a few couples walking/running up this section.  Switchbacks, then rocks, and then into the trees.  Jet on my tail, happy as anything.

Switchback City.  Cleaned some, didn't clean some.  Usual percentages.  Awesome descending.  One corner I went round, quite quick, and there's a woman down in the forest below the track.  "Hello!" I said, and was onwards cruising, popping and weaving downwards.  Creek crossing, more switchbacks.  Met someone I knew (Rowan) and her partner(/friend?).  Descendy McDescendface.  Another couple in the thick of the busiest switchbacks, then good rolling cruising down into the pines and then into the open usually very muddy section, was a bit muddy, but there were greasy 2-wheel-slidey dry enough bits to stay on.  Passed a couple of young girls walking up here.  Blasty lower sections, stopped to move a few branches off the rutty rooty part, and flowed out the lower half no probls, no more punters.  Big drink for Jet in the river at the bottom.

Time for the road.  Grindy McGrindface, climbing climbing up and around, met one guy riding a bike down hill towards me at some point, and finally back up to the car, just after 12.  Hit the road, and was home by 1.

A very enjoyable 14.14 kms of country riding 729 m climbing

Thursday Night Eastern Struggling Singletrack Goodness

Met Nelson at Slumnervale... Traffic on Linwood Ave getting there was a shocker. 

We headed up the Captain.  I felt weak and useless.  Either not recovered properly from Sunday's ride, or I was suffering from too much sugar during the day at work...  Either way, I felt bad.  Once above the switchbacks tho, everything gets a bit better until the trail heads up again near the end.  We paused for a bit at the (crappy) gate to let an XC Yeti woman through, then got going to the top. We watched some lights coming down Greenwood from here.

Through Evans and onto Godley.  Cleaned the first rocks but then was so wiped from that effort that I buggered up the next lot.  Managed a bit better further up, still struggle street though, while Nelson powered off ahead.  I'd totally lost him by the time I was up the top, tail wind pushing me a long.  At the ridge, he was crouched down out of the wind.  Brief stop here and the 3 Greenwood lights climbed up the 4wd towards us, then continued on down towards Livingston.  We gave them a headstart then headed in.  Nelson chased hard, but I just rode my own buggered pace.  Once on the down, I was a bit better, swoopy swoopy fast through the lower descents.  Past the 3 boys at the col and straight on up the climb, up and around.  Nelson was waiting at the top, and we headed down the same triangle of paddock to the road, and over to the new Anaconda entrance.  Brief break here.

Into the descent.  Lots of sheepshit and the dirt still unused since I was through on Sunday, I reckoned.  Bomb bomb bomb, then fast and airy through the original lower Anaconda.  Then around and climbing again, stopping to watch the 3 followers descending, making lots of noise and 'aaaaah!'s as they swooped.  They ended up following us up this walking track.  I was starting to struggle more on this climb. 

Then from Breeze, up the singletrack ever more.  Struggle struggle struggle, then fun descent, then reeaally struggling on the final climb.  Rain started to fall a little bit up top.  We put jackets on and headed around.  Good run down to Evans, me taking the high walking line at the end. 

Then into Captain Thomas.  Excellent downhill.  Feeling sore, but enjoying the down.  Blasty blasty, cleany cleany.  The tree root at the start of the Cabbage Tree track nearly stopped me...  then the final blast into the bottom of the valley was gooood.  So glad to be done.  I was aching all over.

An expeditious 17.15 km, with a quite thorough 713 m climbed.  

Sunday Solo Brit Green God nuSnake God road Brit

Parked up Parkridge and got riding at 8.30. Up Britten, into the clouds, everything grey and a little damp. Down the road and into Greenwood OG entrance, where shortly I took the Sheepshit City trails down around towards the Richmond Pines and then around and mostly climbing back up to the Greenwood ruins.  9 am on the dot, into Greenwood proper, and down (seeing reasonably fresh tire tracks on the odd rock (but no sign of anyone ahead)).  As I rounded one of the first corners I noticed a guy chasing me down.  Huh! I thought.  Better put the pedal down, so I started honking a bit harder, and increased the gap.  Around Gloomy and through I looked back and I'd made the gap massive and he was dab-walking through the worst of the rocks up there.  Got bombing on into the next rocky descent and swooping through the swoopies and off the drop jump, and around into Dave's Zone, and then looking back he was way up there.  Kept the pressure on, blasting through the turns, all good, even where there was grease.  Around into the wee valley and then the shot for the end.  Dab through the first rocky up, and then down to the new end, passing a climber in those lower reaches.  Across Evans and a wee breather break, 9.10am..

Into Godley, climbing and (nearly) cleaning the first rocks.  Slightly better luck most of the rest of the way, just one or two dab-scoots.  No one else about at all.  Over the top and blasting down to Livingston where I passed a couple of runners (one was Meg - James and Caro's daughter).  Climbed up towards Breeze to just before Breeze descent where I peeled off for the new entrance to Anaconda, dropping down through the open gate next to the cattlestop, little triangle of paddock above the road, across, and into the newly signed downhill.  Swoop swoop, all finished now but needs more tires riding it.  Fun, bar all the sheep shit, and lambs jumping out of the way.  Onto the old Anaconda and a sweet bomb, jumpy jumpy, around into the valley, back and forth, nearly lost it in one corner, front wheel squirrel, then out onto the walk track a the bottom and climbing up the new walktrack back up to the original snake entrance, Breeze Col, and back up the road for a bit.

Up the triangle of paddock I'd come down, walking, then onto the singletrack again, heading up and over to Livingston, then the grinding climb up, up, up.  At the top I looked at my watch, and discovered it was 10am, 1 hour since I'd been at the top of Greenwood!  Continued on, having a great run down Godley to Evans, roughly 5-10 past the hour at the pass, and climbing again, for the long slog.  Towards the top my left leg was getting a bit peaky sore.  20 minutes the whole climb took me to the top of Britten.

Final fang down, easy to start then ramping up the boost as I descended.  At the hairpin corner, went straight ahead, exploring a new line, which took me all the way across, nicely flowing, and down to just before the final droppy descent under the pylon to the bottom.

Back to the car 10.37 or so, and home just after 11 am.  Nice.

A rather lengthy 23.5 kms, with 999 m of altitude gained...

Saturday's Park Lot

O and me headed for the Park. Nelson was at the top when we got there, so said he'd wait.  He was on his DW DH Rig.  O and me got to the turnstiles and no swipey! - I discovered I didn't have my card, so I sent O off up to meet Nelson while I went to the office and sorted out a spare. They came down Yeah Yeah and Jandal, and I didn't have to wait too long. 

Up we went, and off into Summit Connector, across Nun and down the lower Gnarly rocks into the lower Nun, bombing it.  Into Choir and bombing through, fast fast fast, then climbing round to Captain Cooker, dropping down and into Shredzilla.  Chasing Nelson, O on my tail, we all cleaned everything smoothly.  Good fun, fast run. 

Back up the lift again, and this time into Swinger's Party.  Another good run, tho some groms caught me up and I let them through.  Otie did good again, and then we hit down DOHC, which was better than the last time I did it...  Slightly less rough.  Good finish for me, and O's hands were blistering cos he'd decided he didn't need to wear gloves...

MMR output.  Basically none climbed, that's all the lift.

Tuesday Pre-Meet Quick Lap

Last Tuesday (10th September), forgot to post, as have been away all week since...  Nelson and me parked after work up top of Parkridge and headed up through Britten.  Was still rather wet, tho not quite as bad as the my previous excursion through said zone.  Climbed up and around.  We had our lights with us but was light enough to ride the whole ride without them.

Across the road and up Mt Pleasant, some pics up here, then over and down, swoop swoop, bomb, through and around, then the trail towards the Richmond Pines and then back up climbing, some mucky spots, then up the road and down Britten again.  Back to the cars by just enough light at 6.22 (sunset was 6.13pm)

Reasonably short, 9.43 kms with 316 gained.

Went and ate Thai at Talay, then off to the Trees Meeting.

Sunday One Mucky Lap o' th'Adventure Park.

Took Hunter and O to the Park.  Hunter had a brand spanking new Trance.  It'd been raining overnight so there was only one route open, Summit Connector, Choirboy and Loess (and Shred).  Trails were mucking fucky, and greasy not-easy, so Hunter was a bit out of his element.  I followed him and it was amazing watching teenage 'confidence' being outweighed by lack of innate ability.  He surprised me a few times down the Nun, but wasn't going nearly as quick as O was, bombing off ahead of us.  At the Kiwi, we continued on down.  Hunter was surprisingly quick through the first few bits, but around the big corner into the woopdedoos (before the wee valley and climb up to Old Dyers Pass Rd form) he lost his front wheel to the left, the back wheel spun round and he went down hard.  Scraping a big gark in the track a good 4 metres long.  Scuffed his knees really good, and hands (no gloves) were numb with pain (and scuffed too).  Blood appearing through mud on the knees.  Took him a while to regroup.  I checked over his bike, and eventually we got going.  Him being a lot more cautious from there on down.  Rocks were pingy and slick the rest of the way, til the sidling clay and climb.  I made sure O rode with him for that stretch, and they chatted.

Then it was into the descent to Loess.  Reasoned against Captain Cooker, on account of grease.  Descent to loess was sketchy.  Loess itself was the worst I've ever seen.  Quite dodgy.  Slick as.  I let him go ahead (O disappeared immediately, and occasionally I'd spot his fluoro orange jacket below us).  Hunter took it very easy.  I'd wait, bomb, jump, haul up, wait, bomb, jump, haul up...  Good run in the end, but we pulled the plug and headed home to hose off bikes and bodies.

Around about 6 kms riding.  Almost all downhill.  Didn't map it, but registered...

Sunday Coupla Lapsa Th'Adventcha Park

10.45ish O and me met Nelson at the bottom of his first lap for the day - on the DH rig.  Got Otie a 5 pass and we headed up the lift.  First off into Summit Connector, down the nun and down the Choir Boy.  Stopped and adjusted O's brake levers just past 3rd Base.  He was struggling cos of a hand injury from crashing off his board last weekend.  Into Captain Cooker and then Nelson headed down KarmaSutra while we took the easy route down Loess Rider.  Good fun run. 

O wasnt up to another lap, hand hurting too much so he went to the cafe and socialmedia'd with his friends while Nelsie and me headed back up the lift.

Into Swingers, nice run down this.  I stayed pretty close on his tail most of the way.  And at one point these young guys were on my tail, putting me under pressure, which kept my speed up.  Excellent fun this trail.  Bombed on down it all and Nelson was surprised when he stopped thinking he'd wait and I was right there.  Into Handle and we popped and floated and flowed all the way down.  Good times.

Forgot to start MMR til the top...

Thursday Night Huntsbury Castle Tors Duncan

Up hill from Nelson's, via the steep-arse alleyway (taking a call from my dad on the way).  Up the road, ever pedalling, then up the gravel, I was feeling pretty good. Up from the cattlestop to the singletrack, and headed up the rocks of the new Rock-Up (usually down) single, walking a bit, then riding over the top and down the hairpins on the backside, and back onto the singletrack.  Over the fence onto the landing strip, and across to the newly developed descending next to it, up to the jumpy Fourpause. Finishing up on the gravel top of Huntsbury.

Across Vernon, bombing down, pulling over a couple times for climbers, and then, for the first time in ages, I cleaned all of the Witch.  Along the road a bit, then up onto the single-track above the road, clambering and struggling a bit, then up the road to the Castle.

Fast bomb down this, bombing, and nearly losing it into the drainage channels on the righthand side before the first corner.  Around, and back across, balance pitching me left into the hillside this time, nearly losing balance again.  Around the next corner, down through and into the climb, cleaning it smoothly and with power.  I was getting more tired on this last descent to the Bridle. 

Back up the road, and up onto the Tors, with Nelson cleaning the entire climb from the road, most of which I walked.  Stopped for a bit of a snack in the nice sheltered spot.  Then into the down, good ride, only one dab, and not as nastly greasy as last time.  Back along above the road on the tight wee trail then over the fence, up onto the top, over the fence again, to the very top of Duncan's.  Some very fresh lambs up here, and on into the descent. I took the easy way because a little tiny lamb was following us. I thought it was a weird noise from my bike, like a squeak, then realised it was this tiny little lamb...  Down the ridge, all the fun, cleaning heaps of steeps, then over and through the lower gates, and around into the woods, dropping down our usual drops, drop, drop then out. Back along the road, getting tired now. Final climb over Centaurus and down, and back up Parklands to Nelson's.

18 and 3/4ths kms and a bonza 820m climbed

Sunday Groynes Planting

Moseyed out to the rail trail (where I then realised to start MMR) and slowly, eventually, made my way down to Wroxton Tce before I saw the crew coming my way from Fendalton Rd.  I waited there and we (Nelsie, Andy, Petey, Stevie and Jenna-ey) headed north at a nice pace.  I was feeling rather seeeedy due to consumptiousness evening previous, but somehow survived the thrall.  Railtrail, then at Tuckers the others peeled left while Nelson and I explored the singletrack to Sturrocks, left and met them at the Cosy Cafe.  Long black settled my nerves a bit, then onwards again up Cavendish, Styx and up Main North to Northwood, meandering through and around this and up Connemara to Johns, under the new motorway and into the Groynes.

Planted lots of Trees for Canterbury plantages.  I amazingly survived, and then the double-fisted Sossies helped a lot.  Robin's speach done, we headed and off again, south.

Back the way we came except explorational explorages through various other ways in Northwood, through parks and back streets, finding future pathways eventually through a shortcut to the Styx Mill intersection.  The future will also, in my book, see explorings through Regent Spark, cos there are ways to be had through there too.  Back onto the Rail trail and cruising nicely, tail wind, which I then turned into when peeling off through St Jame Spark, Dalriada, Windemere and home.

I managed 23 odd kms, with no real altitudinal gainage.

Tuesday Night Avoidance of the Muckeriness

Parked at the bottom of Mulgans Track and relaxed listening to music and watching the rabbits in the redzone while I waited for Nelson to show up.   He turned up, we got riding - an excellent ride ensued.
Up Mulgans, corners and steps getting the better of both of us.  Up the steps and steep, then up the steps to the water tanks and riding up past York's old place and into Brownlee Reserve.  Over the top onto Clifton Tce, climbing, climbing and over the fence at the first stile.  Took the singletrack down and across the valley around to climbing up around stormwater catchment gabions onto Richmond Hill, climbing up a walkway to a new cul de sac and then up the dirt, clambering ever upwards, around eventually onto the ridge and easy riding up to the big trees corner.  Had a snack here.

Next it was up the road and over the stile onto the Greenwood 4wd track, avoiding the soggy singletracks, climbing up to the gun emplacements on the ridge.  Bit of a cruise around these, then hit the descent, down the ridge track, tricknical rocks and fun to be had.  Across the top of Chalmers and Nelson's bike suddenly had weird gears - somehow the rear screw on his derailleur had unwound...  Fixed, and headed down the trail across onto the ridge above the Evans Pass Rd.  Speeeed (Nelson got 65 kph, (me, only 50 odd)) down to Evans, ended up at the old Greenwood exit.

Onto the road and out Godley Head Rd, meandering around to the new cattlestop and then climbing up all the way, crossing the singletrack, all the way to the top of the ridge.  Nice trail climbing up here, and mostly pretty dry.  Brief rest up top here, in the shelter of a rock (strong wind), and then down the techfun trail, dropping straight down to Evans Pass.

Dropped down into Rapanui Bush, skoodling around to the Scarborough Bluffs Track, where we stopped for another snack.  Nice dry mild spot here.  Then off, fun descent, waaay longer than I always remember it, across and in and out of little valleys and techy rock features and drops and then into the switchbacks, various levels of success for Nelson and not for me.  I cleaned the last one.  Onto the road and coasting, faster and faster (me 69 kph down here) descending down into Sumner, and cruising around back to the cars.

Good ride.

A quite acceptable 15 kms and 640 m of altitudes

Wednesday Night Solo Hunting Castle Tor Witches

Doctor's appt after work, so I'd parked there and ridden to work.  Then hit the traffic across to Huntsbury, up to the end of the road.  Changed in the car and got riding.  A couple of guys had ridden by while I was setting up the lights etc, and so they were my target.  I gained slowly on them.  Just after I'd passed the pylon a fast dog sprinted past, leapt the cattlestop ahead, and bounded on ahead.  Caught up to the guys, turned around and bombed back down as I approached the cattlestop.  It looked confused, like it was looking for owners.  I turned right just after the 'stop and climbed the trail up to the singletrack.  Stopped for this pic...

Above the other guys briefly.  Then they were further ahead.  Ended up catching them at the top, as they turned around and rode back down.

Across onto Vernon, and between the first tech rocks I dropped the front wheel off the track and crashed.  Quite randomly, just landed on the ground.  (following day, a couple of bruises, hip and elbow).  Handlebars were crooked, so I had to adjust them, then got riding again, letting a few climbers through, had a good bomb down to Rapaki-top and through, 3 rider lights ahead of me on the Witch.  Didn't catch them, but they remained ahead of me on the road all the way up to Castle, waiting at the top when I got there.  I said my Guddays, had a wee stretch, and headed straight into The Castle. Excellent bomb down, remaining contained within the track sides even tho I nearly de-balanced a couple of times.  Fast through the rocks and onto the 1st hairpin.  Across and through then climbing quite nicely, tiring towards the top.  Out onto the road, and climbing again.

2/3rds of the way up I climbed up off the road onto the Tors track, clambering up and riding around to the usual stopping point.  Suspension and light adjustments made, off down.  Wetter in spots than last time, and the first of the techy droppy bits were pooling with quite a bit of water, which made them super sketchy.  Dropped down, cautiously, quite a bit of dabbing, but rode out the last descent well.  Strong wind across this saddle, coooollldd southerly, straight across onto the above-road singletrack, enjoying the tech but contending with the wind.  As I approached Witch, a group of 4 guys were approaching on it.  I pulled up, said my guddays, and they took off back along Witch.  I left a pretty big gap and then followed.  Caught up the last couple and passed the rear one on the rocky climb, chasing the 2nd to rear one (on a Honzo ST - nice).  On the descent, he nosed up and so nearly went over the bars.  I gave him more gap then.  

Across the Crapaki-top and climbing I tucked in between the last two of these guys, with the dude in front going nice and slow, all the way up.  Kept me in check and we chatted as we climbed.  Quite good really.  At the old line up near the top he peeled left, while I continued straight, putting on more speed and cruising out to the end.  Passed by the other two waiting and hit the Traverse, around to and then into Fourpause, excellent blast down this, jumping ALL of the jumps no problem, then on down the new next-to-the-landing-strip section, following it better this time, then over the fence and onto the final singletrack.  All the time looking for the left hander to the new Rock-Up track I'd spotted on Trailforks.  Good couple few switchback low gear climb, then up onto the rocky top ridge, barely able to follow faint bits of green spraypaint, but finding my way.  Fun descent down and back onto the singletrack, jumps, wetness up top there, then terrible wetness lower midway down, and the final corner before the last couple of jumps is blown to shit with boggy soggy shitmud.  Back to the car, before 8.

A minty fresh, poppin' 14.6 kms with 662 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Uplifts and Downdrafts, 1080

Good spin tonight. Left Nelson's place and headed around to the Park. He'd bought a Winter pass, and so had 7 (of 10) lifts left on a card, which they kindly transferred to me and we headed up.

First round, into Yeah Yeah Gnah, weird in the dark, and pretty rough in spots, but fun.  Nelson put on speed but I didn't trust tires or myself and kept mine on the lowdown.  At the mid point a couple of guys he knew pulled up on DH rigs.  We led them into Handle, and half way down my battery strap snapped dropping it into the front wheel.  "WTF is that!?"  Pulled up; Nelson taped it onto my stem and off we went again.  Good blast the rest of the way and we made it to the lift just in time to be the last uplifts at 7.  Johnny accompanying us for the up.

At the top we went our separate ways from Johnny, him down the park, and us down Slummit Connector, new bits to play on (big doubles), and then all the way out to the road.  Puffy up this to top of Nun. Fun Down, quite greasy in spots, so I's watching out for myself all the way down; pumped and tired as at the bottom.

Across Dyers Pass and up the Scummit Rd into the top of Vic.  Took off for the Traverse, and the first rocks biffed me all over the place, nearly dropping me.  Continued on and failed to chase down Nelson who powered off ahead, leaving me to struggle up the ups and ease into the downs.  Regroup at the midpoint, then again, he slowly left me behind as we cruised round the rest. 

Brief discussion whether Lavaflow as the go, but decided against it, and headed for the Huntsbury Downhill track, apparently called Fourpause (in Trailforks).  Nice bomb down here, though I wasn't overly trusting of the greasy dirt, then I bailed on the final jump.  New section through the tussocks beside the landingstrip, and then all the good lines from there down to Old Skool.  Took off into this, and around the first face I rolled up and find Nelson off the track grasping his knee.  He'd clipped a pedal on a rock that'd thrown his knee into the stem and him and bike off the track.  Yowch.  I was tired, so a bit slow on down, wary of all the little rivulets of stream across sections of the trail.  Final blast down, all good and out, then back to his down around the river.

A worthy 29.03 kms, with a grand total of 1133 m climbed...  (obviously, 800 m of that was on the lift)

Just noted, this is auspicious post number 1080.

Sunday Orton Fattley

Met Pete, Steve and Nelson in time for the 8.50 am ferry.  I 'adjusted my suspension' (pumped some air into the tires) and we headed up and had a coffee at the cafe.  Then we hit the road, cruising, up, down, up, down, around to the park. Up the driveway, to the end of the 'park' bit, and met Ian (manager) who told us where to go for the planting.  Lucky for us it was pretty much at the top end of the MTB track. So, off we cruised, mucky and puddly in places, with a bit of dynamic straightlining (squirrel factor on high).  Fun little climb up and around. Stopped and helped water off the track a couple of times and then down, and we parked and climbed the fence and planted super quick, given the easy digging soaking wet ground and good sized crowd of people.

Back on the bikes and down, enjoying the cruise, to another site where we put in a totara forest - 150 totara trees planted in no time, all up a nice corner of hillside.  Will be amazing in a few years. Then off down again, brief stop at the loo, and on down. Steve tootled off ahead while we raided the Krispies and Gingernuts before the rest of the punters got anywhere near them, decided time was too short for a cuppa, so set off in chase of Steve.  Nelson ditched Pete and me, powering ahead, catching up to Steve, then Pete and me caught them eventually just after the fire-station.  Down to the wharf, and 12.30 ferry back to the cars..

Mildly respectable 20kms, and surprising 443m climbed...