Loopy Stooge, 1st Tuesday of the year

First ride for the new year, after a couple of weeks no riding, minimal walking, lounging in the Koh Samui heat, with uncomfortable plane rides at each end.  Nice to get out on a short(ish) mega-loopy up and down in Vic Park tonight. Up some sections a couple times each but seldom down the same way.  Fun times and tech-levels increasing for the Stooge too.

Usual climb over 19th, skidder, gutser.  Hard work on that, given the long break off the bike, all the Pad Thai, Pad See Ew and Chang beers consumed over the past fortnight.  Tried a wee jiggle of an approach just below Brakefree, that didn't really work, but no matter.  Up to top and into Thomson's #1 for the flow and back up the road.  

Dropped into and around the jumps, flowing all the way down Brake Free and then out the bottom of it (rather than into Sesame) and across back up to top again.  Down around the jumps and into Worm climbing to the Traverse to drop down into PedalFine, bailing left off that and climbing back to the track across below the see-saw, first section of Brakefree again, bailing out to drop down the rocks into the Gums, taking my right hander down and out to Skidder again.  

Into the middle entrance, dropping into Rad to Razza's, trying out the new line to the right in here, baulking and walking two drops (which shouldn't be a problem next time) and then continuing down below into Brentzone trying to work out how to get down across to the new bit next to Corporate Ladder I found last time.  Didn't quite get it right, but now know where to go next time, down this, then back up Corporate Ladder and up the usual around Radzone back to Skidder.  

Back up the Gutser just to the Sesame turn-off I (jiggle-)climbed earlier and flowed on through into the Gums to take the left hand line this time, dropping down through here (rutty!) and then all the way below to the road at 19th.  Below road from here, flowy flow, coaster to Dogparkcarpark and flowy fun down through here.  Took my line to the right to avoid the wet and it's fucking worked its way up into my trail and is mucking that up too!  (will have to get up and cut a higher track...).  Nice flow from here though, down and out to H'Ell, clamber onto road.  

Rather than dropping home from here, I headed back uphill, dropped into the 'To Harry Ell' track, then back up to the climb-exit to the lower Dogpark carpark (by the comms tower) and headed down into Charles' track, tight(!), then out from the halfway point, behind the houses for the hoon home.

Well wreathed 8.3kms, with 362m scrambled

Steep Sunday's Stoogin'n'Snakin' Around

Sweet ride tonight. For a bit of a change, first off was up the steep behind the houses to the dog park, chuffity chuff.  Then the usuals, road, 19th etc. Into Thompson's #1 for a quick blast, then back up the road, straight into down around the jumps and straight into the Worm, up to Traverse to cruise around to Fourpause. Bumpy! (therefore slower - it's really rutted and chunky now). 

Into the landingstripzone, taking the left (older) line, chunkier rocks and more mileage than the direct route, Ali Express, dropping down around and through the fence then following the vague sprayed/worn grass into a new flow path, looping out through the sheep shit and piss zone and back, and all the bumpy rocks the way down onto Old Skool.  Bit of a rest at the usual spot.  

Dived into the biff baff boff of Old Skool, some nice flow regardless, then straight into the valley and upwards, stopping at the bench where the steppy walk track comes out.  Up this wee valley, walking the steepest and riding what I could and up the steppy walk track to Hidden Valley / Bowenvale Bonus, in reverse of usual direction, down then peeled left onto the walking track up into the valley.   Lovely narrow bushy singletrack.  Up valley and a right at the sidle, little bit of flow around into the MTB valley /bottom of Brents, fenceline, etc.  Up Corporate Ladder, checking out a new line back down briefly, then back up Corporate out top of Sneaky, around past 40fter up the usual way thru the RadZone.  

Finally, over Skidder out the single-track, below the road, into DogParkCarpark and 235, blasting down through here, ducking well below the lowered tree and stopping briefly to sort-of leaf-rake my new line (so people will notice it), then riding, down through the oaks, and final fun blast down to end, clamber to road and home

Steep 12.4 kms with 543 m snagged.

STuesgeday Night Nun Spin

Off the back of doing the Abel Tasman over the weekend, my legs were recovered somewhat, so I headed out for a fun wee chuff up and back last night on the Speedbomb.  

Quite hot evening, headed up the usuals, not really knowing where to head.  On the way up the road section, I stopped to snap-send-solve what appears to be the top end of the waterleak in the oaks.  Onwards then to head up over 19th, through skidder, up the gutser and beyond.  Chatted with a dude at the Thompsons #1 turn off - he was interested in my bike (he'd seen the Kendallweed session in Whistler on it).  I headed down Thompson's-both and him up.  

Through Dyer's and up the Summit, I contemplated dropping into the park but wasnt sure about the last lift timing, so continued to the top of the Nun.  Small rest here then dropped in.  Flow was good, only mildly jarring in a couple of places.  Good roll though, and lots of good vibes.  All the way down to the Kiwi again, and back up Summit Rd where I chatted to another dude up top here about the threatening sky, no rumbles, but heavy dark cumulus underbellies hanging around.  He'd just ridden up from the bottom of CAP - he'd been down there half an hour earlier (about when I would have been too, if I'd headed down rather than Nun!) and they'd stopped lift access due to risk of a thunder / lightning strike.  Just as well I hadn't dropped in!  I wouldnt have relished climbing back up Bengal etc...  

Back into Vic, and down the usuals, over the jumps, Rabbit, Rocks (gnarly today), and Gums (DRY!), all the way through to 19th, then below road (giving a walking woman (of a couple) a hell of a fright , even though I was coming past nice and slow), then through and out to road, coasting into Dogparkcarpark trail.  Flowy flow, detour into my new line, then "fuck!"  The little shits building jumps in there have fucking dismantled my favourite jump.  SO annoying.  They've built this dumb jump line through there, a berm of which is now part of the flood, therefore ruined, and fucking broken down was what the smoothest jump in there to waste the wood on other bullshit.  I'm fucked off.  In fact, I'm gonna go back up there and fix the fucker back to how it was.  

Marginal 10 kms travailed with 328 m climbed.

Monday Night Maintenance Machine

Quick up on the Stooge with a pruning saw.  Stood and pumped hard all the way up to the Dogparkcarpark and dived in.  Immediately after the first clearing I stopped and walked back, slashing with the saw at the long grass, first one side then the other on the return.  Back on the bike and nice flow down, down, and stopped where the branch had killed my helmet (and my brain).  Someone had snapped the branch that had spiked me, but there was still some left, and I dealt to it, and some other bits to clear headroom.  Needs a chainsaw - the heavy branch above has split and dropped.  Continued on down and stopped at the quagmire.  Took a look, semi-planned, then got to work, hacking and sawing a path through the woods above the wetzone.  Finished that, pushed back up a little and rode through.  Mostly okay, with speed it might flow okay, but it's a lot flatter and requires a little bit of tight and twisty technical weaving to get through.  Will alter as necessary in near future.  Finished off down over the lower jump and all the way through to H'Ell, clamber, home.

Miniscule 1.75 kms and 50 m climbed - but fun.

Tra'y has since walked down through my new path and came home raving about it...

Wednesday Night Hunts Traverse Stooge (with bonus Whiplash Concussion (maybe?))

An excellent ride until the very end where 2 things almost ruined it... Dived in and was enjoying the crap out of the Dogparkcarpark trail when WHAM!!! a fucking tree branch stopped my head, wrecked my helmet and kinda gave me whiplash, and maybe a concussion?  I'm just not sure. Helmet is fucked, with imprint of branch poked into one of the vents, and the MIPS ripped from the shell.  The MIPS did it's job tho. 2nd thing is the water saturating, and wrecking, the oak forest. It's worse still than last week. 

Something cool. Rounding under Sugarloaf at the usual testing spot 2 guys were stopped and one of them said, "Wicked bike!"  I said, "thanks." And the other follows with, "that's awesome!"

Anywho, the ride was as follows: up the usuals, 19th etc, both Thomsons, back up the road, dropped into Vic, down around the jumpies, up Worm onto the Traverse for the spin across here (where I encountered the love for the Stooge), dropped into Four Pause, on down across the landing strip trail (Alley Express), down to the 4wd, then back up to top of Huntsbury, back on the Traverse for a nice spin across there, dropping through the jumpies, down the rabbit paddock, rocks, gums all the way through, below road from 19th, then into Dogparkcarpark (235) where the head injury happened.  The jump in the Oaks is undoable given the landing is a quagmire.  I pushed up through the crappy sticky bushes above it (where the ground is dry), and finished off with a nice blast all the way down to H'Ell, clamber to road, and home.  Ouch.

12.7kms 442m wrought 

Satur-heated Greenwood Godley Taylor's Godley Captain

Scorcher today. Parked in McCormack's as Nelson pulled up, and we took his car to top of Mt Pleasant Road.  Into the OG Greenwood entrance, diverting into Sheepshit Alley for a weird descent, then climbed around up to the ruins.  Into the bony-arse Greenwood. Heesh it was bony.   Pinging descent, ruts catching me weirdly.  My whole game was off, because I's in my new(ish) Ride Concepts shoes, and I've installed the cleats too far back, so my whole centre of gravity was off.  Kept catching my toes too.  Then into the rocky Godley start from Evans, not something we've done for ages, and quite hard work for the first few hundred metres, but gradually better as you go. Ruts were particularly problematic today.  Good blast once in the descent for Livingston - weaving okay, but never quite letting it all go.  Over to Breeze was a breeze. 

Then up the road a little to hit Anaconda in full, tentative and sketchy in the upper reaches, finally letting it go a bit lower down.  I seemed to keep ending up on Nelson's tail for a while, but he got away on the Snake's Tail.  Down into the Taylor's Carpark, loaded up some water, considered queuing for an ice cream, but I got water instead.  Incredibly busy down here.  Next, we toodled around the carpark seeing if there was a new entrance for the new trail up, but it was just the old exit for the entrance, so hit up the new MT1 and MT2, which were very good.  At the top we headed up the old walking track we used to ride regularly (last time was 5 years ago) to the paraglider launch site - it's getting some development so hopefully they'll chuck in a few more zigs and zags, cos fuck is it steep at the top.  

Along the road a little, and back up into Godley.  My brain was starting to fry and weakness was setting in hard.  Muppetted back to Evans, not terrible flow, but exhausting, then dropped into The Captain for the win. So exhausting but good riding. Finally around the flat back to the car. Chucked my bike in the back, Nelson's on the back and up the hill we went to drop him back to his car at the top.
 

Unmitigated 25 kms, 770 climbed -with bonus total 1170 descended

Thursday's Stooge; Drainage and a Beverage

Found the 'good' Ames Shovel in the garage, finally, and cruised up for a dig wee session in the shade of the oaks (28 degrees).  Stood and cranked most of the way up to the DogParkCarPark, dropped in and wove my way down, stopping at the jump to attempt to tidy a bit more drainage after walking up with the dog a couple days ago.  Sooo much water and mud - hopefully the Council will find the leak this time. Really don't know whether I've achieved much, as the ground is so saturated. Did what I could then cruised down through the oaks and climbed up to the road again, onwards upwards to the usual 19th/Skidder combo, diverting for a twist to ride up through the gums - instigating a fair bit of pushing... Out top of pines and across Rabbit to the sunset seat whereupon a NOV was consumed in the Norwest wind, and a Hercules from Scott Base tracked. 

Finished the tasty beverage and I was off up to the Thomson's both (the 2nd after a moment of indecision), then back up the road, into the blasty jumps, Rabbit, Rocks, Gums all the way to the gate, back up to Skidder, 19th, new tack (on old line) over dropping to Latter's, staying on this out to dog park and dropped into the 235 again. Walked the jump muck, and used a stick to try more drainage, then enjoyed the final weaving blast home. 

7 something kms, 215 m clambered. Love that bike.

Sunday Post-Poteriteri Field-Power Athwart the Tops and back

Mint ride today. On the Jeht, toodled up through Vic and across the Traverse as far as the Bridle Path - taking in all the singletrack to Castle Rock and back again. Seemed to just keep requesting power and receiving it, even on the way back... A week in the field (this was day five) really does wonders - walking through rough forest 8 hours a day for a week.  Jeht rode very nicely and I completely cleaned the Tors with no dabs.  A runner girl had gotten out of my way just where it's rockiest and steepest towards the end, and I said to her, "this is where I usually dab" and lo, I didnt!  Magic.

Must say tho.  Trail Etiquette...  for fuck's sake people.  Learn some fucking sharing skills and think before you drop in, morons.  And remember, typically, uphill has right of way.  Look the fuck ahead before you hit the downhill sections of the Traverse in case someone is just there about to finish the fucking climb.  If it's near the bottom I'm happy to pull up and let 2 or more riders through, but if it's near the top, fuck you, pull up and fucking wait, you cunts.

besides ill-mannered dickheads, a nicely trundled 20 km with 730 m of altitudinal gainage.

Munting Friday Stooge.

Killer of a ride today. Absolutely sucked every ounce of energy from me.  

Headed up to Skidder, drank some water, refilled, then dropped down into CAP, spotting Toka, which I'd never done before, and heading in, given it leads to Askins and lower Gungho, both of which I knew.  Well...  it's not very long, in no time flat you're on Askins, jumpity jump, then eventually I peeled off into lower Gung-Ho, which was more my style.  The combo should be called Tokaskungho... 

At the bottom I had a rest then headed down through the carpark and out into the wetland tracks, following my nose out to Worsley's Rd.  Headed up this, grind grind grind up then dropped off into Farside, somewhere I'd not ridden for over 5 years - long time since.  All the way into the bottom of the valley and meandered down and out to Penruddock, then over Happy Home, cruising from here into the wetlands area, finding my way across towards the Quarry park.  

In here, drinking heaps and refilling again, and up to Download, then climbing C2, Crocodile, Low-Road, Siberia and finally the long and painful grind up Kennedy's. Heesh, what a bastard. Across the Summit Rd, and climbing up the Mt Ada track, surprisingly long way to where the crater rim track crosses, peeling left here for a fun blast down to the saddle, then onto the road to cruise around and enter Lower Nun for a hefty rockstrewn descent.  Surprisingly the Park was shut by this stage, but I guess it was 6.30ish.  

Up the Summit into the top of Vic Park for the usual fun, down around the jumpies, down the rabbit, into the rocks, gums, pop and weave all the way down to 19th, then road from here to dogparkcarpark and entered the overgrown ways around and through lots of lovely bermy fun, good jumps, and nice flow out to the very bottom.  Clamber, road, home.

Substantial 25 kms with 806 m climbed - no wonder I'm so stuffed.

Off to Poteriteri early tomorrow.  

Wednesday Evening Pleasant Until Inclement Castle Return

Groovy ride with Nelson tonight.  Drizzle had started to push on the blustery wind on my way home from work, and I nearly called it, but he said it was fine at his place so we figured we'd manage...  

Got to his and it was fine, so bikes on his car we shunted up to Upper Major Hornbrook where it was humid and very windy, easterly/nor-easterly.  Hit up Britten, not really knowing where to until we got to the top of there...  Decided on Castle Rock, so off we went around top of Britten, staying high, then up Broadleaf to get to a nice blast down towards Cavendish.  Nelson OTB'd not long into the overgrown, twisty, rocky singletrack.  No harm done, so onwards, and I didnt get any flow on until we were on the long traverse towards the west, nice tail-wind behind.  Nearly lost it on the fateful corner of time's-past, but kept it reigned in and we were over the stile and down to the saddle in good time.  

Up the ziggy zaggy to the top of Cavendish, around behind the building and into the steppy steppy rockville down to Bridle-top.  All good.  All fun.  Although I dabbed a fair chunk of some sections.  As we climbed to Castle the cloud lowered, the wind pushing hard, and we dropped into slicky rocks and drizzle driving into the eyes making for some seriously blurry descent.  Sketch was the way.  Greasing gingerly around the hairpins and between, then Nelson powered off on the climb while I was committed to muppetry, slip-pinging all over the rocks as I ascended, rolling out to the road to where he was waiting.  

We ventured around under the gondola.  Nice and calm out of the wind around here, then full facial blast around the corner, but only briefly - finding that a little further up the road it was sweet calm again.  Weird wind direction.  The drizzle certainly wasnt relenting tho.  Low visibility up around the road through the cutting, a couple of cars encountered, then dropped off into Britten, for a keep-it-to-the-lowest-common-denominator roll around in the slick rocks.  Full blast wind around the outside edge, then down the new(ish) sprayed in trail to the VeeTwin descent, which we just took back to the car, wetter and wetter as we descended.  No mudguard on Nelson's bike meant his face was splecked up good.

Surprisingly miserly 10 kms, but with 457 m climbed, not a bad climb:distance ratio

Saturday Morning Unintentional Reverse Enduro

Limited time due to chores, so headed up on the Jeht.  Before 19th there were a bunch of riders and organisers heading in.  "What's happening today?"  "Enduro, you can join in if you want?"  "Thanks, but I'm limited in time"  and I continued on my way over 19th, an through Skidder which was getting set up with sun-shelters and lots of people.  Good climb up the grunt and up through to the top of Vic, taking Thompsons #1 down, then back up the road, pushing a good pace.  Off down and around over the jumpies, and out across the rabbit paddock into the Rockgarden.  One THWUNK in the rear end and I thought, oh, that didn't sound good, pedal through top of gums and around and, uh oh, back end's getting washy...  Damn it.  Total flattage.  No gear, just water bottle.  So...  Started walk-running down.  Tape in gums directing the racers down my usual way, so I ducked under it and took the short version down to the left.  Down to the jumpy trail from the left, following it down, keeping away from main tracks all the way out to 19th then below road, Taiwharaunui, dogparkcarpark, lovely, shady walk through here, then out 'To Harry Ell' and down home.  

Ride up, walk down.  Sucky.  (193 m climbed tho)

Wednesday Night's Captain Greenwood, I Presume

Up into the fog and back down into the darkness... 

Parked at about 7pm at Slumnervale and headed into the OG Thomas climb.  Walked the usual bits, and dabbed a few others.  Pretty mild down here, and overcast and foggy on top so quite humid.  Good enough climb, struggling with my weight and feeling every inch of belly fat.  Onto the road, decisions to be made - up into the fog? or out Godley...?  Upwards.  Locked out the squish and pushed a good pace up the road.  Into the clouds just up and around a little.  The big Richmond Pines were making their own rain, and I climbed over the stile and went up Knapsack/sheepshit alley.  This was nice.  

At the top of this I was debating heading around the road and up Broadleaf for the full run, but it was 8pm so I checked sunset on Met which said 8.20, so decided against the top of Pleasant - instead, hung a left and rode the OG Greenwood 'entry' and then proceeded to enjoy, thoroughly, the descent of Greenwood.  Bony. As. Fuck. But Jeht responding and performing laudably.  A couple of short rests and in the lowest gulch (before the last blast to Evans) it was 8.15.  Hoo-boy, 5 minutes to sunset...  Blitzed out the rest, down to the road (with audience in the boy-racer carpark) and straight up onto Captain Thomas, the overcast sky getting dimmer as I descended.  Stopped a couple of times to get blood flow back into hands, otherwise cleaning all of the trail, loving the tech.  Light was still good even once into the bushy sections, but man, visibility was hard once into the piney section in the lower reaches.  Feck'n'ell.  Managed to cleane out the nether reaches and then back along behind the gabbion wall and through the park to the car for around 8.30...  Nicely nicely.  

As close to 14 km as you can shake a stick at, and deliciously, 575 m climbed.

Monday Night Local Jeht

Short up down up down tonight.  Jumped on the Jeht and chuffed up the hill.  Over 19th and into the Skidder.  Contemplated heading up the grunter but I really couldn't be bothered, so headed in the middle way and dropped off into the Rad entry, then across into Razza's.  Nicely techy down here and dry's a bone so no slippery roots.  At the bottom, hung a left, baulked at the first Rad jump even tho I easily would have had it, and then headed straight out, across onto Sneaky Ridge.  The whole time concerned for my tire pressure - felt I needed to ride 'light.'  Biff boff baff down into Sneaky, nice rolling and no Juarez, until I leapt off the wee wooden jump at the fence and found myself aiming for, and landing in, a rut.  Ugh, juuuust managed to pull it out, but lost all my speed and dabbed, drifting in the dusty loess.  Mild adrenalin hit as I continued on my way, across into Nu Bridges and down.  It's all been weed-eaten and the druff is all over the trail.  I should really get down there with a leaf rake or something, or someone could walk down it with a leafblower, cos it's fucking sketchy - although, it did soften the rocks a bit.  

Down valley and into Hidden Valley track, climbing, granny, rest on first corner, another one a up in the pines.  Cleaned it all otherwise.  Steep.  Then around onto Old Skool, thankfully meeting two dog walkers in opposite directions just at the high point before dropping in, meaning I didnt meet them on a tricky spot.  Good blast down here, riding nicely.  A couple of weird shifty bits in some of the lower hairpins, something felt weird, but made it through and then headed up valley, grind, grind, and more grind.  Met quite a few riders bombing down.  Many quite unfriendly.  Worked my way methodically up and eventually made the 40footer and then onwards up around the Radzone and up to Skidder.  Dropped into the CAP track peeling off onto my usual out to the road, where I saw H's car...  and him and friends (naughty! - cos he shouldn't have been driving them) hanging up in the 19th park.  Below road from here, onto the coast, then into DogParkCarPark, narrowed entrance, but otherwise looks pretty clean, great swoopy blast down here.  Fun fun.  All the way down, the lower reaches have been cleared too, and out onto H'Ell, clamber to road. Home.

Just over eight-and-three-quarter kms, and just over three-and-three-quarter hundred metres.  Jocular solace.

Sunday St Homestrianglead Run

Nice wee blast around the circuit up the road (in direction of Lake Tennyson), peeling off onto the the cycleway, climbing the 4wd track to the Edwards Saddle / Peter's Pass. 

Dropped down to where the Waterfall section peels off and then headed, hooningly, back down the Homestead Run towards the house.  The others (Tra'y, Lynn and Anth) were out walking, and I met them and stopped to chat.  They turned around here and I bombed off onwards down back to base. 

Again, panoramic, 14.55 kms, with 253 m escalated

Friday St James Homestead, Run Fatty, Run

A jaunt on the Fattster (for a change- and cos I didn't quite get the new Stooge brakes bled-in Thursday night).  Headed up the St James Cycle Trail from the homestead, into the wind.

  At the Pass, I found the new (to me) route at Peter's Pass up over the top of a waterfall then ziggy zaggy down into the valley.  Continued on down Edwards Valley (but because of the wind, it didn't feel like downhill), further than last time and when I got to where the track crossed the river, couldn't see a way not to get my feet wet.  I'd pretty much been riding long enough, so I decided to turn back here.  

Gentle climb back up valley, assisted with the tail wind, back up to the ziggy zaggy climb, which is VERY steep, back up over the waterfall and then the fun began.  Carrying speed on all the ups, standing and cranking, fun, grippy blast back down to the homestead.  

Headwind nor'westers all the way in then uphill all the way back until the final run. Fast fatty, fast.

Nice waterfall up the top and some awesome good falcon watching on the way back down...

Meanwhile, Tra'y walked off piste up and over the top of the triangle to Peter's and back. Nice!

A picturesque 23 kms and 476 m climbed. 

And another. Sunday lung stretch.

T had gone for a walk to Chorlton so I followed after doing a couple of chores. Up through Adrian's, Luke's Rd and up. Met her eventually on her way down and continued my way up, meeting some riders and walkers coming down, at Chortlon I decided to head onwards over into the Long Lookout Rd gravel, pausing briefly to wait for Andrew C. to go by in his tractor and the dust to settle before the very fast bomb down. - Looking back up towards View Hill from Long Lookout Rd

Bucolic.

Turned around and ground my way back up, then sat and cruised, velocity ever increasing, down, down, veer into Luke's again passing the group of walkers again and down back of the tennis courts (at which point the rear brake started making the bad noise again), then around and home.  Rear brake completely out of pad, spring thing bent...

8 kms 287 m up, over and back.

Saturday Pearcing Piper's, Duvauchelle's Steep, Summit - LA.

Tra'y walking Hinewai so she dropped me at top of the valley, saving me the ~500m of climb. I headed up the Mt Pearce track, somewhat steeper in places than I remembered - it's been a while. Had a bit of an explore up here, took in the view over Pigeon Bay. 

Scope for lovely singltrack ridge trails, I reckon...  

Back down, and part way the rear brake started making some nasty noise...  I had to take out the wheel and pads and examine closely.  No spares so put it all back together thinking I might have to bail out carefully (or sacrificially) down valley back to bach, but it seemed to be resolved and even tho there was stuff all pad left, I survived the rest of the ride.  At the Summit Rd again, I headed into Piper's Valley Rd, for a very fun descent.  Lovely cruising, tho keeping a close eye on any magpies around.  Had to pull up at the first house in the bottom of the valley for a mob of sheep and farmer (who apologised! - i said no worries!) and a nice cruise down to the main road. Explored a little of Duvauchelle, heading to the boat ramp and jetty, then back around and grabbed water from the school, then around Onawe, nice and flat,

bit of a chill out in the trees just above the start of the walking track.  Then around past the Refuse and the Garden Centres and then hit up grinding relentless brutal climb, first up the main road, then up the start of the Pigeon Bay Rd, then onto the gravel Stock Route.  A graveller caught up and passed me when I was having a wee rest - "these peninsula climbs are so brutal."  I kept him in sight for a long while, but eventually needed more rest and he disappeared.  Surprised by the number of vehicles using this road, but then it was a busy public holiday weekend...  Finally onto the Summit Rd, hung a right and the steepness was so gentle.  Fun coasting down through to Pigeon then just cruising and finally grinding, wearily.  Overtaken by a young fresh couple on road bikes - on their way through LA - Okains and back over to the harbour...  The were stopped at top of Little Ak Rd as I passed by and bombed down, finishing it all with a super fast descent back down into LA.  I saw them ride past as I was heading through our second gate.

32 kms, 922 climbed, meaning well over 1400 descended for the lolz

Sunday prior, Gebbies Governors E-dventure with T. And Friday's Stooge With a View.

Last weekend, got back from Pureora trip, a bunch of walking in the bush, on Saturday, so on Sunday to reconnect, Tra'y and me took the ebikes up and along the summit to Gebbies, nearly closed for the Ultra (but luckily they weren't through yet nor started (for the shorter courses), down around to Allandale and around the waterfront, hanging out in a couple of spots,

timing it perfectly to arrive at the Pub for (me some breakfast and) a couple of coffees.  Then offwards up the hill, over and home.  My battery expired on the driveway below Andrew and Cath's place, mere pedal strokes from home - yowser).  Over 31 kms covered, with 966 metres electrically assisted.

And finally a proper ride on Friday. We came to the bach Wednesday night and worked from here Thursday, day in lieu Friday. Tra'y walked and I caught up and rode with her to Chorlton, leaving her there, to climb up View Hill Rd. Remarkably, I met 2 Shining Cuckoos(!) on my way. Full view of both of them just metres away - usually they're cryptic af.  A bit further up I watched a bunch of hawks, circling. 

Ground my way up

to the gate before turning back for a very rough ride down, until once past the big pines on the gravel again rocketship mode engaged. Fast bomb to Luke's Rd, back of the tennis courts, and up home. 

14kms, 617m

Thursday Commuter-Stooge Travelator

Nice ride to work this morning on the Stooge. Gorgeous mild and windless nor'west spring day.  Huffed up from home through skidder and up the grunt.  Into Worm and onto the Traverse, a few wet spots but nothing major or soggy. 

Over Vernon, lovely jubbly and then (Full Monty closed, so) down upper Rapaki at an expeditious rate of knots.  At the gate on the flat bit Ranger Nick Singletrack appeared in his ute to open the trails.  We had a quick catch-up and I rode back a bit and up, ahead of him, opening the gate for him, then had a chat to a lady with a dog of the same name as Jet, before heading in and hitting down the Elevator.  Fun times and only a few splecky bits - leaving my pants (new 24/7s from NZO (in Plum)) slightly less than work-appropriate (nothing a good scrub-down with my bikeshirt didn't fix once I got to the office).  

Down Rapaki Rd, detour into that wee park at the corner, then the haul across town, Centaurus into Wilson's Rd for the main drag then back-alley-street-cutting through Austin, Jacksons Creek to Huxley/Burlington, Cadogan, across Blenheim and down Buchan - Byron - Colombo to join the usual commute route over the bridge into CBD. 

Just under 17 kms with surprisingly just over 300 m climbed - which means 500 odd of descending. A most pleasant way to get to work

Thursday Post-Flu Marley's Retune, with a Magpie Attack

Spin up on the Jeht tonight for a bit of a rehoning of the musculature, to the top of the Nun and back. Gaspy climbing after a couple of weeks of influenza A, walking a short section below the Sesame wall-ride, but cleaned out the rest.  A group of riders, talking, were catching me up towards Brakefree and eventually once I parked at the entrance to Thomson's #1.  They were all on e-bikes, explaining why they were all talking so relaxedly and still gaining on me the whole way up.  

Off down Thomson's both, flowing very nicely, then through the Pass and up the Summit Rd  Uneventful climb and grind to top of Nun.  Parked up for a rest and view right on the peak before diving in for some sweet sweet body-english flow-times down the Nun.  Haven't ridden it so smoothly for ages.  Everything felt en pointe, speed carried, rocks flowed.  Crossed the CAP exit and parked on a corner for a breather.  A guy rode through so I gave him until I heard him below (a good headstart) and then took off.  Railed the berms, flowed the rocks and was gaining on him on the lower reaches pretty well, finally catching him as I peeled right to clamber back up onto the road at the Kiwi.  

Back through the Pass and climbing.  Half way between lower Thomson's exit and the entry a bloody magpie swooped me.  Gave me a hell of a fright.  I told him off, said "I'm friendly!!"  Up around the corner and just about on the upper Thomson's exit he fucking did it again.  "Oi, you little shit, cut it out!"  Stopped and broke off a broom plant to hold above my head, then grabbed a flax flower stalk, but he'd pissed off back up the hill.  Tra'y had been attacked directly above here when walking earlier on Sugarloaf too...  -Bad bird!

Down through the rocks and gums, again, riding smoothly and really enjoying myself.  When I exited at the end a massive group of social runners was coming through, and heading below the road below the 19th, so I turned uphill towards the Skidder and peeled left up onto the way I'd come up, over 19th and dropping down to rangerbase, then around the road and lovely coast into dogpark carpark for a very weavy cruisy flow down this, finally drying out, jumpy jumpy through the oaks and then all the way down to H'Ell before the clamber home.

A testing 10.5 kms gaining 350 m (or 380 by my reckoning - adding up the ups).