Good Friday Head Clearer

Up in Kaiks for Jana's 40th.  I took my opportunity for a quick spin around a bit of The Kaikoura Trail on the fatty. Mostly road but some quite fun singletrack.  Headed out, without water or tools, no backpack, along Hawthorne Rd (which is bike/pedestrian bridge since quakes), to the end, then up Mt Fyffe Rd for a while.  Right onto Topline and across this to Waimangarara River, where a short section of twisty singletrack through dark exotic deciduous forest takes you through to the Koura 'Resort'.  There was an offshoot of singletrack near the end that I wished I'd explored, but didn't - save that for another day.

Back onto the roads again, through the golf 'resort' and then left onto Bay Paddock Rd, up to Grange which takes you across to the Hapuku River.  Down into a storage area of large rocks (so many rocks!) and the Hapuku is running very grey and milky (ever since the quake, apparently - draining all those slips and dams).  Bit messy here with big ponds semi-flooding the track, but once into the woods, it was cool.  Fun twisty, reasonably low speed singletrack ducking and weaving through mostly indigenous scrub.  Bands of manuka, followed by podocarp and all sorts.  Went on for much longer than I'd have expected too, tho all up only a couple of kms and I was out onto the SH1.  Crossed this and ducked into Lovers Lane expecting to just ride it, but nope, the singletrack continues, albeit not as well formed and rather bumpy, for about another km then back onto the road to take down to Hapuku village around and onto Old Beach Rd for the tailwind cruise back to town.

27 or so kms, with not much altitude - couple hundy metres.

Saturday to Monday on the Old Ghost Road

So...  Nelson and me drove up to Reefton on Friday night, staying in a cabin at the campground.  Headed off Saturday morning and rolled into Westport around 9 where we got breakfast at the PortSide (which was really good), and waited for Ken and Ross to turn up.  They were driving from Murchison and had gotten in there from the ferry really late, so had a late start.  They arrived quarter to eleven or so and ate, so we were off to a pretty late start.  Up to Seddonville to drop off Ken's truck, all piled into the Stagea and scraped the muffler along the gravel exit back to the sealed road.  Eventually got round to Lyell, and it was raining.

Doesn't look that wet, but here's the likely lads, clean before departure.

Hit the trail just after 3 and Nelson set a bloody stupid pace, which had us all huffing and chuffing, so I complained and got in front, and proceeded to set a pretty similar pace, concerned that I was holding them all up...  so, Ken got in front and slowed us riiiiight down, to granny + 1 kinda speed, and it was good.  Breathing eased, and we made slow but steady progress, with scope for more in the future.  Pretty wet, but not so bad, trail was firmer (more gravel applied) than I remembered from the previous time climbing this bit... The slips (about 10kms) were where we'd gotten to last time, and were a lot more rideable than they'd looked then.  Met a couple of guys riding down, not too much gear, who asked where we were staying, and when we told them, said, cryptically, "you're in for a treat."  My thoughts were, hut full of hot grrrls or hut full of drunken d!cks...  Kept the smooth pace from here up til about the 14km mark when it sort of leveled out and Ken picked up the pace til we were rocking along and those km markers just flew by.  All of a sudden, there's the sign for the hut!  Pushed up the little grunt to this and got settled in for the evening, rain steadily coming and going, not very much view to be had.  2 hours 40 mins from starting.

Our sleepout (the deep dark back one (Zala) was good, but noisy with the big drips slamming down from the trees above.  There were a young couple camping next to us, 2 older riders in the Gibbs hut, and the aforementioned 'treat'?  11 older (60's/70's) women walkers in the main hut, plus Rob the guy building steps for the toilets (sleeping in one of the dunnies cos there were no free beds!).

Next morning took our time cos it looked like it was clearing, but then it kept raining, getting away about 10.15, or was that 11.15?  Anyway, the couple on bikes had left about 40 minutes before us and we caught them after about 15, so they must have been going pretty slow.  They were struggling with the 'technicality' of the terrain, and they weren't used to riding full suss bikes (on rentals).  Anyway, we trundled on and overtook the odd one or two of the walking old ladies too.  Met 4 other riders coming the other way around when we hit the open country.  And the going got more interesting, and more downwards through the top section.  Lots of exposure, lots of wetness, cloud and howling wind.  I recall some rapid sections, ragged edge corners, and a LOT of water pouring out of moss or in creekbeds.  Overtook 3 of the walking ladies in here, with very little view to be had. On the descent through the bush before the hut we passed one of the Ghost Road Gurus, 'Stacky', walking the other way.  On down to the hut and we found a couple of touring bikes parked here.  Made some lunch, got warm, even saw some sunshine, before rain returned and backed off a bit too. The frenchies with the touring bikes set off ahead of us and we watched them walk them up the steep bit after the lake.

Re-donned wet clothes and got riding again.  Technical terrain starts immediately after the funky boardwalk through the little bit of forest before the lake, then steep climb briefly and over to the steep corners descents.  Good blast down these, me dabbing an inside foot on most of them, not quite game to let my weighted bike get the better of me.  This is us on the way down, somewhere, below Old Ghost Hut.

Somehow I got out in front, the boys were faffing with Ken's bag on his rack, and had the twisty techy rooty rocky descent through the scrobbleforest to myself.  This was the most techy and fun part of the whole trail so far.  I waited for the others on the chopperpad (the Anvil) and they rolled in.  It was here we spotted the cliff below the corners.  wow!  Then Ken led the way down to the start of the climb for Skyline.  I dropped back a bit and tail-end-Charlie'd it on the climb, getting a bit knackered, and struggling, but nearly cleaned it all.  Nelson fell on his elbow ahead of me, and was in a lot of pain from there on down.  We caught the others and blazed on down the Skyline Ridge to the top of the steps, loving the twists and turns and the view was starting to improve too, with bits of sunshine gaining traction on the hills beyond. Various techniques down the steps - i did a little on it's back wheel, some carrying, but mostly just walking it beside me, it held back quite well on the brakes.  Sore arms by the time we got to the bottom, where we found the frenchies on the touring bikes.

Best flow section award goes to this next section.  From the bottom of the steps to Stern hut was fantastic.  So much fun, swooping back and forth, amazing landscapes, from slips to big scarpy crazy lifted sedimentary mixed rock to mossy goblin forest to tall beech and roaring creekside flow.  Wonderful.  Arrived at the hut and the sun came out so we hung stuff out to dry.  It rained again, but it was no bother, we then started using the hut heat for drying.  Another totally full hut, with older walkers again, and the frenchies (young guy who'd ridden overland to NZ from France... and his mate).  From Lyell, to Lyell Saddle Hut, then on to Stern Hut, 39.7 kms, 1972 m of climbing, and somewhere just over 4 hours 30 mins riding (it failed to autopause, which is why I stupidly paused it at Stern, assuming it would restart the next day.  But then  neglected to 'Resume' it the next morning, thinking it would just pick it up our moving... which i think is what it did, but not the gps bit...  the 7 hours total on it must be the whole shabang).

Next day, woke up after terrible sleep, and it was fine weather, tho low cloud that proceeded to burn off a bit as we rode.  8.30 start, cos the two Wellington boys had to make the ferry that night.  So, off out, steady but easy pace, passing the walkers, and climbing up the Boneyard I was gasping (from the lack of sleep), but once above this was good going.  We met a goat.  Young black billy, he was cute, but weren't really sure what his intentions were and he wouldn't let us pass.  Then the other 3 got past and he bailed me for a minute, putting them out of reach.  I chased but barely ever saw Ross's red arms.  We hauled arse all the way.  Stopped for sugar when we made the Mokihinui.  A chopper was flying over with a bundle of timber underneath when we crossed the big swingbridge, and we heard it several more times later.  Long section down the river, a few ups and downs, and then the Forks Hut, and into the gorge, spectacular country all around.  Specimen Hut we stopped for snacks and helmets off, then I set off ahead on my own, Ross not far behind, and we proceeded to clean up many kms down the gorge.  Met a couple of workers on motorbikes coming up the gorge, tight passing them, flowy descents and grunty climbs.  Finally, maybe 6 kms from the end we stopped for a rest the top of a rise with a nice view and within a few minutes the other two boys turned up.  Not far now, we blasted on me getting more lagged and slow, til the out the gate and along the 4wd section, I could barely climb that last climb before the turn onto the last km of singletrack...  But, in here I caught Ken up, he was starting to lag too.  Ross Strava'd this day's ride - it was 42.1kms, over 720m climbing and we did it in 3 hrs 45 mins (3.03 hours riding time).

And we rolled out to the car and celebrated with a cold swim in the river.  Great for the legs. Then, into the car, googling to see how much time they had to make the ferry, allowing us to have lunch in Westport, then up to Lyell to split the gear and go our separate ways.  Nelson and me made it back to Amberly about 6.15pm, where I had the Fiat waiting, and was home around 7.  perfect.


My tallies then.  2700m of climb, 83 or so kms, all done in around 7 and a half hours total of riding.

Tuesday Night Short Loner

Steve had called a PFMTBC meeting at 7 and it being my last chance before the weekend's Ghostings, I grabbed the time to ride. Nelson was had already organised to DH, but also said he was crook, so from work I trafficked to Mt Pleasant and parked up on Stoneyridge at 5.30.  Messed about with MMR (which wasn't playing ball for a bit), and headed up into Britten Reserve under the pylons.  Steep bastard grunt, walked the steepest bit, then MMR got rolling as I headed across the easy stuff at a good pace.   Back and forth, then up to the top and around the front and around to the cutting.  Across the road and over the fence and up onto the Mt Pleasant track climbing well to the top, right up to the trig (where the MMR photo was took), for a bit of a snack.

Time for the descent.  Hopped over the fence and got rolling, seat down, flying down the rocks and around to the stile.  Nice flowy run down through the tech then swoopy swoopy down through the tussocklands, down to the 4wd, then into what was the new extension below this (above the ruins) around and back across towards the start of Greenwood.  Hardly ridden recently, so lots of sheep poo as they scattered in front of me.  I stopped here and it was only 6.10, so figured I had time to hit Greenwood.  Bombed down this, flowing through the flowy bits, and not stalling up too much on any of the techy boney rocks.  Very brief rest after Gloomy, then into the gnar again, plummeting well.  Totally bollocksed the rocky ups but flew down to the end after for 6.19. 

Then, onto the road, climbing fast up to Jollies Bush, where I headed in and tried out the tracks we didn't go last time, out and back further to the right, and more rideable, back up and climbed over the stile, pushing the few metres up to the singletrack above. Onto this and swooped down towards the Richmond Hill pines, then around and up the singletrack to the original Greenwood Entrance.  Last bit of road, and into Britten for a bombing, having to sidestep several times into the grass and over tussocks (at speed) to avoid some rookie climbers.  Arrived at the car dead on 6.50 - perfect timing.

13.6kms with at least 430 m climbed (more like 460 m on account of MMR starting late)

Wednesday Night Hunting Victorian Dusty Gringo Vales

Rode with Paul for a change tonight. Nelson was out, having crooked his neck over night and also had the wrong bike (his DH in the car from previous night in the park). Rode from Paul's place, with him on my old Turner, which he's purchasing from me...

Meandered across town and headed up Huntsbury.  As we came over Kenmure Drive we found from here on up a million people all parking and walking up with us to the start of the gravel where Torpedo7 was holding Rogaine.  Navigated through them and continued on up the gravel, me grovelling a bit but keeping a good pace.  Up onto the single track and the wind was ferocious pushing us off a couple of times.  Finally up the top grovel and easy to the start of the Traverse.

Nice tail-wind around the Summit, both of us getting pretty puffed even on the downhill stretches, but going well.  Then into top of Vic and down past the seesaw, past people working on Brake Free and down into the Gums.  The Rocky just ploughed on through the rock garden, fantastic.  Then down into my favourite twisty lefty and through to the skidder site.  Next, into Spazza's, so many options in there now, and across down to Sneaky Ridge, flying down the first rocky section.  Paul baulked, but knew he could do it, so went back and did it.  Then down the rest and back and forth in the oaks and wheee over the jump onto Bridges,  and back and forth down to the bottom of the valley.

Through the creek and up the zigs and zags of Hidden Valley Link, climbing nicely and cleaning all the corners, then up, really puffing into Old Skool.  Awesome blast down this, catching up some old codgers and picking them off one by one, til in the lower zigs and zags Paul got a flat (what is it about that bike and pinch flats!?).  We stopped just above the valley floor and swapped out my (no-longer-needed) 26 inch tube. 

7.20 us as we rolled down Bowenvale Ave, and we proceeded back the way we'd come and stopped into Moon Under Water for a nice point of, aptly, Dusty Gringo.  Justy biked down to join us, and it was well and truly dusk, 8pm-ish, when we rode back up to their place.

20kms with 500 metres of climbing.  

Scargill

No real riding this weekend, but we camped with family at Scargill Domain.  Took all the bikes, me with my fatty.  So, rode the 2 kms into Greta Valley twice, once with all of us and once with just O - a climb there, and reasonably rapid return.  And there's a couple of loops 'walk' around the domain, and across a creek and up through an oak plantation, some switchbacks and steep climb, nice views down to Mt Grey, and around.  Nearly 4 kms in all.  Fun descent.  Fun wee loop, without the gates to open and shut, would be a great race track or time trial exercise.  Took almost half an hour with all of us together and quite a few stops thrown in.

Saturday McBritten CavenTors Duncan

Nelson worked til 3, and I had some errands, dropping O off at a party and his wheel off to Josh.  Also stopped into Josh's shop to get some MarshGuardness and have a yarn.  Met Nelson at Ferrymead Park, and we treadled around to McCormack's bay, heading up the valley in the heat.  Thought I was gonna suffer the dreaded heat stroke again at that rate.  But, managed to stay on top of it, drinking heaps of water throughout the climb.  Walked a couple of the stretches in the upper switchbacks, heat just taking it all out of me.  Up the road, and up the walking track in the gully, spitting us out up to climb over the fence by the bath water trough.  Up onto the main Britten track and climbing, into fog.  Rushing fog.  This cooled a bit, but also because it was so damned humid it kinda didn't too...

Finally I made it to the top, and we headed around the front, all the way in the fog.  Then around to the end of the original and across the road over the fence into Mt Pleasant reserve, breaking out into the sun, climbing then dropping down to Cavendish Saddle, for to climb up the sketchy switchbacks up the back of the Gondola.  These are obviously not seeing a lot of tires over them.  Nice long rest taking in the views at the top, with quite a few people around from the Gondola.  Then, back on the bikes and down the steps towards the Bridle Path.  Bomb bomb bomb and for the first time I found a good line into one of the bits near the fence we've always struggled with getting into.  Across the ridge and finally to the Bridle.

Into the climbing walking track up the ridge from here, me cleaning more than I've ever cleaned before.  Pushing a bit up through the broom then riding heaps, and around the top and fun descent down to the saddle, then the push up and then ride around towards the Castle Rock ridge for a quick rest before the best descent down below the Tors.  Love that descent, especially the super tech towards the bottom. 

Onto the singletrack above the road, cruising through this around to the end, then a new way, over the fence and up the farm track to the top, quite steep, and over the fence and finding out line through the tussocks to the rocky top, then into the descent.  Fun trail, descendy and descendier, steeper and steeperer, techy and techier, all the way down to the pylon, then around into the forest and dropping down through the massive jumps then out past the horsies and onto the road, heading around under the motorway and up Heathcote Valley around and down towards Ferrymead and across the park back to the cars.

On to Twisted hop for some chips and a well earned beer.  Yum

Similar size and distance to other recent rides...  18.5kms, with 716m climbed.

Wednesday Tommy God Snake Return

Went and watched O compete in time trials at Crocodile / C2 area after school, where he'll be competing each week for the next few.  Came home and was picked up by Nelson. 

We headed for Scuzznor and parked up in Slumnervale.  Headed up El Capitano, and it was coolish, but muggy as hell.  My asthma always kicks in on that climb, and tonight was no exception - I wondered if it was a high fungal spore count.  Nelson seemed to just rocket off ahead, while I wheezed and struggled to breathe behind.  Once above the switchbacks I got on with it, rolling up to find him trying several times to clean the wee climb immediately after that little descent.  We pushed up the two unrideables and allowed a couple runners through, then continued our merry way up.  Pinchies were pinchy and then the last stretch to the top, some imbecile dropped in when we had about 20 m to go and pretty much expected us to move over.  Stuff you, I just kept on and he stopped, but I had to ride off the track to get past.

Into Godley, and puffing hard up the first climb, I had a break before attempting the top upper section, cleaning it nicely.  Nelson was miles ahead by this time.  I plodded onwards, muppetting lots, but cleaning stuff too.  Eventually I found him at the top and we were practically in the fog.  What followed was an excellent blast down to Livingston Col.  Both of us on top form, weaving our ways down.  My new bike was gripping and holding on so perfectly, and soaking up the trail awesomely.  Through the col and into the climb, nice and short, then around and down to Breeze.

Into the Anaconda.  Nice easy cruise around til the speed picked up and the corners were all railed hard.  Fantastic descent to the start of the tail, where we got down onto the walking track and headed away from Taylors, eventually up the new climbing track, which climbs really good.  Back up to the upper 'conda, we debated doing another lap, but then realised it was getting late, and darkness not far away.

So, back up to Breeze, and back up the way we'd come, climbing out around Pfmtbc Rock, which makes that climb much nicer, and on up through the rocky tech which is more fun in this direction, then dropping down to Livingston and into the full climb back up Godley from there.  I'd been thinking the road would be better, easier, but as I rode I decided not.  If you think about it, it's all the same altitude, but from the road there's that horrible 4wd climb back up to the trail, whereas, climbing the trail, the last stretch to that top is nice and gentle.  Light getting really low, not helped by the super low cloud cover, we blasted the return to Evans.  I took lines over rocks I've never considered before.  Big volume tires soaking it all up.

Finally, into the Captain, blasting as fast as the light allowed.  The odd wet spot put dirt and grease on tires, and so on the last rocky tech I 2nd guessed myself and stopped, making me have to walk it.  Then there were two Enduro-heads practicing for the upcoming (this weekend) Enduro Race and the sun got below the clouds a bit and the light grew for our final descent down to the switchbacks and around a very greasy cabbage tree couple corners, and out the bottom, back to the car.

A pretty good 18 kms, with surprisingly 730 m climbed.

Sunday Grey

8am at Rangoon, then transferred to Nelson's car and headed up thru North Loburn to Paringa Rd.  Couldn't drive the ford so parked on the corner and rode through it, getting wet feet.  Over the gate and the climb began, still nice and cool at this point, but as we rode along Banks Rd the occasional gust was full of warmth.  We diverted from our path a couple of times, looking for possible ways across the valley to the next ridge to avoid climbing all the way up to the high point of Banks/Paringa before the big descent back down to the river, but to no avail.  However, we did find lots of yummy blackberry goodness which we gorged on multiple times.

Bomb down Okuku Rd past the beehives and over the gate and down a short ways before ducking right, up onto the Mt Grey Nature Walk.  This proved fun, and nicely graded, with a few interesting features of tight corners and short steps.  Stopped and moved a big log off one place too.  Cool descent down to the camp ground.  Through this and across the ford, and up the long and winding road.  Stopped for a rest at "Lake" Janet, then got into the steep clamber.  Once into the zigs and zags it isnt so bad, cleaning most tech features if not the tight corners.  Gaining altitude quickly we made the tower in good time, then headed up the singletrack from here - broom getting a bit unruly in some sections, but a nice climb to the summit anyway.  Sat in the lee of the hill (out of the strong NorWest) and had a snack, before heading off down the trail.

Fun descent began.  Met the odd walker or runner, couples too, and stopped and moved rocks into a boggy bit while still above the treeline.  Cornering seems easier on the Pipeline than the 5-Spot, and I was really getting into the lefthand switchbacks, nose wheelying, swinging the back wheel around then proceeding onwards.  Righthand switchies, not so much.  Most of them I reverted to my fatbike technique of planting the inside foot and doing the nose-wheely then.  Still quicker than any other method of cornering those tightspots.  We stopped and cleared a couple of big logs across the trail too.  Excellent blast down through the forest, into the pine section, then back into the bush.  Was a fun blast.  Landed back at the ford splecked in muck and smiling.

Now the brutal climb began, just after 12pm, sun beating down, luckily some shade in patches.  Stopped part way up to eat blackberries, then more further up.  Finally peaked Okuku and up Paringa for the last climb, before bombing the gravel back to the car.

None of the chasing of the daylight like last time.

Just under 30kms again, with 1105 m climbed... fairly hefty.

Thursday Night Quick Vic Traverse Old Skool Loop

Nelson picked me up from mine and we dropped the Turner off to Derek for him to test ride it. Then we went and Parked in Bowenvale Ave to ride up the valley.

Nelson put a good turn of speed in on his whippetmobileXCOracerboymachine.  Up K2 around under the 23 footer and on up under the pylon, then taking the zig out and back from the 40footer to the skidder site, then up the grunt to Brake Free.  Sun was lowering but figured we had enough light to head for the Nun, so down Thompson and Thomsons and through the Kiwi up the road to the top, ignobly ignoring like ignoramouses the Too Wet, Track Closed signs (it wasn't, it pretty much needn't've been).

And so, I led the way because I was on the burlmachine vs Nelson on his XC-treadlightly.  Pipeline performed very satisfactorily.  I'm still taking it easy, getting used to the new position/geometry/wheels/length/tires....  but man, those tires grip, and float.  Nice cruise down, me, for once, leaving Nelsie behind.  His tires were not grippy, picking up a bit of damp dirt then making rocks slippery.  And he was being ultra-aware of pinchflat potentialities.  Second half is getting pretty blown from all the Park traffic, but my Pipeline just wafted on down it.  It really likes popping air, lifting off effortlessly, however the final jump (that I crashed my shoulder on) I bypassed.

Next up, up Summit Rd to top of Vic, and onto the Traverse.  Good run around here, tho the climbs were starting to tax me, and Nelson's whippetmachine was whipping him along at a helluva clip (and he was holding back so's not to blow up!).  Around above Lavaflow and down the upper Huntsbury trail, big tires gripping the soft soil and potentially slick (but not to me!) rocks, launching the jumps nicely.  Then bombing down the smooth(ed out) 4wd to the first gate.  We'd spotted some extra lines in this zig zag section so looked for them, tried them out (some exposure(!) on one of them) and then continued on down the bits we already knew.  The off camber new corners down towards the pylons were crazy sketchy for Nelson, but my big tires just stuck down awesomely.

Rest of Old Skool was cool runnings, smooth and flowy, more and more getting the hang of the new machine, but still just relaxedly cruising it, picking up speed on some bits, and easing through others.

My MMR has crapped out, seemingly refusing to see any satellites - so I had to copy Nelson's... (my top speeds would have been higher :) ). 17.5kms, and 617 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Park with O

O's broken arm is fully healed so he was keen to try out the Park again. Up into the clouds at the top.

First lap, headed into Possum, all the way down to the mid point.  O had a massive smile on his face all the way, and was getting sore hands by the bottom.  Then, instead of dohc, we headed into the new Handle the Jandal, unfinished as yet, but not bad.  A couple of corners don't flow that well, but man you can carry some speed in some sections.  As yet unfinished, and so you're directed down a steep offcamber corner then a rough and gravelly 4wd road out the bottom of the valley.

Second lap, and last uplift getting there just before 7, we headed into Summit Connector, then into the Nun which was techy for him.  Then onto Old Dyers, aka Choir Boy, bombing down this, O really enjoying it, except for the climb at the end.  And finally, Loess Rider, which he loved.

Unfortunately MMR wouldnt kick in when we were on the lift, so I gave up on it.  Based on previous similar rides, we probably did 18 to 20 kms, including the lift, and virtually no climbing.

Tuesday Night Pre Trees Meeting Spin

After dropping H home after hockey I made my way across town to Trees For Canterbury where I parked and rode down Charlesworth to meet Nelson on Ferry Rd.  We headed up Mt Pleasant and parked in the usual Rockview Place. 

Headed up Britten, me managing to climb more of the steep above the pylon than I have for a long time, then doing okay staying on Nelson's tail for longer than usual too.  But, by the time he was at the top I was still a wee ways back.  Decided to hit the road and head into Greenwood old entrance, stopping to help a guy with a flat tubeless first.  Into the old, new tires bowling over the rocks at the start.  I was slower than Nelson, but that's nothing new.  Break before the ruins then into it.  I was feeling like the new bike suspension wasn't as good as the Turner, but was still good, and man those tires roll.  Some good speed in places, but bogged down in a few others.  Nelson stopped on the face above Sumner to top up the air (leaky tubeless), then proceeded to drop me speeding around to Gloomy.  Fun down the rocks and through the swoops, over the drop and then on down around through the backs and forths.  Big tires gripping and rolling so well.  Finally into the last gully and flying down the final drag to the rocky-ups, both stalling here - wrong geared.  And on to the bottom.

Turned around and back up.  Bike felt like it climbed badly, but mostly due to my timing and also I had my rebound settings set wrong (which I didn't fix til the top).  Took a while, but not that long and we were way up the hill.  In fact, there were a couple riding up the road below us down the bottom, and they rolled up to us when we were at the top, so not much slower at all on the trail. 

At the ruins, we headed down the new trail towards the Richmond Hill pines, bombing through this then climbing up back to the Greenwood Entrance.  Then into Britten, and bombsville.  Motored down the trail, big tires gripping well and bike feeling really good.  Huge posse of riders on either side of the trail to let us through, with more below, then around and back around, I had to stop to put my sunnies on (cos they were falling out of my bag strap).  Fun last blast, to the bottom.

13kms with 480m gained...

Monday Night Piped In

First ride on my brand new Rocky Mountain Pipeline 770 MSL.

Washington Way pick up after work and we headed to park at the end of Bowenvale Ave.

Got riding, up the gravel valley, on up past Hospital Corner, up past the bottom of the Lavaflow, and up the gully from there.  Then it was back across the slope around to the bottom of Brent's and up into forest up the steep 4wd track towards Cool Runnings, crossing this then on up past Rad^Sick and up to the Skidder Site. From here, up the steep pig, through Brake Free, and then Wormed up to the Traverse.

Nice haul around this to top of Lavaflow and along a bit, then down the 'new' fun wee Huntsbury descent, jumping the jumps and then across the landing strip onto the singletrack over the knoll and down the jumpy ways to the bottom. Turned around here and climbed back up the gravel road all the way up to the start of Traverse, crossed the road onto the start of Vernon and had a rest here at the highest spot.

Then it was back down onto the Traverse, round to the 'new' jumpy Huntsbury, bomb down this and into the zigzag Old Skool, all graded and fresh - ready for a rain event to wash it all away again, cleaning the new (over old) rocky line, newly dug bits and then into the Old Skool proper. Awesome blast down this, not letting Nelson get far ahead til much lower down. And, back to the car

14.5kms, with 625m climbed

Tuesday Night, Hot then Cooler

30 odd degrees when I left work, headed for Washington Way to meet Nelson.  Headed up and parked at the top of Huntsbury Ave.

Onto the bikes and off up, taking it pretty easy in the warmth.  Not quite as hot as down on the flat, and a bit of breeze around, tho, hot drying nor'wester.  Up onto the singletrack and up the landing-strip, then up the grovel to the top.  Onto Vernon, serious headwind along the first bit, and tail wind descent to a completely empty Rapaki top.  I was feeling sketchy, not trusting my rear tire at all, while Nelson flew on ahead.  Clamber up Witch hill trail wasn't too bad, but I was suffering from the heat a bit.  Descent was welcomed, then onto the singletrack above the road, fun trail around keeping the eye in on the tech.  Tail wind across the finish of this and for a first time we gave the Tors track a go uphill.  Hmm, bit of a walk to start, but was a good ride from the top of the steep onwards, altho the nor'west was blowing us off course a bit, into the hillside.  Into Castle at what Nelson said would be a sedate pace.  Ha!  He ripped.  I was doing okay, but favouring my recently frequently flat prone rear, keeping it light, but still fast.  Awesome run down, around, then into the climb, and I noticed the burned smell of the fire over in Cass/Corsair Bays from earlier in the day.  By the time we got to the top of Bridle Path, the southerly change had hit.

A lot cooler, refreshing, and nice.  But boy, what a gale.  Thought rain might be following soon, so we rode up the road, but then at the low ridge headed up onto the Tors track and climbed up this around above the road, then head into the descent the wind was ferocious, trying to blow us off the hill, downhill this time.  Nelson got an annoying leaky hole in his tire so we stopped for a while before finally heading down onto the road.  Across the saddle bit (before the walking track above the road) the wind was howling across, blowing us sideways, hard to stay on.  Too strong to risk the singletrack.  Around the road, and back into Witch, good climb, more air in Nelson's tire, then good descent, through Rapaki top, a few more people around this time, and the up Vernon - Nelson taking off ahead, and me just steadily plodding.  I found him above the road near the end, pumping up his tire again.

Across onto the Traverse, and into the descent, bombing down the new track, jumping all the jumps, and then across the landing strip and into the singletrack descent.  One more tire pump and down, over the gate, over the jumps and finished...

15.5 Kms, 619m climbed

Tuesday Couple CAP Laps with a Bonus

PFMTBC Inc meeting to view the Annual Trip Video at Steve's booked for 7.30, so Nelson picked me up in Washington Way and we got to bottom of CAP, parking out on the road to save having to drive over the speed humps...

Rode in, straight for the lift.  Hot day, again, and I's still recovering from Saturday's burn-out.  Low energy and quick to break a sweat.  Uplift, and into recently re-opened Lord of the Possums.  Nice, bowls and yumpies, bloody dusty tho.  We had it to ourselves for a while til it joined Duncan's Donuts, where there was a guy and a couple of girls we overtook, then near the bottom of this caught up to a group of guys.  Proceeded through to newly re-opened DOHC, now a black track.  It's pretty rough, and super dusty and in places they've cut out zig-outs and back so is steeper there, but still rather manageable.  Good to be on that side of the park and not pedalling away down the greenline.  Nelson put in good speed and a good gap on me, but this suited me cos right on his tail was too dusty anyway.  I was being reasonably cautious cos my back tire is bald as and was squirrelling around noticeably.

Straight into the lift again and up.  This time taking the Summit Connector across to the lower Nun.  I really didn't wanna do much climbing, so we didn't go up the road to the top, just took the lower down to the Kiwi.  I was super careful not to rimstrike, riding light to keep the pinchflats away.  Up the road to top of Vic nearly killed me.  But we dropped into the right and back across to the see-saw (I baulked, again!), and a little bit of Brake Free then across to the rockgarden and gummies.  Rockgarden saw my rim strike and flat.  Damn!  Walked down to the corner above my 'favourite lefthander' and replaced, then we got going down, me sending Nelson off down the new left off my left that I rode last time.  I took the old line. 

Then it was below the skidder site and out to the 19th Memorial, across the road and down the blast of a run down to Dyers Pass Rd, across and into KamaSutra and LoessRider.  I wasnt game on Kama, but Nelsie wanted to check it out on his trailbike, so we parted here and I had a flowy cruise, catching and passing a few people, and grabbing double-air wherever I was able.  Nice.  Meanwhile, Nelson plummetted down Kama Sutra, and was waiting a few minutes for me at the bottom.

Down the road to the car, him completing 17.6 kms and me 19 kms.  And accounting for 2 x lift rides, we'd probably only had to climb about 100 m ourselves.

Saturday Living Springs in the Heat Exhaustion Foment

Oh boy.  The ride that nearly killed me.  Heat exhaustion being the name of the game...

Nelson came to mine after work, and we set to getting the creak out of my rear suspension, which we managed to do, all the whilst I was sweating like a pig.

We headed over the hill and parked at Allandale, figuring there'd be plenty of shade on the trails.  Rode in, climbed and climbed.  It was very hot.  Into the Pines and up, I was getting slower and slower and found Nelson resting in the kanuka in Rhymes With Orange.  From here, up through some cows into the steeep climb in the bush.  I walked heaps of what I've always ridden in the past.  Eventually to the fence, over the new ladder (nice job, whoever built it), and on up out into the open, to the cabbage tree, and then up, walking up the steepness, before riding again in the regen-bush zone.  Up ever up to the first of the switchback corners where we rested.  372m.

Time for the down, I led to start with, nice blast down around and through in no time what had just taken us ages to climb.  Down the steep nearly losing it in the grass off camber corner, then around by the cabbage tree and across into the bush again.  Over the stepladder, and down down down, zig and zag, narrow gaps between trees, tight riding.  Nelson took over the lead at the cow paddock, and we blasted down here to the gate, then into Mississippi and then around into Zanes.  I stopped to check text and saw him ahead in a few corners, but never gained on him again.  Finally out the bottom and met him again, and we cruised around, did the wee 'drop' detour and the on into Totara Valley and then down back to the car.  Good ride but for the heat.

9.45 kms, with 430 m climbed.

Got home, ate 3 slices of pizza, loaded the cars and we took stuff to the new house, unloaded, then came home and when I showered it hit me.  Full blown heat exhaustion.  Throbbing headache, weakness, aching body and joints, nausea.  Tried to cool off and rehydrate for teh whole night - fever dreams, and spent all of Sunday in bed.  Sick as.

Thursday Night Fog and Heat and Sun and Cool

After work pick up from mine, we headed for top of Mt Pleasant (the suburb), parking on Parkridge Pl. Headed up the steep under-the-pylon into Britten.  I cleaned more of the rocky section this time, but still had to walk the steep bit to the corner.  Across the face, and around into cloud building up on the eastern flanks, making for a muggy climb to the top.  Brief breather here then around top front, and back across to the cattlestop at the climbing rocks - grass all nice and short again , making the trail easier to find than the last couple of times (in October!), and in full sun on this side of the hill.

Over the road, over the fence, and into long grass climbing up, back and forth to the top of Mt Pleasant well above the sea of cloud rolling in over the city.  A well earned breather in the shade of the building, then around the back of it to take in the view of the harbour.  Finally, descent time, a nice breeze blowing down the rocky entry, muppetting before the stile, then I led the way down the ridge, big fat wooly lambs all over the place getting in the way (and littering the track with their tasty treats).  Down to Greenwood, and we debated which way to go, choosing to head back round to the old start of Greenwood, and down the skinny singletrack to the trees on Richmond, entering the fog down here.  Low visibility, nice cool moistness all around, we cruised across and then back up to the Greenwood (above the ruins).

Into the descent again, bombing into Greenwood, lambs in the way for ages, around into the rockier bits. There was some weird chunky clattering I wondered about at the time, but bike kept riding okay, so continued on.  Nelson had good speed, I was okay until we were on the sidling section before Gloomy Gulch, where I slowed down a fair bit, but then got my mojo back on the rocky descent into the swoopy bit before that drop jump, where Nelson was waiting.  On down, holding on to him until the entry to the creek gully, where he managed to carry more speed and hoof away.  I bollocksed the rocky up, and got going again, arriving puffed as at the bottom.  It was here I noticed that I'd lost the blue 'switch' for my Climb-Trail-Descend feature on my rear shock.

Up road at a cracking pace mostly in the fog.  My knee started to hurt a bit.  When we got to Jollies Bush we figured - never been in there before, lets explore.  Huh!  We kept left, carrying up steps, riding a bit, avoiding ever-overhanging onga-onga, zigged and zagged upwards, eventually finding our way up to a stile on the top edge, and up onto the track just above that.  Still in the fog, kinda, rode up this, meeting a couple of women riding down (one was new to riding), and at the top decided to just drop down the top section of Greenwood to see if we might find that CTD switch where I'd heard the weird clatterings.  Off we went, Nelson in the lead, slowing down where I thought, and Nelson was juuust about to call off the search when "here it is!".  Turned around, and rode back up the techy rocks, past the ruins, thru the old entrance, then up road, and a fun fast bomb down Britten back to the car.

18.3 kms and (only) 610 m climbed

Tuesday Night Eastern Wheezin' Noose

Nelson had a meeting til 6 which worked for me feeding the dog, so I sorted out my flat tire and then rode to Linwood Ave just past the K-Fry. He picked me up shortly thereafter and we proceeded to Sumner...

Sorted out MMR (Location on in my Settings was out of whack - and it still didnt kick in til up the valley (USELESS!)), then got chuffing up the Captain.  My wheezing was killing me, really making it difficult to climb.  Nelson powered off, rocketing ahead on his super fast lightweight bigger wheeled climbingly optimized machine.  I chugged and puffed and set the scene for the rest of the evening.  He was waiting for me at the seat at top of switchbacks and I rode his bike briefly, (rear tire needed air), and the on we climbed.  Nice work done where that slip was, and they've also cut into the rock on the upper of the old drops.  Finally made the top, me very slowly.

Across Evans Pass and up onto Godley - immediately I started muppeting on the rocks, just too weak to keep any momentum.  Eventually got rolling, but was gasping for air the whole time.  Nelson vanished off into the distances, I think surprising even himself as to the turn of speed his new steed gives him.  He was waiting for me at the top where I managed to gulp in some air before we trundled on.  Much better form on the sidle and descending, barely letting any gap form between us as we headed down.  In fact, I even reeled him in a little in the lower curvy bits towards the bottom of the hill.  Across Livingston Col and decided to hang a right, out the 360 walkway section.  Nice interesting, mildly techy sidle climb to a steep section up and over, then fun descent, a few sections of steps, and views all the different from the usual otherside slog.  Eventually to Breeze Col and back over the fence.

From here, we headed along above the road, on the skinny as skinny trail.  Overgrown, again, but perhaps not quite as overgrown as last time.  Played a little on the concrete bunker thing up top there, then bombed down to the carpark, and through onto the return below-the-road track.  Nelson dropped me again on the climb, and was all but vanished by the time I rounded over the top. Otherwise I had a reasonable run around back to Breeze Col where he was waiting. The final short and practically flat climb half killed me tho.

Into the Anaconda - shitty gravel to start, but further on it was as per the past.  Good blast down, tho my lower corners were a little untidy, then into the tail, starting well, but the rocks muppetted me a bit.  Big surf and lots of surfers in Taylors.  We trundled up the road and into the walking track, up which much I walked.  Stile to upper gate wasn't so bad.

Then onto the road and around for the final climb up the hard work track to The Godley.  Got rolling on this, back towards Evans.  Good run for me, mostly.  Not quite as quick as Nelson, but then down near the end I bloody pinch flatted, new tube, damnit!  Nelson was already on the road, and rode back up to me by the time I was nearly done.  Replaced it with my leaking tube from weeks previous, and off we were again.  

Through the Pass, and up onto the top of the Captain.  Pretty good roll down here.  By the time I'd gotten through the techy drops and through that climb for the sidling easy, my rear tire was feeling soft, so stopped at the seat (top of switchbacks) to pump up.  Good bomb from here, to the bottom (except for the stupid weed-eatings all over the track near the end).  Over the stile, and down the steps and along the horse paddock, my tire getting low again, to the point of being too low to ride normally, I limped to the car leaning forward on the handlebars, put my bike down, and the Pthsshhhhhhhhhhhhh - all the air out.  Perfect timing.

Pretty much a 20km loop, with 743m climbed.  Not bad for a Tuesday night.

Sunday Hot Stuff

Drove over to Steve's with the Fat on the back for 9am finding him and Wazz, Wahayno, Robin and Andy all ready to roll. Pete would be chasing...

Up the most busy Rapaki we've ever seen, Steve and me stopped for a good chat with Ranger Singletrack who was on his way down in a Ute.  The others treadled onwards up and took in the Monty Loop.  Meanwhile, STeve and me struggled our ways up to the top and waited for them, wondering how they could be so long.  Pete showed up, and then we spotted the boys coming up behind.  Bit of more of a rest for us, and then off up Vernon, hot grind, but Fatty handling everything pretty good.

Lost count of the comments "ooh, they're big tires"... "what's that for?"...

I had to bail early, so was keen on keeping it short, and Steve was keen on that too, so we headed around the beginning of the Traverse then took the new track down to the top of the Old Skool zig zags.  Pete rode on ahead a bit and got his drone out, and we bombed off down past him under it's buzz.  Here's where I said my good bye to most, and bombed off ahead, but on a new section of trail being built Pete got the jump on me and took the lead through sketched out cleared grass down the slope avoiding the worst bits of 4wd to the pylons.

Onto the Old Skool proper and fat bike was riding really well.  The dropper post works a treat.  I took off ahead from the stile, and left the boys to it.  Nice blaze down the rest of it, surprised at how well the fatty soaked it all up.  Tire pressures must have been about perfect.  Through the bottom and then down the road and around the river back to Steve's.  Then home and off Sailing for the afternoon.

My MMR crapped out so I had to copy Steve's,  - my finishing route back to his place was different - where I took Eastern Tce, over the bridge and through to St Martins Shops, alley way, bridge, Ford Rd., but other than that, the same(ish) (top speeds probably different).  16kms and a gain of 460m.

Tuesday Sweaty View Hill Road.

Holiday here in Little Akaloa drawing to an end, last chance for a ride, so headed out and up to Chorlton.  From here, up View Hill Rd, steep bastard that it is, it was so muggy and warm I was sweating like a pig.  Stopped for a few rests, but cleaned everything. Climbed to the gate then turned and bombed back down, high speed enjoyment and cooling breeze on the down. Detoured over Luke's Rd and through the neighbours back to our driveway.

14.7 kms with 612 m climbed, most of which was steep.

Muggy Menzies Thursday a.m.

From the bach, only remembering to turn on the MMR once I was a little way up Decanter Bay Road. Mail Van passed me on the way up, and I caught it up on the way down into Decanter Bay.  Passed it at the bottom and headed on up towards Menzies.  Nice steady climbing, into low cloud/fog as I got higher, eventually all the way around to then descend on down to Menzies Bay. Said gudday to the people in the first house (seemed to be packing up their holiday times) then turned around and rode back up again.  Up to Rehutai homestead and then the descending cruise began.  As I rounded towards Decanter I met some horses(7?) and 3 women.  I got off my bike and walked through and they were very thankful and pleased.  They liked the fat bike too.  After them came the fun descent, speeding gravel road, into Decanter and finally the last climb, sun having burned off all the cloud, so it was hot and bothersome.  Final descent into Little Ak on the seal, speeding down into the bay, ready for a swim off the wharf.

It was hot and muggy. Surprisingly 905 m climbed, over 22kms