Tuesday Night East End Triangle

Parked at Slumnervale and in no time Nelson turned up.  He had is XCWhippet, I had the Rocky.  I changed and we headed up the Captain.  Mucky in spots and beautifully dry in others.  Stopped for a dose of Asthma below the cabbage tree trail exit, and continued on, hoping for relief from the lack of air.  A worthy climb, I chuffed and huffed my way, feeling weak in my legs and gasping for oxygen through the lungs... 

Crossed Evans to Godley and started climbing.  Nelson cleaned away the whole damned thing.  I struggled and dabbed and walked and then lost my light and fixed it and was miles behind.  Regrouped at the top and then headed for Livingston.  Teddington Shit section annoyingly bad, but the rest of the trail sweet as.  He let me past on the lower swoops to the bottom, and we headed up for Breeze.  Around and down, the last paddock below PFMTBC Rock a sucky mucky quagmire piece of crap.

Where to from here?  Lets go check out the new section that leads into Anaconda from above.  Back up the road a to the second corner, and found a wee solar light marking the start of the new track.  Hmm, lets come back via this way.  So, back down to Breeze Col and into the climb for the skinny track.  Again, gasping, but once on the narrows I was okay, around, tight, then up to Breeze Bay track.  Huh, another couple of lights.  Oh, gudday Daryl.  Stopped for a chat with Daryl (Ex-Cactus GM) and a mate on road/cross bikes.  We carried on, bombing around the Breeze Bay trail, fun descent, a couple of wee climbs, but all good.  Finally over the stile and back down to the road.

Up to the new entrance, and into it.  Barely built, lots of nice swoopy corners down the sunny (dry) ridge, til they ran out and it was off camber, just sketched into the hill, but leading down to a natural entrance onto the Conda.  Good blast down here, mostly dry, tho a couple of sections with running water, and in the lower wobbles, one or two bloody awful bits, but no damage, and onwards down the 'Tail.  Nice, and then across and I really needed a snack at the Carpark.

Final Climb, ugh, somewhat of a second wind towards the top, dropping down a couple gears and standing and cranking for a bit, made the top and into Nicholson's Park we headed, down the steeeeeps, slightly slippery on the rooty, and then down onto the Flowers, and down the alleyway out to Whitewash, bomb to road, and ride back up, picking our way back to our cars.

Ended up being 18 kms with a very respectable 763 m climbed

Sunday Jetting the Mucky Tops

Jet and me parked up the bottom of Britten, usual spot, and headed up.  I was surprised how wet everything was, with water pouring out of the hillside.  We climbed over the fence at the bath, and boy was the hill wet, with water flowing across the track just up from here, but once up on the actual mtnbike track, it wasn't so bad, with recent drainage additions having done their job well, and only one or two spots with water soakage.  Higher up had some sogginess too.  Around across the top, I figured the out the front trail would be greasy as given it's quite flat, so I just headed for the trees, then over the stile and up Broadleaf.  Good climb up here, missing the Track Closed sign, but figuring against heading down to Greenwood, and so hung a right towards Cavendish.  A couple of really mucky spots up here (muckiest I've ever seen it, not just bikes mucking it up too), and a few walkers including one grumpy old lady who was just looking for something to hassle "You know this track is closed, don't you?"  "Nope, didn't see any signs" Ride ride ride...  No biggie.  Mostly it was dry enough, and a good blat down the last to the stile and bottom. 

Then onto the Summit Rd, down under the Gondola and ahead I see some familiar helmets heading towards me.  Andy, Pete, Wazza and Wahayno out for their jaunt, on the roads.  Short catch up and we went our separate ways.  Jet and me up the road, keeping him in check all the way due to fast roadies heading down, then we were at the Castle Rock track.  (also Closed, but it didnt need to be).
Tiny bit of wet in that first descent, then very good condition for a long way around, fun descending, til that rocky section (close to the road), which was running water, but no mud so all good, down into the hairpin and back across, usual wet spot (now in good condition), next hairpin, and down, bit of moisture work needed, then climbing, dry as a bone and good to go.  Across and back onto the Summit Rd, back around under the Gondola, and up, up to Cavindish Saddle, and climbing the first section of singletrack before taking the trail down to the road crossing.

Into Britten, (closed, but I wasnt using the mtnbike track), dry as across the first section, and then I headed out onto the point, and straight down the ridge, off piste, and eventually finding my way down to the very very mucky traverse section in the lower middle of the hill.  Once out of that, it was the sweet bomb down under the pylon back to the car.

Only 11kms, but over 500 m climbed...

Tuesday Night Muck a Duck

Messy as. Met at Nelson's and it was drizzling after quite a few days of rain and wet.  We headed up the steep bastard that is Parklands Drive, onto Huntsbury Ave, steep to start, then up up up to the top of the seal and onto the gravel.  Climby climb climb, weather thickening then improving as we summitted.  Felt like a long way up to me.  At the top, the view was quite awesome, with visible patches of muck across the city and hills, but we were in the clear.  Hit Vernon which had a few puddles, but was good.  Blast down to Rapakitop and then into Witch which was a bit muckier but not so bad. All the way to the end of that and then turned around and headed back.  Better run back, slick rocks not being too slick, and then we headed up the road below Vernon.  Into the Traverse, mucky as mucky gets, so at the top decided not to continue, and headed down the steep fun trail.  This was dodgy as.  My tires gripped surprisingly well, but Nelson's XC tires were caked up and all over the place.  Then we bailed off down the main Huntsbury, and once on the road took Kenmanure and the Major down, speed and seal clearing our tires very nicely.  Bikes got a good hosing when we got back to Nelson's.

15.3 kms and 600 m climbed.  Not bad for a non-event.

Thursday Short Dog Hanmerer

Took Jet out for last day's ride.  We headed across to and straight up Timberland, into Jolliffe up and over, not feeling nearly as long a climb as it had the day before, over and down, continuing on down past the bridge, down Dogstream, a very nice wee section of trail that I haven't ridden many times, and crossing over onto Mach1, passing a family before the road.  A good hoon down here, climbs not feeling much, then into and back round Basecamp and Western Link home. 7.8 Kms and a tiny 175 m

Then half an hour later or so, Tra'y (on O's bike) and me went for a short cruise, around the Woodland, onto the Western Link down to Basecamp, looped around the far end of it and back mostly the way we'd come. Would have been maybe 5 or 6 kms and 50 m of alt, if that.  Nice wee spin tho.

Wednesday, Extended Hanmering

Out on my own yesterday, no dog, no boy.  Toodled through town and on the road around to Chatterton's, up the valley to the single track.  Up the steep pylon track, into the forest and across to Tank.  Great bomb down this, then for the first time ever, headed up the back of Conical Hill - stopping to answer some directional questions from someone at the C-Line/Eagles Nest juncture.  Continued on up to the top and had a rest and small snack. 

Then off down Eagle's Nest for some technicality, and straight across into C-Line some extra (walking some of the corners on account of not trusting myself on the steep-head-angled rigid Fatty.  Into the rest of Swoop, swooping through the turns, and then across the flat to Timberland.  Grunty climb up here then straight into Jolliffes, gruntier still, with a break at the top.  Into the descent, bomb bomb, corners steep and handlebars nearly scraping.

Across the bridge and up into Bigfoot for the nice slow meandering climb.  Great views from the top and off down, slightly faster than the day before.  Next into Detox, climby climb climb, and bombing of the descent, around the top of Mach 1 and across the bridge and down half way down Dogstream,  hanging a right up the road to Red Rocks, good run here and finally back round to the house.

20 kms covered, and strangely only 575 m climbed.

Tuesday Hanmered Again

O, Jet and me headed out again. Along the flat to start, round Basecamp track to Mach 1.  Climb and descend and climb and descended in here, then up the Fir Trail, more climby and up to and into Bigfoot.  Super climb here, ziggy zaggy, on and up, and then an awesome run down this -  O in the lead and Jetty chasing the whole time.  Fun blast down, goes on for a nice amount of time, then out.  Across into Detox, climb climb climb, and down down down, then back into the top of Mach 1 and climbing briefly before hitting back across the bridge onto Lower Dogstream, rolling smoothly down this, through some mega permafrost at one point, and into Western connector, around the field Forest Walk track and back across the field and up to the house.

12 kms this time, with only 290 m climbed.  Climbs always seem so much more than they really are around here.

Monday Swamp Yankee Swoop Red with O and dog

Nice short wee warm up with O and the dog. Headed down from the house across the field and up into the Swamp trail.  Good pace, then up into Yankee Zephyr, climbing climbing, puffing O out for a bit.  Climbed to the top and hit the down.  Swoopy swoopy back and forth down.  Both enjoyed and Jetty running along happy as larry.  Back onto the top end of Swamp and we climbed up to Swoop, for another down, back and forth, swoopy swoopy down and out to the field again.  Then climbing up Timberland, puff puff, and into Red Rocks, climb, over, and through, then out Eeny and Meeny, and back to the house.

9.43 kms with 250 m climbed

Tuesday Night Solo Brit Pleasant Green and a little Goddling

Parked up on Parkridge in a gale, donning jacket for a start, and rode up through the bathtub entrance to Britten, climbing at my own pace, and getting pushed around a bit by the wind.  Mild as by the time I got to the top, so jacket off, and off around the front, tail wind pushing me across to the cattlestop and cutting crossing.  Over the fence, little bit of a rest, and onwards upwards.  This paddock has been munched.  Gone is all the long grass, and even the native broom and tussocks has been hammered, making for a much easier view in the dark to climb by.  Around and up, into the wind then tail wind then into the wind again, and over and up the gravel through the gate to the top.  Bit of a rest here and time for the down.

Dropped in, having one of the smoothest flows from gate to stile I think I've ever had.  Over the stile, and the smoothness continued, albeit battling the wind a bit slowing the lower tussock reaches.  Good blitz across tho losing my momentum as I approached the fenceline, transition through to above the ruins, losing my way briefly before meeting the Greenwood-proper.  Into the descent, flying over the first rocks and around, really on my game, even cleaning all the dodgy rocks in Gloomy Gulch.  Brief pause along here, then dropping in for a flowy bomb down swooping through to the drop and around into Dave's Land.  That mucky corner from last time has had a tidy up, better drainage, and was dry, and I had a good flow on down from there too.  Best run in ages.  Into the valley, and final stretch, bomb, jump, bomb, and around into the rocky up.  Not cleaned but further up it than any recent rides, dab through, and on again, flow bomb to the end.

Across Evans and along the road, more climb and way further than I'm sure it is meant to be.  One car passed, and finally into the climb up to Godley.  Grovel and sore, granny or second, lay down for a nice rest and stretch at the top.  Into the across and down, smooth through all the rocks and flying on the down.  Another of my best runs for a long time.  Took the walk-track end drop to the end.  Then across Evans again and into the road climb.  Ugh.  Long, drawn out, and I was starting to get a bit sore.  Climb climb climb, not seeing a car until I was just about at Jollies Bush.  At Jollies I decided to head up into the tracks here.  Walking the steps, but riding most of the trails, climbed up to the stile and over, then up to the singletrack and heading for the pines.  Then around and up the sheepshit alley track to the OG start of Greenwood.  Onto the road for the last climb and into Britten.

Descend descend descend, fun times blatting through and around, straight down and then across.  Phone call.  Home "I'll be half an hour".  Riding again, and awesome bomb down the rocky finalities below the pylon, over the fence, and back to the car.

18 kms and 661 m climbed. Bonza

Saturday Crock of Short and Mucky Crocs

Attempting to change my internally routed gear cable proved more difficult than previously imagined. This is no longer a simple trail-side fix.  Ended up being a right pain, but I got there in the end. I ended up strapping a torch to the downtube, shining through one of the bottle rack mount holes, then used a spoke to guide the end of the cable to the hole exit hole (below the bottom bracket).  A remedy to this problem would be to insert a full length outer, which I may well do eventually.

Due to my troubles, Nelson had detoured to mine to potentially assist, but I'd got it sorted before he arrived, so we schlepped out, convoyed across to Halswell Quarry and rode up through the dog park into the trail network.

Straight into Dowload, then up C2.  I was getting wheezy, so stopped for a puff on one of the hairpin corners, then while we were looking over the edge of the clay cliffs I managed to drop my puffer.  This required a scramble down the bank.  Back on the bikes climbing up.

Decided to drop down Murph's, which was fun, a bit rougher than it's been in the past.  Out the bottom and we headed up Upper Crust, which zigs and zags, I think nicer than C2, crossing Murphs near the top.

Back onto the Crocodile climb, taking the high road up, up, up, and finding a new line built earlier this year, that takes you off the original trail after the Deviation turn off, and zigs and zags a bit more, keeping the up for up and the down for down.  Nice!  Up into Low Road and climbing climbing, new bits here too, new fence crossing at about the water-tank, and then up the last to the top.  Siberia:  dropped over this down, trees cleared from next to this, biiig piles of swag ready for fires (we reckoned they should burn one at a time and have dance parties.  Or an even, bike race while they burn...).

Into Ange's Climb, zig and zag.  Pretty sure I swore I'd never do that again, but it wasn't so bad this time.  Over and back to the top again, ready for the descent.  Dropped into Low Road descent, usual droppy fun, gaining speed towards the new fence.  Then into the new sweepy lines back and forth across the slope towards the gate and lots of off camber corners.  Still settling in, and not really properly formed yet. 

Into the top of the Crocodile, dropping rapidly down this, crossing over and dropping down into Deviation - the start of which was dodgy as hell.  Frost damp splecky slick dirt, traction was potentially terrible, but we both spotted it and entered carefully.  Proceeded up Deviation, feeling the splecks on the back in the shady southfacing would-have-been-frosted-hard section before dropping zigs and zags towards the top of the old Croc and into the trees, where we coasted down Elegator.

Straight back into the climb of the Croc, back up to the top of Spurious, and down this, Down and Out, through the still-frosty bottomlands, Upload, back up the Croc, again, and this time at the top Nelson did Coopers Creek while I decided not to (didn't like the look of the entry drop, not that it's that bad), so I followed off down Spurious again, through the bottom and back up Upload, deciding to finish here, and head down back down to the cars to finish.

A bit uppy downy 10 kms with only 272 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Three Laps Old Skool

O, Jet and me headed across to meet Nelson at the end of Bowenvale Ave, 5.45pmish by the time we'd gotten through traffic.

Headed up the valley, O flying off ahead, Nelson not far behind him, and me gasping away at the rear.  Bunch of runners had started same time as us, and we'd passed them, then one by one a few of them got past me by the time we got to Hidden Valley Link Bonus.  Up into there, feeling warmed up now, going okay.  Passing O in the steeps in the trees.  Then onto the Old Skool.  Very dark, and so Jet couldn't see anything, and O rode with him going his pace.  If you left him behind he'd take forever, but if he was with you, he'd get along a bit quicker.  Greasy in spots, but a good flow down, regrouping periodically.

Lap two, back up the valley, O slowing down a bit now, and dropping back a bit up into Hidden.  Cleaned all this up this time and then regrouped at the pylon.  Around and my gears were a bit shifty.  At the high point flipped the bike and we found my cable is hanging on by a couple of threads, hence the change in performance.  Headed down.  At the cattlestop (where the stile used to be) we stopped and O nearly crashed off getting a bit sideways on the bars.  Then I sent him off behind Nelson and I rode with the dog.  Again, if I got ahead, he'd slow right down, finding his way by smell.  So, I rode slow with him for bits, then got ahead and then waited.  Repeat most of the way down.

At the bottom, O didn't wanna do another lap, and because Jet was a pain, they headed to the car, and we headed on back up.  Granny most of the way cos 3rd to 6th messed about.  Not a bad climb, but was feeling more tired.  Into the down and I tried to stay on Nelson's tail.  He had both lights, but I only had my head, so was definitely harder.  Good bomb with better flow through the lower corners.  Then out the bottom and back to a very steamed up car.

MMR crapped out (behaving stupidly, look at the climb?), but by my reckoning it was rougly 10 kms, and around 360-400 m climbed - here's Nelson's - take out 4kms and 40 odd m of climb and you've got mine).

Sunday Mt Grey with Jet and O

Had chucked on a new front tire, Surly Dirt Wizard, 3.0 inch, on Saturday and, also, first ride on the chainguide I'd got from Josh - so was ready to test.

Headed out of town with O and Jet in the Roomy-On(-the-inside)-mobile and we bombed on up to "Lake" Janet.

2.11 pm, headed up the forestry road then cut into the 'new' single-track link to the walking track zig zag climb.  A few wind throws messed us about at the entrance, which was mildly annoying, but was all clear once we were on the proper track.  Met a couple and a small group and a solo woman as we climbed.  Bloody hard work this climb, reflected in our 7.9 kph average speed.  Still ill, but on the tail end of a cold, I nearly died several times, thought I was gonna have a heart attack at one point.  Felt like absolute garbage.  Eventually we made the look out tower and headed up the road instead of the singletrack.  Not much easier, I don't think.  And the upper km was all in a freezing northerly foggy cloud, quite bitter, and here was us both with insufficient layers.  Brrr...  Jet enjoyed every inch of his journey.  About an hour to the top.

Into the descent, fun down the first steep and onto traversing benched singletrack; all the fun.  Bomb bomb bomb, wet spots, hairpins cleaned or not cleaned as well as last time.  Down the rocky bit and into the forest for switchback City.  Jet loving every minute, O not quite as convinced, not really enjoying the corners but loving the rest.  Vaguely warmer down in the forest, but still pretty chilly.  Close encounter with a kereru at the creek crossing.  Then around onto the ridge, and bombing through the pine bit, then switchback City again, and around through the mudmire, which wasn't nearly as mucky as I'd usually expect it.  Was actually pretty good, with only one dabby bit near the bottom.  Into the lower beech, fun exposure, and bomby roots, all pretty dry and smooth sailing.  Finally, out the bottom reaches and onto the road, mission accomplished, bar the climb back to the car.  About an hour from top to bottom, maybe less?

Climbing.  Road.  Ugh.  Painful this was, long and slow.  Took us a while, but got there in the end.  Back at the car maybe 4.30ish? 
One happy pooch!

On the road a fair bit before 5, and home well before 6

Totals, 13 km, with 653 m climbed, 1 hour 38 minutes total riding time.

Wednesday Night Pre-Trust Gusty Pea-soup Muss

Drove up and awaited Nelson's arrival on Stonyridge - he was running a little later than me from a Physio session.  Horrible bitter wind blasting through here, so stayed in the car til he arrived.

On the bikes, still enough daylight, and headed up the streets to the old gate on Upper Major Hornbro, and off up under the pylons, visibility due to lack of light a bit of a struggle, also, the bitterly cold wind making it a struggle too.   Up to the top, and then as we rode round to get over to Broadleaf, we entered the fog and visibility got nasty.

No problem on the climbing, but once we hit the descent, it was tough work picking your way down.  Ended up turning off the handlebar and running the head light on low for a start...  Lower down, in the tussocks I tried a bit of handlebar which worked.  Still, no where near the usual speed.

Then into Greenwood, and down through the top rocky sections, around the various bends, and we started to get below the fog down in here.  Lights on brighter and going got a bit better.  Some heinous headwinds approaching Gloomy Gulch, and I lost my mojo/flow right through there.  Nelson was waiting and we got rolling again and it a bit got better.  Then, down in Dangerous Dave's dug-outs, one of the corners was porridge.  Nelson had warned me so I popped off the track and scooted around the inside.  Lower down was all good, flow and groove.  One adjustment to light made near the bottom.  Then the new final bit down to the road.  One nasty off camber corner, and then lots of water on track right at the end.

Onto the road and climbing, head wind, no wind, head wind, tail wind, head wind, one car, me struggling a bit to keep up with Nelson's relentless pace.  Over the stile at the trees and up the climby track to the Greenwood Entrance.  Again with the struggling.  Road, and Britten.  So nice.  Tail wind, good visibility, speed, and flow.  Straight down to pylon from the right-hander, missing the turn onto the traverse, then around across the front and down the funnest final section below the pylon to the cars.

All goods, 12.7 kms and 522 m climbed.  Off to Noodle Union for a number 2 and then to the meeting, followed by a nice pint at the Hop and then I visited Josh, who set me up with a super lightweight cSixx(?) chainguide.  I was home late.

Sunday Uppy Downy Urumau-y

Jet and me met Nelson on Fosters Tce in sLyttelton and up we headed. Nice day. Steep-arse climbs as always, and the downs were a tad greasy.   Jet had a lovely time and lots of drinks from my camelback.

First lap, up to top, and figured a slightly easier start, so off down Stormer, finding traction to be slightly dubious and untrustworthy.  Into Grommies lower down, and I nana'd the jump but flowed the rest nicely.  Into the up, grovelly bastard that it is, both of us screwed up the worst two corners, huff chuff on up to the level point, then into the short decent to the gap through the fence trees, and then the evil grovel climb short sharp bastard.  Then climbing climbing back up to the top.

This time, into the ridgeline, droppy jumpy things, pop pop pop, and then a left down Zombie Lurch.  Less traction than Stormer, and a bit hairy in places, leading me to dab a few times.  Out the bottom and back into the mean climb.  Around and back up to the top again, this time talking to a dude with a brand new Rocky Mtn for a bit on the saddle.

Then up around the easier climb Looper, and down this into Sunshine Face for my first time.  Not bad, but for one steep straight down line that I just didn't want to gamble with.  Then, once back on I was riding the last couple corners, and managed to smack my penis quite hard into the back of my seat.  Yowch!  Climb (from the easy part) up the open zigs and back up to the very top again, the Rocky Mtn dude arriving up behind us, having trouble with his dropper.  Off down, Stormer again, much better this time, faster, and I took the lefty drop part way down, then was in the lead for a bit into Grommies.  Final blast down and I nana'd the drop again and then cleaned most of the climb back up, Nelson miles ahead.  Final section around, piggy climb, and up then down the access track to the drop track that was super sketchy greasy damp grassy dirt, front wheel lock-ups, sliding, and out the bottom back to the cars.

MMR failed (cos my battery was low again), and I thought I'd just use Nelson's, but he'd forgotten to turn his on.  Probably the usual 8-9 kms, with around 550 m climbed, similar to one of these...

Wednesday Chilly Hilly Night Loner

Hustled my way through rush hour traffic and parked up top of Huntsbury.  Cold, cold night.  Headed up the dirt, taking it nice and easy on the wheeze.  Quite a few damp spots, water running etc, but trail was firm.  Up the old way onto the singletrack then up the landingstrip and up the gravel to the top.  Straight across the road into Vernon, gradually increasing speed, and getting used to the newly recommissioned handlebar light (new battery).  Good bomb down Vernon, with a couple of guys ahead of me who I was slowly winding in, tho not before the end.

Across Rapaki top and into the Witch, ignoring the Track Closed sign, seeing as it really wasn't mucky at all.  Dabby climb around, just didn't have my grinding grunt on, and a wee breather before the descent, which was a tad slow, and almost cautious, given the slightly damp rocks.  Stuck to the road and cruised around and up to Castle top.  Seat down, suspension engaged, and off, (also ignoring Closed sign, figuring the ranger just hadn't made it there yet).  Slow to start bomb, lights not seeming to be in the right place, but wound it up and before the first hairpin was going a pretty normal speed.  A couple of wet spots where there has always been, but all pretty tidy now given recent work.  Into the climb and felt pretty good, tho a couple of near stalls, then across over and down the finish to the Bridle top.

Up the Summit Road back towards Castle watching a train below disappear into the hill in Heathcote, then clambered up to the Tors Track where I had a rest and a snack and where my MMR stopped (I think due to battery on phone hitting 15%).  Got rolling again and the going was careful.  I dabbed a couple of spots I wouldn't normally, due to what could have been dodgy traction that wasn't actually bad, and nearly lost it over the bars on a very tight spot before the final descent.  Phew, survived, and across the road, onto the wee single walking track above it.  Struggled on the intial climb but the rest was okay, and got sweeter as I rolled.

Across into Witch again, clamber clamber, descend descend, deciding to hit up Vernon and pulling over to let a few descenders pass, then Climby McClimbface, up to top, across onto Traverse, along here, then dropping into the upper Huntsbury fun descender.  Mildly greasy, but not as bad as I'd thought it might be, jumps, (but not the last), and then across the landingstrip, over the fence, back down the singletrack, this time all the way, jumpy jumpy, cruisy cruisy, not very nice wetstuff near the bottom, and back to the car.

MMR only says 8.75kms with 446 elevation gain to the point I stopped on the Tors. So, based on previous similarities, more like 15 kms, and 600 m climbed...

Sunday Old, Young, and Dog Codgers Codgering

In Nelson for QE2's birthday holiday.  Was hoping to ride the new Aorere trail, but after a bunch of rain on Friday night, didn't think it'd be very do-able.  Sunday morning, resigning myself to a Codger's Loop, headed out with O and Jet, usual route through town and up the Brook into Codgers. Up the main drag, lovely sunny day, lots of people about, but we were mostly faster.  Bypassed the (new to me) Tasman Trails climb, opting for the Pipeline, up to Jack's (arriving ahead of the family that had entered Tasman as we passed), a few steep grunts on this, then up Middle Rd to the main skidder site.  Various lazy arse e-bike riders showed up (dicks).  We ignored them deliberately, then headed up to Firball Trig - nice steep wee singletrack to top.

Chatted to a dude at the Trig for a while then hit the down.  Firball - I wasn't trusting of the surface, as it was a little bit damp, so took it a bit easier than last time Nelson and me were up here.   Great bomb down tho, with O on my tail most of the way and Jet not far behind whenever we stopped to wait for him.  Out onto Middle Rd to finish, and climbing again to the little skidder site.  Contemplated the lower entrance to P51 and also Viral Flow, but decided to climb Whanake to the top.  Into P51, bombing through, surprisingly catching a couple, overtaking, jumping jumping.  One jump I even hit a tree branch with my head.  Further down, more jumping, rounding corners, jumping, catching up to 2 couples, both going slower than us, then lower down still and into Crazy Horse, taking this with it's few jumps to the bottom.  Not as good as lower Firball, methinks.  Then down the final 'Young Codgers' to the exit, and the tired-dog-slow-meander back to base.

Chilly to start, 16 kms with 417 m climbed.  Woof woof.

Wednesday Night Solo - Britten Cavendish Tors Castle Pleasant

As per the title... On my own. In the dark. Really wasn't sure where to ride, but Nelson was out due to sickness from flu shot, and I'd had a massage from 4 til 5 (not necessarily the best idea, but only spot I could get), and I'd hit Buynow on a Surly Dirt Wizard on Tardme in the morning and finally got the email to collect in Moncks Spur Rd, so that decided me where to ride.  Parked on Stoneyridge.

Up through Britten with an empty water-bladder onboard heading for the tap at the top.  Spotted some lights heading up above me and so chasing i caught them at the top.  Went to tap to fill, but to no avail, i'd left the lid in the car!  Drank a couple cups and rode on, back into Britten and around the front, then across the road, over the fence, and up the trail.  Hung a right and bombed it down to the stile, this section way shorter than i remembered it.  Down through Cavendish Saddle and climbed up the horrid overgrown steep zigazag, to the top.  Under the Gondola building and time for some down.

Nice bomb down here, slightly greasy under tread on the steps due to dew and due-south aspect.  Good going over the rocks, and found my way into the fence/trap-line trail easier than ever before.  Humped over the rocks and down to Bridle-top.  Headed up the walking track from here, all the while thinking "nah, rather be riding this the other way," so once in the broom, over the first rocky bits I turned around and bombed back down, onto the road, and up for Castletop.  At the top, I climbed up onto the Tors track and had a wee rest.  Noticed here the lightning popping beyond the mountains.

Awesome descent down the Tors, cruising the flatter section, and fanging the steep tech.  Onto the road and back up to Castletop, and straight into a grunty descent.  Good speed, good flow, good climb, and out.  Quite a few people assembled up here, some sort of event - Rogaine, I guess?  I continued on around the road, lots of wind along here, under the Gondola and up to Cavendish again, into the trail and climbing up Mt Pleasant for a well earned rest at the top.

Into the down, excellent flow, still, down here, bomb bomb, whooah, nearly lost it on that rut, but onwards down bombing through and around.  Above the trees (above the ruins) there was a guy with a camera on a tripod - "Hello" and on down into the swoopy zigzags across, flowing good above Jollies Bush and noticing my light getting a bit wobbly.

At the pines, into the climb and, huh, that's loose as.  Stopped and repaired light.  Was fiddly and took much longer than you'd have thought, but got there in the end, and continued climbing up to Greenwood entrance, onto the road, up, grabbed a drink, and back into Britten for a zpeedy descent.  Fun times.

A handy 17 kms with a smidge under 700 m climbed.

Saturday Short with O and friend

Was gonna ride Urumau, but then we roped in O's friend Hunter who doesn't ride much so wouldn't have handled the grade.  So, we parked at Evan's Pass and rode up the road, Jet on the lead giving me a bit of a tow.  Up to the Richmond Pines and over the stile onto the climbing singletrack:

Then up to Greenwood entrance where we turned left and headed across to the ruins. 

Dropped into Greenwood, me blazing off down through the tech, then chilling back waiting for O (not far behind) and Hunter (a bit further back).  Section by section we rolled like this, making for a very leisurely trip for me, feeling fresh the whole way.  After the gulch it was good rolling and once all the rocks were out of the way the boys definitely liked it better.  Fun bomb down Dangerous Dave's neighbourhood and around into the valley then the last blast down to the rocky ups.  We exited on the old exit in order to keep the dog in check around the road...

MMR was playing up, refusing to synch, so I reinstalled it later on Sunday, which seems to have fixed it but lost this ride...  which was only 7.50 kms, and I'd estimate just over 200 m climbed.

Moonday Under Water

To and from the tasting by the most direct route. Troll behaving admirably - saved me from ruin on my way home.  As I entered the park, a stick, right on the apex of my cornering - when the front wheel was at its most vulnerable point - barely even wobbled me.

Spectacular moon shining, 2 days since full. 

Then on the railtrail section north of Strowan Rd, a freight train. Thought it was doing to be a free ride... Got up to speed, engine overtook, then carriages, wind picking up, then - F U M E S . Ugh, gasping for breath. Dragged along in the roiled fug. Unbearable. Made me wonder about long term exposure to those, quite dirty, petrochemical compounds. Finally as the train passed on ahead the vacuum sucked in fresh(er) air, buffeting to fill the void left behind by the train.  On Friday night, on our way home from our play, T and I had the same train, but with the wind in the western half that time the fumes were on the other side...

16.8 kms total, (8.4 kms each way) 

Sunday Planting for all we're Charlesworth

Hoofed it to the Charlesworth Planting and back Sunday.  12 kms each way.  On the way there hooked up with Nelson at Aldwins Rd Linwood Cnr, and on the way home I passed through that little sealed pump track in town, and managed to plough into a little kid...  His dad was not happy!  Neither was he much - poor wee guy.

There. And back again.

Saturday Morning Dog Pleasant Solo Back Track Loop

Headed up top of Mt Pleasant (suburb) and parked in the usual spot on Stonyridge.  Headed up Britten through Upper Major Hornbroke, through all the merino sheep and their doings. Spectacular day after a freezing morning, and I was overdressed.  Held onto the extra layerage until the top where I stripped down to T and shorts.  Around the front, some little dampness between the tussocks around here, but drying around to the west.  Original Britten around to the Cutting and across the road and over the fence.  Up Pleasant, ziggy zaggy to the top where I lubed my chain (it'd been a bit noisy on the climb).

Hit into the descent. Over the stile and fangin'.  Jetty keeping pretty good pace except for the faster bits, so I paused a couple times to let him catch up.  Around above the ruins, and headed back along the (OG) Original Greenwood entrance and dropped into the (newish) fun descent - stopping to take this pic.  Happy panty tongue boy.

At the Richmond Pines we continued on the singletrack around and climbed backup around to the ruins (ish), and then turned around and back down the ziggy zaggy I'd just climbed returning down around and climbing back up to Greenwood entrance.

Onto the road, up round past the cafe and back into Britten for a good hoon. Stampeded the sheep, Jet still ignoring, direct route down and then around and under the pylons dropping, pulling over for some climbing riders, and finishing off the last drops to the car. Done

12kms and 391m and 1 happy dog