Monday, Troll to the Bach, the Hard Way, With Inclemency

Miserably wet, but surprisingly enjoyable journey to the bach today.  Kitted up the Troll, 'guards and all, everything sealed against the elements.  Getting excellent use out of the 3 bags I used.  Encountered pissing howling southerly, trying to wrench control of the bike on certain sections of all of the tops I traversed.  

Left home 1.30 pm and headed up to the Summit through Vic.  Onto Summit Rd and headed around, with gales trying to make me crash below Sugarloaf, then Vernon/Rapaki-top, and most of the way from Witch, especially the saddle before the Tors - so strong!  Sections of wild tailwind too, and pedalling into the wind on a couple of the downhills.  Whiteout just before Bridle Path.   - all actions to be repeated on all the higher sections of the trip.  Troll'stopher rode much better than last time, brakes holding out nicely and new Fast Track tyres gripping accurately.  Across top of Ticehurst Tce and down the valley into Lyttelton and straight down to the Ferry, 2.30 pm for the 2.50.  1 hr in.

Off the boat, up the hill and grabbed a bite for later from the cafe above.  Patches of sun around.  Down into Purau nice, then into the climb.  This went better than last time, not being nearly as hot.  Hunger got the better of me part way up so I stopped on some dry dirt under a Kanuka on a corner and ate.  A few cars up, one or two down.  Got riding again and felt heaps better.  Slow and steady, grinding away at it.  A couple of short walking stints and lots of grind.  Amazing moody views everywhere, and long periods of time with the whole road to myself.  Gale just over the top, from the side, and behind as I was heading down.  Fast fast fast down, and brakes much better than last time too, scrubbing off speed before the 25kph at the bottom, then rolling around to the church.

Stopped here and looked for a tap, finding none, so I captured rainwater dribbling out of the downpipe - enough in the filter to refill my bottle and headed down to the waterfront and around.  Climb over into next waterfront and then up to the Pigeon Bay turnoff, a sheep leading the way.  Gravel began and biiig climb ahead.  Wetter and wetter as I climbed, grinding away, 

eventually I got to a dry spot under some macracarpas out of the wind where I stripped off and put on dry singlet, longsleeve and windvest under wet raincoat, and my hat.  Much better.  Texted T from here too, it was 5.30pm, 4 hours since I left home.  Onwards upwards, short walk up around the corner, higher and higher then finally over the top, gusty winds on the initial descent then down down down narrow gravel rd, fast and controlled and fun as heck.  Nice and long, then around down and through Holmes Bay and over to Pigeon.  Not a single car encountered all the way until a local in Holmes Bay.    

Up valley here it was dry, and I think the sun tried to come out, but moody and dark over Mt Pearce and the rest of the tops.  Stopped in at Hays Reserve and ate a OneSquare and explored the tracks a little - lovely big podocarps, then riding again, on up the valley, a lonnng grind, walking, riding, walking, riding, taking a call from dad, and texting T "nearly at the top" (it was 7.10pm) and only finally making the top at 7.30pm -  not 'nearly' at all.  "Nearly" if you were in a car, for sure.  Fun steers all running to see me and follow me up the last paddock to the top.  They were great company.

Onto the Summit Rd here and the final leg.  Seemed surprisingly flat around to the old water-trough corner, then that tight wee climb and surprisingly flat around to the corner that's just been cleared of the big macracarpas.  But then seemed to take ages to get around this corner and up to the logging entrance, then encountered the first 2 or 3 cars I'd seen since the bottom of Pigeon, climbing up around the tight corners before Little Ak. around the last tight bushy corner and a mac was roaring in the wind but I wasn't feeling it, then the powerlines were screaming and I was barely buffetted, then around the corner, uphill straight, gale wind pushing me along.  Spectacular!  Over the top and the tailwind pushing me down hill at a rate of knots, it wasnt until coach corner that I felt the wind in my face from the speed of my descent.  Fast down, very enjoyable rolling with speed down the steeps and then through the lower rolling valley section, finally up the drive to the bach, 6 hours, 45 minutes since I left home.

The long and hard way, 60 kms, 2150 m in dead-slow ups and exhilarating descents.  Added bonus of 220 m extra down - steep as they were. 

Christmas morning, Bike to collect car, with an extra

On Xmas Eve T and me had left the car up at the Awaroa turn off to walk down the road and out the Waiharakeke Track. Xmas morning I rode up to the car, then continued all the way down to Awaroa, around as far as I could on the beach of the estuary, then back up the road to the car.  Merry Chrissmast

Total of 12 kms and 430 m climbed.

Monday, Rameka Projections, Phat Packing Klicky Expectations

Early start from Totaranui to drop H and Summer in Takaka for the bus.  Did a wee shop and then headed up Rameka valley to park for the ride up around and back in the Rameka Project. 

Before I left the car a woman came flying through, GSP in bounding tow.  "Gudday."  Climbed up the 'Historic' track, zigging and zagging up, similar to last time I was up here last year.  Chatted to a couple of local dads on their way down who'd been enjoying the view from a bench near one of the corners.  Up top of Great Expectations and up the road, around, grinding into the grovelly climb.  I stupidly took the "Start of Pack Track" signposted what I thought was most of the way up and bombed down this to the track, only to find I was miles down it, so, I proceeded to ride up it, steep as fuck, to the top (ie, the end of the Rameka-proper).  Rest and snack, then in...  funtimes!  bomb bomb bomb, sketch from rain overnight, dropping and popping down and crossing the road then up around and down, cross again and into Great Expectations,

which delivered an excellent blast, downhill forever, back and forth, around and down.  Lovely views, fun trail.  finally in the bottom and left into the Klicks, lots of fun, road for a bit and Klicks to the bottom and back to the car.  Not long after a dad and son arrived behind me, having just been up the zigs and down Odyssey and Klicks.  They must have been climbing up to Klick 1 when I was on my way down...

Funtime 13 kms and 500 meterage points

Friday's Unparaparallelled Saturation

Parked at the usual spot just off the estuary and headed up the main road, only a small number of cars passing on the km and a little, then onto the steep gravel. Gate wide open and I climbed. One car up. Took the little top single-track loop up some switchbacks back onto the road, one car down, for the bigger push over and then down to the descending single-track. 

Rain actually falling now, and the downhill was wet foliage galore.

Super grippy but slow and careful was the flow - very enjoyable! Down and down and down, heaps of pig sign lower down then across the creek and along around the swamp to the dam. Looped it around the dam, honking every time I touched the brakes. Bit of a wheely-walk one overgrown section, saturating legs even more, then out onto the track back across behind the Rintoul. Took a look down the quarry then off down the steep rooty and rutted down, across the front of the quarry and hard left onto the cruisy fast, finally(!), descent. Fun for a nice while and then another stream, crossing and big hole, with a very friendly eel.  Last but of trail, step climb to road, down and out to the car.

Jam packed 8.4 km and a whopping 266 m clambered.

Aorere Gold Sluicing Sweat Equity

Parked at Devil's Boots and headed in the access track on the fatty, then up the 4wd track. Steep and not too hot.

Passed the turn off to the caves thinking there was another one a little further up for the dam, but I was mistaken and when I looked at the map realised I was way up the trail beyond it, so I kept going. When I reached the turn off to Johnson's Battery I decided on a little explore, headed down this track on foot, steep as can be. Found a tunnel, eery, kept going for a wee bit, but it was looking a long way and I didn't like being away from the bike for too long, so turned back and clambed up again. Back on the bike and I carried on heading up to the trig, took in the view,

then turned back down, bombing, climbing the couple of times, and mostly bombing til I eventually got to the turn off again and headed in the ups and downs through to Druggans Dam.  Bit of a rest and watched a dragonfly and an eel then headed off down the waterrace trail, getting more overgrown, but still some fun times, past the caves and an even more fun bomb down down down, passing one dad and daughter, and really flying down the straighter stuff, farm track, gravel track back to the car. 

Exciting 16.6 kms but what felt like a lot more than the measly 409 climbing points that were hard allocated

Quick Dog Run

Quick up on the Troll with Jet last night, testing out my new tires.  He was gagging for it, even tho his old man hips were gonna be screaming at him later.  We cruised up the walking path, and into the bushy one, then up between road and dog park to the carpark, straight across into the trail.  He faffed around a bit and then some riders came through, then a couple of runners who I let past.  Then we got going, stopping a couple of times to let him catch up.  Jumped the tree branch, waited, then through oaks, up to the right, up around to dogparkbottom and down, into Charles' Track.  Nice and broad now, easy riding, will use more often.    

Then headed left out the side (cos there were some people with a dog going up on the other side), and down across the grassy bits to home.

Not even 2 km, and (by my own calculations) 86 m climbed. (MMR says it was only 55, but that's bollocks, lowest point, 222 m, highest point, 296 m, descended to 259, climbed again to 271, and back down...)

Saturday Captain God, Snake Escape, God Thomas

Awesome long ride with Nelsie tonight.  Chucked my bike on his roof rack at his place and we headed for Slumnervale, parking around the corner from usual at the cul-de-sac we've been riding out the last couple times.  I'd had a busy day followed by a snoozy hour before leaving home and unfortunately too much sugary chocolate and a bowl of chippies, so was feeling a tad pre-diabetic

Steep up the steep, but into the groove once on the 'level,' clambering around and needing a good rest at the seat where the trail comes up from the valley.  Riding again, usual steps through the rocky stuff, and riding out the top no problem, only meeting one guy on an electric dirtbike (naughty!) on his way down.  

Onto the road around out towards Scarborough top to ride up farmtrack to Godley, for a blast of a blast down towards Livingston.  Smooth and flowy, bike feeling reeeaally good.  Through the col and up around, Nelson bollocksing some rock feature.  I continued on, assuming he wasn't far behind and as I rounded the furthest hairpin realised he wasn't there.  Over pfmtbc rock and down rutsville to the road and waited.  He turned up eventually saying he ended up doing a couple of goes at the same feature.  

Up the road a little ways and dropped into Anaconda from the top.  Excellent blast down this, flowy flowy again, feeling the drift-into-catch on the corners, almost all the way down.  Tidied up once into the Tail and nice blast down and straight into the up-valley climb out on the Escape.  Drawn out affair this, with the gulch in the bottom the hardest most painful part.  Good once further up.   There was a guy ahead on the hairpins at the end of the valley so Nelson started chasing, gapping me completely.  He ended up taking him at the top of the last hairpin over Taylors, and I was juuust about catching him before the final final hairping, but not quite.  

Back up the road from Livingston and then up onto Godley again via the farm track, this tiem turning right to hit back to Evans.  Nice fast blitzy blast all the way back.  Tech rocks.  Bike handling wonderfully.

Finally, into the Captain for a glorious descent.  Primo conditions and feeling really good now, finally on the down.  Speed and flow were our closest companions.  Very good for us.

Couple and a half hours, 20kms and nearly 800m climbed. All good

Thursday Morning Singlesped Power Three-quarter-hour

Up and back blast to get the blood flowing this mild nor'west morning.  Set off about 6.30, up the walking track just above the road, gasping for air in no time.  Onto the road at the first carpark and chuffing still.  Straight in past the 19th and into the grunter for a short walk.  Then up zig and zag out and up to Thompson's #1 for a lovely hoon down to the climb back to road.  Seat down, dropped in, down around the jumps and blast down rabbit into rocks, cleaned, into gums, flow flow flow, out to road, then turned back up towards skidder, and onto the over-19th trail.  Dropping out beside the rangerstation and down around the road.  Into the dogparkcarpark, trail now trimmed tidy-like and flowy as all fuck.  All the way down to H'Ell.  Clamber to road, and home.  7.15.  Sweeat!

Underwrought 6 kms and 200 m climbed

Sunday Troll with T (on the E), Summit, Kennedy's, Library and Quarryman's to car

Needed to collect the car from P&J's after Paul drove me home after our gig last night.  

Rode up Vic Park Rd on the Troll with T on her E.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her down towards the Kiwi and we hit the Summit Rd climbing up and around, all the way to Kennedy's.  She wasn't sure, but managed fine, rough ride down, all the way to the end of the trail (I took the singletrack from the Siberia gate, then onto the road smoooooth flying.  Headed along to Te Hapua Halswell (that ends well) Library, where we got some books, and then snuck backways into the Domain and rode through this to meet the Quarryman's trail which we rode all the way, into the wind, to Pioneer Park where we caught up with P and J who were having a wee community planting lunch picnic.   Tracey rode home via Bengal while I chucked the Troll in the back and brought the car home.

Nice little 20 kms and I did 374 m climbing, (T added another 220 to that riding home)

Off to balmy Lake Poteriteri on Tuesday, so, no more rides for November...

Tuesday Night Bowenvale Loop

On my own on the Jeht, off up to top of Vic, feeling dreadful...  up to top and down around the jumpies, hanging hard right into Worm and climbing to Traverse.  Around here, uneventful other than stopping at the first high point and for a rest and to delayer when 10 dudes all rode past...  Glad I didn't meet them on-trail.  Nice blast from here, dont think I met anyone else.  Stopped for a rest at the top of HuntsDH and made up my mind where to go.  

Down.  Blitzy blitzy droppy drop down over the jumps in the ruts and then across the landing strip, twistier version, and dropping down AliExpress this time continuing down.  Baulked at the worst bit, and walked it.  Then a little lower down baulked at the highline, walked back and did the lowline, then good blaze the rest of the way.  Cautious Colin through the pylon switchbacks tho, for some reason, not liking the overgrowth of grass and narrowness.  Brief pause at the usual resting spot then off for the blast.  Feeling pretty good now, weaving the frame down through the trail.  Very nice.  Lower sections were fast and slow, and at the bottom I went straight into the climb back up the valleybottom.  Feeling not that bad now, getting into the groove.  Cleaned up to Hospital no problem then cleaned all of the steep start of k2 no issues either, considering how many times I've walked it in the past!  Around into the trees and it's easier in here now (someone's sawn off a thin tree that was a pest on the roots).  Up around the Texaco and on up the 4wd track, breathing a lot.  Met a couple of walking women up under Pono's and then past the 40fter and up through the rad zone climbing no problem.  Weird.  

At Skidder I thought, why not, and kept climbing - making hay while the sun still shone (was 8.10pm or so, and sunset was at 8.39pm), up to Brakefree then on up to the very top again!  Mad.  Down over the jumpies and then blast down rabbit paddock (through an attractive couple's photoshoot) and into the rocks, gums, fun times all the way to the 19th, then below road, fast through the woods,

Then road coast, spectacular heavens above, into empty Dogparkcarpark for an overgrown entry and then weavy blast all the way through, jumping all the jumps and taking it all the way to the bottom.  Excellence.  Clamber to road, and home, just before the sun actually set.

A bemusing 13.2 kms and 560 m strove.

Windy Wednesday Singlespeed.

Limited time blow out needed, so hoofed out on the BFe up through Vic, over 19th, and up the grunter to the top, via Worm (which is good on the SS).  Down Thompson's #1 and back up the road chuffing away, then dropping in, down around, past the jumps, down rabbit paddock, rocks and gums.  Peeled out to Skidder and headed off down Shazza's all the way down it's 'new' extension and then walked back up K2 steeps...  Back over Skidder into the lower gum track back down to road, below road, lovely drift through the forest and then back up to road and coasting into Dogparkcarpark dropping through the overgrowth for a sweet hoon all the way through to the bottom.

Six and one quarter kilometres, and 230 m chuffed.

Sunday Solo Traverse Upper Hunts

On the Jeht, I headed off up the hill - feeling exhausted the whole ride - up through usuals and into Thompson's 1 and 2, upon the 2nd of which I nearly shat a runners pants. We discussed civilly. "Ya gotta slow down!" "So sorry bruv, I came in off the road a little hot."  We moved on. Climbed back up the road, down round the jumps, back up the Worm onto Traverse for the haul across. Breathing was strugglesome. Whole way round I was thinking I had covid.  Long rest at top of HuntsDH before finally dropping in, excellent run down, then all the way down to top of Ali express. 

Climb back to top of Huntsbury, grind grind, stretch-rest here, no-one around. Then off around the Traverse, again meeting no-one. Top of Vic, jumps, rabbit paddock, rocks, a wee douggie rest in the pine top of the gums then fun down all the way, below road from 19th, down into dogparkcarpark trail sweetness groove fest. All the way down onto the lower H'Ell, clamber to road home. 

13 hard pressed kms, with 460 well wrought metres climbed

Saturday Troll and Epic-nic

With me on the Troll and Tra'y on her e-commuter we rode up through Vic to the top.  I took Thompson's #1 and met her at the bottom of #2 where she was waiting.  Through the pass and up and around all the way to the Bellbird looking for a sheltered spot to sit for a picnic.  At the Bellbird we popped over and up to a nice stone seat out of the wind and had a magnificent-salad picnic.  

Back the way we came, she went down Dyer's Pass where I rode up top and down the gums etc out to Skidder and down.  Good run.  Then I took the dogparkcarpark trail down, cutting out the walking 'To Harry Ell' track.

Not much under 16 kms, and 475 m climbed.

Wednesday Night Thomas short Godley Captain

Sweet wee bomb with Nelsie tonight while America slides into fascism. 

Picked him up and we trafficked around to park at Sumnervale and headed downstream a little then around and up the old skool Captain.  Once up on the 'level' it was good going, and I felt pretty good.  Quite mild considering the beasterly blowing at home and elsewhere.  I even cleaned the upper section before the gate (where I often end up too knackered).  At Evans the view was amazing, with the low grey cloud cap over us, and bright sunshine beaming in to the otherside of the harbour.  It was here I realised I'd forgotten to turn on MMR...  Oh well.

Along the road, always a little further than you think, and lots of biggish lambs around, headed up the farmtrack to the Godley and I led the way back, keeping a pretty good pace, and enjoying the way the bike handled, actually getting some of the famed 'feel' I was looking for in this machine.  (even more so lower down).  Across the road and we dropped into the Captain, and as mentioned, the feel came in droves.  The bike kinda dimensionally warps around certain corners.  Tis sweet!  Into the old skool section and so much fun.  I kept on Nelson's tail for the first bit but a little further in I was struggling to reel him back in.  Managed a couple of times, but then something would slow me.  The rock roll-over gave me a bit of a fright, in that I really thought my left side bar was gonna slam the rock.  Survived tho, and it was a good descent.  

Rolled around back to the car and (then forgot to turn off MMR and ended up turning it off in Monck's Bay, but have editted that bit out.) headed home.  For what it's worth, from Evans to Sumnervale via some trail, 7.5 kms, but in reality based on previous rides, 11.something kms and 420 or so climbed.

Tuesday Quick Singlist

A needed single-speed, indeed.

On the BFe - new (to me) 2.5inch tyre up front now, up the road, good chuff, over 19th, the usual push up from Skidder, a group of mtnbikers riding up past me (not that much faster than me walking), rode the rest to the top and into Thompson's for a lovely flowy, bike feeling amazing under me, cranking it through the two hairpins, then cruise up the road.  Questioned where to go here, but decided to just drop on down.  Down around (past) the jumpies and through rabbit into rocks and pines. 

Nice down gums, flowy flowy sweetness, then out to the road, into the track below, flow flow, right, over and up to the road corner, up around, coasting down and into the carpark, straight in, getting a bit overgrown in there (time to do some trimming, might walk the dog up today).  Flowy flow, a little damp in one spot, then (with an audience of a couple of groms) jumping over the jumps and flowing through the oaks and into the lower reaches, bomby flow.  Out onto Ell, clamber to road and home.

6.3 kms and a smidge under 200 m climbed.

Couple ebike rides over the weekend

As per the title... 

Saturday, T and me rode to brunch on our ebikes - down Dyers, Hackthorne, Lady Polson to exit down Bengal, across onto the Uni-trail, flowing through past Pioneer, then back streets and across the alley to Domain Tce, up past Hillmorton, under the motorway and hung a right, down along the bike track all the way to Lincoln Rd, where we went to Maxine's for delicious yum cha brunch, eating entirely too much.  Home via Addington back streets, out to cross Collins/Simeon crossing of Brougham, then Simeon all the way through cemetery park and Studholme to cross river, thru Thorrington and up the hill home.  Didn't map it - but it was around 17 kms.

Sunday, up through Vic, Summit Rd to Mt Pleasant, then Upper Major Hornbrook, down through the park to Cannon Hill, through past Ferrymead around the river, lots of nice squirrelly singletrack, then onto the bikepath all the way to Tannery where we saw stopped and went to the movie Lee at the movie theatre, then home the usual way across the back streets of Opawa, St Martins, Beckenham and up the hill, home.  

30 odd kms (see I started it up around the 19th), over 700m climbed. 

Hallow Thursd-ween Night Weirdness

Up on the Jeht, no idea where I was going and not feeling up to much, but wanting much.  Bulk hayfever around and lots of other riders. 

Ground to the top of Vic, following a couple of guys who I'd gain on then not, then gain...  Passed them when they were getting grass out of one of their derailleurs just near the entrance to Thompsons - down which I went, just after an ebiker.  Onto road, lower Thompsons and then through the pass and up the Summit Rd, grinding away, ebiker disappearing into the distance.  Over taken up here by another 2 ebikers, thinking, "lazy cunts."  Followed a grom up to top of Nun and chatted briefly, then dropped in.  Not too bad a run, bike handling nicely.  All the way to the bottom then through the pass again and up Summit to top of Vic.  

Dropped in down around the usual jumpies, over the see-saw and hard right for a pleasant cruise up the fenceline.  Lugged over this and dropped into Pedalfine, which I did not pedal particularly finely.  Grabbed the first left and fucked up the log, fucked up the first corner nearly losing it.  Handled the jandal down an across the wee bridgey thing, then dropped onto the access track across.  Dropped into one of the trails along here, but then failed and climbed back out.  Not feeling good.  Headache and low energy.  Along a bit further and dropped into Razza's which I rode pretty good, biffing and baffing my way down.  Stopped for a long rest here wondering where the hell to go and what to do.  A couple of guys cruised past (from coming out of Dazza's) and one commented on "Cool bike!" and "wait! what are those brake pads!??"  

I made up my mind and dropped down Razza's extension into Brentzone, sidling as far across as I could.  It's getting well worn out in there, and was still pretty damp.  Out the bottom and hard left up into Corporate Ladder which really got me huffing.  Had to stop for a rest at the big limby gum.  Out top to Sneaky, still pondering, up??  down??  Down.  Into Sneaky Ridge, dropping down and hopping out onto Bridges and Nu-Bridges down to the valley.  Turned up here on K2, got half way up the first bit and decided, nah, fuck it.  Turned back down and took Hidden Valley Bonus climb, clambering well up onto Old Skool.

Nice blast down Old Skool, blitzy blitz, and at the bottom, again with the indecision.  Up?  or the bus??  Really didn't have that climb in me so settled on the bus.  Down Bowenvale, across to Landsdowne, Centaurus, Cashmere to PMH where I sat down, chilled out for about 5 minutes and the bus arrived.  Nice.  Stopped my MMR here.

Overall, 15.7 kms, with only 405 climbed (plus from bus stop to home) - and must be around 600 or so descended. 

Labouring on Labour Day

Hard work on the hill today - I really struggled, but kept on pushing.  Up from home via the usuals, with a bleeding nose kicking in just as I got to Brake Free, so stopped to quell that with the help of the water fountain.  On up to the top and straight into the the jumps, everything a little soggy under the trees after the 2 inches of rain we got a few days ago.  Straight into Worm and up onto the Traverse for a many-times-interrupted flow across.  I welcomed the stops for breathers to let others through, but there are still too many people who haven't got the memo that downhill gives way.  

Up onto Vernon, good blast down here with only a couple of sidles to let climbers through, jumped over the Rapaki-top and straight into Witch Hill ("closed" according to the signage - Pah!).  Cleaned it all and had a breather at the high point before launching in to finish and hit the road.  I truly considered turning back here, it was all just too much, but I perservered and got to Castle Rock feeling okay.  My rear wheel loose-spoke squeek on every rotation was annoying so I flipped the bike and tried to find the culprit - to no avail.  

Launched into the descent and held rapid speed and flow, ducking and weaving the rocks across the slope.  Some nice tidying lower down, but speed was good.  Brief breath at the hairpin and then eased back into it, and the climb was goood.  Straight onto the road and climbing, grinding my way back up to the top.  Clamber clamber onto the Tors and, "damn!" some walkers on their way up it.  "oh well..." off I went and they were young enough not to be bothered by me, and even stepped out of the way.  I let their tail ender come through cos she was puffing and I said "no, you come through, I'll probably fall off and embarrass myself."  This was just as the steeper tech started, all of which I cleaned until the last-worst.  As I was getting going again nearly lost it over the bars, but kept rolling down foot not clipped.  Onto road and coasting cruise back to Witch for the clamber to a nice long rest at the high point.

Rolling off again, fun blast to Rapaki-top and onto the road for the climb (too tired to do the trail), slowly reeling in a rider ahead.  He stopped at Huntsbury and I rolled straight past into the Traverse for a good hoon around here.  Really puffing tho.  Good times had and into the trees, jumpies, straight down to Rocks, Gums, not too greasy, lower section below Skidder had the usual wetspot, then out down the road into 235 which had some grease, that's for sure.  Jumped the tree and the next one not greasy in there, then across and all th eway to the bottom, nice flow all the way.  Onto road and home, wiped.

A typically substantive 20 kms, with a leg-tiring 731 m climbed.

Post number 1450

Sunday Urumau Ups'n'Downs

Met Nelson around 8am on Fosters Tce, Lyttelton for a steep, as usual, blast around in Urumau.  

New climbing trail (that I'd exited last time, but it's finished) up onto the sunnyside-lowers cross-trail, back up to the usual zigs, all machine widened now, deviating onto the looper back and forth to the top.  Nice climb. Into Stormer for a start, biff baff boff, taking a bit to get back into the groove of the place.  Warmed up a bit into Grommies and jumped off the log like usual, but missed the lower end steep rock bits.  Onto Sloanstar for the grindy climb.  Ugh.  Back up and around and up the zigs, this time taking the top all the way to the top.  

This time down Jackasaurus over the steep drops and jumps, tho, both avoiding the jumps this time round.  then down into the Zombie Lurch, lurching from one feature to the next.  Stopped to explore a new/old looking sideline, but continued on down, corners getting more and more insane for me.  Both avoided the log drop, rolling down through onto the boardwalk log thing and then it was time to climb again.

Up up up, Nelson getting ahead, but then taking the longer way to both meet at the regroup breather spot, before we headed around again and then up the zigs.  Looper top and Nelson decided he wanted to do the rockdrop bit next to Sunnyside.  He did, i filmed.  Then back up and over Jackasaurus and back down Stormer, bombing it better this time and meeting some walkers with a couple GSPs and this time taking the right hander into the steep rock zone, which scared me into baulking the last drop.  Climbed back up to where the couple with dogs were and then climbed again, this time Nelson completely dropping me and disappearing completely until the regroup breather spot.  Final blast down the way we'd entered, fun back to the cars and off to Lyttelton Coffee Co for some refreshment. 

Hard work, only 7.26 kilometres, with 440m climbed.

Saturday's Mal-Pheasant-ries and Pleasantries with some Green Wood

Quick catch up with Steve at the Travis Planting, Jeht in the car, headed from there over to Mt Pleasant for a nice little solo spin.  Parked up just next to Kaikoura View.  Toodled up the road, up into the old bathtub entrance and across Britten, climbing climbing.  Around the front and up to the cattlestop, over the fence and as I climbed here a reasonable sized grey bird was running through the grass ahead of me.  A duck? No, has to be a pheasant!  When I hit the main track she flew from cover down across the road.  Nice!  Climby climb climb to the top of Pleasant where I had a brief gasping rest with some rams, then off down into the gnarr... Weird riding down through here, felt like every rock was pinged off and stalling me.  Down in the tussocks I caught and passed a couple of walkers and then down the long straight bit got caught in a rut and the ground angled up to hit me...  owch.  Right knee and shin took most of it but the saddle somehow pinched my left inner thigh, and the handlebars got slightly off skew with a bunch of grass caught in the brake lever.  Straight back on and down to the farmtrack where I stopped, readjusted, tightened and cleared, and got rolling again, around a family with two small kids and a poodle.  

Into Greenwood, rocky blast this, slightly put off by my fall, adrenalin still lagging out, was not riding on form.  Lower down I suddenly noticed a rider on a switchback above me.  I put on a burst of speed and kept him at bay but I had to stop from exhaustion just after Gloomy like I usually do.  He wasn't that far behind.  Older dude, the type that's probably done every single Coast to Coast since it started.  Fit but old.  I said gudday as he passed and gave him a good gap before I took off again.  Turns out I was slowly winding him in but before the final switchbacks to Evans he turned around and headed back up.  Fit bastard.  I thought about it, but didnt do the same, hit the road and started the climb.  It was a grind.  Though, in the gloomy corner, I spotted another female pheasant flying...

At the pines the family with poodle were loading into their car, I headed up Sheep Shit Alley, onto the road again, around to Britten and the blast down this, across and down the usual.  Good roll, tho very wary of ruts-villainry.  I'd parked lower down thinking I might ride Kenton, but by the time I got there I was too stuffed, so just took the path and road back to the car.

A malpracticed 13.6 kms with nearly 600 climbed (given I'd started the mmr late).