Saturday Eeebs in the Fog

Up from home and along the Summit Rd in the absolute thickest fog, other cyclists and walkers looming out of nothing ahead, and howling blusters across the saddles, or randomly off slopes, until Cavendish Saddle where Tra'y got the weirdest pain that felt like it could have resulted in a hospital visit. In the fog, in the wind we sheltered on the side of the road to see if it would pass. It didn't seem to be, so I rang Joy and she came and rescued her and the bike. I bombed ahead and then we got warm and ate and Tra'y came completely right - very strange... This leg was 14.6 kms 558 m, electrically enhanced. 

Remembered to start MMR part way down Mt Pleasant Rd, then rode around to Toff's for a look.  Back on Ferry we're spinning along and alongside pulls Susan with mum and dad in their car.  They pulled ahead and pulled over and we had a catch upon the side of the road... From here it was home through the usual sideways, low-ways, high-ways and back ways, 11.7 kms, 231 m electrically ridden.

Friday Night Stoogilla in the Mist

Nice we spin up on the Stooge after work, due to no commitments, to take in a bunch of my favourites.  Fun times, if a little greasy in places.  Dropped into the bush from dogparkcarpark, looking at the old route to start with, wondering about the connection into the new, in the clearing below the pylon.  I'm guessing the intention is to ride up around into it?  Anyway.  Nice climb up through Sleepy and then up the walking tracks to 19th.  Up around the back of it, then up from skidder, grinding, out to the top.  Down around past the jumps (too greasy) and down Rabbit, rocks, Gums, out to skidder, and off down Shazza's, Macros, into Uprooted, climbing away, and then back over into the singletrack and down, into heavenly Heavenly Creatures for a lovely biff down here, all the way home.  Lubbly jubblies.

Just about 6 kms, and two-fiddy metres honked

Sunday Walk-Ride Stooge

Headed out and up for a date with my girl. We stuck together all the way to the Skidder then she headed down a big dog leg to meet me where Eastside track meets the mtb track. I took Shazza's flowing into Macros then out the bottom and around the newly re-furbished Flow.  Stopped and waited (quite a while) for her at the walktrack interseciton.  When she arrived we headed the same way with her following me down NuBridges to the valley-bottom. 

Up valley from there with much cleaned and some walked. One small tumble, tripped by a flax. Then it was the lovely flow back towards the bike track gulley and into Uprooted. Lovely climb, first time on the finished product. Next it was over Skidder and into the singletrack.  Met T at the gate and we headed down the heavenly Heavenly Creatures and Sleepy Hollow. 

Only 5.6 kms and 242 m uprooted.

Saturday Good Godley Mistaken Snake Escape

Cruisey ride with Nelson today. Picked him up 2 ish, bikes on back, we headed down, around through Scumner and parked up Evans.  Headed up onto a very-nicely-tidied Godley.  It's so much flowy-er than it was and is now a joy to ride. I reckon even the Stooge would be fun on it now.  Made very good time up to the high point and headed off down with much speed to Livingston.  Next climb has had a slight tickle as well and also rides quite nicely.  Good fang down to Breeze, with me managing to stay on his tail the whole way.  Next up the side above the road, then onto our old sketched sheep-trail, which has obviously not been used by anyone for a long time.  Brief rest at the Lookout bunker, with Nelson jumping off it, and then down, fast, to the carpark, along side and over the road onto the OG singletrack.  Back along here watching incredible murmuration of starlinks and a hawk and some gulls.  Good roll, fun times back to Breeze, then up road a little and onto upper Anaconda for a very fast smooth blast down.  Tail rolled good and then up the Escape, riding it well and cleaning it all. From Livingston decided to ride back up Godley, cleaning it all nicely and enjoying not climbing up the paddock from the road, and enjoying the blast back to the car.  Rollin'!  

Pretty good 15.6 kms, and over 600 m climbed.

Sunday Late Afternoon Loop

Quick pint at Moon and left T and Nik there to walk home.  I got home and jumped on the Stooge to ride up to the Skidder, down Shazza's, into Macros, and out onto Flow, New Bridges, and all the way down out the bottom of Bowenvale.  Down the road, left into Wedgewood, Landsdowne, then along the river.  Stymied at the library, back over the bridge and around, then chasing the girls down Colombo to Wherstead corner and catching up.  I then took myself down Wherstead, through to Ernie Clarke and along a splecky riverside, following the river up to PMH and cutting in next to Hackthorne to climb up the steeper and steeper dirt track to get up onto the Sassalong Sidle.  Lady Poison, MacMillan, then up Whisby, down to Kidson climbing up here then up our zigzag and home.  I beat them home too, strangely.

Eveningly 12 kms and 330 m climbed. 

Saturday Post-Southerly Troll Summit.

Up for a hoon on the Surly, after the storm had cleared, with a couple of Summit Rd Peaks summitted. 

Vic climb, brief walk on gutser, then onto the Summit Rd.  Checked gmaps and saw T and Nik were below me, so popped into the lower Thomson and waited for them, then waited for them again at the end of H'Ell, then met them again when I was filling water behind the Kiwi.  From here, I meandered out the Summit Rd towards the Bellbird.  Annoyingly a guy (older than me!) on a mtb left the kiwi same time as me and proceeded to slowly creep away from me.  I just didn't have the push to keep up or spin ahead.  He departed up Worsleys and I continued, nice and sunny and calm on the north face of Ada, otherwise a good cool southerly blasting across the tops.  

I pulled into the Bellbird and changed out layers and ate a bit of OneSquare then continued my quest.  Pulled out at the top of Living Springs, walking up to the top of the knoll here to add to my peak-bags.  That done, I headed back towards home, but just around the corner I popped up onto the Crater Rim and started pushing.  Left the bike for a bit, walked ahead, then thought, nah, I'll bring it.  Back to it, then pushed for a bit, then rode, then left it and explored to the top of this knob.  (on the topo, it's the pointy escarpment-top between the 524 and 505 (between the radar dome and Coopers Knob)).  Good views and there was even a bit of snow around.  Back to the bike (a slightly different route) and on along the poached singletrack, enjoying it's downwardness.  

Back on the road and onwards back towards home.  Nice roll down to the kiwi then up the road to top of Vic.  Checked the maps again and could see T was just around past Sugarloaf on what we call her knob, so I headed on around, watching them descending it and arriving at the saddle by the pond just as they got there.  Nice surprise and another catch-up.  Said our so-longs and I headed back around the Summit.  The Traverse below was wet as, so I stayed off that, then took the main track down through to skidder, then road all the way home for some nice smooth speed.   

Disappointingly, and somewhat surprisingly, only 11.6 kms and 480 climbed...

Sketchy Stoogilicious Sundowner

Groovy ride. Rapid departure from work and home in no time to leap on the Stooge to ride up and meet T on the Summit Traverse for a Sundowner. I had a nice DVB Wizardry and took her a Go-Go Juice. We watched the sun sink behind the mountains then I was racing the darkness home. Fine in the open, but getting dark in the macs top of Vic and then super hairy times in the woods as I got closer to home. Hairy times... 

Sketch a f, 7.4 kms, and 255 m escalated.

Nice pick from start of Gums rockgarden.

Sunday Sweet Date Ride Walk

Rode with my sweet, walking. Worked surprisingly well and gave a reasonably low impact Stooge treatment for my injured knee, with good company. Finally got to show her my new locals, too.

We headed up from home, not really planning to stay together the whole time but then it just worked out that way.  Up the wheelchair track over the info-centre hill knoll (what is a bike if not a wheelchair? It's got a seat; it's got wheels!), then up over 19th the way I always go, then up the steep from skidder, Tra'y walking along with me the whole way.  Then up top of Vic and we cruised along the Traverse.  It worked pretty well, it was slow for me along here, but all the climbs were pretty even, and I'd just stop and let (very few out) riders or runners (lots of them) through and then wait for T to catch up.  I took this picture just before the Lavaflow and that's where my MMR stopped. 

Continued around, rolling downs, coasting ups, stopping, waiting, rolling together when possible.  It was really nice.  At end of Traverse we went across the road and into Scott's Knob.  I realised how much I like this trail.  It's got some interesting tech, especially when greasy.  On the second knob we stopped and checked out the rope net.  Amazing, cellular looking literal sculpture.  

At the pond we popped across the road and back around the rest of the Traverse to Vic.  Worm down to rabbit, and I showed T my usual way through the rocks, pines, gums, the steepest bits proving tricky for her, but mostly good.  Then down from gums to gate, she didn't necessarily know this route.  Then, across the road and into Heavenly, she'd never been through before and I think quite liked it.  Finally, the last section, I showed her my tree clearance, and the way to Sleepy Hollow - which she dug.  Then at the 'to H'Ell' track she peeled off, I finished off my favourite ending and we hooked up at the neighbours' driveway again.   

MMR stuffed up when I took the pic. A very similar route to this one, this one from a few weeks back just minus the bit where I rode back along the Summit Rd, so more like 11 or 12 kms, and similar 400 odd m climbed. 

Thursday Night Greenwood, Richmond Valley Newby

Good hoof with Nelsie tonight. Rode up the usual Santa Maria, Assissi, Drayton, Mt Pleasant from his, taking Madeley, Major Horny, then Long-Clear-Ridge-View to Upper and into the start of Britten when I realised I hadn't turned on my Map - 3ish kms and a couple hundy metres missed(!)... Climbed Britten, road, OG entrance to Greenwood for a bony rocky mucky descent.  They're working on it at the moment and have spraypainted yellow spots on 'offending' rocks.  To me, the yellow spots are completely offensive, drawing the eye and totally mucking up the flow.  So many of the rocks they've spotted dont need removing!  And some of the work already done is a mess, but I guess it'll bed in and wash away a bit over the next few.  Anyway, it was better once we got below the paint.  Lower half was good.  

Onto the Summit Rd for a steady climb up to the big pines.  Dropped over into Frog Pond, been a while since down here, and it's running pretty good.  It's a weird change lower down with all the trees gone.  Then Nelson had spotted a new trail the other day with Kirsty, so we headed down into the valley (as if we were heading across to Richmond Hill) and then off down this new track.  Got some flow on and then >SMACK< my pedal hit a rock, throwing me up and out of control, ragdolling my left knee into a rock and tumbling over onto the ground.  Handlebars/stem were tweaked crooked, so had to straighten them, got back on and followed Nelson down.  He'd been entirely unaware I crashed.  Rest of the way was nice, with some interesting tech, and a back and forth in the valley that's quite cool.  Tight and twisty, with one walking rock tech bit with lots of exposure.  

Out of the trees onto Richmond Hill Rd and out into Sumner for the cruise around the waterfront bike path.  Into McCormacks/Drayton, climbing (and me walking a few more spots than usual) and back to his.  Knee: Sore but not as mashed as I'd expected, thankfully.

Nelson's map with the actual distance... 19 kms, 740 climbed

Tuesday Night Jeht Hoon

Sounds like some Korean dude: Jet Hoon... Another night another ride, different bike similar trails. Nice fun, Tawhairanui, singletrack, pushed my way up Pop'n'Fresh - man it's big! There's a lot of space in there but an uphill trail would be tricky to place. I reckon there's a way but it would probably have to meander back and forth across Popnfresh, skirting into Gums a little, and the top bit would probably need to cut into the sidling entrance I usually take across from the Rocks below the pines. Could work.  Another option would be to chuck it through the fence and zig and zag up in the grasslands beyond.

Next it was up the rabbit paddock, up onto Thompsons both, both ways, down and back up, then around the jumps and back down Rabbit into rocks pines gums. Exit over Skidder, dropping down Razza's, Sneaky, up the usual down and into Uprooted for a good hard climb. Then over Skidder again into the Heavenly blast on singletrack home. 

All in all a good time. I had a lot of interactions with possums tho. Should put some effort into taking a few out... 

7.17 kms and 296 m clambered

Monday After-Dinner, Mint Stooge

Stooged about on the hill tonight. Nice wee hoon, not too high but some sweet climbs and fun descending.  

Up the walking path just above the road, over onto Tawhairanui, then back up the wheelchair track to the Info Centre, then down the back of that and up over the 19th.  At skidder I took the middle road across to the exit of Fenceline, explored down Flow-Rider but found it a tad double-black, pushed back up and hit Cool Runnings which was a bit of fun, tho not very jumpy cos I just dont know it anymore.  Out the bottom and up Uprooted, nice climb, checking out where it hits Razzas this time.  then over from Skidder and down the usual, into Heavenly Creatures for a very flowy and fun bash.  All the way down, with good speed.  Clamber, road, home.   

A smidge over 5 kms and a peaky little 188 m climbed

Sunday Stuffed Short Stooge

Nice quick planting this morning at Wilmers Rd and still feeling the effects of Gryph's 21st on Friday night.  

I hauled my aging carcass up the hill on the Stooge. Air pumping into my lungs and oxygen burning hard in the meat wrapped around my bones. Gasping, I was. Up the usuals, road, dogparkcarparkstart, climbing sleepy out up walktrack to 19th, skidder, grinder to top of Vic.  Blipped off down both Thomson's, and back up the top one, up to the carpark, then down around the jumpies, peeling into Worm and realising there was nowhere that way I actually wanted to go (couldn't be arsed going out the Traverse, or Fenceline, or Pedal...), so back around for a second go on the jump and into the rabbit paddock, down through rocks pines gums, exiting out through Skidder and over into Shazza's, all the way down through the newer bit and instead of heading into Brents or Macros hung a hard left towards Sneaky, and tight into Corporate Ladder, down this for the first time and it's not ideal.  Down into the valley and up Uprooted (nearly finished! - it's amazing), over Skidder again into the trees and stopped for a wee break where I often do just to take in the airs.  Drinking much water and a half-half-a-one-square, then the rest of the singletrack from here and into Heavenly Hollows, all the way, and stopped right near the bottom to try to work out my new exit option...  (I think I've got it). 

Stoogelicious 7.7 kms and 320 odd climbed.

Keeping our Wits About Us on View Hill in Matariki Weather. Sixteen-Hundredth Missive

Welcome to this blog's 1600th post.

T and me left Little Brook at 10.15ish.  She walked and I rode at her pace. Nice conversational cruise. Sunshine and rain. Cold but well dressed for the occasion. 

(Around an hour and a half in)

Steep walking or if too slippy. 2 hours we were past the gate, another 20 to the top in cloud and bitter wind. 

(at the top - bitterly cold wind driven fog)

T set off down and I had to head over to the leeward side (where we'd just been resting) finish my half-half-one-square before setting off (she ate hers as she walked). Down the ridge, into the freezing wind and cloud moisture, to find T a little lost.  Guided her over and stayed with her for a while after that, keeping close until the gate, with riding treacherously slippery and rough. Her running was almost faster. 

Below the gate I got a bit more speed on, saying my goodbye to her. Rough as guts, and slippery to boot, speed and flow was not the way of the ride, until, the odd section. Then the smoother gravel. Lots of speed here but needing to keep it toned. Carefully, carefully down the concrete channeled section, feeling almost a little out of control but then gradually releasing the gravity beast and gaining velocity up, up into a crescendo, tires on gravel, wind, everything rushing quickly toward me. My old friend rapido-speed. Rolling rapidly, so comfortably, through past the Craw (Andrew? Was that you?) on the ladder, "gudday," "gudday."

Now the next gravel, a few pedal strokes once the speed was low enough for top gear, over the rise and coasting again, lovely brakes-unneeded descent to the seal, then down around main descent. Coasting faster and faster, no pedaling no braking needed until a couple of wee checks for corners. Bliss. Such a good speed and view and comfort level of flow and road and machine and body all working perfectly together.  And a rainbow that I rode into before coming round on the bridge and lovely trees and bush either side and there was rain, all down here lit by the sun, floaty-motey droplets. Past the church and around past a woman walking entirely unaware of my approach and likely just as unaware of my departure. Speed building, shooting down past the beach, easing around the corner and, find the gear, start cranking... Final driveway, stopped and chatted with Adrian for a bit., then cranked on up the drive...

A reasonable 15.15 kms, and at least 762 m climbed (even if MMR only says it was 746...).

Nicely Decanted. Thursday's Troll, cattlestop trip-trapping.

Tra'y walking, me on Troll, up Menzies Bay Rd. Bye at the top and rolling, rolling, eyes watering, gravel-control, through the valley bottom then climbing, past the onga-onga, gently climbing, onwards and updwards, and stopping to take in the surging foam on the Decanters, then climbing, looking at the Millenium dawn walk Memorial (and time capsule (they're dreaming, "dont open until 2500," indeed!)) on up the road climbing still, past the yards, over the next cattlestop, around past the shed and shelterbelt, through the next cattlestop and only a little way further towards the first high point, turned back here, on account of Williams boy working the cattle, possibly to the road.  

Rolled back down, gaining nice speed to gravel-control-zone, to find T just arriving at the Memorial thing.  She turned back here, and I rolled briefly with her before hitting the rest of the down, gravel-grippage.  Nice bomb down here, cruise-control in action, through the bottom and climbing again, up and grinding, or sitting and trying to spin - probably in favour of the former - learning to love the grind.  Williams boy was on the road opposite as I was approaching the top.  Surprising how slow his progress was down as I made my way to his gate.  Rolling from here, gaining speed, keeping it in check (to a point).  Fun blast.  Check out the beach then home.

Overall, a ride comprised of lots of weather-matic adjustment to conditions, with sunshine and rainfall both, and cold winds and sheltered spots.  14.3 kms added up with 627.5 m ground-out of the ground.

Trolling Chorlton on the Wheelie

Buried beautiful boy Jetty-puss with a view of the property, which he always loved sniffing about and chasing sticks on, and then T and me went out for some exercise. 

I rode along on the Troll with her, through Adrian's, up Luke's Rd and up to Chorlton. Realising as we rode that I've been riding the Troll for over 14 years.  We continued up View Hill Rd a bit then decided that was enough. I let gravity take me, down across Chorlton-top and I pedalled into Long Lookout Rd to the first high point, took a pic of Raupo,

(doesn't look so bad out there, but there were showers all day)

then turned back and rolled, like a pendulm, pedalling up to Tra'y for a kiss, then turned and rolled back down to the end of the seal that way again and then back, to hit the LAk Rd down. What a roll... Blasted through past the beach and out to the wharf thinking about when I used to run Jet down here, for another pic,

(gloomy up valley)

then back up home. 

<1/2 a km shy of 10, with a metre shy of 260 m climbed

RIP the best boy. Jet

Said goodbye to the best boy today. Poor old Jettypuss, best trail dog ever, when he could... 

Buried not that far from where he was born, lived his life loved by us all.

Sunday, Necessary Short Jeht.

Should have got out earlier but didn't. T and me headed up and parted ways at the dog park carp ark. I bopped into the forest down and around onto Sleepy Hollow and climbed from there. Was really tired from yesterday's Hanmer jaunt, I guess?  Up to 19th, then through gate and took the singletrack along and up, checking out the options for the climbing route, then back across to the bottom of Sesame and onto the grunter part way up.  Up to top of Vic, taking a breather at Thomson's turn-off before heading up over down around the first jump, peeling right onto Worm.  

Got rolling across the Traverse and pulled over to let a guy coming towards me through, at the same time as letting a dude on a titanium rigid looking flash thing through who was going my way.  I said, you're going faster than me, and off he went and I proceeded to stay on his tail until the top part way up that first climb.  I didn't care, he was way younger and fitter than me, but I did feel old and fat at that point.  Continued, with nice flow, around, and had a near miss on the corner around below Sugarloaf (after the down, before the pullover sign), skidding and just avoiding a rider coming through "Sorry about that!"  At the sign I checked on T's whereabouts and then could see her way down on the Bowenvale Valley track, so figured I'd give her time to get further up and so headed along the Traverse further.  At the high point I could see she'd turned around so I rang her, we waved, the weather was coming in which was why she was turning around, so I did too and headed back.  Nice flow back around to Vic, straight into the trees, jump one and two, down to fence, down rabbit, into rocks, pines, gums down and around.  Where you dive left rather than out to Sesame near the bottom (where I'd climbed out), I stopped and cleared a bit of foliage that's been annoying me for a while now.  Cleared the sight-line.  Onwards down, into the conifers and down around, stopped here to clear some foliage too.  

Then it was time head home.  Down the singletrack, gate, over onto Heavenly for a lovely baff down, nicely nicely.  After the oaks, and on the last stretch to the H'Ell, I stopped again, this time to scope out the possible route for a new exit out higher.  I reckon I've got it.  When things dry again, I'll head in with the pruning saw.

Only 8.6 kms and 282 m climbed, but worth every penny.

Saturday Dawn Raid on Tombstone, baby

Sweet ride on the Stooge on a bunch of new-to-me trails. Tombstone is really fun and perfect for the Stooge.  Left the bach with T just before 8am, dawn - pretty much, and headed up Lucas Lane into the new to both of us trails.  Grabbed CV Express and I left her here rolling ahead faster than her fast walking speed.  I kept passing above her on all the switchbacks which was nice.  Eventually I lost sight of her and then not long further got to the top of Tank.  Good climb, will be nice once all the trees grow back up.  

Dropped into Tank, which was a hoot.  The Stooge performed really well, no sketch, no dice.  Climbed out the end and then into the Yankee Zephyr climb, which was longer than I remembered, maybe because last time I did it was 2019 and the trees have grown considerably.  At the kind of skidder site I peeled into the new (to me) Tombstone, which has a very nice climb.  Some nice native under the larches and patches and generally a good grade, never too steep, but steady.  Eventually got to the top of the climb, nice view up to Isabell, and it was time for the descent.

and what a descent...  Glorious flowy trail, just brought joy to my headstate.  It was mint.  Some of the most zen fun I've had for years.  Super fun, able to get some speed, then some nice tech sections that keep you on your toes but aren't terrible.  So much fun!  Out the end and down onto the Dog Stream trail, where I headed back into the bridge (and noticed that the old descending line to the bridge is now closed.  Headed up onto the road and up towards Big Foot.

Actually started into Big Foot but then looked at the time and thought, nah, I'll just take the Fir Trail.  Well remembered from the 12 hour event many (25?) years before, it's obviously changed a bit since then.  Nice flow down, then left for the last few corners of Big Foot.  Down from here, across Dog Stream for a waste of altitude loss down to Joliffe Rd, climbing up here who should appear but T, running!  Hi!!!  We parted ways again and I headed up to Red Rocks, all changed up here with the whole Timberlands face logged (and a new trail in there for descending).  I peeled onto Red Rocks and rode it, thinking I'd take Eeny Meeny, but found myself heading all the way out to the end.  Around onto Western Link and climb cruising around to bottom of Timberlands and into Swamp.  Long climb up here (the road would be so much shorter!) and out top over onto Flax for a start then into Lower Flow, for a flowy groove, with again, lots of good speed and zen mind state.

Nearly 16 kms and nearly 500 m up. Hanmer always feels way more climb than it ends up being. What is that?

Thursday Night Nun Victorian

Good ride with Nelson tonight. Felt like I was showing off all my new toys...

Rode out from mine, headed up the road (following a group of 4 others), peeled into the dog park carp ark and down the newish line onto Sleepy Hollow, then up and out to the walk track.  By the 19th I'd determined that Nelson hadn't hit the new one from here, so we popped off down there for a lap.  Back at 19th, through the gate, and into the singletrack climbing from here, then out to Skidder for the grind up the grunter.  A couple had been ahead, and were stopped at the water fountain chatting, we rode through and up to Thomsons, where they arrived as we were deciding where to go.  Nelson led, I followed.  He had some gear problems at the end.  Then down into #2, I led, and we flowed, and through out to the road.  Down through Kiwi and up the Summit, with the 2 from the fountain catching us up slowly, and finally pulling ahead just before Worsleys.  Didn't really talk to them much until the top of the Nun.  They dived in first.  

Nun wasn't as greasy as I was expecting, but I still trusted nothing.  Had a good blast down tho.  Then the lower reaches were closed due to the logging below.  We flowed out onto the road, then dived in the lowest from part way down where you can access it.  Good blast down here too.  Out through Kiwi again and I noticed the moon! - not the pest pic, but it was above Charteris/Diamond Harbour, just come up over the hill.

Up the road and at the top there was a group of about 6 young dudes on expensive bikes.  They were chatting so we headed off down, Nelson leading, round through and over the jumpies, then down Rabbit where I led into Rocks Pines and Gums, taking the left down steep, I'm pretty sure a new bit, and out to the corner, out over to Skidder where there was a massive group of riders, including the guy and girl from earlier, and up rolled the infamous Mel, friendly as she always is.  They were all climbing and we headed off down Dazza's.  Ages since down here and hooweee it's steeeep and rooty.  Fun!  Rolled out across the last of the nuShazza's flowing around towards Brents, and then hitting Macros down down out to Corporate Ladder ending and then into Uprooted, Nelson's first time.  Good climb.  One extra corner that wasn't there earlier, and then out the top (a little more progress?), onto the 4wd, out to Skidder and over to the singletrack we'd climbe earlier for the last blast down Heavenly Creatures and all the way home.  Nicely nicely.

Cogent 12.13 kms and a tenable 465 m vert.

No Skool like the Old Skool on a Beautiful Sunday

Took the Cotic up to dog park carp ark and dived into the bushes, under the pylon and down to Sleepy Hollow to climb up the nice paths to 19th. Up through into skidder and up the guts to top of Vic. 

Down around the jump, hard right into Worm, onto Traverse for a good hoon across here. Boffed off down Huntsbury 4Pause, avoided the bottom jump through lack of speed, left in the tussocks down the older line, then into AliExpress dropping down, weaving through the sheepshit and rocks down to Old Skool. 

Excellent flow down here, flow and groove, spiralling down to the bottom and turning straight into the uphill. All the way up the valley, past Hospital and the bottom of NuBridges, climbing the walk track, walking a few bits up the top, then right on the traversing track across to the MTB forest exit, clambering up here and into the New Climb Trail. Beautiful, but still a granny grind... And they've finished up a couple of the corners above the 4wd but no further. 

Out to skidder and over to the below-gums. Short break in here for a breather, then out. Dropped off into Heavenly Creatures for a lovely jaunt, all the way down.  Sleepy, pines, oaks, last bit, H'Ell, clamber, road and home. 

12.1 kms 524 m ground out.