Sunday 29th August

practically copied word for word from MellonFarmer's bloggage.

so good to finally get out today.
Mellonfarmer, Weirdlittle, Dozer, Tinks, Phatboy and Bugs out front of Rubber's, who had an excuse of family bother to get him out of riding... not pisscrookedness at all, right?

anyway, off up Rapaki we lugged our sorry states, meeting Helmark and Sandals and truck at end of road. Sandals joined us, while HelMark drove off to see us up top. climbed like climbing things, MF and Phatboy surprising themselves i think with their ability to actually succeed after rather messy evenings before. cold southerly wind in our faces all the way up, and into the clouds up top, with some spitty drizzliness going for it dampening everything. decided on heading towards Sumner, but not thinking we'd make it.

Witch hill was like a pinball machine, little bit of grease on the rocks pinging tires all over the place. numerous dabs, lurches and lost momentums. but all over quite good. Sandals and Warren took the road, Sandals due to a bad wrist. regrouped and headed on up summit road towards the Castle.

Castle Rock started out a bit mucky but not bad. a few damp spots down the way, but mostly pretty good, had a nice flow on down round the hill, first hairpin nicely negotiated, on down and after the second hairpin nasty rutsville just before the bridge. pete stepped off to film everybody, and Silverweirdlittle had a nice tumble off down the hill, i think caught on film, nice couple garks on his legs. Sandals took the road. helMark showed up and we chatted and then got on our ways on round, in the clouds, tailwind, to Britten

John Britten trail: nice and dry cept for under the very wet (rainmaking) shelterbelt. MF got round to the road where he waited. and waited. and waited, and thought, hmmm, and was just about to ride on back to see what'd happened, when Sandals and Bugs and WeirdLittle appeared out of the gloom saying Pete had had an off but they were on their way. he'd been straddling his bike, walking up that steep uprock when one of his feet gave way and off he tumbled down the hill, garking himself nicely. Helmark rolled up and Sandals changed bikes here.

hit Greenwood, for the first time in a lonnnnnng time. started off with a greasy rut which threw most a bit, but dried out nicely on further up, with even some dust appearing at one stage... had a good cruise down really enjoying the freedom of this trail, and pleasantly surprised at how little damage the winter had inflicted, maybe a few more rocks showing a bit more of their teeth after dirt's been washed away. mucky wetspot after rockgap, but all good round into gloomy gulch. still in the clouds at this point, pulled up just down from usual stopping place, and regrouped again, looking down on the willing workers we were intending on joining. got rolling again and cruised down to the workers, stopping to chat with Ranger Nick Singletrack, who basically said no need to worry about helping out and to enjoy the ride!!! gotta make it to the next workday. bolled down the rest of the trail, seeing Mark again, and then hit Captain Thomas.

First corner, more workers (and a "NICE BIKE" comment on the Mellonfarmer's Soul), chatted to Graham a bit then continued on down. bad slip mud eating Mellon's wheels before the first nemesis. MF walked quickly down, then turned round to see Phatboy dropping his bike and scuttling down and juuust stopping on his hands... most enjoyed the rest of the trail. one or two other wet bits, nothing too major, quite fun dodging and popping the various holes and rutty bits, on out to the bottom. up pulls Helmark, informing us Sandals was behind. once she arrived we all tootled down to DotCom and coffeed up before the slog home. MF peeling off first