Tuesday 25th September

Grabbed the cook and headed up to meet the posse at the Sign of Takehe.  There was Phatboy, Tinkerbell, Silverfox, Dozer, Bugs, Nelsie, and Mellonfarmer.  Up into Vic Park wiith 3 distinct groups forming, fast, medium and slow.  Me being the slowest.  What is it with me and Tuesday night rides.  Up we went to the bit where we turnt off and headed down the off road track to the old Dyers track.  Some mentioned how much they love this track....yeah right.  Up we went with the same groups forming, me at the back.  grinding up here.  3/4s of the way up I finally found some energy and started to gain on the back 2.  Onto the road by kiwi and then chatted with Bugs and The Cook until we caught up to the posse.  Then the last little climb to the top of Marleys and straight into the downhill. Not a bad run, dust in the air which slowed me down but once I had clear air it was much more fun.  We left mellonfarmer and nelsie to head back to their car on the bottom of Worsley and the rest of us headed upto the top of Vic.  great run down through the tracks to the skidder site.  No 2 people taking the same line.  We then did the track to the road and then down to the walking track that we should not do.  I led down here gaining some nice speed, giving some whoops and hollas when I went over a drop without realising it.  back to the cars and home by 8.30.  more up than down but good ride all in all.

Sunday 23rd September

An awesome day for a ride.  A posse of Dozer, Silverfox, Tinkerbell, The Cook, Sandals and Phatboy showed up to ride with me.  Phatboy on his New Snow Monster that weighs nothing and is made from a substance not of metal.  We oohed and aahed and were truly impressed. We set off down Radley and then on to the track behind Woolston by the cut, along the towpath and then stopped on the Ferrymead Bridge to get rid of excess items.  Sandals duly lifted up her top to show us what  was underneath.  What a wonderful site....the new teeshirt for the trip. Looking good. We then started the grind up St Andrews Hill. Phatboy, Tinkerbell and Dozer setting the pace, followed by Myself and Silverfox, then The Cook and Sandals.  I started to close in on Dozer but the rest stop got to him before me.  As ever it is a grind but we all climbed up better than a few weeks back.  Duly impressed. We had a small regroup before  headed up behind Longridge on the walking paths before stopping for a regroup by the  New John Britan Singletrack. (The photo shows the view befire starting the singletrack and the Snow Monster)  Thisnew track  is wonderful climbing in the dry and I led off followed by Sandals.  In short order we were at Summit Rd and headed straight into Greenwood.  Blasting the first section and stopped by the ruins for a quick regroup and a chance to water the plants.  Noticed a rider heading down towards us and started to move the bikes when we realised it was A Lone hairy Goat.  Good chance to catch up and he got to ooh and aah over the numerous new bikes that were in the group since he last rode with us.  We oohed and aahed his stead too!  Then it was down we went.  Great fast blast stopping just past gloomy gulch for a regroup.  The next steep bit got my attention when I got to close to the edge and was riding with my rear wheel sliding off the rocks, recovered in time to have to avoid slamming a rock, clenched my cheeks and carried on riding. Kept riding all the way to Evans.  Phatboy was flying.  We then headed up Godley where Tinkerbell cleared the first bit, and headed around to the next  cattlestop.  I was pushing but Phatboy  was gone.  We regrouped at  the cattlestop said goodbye to the Goat who was going on and we then chased sheep down to the road.  Down off piste and then straight into the new singletrack to Taylors Rd.  Took some new lines down here only dabbing twice and finding ways around the hairpins.  Then up the road to the top and flew down to Sumner.  Had to slow for a truck coming up then gave a kid in a car ahead some thrills as I got within a gnats whisker of his fathers car.  Coffee, Greentea, was then imbibed at Dot Com before the haul home.  Sandals stayed to do some shopping a we headed off.  Phatboy left us on the causeway.  Regrouped on the bridge, saying goodbye to 2, then along the rive, saying goodbye to 1 and then the last 3 headed home to mine..  Great Bloody ride, felt good too.

Tuesday 18th September

Under lights, The Cook, Phatboy, Nelsie, MF, Buggs and Dozer treadled up Godley Drive, through locked gates and gravel to the Summit Rd.  MF and Nels took the dirt, while the other 4 rode to meet them at Evans.  All turned round and in sensible order jettisoned themselves dallyingly along the trail.  Tires were too hard on Phatboy's Chameleon so he extracted some air at Livingston.  The crew then blitzed over their rock, afterwhich Motherfarmer had a very close call on the cattlestop.  Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, they were for The Cook's light to show over the ridge.  Finally it appeared and when he got to the crew he explained he'd had a wee off, his light had blown off his helmet, and he had to find the attachment for the helment in the dark, which is what took so long.  Off round below the road, most of the way, then back, then up the road, and down the singletrack they jaunted.  A final grovel, and lo they were back at their cars!  Easterlies are cold and strong, sometimes.

Saturday 15th September.

Time to plant at Travis Wetland so a long flat ride organised with an early start of 8.20am.  Mellonfarmer, Dozer, Bugs, Silverfox and Tinkerbell arrived and we headed off towards the planting.  Started down Radley, through the cemetry then into the next cemetry before riding Maces Rd behind the ponds, right towards Bridge St.  Crossing the munted bridge before the left onto the stop bank.  The first section is quite knewly updated so shingle was thick but as you get closer to new Brighton it becomes more damaged.  makes for an interesting ride requiring more energy as you work over the bumps etc of the stop bank.  We followed this all the way to the front entrance of Horseshoe Lake.   We attempted to ride through here but it was a big fail.  By time we got halfway trees were down everywhere and the track became submerged so we backtracked and shot out the Burwood side of this.  Big munted red zone.  Wow.  Went around the back of the reserve admiring previous plantings.  After getting all the way around shot down Burwood Rd before circumnavigating Travis Wetland.  Once again admiring plantings that we were involved in.  Planting 2000 plants with assistance of  55 other people.  Had a qucik bbq sausage and pattie before heading off.  This time we went through the middle of Travis and then headed back to New Brighton Rd.  We followed the river all the way to North Avon Rd (lots of sadness through the red Zone) then around for  a Piss  stop at Mellonfarmers.  From here we rode past Avonside grils and started to separate as we neared home.  Silverfox and I finally went separate ways at Opawa Rd.  This is a total of 40km for me and more for  a few of the others.  Felt rather good too!!

Sunday 9th September.

I do not know exactly where they rode but a small posse showed up at mine.  I chatted with them before they headed off.  Tinkerbell, Silverfox, Phatboy and I think Dozer.  They headed up the hill, around the Travers and down somewhere for a bit of a lark.

steve away so far only 1 update

With me away in Japan the guys were slack and did not even send me a rundown of what they did.  I believe 3 rides were had so hopefully I will update later

here is one of them..

Sunday 2nd September

Fathers day and most busy eating breakfast in bed, unwrapping their new ....?@#!.... socks.   

Meanwhile outside was a glorious sunny still spring morning, being enjoyed by Dozer, Sandels and Helmut as they chatted their way up Rapaki.

Up Vernon, savoring the last remnants of volcanic rock track pre entering the footpath zone. Around the traverse to Vic. Hard right before Vic park fence line, eyed up the 30 footer on our way passed,  over the stile, right again along fence line and then back out into paddock via newish cattlestop track. Not sure of the name of this new track...  a nice flowing peice groomed up over autumn and winter passed.  Back into trees and another peice of flowing track linking up to top of Cool Runnings.   New entrance to Cool Runnings to be explored next time (old one is munted).  Down Cool Runnings eyeing up some new big stuff, jumps, gaps and drops....  but all with B lines, great roller coaster stuff and lots of fun on dry hard pack.  Out bottom, bridges and old Skool... coffee at garden center.  A beautiful day, stunning weather and lots of smiles.