Tuesday 7th May

For me it was my first ride under lights for the year.  It was also a ride where most tracks were closed but then I had a back up plan.  Silverfox arrived at my place and we headed around to pick up the Cook.  We then drove out through Sumner and over the hill to Taylors.  We met Phatboy, Dozer and Bugs.  Bugs had his sleeping bag and rack on as a test for his trip to the Heaphy.  Phatboy weighed my bike in at 31.3lbs compared to  my weigh in weight of 30.8lbs.  Lets call it 31lbs.  Bugs was weighed in including sleeping bag and lights at just on 38lbs.  Anyway from here we had decided to ride the Boulder Bay track as it is a hard pack surface.  Thought it would be a smallish ride to the top car park and back but a few things have changed....quite a bit.  Started like normal but then just as you pass the Anaconda where it joins the tail you now have a steepish climb before you drop down some hairpins to the original line.  Nice warm up.  From here it follows a line very much like the old days but a lot smoother.  In places you can see the old track covered by rocks.  The steps are now 100% ride able.  As we neared Boulder Bay things started to change.  No gates, no fences and as we started the old grunty climb it got better still.  The climb is still steep but the hairpin has been stretched out making it easier, then halfway up the climb the track hung a hairpin left.  This is still uphill but it goes out to one of the gun emplacements we visited only once.  We stopped at this and gazed at the stars before continuing to follow the trail.  It kept climbing until we were nearly at the main gun battery.  Big barb wire fence with signs saying "don't try and gain access..Danger" .  This is where the cliff is cracked and wanting to  fall off. It was a kick arse fence.  We followed this past the gun battery, the track was heading towards the  top car park...or so we thought.  It then drops down again to the another old army building then up some steps before climbing to the old Barracks building (i think it was the barracks).  We continued to climb (following a possum) all the way to the car park at the top.  Stopped for 5 minutes here.  We were all impressed by  the good workout we all had on the climbs to this point.  Much more fun and exercise than we had bargained for.  We then reversed the direction and headed back.  Still a few climbs but a lot more downhill, some steps and fun on the way back.  We decided that when tracks are closed this is the place to come.  It has everything you want for a ride in these circumstances.  A track we can not damage, hill climbs, downhills and some distance.  No tarmac is a bonus.