Sunday 29th June

A wonderful day for a ride.  Not too cold.  I headed outside and there waiting was Dozer, Tinkerbell and Bugs.  We headed out and then up Rapaki and a nice steady pace.  Got a text on the way up but forgot to check it at the top. Stayed within hollering distance of each other all the way up passing quite a few other riders.  Chatted with Nic Singletrack Singleton at the newly sealed car park at the top of the hill before turning left and heading over the now legal route towards the east.  Witch Hill first with some work at the very beginning making it rideable up here then along the road and into Castle rock track.  Tyre pinging little number, a few wet spots, and a dab or two later we were at the top of Bridal path.  I remembered the text and read it.  Helmut and Sandals were out riding and looking to hook up.  Ended up they were ahead of us going up towards the Gondola.  We set off in pursuit only to find the track super greasy and more technical than normal.  We eventually caught them at the top of the steps after walking more than usual.  We then headed down to the saddle.  Felt really good.  Sandals decided to head up the road and into Greenwood by the main entrance and meeting us at the ruins while I led the rest up Mt Pleasant.  It was all in good condition and real joyful climb.  Regrouped at the top before heading down towards the ruins.  Top of this track is greasy as and I nearly had a ball crushing moment as I slipped off rocks and having to have a big dab. Lucky no contact was made.  Got down to the ruins where Sandals was waiting.  Had a break and a snack, let air out of my tyres and then we followed Helmut down the hill.  I had a fantastic run through the rocks, slowed in the muck fest before gloomy gulch before regaining momentum.  Good run down the lower half but Tinkerbell gained and Bugs was pushing him hard by the bottom.  We thought we had lost Bugs to an accident but it was only some chain suck.  Sandals was meandering down and had told us to go ahead as she was gonna take the road down to Dot Com.  I took up tail end charlie spot as we headed down Ct Thomas.  Sections of absolute muck followed by dry spots and greasy rocks.  Dabbed over the two low rocks, cleaning the rest passing Bugs who had a chain issue before the final fast blast down.  Helmut took a more vertical descent riding the slip face down.  Good stop at Dot Com before the ride home.  Good pace all the way keeping it steady and home at mine about 12.50.  Great ride and all legal.

In the meantime, on the other side of the Canterbury Plains, Nelsie and Mellonfarmer, with Jet the Dog, headed up and down the Blowhard Track.  They too had a fantastic ride, 2 and a bit hours up, 1 hour down.