Sunday 12th July...Bloody Freezing ride

Went outside at 8.50 with ice everywhere and an air temp of minus 5.  Phatboy showed up first then Tinkerbell and Silverfox.  We set off around the usual route towards Ferrymead.  The track was frozen solid, the puddles were sheets oof ice and any wooden structure was slick as so some care was taken.  Met Sandals and Dozer at the Bridge.  All tracks were closed so we headed up St Andrews, onto Marama and then up Canon Hill to the park at the top where we had a quick regroup.  We finallt took off some extra layers before continuing the climb.  When we entered the lower section of John Brittan we found the ice had thawed and it was slick with mud.  Not all that good for riding but better than nothing.  We took different routes upto the main track and then over the fence and rode the first 100m of Broadleaf Lane.  The guys stopped in the sun while I popped down to where Grace stayed the night.  Said Hello and and rejoined the team.  Headed around the summit rd and at the pines above Richmond Hill we climbed the fence and headed down the farm track.  Took some off Piste lines down through all the new dewvelopment gathering some mud as we went before the fast mud clearing downhill of the road.  Into Dot Com to warm up and drink hot drinks.  We then headed home with a slight detour due to some deconstruction occuring above the Main Rd just before the causeway.  Phatboy, Sandals and Dozer split off at the Bridge while the other 3 followed the river back to mine.  Not a bad ride considering no tracks available.

Meantime, Mellonfarmer was in the much milder town of Nelson, riding and walking some very technical tracks...