Sunday 18th December

As written by Mellonfarmer cos RubberJaws got a sick guts and had to crap his morning away.  reworked by Mellonfarmer

9am meeting at Rubberjaw's, MF was on his Fatty because he'd blown up his drivetrain on Wednesday night and hadn't replaced it yet.  He found RJ, Tinks, Slyfox and Dozey waiting for Phatbuoy (who didn't show) and then a text from Monsieur deSpa saying he was 5 minutes away.  Around Aynsley Tce and then up Crapaki, busy as always.  Reasonable pace up here but Rubberjawns's sick guts were starting to disturb him as they headed into the Full Monty.  Nice climb up and around then fun bits, with only MF taking the 'harder' option, from the rear, getting in behind Tinks and JubberRaws for the next section rolling across the face of the hill.  They stopped and peered down at Glenelg spur looking for potential ways up here.  It was here, that Jubber decided that he'd be bailing when they got back to the main track.  Cruised the climb through to the end, RJ bailed and MF led the way up the singletrack above the main drag.  Good roll up here; the fat bike feeling good.  Only deSpa-rado and MF stayed on the singletrack, the others choosing the easier climb,  Regrouped at the top.

Up around Vernon, easy riding, and into Traverse, speaking with a clusterfuck of riders all seemingly taking turns at attempting to fix some guy's tire...  Left them to it and had an awesome run around the Traverse.. Regrouped at the usual spot, and let some riders through, then on around to Vic Park for another regroup before the trees.  Into the trees and down past the see-saw then down through the rockgarden and the favourite little left-hand gummies trail.  Rolled out to the skidder site and there's a guy under a space-blanket being tended to, blood on his head, not looking too flash.  Result of the usual over cooking of the jump, landing nose first and being polevaulted head first into the ground.  Ambulance on it's way.  This is the umpteenth time we've found people injured here - and Beckyboo who rode with us years ago nailed her head here too...  Treat. With. Caution.  

Off down Spazza's, then straight down between Pono's and Brents and out the ridge straight ahead, and into a new wee one MF'd done a wee while back on his own.  Sweet steep entry, then a couple of techy features, then more steep and then zigs and zags in an oak forest, then over a wee jump (that looks worse than it is) onto Bridges.  Down this into Flow/NewFlow and the lower swoopy zigs and zags and down the bottom of the valley.

Into Hidden Valley Track, MF cleaned the creek nicely and was just making his way up the steep bit immediately after and he couldn't hold onto his balance and started toppling.  Left foot wouldn't eject and over he went, landing upside down, bike pretty much still on the trail, still attached, lying in a big old pile of blackberry.  Elbow blooded, and knee must have smacked the bike somewhere, and arm a little shredded by the blackberry.  He managed to climb out and get riding again, cleaning the first and last two upper switchbacks but not the lower second one.

Into Old Skool.  Mostly a good run, some of the rocks proving a bit pushy on the fatty, but everyone quite enjoyed it. 

Down Bowenvale, and Tinks, Silverfoxy and Dozer went for coffee, with deSpa-rado and MF splitting on their separate ways.

 With all the riding across town MF, totalled 31 kms, and climbed 585.  Tinks managed 34 kms, and somehow 635m climbed...