Sunday 7th February

Dozer came over and we headed off towards Sandals. Hot is the only way to describe it. Bloody hot and getting hotter. We crawled up Dyers to her house sweating profusely. We arrived and Te Rex was already there looking fresh as a daisy. Mellonfarmer arrived on his totally rigid single speed advising that Phatboy was not far behind. He has to go so much faster on the single speed cos it does not work if he goes slow. The six of us then headed off up towards Vic park in different clusters stopping for a group break at the skidder site. Well needed as it was boiling by now. We all did the short bit of single track on the way in. The steep climb was not looking good. Mellonfarmer was never going to do it on his rig and the rest of us decided to ride until we got really hot then push. That is exactly what we all did except Te Rex. He rode all the way then rode back down and did it again. Sicko!!!! We all got back on the bikes before the very top though and rode to the water stop by the big gum above the jumps area. Then up into the pines. Mellonfarmer and I took the knew uphill track which was sweet. Regrouped and then into the single track towards Rapaki. Went well through here although the big gully is different in reverse. Into Mt Vernon where I felt really good. Cleaned the lot. On my way down passed Mellonfarmer with the first flat that changed his name for the day and Phatboy who was helping. Regrouped at the top of Rapaki where the single track club was handing out drinks. Phew it was needed as it was hot and windy now. Waited for the others and then Mellonflat fixed another puncture then again and again. We had not even moved. Phatboy dropped down Rapaki as he needed to be home and Sandals and I decided to cruise around to Castle Rock. Cleaned Witch Hill better than ever before. Feeling good then we carried on around to castle. Te Rex and Dozer came up shortly after and then Mellonflat with a borrowed tube. Into the track we went. Just after the 2nd hairpin Mellonflat stopped to answer the phone and I carried on feeling good, loving the ride. Regrouped at the top of Bridal path and Sandals came in saying....Mellonflat has another loss of air pressure. He carried his bike in and we sat and watched him fix it again. Time to ride and as we were leaving we all heard the sound of air escaping from his tyre. He walked down Bridal Path while the last 4 carried on around to John Britain. Windy hot and now I was out of water. We headed down through the reserve. Easy run making fun out of the bumps and rocks as we went. Then down into McCormick's track. Nice fun ride down here even clearing the gnarly 2 hairpins in the middle. Stopped for cold drinks at WAC ( will never go there again) before riding home in the extreme heat. At least the wind at the top kept us a bit cooler but down on the flat it was rough. Even my seat felt hot to sit on after the stop. Maybe we should do flat rides around shady parks when it is going to be hot!!!! Still enjoyed the ride immensely.

Tuesday 1st February

Sandals, Abba, Silverfox and I loaded up into the van and then went and picked up Bugs before driving out to Dot Com. We met Tinkerbell and Phatboy there before riding up Ct Thomas. Phatboy had dropped PB Jr and Couzin off at the top of Greenwood so they were down and on the way out to Godley before we really got started. Climbed on up having a pretty good run even though Tinkerbell had an off and Phatboy looked like he was trying to catch the Young ones. Up around Godley head with attempts made at old nemesis and great runs down to the top of Livingstone where Silverfox fixed a puncture. Up and over to Breeze where we met the 2 Young Ones. Abba, Sandals and I got some sort of Hayfever and coughed and coughed. I ended up upchucking cos of it and headed down the Snake. I had a good run. Abba had gone down before us all and I met him at the beginning of the Tail. We both decided to carry on through to Taylors. Watched the others come down and challenged Jnr to do another jump. I was still sick and went to the bogs where I upchucked again from coughing. Others went on up the road and Tinkerbell waited for me before slowing grinding to the top. Nice ride down through Thompsons before loading up and heading home.

Sunday 30th jan

Bugs, Tinkerbell, Texas, Sandals and I headed up Gruntsbury at a steady pace. Stopped for quick regroups along the way but enjoyed it thoroughly. Bugs was nicknamed Richard rabbit for a while though. Got to the top and headed around the Traverse at a good clip. Caught one guy above Lava Flow, passed him and kept on going. Regrouped at the usual haunt and then a very quick run to the top of Vic. Lotsa cycle and foot traffic on the track. Got good air on the usual jumpy bit. Down into Thompson's with more cycle traffic coming up at us. Stopped for me at The Kiwi with sore gut. Rode to Marley's with Tim Prebble and his girl. Both machines. launched into Marley's with Andrew leading for the first section with me on his heels, then he moved over before the extension and I led on, did not stop at the car park but carried on to Kiwi. Caught this chick who was going well but the pressure of me got to her and after missing the track she pulled over and let me free. Took all the jumps along the way, nice..... and regrouped at Kiwi. Then into lower Dyers track. I flew down here. Bumpy and skittering track as usual. Regrouped then into the skidder sight. Had to stop while I departed to the loo. Thought I might die in the thing. Got back to the team and said "I am going to go straight home from here, sore guts". Continued down Dazzas, where Tinks had a knee and bottom dab, then into Brent's, Yippee I love this gnarly track, then into Flow and New Bridges. Absolutely flying with Tinks on my heels. Regrouped at the start of Hidden Valley where Bugs showed us how to do a controlled skid through the rocks. The rest went up into the valley and I raced home for some relief. I must admit that everyone had a good ride with not much difference in the downhill times or spacing. Great to see. if someone else wrote the blog sometimes it would sound more unbiased.

Sunday 23rd jan

I met up with Dozer, Tinkerbell, Silverfox at Bugs' place and we all set off round to Mt Pleasant Road. Long honest grind to the top and then to the start of Greenwood. We were to meet Phatboy, Sandals and Twopot here. Bugs texted them and they were riding up the track from Evans Pass so we headed around to the ruins to meet them there. Good blast here. I cleaned everything and felt in the Zone. Met them and then Phatboy led off. He was having some gearing problems so Tinks and I jumped in front and carried on. Stopped halfway for a regroup. Everyone was flowing well so I led off. Feeling good. Dabbed on the last rock before the end. Regrouped then headed down Ct Thomas. Cleaned all the usual, took high lines and everyone stayed pretty much together. heard a big whoop from Sandals as she cleaned an old nemesis for the first time. Good to hear. Regrouped at the bottom and then to Dot Com for Coffee. great ride.

Tuesday 20th Jan

Never wear long pants on an uphill is the tip for the weak as it makes pedaling harder. Now that is done the ride. Picked up Silverfox and headed to the Marleys car park. Dallas and Bugs were there followed soon by Phatboy and Junior and as we were about to head up the hill Dozer squealed in. Up to the top and then we headed down in the order of Junior, Phatboy, me then the others. Junior was gone then Phatboys bottle dropped out of the cage nearly causing me to bail. Continued on having the worst ride down here for a while. Regrouped at the cars where most shared the opinion that wow, "that was bad riding." Back for another run. This time same order until I cut a corner and got in front of Phatboy who had to chase to keep up. Better run by all of us. Back up again this time Silverfox, Bugs and Dallas got the jump on us all. I decided to try and catch at least one of them with Dozer hot on my heels. Wow, went over a jumpy bit and all 3 were pulled to the side for some reason (turned out that the Fox had a flat), kept going flat out getting as much in the way of jumps as I could, track was flowing now and I was loving it. Dozer not far behind all the way to the cars. Junior was 3rd out and then the others except the Fox. He said go for another run. Junior headed down and then into Vic for a downhill run cos Phatboy was gonna pick him up, while the rest of us headed back for a fourth loop. This was the ultimate. Phatboy led followed by me. I rode his rear wheel closer than ever before, nearly t boning him on a couple of hairpins. If he made a mistake I was gonna ride over him and he pushed harder. Fantastic run and a deserved high five at the bottom where The Fox was waiting. Great nights ride in the end. headed home.

Sunday 16th jan

The crew met at 9.15. Actually most of us met including Sandals, Silverfox, Tinkerbell and Dozer. Phatboy and Twopot met at DotCom and then drove over to meet at 9.30. After discussion we headed up Gruntsbury, stopping in the shade along the way. It was already 26.5 degrees when we left. it was hot and that's all there was to the climb really. At the top we then realised that it was very hot and extremely windy. We headed into the wind along the summit trail, fighting to keep a steady line, after passing the Lava Flow we had a tail wind for a moment and then as we rounded the next hill it was in a face until the neat run down to the usual resting place. Tail wind all the way. kept on to Vic park, stopping in the shade. Down and into Sesame street and at the Dozer site we waited while the Dozer fixed a flat. Down dazzas into Brent's, (dark and rutty as usual) down to Nu Bridges and then grunted up Hidden valley. The ride down old skool was into the wind where we were buffeted around. No falls and all happy to not have heat stroke. stopped at the garden shop for coffee before being back at mine just after 12.30. The temperature was now 32.5 degrees. pleased to be home.

Rubberjaws alone sunday 9th jan

Well no one showed up at camp to join me so I drove around to the Kaiteriteri MTB Park. Fitted in the music plugs to my ears and set off on some easy riding tracks. Started with Salivator then some of Easy Rider onto Bayveiw before taking some unnamed downhill path to the top of Sidewinder and into Swamp Thing. No one else on the track at 7am. Got to the top of Shady Lady and blasted down through some narrow rooty sections and across a little bridge to Revelation. Raced down here to try out some new track since last year. I rode up Ziggy (guess why its called this) then continued up Big Airs (I wonder why this was named Big Airs...tell ya later)to the top before coming back down Big Airs to Revelation. Coming Down big Airs are lots of little yumps and a few bigger ones. I got so airborne on one I thought I was a Air NZ 737. F....ck I thought this can not end well, but as I came back to earth the rear wheel dropped to the ground as I lent forward like a ski jumper and then the front just gently came down. I was whooping and hollering so loud i must of woken the camps below. Returned up Revelation, Glade runner, Swamp Thing, Sidewinder and then whooped and hollered down Half Pipe. Nice ride to end my holiday. Went swimming at Split Apple Rock later.