Sunday 3rd May

I headed (on my cruiser) around to Phatboys albeit running 10 minutes late.  Got there to find Mellonfarmer on his fat wheeled bikewaiting and Phatboy obviously tucked up tight in his bed and not able to ride.  The two of us headed down the drive and met up with Dozer as he arrived.  We then went down Kilmore and through Hagley, onto Kilmarnick and hooked up with The Silverfox and Tinkerbell who were waiting patiently.  Straight down the cycleway we headed at a steady clip.  The fatwheel sounding like a swarm of bees all the way.  Onto tuckers at the end and on Canvendish we stopped for tea and coffee at the Cozy Cafe as we still had plenty of time.   Onwards through Styx Mill arriving at the planting at 10.25.  We helped plant nearly 1200 plants before we hopped on our bikes and heading home along the reverse route.  At Kilmarnick Tinks and the Fox headed off while we headed through hagley and then down Armagh.  I peeled off at Madras then ducked down Gloucester to barbadoes then headed home over Waltham bridge and Shakespear Rd.

Good pump both directions but pretty uneventful.

Saturday 2nd May

Dozer meet at Bug's place rnd 8.30am and we followed the river around to Huntsbury. Headed up here is the sun though the new traffic lights just up from the start. Passed the girls doing sit ups on the side of the road above the steps. Jumpers off and then continued on up. Nice steady pass all the way to the top where Sandals was waiting. Quick chat then headed over Vernon giving way to few coming the other way. Bugs n Sandals went round the old part of Vernon while Dozer dropped straight down getting the lead. Bug's gave chase on the down hill but didn't catch till the top of Rapaki. Sandals arrived so we headed over Witch Hill. All having some issues on the rocks on the up. Around the road and headed up towards Castle Rock. Bug's lead down the single followed by Dozer then Sandals. Great ride down here at a nice fast pace. Regrouped at the top of Bridal Pass and chatted to the many roadies there. Round under the Gonadala and up the last uphill on tarsal. Into the single track below the road with Dozer and Sandals getting the lead while Bug's manually changed his seat. Round the road to Greenwood. Bug's lead in with the others not to far behind. Stopped for a snack at the ruins. A lone guy was coming our way so we decided to jump in front as he looked slow. Sandals followed the lone guy. The others pulled away and had a ripper run. Sandals managed to sneak past the lone guy and arrived not to far behind the others. Down into Captain Thomas with Dozer leading and bug's sitting about 2m behind him the whole way. Couple of guys coming up held the crappy gate open which kept us in the flow. The 2 boy's cleared all the rocky bits except the one they missed on Thursday. Gave chase as we spotted another lone guy on the decent. Caught him on the switch backs. Both dropping into the steep short cut to get the lead. Raced down the rest of the track in no time at all. Waited on the grass at the bottom for the lone guy to arrive then Sandals arrived not long after. Down the road to Dot Com for Coffee, Hot Chocolate and a smoothy. Headed across the Causeway at a relaxed pace then cut behind the Ferrymead shops. Bug's n Dozer turned off to Bug's place while Sandals followed the river and hill to her place. Great ride on a sunny morning. 35km for the boys and 39km for Sandals.   

Tooesday 30th April

Dozer turned up at Bug's place rnd 6 so we headed over to Rapaki around the river. Nice ride up the hill as the wind of late had dropped. Turned left at the top and headed around the summit road. Dropped into the single track below Castle Rock which was dry and firm. The wind of the day had dried the track nicely. Back onto the road above the Bridal path. Followed this around under the Gonadal then dropped below the road onto the single track again. This was also nice n dry so we decided the Greenwood would be a go. Sign said "OPEN" so down we went. Bug's lead with Dozer trying to keep up. Couple a small dabs over some of the rocky bits but basically a good fast run both all. Short wait at the bottom for Dozer who was enjoying himself. Down into Cpt Thomas with Dozer leading this time. Another great run down here with both clearing all the rocky bits except for one. Down the road and straight though Sumner and into the head wind across the Causeway. Into Ferrymead the a quick jug at the pub before riding to Bug's place. Home just after 9pm and rode 31km.  

Tuesday 28th April

A ride of the flat kind was organised due to the wet sloppy conditions on the hill.  Phatboy, The Cook and I left my place at 6.15 heading towards a spin around Hagley.  We did not make it as after a quick discussion we headed down Shakespear, onto Waltham, over the bridge, through CPIT down High St through the Square and onto Gloucester and finally into New Regent St.  Stopped at the Instituition for a beer.  3 Beers later and a game of Cards for Humanitites which made us cry with laughter we hopped on the bikes and headed home in our different directions.  Great alternative to riding.

Monday 27th April

After putting Sundays ride off due to rain we all geared up to ride today.  Light drizzle stopped as we all met up outside mine.  Silverfox, The Cook, Bugs, Phatboy, Sandels and I headed off in warm humid conditions at a relaxed pace around the usual route of the river, under the tunnel bridge into ferrymead towpath.  Hooked up with Mellonfarmer at the ferrymead bridge, got rid of extra layers, climbed the steps and started the climb up St Andrews.  Pace was steady and even the quick boys held back for a nice pace up the hill.  Went up Marama onto St Andrews again then onto major Hornbrook stopping at the longridge area for a quick regroup.  Then up the last 2 steeps and along to the start of lower John brittan.  Up we headed at a nice pace, I stayed near the back for a change.  Steady as she goes riding up into the cloud,  Out onto the road and into the Old Greenwood start.  The cattlestop was slippery as but the rest of the track was quite good considering last nights rain.  Regroup just before the ruins and then into the down.  We all thought the rocks would be tough but they were not bad.  Down down down with a little regroup just after gloomy gulch before finishing the rest.  A few dabs around the final rocks by most. Into Ct Thomas.  Enjoying the run down here riding it all no problems then I heard a shout from the Fox, he had punctured and my tyre had gone down at about the same point.  I was lucky and pumped it up leaving the gunk to seal so I headed down. Past Phatbow and mellonfarmer who were waiting then I caught the Cook and Sandels who had gone on ahead and then a good run down the rest at pace.  We regrouped at the bottom, I added another couple of shots of air into my tyre and we all headed off to Dot Com for tea and cake.  mellonfarmer shot through early then the rest of us followed at a leisurely pace.  Phatboy said bye and headed off and then we dropped Sandels and Bugs (who were going back to his place to discuss the heaphy ride).  The Fox, The Cook and I headed on alone.  Dropped the Cook at Radley and separated from the Fox at Aynsley.  Home early.  feeling good.

Thursday 23rd April

Dozer turned up at Bugs place around 6pm so we headed around the river working our way to Rapaki track. Was dark as we started the grind up towards the summit. There was a few others with the same thought and a few heading down. Once at the top we turned left and followed the summit road to Castle Hill. Once there we dropped down the single track from there. Bugs lead with Dozer not to far behind. Once at the summit road again we continued along the road under the gonadal and rock above. Up the road then dropped down onto the single track below the road. This was a little slippy and muddy in places which made the few rocks interesting. Back onto the road and decided to miss Greenwood as it would be muddy and slippy. Down the road to Evans Pass then dropped into Captain Thomas. We had decided to walk the rocky bits as thing's were a little slippy. Bug's lead and rode all the rocky bits except for Petes rock and the climb past that. Dozer cleared most except for one other bit. Down the rest of the track at speed enjoying it under lights. Arrived at the bottom then headed down the road though Sumner and Redcliffs enjoying the tail wind. Stopped at Ferrymead for a quick pint of the good stuff then headed home from there. Great ride with only one small stop and just over 30km. 

Sunday 19th April

Silverfox, Dozer, Phatboy and Tinkerbell meet at Rubberjaws for a 9am start. (Rubberjaws pulling out at the last minute due to a need to stay in close proximity to his throne). So the 4 of us set off and headed up Rapaki, all finding it bit of a struggle today for some reason or another. Phatboy set the pace, followed by Dozer, Tinks and Silverfox bringing up the rear. Once we all regrouped we headed around Mt Vernon and bumped (not literally) into Sandals and Helmut. From there we carried on around to the start of the Traverse. Sandals got a head start, while the rest of us had a quick play on Helmuts Kona fat wheel bike (interesting to say the least). On around the Traverse with a nice tail breeze to help with a good pace around to Thompsons Track. Silverfox punctured on the Traverse, but caught up and we headed down to the Kiwi. Another regroup and headed off towards Worsley. The weather was nice, but a chilling wind helped make our minds up of where to descend from here – the majority decided on Worsleys, so off we went. Down the Bodybag and back up into the forest. We decided to head up higher into the forest for one of the exciting steep downhill tracks (for which I can’t remember what it was called).

We followed Helmut until he punctured (which he tried to convince us that it rarely happens on a fat wheel bike). Phatboy carried on due to time limits, while the rest of us gingerly followed Helmut the rest of the way down hill to eventually pop out at the bottom of Fight Club. Sadly, at the bottom of Fight Club lay a Mt biker from another group, clearly injured and his mates helping him out. As the situation was under control, we kept out of the way while watching the Westpac Trust chopper circle and land to assist the injured chap. We carried on taking the usual tracks out of Worsley and then hit the Farside Track. A rotten tree had fallen across the track, so we all got behind it and cleared it out of the way. A good blast down the rest of Farside and out onto the tarmac around to Protocol (ex Elevate) for a quick pint and some chips. Silverfox, Sandals and Helmut all went their separate ways while Dozer and Tinks headed back to their vehicles at Rubberjaws. A good ride with mild weather for this time of year.

While, the day before, Mellonpharmacist, NelsieMacGyver and SupersonicJet had a play on a quite damp Mt Grey.