Cheers Uni: night riding is amazing, maybe it's like a near-death experience, flying down the tunnel of light.

I went in for a bit of "Karapoti orientation" this evening - drove to the Koru carpark (for shame!!), rode in Koru-SA-ML, up the pylon 4WD to LL, 2 laps of LL-LLL-Possum-NV, up the pylon track again and on to the summit via the Leaping Lizard 4WD. Like UniMatrix I passed on top Ridgeline (the southerly was just starting to pick up) so down Snakecharmer to RL Extension, Big Tom SWIGG and a smoking hot run down Starfish to the carpark.

I've clearly got a lot of work to do in the next 2 months . . . but I think at least fit enough that getting K-fit will be fun!

Mr_Bob wrote:My first ride with some pace in 8 weeks today,
Rode Pukete for an hour

Good stuff Mr_Bob - I gather all went well?

RussS wrote:

Mr_Bob wrote:My first ride with some pace in 8 weeks today,
Rode Pukete for an hour

Good stuff Mr_Bob - I gather all went well?

Went good, I've had 2 rides in Vegas in the last week too, feeling good to be back in the saddle

fatwombat wrote:I went in for a bit of "Karapoti orientation" this evening.

What time were you out there? Can't say I fancy riding LLL in the dark.

Started just after 5:30, finished just after 8.

If I was choosing a night route, that certainly wouldn't be the first track to spring into my mind either!! I think once you're familiar with it it would be ok though, the only tricky bits would be on the descent where the deep ruts are and you need to pick a line around the edge of them. I think in the dark you ride a little bit slower and you do a lot more by "feeling" the track surface through your bum.

Crap day today, glad I went yesterday. What's your Karapoti goal? Have you registered yet? Do you want to do a course pre-ride next Wednesday, start mid-morning and take all day?

Eskdale, insanely hot...after the third day I've kinda got my bearings. Should have started earlier in my holidays, head back to Wellington tomorrow

riverhead,
after this morning's rain it was minta. xs smuggle only though. couple of loops up barlow and hansen. i'm stuffed

Coppermine

http://bit.ly/5uOG0T

Rode the loop up and back down the Matakitaki river banks near Murchison http://connect.garmin.com/activity/21718969 and then paddled the Middle Matakitaki http://connect.garmin.com/activity/21718964. It was up heaps yesterday and dropping a bit today.

Heading into Denniston tommorow which should be fun.

Wobbler Racing krew hit up Deliverance for some shuttles, yeah boi wahoo

I've done my reg Tuesday night route, with a slight detour and brief stop and moments silence to lay a flower on behalf of us all here on Vorb and every cyclist in the land.

For those who have not heard a young German cyclist was killed when she was hit by a truck this morning. So I've ridden over to the site as its about 10k from here and left a small bunch of flowers and had a 'moment'....honest it was sand blown into my eyes by that wind...

Thanks Cooper. Good on you...

Just got back from a ride with Simpleone, and Julian on the Nomad, and knew I was in for a schooling. So I did the only the only thing I could, left them behind up Rapaki. Roadie legs FTW!

After that it was Auckland Roadie FTL!

We continued along Crater Rim/Greenwoods. Whereby the schooling happened. Not being used to riding rocks, or narrow type 'Sheep' trails, I continued to clip, and munch and grind pedals all along the track. Once we got to Captain Thomas, I was a bit better, and rode most of the rocky outcrops (albeit still slower than Simpleone and Julian).

I had a good time, I felt better on the bike than I did in Wellington, but still sucked

Mussed about on my Cotic at Makara Peak after work.

Visited ma possum bait stations. Went to the top for the first time since Easter (2009 was a bad year for riding). Checked out the new Northface - it's nice, if a little tight in places, but a work in pogress so loooking forward to how it rolls out. Noseied aobut Karori Park and faffed for 'bout 15 mins on the pump track (I suck - too tight for my slow reactions). Finished with a blast down Swigg & Starfish.

Was lovely.

All in all, first day back at work was pretty good.

I agree Colin, the North Face is a bit tight in places at the moment. (not to mention the uber soft edges!!)
To ensure the track ends up being as involving as possible, we are erring on the side of a bit too tight/too up+down.

Come springtime when we bench and widen the trail to its final form we can finess the thing further. (it is far easier to straighten a trail than to tighten it up)

It is not too tricky to ride up I discovered today, so those asking about closing the finished trail for a hilclimb one day should be in for a giggle.