Dusky trail- Twizel

We spent a lovely but sad weekend in Ohau farewelling Simon and Pip before their departure for Copenhagen

One afternoon we rode the dusky trail

Pip giving it hell up the hill

Simon about to rip Down the single track

Dusky trail is largely on farm roads has a couple of river crossings( they were about mid thigh in Summer but it had been raining recently) Easy terrain, fun bit of single track, big skies, great company!

Kopuwai/ Obelisk, Old man range

We rode up to Kopuwai Via the Prospect hill track and down the Omeo gully track on an overcast day
There is quite a bit of climbing( 1300m) on 4wd road which hurt at first but you settle into it.

All the warnings about alpine Weather at any time are worth heeding.
I had a big synthetic puffer jacket but my hands were painful cold. It was Sleet and about 40km winds  on the top although Most of the way we wore t shirts.

Really good ride I agree with 3*. Watch the Nav on the descent as there are Tracks everywhere and it's easy to be having too much fun and rip past your turn off.

The sign where you turn off the main rd

The second half of the Climbing is lovely and scenic once you clear the farm land

The Showers are starting we are about to need our Puffer jackets

The migthy Kopuwai

Aaron only Posed for a couple of seconds as it was too cold to stay still

The wind stipped Trig infront of Kopuwai

Jack and Jollies pass ride, Hamner Springs

A 2 hrs gravel road ride Looping around Mt Isobel and crossing 2 passes.
Nice Scenery.
We did the Pylon Descent from Kennet bros book. Thick Slushy Gravel Despite being 2 days of 30+ degree weather. Inconsistent consistency and Water rutted, Not much fun. It would have been better to stick to road I think
1 * but if you like fitness rides more, the veiws were Cool

Jollies pass before the descent mistake

During the descent

By the Clarence river

Dun Mountain Trail/ coppermine trail

Right in Nelson City. Great while visiting rellies.
Grade 3 now, all the steep stuff, and Carrying is out of date.
Old railway so lovely gradient the whole way up! 2 hrs pedal time up hill and flat then descent .
Berms down really Cool! No Pic's too much fun to stop.
I will be doing this ride again...Really cool.. 4* from me!

WARNING  detour around logging in valley at the end which means an unexpected hill just when you think it's over!

Rameka track

Graded 3, in Kennet bros, I found it harder 4.
It was 2 hrs pedalling up, I had to stop and push on many of the creek crossings and some of the rockier bits both directions, and the steeper bits on the way up. The marble/ Lime was pretty slippery But there had been rain the day before.
The forest is beautiful on the top half so worth the pedal up to spend time in it. The single track descent on the bottom half: so Awesome smooth and flowing. So much hard work on the Rameka project, pack track and Klics
You can get a shuttle to top from Escape adventures, takaka or shuttle the single track bottom sections Via the Rameka track road.

1st half is farm track on way up Berms on the way down!

2nd half varied forest with birds

Aaron checking out the ferns for Tim

We did the short Canaan loop at top and I was pretty tired By the end of the descent, Probably should have done it another day

Croesus Ride, Blackball

The broken glass in the carpark had us concerned about the security of our car, but local runners assured us that it was old and the Culprits caught.

Generally Technical but OK riding this was the only section I had to push other than one River crossing

Above the Bushline we got awesome veiws!

Technical riding, small rocks all the way like the roughest cobbled path ever. Well graded.

To the hut and back including lunch and Photo's, and a small side trip, but not to the summit, was about 4 hrs in summer heat ( 2hrs 20 to Ces Clarke hut including quick snack stops and lots of photos.)

I would agree with 4* in Kennet bros book on my 4 inch bike but Aaron didn't find it as good on his lighter bike coming down

ROTORUA riding

Look who's back on the trails! woop woop

Alpin hotel Sala st, Can ride from room!

Information board on cultural stories to go with Trail names. Awesome work Rotorua MTB club.

In the Hood

On Saturday Aaron and I spent the day together and went on a long easy bike ride around The neighbourhood. Shotover, Arrow and Kawarau rivers. Lake Hayes, Millbrook etc. We of course stopped for Mocha's and cake in Arrowtown on route. Cool to be having adventures, however small, together again.

Sunday I went back to Remarkables Ice climbing this time just behind the ski field and lake Alta. A cool day with the old school crew of Dave , Rupert, Millsy and a new friend Thierry.

We started early. Dawn photo by Rupert Gardiner of Rock n Rambles (Guided climbing/hiking)

Millsy in front of the climbs we did. Roughly 40m. Twin ropes best.

Left. Alta states

Right. White Jism

 The wee slab you see on far left leads to the alta Ego chimney. Fixed Piton here about 12m.

Downhill Season over

Sadly the pink body armour is now packed away.

Skyline gondola has finally closed for the season after a suprise extension (thankyou Bike park/ Skyline). Ruby( my bike) and I spent the first 2 weekends of May doing laps down skyline.  I rode with a few ladies I have just met this season and had a great time, as well as a few runs with some of the Guys.

Cruising with our friends

Slopestyle with Bailey

Bailey took this one

 The Goss family came to stay

Isaac and Linda- Arrow river

Wanaka posing for Phil

Riding at 7 mile with the lovely Pip

 Bouldering with the boys

Rupert on Tolkein

Conrad the big bad wolf on Tussock boulder

It was also Susan Hasler Davies 40th...I can't believe we are getting that old!

I will have to Search mums for baby photo's of us kids together. (I'll try to aviod the bowl cut stage)

While in Dunedin I got to climb at Mihiwaka. Bolt free crag- nice long natural pro pitches in Beautiful native bush (the Wild orchids were flowering and it smelt AMAZING!) I Climbed with Calum Hudson the original Developer in '72 and learnt heaps about the history and onsighted a couple of fun 13's. There are heaps of climbs there that have Gone out of usage due to a little moss so Take a brush, and get them open again.

Aarons knee is healing fast after the latest round of Surgery and he's out hiking and flying again. Not long untill he's back playing with us all again!

Auckland/Rotorua March

I worked in Auckland and then detoured to Rotorua for the weekend

 Vinnie and I, didn't I tell you he was the most beautiful boy on earth!

Clementine thinks Vinnie is funny!

Off to Rotorua a lovely Breakfast with old Auckland friends Tai and Api and their kids, then off for a ride, at Whakarewarewa forest/ The redwoods

 Tuhoto Ariki..My new Favourite ride!

Rooty, Overgrown, organic native bush..Awesome.

Even had to climb over a few trees.

Family time with my friend from My teens Mike, and his family

Night riding in the forest

A 3 hour ride on Sunday. Yvoine is a Beast she rode up 3 x my speed and rocked the down hill too.

They broke me and Off to Kerosenne creek with the kids to soak it out

Mike and Clotilde

Grandpa Graham, Maelys and Moana

MULTI sport race Peak to peak

We entered the peak to peak as part of different teams
It goes ski down remarks ski field, Downhill bike the ski road and along into Frankton beach( my leg), Kayak along the lake to town, Run out to Coronet, Bike up the ski field road to coronet skifield( Aarons leg.
Aaron's team The Nailers beat mine the Ova Qualified...Bother!
My team has made a vidoe so I will hopefully link it later

some of my team mates and support crew in the morning setting up Kayak leg and dropping cars off
Guillaume, Jill, Alison, Sam, and ME

Whakaari

Whakaari is a new DOC area near Glenorchy where you can hike, horse ride, and bike ride the old sheelite mining trails. Ther are several loops you can do, we did the main one (Judah track) as the other (McIntosh) you need to do a crossing of the Buckler burn and the rivers are High as we have had so much rain.

 Heading on out

 Going up the Judah rd

 The road got steeper and steeper first we pushed and for bits near bonnie jean we carried

 My old man at Bonnie jean hut. 

 Doc have left it like someone just moved out. A cool place to find a museum!

 Our bikes

 The tractor is still in the shed!

Onwards and upwards to Heather Jock hut. This is a doc hut you can sleep in( 3 beds?) and has a great veiw. Quite a romantic spot!

Aaron in Heather Jock

We whizzed down the Bulldozed switch backs to Jean hut. It may be easier to go up this way?

3hrs up and 1 down. We did a wee detour to check out the buckler burn but It was a torrent.

Good work Doc. A fun place to visit

ZOOT TRACK

We shuttled( rode down and drove back up in the car) Zoot track (Old trail near Skippers), with Tracey and Iain after work on thursday. The photo's were pretty dark but here's one of Tracey and I trying to look hard core.

i've been slack again!

Well there has been way too much to catch you up
I went to Rotorua with john, steph and Vinnie..AWESOME. Did some bikeriding there too


Emily Came to Visit

Had a retro sportswear fancy dress climbing Day


More rescue traning Including a strop flying day and a real life rescue for Aaron at Chinamans bluff( he was the rescuer before you panic)


I have a New Little buddy callled bailey he is 7 and Fun


At christmas we went to nelson
Rode the WakaMarina, and goldfiels rides as well as Climbing at Paynes ford. Richard and Pet fed us up and looked after us

Then they came to visit bringing Holly and Patrick. We rode, fished, swam, golfed and it was good to have some family time



Since then we have been going up south Wye trying to do new Climbs but only with limited sucess and Riding our bkes at coronet Peak and Zoottrack, skippers as well.
Simon and Pip got married and on Honey moon passed by and we did the rearks traverse.