Wintery Jacks and Jollies passes

Kate och jag hade en super helg i Hanmer Springs. Vaderprognosen antydde en hel del sno, och jag funderade over om det verkligen var vart att aka. Som tur var overtygade nagon mig om att det bara skulle komma en liten "vindpust med sno"... Vi hade tur, bara nagra snoflingor dinglade ner pa lordagen och vi trampade runt Jollies and Jacks pass loopen som ar runt 25 km (plus nagra km extra for att ha en trevlig men kylig lunch vid Clarence floden) utan att bli alltfor blota eller kalla (precis lagom for att kanna att vi lever). Jollies and Jacks pass loopen ar tekniskt lattcyklat, men har en ordentlig stigning over passen, och det var en hel del lera efter regn och sno. Ett bad i de heta, vulkaniska mineral poolerna i Hanmer satt riktigt fint efter den turen.

Nar vi vaknade pa sondagen, sa trodde jag ett tag att jag var hemma i Sverige en vintermorgon: det snoade ordentligt. Vi tog oss ut pa en cykeltur i alla fall, vi hann testa Dog stream och Mach 1, tva ganska latta men roliga single trails (ordentligt leriga, blota och snoiga), innan vi blev for kalla. Suveran helg med massor av typ-2-roligt (jag har inte en aning om hur jag oversatter type-2-fun!)

Kate and I had an epic weekend cycling in Hanmer Springs. The forecast was heavy snow, and I was unsure if  it was a good idea to head off or not. Luckily someone convinced me that it will only be a "puff of snow"... We were pretty lucky with only a few snowflakes flying in the air Saturday and we managed to pedal the 25 km around Jollies and Jacks passes, plus a few km off track, to have a nice, chilly lunch by the Clarence river, without getting too wet or cold (just enough to make us feel alive). Jollies and Jacks passes loop is an easy ride, even though there is a good climb up the passes, and the roads were pretty muddy after rain and snow, which makes it more fun. The hot pools in Hanmer felt like a pretty ok end of that day. 

When we woke up on Sunday, I thought for a while that I was back home in Sweden: It was snowing hard out. We went for a nice little ride anyway, we had time to check out Dog stream and Mach 1, two pretty easy but fun single trails (pretty muddy, wet and snowy though), before we got too cold. Epic weekend with lots of type-2-fun (thanks Kate for that expression)!

Jollies pass.

Little water crossing.

Clarence river valley.

Clarence river valley.

Nice, chilly lunchspot.

Kate hiding under a x-mas tree.

Tree Trunk Gorge Trail

Tree Trunk gorge trail ar en superrolig och pitoresk mountain bike trail i Kaimanawa Forest Park lite soder om Turangi pa centrala nordon. Jag cyklade den da vi semestrade dar uppe. Det ar ju ett tag sen nu, men Tree Trunk ar en trail som jag inte glommer. Det ar antagligen en av mina favoriter sa har langt. Den ar inte speciellt lang, bara ungefar 6 km enkel vag. Den ar graderad 3-4 (intermediate till avancerad). Jag tycker att den var ratt sa latt, aven om man far ta sig genom ett par floder och backar och det ar nagra ordentliga backar att ta sig upp och nerfor. Trailen gar genom bokskog, over floder och backar och over tva raviner. Jag kan absolut rekommendera den om du ar i krokarna!


Tree Trunk gorge trail is an awesome fun and picturesque mountain bike trail in the Kaimanawa Forest Park just south of Turangi on the central North Island. I biked it on our holiday up there, so it's quite a while ago now, but this is one of those trails that I just don't forget about: this is probably one of my favorite trails so far. It is not very long, only about 6 km one way. It's graded 3-4, but I found it reasonably easy, even though there are a few river crossings and quite a few hills as well. The trail goes through beech forests, over rivers and streams and over two gorges. It's absolutely worth a go if you happen to be around! 

See this link for more info about the trail:
Tree Trunk Gorge Trail

Little River Rail Trail

I sondags cyklade jag och min flatmate Kath Little River rail trail som gar fran Motukarara till Little River pa Banks Peninsula. Det ar 22 km enkel vag, platt och valdigt lattcyklat forstas eftersom det ar en gammal jarnvag. Tur var val det, mina ben kandes lite mora efter en hel del cykling den senaste tiden. Vi hade en fantastisk vardag, varmt och vindstilla. Det mest irriterande den dagen var sjoflugorna som bildade moln i luften. Jag larde mig snabbt att halla munnen stangd for att inte fa en extra proteinboost. Cappucino och muffin vid cafeet i Little River satt superfint och gav oss energi att cykla tillbaka.

In the weekend my flatmate Kath and I biked Little River rail trail from Motukarara to Little River on Banks Peninsula. It's 22 km one way, very flat and very easy of course since it's an old rail trail. My legs said thanks for that since they were pretty tired from quite a lot of biking lately. We had a nice spring day, warm and no wind. The most irritating that day were the clouds of lake flies. I learned quickly to keep my mouth shut, not to get an extra protein boost. Cappucino and muffin at the cafe in Littler River was pretty awesome and gave us some energy to bike back again. 

Little River rail trail, straight and flat.

A pretty nice part of Little River rail trail.

Southern Alps in the background.

Springtime.

Good morning Port Hills

En frostig, kylig morgon i bergen ar nog ett av de basta satten att borja dagen pa. Det ar lite segt att ta sig upp ur sangen nar klockan ringer fore halv sex pa morgonen, och veta att uppforsbacken Rapaki vantar. Men det ar sa vart det! Dessutom haller det mig i form.

A nice, crispy, fresh early morning in the hills, the best way ever to start the day. It is a bit hard to get up when the alarm rings before five thirty in the morning, knowing that a climb up Rapaki is waiting. But it's so worth it! It keeps me fit as well.

Kate on mt Vernon track, on a nice morning ride before work.

Port Hills

I helgen cyklade jag och Kate Port Hills i Christchurch. Det ar ungefar 65 km och borjar vid Hallswell Quarry - upp C2 som tar oss till Kennedy's bush track - Flying nun - Bowenvale traverse - Mt Vernon - Castle Rock track - Godley head track - nerfor Anaconda och den sista backen over berget fran Taylors mistake till Sumner och sa tillbaka langs vagen. Port Hills myllrar av superrolikga trails. Vi hade valdans tur med vadret, det var lovat regn och storm men vi hade en fantastisk varm vardag i bergen. Det var andra gangen jag gjorde den turen och inte den sista!

In the weekend Kate and I went for a little adventure up in Port Hills in Christchurch. We did the 65 km from Hallswell Quarry - up C2 to Kennedy's bush track - Flying nun - Bowenvale traverse - Mt Vernon - Castle Rock track - Godley head track - down Anaconda and then over the hill from Taylors mistake to Sumner and back on the roads. Port Hills is filled with great trails. We were so lucky with the weather, the forecast was rain and gales but we had a great warm spring day in the hills. This was my second round on this loop but for sure not the last!

Kate at C2.

Beginning of Flying nun.

Lunch-time! Yum!

Summit road.

Godley Head track- view over Brighton and Pegasus Bay.