Lake Onslow - an unexpected evening ride

Jag hade ju planerat en lang tur den dagen, men saker gar inte alltid som man tankt sig. Det blev sent pa dagen och jag tankte att jag tar mig anda ut pa en cykeltur, och helt enkelt vander nar jag kanner for det. Problemet ar att jag sallan kanner for att vanda. Jag cyklade upp Wrights Road i Roxburgh och njot av uppforsbacken och kvallen. Det ar en bra bit till Lake Onslow, men ganska latt cykling pa grusvag som blir lite tuffare mot slutet. Det ar ratt sa backigt, vilket anda gor de 66 kilometrarna (33 km enkel vag) till en liten utmaning. Nar man cyklar fran Millers flat sa vet jag att det ar mer an 1100 meter ackumulerad stigning, och mer via Wrights Road, da det gar upp och ner hela tiden. Jag forsokte intala mig sjalv att vanda flera ganger, och kom upp med olika ursakter som t.ex. att det blir morkt och att jag kanske blir trott... Jag lyssnade inte pa mig sjalv, jag ville veta hur det ser ut dar uppe pa berget i solnedgangen. Solen var pa vag ner nar jag kom fram till toppen av berget dar man ser Lake Onslow, och som vanligt var det en ratt sa kall vind daruppe. Ett bra satt for mig att fa upp farten och pressa mig sjalv lite extra ar att ge mig ut och cykla precis innan det blir morkt och forsoka ta mig hem innan det blir kolsvart. Jag lyckades inte den har gangen, men an en gang hade jag en helt fantastisk cykelupplevelse i bergen.

I had planned to do a long ride that day, but sometimes things just don't work out. It got late, and I thought that I'd go for a ride anyway, and just turn around when I feel for it. The problem is that I usually don't feel for turning around. I biked up Wrights Rd in Roxburgh and just enjoyed the uphill and the end of the day. It is a pretty long way to Lake Onslow, but easy biking on a gravel road that later becomes a little bit rougher. There are a few hills though, which still makes the 66 kilometers (33 km one way) a bit of a challenge. While biking from Millers flat there's an accumulated climb of more than 1100 meters, and via Wrights road it is probably a bit more since it goes up and down quite a lot. My mind told me several times to turn around because of the dark and because I might get tired and all kind of excuses. I didn't listen to it, I was too  curious about what it looked like from up there in the sunset. The sun was just on it's way down when I arrived up on the hill before Lake Onslow, and as always the wind was pretty chilly up there. A good way for me to get the speed up and to push myself is to go out biking just before dark and try to get home before it's pitch black. I didn't succeed this time, but once again I had an awesome time on the mountain. 

My bike and the old tractor.

Roxburgh in the valley far away. Pineforest in the middle, and mt Benger in the background.

Sunset at Lake Onslow.

Girls basic tech night at Rock & Road Cycles

Jag kan inte mycket om cykel-mek, men jag forsoker snappa upp allt jag kan, mest for att det ar bra att kunna sin cykel om nagot gar snett langt ute i bergen. Forra veckan ordnade Rock & Road cycles i Alexandra en tek-night for tjejer. Bra intiativ!

Det var en basic kurs, mest en del tips och tricks hur man haller sin cykel ren och frisk sa att den haller langre. Mountainbikes far ju utsta en hel del, som de flesta av oss vet. Jag ar lite av en rengorings-nord, jag hor till den gruppen manniskor som skulle kunna putsa sonder min cykel om jag inte visste vart jag ska putsa och vad jag ska halla mig ifran. Att pyssla med cykeln ar nastan som terapi for mig.

Det jag speciellt tog med mig hem fran Rock & Road tek-night var att det ar bra att ta av sadeln och stalla cykeln upp-och-ner efter att ha cyklat genom vatten, for att inte forstora bottom-bracket. En annan grej jag tog med mig hem, var att suspension ar till for att anvandas. De mar battre av att anvandas efersom de da smorjs med olja. Jag brukade tanka att jag ska spara pa grejjerna och inte anvada suspension mer an jag behover. Jag fick ocksa prova pa att anvanda ett kedje-verktyg. Jag har ett, och i teorin vet jag hur den anvands, men har haft turen att aldrig behova anvanda den nar jag ar ute. Jag har sparat en gammal kedja som jag tanker ova pa nagra ganger, for att kunna gora det snabbt da det behovs.

For den som ar i Centrala Otago och cyklar, och behover service pa cykel, eller behover en cykel affar sa rekommenderar jag att titta in hos Rock & Road cycles i Alexandra eller Cromwell. Agarna Emma och Peter ar supertrevliga och de har duktig och serviceinriktad personal.

Kolla in deras hemsida Rock & Road Cycles.

I don't know much about bike-mech but I try to suck up as much as I possibly can about it, mostly because I want to know my bike in case something goes wrong when I'm out in the mountains. 

Last week Rock & Road cycles in Alexandra organized a girls tech-night. A very nice initiative! It was a basic course with a few tips and tricks of how to keep the bike clean and healthy so that it lasts for longer. Mountainbikes have to put up with quite a lot, as most of us know! I'm a bit of a cleaning-nerd, I belong to the group of people that would clean my bike to bits if I didn't know where to clean and where to keep my fingers off. To work with the bike is like therapy for me.

One thing that I learned at Rock & Road cycles is that it is good to take the seat off and put the bike upside down after biking through river crossings, to save the bottom bracket. Another thing I learned is that it is good to use the suspension, since the oil works through them when they are used. I used to think that it's better to save the stuff and only use them when needed. I also got to try the chaintool for the first time. I have one, and in theory I know how to use it, but I've been lucky and have never had to use it when I'm out and about. I have saved an old chain that I will use to practice so that I can do it quickly when it's needed. 

If you're biking in Central Otago, and need a service on your bike, or need a bike shop, I would recommend a visit to Rock & Road cycles in Alexandra or Cromwell. The owners Emma and Peter are superfriendly and they have very competent an service minded staff. 

Check out their websited Rock & Road Cycles

Waikato River Trails

Jag spenderade fem veckor i Juli och Augusti pa Nordon, for att surfa och cykla. Vi reste runt i var gamla husbil och spenderade en hel del tid vid kusten, for att surfa. Taranaki var en av favoriterna, med flera riktigt bra surfspots, supertrevliga manniskor och dessutom ar det latt att campa. Det blev inte mycket cykling for min del i Taranaki, men det finns en del mtb trails som kan vara varda att kolla upp i Egmont National park. Jag hade fullt upp med surf.

Jag gjorde istallet en del trails pa centrala Nordon, jag har tidigare skrivit om Tree Trunk Gorge trail (soder om Turangi), du kan hitta det inlagget har. Jag gjorde ocksa en del av Waikato River trail. Waikato River trail ar en 10 mil lang trail, graderad 2 (latt) till 4 (avancerad) som foljer Waikato River, Nya Zeelands langsta flod, med borjan utanfor Hamilton. Jag var valdigt sugen att gora hela, men det skulle ta en dag for mig, och jag hade tyvarr inte mojlighet att gora det. Jag gjorde Whakamaru delen, och det var superroligt. Den delen ar graderad 3 (intermediate) och ar 23 km snabb, rolig trail, lite upp och lite ner, men inga branta uppforsbackar eller drops, nagra rotter och stenar och med massor av fagelliv langs floden. Efterat kunde jag jamfora den turen med en 2-3 fot surf i Aramoana (vilket betyder helt enkelt roligt). Det finns minst en Department of Conservation camping langs floden, sa det ar latt att campa. Du kan lasa mer om Waikato River trails har.

I spent five weeks in July and August this year on the North Island, to surf and bike. We traveled around in our old camper van and spent quite a lot of time by the coast, to surf. Taranaki was a favourite, with lots of awesome surf spots, superfriendly locals and easy to freedom camp. I didn't do any biking in Taranaki, but there are mtb trails that could be worth checking out in Egmont National park. I was too busy surfing.

 I did a few trails in central North Island, I wrote about Tree Trunk Gorge trail (south of Turangi) in an earlier post, that you can find here. I also did a part of Waikato River trail. Waikato River trail is a 100 km long trail, graded 2 (easy) to 4 (advanced) that follows Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand, with start outside Hamilton. I was very tempted to do the whole trail, but that would take a day and unfortunately I didn't have a chance to do it. I did the Whakamaru section, and it was fun as. It's graded 3 (intermediate) and is 23 km fast flowing fun trail, a bit up and down but no big climbs or drops, a few roots and rocks, just enough to keep it interesting. It's beautiful along the river with lots and lots of birdlife. Afterwards I compared the ride to 2-3 foot glassy surf in Aramoana (which means just pure fun). There is at least a one and maybe two Deparment of Conservation campsites along the river, so pretty easy to camp. Read more about the Waikato River trails here.

Urchin campsite- Tree Trunk Gorge trail

Waikato River trail.

Waikato River trail.

Birdlife by Waikato River.

Waikato River.

Waikato River trail.

Hawksburn- from Clyde to Bannockburn

I helgen cyklade jag en runda som jag lange tankt gora: Upp och forbi Clyde lookout, via Hawksburn road och over till Bannockburn. Jag valde att borja vid bron i Alexandra och cykla Clutha river trail till Clyde. Det gar att gora den har turen som en loop genom Bannockburn, men det ar lamningsasong nu, och vagen var stangd over vissa omraden, sa jag maste vanda tillbaka. Det gjorde inte sa mycket, det blev en ordentlig 58 km tur, med en hel del backar. Det har ar en ganska latt 4WD vag som gar genom typisk Centrala Otago natur. Den jobbiga delen ar stigningen och uppforsbackarna. For de som tycker att cykla i en riktning ar nog, och for de som inte gillar en brant gammal uppforsbacke lika mycket som jag gor kan jag rekommendera att borja cykelturen i Bannockburn, for att undvika de brantaste delarna, som antaglien ar runt Clyde lookout. Det blir hett som attan dar uppe, sa massor av vatten och solkram rekommenderas.

Last weekend I did a ride that I've been thinking of for quite a while: Up past Clyde lookout, via Hawksburn road over to Bannockburn. I choose to start by the bridge in Alexandra and did the Clutha river trail to Clyde, just to make the ride a bit longer. There is a loop you can do through Bannockburn, but unfortunately they closed parts of it due to lambing so I had to turn around and go back. Doesn't matter, it ended up being a good 58 km ride with quite a lot of climbing. This is a pretty easy 4WD road, that goes through some pretty typical Central Otago landscape. The hard part is the climbing. For those who think a one-way ride is enough, and for those who don't fancy a good steep old uphill as much as I do, I would recommend to do the ride with start in Bannockburn to avoid the steepest part of the track, which is probably around the Clyde lookout. It gets pretty hot up there, so lots of water and sunblock is recommended. 

Clyde with Alexandra in the far background.

Alexandra in the background.

Part of Hawksburn road.

Hawkburns road, looking towards Clyde.

A piece of Central Otago.

View of the Obelisk and Old mans range.

Alexandra BMX park

Det finns en riktigt cool BMX och skatepark i Alexandra. Det ar superroligt och valdigt bra for barn att trana pa cykel. Isaak alskar det! Isaak fick sin cykel i 7-ars present forra aret, och den var valdigt stor at honom... nu funderar jag over nar han kommer att behova en storre! Han har blivit sa mycket sakrare pa cykel det sista aret, och gor hela BMX loopen latt som en platt. Jag kan rekommendera ett besok vid Alexandra BMX and skatepark for den som har vagarna forbi. Det finns ocksa ett aquatic center brevid, med inom- and utomhuspooler.

There's a really cool BMX and skatepark in Alexandra. It's great fun and very good for kids to practice their skills. Isaak loves to go there. Isaak got his bike for birthday last year, and it was very big for him... now I'm thinking of when he will need to upgrade it! He's got so much more confident over the year, and is doing the whole BMX loop without blinking. I can recommend a visit at the Alexandra BMX and skatepark. There's also a nice aquatic center with in- and outdoor pools just next to it. 

Isaak enjoying Alexandra BMX park.

In my backyard

Det har borjar bli min favoritrunda: Coal Creek och ner Bullock track. Det ar en ordentlig uppforsbacke, ungefar 840 m ackumulerad stigning. Val uppe sa glommer man snabbt hur jobbigt det var, dar ar ren lycka. Naturen bara ar dar... vild och lugn pa samma gang. Vadret andras snabbt dar uppe sa det ar bra att vara forberedd och kolla vaderprognosen. Vi bor vid foten av bergskedjan, och det hander att, fran klarbla himmel, ett moln trycker sig over bergskammen. Det ser ut som en vit vagg, och till att borja med ser man inte bergskammen, sen ser man en vit vagg snabbt fara nerfor bergsvaggen och bara ett par minuter senare blaser det som bara den i dalen och regnet eller snon star horisontellt i luften. Bara ett par kilometer bort kan det fortfarande vara klarbla himmel. Sant kan vadret i Teviot valley vara, lynnigt och fascinerande.

This is becoming one of my favorite loops: Coal creek and down Bullock track. It's a good climb up the 4WD track, about 840 m accumulated. Up on the top is pure happiness though, nature is just there... wild and quiet at the same time, so beautiful and raw. The weather changes quickly up there so it's good to be prepared and check the weather forecasts. We live right on the foot of this mountainrange, and it happens that, from a clear blue sky, a cloud pushes over the mountain. It looks like a white wall, and to start with you don't see the mountain ridge, then you see the wall of white quickly moving down the mountain and only a couple of minutes later everything is blown out in the valley below, and the rain or snow is horizontal in the air. Only a few kilometers away, the sky might still be clear and blue. That's the weather in Teviot Valley, unpredictable and fascinating.

Evening ride on the mountain, Roxburgh. North westerly wind clouds in the sky.