Hawksburn, Central Otago - part II

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Det är ganska precis ett år sen jag cyklade från Alexandra över till Bannockburn via Hawksburn. I lördags blev det en cykeltur vid Flat top Hill, och på söndagen tyckte jag att det var dags för Hawksburn igen. Den här tiden på året får man tänka sig för innan man drar iväg eftersom det är lamningssäsong, och många cykelvägar är avstängda. Kolla med Department of Conservation eller lokala cykelbutiker om du är osäker på vilka områden som är öppna eller avstängda.

Far away in this photo, you can see the road
down from Duffer's saddle, the last part of
Bannockburn Gutbuster.

Hawksburn är en skumpig, stenig, backig 4WD väg. Jag har upptäckt en del nya, superroliga single track stigar som alternativ till Hawksburn som i princip följer vägen. Det finns massor av alternativ där uppe, en del ganska branta downhill backar och vissa mer förlåtande single trails. Mer om det senare, när jag kollat in dem lite mer. Hawksburn är så Centrala Otago. Solen steker (mycket solkräm rekommenderas), det ar torrt, bergigt och stenigt, vinden är cool och frisk och det luktar timjan. 

Jag startade cykelturen i Alexandra, vid bron, cyklade Clutha river trail till Clyde, upp till Clyde lookout, och sen över till trevägkorsningen på kullen innan man drar nedför backen till Bannockburn du förstår vad jag menar när du väl är där). Det kändes ganska bra i benen, kanske är jag fortfarande tränad nog att göra  Bannockburn Gutbuster i år igen. Vi får se. 

Jag tänker börja skriva ut ungefärliga cykeltider och sträckor för de cykelturer jag gör, så att du kan få en uppfattning om hur tuff den är, om du är sugen på att testa. Den här turen är ungefär 54 km, och tog mig 3 timmar och 35 minuter i cykeltid, utan att rejsa (förutom de sista 12 km på Clutha river trail, den är så snabb och rolig och flowing att man kan inte låta bli), plus stopp för foton och snacks och njuta av omgivningarna. 

Sträcka : 54 km 
Tid : 3 timmar 35 minuter

It's quite close to a year ago since I biked from Alexandra to Bannockburn via Hawksburn. Last saturday I did a nice evening bike ride at Flat top Hill, and sunday I thought it's time for a spin at Hawksburn again. This time of the year you have to think of where you bike, since it is lambing season and some trails are closed. Call the Department of Conservation or a local bike shop if you're unsure of what trails are open or closed. 

Hawksburn is a bumpy, rocky, rutted, hilly 4WD road. I also took my time to explore some of the superfun single trails that goes along Hawksburn road, around Clyde lookout. There are many options up there, some pretty steep and technical others more forgiving. More on that later I hope. Hawksburn is so Centrala Otago. The sun is frying (lots of sun screen is recommended), it's dry (lots of water is also recommended), hilly and rocky (a reasonable level of fitness and biking skills are handy), the wind is cool och fresh and it smells of thyme. 

I started my bike ride in Alexandra, by the bridge, biked Clutha river trail to Clyde, up to Clyde lookout, and from there over to the three way intersection on the hill before the downhill towards Bannockburn. You will understand what I mean once you're there. The road is closed further down, closer to Bannockburn, due to lambing. My legs felt pretty good, MAYBE I  am still fit enough to do Bannockburn Gutbuster again this year. I'm temped.

I will start writing down approximate biking times and distances for the rides I do, so that you can get an idea of how tough they are, in case you're keen to try it out. This ride is around 54 km and took me 3 hours 35 minutes biking time, without racing (except for the last 12 km on Clutha river trail, it's so fun and fast and flowing so that it's difficult not to), plus stops for photos and snacks and just enjoying the surroundings. 

Distance : 54 km 
Riding time : 3 hours 35 minutes

Clyde lookout.

Old man's range in the background.

South.

Another one.

Going down.

Clyde from above.

Back in Central Otago: Flat top hill

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Jag har sa himla mycket att gora nu, med att skriva min andra artikel for min PhD, och forsoka fa ihop min uppsats. Min forsta artikel "A probabilistic study of return of ozone to 1960 levels" publicerades for ett tag sen. Jag klammer in en surf nar jag kan, och tar en svang pa min mtb da och da, men inte mycket tid att skriva blogg! 
Jag vill i alla fall dela med mig av cykelturen fran igar kvall, pa Flat top hill i Alexandra. Det finns nagra olika svarighetsgrader att valja mellan daruppe, de flesta intermediate men ocksa en dubbel svart, som jag inte ens funderar pa att kolla upp. Det ar en harlig klattring till toppen, inte speciellt jobbig, atminstone inte jamfort med vissa andra "kullar" haromkring. Stigarna ar superroliga, ibland latta och ibland mer tekniska. Nar du kommer tillbaka till parkeringen och hoppar in i bilen, ta inte av dig skorna: de far din bil att lukta fantastiskt av timjan. Harligt att vara tillbaka i Centrala Otago, jag har spenderat en hel del tid pa andra stallen pa jorden de senaste manaderna.

I'm so so soooo busy at the moment, writing up my second paper, and try to finish off my thesis. My first paper "A probabilistic study of return of ozone to 1960 levels" was published a while ago. I get some surf in, and I get some biking in, but not much of writing blog!
  I want to share the ride I did last night though, at Flat top hill close to Alexandra in Central Otago. There are a few options of levels up there, most of them intermediate, but also one double black, that I wouldn't even think of trying. The climb up to the top is nice and actually not too hard (compared to some other master pieces of hills around here), and there are nice views from up there. The trails are superfun, easy on some places and more technical on others. When you finished the ride and are back at the car, keep your shoes on: they will make your car smell wonderful from thyme! It's good to be back in Central Otago, I've spent quite a lot of time in other parts of the world the last few months.

Butchers dam.

Flat top hill.

Alexandra and the Gorge.

Selfie.

Old man's range.

In my Swedish backyard

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Som jag namnde i min forra post "Home", sa ar det helt fantastiskt att vara hemma igen. Sverige valkomnade mig och Isaak med sommar, men ocksa med superrolig mountain biking, precis utanfor dorren vid mina foraldrars hus. Det ar harifran jag kommer. Jag vaxte upp har och utforskade stigarna dar ute i skogen, inte pa tva hjul utan pa hastryggen. Efter att ha tillbringat manga ar pa andra sidan jorden sa uppskattar jag valdigt mycket den svenska naturen, aven om Nya Zeelands natur forstas ar helt fantastisk. I Nya Zeeland ar det mycket bush och regnskog, dar den inte skovlats. De svenska skogarna ar glesa, stora och de luktar sa fantastiskt gott av tallar och mossa. Och sa ar de fulla av kantareller. Lyckligtvis ar de ocksa fulla av blabarsris, vilket gor det mjukare att landa nar man ramlar av cykeln. Om det inte ligger en sten och lurar under forstas.

Mountain biking i Svenska skogar (i denna delen av landet) ar annorlunda jamfort med mountain biking i Nya Zeeland. Det ar forstas inte sa bergigt, och bergen ar inte sa hoga, men det ar stenigare och mer rotter. Stigarna pa Alberget bakom mina foraldrars hus ar speciellt steniga eftesom det ar en gammal rullstensas. Det ar en riktig lekpark for mountain bikare dar uppe. Det finns stigar overallt. Jag menar OVERALLT. Och de ar roliga. For mig ar det ett valdigt bra tillfalle att ova pa cykel teknik. 

Forra veckan halkade bakhjulet pa min cykel pa en blot sten i en klurig nedforsbacke. Jag forlorade linjen helt och korde totalt stopp i en sten med framhjulet. Jag for i slow motion over framhjulet. Allt gick lojligt sakta. Marken kom narmare och narmare. Jag hann nastan rakna blabaren. Jag landade supermjukt i blabarsriset. Hmm eller... det kandes mjukt till en borjan.  Det maste ha varit en sten under det fluffiga, mjuka blabarsriset for jag insag senare att jag hade fatt ett blamarke som tackte hela benet pa baksidan och ett stort rivmarke. Det ar kvar en vecka senare, men ar mera gulaktigt. En mountain bikare far rakna med att offra snygga sommarben for att ha lite roligt.

Det ar bara en sak jag angrar. Jag skulle ha tagit min cykel med mig fran Nya Zeeland. Jag saknar verkligen min fulldampning och ordentliga bromsar, men 26 tums hjulen faktiskt funkar riktigt bra i den har terrangen. Om nagon har erfarenhet av att ta med cykel pa flyg sa skulle jag garna vilja veta mer om hur det ar.

As I mentioned in my previous post, "Home", it's fantastic to be home. Sweden welcomed me and Isaak with summer, but also with very good mountain biking, right on the doorstep of my parents house. This is where I come from. I grew up exploring those trails, not from two wheels, but from a horse back. The forest in Sweden is sparse, vast, smells sooooo good of pine trees and mosses and it's full of chantarelles. Luckily it's also full of blueberry bush, which makes the landing softer when you fall off the bike. Unless there's a rock lurking underneath. 

Mountain biking in Swedish forests (in this part of the country) is different from mountain biking in New Zealand. It's not as hilly and mountainous, but it's rockier and have more roots. The trails on Alberget (the Al mountain) behind my parents house are particularly rocky, since there is an esker, a trace from the retreat of the inland-ice that covered the the area some 15 000 years ago. This area is a playground. There are trails everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. And they are fun as. For me, it is a great opportunity to practice my biking skills. 

The other day the rear wheel of my bike slipped on a wet rock in a tricky down hill, I completely lost the line and ended up to a stop on a rock with the front wheel. I flew in slow motion over the front wheel. Everything went so slow. The ground came closer and closer, very slowly, I could almost count the blueberries. I ended up softly in the blueberry bush. Or, it felt soft to start with. There must have been a rock under that soft, fluffy, inviting blueberry bush because I realized later that I had a bruise that covered pretty much the whole back of my leg, and it's still there a week later, now more yellowish.  A mountain biker must sometimes sacrifice handsome summer legs for a bit of fun.

I do regret one thing. I should have brought my bike from New Zealand. Wow how I wish that I had my full suspension and descent breaks, although 26 wheels work pretty well in this terrain. If anyone has experience of taking bikes on flights, I'd be happy to hear about it.

 

Kantareller.

Home

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Det ar fantastiskt att vara hemma, vad som nu egentligen ar hemma. Men jag tror nog att hemma i Gustavsang alltid kommer att vara hemma anda. Efter totalt 30 timmars flygning med ett stopp pa tre natter i Kuala Lumpur mottes jag och Isaak av mamma, pappa och syster pa Arlanda. Efter tva och ett halvt ar pa andra sidan jorden har sommar-Sverige halsat oss valkomna med ljusa natter, nagra asksmallar (det saknar jag pa Nya Zeeland, vadernord som jag ar) kebabpizza och bad i Malmjarn. I fem veckor till far vi bara njuta av detta. 

It is fantastic to be home again, wherever home is. I think, after all, that home will always be here, home in Gustavsang. After a total of 30 hours flight and 3 nights in hot and humid Kuala Lumpur, Isaak and I finally arrived in Arlanda, where mum, dad and sister were waiting for us. After two and a half years on the other side of Earth, summer-Sweden has welcomed us with light nights, a few thunderstorms (this is something I miss in New Zealand, a bit nerdy I know), kebabpizza and swim in Lake Malmjarn. Five more weeks to enjoy, and sure we will.

Light summer nights.

Kebab pizza.

Swim in Lake Maljarn.

Thunderstorm approaching.

Nightride in the morning - happy midsummer/midwinter

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Den har morgonen var valdigt blasig, sa blasig att jag blaste av stigen ibland! Men vad harligt det ar att se Christchurch vakna till liv langt dar nere! Glad midsommar pa er, eller midvinter, beroende pa vart ni befinner er.

This morning was windy, so windy so that I blew off the trail a couple of times. But how nice it is to see Christchurch waking up down there! Happy midwinter to you, or midsummer, depending on where in the world you are.

My new morning favourite: Witch Hill track

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Ibland ar det riktigt svart att vara i ett "nytt" land utan familj i narheten. De veckor da jag maste pressa pannan in bordet och jobba med min PhD i Christchurch ar extra jobbiga, aven om jag faktiskt har det valdigt bra. Jag vaknar pa morgonen och det ar bara jobbigt att vara utan familj. Jag planerar att cykla upp Rapaki, darfor att jag vet att jag mar bra av det, aven om det inte kanns sa lockande precis nar jag kliver ur sangen.
  Min favoritrunda pa morgonen har varit Rapaki- Mt Vernon och sen ner Huntsbury Rd. Den senaste tiden har jag lagt till en slinga: Witch Hill track. Mt Vernon var lite av en utmaning nar jag forst borjade cykla i Port hills, men numera kanns det latt. Witch Hill track har precis lagom mycket stenar, tekniska svarigheter och utmaningar for mig just nu. Den ar utmanande nog for att jag ska behova satta ner fotterna emellanat, men jag ar overtygad om att talamod och att forsoka om och om igen lonar sig i langden.
  Pa vagen ner fran berget sa har jag bytt ut traktorvagen mot en singletrail, vilket gor nedforscyklingen mycket mer spannande och rolig. Det viktigaste med allt detta ar att jag kanner mig sa full av energi och sa glad efterat, och hela dagen gar sa mycket lattare. Jag har lart mig att det ar mycket trevligare att fokusera pa att inte ramla av cykeln pa en sten an att fokusera pa hemlangtan.

It's sometimes hard to be in a foreign country without family around. Those weeks when I have to put my head into my PhD work in Christchurch are especially hard, even though things are actually pretty good. I wake up in the morning and it's just hard to be away from family. I plan to ride up Rapaki, because I know I will feel good from it, even if it doesn't feel too appealing the moment I get out of bed.
  My usual morning ride used to be Rapaki- Mt Vernon and then down Huntsbury Rd. Lately I've added another trail to it: Witch Hill track. Mt Vernon was kind of a challenge when I first started riding in the Port hills, but it now feels easy. Witch Hill has just the right amount of rocks and technicality and challenge to suit me at the moment. I still have to put my feet down now and then, but I believe that persistence is the key, and trying over and over again will pay off.
  On the way down from the hills, I've swapped the 4WD part of Huntsbury to the "airstrip trail" which is a bit more exciting and fun. The most important with all this is that I feel so refreshed and happy when I come down again, and I feel good the whole day at university. I've concluded that it's much better to focus on not falling over on the rocks than to focus on being homesick.

Witch Hill track.

Down towards the city.

Chop the grass on a bike

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Den har fantastiska uppfinningen byggde en junk-handlare i Lawrence till sin frus fodelsedag. Hon tyckte att det var for jobbigt att slapa grasklipparen upp och nedfor backen i tradgarden. Tydligen sa blev hon inte sa glad for presenten, hon gick raka vagen till kladaffaren i Lawrence och kopte en ny kjol, det var ju det hon ville ha i present, inte en cykel-grasklippare. Jag tycker att den ar fantastisk! Jag skulle nog klippa sonder den stackars grasmattan. Jag ska nog bygga en sjalv. Junk-handlaren i Lawrence har massor av gamla och nyare cyklar, det ar vart ett stopp, han har sakert manga historier att beratta ocksa.

This fantastic machine was built by the man who has the junk-shop in Lawrence. He built it for his wive's birthday. She though it was too hard to push the lawn-mower up and down the garden. She wasn't too excited about the present, and she went straight down to the clothing shop in Lawrence and bought herself the present she wanted- a miniskirt. I think it is fantastic, and I would probably chop the grass until there's no more grass to chop. I might build one myself. The man with the junk-shop in Lawrence has many bikes, old and new, it's worth a stop, and I'm pretty sure he's got lots of stories to tell.

Adventure on mighty Mt Benger

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Antligen fick jag chans att cykla upp mt Benger igen, det stora majestatiska berget bakom varat hus. Det finns manga vagar upp pa bergsryggen som ar en del av Old man's range, och den vagen vi cyklade den har gangen leder fran Ettrick direkt up till en av topparna pa 1200 m. Det var inte svart att overtala min cykelpolare Big T att folja med aven om jag tror att vi bada undrade vad sjutton vi holl pa med nar bakhjulen pa vara cyklar hopplost slirade i leran halvvags uppfor backen. Det tog oss ungefar tva timmar att na toppen, men som vanligt ar det sa himla vart det och den brannande kanslan i benen ar som bortblast. Det var lite sno daruppe och nar den kalla vinden bet tag sadar i ansiktet sa kande jag mig nastan som hemma. Det ar alltid lite trakigt att lamna denna fantastiska plats, men turligt nog ar nedforsbacken tillbaka lang, snabb och rolig. En annan vag upp pa berget ar via Coal Creek, las om det har, eller upp till andra anden, till the Obelisk, vilken du kan lasa om har.

Finally I got a chance to ride up mt Benger again, that mighty big mountain that rules the surroundings here. It wasn't too hard to convince my bike-buddy Big T to join me but I think that we both wondered what the heck we were doing when the back wheels of our bikes hopelessly kept on slipping in the mud snow and ice halfway up the mountain. It took us about two hours to climb, but as always, once you reach the summit, it's soooo worth it, and the burning feeling in the legs is gone in a blink. There was a little bit of snow on the ground, and I felt like home when the chilly wind pinched my face. It's always a bit of a sad feeling to leave the amazing place, but luckily the downhill is pretty long, fun and fast. Another way up to Old man's range is via Coal Creek, read about it here, or up to the other end of the range, to the Obelisk, which you can read about here.

Seafood and surf in Kaikoura

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Kaikora levererade som vanligt. Jag forstar allvarligt talat inte vart den har helgen tog vagen. I alla fall sa var den full av kallvattensurf, fiske, havsmat och batturer. En och annan bira med. Och allvarligt den basta hamburgaren NAGONSIN. Jag testade den skummaste havsmat jag nagonsin smakat: kina kallas den och ser ut som en igelkott fran havet. Den var intensiv. Jag blir vanligtvis valdigt uttrakad av att fiska, men att aka ut pa havet i Kaikoura och fa napp sa fort man slanger kroken over kanten pa baten andrade faktiskt min installning. Jag visste inte heller att atbara fiskar bor pa 180 m djup! Alltid nagot nytt att lara sig.

Kaikoura delivered as usual. I seriously don't know where this weekend went. It was full of cold water surf, fishing, seafood and boating anyway. And beer. And seriously the best burger EVER. I tried the weirdest seafood I've ever tasted: kina, the hedgehog of the ocean. That was intense. I usually get really bored fishing, but going out on the ocean in Kaikoura and get a fish on the hook as soon as you through it over the edge of the boat actually changed my mind. I didn't know that eatable fish live 180 m deep in the ocean! Always something new to learn.

Surf in Kaikoura.

Kaikoura.

Dusky surf in Kaikoura.

The best burger EVER.

Mangas.

Mangas.

Kina, hedgehog of the ocean. It's intense.

Fish on the hook.

Isaak pulling up a fish from 160 m.

Mr. Bananaface waiting for fish.

Aotearoa. Land of the white cloud.

Kaikoura.

Morning trail or morning wave?

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

Ibland maste man ta svara beslut har i livet: Ska jag surfa eller cykla? Nar det finns vagor sa valjer jag oftast att surfa. Det ar nagot speciellt med havet. Om jag bara hade tid, da hade jag gjort bada. Just nu, under de sista manaderna av min PhD verkar det som om jag inte har tid till nagot. Det ar superviktigt att komma ut i alla fall, varje dag, for att aterstalla balansen i hjarnan saval som i kroppen.

Forra veckan hade vi bra surf i Christchuch. Det svallet skapade starka strommar i vattnet och jag maste medge att jag paddlade bra mycket mer an jag surfade. Vattnet blir kallare, men for bara nagra veckor sen surfade folk i shorts. Jag anvander min 6/5 vatis med huva och boots.

Morgnarna blir ocksa kallare. Pa nat vis sa gillar jag det. Det ar inte mycket som slar en frostig, lugn, solig morgon i vattnet eller i bergen.

There are some hard decisions to be made in life: Should I go surfing or biking? When the waves are on I usually choose to go surfing. There is something about the ocean. If I have time I would do both. At the moment, in the last few months of my PhD I don't really have time for anything. It is important for me to get out though, every day, to reboot the mind and realign the body.

Last week we had some swell in Christchurch. This swell created a pretty strong rip, and I did paddle more than I surfed the waves. The water is getting colder, only a few weeks ago I saw people surfing in their boardshorts! I use my 6/5 wettie with hoddie and boots. 

The mornings are also getting colder. I kind of like it though. There's not much that beats a frosty, crispy, still, sunny morning in the water or up on the mountain. 

Morning on the hills overlooking New Brighton. 

Morning on the hills overlooking Southern Alps.

Morning surf at Sumner.

Morning surf at Sumner.