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.

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.

Knobby's range and Mt Benger A&P show

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!

I helgen var det Mt Benger A&P show (en show de har varje ar dar de visar gamla bilar, traktorer, har hasttavlingar, djurutstallningar, baktavlingar, karuseller, mat, ja allt man kan tanka sig). Det var ocksa den sista dagen for Goldfield karavanen, runt 400 hastar och fotgangare som har varit pa vandring en vecka, med start runtom i Otago, och slutar i Roxburgh. I ar ville Mt Benger A&P show arrangorerna att vi mountainbikare fran Roxburgh och Alexandra skulle gora en gruppcykling fran Alex till Roxburgh via Knobby's range, och sen vara med i paraden. Vilket tillfalle att utforska Knobby's range! Tyvarr blev det bara 5 av oss som cyklade.  Knobby's ar en fantastisk tur, lite over 4 mil traktorvag som ar lite knolig pa sina stallen, den ar perfekt for mountainbiking! Det var roligt att se sa mycket folk i Roxburgh, for showen. Jag hoppas att cykelturen som vi gjorde over Knobby's kan bli en arlig tradition, och jag hoppas att fler kommer med nasta ar.

Last weekend was the weekend for Mt Benger A&P show. It was also the final day for the Goldfields cavalcade, around 400 horses and walkers that had been on the trail for about a week, starting from around Otago and finishing in Roxburgh. This year some of the organizers of Mt Benger A&P show asked us mountain bikers of Roxburgh and Alexandra if we wanted to do a group ride from Alex to Roxburgh over Knobby's range and then join the parade. What a great opportunitiy to explore Knobby's range! Unfortunately the turn-up wasn't that great, only five of us ended up biking. It's a great ride, around 40 km 4WD, a bit rutted in places, over a few hills,  perfect for mountainbiking! It was a great day out and nice to see so many people gathering for the show in Roxburgh. I hope that this could be a yearly thing, to do a group ride over Knobby's range, and I hope that more mountain bikers would turn up and join us next year.

Roxburgh seen from Knobby's range, with mighty Mt Benger in the background.

Hogs back

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!

Vilken harlig dag ute i Castle Hill i Canterbury forra helgen! Vadret var strunt i Christchurch, men pa den andra sidan om den forsta bergsryggen som leder in till Sydalperna var det klarbla himmel. Helt fantastiskt att det kan skilja sa mycket. Fotona nedan ar fran Hogs back, en superrolig, intermediate niva, inte jattelang men valdigt vacker mtb trail. Den finns i Castle Hill, 50 km fran Arthurs Pass. Annu en fantastisk del av Nya Zeeland, och annu en fantastisk dag ute i bergen.

What a nice day out in Castle Hill in Canterbury last weekend! Weather was crap in Christchurch, but with a snap with the fingers it turned into a cracker day, once over the first climb into the mountains. Amazing. The photos below are from Hog's back, a superfun, intermediate level trail, not very long but scenic, in the Castle Hill area, 50 km from Arthurs Pass. Another amazing part of New Zealand, and another amazing day out in the mountains.

The Obelisk

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 komma upp pa Old Man's range och Obelisk igen! Som jag vantat  och tittat upp pa toppen. Jag cyklade sjalv upp forra aret (kolla in posten i min gamla blogg, har), men da det ar ganska langt fran allt, och mycket kan handa dar ute sa har jag vantat for att fa nagon med mig. Det ar inte latt, manga ar radda for den ganska stora uppforsbacken som leder upp till Obelisk. Men sa antligen lyckades jag overtala en cykelpolare fran Christchurch, Blair, att komma med mig (han var inte speciellt svar att overtala). Han var i krokarna och ar inte speciellt radd for en uppforsbacke (han visste nog inte heller vad han gav sig in pa).

Det ar hart arbete att cykla upp, vi fick stanna nagra ganger for att vila benen, och de ganger man far hoppa av cykeln for att oppna grindar ar mycket valkomna. Val pa toppen har man en fantastisk utsikt over Otago, over Alexandra, Clyde, Dunstan range, Mt Pisa, Old woman range... man kanner sig pytteliten dar uppe och bergen som jag annars cyklar och som ger mig mjolksyra ser ut som sma knolar.

Obelisk ligger pa nastan 1700 m over havet och tack och lov ar det grusvag de 12 kilometrarna och 1300 m stigning upp. Den 20 km langa nedforsbacken som leder tillbaka till Clyde och Alexandra ar en traktorvag, rolig och precis lagom teknisk och med helt fantastiska vyer over Centrala Otago.

Vi parkerade en bil vid Synes Rd (vid foten av berget) och en vid bron i Alexandra for att slippa cykla stora vagen till starten av berget. Hela rundan tog ungefar fyra timmar med stopp. Vilken fantastisk start pa det nya aret! Blair har fangat allt pa sin Strava, kolla garna in lanken:

https://www.strava.com/activities/461002406

Jag ar nastan alltid sugen pa en cykeltur upp pa Old Man's range, sa hojta till om du vill ha sallskap!

FINALLY I had the opportunity to bike up to Old Man's range and the Obelisk again! I have waited and waited and looked up towards the top. I biked it last year (check out the post in my old blog, here, sorry it's written in Swedish only), alone, but since it is quite remote and lots can happen out there I wanted to have someone with me on the ride. It's not easy, many people are a bit scared of the big uphill that leads to the Obelisk. But finally I managed to convince a biking buddy from Christchurch, Blair, to come with me (he wasn't very difficult to convince). He was around and he's not afraid of an uphill. He might not have known what he was about to face either, but he also said after that he'd do it again, so it can't have been too bad! 

It's bloody hard work to bike up, we had to stop a few times to give the legs some mercy, and the gates that we had to get off the bikes to open were most welcome. The climb is so well worth it though, the view over Otago, Alexandra, Clyde, Dunstan range, Mt Pisa, Old Woman range and so on is fantastic and you feel so small up there. The hills I sometimes bike and that gives me lactic acid looks like small bumps down there. 

Obelisk stands almost 1700 m above the ocean and luckily the 12 km and 1300 m climb up to the top is gravel road (even though pretty steep in places). The 20 km downhill leading back to Clyde and Alexandra is a 4WD, heaps of fun, not too easy, not too tricky and with an amazing view over Central Otago. 

We parked one car on Synes Rd (at the foot of the mountain) and one by the bridge in Alexandra, to avoid biking on the big road. The ride took us about four hours with stops. What a great start of the new year! Blair caught everything on Strava, check out the link:

https://www.strava.com/activities/461002406

I'm almost always up for a ride on the Old Man's range, so give me a shout if you are keen!

The climb. You can see the road far down there, and Butchers Dam and Flat Top Hill even further down.

Blair on a rock. Alexandra far in background.

My bike on the Old Man's range adventure.

Me and my bike on a rock.

My bike and the Obelisk. I have a similar pic from last year, with my green bike.

Old Man's range.

Blair and I after the climb. A nice downhill is waiting yeay!

And from here it goes (mostly) down!

A good place to be.

Roxburgh Gorge Trail

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!

Sa... aven om jag namnde att jag inte haft mycket motivation till att cykla den sista tiden, sa tog jag mig anda ut pa en 44 km tur igar, fortfarande med Lake Onslow backen i benen. Jag har inte cyklat Roxburgh Gorge Trail pa sakert ett halvar, och det har var forsta gangen pa mitt nya vapen. Det var helt enkelt superroligt! 

Roxburgh Gorge Trail oppnade 2013, och gar fran Alexandra till Roxburgh, med vattentaxi nagra km i mitten. Jag har aldrig tagit vattentaxin, men det ar aven en kanontur att cykla fran Roxburgh till Shingle Creek och tillbaka. Stephen Jeffrey (som aven ar min sambos chef) och andra inblandade har verkligen gjort ett kanonjobb med att bygga trailen. Den ar otroligt valbyggd, den ar rolig och vacker och uppforsbackarna ar inte jobbiga, de ar riktigt inbjudande. 

Roxburgh Gorge Trail fortsatter som Clutha Gold Trail efter dammen i Roxburgh, och gar sedan anda till Lawrence (dar de har den basta glassen pa sydon). Jag brukar fortsatta Clutha Gold Trail till bron i andra anden av Roxburgh, for att gora turen lite langre.

Pa vag hem igar fick jag annu en gang tillfalle att gora molnnerden i mig lycklig, genom att beskada en fantastisk rosa/orange kvallshimmel over Roxburgh.

Jag kan absolut rekommendera Roxburgh Gorge Trail till den som ar intresserad av att cykla. Jag skulle dock inte ta med min 8-arige son, da det ar branta stup pa sidorna, aven om cykelvagen ar bred och lattcyklad.

Las mer om Roxburgh Gorge Trail har.

So... even though I said I didn't have much motivation for biking lately, I did another 44 km ride yesterday... still with the Lake Onslow hill in the legs. I haven't been on Roxburgh Gorge Trail for probably half a year, and this was the first time ever on my new weapon. It was fun as! 

Roxburgh Gorge Trail opened up in 2013, and goes all the way from Alexandra to Roxburgh Dam, even though you have to take a water taxi for a few kilometers in between. I have never taken the water taxi, but biking to Shingle Creek and back is a good entertaining ride. Stephen Jeffrey (by the way my partners boss) and people did a brilliant job building the trail. It is very well prepared, it's fun and beautiful and the climbs are not hard, they are constructed in a way so that they are very inviting.

Roxburgh Gorge Trail links up with Clutha River trail, that goes all the way to Lawrence (where you can get the best ice-cream on the south island). I usually keep on riding Clutha Gold trail to Roxburgh bridge, in the other end of Roxburgh, just to make it a bit longer.

I can absolutely recommend a bike ride on Roxburgh Gorge Trail for anyone who's interested in biking. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking my 8 year old son out there yet though, since there are steep drop-offs on the sides, even though the trail is wide and very easy biked. 

On the way home I had again the opportunity to make the cloudnerd inside me happy, by watching a beautiful pink/orange eveningsky over Roxburgh.

Read more about Roxburgh Gorge Trail here.

Hidden valley.

View of Old Man's range.

Roxburgh Gorge Trail.

Shingle Creek.

Roxburgh Gorge Trail.

Nice evening sky over Roxburgh.

Lake Onslow- a reboot ride

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 inte haft jattemycket motivation att cykla den sista tiden. For mycket PhD jobb, resande till och fran Christchurch och for mycket tid hemifran suger energi, och det blir inte mycket kvar for cykling. Igar tog jag tag i det igen, med hjalp av min cykelpolare BigT, och vi cyklade 41 km med 1000 m stigning upp till "Traktorn", pa berget med utsikt over Lake Onslow. Vadret var bra nar vi lamnade Teviotdalen, men molnen var laga och uppe pa berget var allt tackt av tjocka moln, blott och blasigt. Det var lite skillnad mot sist jag cyklade upp dar, du kan lasa om den turen i min post "Lake Onslow- an unexpected evening ride". Jag gillar det oforutsagbara vadret, det gor att jag kanner mig levande. BigT blir snabbare  varje gang jag tar en cykeltur med honom. Jag far snart problem att hinna med honom.

BigT hade tillstand fran landagarna att cykla ner pa deras mark, genom hagar med koskit och tjurar. Jag ar inte jattefortjust i tjurar sa det var bra traning for mig.

Jag jobbar just nu med moln och hur de formas i min PhD. Det var en perfekt dag for en moln-nord som jag att studera molnen fran bergen.  En bars sitter fint efter en cykeltur som denna, och jag kanner mig som en ny manniska igen.

I haven't had much motivation for biking the last few weeks. Too much PhD work and travel and being away from my son for too long drains the energy, and not much of it is left for biking. Yesterday I conquered it though, with the help of my bike-buddy BigT, and we did a good 41 km and 1000 meter climb up to "the Tractor", on the hill overlooking Lake Onslow. The weather was okay in the  Teviot Valley, but the clouds were low and up on the mountain it was all covered in cloud, wet and windy. A bit different compared to last time I climbed up there, read about it in my post "Lake Onslow- an unexpected evening ride". I love the changeable weather, and a bit of nastyness just makes me feel more alive. BigT is getting fitter each time I see him doing an uphill, I will soon have problems to keep up with him!

BigT had got permission from the farmers to go downhill through their land, crossing paddocks of cowpoo and bulls. I'm not very found of bulls so that was good training for me. 

At the moment I'm working on the formation of clouds in my PhD. This was a perfect day for a cloud-nerd like me to study the clouds from the view up the mountain. A nice beer is not the wrong thing to throw down the throat after a bike ride like that, and I totally feel rebooted.

No view of Lake Onslow today.

Some cool cloud formation far away over the mountains and Teviot Valley.

Alexandra

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!

Tillbaka i Alexandra- den forsta cykelturen bland mina favoritberg pa valdigt lange. Det ar stenigt och stokigt, branta backar och mjolksyra, valdigt folktomt och en fantastisk frihetskansla nar man val ar tillbaka pa den snabba slingrande stigen genom dalen som tar en tillbaka till Clutha River. Fotona nedan ar fran Maj forra aret, glomde kameran pa cykelturen igar.

Back in Alexandra- the first ride in my favorite hills for ages. It's hard work, it's rocky, there's lots of lactic acid (and a bit of pushing the bike) but it's the most amazing feeling of freedom and achievement once back down on the fast flowing trail through the valley leading back to Clutha River. The photos below are from May last year, I forgot my camera on yesterdays bikeride. 

St James Cycle trail - Pure epic in Hanmer Springs

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 har vi gjort den! Jag har velat cykla St James trail lange, men inte ensam da det ar 60 km i avlagsna Alpinomraden utan mobiltackning. Dessutom ar det sa mycket roligare att gora det med vanner! Jag har turen att ha traffat vanner har i Chirstchurch, som dessutom ar valtranade och vill ta sig ut pa aventyr. Kate, Aleisha och jag lamnade Christchurch och korde mot Hanmer Springs tidigt pa lordag morgon. Vi planerade att sitta pa vara cyklar senast kl 9, for att vara sakra pa att hinna tillbaka innan det blev morkt. Ingen av oss hade cyklat St James tidigare, sa vi visste inte riktigt vad som vantade oss.

Som bekant sa gar saker inte alltid som man tankt sig. Vi kom till Jack's pass utanfor Hanmer (dar vi planerat att parkera en av bilarna vantande pa oss da vi cyklat klart) runt kl 9, lite senare an planerat, och det lilla misstaget vi gjorde, att dra ivag i helt fel riktning (mot vad vi trodde var starten av St James trail, dar vi skulle parkera den andra bilen, men egentligen var vagen till Blenheim) tog oss ett par timmar extra. Det var ett maratonlopp dar uppe, och nar vi kom tillbaka till Jack's pass sa kunde jag inte saga sanningen till de som jobbade med loppet (de visste att vi skulle gora St James trail och undrade vad tusan vi holl pa med), utan sa att vi bara varit ivag och fiskat uppat vagen. Vi maste ju ha lunch. Jag vet inte om de trodde oss. Vi satt pa cyklarna kl 12.30, tre och en halv timmar senare an beraknat...

St James trail ar ganska kravande, med en del upp och ner  och en dros med floder som ska korsas. Den forsta delen ar en liten uppforsbacke till Malings pass, med hogsta punkt pa 1300 m. Darefter ar det en brant nedforsbacke till supervackra Waiau valley. Val nere gar stigen langs floden till Saddle Spur bridge, en ganska cool hangbro. Efter att ha passerat bron foljer nagra branta delar av stigen, med branta stup pa sidorna. Det gar en hel del upp och ner och ar ratt sa stenigt och bokigt pa sina stallen, bra att ta det forsiktigt med andra ord.

Nar man tror att man har gjort det varsta av trailern sa kommer uppforsbacken till Peters Pass som en glad overraskning (bara for att paminna dig om att inte bli for bekvam). Vi jagades av ett regnovader, och kom upp till Peters Pass precis i tid for att kunna gomma oss i Peters Valley and njuta av den superroliga, flodande sista nedforsbacken mot St James homestead och slutet av trailern.  Mountainbikers - vader 1 - 0. Ha!

 Kate ramlade av cykeln da hon forsokte ata och cykla samtidigt (inga skador, tack och lov) och aven nasan-fore i en av floderna som skulle korsas, sa hon holl for underhallningen (och visar att hon kor hart)! Annars flot allt pa bra, fantastiskt bra jobbat tjejer!

St James trail  ar en fantastisk, rolig, vacker trail med massor av blandad cykling. Jag kan rekommendera den for de med bra kondition och ork (atminstone om du vill gora den pa en dag). Jag kommer att gora det igen. Jag bara njot av varje minut. Hojta till om du som laser ar sugen. Jag kanske hanger pa!

Las mer om St James cycle trail har.

So finally we did it! I wanted to bike st James trail, but not alone since it's 60 km in remote back country area with no cellphone coverage. And it's more fun to do it in good company! I'm lucky enough to have met some awesome biking friends here in Christchurch, friends that are keen, and fit! 

Kate, Aleisha and I left Christchurch for Hanmer Springs early Saturday morning. The plan was to be on the trail at latest 9 am, to make sure we made it back before dark. None of us had done it before so we didn't really know what to expect. 

Well, things don't always work out the way we expect. We arrived up in Jack's pass outside Hanmer (where we planned to have one of our cars parked and waiting for us after we finished) around 9 am, a bit later than we planned. The little mistake of heading off in the wrong direction (towards where we thought would be the start of st James trail, where we would park the other car, but was actually the way to Blenheim) costed us an extra at least two and a half hours. There was a marathon race going on, and when we got back to Jack's pass we had to tell the marshals (who knew we aimed to do the st James trail and wondering what the heck we were doing) that we just had to go fishing to get our lunch. I'm not sure they believed us. We were on the trail 12.30, three and a half hours later than expected. 

St James trail is actually pretty challenging, with a few ups and downs and some river crossings. The first stage is a little climb up to Malings Pass, a high point of 1300 m. Then the trail descends to the beatiful Waiau Valley and follows the river to Saddle Spur bridge which is a pretty cool swing bridge. After crossing the bridge the trail is pretty narrow and steep in places with steep drop-offs on the sides. 

When you think you've done the worst part of the trail, the climb up to Peters Pass shows up, just to remind you not to be too comfortable. We were chased by a rain storm but made it up to Peters Pass just to have time to hide in beautiful Peters Valley and enjoy the last part of the trail, a fast flowing easy downhill to St James homestead. Bikers - Weather 1 - 0. Ha! Kate fell on the gravel, trying to eat and bike at the same time (no injuries, thanks for that), and also face down in one of the river crossings, so she contributed with some extra excitement (and shows that she's charging)! Otherwise everything went smooth, superwell done chicas!

St James trail is an awesome, fun, stunning trail with mixed riding that I could recommend to those with a good level of fitness (at least if you want to do it in a day). I will do it again, I just loved every minute of it. Give me a shout if you too are keen, I might join you! 

Read more about St James cycle trail here.

The start.

Malings Pass.

Malings Pass with view over Waiau river. St James trail far down there.

Waiau Valley.

Waiau Valley

My bike, thanks for carrying me all the way :).

Saddle Spur bridge.

Beautiful New Zealand... Waiau river.

Peters Pass with rain chasing us.

Peters Valley.

The finish line, yea stoke!!!