Same as yesterday, I wanted to blow the copwebs away with a short ride. It was chilly, but reasonably pleasant with less traffic than usual.

Up the hill and down, just around the block. Nice enough ride. I actaully like going up the hill, I just hate the traffic on the very narrow and twisty roads. If my timing had been a little different I would have met a bus in an awkward spot which would have sucked.

It was cold, but not too bad.

Quick ride down and up the hill. It was my best time up the hill, 9.58, which I was super stoked about. So nice riding without the usual traffic.

I went for a quick blat down the hill and subsequently up again.

The way down was fast and fun, there was not too much traffic. I got a heck of a fright at one point when I glanced down and found a car sitting very close to my rear wheel while doing over 40km/hr.

I noticed far more traffic than in previous weeks, but that is due to being near the end of Level 3 and expecting to move into Level 2.

The way up felt hard today, but at other times I felt I was in the perfect gear. It was my fastest time ever up the hill, and about a minute and half faster than my most recent efforts.

I was knackered when I made it home, but it was a fun ride in lovely conditions.

Short ride up the hill to Mitchell Street and then down Todman. My lungs were bunged up and I was very wheezy afterwards, due to purely to the cold.

Feeling the chill in the air on a short round the neighbourhood cruise.

After making it up to the entrance of the turbine track a couple of days ago I decided I wanted to go up the Sawmill Track to the Fenceline Track.

It was a decent 50 minute ride, and very enjoyable.

Getting up to the trail entrance was fine. The Sawmill Track was awesome too, a fairly easy climb as the trail is all Wellington Greywacke and not too loose. I stopped to admire the view on the way up:

I discovered that the Fenceline Track gets REALLY steep, even walkers were being cautious coming down. I attempted the first steep section I came across and had to stop. I started walking up but choose to head down to the start of the incline and take the paved road. That took me up to the Turbine with one stop along the way.

After a brief photo stop I headed down. To be honest I was more freaked out about going down, it is steep and I rode the brakes most of the way. But it was OK, and again the blessing is the lack of vehicles on the road which made it much safer.

I am genuinely excited to try this route again and see if I can get further along the Fenceline Track or take the Highbury Fling.

Fun times!

For the first time I went up the hill to the entrance of the wind turbine track. It is so narrow in places but without traffic it was amazing. It is a tough ride, there are parts of Apuka Street that are quite steep and I was actually worried that I would not be able to climb them, but as it turned out it was OK. Parts of the route are a bus route and I am not too excited about the prospect of meeting a bus!

A morning sojourn down the Brooklyn hill and back up. One of my slowest times back up despite excellent conditions. I figure it the lockdown lack of traffic – the adrenaline spurs me on!

It has been AMAZING without the traffic, and as we near the end of the L4 lockdown it will not be the same again.

The second ride was around the neighbourhood to round off the day.

…while I can. Another shortish lockdown cruise, going as far as the start of Mornington Road, but taking in quite a few other streets. So nice to do while the traffic is light.