Holidays, Rails & New Trails

This post is bought to you by myself dating Mid February 2010 back to our family vacation in December 2009.

The Upper Clutha Tracks Trust have been putting time, money and resources into some great new trails alongside Lake Wanaka, Hawea River and the Clutha River.

I'm sure there is a lot more they contribute to but today we're talking about the new trail from Albert Town (where we live - 5 kms from Lake Wanaka) to Luggate (another 12kms by car) that follows the Clutha River.

It's so cool I've done it twice in 4 days..

Did I mention the Luggate Hotel has 8 beers on tap and a glass jug sets you back about 10 bucks?

There, just did.

Saturday was with Callum on the yellow terror rigid single speed and this avo with Paul Smith (formerly of Essence Bicycle) on his Singular single speed 29er.

Other recent bike rides feature my dad on my Karate Monkey and my son Charlie riding on the back of Gary Fisher with me in the pilot seat.

Last year UCTT finished another trail alongside the Hawea River right up to Lake Hawea (about 10km from home, one way)

We did 1/2 of it on Sunday stopping for peanut butter sandwiches...

Other rides of note was from my brothers place in Petone up Wainuiomata Hill - yep, you did read corectly I did indeed ride up it this time - no shuttling and then South along the ridgeline and down into Wainuiomata.

This is one of Caleb's best ever tracks and his video does more justice than me telling you all about it.

Karangahake Gorge near Waihi on the Corromandel was another great day out with Tom & Owen.

Mmmmmmmmm can you say Native trail goodness ?

On holiday in Nelson over Xmas I was crook as dog who just got kicked in the guts, so it was pretty low key taking the kids on the back to the shop sort of stuff........

And there was a brewery round the corner from the motorcamp we stayed at in Mapua.

Riding it was none the less.

Oh me and Flossy got to bomb down the South side of Takaka Hill on borrowed bikes which was pretty cool, but also shows how inefficient baggy shorts and a casual button front shirt are for sneaking through the wind at warp factor 40km/h.

Only good for about 38 and who wants to get in a tuck wearing flip flops ?