Firstly, I want to praise how well (I believe) the emergency services, council and government have reacted to this disaster- in stark contrast to the sensationalism seen online and T.V. I think everyone is working as hard as they can to help. Secondly…OMG! I’m not in as much shock as many (including my wonderful Wife) but I still cannot believe how much Mother Nature chewed this City up! I’m sleeping well- eating as normal and just grateful to have experienced such an event with no loss of life. But others have lost so much and it pays to keep this in mind as I sit with heating and Wifi! The most that we were inconvenienced “post shake” was half a day without power and having to live at the rear of the house until the emergency services knocked down the chimney. Oh and continuing to boil water until the City is 100% sure that it’s safe to drink due to burst sewerage pipes.

I’ve offered my help – but as yet the country is calling for small donations via the Redcross rather than man power so please donate if you can afford it. Amy returned to work on Monday and I attempted to get back into the groove which was not as easy as it sounds when feeling the effects of such a disaster. Christchurch up until today (actually I just read that it might be for another week!) was locked down by the Army while the CBD (Central Business District) was cleared “and repaired” which not only makes it tricky to get around- but also grounds for a very tense and nervous environment. Most people involved in the clean up have been working flat out since the incident and tempers and the patience of many are wearing very thin indeed. As I discussed with Amy, it is fear and subsequent lack of sleep that will end up causing the most problems if not dealt with. Such a small island and such a massive disaster….there is just not enough people to go around. Either way- the sense of fear and uncertainty as the after shocks relentlessly hit the region is astonishing. As per the Civil Defence updates- the current state of affairs are

“Some inspected buildings will require re–assessment but an initial check showed no substantial damage from the aftershocks of up to Magnitude 5.4 that hit the Christchurch area this morning, as the city has extended its State of Emergency by a week.

The main focus for Christchurch City Council, Waimakariri District Council and Selwyn District Council continues to be building assessments in their respective areas. Some additional inspectors have been deployed to the region to assist. The Earthquake Commission has received over 27,000 claims for damage to residential properties but up to 100,000 claims may be lodged.”

As for the aftershocks- this website gives you an indication of the hammering! And the shocks are registering for upto 2 minutes still. Thankfully the night time ones have not kept me from slumber, but over breakfast this morning Amy & I + the two dogs dived under the “Anti Earthquake Device” – our dinner table as a very aggressive shock hit the street. It’s kind of a strange mind set- I want to get back into the groove of my life and quite often (with no T.V news or other hype) I can do so quite happily……but then you get an aftershock and instantly one finds themselves going over the ‘drill” to take if it hits again. Since the weekend we have gear ready in the hallway and sleep with head torches next to the bed…..*shakes head*. I’m calm and collected though- which may surprise many folk- who like I mentioned are still unable to settle since the quake. I suppose now I actually know what an earth quake does- and what actions to take- I’m prepared as best as I can be- with the totally unknown on Sunday morning being the peak of fear being a new born experience! This works well too- as Amy is still a mess and we can’t have both of us bordering on burnt out can we!?

Talking of burning out (lol) I officially hit the Port Hills yesterday for what could be seen as my first training run for this years Kepler Challenge! You have no idea how many weeks it has taken me to open up that excel spreadsheet from last year’s epic training schedule and just COMMIT to it! hah! Anyway- heading off from the Kiwi I ran Traverse and Mt. Vernon and back around Sugar Loaf and then with 10 mins to spare of the 1:10 run dipped back onto the Traverse for the final (and of course glorious!) few KM’s. I could upload the Garmin stats- but what’s the point until I get into the bigger runs. Anyway, for my memoirs- it was a 1hr 10min undulating and technical trail run @ 9.06 KM’s. What I’d love to do in these “Kepler posts” is try and share a track or two from my iPod that kind of connects you to the run. Weird …maybe…..but it’s what stamps some individuality on them for me. So yeah- yesterday’s wee run was sponsored by Leftfield and “Rhythm and Stealth”

I have the strange urge to finish this post with “peace out”. How bizarre :D Happy trails people…and do something nice for someone today ay…..

Related posts:

1. Christchurch Earthquake rocks the city
2. The aftermath of peaking…
3. My favourite posts of 2009

4:30 am (ish) Amy and I were oddly awake- unable to sleep and then the bed started to shake. The room started to move and it so aggressive that we were physically being thrown from side to side. What we thought would never happen while living in New Zealand was unfolding as the adrenaline kicked in….an Earth Quake.We ran barely able to stand as the shaking intensified from the bedroom and literally slid on the floor to take cover under our dining room table as objects were falling over and being thrown to the ground around us. We huddled scared for our lives as the waves intensified….then a lull…and then more shaking. I’m all for pushing my fear buttons but this was the most terrifying experience I’ve had on this Earth. Huddled naked under a table in the pitch black waiting and expecting your home to fall on top of you while the world shook everything like a rag doll is something to experience! To say we felt like a dust of sand waiting to be blown away by a large gust of wind was an under statement. Absolutely Terrifying.

The shaking eventually calmed down enough for us to grab our senses. Scrambling out from the table we headed to the back room to put on some warm clothes- again in the dark- frantically feeling our way through the wardrobe for tops and bottoms.This was pointless so I ventured to the bike room and a flash light then lit our way. Fleecy tops and bottoms, jackets, some more flash lights- bananas- water and energy gels…..all crammed into our bags in what seemed like seconds. Car and house alarms were singing out into the darkness and it was at least zero degrees outside as we called out for the two dogs. Thankfully they were ok. The neighbors on the corner of the street were standing out on the pavement weeping still in their dressing gowns. A power pole had crashed down into their fence and house- barley missing them as they slept. The street was black and no light guided us. The head torches were fantastic as we navigated our way down the street and avoiding fallen power lines and cracks in the street to an open playing field- where already others were gathering. Being in the open gave us a sense of safety- but it was freezing cold- and already we were feeling it’s effects. I was not to bad dressed in outdoor gear- but Amy was in here Pajamas and dressing gown which provided no warmth. We opted to head back and get the van so we could then at least keep warm. This was a clever move.

Checking for structural damage we then opened the garage door. The smell of fuel was obvious and the culprit was the scooter laying on its side. Once upright I then reversed the van out and after grabbing the sleeping bags and locking the house up in case of looting we then returned to the open field. Sitting in the van we were silent. Totally stunned at what had just happened and so happy to be in one piece. Listening to the radio for updates and news we sat for a few hours until light broke and returned to the house. The place was a mess with our stuff everywhere. It could have been worse though- as as far as we could tell the walls and ceiling were all good. The street was full of residents chatting about the events and as the sun rose the damage to the houses around us was apparent. Fences were down, power poles and walls. An after shock revealed that our chimney stack (6+ feet and solid brick) was infact close to falling- and had moved at least 5 inches during the quake. The stack being located between out bedroom and living area where we were huddled under could have come down with a terrible result. The aftershocks continue and the stack is still a danger so those two rooms are out until the fire brigade visit and take it down.

I sit here with power- and feel blessed to have it. We seem to also have water which by all accounts may be contaminated with sewerage. The intensity of teh shock was rated as 7.4 with some regions experiencing 9.0- but these facts differ from news site to news site. What we do know is that it shook the living daylights out of Christchurch and thankfully- as yet- there have been no loss of life. Walking the streets has revealed that our suburb was one of the worse hit areas and with constant after shocks it’s a nerve racking time to say the least. The roads have been warped like paper- buildings demolished- water mains broken and a national emergency has been declared in Christchurch. The house is still un safe with the chimney teetering on its edge and there is a forecast of a larger high intensity after shock to come.

Moving the mattress and essentials to the rear of the house we are set to wait until our home is declared safe. With camping stove and now power- we feel blessed to at least take care of ourselves until the dust settles in the city. What an experience it was and continues to be……we just hope that the worst has happened. The after shocks seem to be constant though and to say that we are edgy is an understatement. Holy shit that was scary.

Related posts:

1. Christchurch’s Earthquake- the Aftermath
2. Cruising around Christchurch City
3. How to ride rocks

UK Trip

As you can see from recent posts, I’ve been overseas in the UK. A trip that I would have preferred to have been for happier reasons than family illness- but while there I made the most of it . I caught up and re-connected with so many people. Ten years apart from family is too long and it was just magic to spend time with them again. I won’t go into to much details, but having new memories of good times with my family (in particular my Brother and Sisters) and shaking the hands and hugging people who are caring for my Mother was worth the journey alone. You are all amazing people.

Visiting some old haunts was kinda cool too. I had memories of places being so big and in reality they are tiny. The streets alone struggle to fit one car down them and with driving speeds being much faster in public spaces it felt like I was rally driving! lol One day, I cycled from my Parents village to where I lived in Canterbury and then onto Whitstable- and back. On route I explored some forest tracks and other villages. All up it was about 65KM- and a day that will stick in my mind for ever. I ate fish and chips on the beach front in Whitstable next to a small flat I lived in- then had a break outside of the Bioscience Dept. at the University of Kent where I graduated from back in 2000, followed by coffee where I used to once sit and people watch next to the Cathedral gates in Canterbury. Crazy! I ran out of food at one point to find myself in the middle of an apple orchard….to then eat the fruit straight from the trees. All day…the sun was out too :) Simple things that I took fro granted while living there- such as the history- wildlife- people- and even the weather- I could not stop capturing on film. It was like I had gone back in time to capture memories :D

Back to NZ

The flight back over the weekend was not as enjoyable as the NZ to UK leg due to aisle seat choice and  being woken constantly due to foot traffic. We were even woken during the many stages of turbulence to check if out belts were on! But it happens – and I could at least get up every few hours without disturbing others for a good stretch and natter with cabin crew. The other upside was that I spent along time chatting with Ricardo from Norway who was on route to Auckland to present to the New Zealand Electro Acoustic Music Symposium at the University Of Auckland. He was great company and by all accounts (via facebook) his talk was a success. It was also during this flight that I got to see the iPad for the first time! Ricardo was literally watching back to back episodes of the Wire- and after 12hrs of use- the battery life was still @ 70%.  Truly un believable! So without a doubt- I’m super keen to replace our aging Macbook with an iPad in the near future. I tried to resist!!! I tried! lol

I arrived late into Auckland and missed the Christchurch connecting flight and it added a 3 hr wait as I struggled to keep conscious in the airport! Due to arriving in NZ- I also had to collect baggage and re-check it in. After close to 30hrs of travel- this was an interesting “challenge” indeed :) Once on the plane and with a sigh of relief I put on the sunnies and hoody and then I remember waking and drooling (yeah- head down drooling) and then landing. Seeing the Porthills and sandy beaches with white lapping waves was a sight to behold as we flew into the city. Such a far cry from the vastness of London as I flew into there. I cannot honestly explainto you just how massive that city was……it just went on and on and on. I wish I had taken photos.

By 5 pm I was asleep- even coffee did not stop the inevitable with the 30 +hrs of travel and non stop two week trip hitting me like a truck (a soft one made of giant pillows…lol). I slept right through until 8am the following morning and woke as if I had never been away- it was like a dream- and more importantly I had no jet lag! That afternoon I was in the hills for my weekly run with the sun shining and birds singing their little hearts out. Spring had truly sprung in Christchurch and running along the trail I could not help to appreciate even more what we have in this fine country. It is indeed great to be back home.

The Kepler Challenge

I have managed to keep up my running while away and why there were no mountains or even hills (lol) the stunning UK countryside kept me entertained and the soft ploughed earth offered a really good workout! My base has been ticking over and with mostly fast runs over the past weeks I hope to have worked on the faster twitch muscles that I lacked last season. Mixing in an occasional longer run and walk- and now some bike rides- things are coming along ok. But with 3 months to go- it’s now time to start training for the 60KM Kepler Track in December!!! I’ve put it off for long enough now….lol.

I’m going to use my training plan from last year- it worked out well so I don’t see the point of messing with it to much. With a fast paced weekly run, some strength work and then a second longer run during the week creeping in- this works well with longer tramps and runs on the weekends. I’ve mentioned before that I felt last years taper of 4 weeks was to long- so this year I’m looking at a 2.5- 3 week taper- but I’ll listen to what this old and broken body tells me to do once I get there! Regardless of my plans- the next 3 months will see a dramatic increase in my weekly KM’s- but with some sensible training that will incorporate heart rate zones- I’m feeling quite excited about stepping it up a gear. I’ve been here before and it’s all about “believing”- and once the KM’s start clicking over the mind steps in and helps out. What I now need to do is become focussed and disciplined in my approach. It is this bit that I struggle with as I just “like to run”. I just hope I make it to December the 5th injury free and as always accept that this is part of the journey- and that’s the way it is. On a positive note though- and like last year- Amy and I will be going to Te Anau regardless- for me to participate or for us to spectate and support others. It’s all good :)

Tomorrow I’ll meet up with Anita- who is also heading to the Kepler. I’ll be running for an hour and walking for an hour….a nice and easy start to the longer weekend endurance runs. This year I aim to run with as many Kepler folk as possible during the training- and maybe even on the day- depending on pace. I also aim to head off for weekend runs where I can get out into the mountains- and with a recent addition to the family- our 1987 Toyota van “Chunk” (from the Goonies movie) it is now possible to rest my weary head after those 4- 5 hour runs in the mountains. Tick Tock- Tick Tock…..not long now.

Mountain biking

I’ve not been on the mountain bike for months. Once upon a time I would be ashamed to mention such words- but I’ve grown to accept that winter riding (for me) on the South Island is not possible (unless you class riding in circles around Bottlelake – mountain biking!). Running, tramping, snow sports and the gym are worthy replacements for the bike over winter and to be honest the mixing up of sport has actually made me a better rider. I also ride for 100% fun these days- and don’t worry to much about losing my technical edge over winter as it comes back quickly- and with fitness ticking over during the Winter months- I’m not fussed about climbing those hills!

Anyway, the other week before flying UK side I  headed up to the Kiwi in “Chunk” to have a sneaky Traverse return ride – just for some fun. No more 1 hr 20 return on road to get to the trail head- no more dodging cars- and no more wasting time. It was a total blast just heading across to get a “fix” and to pump that trail like it was Summer :) Back at the van I had a flask of coffee waiting (mmmm Coffee) and with the sun low in the sky casting it’s orange glow I sat watching the world go by.

While I sat there it got me thinking about this seasons upgrades :) And for some time now I’ve been intrigued by trying flat pedals and 5 10 shoes. The truth be known- I’ve never really liked riding clipped into pedals since I arrived in Christchurch- it just feels wrong on technical trails. I’ve also noticed how the twisting to release will often “twinge” the inside of my knees during those panic “holy shit i’m going to die” kinda moments :) Thirdly, having a set position regardless of terrain has started to feel restrictive in how i want to use my legs. If I want to use my tippy toes or rear of my feet for balance/ power/ what ever being clipped into a rock solid shoe like i’m on a snowboard is as far from that ideal as possible. I suppose what I’m saying is that SPD’s just feel “wrong” for me these days and being injury free far out weighs being able to get to the top of the Rapaki 60 seconds faster than my riding buds :)

Spencer lent me his DMR V12′s- and I invested in some 661 shin pads and 5 10′s which thankfully worked out well! I rode the new setup for the first time in Afan Wales- it was wet and nasty and I loved them! Needless to say I’ve just picked up a pair of V12′s for myself with a fetching “bling kit” in purple. Nice. While I was ordering I also picked up a Hope 70mm stem in Gunsmoke to match my hubs. After playing around with the 90mm stem that came with the Trance and also an 80mm cheapy- the 70mm when combined with the tall Revelations and the 2.4 Rubber Queen (that I missed so much I swapped out for the weenie burping 2.2) it steers great. I’d now like to get a flat bar- to lower the front by another 20mm- just to stick the front end down some more. But meh…it can wait.

Yesterday I headed back to the Traverse and gave the flats a go in the hills. It was really interesting through the technical rocks and I need to work on technique as being clipped in has passed on some poor habits. I did find that I use my hammys more on flats though as I have to use more of a circular motion rather than a “pulling up” motion- again- poor technique from SPD’s. But was it more fun? HELL YEAH! I had no reservations while teetering on rocks and just rocked along with no part of my mind occupied on being attached to the pedals. I also changed my feet position constantly which just goes to show how much my body language changes due to terrain. I’m 100% that I’ll stick with flats for trail riding- and keen to put in the time to correct a few bad habits. I do have to mention the pure grippiness of the pedal 5 10 combo…it borders on to much grip! I can’t believe just how positive and sure footed this combo is.

With Mount Vernon being open too- I headed up and over that trail. I never missed a beat with the flats- and rode it like a champ- with my confidence increasing I was finding my groove. Being able to hit the rock gardens at more pace then usual was great fun and at one point i came a real cropper and simply lifted my foot off. No twisting of ankles or knees anywhere. I loved it. Climbing back up I bumped into Nick the Ranger and chatted about the track status and plans. It looks as if this track will be covered in gravel  for most of it’s length which upsets me a bit.  I can understand why there is a need for the intermediate riders in Christchurch- but it seems that each year that passes the trails are becoming more and more like gravel paths. Oh well. I do see Nicks point and there are enough trails in the Port Hills to share across all riding skill levels- so that’s cool. At least there is Vic Park and the Greenwood side of town and with the Van I can now head there for a sneaky “fix” if need be. Maybe we need an under ground group to build trails close to CHCH that are actually more like trails? Any takers? And if so…where can we do it?

On that note I’m off. The sun is out again and it feels like a crime sat here online when I could be working on my tan. lol. It won’t be long now before we have the long endless days of sun…..

Related posts:

1. Christchurch’s Earthquake- the Aftermath
2. April 2009 updates
3. November updates

The Cathedral’s history goes back to 597AD when St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great as a missionary, established his seat (or ‘Cathedra’) in Canterbury. In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and ever since, the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims, as told famously in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. The front “Gates” are a work of art and a real treat to just walk under- and through out the City- the tall spires of the Cathedral are visible. It’s very impressive. Amy (my Wife) actually worked at the Cathedral back in 1999- as part of her exchange (Tourism) from Melbourne University. Infact- the Cathedral is connected to how we met as her boss at the time owned the shared house that I was living in at the time- and Amy moved in :)

When Alex & I arrived it was nice and quiet- the tourists had left for the day and a solo violinist (busker) greeted us. The actual Cathedral itself was closed so entry was free and we walked the grounds with coffee in hand chatting and taking photos. The stones we walked on were worn from millions of feet over the ages- and the light of the day was fading with superb orange light shadows. The light highlighted details in the stone work and “gaps” and they were simply astonishing. Everything about the building and grounds shouts “POWER”.

Good times with my bro :)

Related posts:

1. The University of Canterbury Christchurch
2. Wintery Canterbury foothills
3. Wellington Weekend

After a few nights in central Cardiff my brother and I headed an hour or so to Afan Lodge for a nights stay to check out the Afan Valley. Our original plan was for me to stay all week- but the weather was against us- as well as budget (one night at Afan Lodge was $160!!) Meeting up with a group of guys from London over breakfast I tagged along for the Wall Trail. Being just 24km it seems a perfect ride to check out the trails on offer. We considered bike hire for Alex- but at $80 for the day + $400 deposit and such heavy rain- Alex was happy to sit in the bar after breakfast surfing, drinking coffee and eating while I was out for a few hours.

“The Wall Trail (Afan Forest Park) is a 24 km (approx. 15 miles) mainly single-track loop with spectacular cliff top views of the Afan Valley en-route. The trail is to the north of the Afan Park Visitor Centre on the north side of the Afan Valley. The Graveyard section and the final descent of the Wall have been particularly well reviewed. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours. Classed as Technically Difficult.” (Wales directory)

I’m not really sure of the groups names (sorry guys) but they were a great group of blokes and it was  fantastic to have some guides and company. The weather was barmy warm at 20 – 22 degs but the rain was vertical for the 3 hrs we were out. Being soaking wet is not that bad when it’s warm, and having come from Christchurch’s mid winter it was quite tropical in comparison! How crazy does that sound…..England……feeling humid!

First impressions of the trails were that they were very pretty with dirt that gripped very well in the pouring rain. With a grit like consistency and small stones through out- the Rubber Queens found traction in spots that they should have not.  Talking of tyres, I’m back on the UST 2.4 up front as I kept “burping” the 2.2 and the extra 600+ g up front provides so much more stability into obstacles.  Yesterday was my very first trail ride wearing flats- (5 10′s and DMR V12′s) and it just felt “right”- even through rocky technical sections. Anyway, back to the trail.

There was a bit of pavement and fire road here and there- but it worked well in between the single track to socialise with the group. All of us were drenched, covered in trail and had a heap of fun.  By all accounts this region is hilly and the climbs are tough- New Zealand has done me proud as I thought they were very pleasant! The majority of the trails I found pretty, yet not very technical and challenging. Being a “man made” bike park- there were not many “surprises” on route which was actually a heap of fun as I could just ride and not worry to much. Of course sitting back mid pack and following the leaders also helped my enjoyment- with no surprises.

The “Grave Yard” and last descent of the “wall” was the highlight for me and worth the few hours to get there. Heading through the Grave Yard there were slate slabs and rocky ups which tested my skills and new flat pedal setup. I cleared them 3 times in total and after technical issues we managed to at last capture the “feel” of this section. It was very cool indeed.

At the start of the final “down” I sat back and waited for everyone to head off. I wanted to give myself some space and to also loose any “guide” to ride it “with surprises”. The rain was literally gushing down the trail as I headed down and then it started to become “fun” with some rocks and slab berms. With run offs loose rocks and not knowing what was around the next bend I started to find my stoke and my brakes were hardly used. Dropping off rocks and choosing lines to the edges offered even more of a challenge as I headed downwards. The dirt flicking up in to my face was of little interest as I peered ahead through the forest. I was on the edge of my skills down that trail and loved every second of it. Personally- I’d just climb up and ride the grave yard and wall descent and give the rest a miss as they were heaps of fun. I managed a “wwo-hoo” on the final descent which is my own tick of approval!

On arriving back at the Lodge I stripped and changed in the car and then freshened up in the bars toilets (read wash 1KG of dirt off my face). We had checked out that morning you see- but with the most thorough soaking of my life during the ride- I was pretty much showered on return! With coffee and  a bar lunch (with home made chips of course!) we set off back to Canterbury- some 5.5 hrs away. Cheers Alex for being so patient and waiting for me back at the Lodge! (I’m such an addict!)

Also, thanks Antony and the guys for showing me around the trails yesterday- and putting up with my rubber necking and stories of the land of the big white cloud! If any of you ever make it to the South Island- please be sure to let me know and I’ll show you around. Actually, Antony runs an extensive blog and sells brands such as Knolly at Tamed Earth which is well worth checking out. The Lodge itself was also great- with the whole family (Richard, Louise and Sonny) helping out- and all keen mountain bikers too. The Welsh are so damn friendly that a simple hello can end in an hour long conversation about all things mountain biking- be warned if you are in a rush! lol Apparently, after meeting many Kiwis- the Lodge has branded us as laid back and nuts. I’m 100% happy with that reputation :D

As for the riding in Afan- I liked what I saw- and would have loved to ride the black trails as the red (rated as technically difficult) were a great warm up. With the Afan Lodge hosting 17 rooms that are often full on weekends- and with all other B& B’s packed too- it just shows how popular Trail Centre riding has become in England over the past 10 years. The Lodge is fully bike friendly with a bike lockup, cycle mags, wall art and bikers everywhere. I particularly liked the plastic trays in the rooms with signage that read “dirty gear in here” :)

Related posts:

1. Bottlelake Forest- Christchurch
2. Mountain biking at the Kirwans Reward Track – Easter 2009 Part 2
3. Dandynong Ranges mountain biking

What day is it? Oh yeah it’s Friday. Jet lag broke after 4 days or is it nights? And I’ve been here for a week already! It has been 10 years since I last visited Old Blighty and I wish it was for better circumstances with family illness being my main focus. While I’m here though I’m going to make the very most of it and spend time with Family, Friends and visit at least one place new! Currently I’m with my Brother in Cardiff- Wales- which is our first visit. Later today I’m off to check out what South Wales has on offer and squeeze in a mountain bike ride near Afan Forest Park I’ll post some more if and when I get time- but meanwhile here are some photos/ video of the past week.

Related posts:

1. Afan Forest Park Mountain Biking – Wales
2. Meeting Grace & Phil
3. landscapes by gato-gato-gato

Do I really need to write anything? More images here.

Related posts:

1. Body Surfing…
2. 2010 Western States 100 photos
3. Old Photographs

The Woods Belong To Us – Trailer from 30 LBS Skunk on Vimeo.

The Woods Belong To Us? examines two conflicting lifestyles: mountain biking and environmentalism, and the outcome when they collide. The conflict has been going on for over twenty years, but there seems to be no end in sight. Will there be a time when they can all peacefully co-exist? More at their website.

Related posts:

1. Riding the long white cloud
2. Bombing through Bolivia – mountain biking in the Andes
3. Zeros & Ones

Spence and Ben headed off to snowboard and ski at Porters Pass in Arthur’s Pass yesterday so I tagged along. I had plans to do some walks so took a heavy pack and walking poles. Once we got there I discovered that I could hire some gear and do some snowboarding lessons so that was that! I opted for a 2 hr session with an instructor and small group. I had skied before when in my teens, but the boarding was something else! My arse now hates me :D

I kind of picked it up quickly though considering I’ve not been on the snow since childhood, and after the two hours I was “doing ok” and able to do some turns. I could have done with an extra few hours of instruction though. Come lunchtime the lure of hot food and coffee was enough to pull me away from the slope and after meeting up with the guys for food I went for my planned walk while they headed back up on the ski lift. I’m keen to do more snowboarding if it works out for the rest of the season as It was a lot of fun (read if I can get there!). So let’s see.

I chose a ridge high up the mountain just to the left of the main ski field and just walked up the snow covered scree. I just had to get up the top after being on the lower slope all afternoon to see the views.  But 1/4 the way up I seriously re-considered the plan! It was really hard going with the pack and the snow was like walking on marshmallow. Thankfully I kept on walking though and the view from the ridge was just amazing. It really did feel like I was on top of the world! It took 1.5 hrs to climb up and 20 minutes to get down!! And boy it was fun running down the steep scree! Once again…I would have not made it without the poles…..what a life saver! And what a day!

Anyway, here are some photos. What a beauty.

Related posts:

1. The Poulter Valley Track – Arthur’s Pass National Park
2. Birthday bash at the Bealey Spur
3. Last of the summer mountain biking – Craigieburn

Riding The Long White Cloud – Trailer from friendlyfire on Vimeo.

Pinched from MWG

Related posts:

1. The woods belong to us
2. This is why….
3. Camelbak Cloud Walker back pack review