We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it's forever.

Yes, once again I have been lazy and stalked and staked a quote from Carl Sagan to the masthead.

Saturday, it was the day of the Winter Solstice Ride. It was also a day of less than hospitable weather in the darkened hours before the appointed meeting time. The weather lead to a few of the known attendees cancelling, then me advising others that I knew were coming that we would defer.

Then I had a small fit, and thought that it wasn't that bad out, and I was awake, and that maybe there would be other attendees who would just turn up. So I set off to the meeting place.

I was a few minutes late, and found sheltering there in the bus shelter, two hardy souls, Jay and Andrew. A brief consultation and we decided to change the route to something a little more humane, and set off to circumnavigate the BCL. As we rolled along the NW bikepath, we encountered a very bright light, oncoming. It was The Croc!
He had thought he was running late, so had chased along the bike path, and realised when he reached Te Atatu Road that there was no bunch ahead (he knows I am incapable of riding that fast), so turned, and we were fortunate to meet him.

So the four of us rolled around the BCL, in conditions better than we expected, the ride was good, apart from a 50% puncture rate in the group, and we even saw the Sun.

As part of the preparation for the original route for the ride, I deposited, in the bushes on the side of Scenic Drive, a bottle of scotch and a dozen plastic glasses. This bounty is still there, and would make an excellent toast for the soul who discovers it, before I get back there to reclaim it.

I will post some approximate coordinates this week, and let the treasure hunt begin.

Death is the road to awe.

It's a dull day, grey, raining, and the forecast for tomorrow is more winter.
I have fielded a couple of queries today as to whether we will still ride tomorrow, the Winter Solstice Ride and the answer is "Absolutely".

It's a celebration, damnit!

Here's something to distract you, lull your nerves, maybe inspire.

Snakes are just tales

On the countdown now for Saturday, the Winter Solstice Ride, the forecast is looking positive and that little surprise that lurks in the Waitakeres will be ready.

I mused as I rode today, and realised that I haven't thrown out a list of favourite things, places to visit, music to listen to, or anything similar for quite some time. Does this mean that I have mellowed and no longer want to proselytize and convert? Hell no! Does this mean that I have stopped seeking and learning? Not a dog's show!
It's more that I couldn't decide what to next inflict direct upon you.

So, to remedy this I have decided that I shall share some thoughts on my favourite New Zealand Fauna. Nothing makes me more excited, or satisfied, than seeing native fauna in the wider environment. Not for a moment am I decrying the role of zoos and museums in education, species preservation, research and their roles in giving access to fauna, but to me there is an unrivaled thrill in seeing fauna in the wild.

Without further ado here is a sample:-

Geckos (Various) - Jewelled forest dwellers, I have been lucky to see them a few times, and am certain that I have missed countless opportunities as I have walked through the bush.

Kingfish (Seriola lalandi sp.) - I defy anyone to not get a thrill watching these green, silver and yellow predators chase and harass baitfish, they are sleek, streamlined and voracious.

Puriri Moth (Aenetus virescens) - These big, green, bumbling moths are always a sight to behold in the dark of the forest. Normally I only see them when I ride Scenic Drive, but they always make me smile.

Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) - That dancing flight, their inquisitiveness and their familiar kissing voice are always a trip straight back to my childhood.

And that is just a slither of what I love, I could wax lyrical and bore you witless, but will resist.

Instead, here's a blast from the recent past.

Winter Solstice Ride

Not long now, and the sun will start to climb a little higher in the sky in it's daily arc, and our days will start to lengthen. We still face the coldest month, July, but that knowledge can be tempered with the increasing day length and the lurking Spring.

To that end, it's time to celebrate the Winter Solstice and Matariki. Recent discussions with CTB and I have led to the following plan.

Meet Potters Park (Corner Balmoral and Dominion Roads) at 06:00 hours, on Saturday 25th June.
From there we will traverse the bikepath west and end up taking in the sheer hell that I described in my last post, the goal is to be on Scenic Drive to see, and toast, the sunrise.

We will follow that with a roll back and a civilised coffee.

Silent Running

I rode heaven then a section of misery last week. The misery, it was an eye-crossing piece of concrete torture that rendered me knock-kneed and gasping. Truly, I was savaged and spat out.
I am not sure which propelled me up this piece of wickedness more, fear or determination, but I conquered it.

What I am describing is a piece of road, that is a glorious climb, a near constant seven percent gradient for four kilometres, bottom half seal, top half metal, bush lined and quiet. It joins, via a short section of hike-a-bike, it's utter opposite.
Five hundred and sixty metres of concrete hell, averaging 15%, but with about 300 metres over 20% and hitting and holding 29%, it is several minutes of torture.

I rode it without stopping, but that was purely because I couldn't quite work out how to, without risking a skin/concrete interface.

When I got to the top, I had the world laid out before me, and I was spent.

Go and try it, but from my own painful experience a 39 x 26 is far too big a gear for that sort of stupidity.

Email me if you want directions.

And, with a finger prod in my direction, the friendly Amerikan sent this, something to render you agog!

Plains Milky Way from Randy Halverson on Vimeo.