About three hours drive south of Auckland, in the Pureora forest is an 85 kilometre cycle trail called the Timber Trail. In December 2014 it was time to treat the Ripley to the pure joy of mountain bike riding in New Zealand. And this was a great trail to start on! Continue reading
I love riding my bike. I love riding it on bike paths around the Central Coast. I love riding it to work on the quiet back roads. I love riding it on fire trails at Kariong and up Kincumber Mountain. Every ride is great and a natural high. But now and again none of these rides quite do the trick. I just have to hit some single track!! Continue reading
After over four thousand kilometres of riding it, I thought it was time to reward my Trusty Ibis Ripley for being a thrilling companion on so many mountain biking adventures in 2014. Sure, I wash it, I take care of it, I shout it visits to the LBS, and I purchase more bike bling than I care to admit …. but what would be a special way to show my appreciation to this “so ridable”, “so stealth” and “so hunky” a 29er? Continue reading
As a result of a riding incident in Taupo, New Zealand recently, I have learnt a valuable lesson about adjusting the rebound settings on the fork of my Ripley. Continue reading
Had the opportunity to have a couple of hours ride on the fire trails from Kariong to Pearl Beach this morning – riding on my own, haven’t been on the dirt for some time, so decided to do some slow, relaxed riding. Continue reading
We were looking forward to a dirt ride in the morning. But I awoke to find it was raining and had quite obviously been raining over night. Snug in my bed, early in the morning, rain falling outside, bike nice and clean – I shot Paul a text expecting we would cancel. But his enthusiasm for the ride overcame all the cosy reasons for not going. And so we headed off to Rocky Ponds. Continue reading
About every month I try to ride my Ibis Ripley to work. It’s a bit of an effort cos work is 60 kilometres from home. Sadly, there is not a single track or fire trail or rail trail I can take but fortunately there is a quiet back road. Continue reading
It’s been raining most of the week, and though it was cruel to the Ripley, I just had to get out and hit the fire trails, having done so much bike path riding lately. I couldn’t do much to protect the running gear of the Ibis but I could protect my eyes from the spraying grit and grim. So, contrary to my normal practice, I donned the protective glasses. Continue reading
Myall Lakes National Park ~ a stretch of bushland wedged between the sea and the Myall Lakes ~ a fire trail running it’s 20 km length ~ access to a couple of camping sites ~ locked gates at either end. Sounds like a perfect setting for a mountain bike ride. Continue reading
This would not only be my very first cross country race but a full one hundred kilometres of dirt road and trail to boot! And boy, was I excited … and just a tad underprepared! My training buddy was still in Europe fattening up on German breads so I would be riding solo. But, as I soon found out, I would not be riding alone … Continue reading
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