Back into Amokura

Two weeks in a row we have ridden classic SOBs rides. Last week's post told you about the beautiful Blue Mountains and Mangakirikiri Stream ride.

This week we took on the mighty Amokura Rd/Challenge Road loop which is quite a daunting ride. Added to that I've been suffering from a head cold, gutsache and nausea most of the week!

However, I set off with the Boss from his place and down the road we me up with long lost Kerr and Brian and at Woodlands School we collected the two Teddys. The first climb had become quite technical with larger channels carved into it but we all managed OK. Aaron was struggling though with his asthma.

From there the fun start. When Brian fell in front of me trying to skirt a large puddle which I just biked through my day was made. Of course the loud laughter came back to haunt me as I flew over my handlebars when my front wheel came to a sudden halt in a bog a few hundred metres later. Things got better when we hit the tank trap and as Brian came to a halt couldn't get his feet out! Jarod was the only one to successfully navigate the second part of the trap though none of us managed the first part.

We hurtled down to the ford with Jarod being the only one to keep his feet dry though, to be fair, Aaron got in my way and I had to put a foot down in the river.

The following climb was as bad if not worse than I remembered and it was an uncommon feeling to experience arriving at the top in last place. I did, however, get attacked by a toe toe bush which grabbed me to a halt and threw me into it, bashing the inside of my knee on the frame and ending up in that uncomfortable position of having your head lower than your feet while they are still locked into the pedals. Aaron, suffering from his asthma, cycled past at that point and I followed him up.

The Upper Paerata Road looks opened up by a bulldozer and could be quite good fun, but we chose to hurtle down Challenge Road at breakneck speed and crawled back to Boss' for cake and coffee.

It's great to be stiff and sore and wasted on a Sunday again as a result of SOBS adventures.

Where were you Destry (in trouble I hear) and Hedley and Teleri?