Out the back, lost again

This is from a couple of weeks ago (ie the last weekend it wasn't raining). I'm riding the On-One fixie, for this is Tramping Encumbered by Bicycle territory. I think I'm here: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-41.261622,174.743192&spn=0.002948,0.006748&t=h&z=18&om=1

I was heading south from Mt Kaukau and took a wrong turn out towards the west. Ended up in a gully between Ohariu Valley and the main ridge. Took two (sifty) hours to find a way out. However, it was nice and warm and the gorse wasn't too thick.

Wakely Rd, Ngauranga

Bottom of Wakely Rd. I spent ages lining this photo up and then, as soon as I press the shutter button, the Johnsonville train comes out of the tunnel. Ooh, it's an 0men, I expect.

Top of Wakely Rd, looking towards the city

Okay, the horizon's wonky but you get the idea. This is the cool person's way of getting from Newlands back to the waterfront. Sure, you can drop down Ngauranga Gorge at 70 Km/h but I like this track koz it's bumpy and spectacular in it's way. Google maps doesn't know that this is a real road but it's very clear if you zoom in and have a look.

Extreme Johnsonville

Looking south from the end (almost) of Ohariu Valley Rd towards Mt Kaukau. I think thing new subdivision is called Something Heights, but it's really just Extreme Johnsonville. I mean: "Nether Green Crescent"? Don't you just hate *everything*?

And, for context, here's a view looking north over Churton Park (or Nether Green Heights, or whatever. Call it what you like, I ain't living there for the next hundred years or so...)

Note generic SUV. Wonder if we'll see these on the road in ten years?

Mt Kaukau, out the back

Mt Kaukau and its TV antenna as seen from the west. 445m. The track which runs from Kaukau down to Makara Peak is usually known as the Skyline and boy, it's hard. I keep getting lost in the Awarua St catchment and end up in an all-night gorsefight in the rain. Bad for the health, you know?

Takarau Gorge

Pylonage, Ohariu Valley

Yay for pylons!

Ohariu Valley loop

Yesterday the sun came out, so after sifting around the house all morning I spent an equally siffty few hours in the Wellington hills. Here's the route: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=2%2F10+ohiro+rd,+wellington,+nz&daddr=Makara+Rd+%40-41.219830,+174.712740+to%3ATakarau+Gorge+Rd+%40-41.231490,+174.726350+to%3AOhariu+Rd+%40-41.214260,+174.800600+to%3AHelston+Rd+%40-41.221600,+174.810280+to%3ABurgess+Rd+%40-41.222450,+174.810450+to%3ASheridan+Terrace+%40-41.226820,+174.809960+to%3AHutt+Rd+%40-41.266980,+174.781810+to%3AHutt+Rd+%40-41.267350,+174.781500+to%3AHutt+Rd+%40-41.266750,+174.782050+to%3A2%2F10+ohiro+rd,+aro+valley,+wellington&mra=cc&dirflg=h&sll=-41.255872,174.776688&sspn=0.047168,0.079823&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.253161,174.768448&spn=0.09434,0.21595&t=h&z=13&om=1

It's nice out the back - I was chasing the sun so ended up first at Makara Beach. Nice view, but nowhere private to hang out, unless you wade the estuary and continue north around the cliffs.

Saw a few other Lycroids on bikes, all going faster than me, I'm pleased to say. I rode the Raleigh Record Ace with me Barley bag full of cupsive tea, gingernuts and other Blytonia. And I had long argyle socks on: my tea drinking credentials remain unassailable.

The RRA was good, despite slightly bad B17 saddle (it's in rather poor shape, like ma es) and the stiff Shimano shifters. Fundamentally a very sound bike, though the bottle cage mounts have died so I can't screw anything in. No big deal, though.

Oh, one note to the map - I actually went straight down the gully from Wakely Rd in Newlands and ended up at the bottom of Ngauranga gorge on the 4WD road, which I presume is Wakely Rd all the way. Google doesn't know about this, however, so it thinks I went down Centennial Highway. Which you can do, but I prefer the bumpy, no-cars way.

The picture above is one section of Makara Cemetary.