MONDAY MISSIONS : SKIPPERS CANYON

Soooo, Monday Missions is all go!

Todays mission was the 'Pack Track'. A beautiful bit of singltrack heading down 'Skippers Canyon'. A good 15min of pure downhill singletrack. What more could you want!


The view from (almost) the start of the 'Pack Track'. Looking back over to the 'Remarkables' mtn range. Remarkable isn't it..........


Just over to the left was an awesome view over to 'Arrowtown'.


Chilling at the top, getting ready for the descent.


I think thats all any mountain biker wants to see, singletrack disappearing down the hill.


Justin told me there was a pub at the bottom. It wasn't quite what I was expecting..........


So at some stage it was a pub.

You just cant take some people anywhere.........



The singletrack finished in the woods at the bottom of the hill. Then a little (1hr+) climb back to the top!

Someone left a sign just for me too!!!!

MONDAY MISSIONS : MOONLIGHT TRACK

I think we're gonna make mondays a regular day for a big ride! Explore the area some more. Not so much about adrenalin based biking, more about escaping to the hills and seeing the amazing scenery this place has!

Todays mission was the 'Moonlight track', a big loop that goes around the back of 'Ben lomond' and 'Bowen peak'. Which are the hills behind Fernhill and Queenstown.


Yours truly looking down towards 'Shotover Creek' with 'Queenstown Hill' just behind us. A beautiful little bit of single track to start the climb!


Justin relaxing while I take photo's! How good is that singletrack? It goes on forever and has some fun descents filled with rocks and ruts. Just don't look down to your right..........


After a good bit of singletrack followed by viciously steep fire road climbs we found ourselves by 'Moke Lake'. Perfect day for a swim to cool us down!


Looking back from 'Moke Lake' up the 'Moke Creek' valley.



















More views of 'Moke Lake'.




After leaving 'Moke Lake' you descend to 'Lake Dispute' With fantastic views of the surrounding valleys.


The final descent gets you back to 'Lake Wakatipu' and the fantastic '7 mile' bike trails. Just the final road ride back to Queenstown to do!

Todays mission = 5hrs + around 50 km

WYNYARD FREESTYLE PARK AKA THE RIDE TO WORK

This is the local DH/jump park, around 5 min from my house and is my ride to work!


Hmmm, 'Proffessional jump's'. I've got all summer for that!


The 'Hub', where the smaller jumps are. All designed for 'big' bikes which makes for a good time!


The start of the 'Mini Dream' track. From top right with a small step down into a flat(ish) launch (left in picture), setting you up for the hip jump!


The big hip jump, with my bike hiding in the gap! Yes this IS the 'Mini' dream line..........


Just oppositte is the run out from the road gap up on the big Dream track. More photo's of that to come...................

NEW JOB

Heres a few photo's of the workshop i'm working in!


Pretty cool set up, plenty of room!


It turns into a ski/board workshop in winter. Lots of big machinery lying dormant in the room.


The afternoons work, frame swap for a dirt jump bike.




A little xmas pressie for myself! Lots of dh action to be done, better be safe!

THE WAY TO QUEENSTOWN

Time to move on to Queenstown. New job, new surroundings!


View from the top of the 'Crown range' road. The highest road in the south island! Looking down towards Loch (lake.....) Wakatipu. Queenstown is based by this loch, which is the longest in the south island.



Slightly further along the road, showing the Arrowtown basin. Arrowtown is a nice little town not too far from Queenstown. Nice to escape too, away from the tourists in Queenstown.



CRAZY CHRISTMAS HOUSE


This is the house across the road! Still feels strange thinking its christmas when its roasting hot and light till 9.30 at night. Then they light this sucker up and you remember.


Someone better have put out milk and cookies........



Not sure where Santa's sleigh is gonna go. The heads move around on the two deer at the left. Somewhere there's elves on a seesaw too! Some people have far too much spare time............ and electricity..............

LAST BITS OF WANAKA

I moved back into Wanaka for around a month. Spring was on its way, the snow had gone and it was time to find more places to ride bikes. Move on to new adventures!


This was home for the last month! Nice little place with a cool garden. You wouldn't even know you were in the middle of Wanaka.


Crazy colours at sunrise! Everything looked this strange orange colour. Made it easier to get up at 5.30am for work.


Nice moody weather by the loch. A new job was calling though, time to move on!

HAWEA

I lived out in Hawea for a few months. Its around 15km from wanaka so I missed the madness of the small town winter party scene. It must have a population of about 100 (maybe more?), so easy to get trapped in the local pub.............


This was home. Such a big house with plenty of space. Note the fact that the ground is still frozen in the shade. Winter was pretty chilly.


Found this pretty cool looking bit of drift wood by the beach. Its hard to get over the vastness of the landscape.

ARROUND LAKE WANAKA

Here's some photo's from around Wanaka.

Wanaka's a beuatiful place up in the southern lakes of New Zealands south island.

The place is crazy busy when there's snow, It's all about the skiing and boarding for most people. Town is incredibly busy and there's always something happening, day or night. I tried my hand at it but spent more time biking! These are my photo's from my daily biking trips.



From the trails up at 'Sticky Forest', looking south over Lake Wanaka (from here on I will be calling them Loch's, none of this lake business........................).



Looking Further to the west of the loch. It's a pretty long loch surrounded by huge mountain scapes. You can see why so many films have been made around here!!!



Sitting by the loch, watching the sun go down.


Looking down towards Wanaka (it really is no bigger than that) From Mt Iron.