Mt Vic rocks. Yeah baby, what a sweet playground to ride some stuff and watch the sunset, while other people work on their belly downtown. Gnarly singletracks, hills that require almost more than bottom gear, and fast downhills, all combined with a stunning scenery and some amazed tourists. Almost perfect. Wonder why I haven't discovered those pleasures before, but there's always a reason. That seamed to be my claim for the week anyway. Was all a bit too much.
But after the last two days riding my motivation kicks in again. The killer instinct is back, and the pure will to tackle things, go a bit further and have shitloads of fun with that. Being a mad German sometimes isn't easy, but worth it. One more month to the hardest race in my life: Karapoti, here I come. So the next month will be hard, but having this race to aim for is more than a good motivation. Slowly my technique gets better as well, sometimes I just have to ride things without thinking, and it works. Let the bike roll. Same as in real life, the less you think about things, the easier they are. Doesn't apply in general, but most of the times.
Ending a shit week and a crap day with a smooth downhill is a great pleasure! If hadn't known it before I should know better now: I need biking for my own well-being. The tougher the better. Pushing the limits. It's pretty amazing how much shit you can burn off your body with one bike ride. One perfect line makes your day, yeah. Thanks Makara for that! Can't wait to go up to Roturua on the weekend, riding some of the sweetest lines in this country. Billy T be aware, I'm coming. After a perfect ride up to the top of Makara Peak a more than lovely downhill and up again, with a final cruise along Swigg and Starfish, that weekend should be fun. 4 days on the saddle....more stories to tell soon. Viva la bicycle. Viva la Stumpjumper!!
Back again to civilisation, what a pity. But hey, another great trip down south, absolutely fantastic. Even though not planned this way. All began with a nice and calm ride over the Cook Straight, some beers on the boat and a great night with other Germans in Picton. Seems there are even more Germans down here than last year, so I developed my English accent even further, to operate undercover in backpackers and kept listening to people taking the piss of crazy nutters like us. Great fun! But let's go back to the facts, we left Picton with more than good intentions, but my lacking navigation skills forced us to take a detour through Renwick, which was immediately compensated with some good wine and coffee, and a break. Cycling with everything on the back is a pain for the first couple of days, even when you carry enough food for a 4 day off road trip on the back. After that lovely break we finally left Blenheim and therefore civilisation on Saturday afternoon, heading over Taylor's pass down to the Molesworth road, and camped down at Blairich river. Great place to chill and heal sore bums, and sleeping 
without a mattress wasn't that bad either. Could have been a bit more comfortable, especially with the thought of the next killer day in my head. But getting up was easy, and so we cycled the last sealed bit and then finally hit the gravel. But not for long. Right after Camden Station I heard a huge BANG!!!!!!!!!, unfortunately right behind me, in walking distance to my back wheel. Woken up, I got off and couldn't believe my eyes. A huge crack made my tire on the back pretty much unrideable, specially out in the middle of nowhere, with no proper bike shop in walking distance. So plan B was on the agenda, hitching back to Nelson, getting a new 
tire and head off again...more to come soon.
Mt Vic rocks. Yeah baby, what a sweet playground to ride some stuff and watch the sunset, while other people work on their belly downtown. Gnarly singletracks, hills that require almost more than bottom gear, and fast downhills, all combined with a stunning scenery and some amazed tourists. Almost perfect. Wonder why I haven't discovered those pleasures before, but there's always a reason. That seamed to be my claim for the week anyway. Was all a bit too much.
