Riding the Wharfedale Loop _ A Canterbury Backcountry MTB Classic.

Good morning, it's 7am and I've just left the idyllic town of Oxford. Can't say there's much happening there at 7am on a Tuesday morning but must give a shout out where it's due to the public toilet which just saved me. On today's mission we are doing the Wharfdale loop that consists of starting in Oxford, doing the Wharfdale, linking that out the back to Townshend, then meeting up with Blee's Valley, following that along back into Oxford. So I believe that is about a 75 kilometre loop with 1.4 thousand metres of elevation gain. Today's bike of choice, I have got my DV8 Highlander with a lightweight build kit on it, fast tyres and a nice big pack on it which has all my snacks and spare parts in it. It's a bluebird day, a bit chilly this morning, it's beautiful out here. Gonna go get stuck into it. And that's officially the start of the Wharfdale, into a climb. There's a bit of moisture and dirt out here today. It's a bit soft, a bit bogged down but I don't think it's that bad. Shout out to the two dock workers I just passed who just cleared a slip and it was perfect timing for me to test out their finished work. I'm about to hit the first downhill segment, looking forward to it. Dirt is actually so good in here. Thumbs over, back into the uphill. Wharfdale saddle, completed it. Now it's mostly downhill all the way to Wharfdale hut. Can't beat it. And there we have it, that's the Wharfdale hut. Ticked off. Classic Kiwi hut. I've stayed a night in here a good few years ago when I was injured and I decided to hike in here and decided hiking is a waste of time after that. The hut was good though. Okay, it's time to have a snack. I'm going to get into my snakes. There's lunch, yum. Four snakes have been consumed. That should keep me going for the next while. We're heading that way down the valley and I am in a bit of panic because I'm getting eaten alive by all these sand flies. Let's get moving. A little bit of community service. Lost him out here. Kind of lost. Can't see any markers but looking at my GPS it looks like I go that way. Aim of the game is to not get the feet wet. That was a close call. Almost got my feet wet. Could still get them wet. Chances are quite light. I did in fact get my feet wet. I just made it onto the Townshend so I'll be following this out for the next eight kilometers until it links up with Leeds Valley. I believe this is mainly used by people going 4x4 wheeling and hunters. Should be a chill pedal out. I'm not even going to bother this time. I think I'm just going to get my feet wet. What has it come to? That makes me wonder if there was a much better way to do that. Quite possibly. Now onto a big steep pinch climb. Well looks like I'm gonna get my feet wet again but I couldn't get wet because they're soaked. That was a lot deeper than I was expecting. Wow. Lots of honey farms in here. It's cool to see. Better get to work then. I think you've got to add Leeds Valley to the list. It is spectacular in here. This is New Zealand isn't it? There's the fun all over and done with. Although this is I believe the final climb or at least the final big one. I think there's still a few punches out including going to Oxford. There's the top. Almost all downhill to Oxford now. Quite a mellow downhill. Still got 13 kilometers to go but I think that 13 kilometers is going to go quite quick. Made it off the hill. Now six and a half kilometers to take to town. Not too bad.