Being stuck in the Auckland Regional COVID Lockdown, from September to December 3, meant only local rides. I didn’t ride at all in the Level 4 lockdown as was still working and cycling around the block doesn’t appeal. On 22nd September Auckland & Northland relaxed to Level 3, just in time as 25th September was my last day of work. It meant I could ride within ‘walking home’ distance of home. For me, a self-imposed ~5km radius still offered quite a variety of riding.
Most of my local rides take in the nearby Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.
My favourite Titirangi Loop (TO2122-01 link to ride video/photo/map summary on Relive.cc) offers plenty of exercise and variety of views in a short distance (28km) thanks to lots of elevation (~200m+).
Another loop took in Parker Road and Beveridge Track (TO2122-02) for 250m+ elevation in just 15km.
A Beveridge Track ride prompted this Walk the Pod contribution:
Walk the Pod | WtP S20E1 | Abundance
I’m Rachel Wheeley, small human and podcaster. I take my podcast for walks because I don’t have a dog. Walk the Pod is your daily opportunity to pay attention to what’s directly in front of you for just 10 minutes. Get away from your desk and out of the front door. Stretch your legs, claim the myriad mental and physical health benefits of a short stroll.
A Swanson Filter Station ride (TO2122-03) took me to a road I had been ‘around’ most my life but never actually ridden.
Welsh Hills Rd, off Christian Rd, is a dead end but has some unique views back over Henderson Valley and the Opunaku Pipeline track I have walked often. One feature of this ride was the bird life, wild and domesticated. Perhaps quieter traffic encouraged them to venture further?
One unfortunate event made local riding even more attractive. Severe winter rain caused slips which undermined or blocked several Waitakere Ranges roads. Mountain Road (below), Whatipu Road (past Little Huia) and Te Henga Road (in the quarry) were closed to all but local resident's vehicles. They gave some lovely traffic free access to riding in the ranges in addition to the reduced traffic thanks to work from home.
Mountain Rd also gives access to the newly rebuilt Cutty Grass track shown .... below (TO2122-04).
Once a muddy clay power line access trail it has been gravelled and turned into a nice (shared) ride for gravel or mountain bike. I wasn’t sure if cycling was allowed there, no signs forbid it, but met a Ranger at one end and his only concern was that the bike/shoes were cleaned, at the stations provided, for the Kauri dieback disease prevention.
It links to Anawhata Road which makes a nice gravel road extension with spectacular views over Phia, Whites, and Anawhata Beaches (TO2122-23).
This Anawhata view prompted a Walk the Pod contribution:
Walk the Pod | WtP S21E4 | Cold and breezy
Walk the Pod is your daily opportunity to pay attention to what’s directly in front of you for just 10 minutes. My name is Rachel, a human in the world. I take my podcast for walks because I don’t have a dog.
The side track to the Upper Nihotupu Dam, off the Piha Rd, is also a nice gravel ride (TO2122-20) and can be combined with Cutty Grass as below.
Lots of water in the reservoir which had been low for ages after a dry summer.
Opunaku Rd to Scenic Drive access was blocked as the Waitakere Lodge driveway it part uses was extensively undermined and needed major reclamation works. Love the trees on this road even as a dead end up hill ride. One of my favourite bike photos, bike leaning on a roadside Kauri Tree, required crouching in a dry ditch (to get the camera to road level) but was worth it.
Mountain Rd also has a great LEGO letterbox!
One place I had never ridden was Avondale Racecourse. It is mostly used for training with public access to the playing fields in the middle. Did most of a lap on the bike but the surface, hoof marks and long grass, made it surprisingly tough going.
One advantage of not working was being able to time grocery shopping for low traffic times. It was nice to shop like this in COVID times!
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