Silvan Forest Mountain Bike

Got out to do a mountain bike with Andy, who is a very avid cyclist! Left the house around 10:30am, to bike up Silvan Forest, which is a privately owned property that’s been turned into a community mountain bike park. It’s all on a big hill that overlooks Nelson and Richmond, so you have to bike up to come down!
Having not biked in a very long time, the bike up was a slog, had to take many many breaks and felt like passing out near the beginning (which thankfully passed after a power bar and some water). But finally made it to the top, after over 500m of elevation gain! Half way up, there’s a nice bandshell where concerts happen through the year (people are shuttled up for these, rather than trekking up the mountain lol).
After getting to the top (or near it) we crossed over into Kingsland Forest Park, which is also a downhill mountain biking park. Rode the “Escalator” track all the way down to where it ends, closer to Andy’s house.
So fun to be out mountain biking again!! The climb was totally worth it for the ride down, with lots of twists and turns and catching some air on the mini jumps and bumps! Just takes some getting used to, having the handbrakes switched around, UK-style!

https://strava.app.link/D7ou2A8FbRb

Did a little grocery shop after at a little farmers market/grocer, where I got a yellow watermelon, a regular watermelon, a cantaloupe, four oranges, a cucumber and three cobs of corn, for just over NZ$11!!Read more