This is my second go of this loop. Starts with crossing the creek and snaking up through the forest to the ugly gully, sidling across and down to four corners, across to the blue hut, out the the gravel road, down a bit and then back up the pipe track through the tea gardens to the weir.
Its a really nice loop, lots of ups and downs, dirt tracks, grassy tracks, and overgrown tracks. I felt ok, though I was slow on the uphill, my lungs feel like they've been ripped halfway up my throat, and I only just managed to stem off the urge to drool. I also managed to miss the turn off the road near the end, as a new pile of rubble has been dumped on the track. I fumbled a bit trying to get back on track and up to pace while a big dust storm hit, but I couldn't be too upset as they've made a sweet jump on the end of the track.
Knee coped well, though there is still an odd 'presence' which is difficult to explain, but seems only to make my left leg feel slightly weaker on the climb. Hmm. must continue with the ridiculous exercises...I loathe ridiculous exercises.
About 1:30 faster than
last year