Still jaded from the Traverse, I thought I’d check out the Crazyman bike course. It was another beautiful Wellington day. I parked at Dry Creek, which is at the bottom of the Haywards between Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt. There, two ladies were also getting ready to practise the same ride. After a bit of small talk they wished me well and I gingerly made my way up the gravel track. About half way up I stopped to adjust my cleat and a guy rode past. I had no interest in chasing him so I didn’t think I’d see him again. Fate would say otherwise.
Just before the top of Boulder Hill I saw the mountain biker in the horizon. I continued to climb, hoping to catch him on the downhill. I caught him sooner that I had expected ... only he was lying flat on his back.
Long story short, he had a broken collar bone and needed to be airlifted out. The two ladies I met earlier (Jo and AJ), arrived and very kindly stayed with us while we waited for the helicopter. The pilots and medic were great and AJ kept eveyone entertained. 
Once the helicopter left Jo, AJ and I carried on practising the course. In the end we took a wrong turn so didn’t really get to ride the course like we had planned. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll get another chance. I never had my GPS watch with me on the ride, I wish I did as one of the first questions I was asked was, "What is your location?" Trying to tell someone in a call centre in Auckland that you are near Boulder Hill in Belmont Regional Park wasn't very helpful.
The next day when I ran up to collect his bike, I'd thought I'd have a look. South 41.15, East 174.93.
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