Decided that a new bike was way out of the question at the moment, what with buying house and Nippon just around the corner. So took Mildred in for a long overdue service at Bike HQ. The full works please, forks stripped down, rear shock sent off to the specialists, wheels trued, gears tuned, the lot. Picked her up a week later and Andre had done an awesome job 
. Was all looking good at around $400, so got myself some new shorts too, farming out another discount (never pay full price for anything here!). Rode off down Colombo street and crunch, slip, dammit. New chain + old cassette ne march pas. Apparently the last chain was on 80% wear so almost got away with it. Another $62 and a new cassette, back on the road.
Straight out on Saturday up in the hills, back to my old favourite from Evans Pass to Godley Heads, down to Taylor's Mistake and back to the start. Plenty climbing, plenty tight switchback DH, 100% singletrack, 1 dead sheep. Damn Mildred's riding so, so well now. Just like new, getting full range of bounciness at last.
Also been out on other Port Hills rides and to Bottle Lake. Next weekend's a big one up in Hanmer Springs with Vorb people. Farm on summer!