North Island invasion of the South?

[Eddieb]

Is anyone interested in a visit to the South Island late March/Early April? I'm considering a long weekend before the Rainbow and Archeron Roads close on April 9th (Easter Monday), but it needs to be very close to that so I am as good as I can be for riding after my broken ankle.

It is still quite possible that I won't be up to it but I'd really like to get at least one trip in this summer, but I'm not going to know until pretty close to the time.

Potential Agenda something like:

Friday: Easy break into things, cross the ferry and do theMolesworth to Hanmer. Tent or cabin overnight in the campground.
Molesworth brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...h-brochure.pdf
I have fleetingly passed through Hanmer twice now and want to overnight there to check it out, maybe soak in the pools.

Saturday: Rainbow to St Arnaud, possibly including Edwards and Malling passes, Porika, Braeburn, Mangles Valley to Murchison for the night? Is that feasible without overdoing it?
Rainbow brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...rnaud-road.pdf

Sunday: West bank road, Maruia Saddle, Springs Junction and down to Reefton with possibly either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the afternoon? overnight in Reefton

Monday:, whats left of either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the morning then back to the ferry for home.

[Padmei]

Frick me what size map are you using? You realise we only have about 14hrs of daylite nowadays down here?

[Eddieb]

Frick me what size map are you using? You realise we only have about 14hrs of daylite nowadays down here?

I did put in lots of question marks and a query as to whether it's feasible, it's only one side of my monitor to the other.

[Padmei]

I did put in lots of question marks and a query as to whether it's feasible, it's only one side of my monitor to the other.

Unless Te Anau has shifted i would have thought that was a big day. Def recommend hanging out in hamner for the nite - the pools are lovely. Cool alpine feel to the place as well. Sing out if you need to crash here.

[Eddieb]

Unless Te Anau has shifted i would have thought that was a big day. Def recommend hanging out in hamner for the nite - the pools are lovely. Cool alpine feel to the place as well. Sing out if you need to crash here.

Te Anau? surely you must have mis-read

Cheers for the offer Padders, last time I got away without George being redecorated by the Lil Ponies

[Padmei]

Te Anau? surely you must have mis-read

Cheers for the offer Padders, last time I got away without George being redecorated by the Lil Ponies

Ah now my eyes have corrected themselves

[pete-blen]

Saturday would be a long one..more than possable...

If I don't end up in Raurimu I could be tempted for fri/sat..

[Pampera]

Is anyone interested in a visit to the South Island late March/Early April? I'm considering a long weekend before the Rainbow and Archeron Roads close on April 9th (Easter Monday), but it needs to be very close to that so I am as good as I can be for riding after my broken ankle.

.

As per PM, quite possibly interested in Friday/Satuday but I was already planning to "do" your proposed first two days route when an opportunity - a fine weekend forecast - showed up in the next few weeks.

If I do deliver on this I will treat it as a stealth recce and let the Wellington team know what those pesky South Island/Nelson types are up to before D Day and the main landing. Let's keep this to ourselves.

Michael

[ADVGD]

Sunday: West bank road, Maruia Saddle, Springs Junction and down to Reefton with possibly either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the afternoon? overnight in Reefton

Monday:, whats left of either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the morning then back to the ferry for home.

Both Big River Hut and Mongomerie Hut are at at the ends of the tracks you mentioned and good options for a place to crash especially if time is getting slim

Keep us in the loop re the dates, I have a few trips in planning stages so it would be good to cross paths and catch up at some stage of your trip mate

[Phreaky Phil]

Hmmm. Very tempting. RE Saturday, Im not sure how long the Edwards and Mailing deviations take but without those its an easy distance. Have you a preferred weekend ? or are you thinking of Easter weekend.

[Transalper]

Hmmm. Very tempting. RE Saturday, Im not sure how long the Edwards and Mailing deviations take but without those its an easy distance. Have you a preferred weekend ? or are you thinking of Easter weekend.

When I done them on the Transalp I spent 2 hours 10 minutes in Edwards and 1 hours 25 minutes in Mailings.
There were sight seeing and rest stops involved in that time too.

[Crim]

Heya Eddie,
I would be keen for the Saturday, meet you at Hanmer at sparrows then over to Murch - I need to do the Denniston at some stage so may split off and do that and then make a decision on whether to join up over to Blenheim / Picton with you and Molesworth back or black top it back from the coast ,
cheers Crim

[Eddieb]

Heya Eddie,
I would be keen for the Saturday, meet you at Hanmer at sparrows then over to Murch - I need to do the Denniston at some stage so may split off and do that and then make a decision on whether to join up over to Blenheim / Picton with you and Molesworth back or black top it back from the coast ,
cheers Crim

I haven't done Denniston and it's on the to-do list but the slope up from the river looks pretty 'interesting' and I'm not sure I'd want to try that yet.

It's looking like I'll be down Friday March 30th to Monday April 2nd inclusive, just waiting for the leave to be approved at work.

[XF650]

Denniston is still cool from the Wesport end, even if you don't ride right through to the River. Plus the squirt up Mt Rochfort is a must.
Does anyone know if the new open cast mine will change the routes through there?

[Eddieb]

Is anyone interested in a visit to the South Island late March/Early April? I'm considering a long weekend before the Rainbow and Archeron Roads close on April 9th (Easter Monday), but it needs to be very close to that so I am as good as I can be for riding after my broken ankle.

It is still quite possible that I won't be up to it but I'd really like to get at least one trip in this summer, but I'm not going to know until pretty close to the time.

Potential Agenda something like:

Friday: Easy break into things, cross the ferry and do theMolesworth to Hanmer. Tent or cabin overnight in the campground.
Molesworth brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...h-brochure.pdf
I have fleetingly passed through Hanmer twice now and want to overnight there to check it out, maybe soak in the pools.

Saturday: Rainbow to St Arnaud, possibly including Edwards and Malling passes, Porika, Braeburn, Mangles Valley to Murchison for the night? Is that feasible without overdoing it?
Rainbow brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...rnaud-road.pdf

Sunday: West bank road, Maruia Saddle, Springs Junction and down to Reefton with possibly either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the afternoon? overnight in Reefton.

Monday:, whats left of either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the morning then back to the ferry for home.

I haven't done Denniston and it's on the to-do list but the slope up from the river looks pretty 'interesting' and I'm not sure I'd want to try that yet.

It's looking like I'll be down Friday March 30th to Monday April 2nd inclusive, just waiting for the leave to be approved at work.

Right, I'm on for Friday March 30th to Monday April 2nd inclusive. This is the final weekend of Daylight saving as Daylight savings end on April 1st.

As previously outlined the schedule looks like this, accomodation is likely to be at the linked places unless I can't get a booking. I am considering tenting part of this as a practice run to test out some gear in anticipation of a bigger event next year but I'd decide on that in the next few weeks. The accomodation venues would still be the same though.

Friday: Easy break into things, cross the ferry in the morning (Timing TBA) and do the Molesworth to Hanmer. Tent or cabin overnight in the campground.
Molesworth brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...h-brochure.pdf
Hanmer Accommodation:
http://www.mountainviewtop10.co.nz/
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/listi...stingId=10084#

Saturday: The Rainbow Road to St Arnaud, possibly including Edwards and Malling passes, Porika (bypass available), Braeburn, Mangles Valley to Murchison for the night.
Rainbow brochure: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...rnaud-road.pdf
Murchison Accommodation:
http://www.kiwipark.co.nz/
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/listi...stingId=250830

This is the 2nd to last weekend that the Molesworth and Rainbow roads are open this year and if you haven't done them you really should do, they are not technically difficult but have stunning scenery.

Sunday: West bank road, Maruia Saddle, Springs Junction and down to Reefton with possibly either Waitahu River or Soldiers Rd/Big River in the afternoon. overnight in Reefton.
Reefton Accomodation:
TBC but probably at the Old Nurses Home http://www.reeftonaccommodation.com/

Monday: whats left of either Waitahu River or Soldiers/Big River in the morning then back to the ferry for home.