Road advice please

[Ixion]

I have to go to a werk conference in Rotovegas. So naturally I want to go an interesting route.

I'll take the well established southern route through Maramarua, Coalfields, Te Heo ,Tahuna, Morrinsville, Walton, Matai (Matamata if I need fuel), Taihoa, Te Poi, Selwyn, Waiomou, TePapa. All good.

But then I must make eastering. I don't like Sh5 . Last time I used that road there were other people using it, in cages. I prefer to have my roads to myself.

So i am thinking of an alternate via White's Rd,Leslie Road , Cecil Rd, through Mamaku, and Dansey Rd. I don't know those roads. Are they sealed ? Is there fuel available?

After the conference I had thought to pop down to Napier. Perhaps. I have not been to Napier in this age. Is the road from Rotorua to Wairoa via Murupra and Frasertown sealed yet? Is there fuel? And Wairoa to Napier? Sealed? Have they stopped eating missionaries ?

I have heard that fuel is a problem on the run into Napier? Does anyone know how far between fuel stops , on a Sunday. I can make 300km on a tank at a pinch

I remember that Napier was badly knocked around a few years back by an earthquake. I presume they have rebuilt it ? And that there are modern conveniences, hosteleries etc? And Speights? (That is important)

Any input will be appreciated.

[Highlander]

Is the road from Rotorua to Wairoa via Murupra and Frasertown sealed yet? Is there fuel? And Wairoa to Napier? Sealed? Have they stopped eating missionaries ?

When I lived at Tuai, there was 110Km of Highway 38 unsealed (between Frasertown and Murupara), I believe they have sealed a few Km's but that still leaves about 100 of gravel.
Wairoa to Napier is a really good piece of road (one of those made for motorcycle ones) - sealed all the way.
Definately fuel available at Murupara and Wairoa.

[Ixion]

Bump. Someone from Rotavegas must know Cecil/Dansey/Leslie ? According to the Alcoholics Anonymous it's sealed except for about 10km in the centre, which is fine. But I don't trust them , "go and ask the AA", yes all very well, but I had a hell of a time getting them to focus on road conditions, kept wanting to talk about booze. Someones got a serious problem there I reckon.

Might have to flag the interesting road to napier, 100km of gravel would be nice but take longer than I have available.

Taupo to napier road, is that sealed yet ? Fuel ?

[riffer]

I suggest you PM MSTRS Ixion. He knows a fair bit about these roads.

[Swoop]

Taupo to napier road, is that sealed yet ? Fuel ?

Yes the road is sealed. A little excessively at times (mutters about trucks doing 120kmh through new seal...).
Fuel? Yes, you will require fuel to do this road as there is a lack of stations along the way. Perhaps Auckland would like to relocate a few of the extra gas stations that we currently have here.

[crashe]

Taupo to napier road, is that sealed yet ? Fuel ?

Yep sealed all the way..... about 150clicks from Taupo to Napier.

Taupo end of that stretch of road, is longggggggg and straight...... as you get nearer to the Napier end of that stretch of road, it does gets more twisty.

So refuel up at Taupo.
On the main drag there is a Mobil garage right on the corner, just before you turn onto the Napier/Taupo Rd.

There is a BP garage on your right, after turning right at the intersection near the Napier end.

[paturoa]

Also suggest Old Te Aroha Road as well (south of Te Aroha)

[What?]

Bump. Someone from Rotavegas must know Cecil/Dansey/Leslie ?

To go this way you will need both permission and gate keys - Leslie road turns into private forestry road with locked gates.

[clint640]

An alternate interesting route to Rvegas might be to carry on down hwy 29 at Te Poi, over the Mamukus that way, then at when you hit Tauranga at Greerton turn right at the roundabout down the Pyes Pa / Tauranga Direct Rd which was sealed a couple of years ago & is a nice ride. That will take you to the back of Ngongotaha, & if you've got time you can then turn left & take a spin around the back of Lake Rotorua then take hwy 30 into town.

For a fairly civilised loop to Napier, how about heading to Opotiki (nice ride along the coast) then over the Waioeka to Gisborne, then Wairoa, Napier & come back over the Napier-Taupo?

The odd missionary does still go missing in that area but if you take plenty of gunpowder, whisky & tobacco to trade you should be sweet.

Cheers
Clint

[MSTRS:Me]

I remember that Napier was badly knocked around a few years back by an earthquake. I presume they have rebuilt it ? And that there are modern conveniences....

I can't remember the last time the only choice was a bush or thunderbox...

For a fairly civilised loop to Napier, how about heading to Opotiki (nice ride along the coast) then over the Waioeka to Gisborne, then Wairoa, Napier & come back over the Napier-Taupo?

Beat me to it...a route developed in heaven

The odd missionary does still go missing in that area but if you take plenty of gunpowder, whisky & tobacco to trade you should be sweet.

Damn...they've moved on...what will I do with all these beads??

[Pixie]

After the conference I had thought to pop down to Napier. Perhaps. I have not been to Napier in this age. Is the road from Rotorua to Wairoa via Murupra and Frasertown sealed yet? Is there fuel? And Wairoa to Napier? Sealed? Have they stopped eating missionaries ?

If you are unsure about the cannibalism thing,argue the point with the prospective cannibal as they never eat anything that disagrees with them.

[fergie]

whatever way you go ixion, we look forward to your report on the unchartered territory you will pass thru, good luck

[Krusti]

Bump. Someone from Rotavegas must know Cecil/Dansey/Leslie ? According to the Alcoholics Anonymous it's sealed except for about 10km in the centre, which is fine. But I don't trust them , "go and ask the AA", yes all very well, but I had a hell of a time getting them to focus on road conditions, kept wanting to talk about booze. Someones got a serious problem there I reckon.

Might have to flag the interesting road to napier, 100km of gravel would be nice but take longer than I have available.

Taupo to napier road, is that sealed yet ? Fuel ?

Have not been through Leslie road for years and years. If you are looking for different windy sealed roads, Head over SH5, left onto Oturoa, right onto Hamurana Road, right onto Delbeth Road, left back onto Sh5, right onto Paradise Valley Road follow all the way back into Rotorua.

If you fuel up at Matamata you should be fine. Don't forget, no fuel at Tepoi now.

[Krusti]

Taupo to Napier, 145km sealed.

[Ixion]

To go this way you will need both permission and gate keys - Leslie road turns into private forestry road with locked gates.

Aha. You don't need either. Though you certainly may be forgiven for thinking you do. The gates are unlocked, and must remain so. By law. And I have ridden over Leslie-Cecil Rd, from Putaruru to Mamaku today. Legally. And have the pictures to prove it.

The history of the matter is here. Another brazen faced property grab by an unconscionable corporation. Mr Orr deserves a knighthood, a proper one , not one of those stupid Order of the Kakapo things.

Picture no 1 : The once locked but now open gate at the Cecil Rd (Rotorua ) end. I actually went to the Cecil Rd end, confirmed that the gate was open, then rode round SH5 to the Putaruru end and entered from there. Didn't want to go all the way through and find the far gate locked!
Picture No 2 : Approaching the Leslie Rd (Putaruru end) gate, also unlocked. Until this point the road is sealed , a good road through some remarkably pretty forest
Picture 3: Leslie Rd, the recoved section. Most of the road from the Putaruru gate is like this, good simple gravel. The whole length is about 25km from the gate . About 18km is like this. About 5 km is quite rough gravel road, very large (5 - 15 cm )sharp rocks, and bad steep sided ruts both along and across the road. But not beyond the capability of a competant rider . 2km is very bad indeed impassable for sportsbikes.
Picture 4. von Klunken in full battle harness, approaching the far gate and the beginning of the very bad section
Picture 5. View up Galaxy Rd. This is a CHH owned (or, stolen, would be more truthful) road which is a decently maintained alternative to the neglected damaged and nearly impassable Cecil Rd section. But although the gate is open one cannot legally enter (and odds are the gate at the other end would be locked)
Picture 6. The start of the bad section. The photo does not show how bad it is. That hole is nearly a metre deep , and if you look you can see a wallow on the right, just by the gorse flowers. It is over 2 foot high. And another similar height ridge runs on the left hand side. This was not the worst bit, but the 2 km or so was all like this. It would be trivial on a dual purpose or trail bike, but I was quite apprehensive tackling it on a full rigged 500kg tourer. Especially as there is no cell coverage there, it might be days (weeks?) before another vehicle came along, and noone knew I was there! But, needs must and all went well, after a scouting expedition on foot to map out the best route.

So Leslie Rd is NOT sealed, the AA are wrong. But it does still exist, and we can legally ride it. It would be good for some local riders to go along it to maintain the right of way and stop the council claiming noone wants to use it. These bastard corporations must be stopped before they expropriate the whole of our birthright.