Thompson Track - Kaimais

**simo** · 24th January 2005, 16:43

Having just bought a TRX400 Quad, I head off to Thompson track to cruise up and over the top, and F#^@!!!^@^K!!! what a mess, the four wheel drive clubs use it for there "lets get stuck excercises", and "lets see if the winch works", it was impassable except on foot, or a very light 2 wheel MX bike that can be jumped over the huge craters in the road, I mean they measured over 6 foot plus deep in parts, and over 30 foot long.

The locals are really fucked off with these guys, and the Matamata Piako County Council (they keep the track graded) should tell the clubs to shove if they don't pay to clean up the mess.

Locals have seen 10-20 vehicles on trailers been towed up to the track after the road has been graded and tidied up, they destroy it in an afternoon,

Off road 4WD's you have been warned!!!!!!

**NordieBoy** · 24th January 2005, 17:31

Originally Posted by simo

Off road 4WD's you have been warned!!!!!!

Beware the wrath of the tiny little 4 wheeled thingy that could fit into your gloveboxes.

Phear the Power!

**Motu** · 24th January 2005, 21:21

4x4s make a mess alright - at one of our trials properties they hold 4x4 rallys too,if we go up after one of them the place is a total shambles,just a sea of churned up mud - fun to ride in,a trials bike does less damage than stock and you can't see where we've been a week later.I like 4x4 tracks on a light bike,you can flit from rut to rut,but a big bike tracks in the ruts,you can't get out,end up plowing the front and dumping - I guess a quad might be the same.

**simo** · 24th January 2005, 21:35

[QUOTE=Motu]4x4s make a mess alright -

This track can be a real test of your skills to ride on - we have scored a bit of vension off this track as well, easy meat so to speak, but not any more...not without a major change in fishing tackle - ie 2 wheel, even then it's dodgy. About three major 4x4 wallow holes into the track, there is a wallow hole that has had all the trees pulled out by the dipshit's winches, they just leave them there, so you can't get past.... real considerate fuckers ,the local's just might drop some concrete reinforcing steel into the wallows and just watch the fun as the 4x4's flay themselves to bits as the reinforcing wraps around the donut wheels - serve's em right

**Wellyman** · 24th January 2005, 21:43

Bloody 4wd clubs. they ruin all or good land driving there bloody cages around argh!

**clint640** · 25th January 2005, 12:15

You guys might want to consider the fact that if it wasn't for 4x4's a lot of the bush tracks you enjoy riding on wouldn't exist. For example myself & 4wdriving friends have done a lot of work keeping tracks open in the Minginui area. The gear needed to do this can't be carried on a 2 wheeler or quad. We are planning another mission soon to clear a couple of huge native trees that have fallen across one track. The width of 4x4's helps keep the scrub from overgrowing tracks too.
The Tauranga side of Thompsons has been hard yakka for 10 years or more, the local club have actually put in some winching points recently to stop the damage to trees. This and other tracks further up in the coromandel are always going to be hard going, if they were only used by quads & bikes they would still be a mess, just a slightly narrower mess. It's the nature of those soils & the wet environment. The track down to the bridge to nowhere is a case in point, it's only used by bikes but is now severly rutted & DOC are talking of closing it.
However it's not good to hear of the Te Aroha side getting damaged though. They should leave the hooning 'til over the top on the non maintained Tauranga side, or toughen the f**k up & do the track from the Tauranga side like a real man. It's a public road I think so maybe we should send the cops up to prosecute a few for 'sustained loss of traction' or sumthin. It's probably a victim of being close to Auckland.

Cheers
Clint

**marty** · 25th January 2005, 14:28

i took a hiace 2wd van to the top of thompsons a few years ago - it would be disappointing to see that side of it being cut up, as it was an awsome downhill MTB road - better than Te Aroha i reckon. i used to take the L300 4x4 and trailer up there all the time for DH runs. the katikati side has always been rubbish - 'The Beast', a MTB/running race over thompsons always trashes MTBs - i did it about 5 times, and don't think my bike ever recovered.....

**vifferman** · 25th January 2005, 15:45

Originally Posted by simo

Having just bought a TRX400 Quad, I head off to Thompson track to cruise up and over the top, and F#^@!!!^@^K!!! what a mess, the four wheel drive clubs use it for there "lets get stuck excercises", and "lets see if the winch works", it was impassable except on foot, or a very light 2 wheel MX bike that can be jumped over the huge craters in the road, I mean they measured over 6 foot plus deep in parts, and over 30 foot long.

I went up the western side once, years ago, when working for the DSIR. It was a very easy drive up, in a diesel LandRover - didn't even need to use low ratio. It was also in very good condition then. Sounds like you might be right with the "lets get stuck excercises", and "lets see if the winch works" comments, unless years of eedjits using it has stuffed it up.

Shame....:disapint:

**simo** · 3rd February 2005, 19:56

I will let you guys know when and if the track is next graded by the council

**walch277** · 22nd February 2005, 08:47

I took my mountain bike up the TGA side in Feb 2003. In the time I got up and back three 4WD's (which started with me) had got about 200m up the track into the third almighty vehicle swallowing bog, and given up. Doesn't really seem worth the effort. Back then it would've been tough to get a motorbike in there.

**Motu** · 22nd February 2005, 09:20

A trials bike can go most places your pushbike can - without picking it up and carrying it.

**durtcykler** · 22nd February 2005, 12:35

I took a ride up the Te Aroha side, no problems, a bit rutted from the 4WD and a few 4WD that had been ditched in the middle of the track. When at the top we decided to go down the Tauranga side (having started from this side a year earlier, and failed due to washed out track), what a difference! The track has not been looked after at all, bog holes deeper than my bike seat, trees had fallen across the track. I had a few crashes on this side and ended up at the physios. I think the Te Aroha side is acceptable, but the Tauranga side needs attention, its almost unpassable.

**igor** · 23rd February 2005, 09:37

I took me 1000cc BMW trailee over the first day I got it withg its 35 litre tank
and adventure road type tyres.

sounds like these quad riders sit down when they have a No 1 to me

The Waikato side was a breeze. The Tga side was a bit rough. riding off a 18 inch bank intoi a 2 foot hole that someone has laid logs in ant fun. the cyclinder heads sitting on the logs

had the cyclinder heads and the back wheel under in one hole

wot a mess when i came out, lucky i'm a tough prick;

**dnalder** · 23rd February 2005, 20:52

Originally Posted by Motu

4x4s make a mess alright

I used to belong to a 4x4 club and still own a 20yr old V8 landrover. The bulk of the people I drove with really strived to look after the tracks they used. In any group there are a few who abuse what they use.

A lot of clubs now do regular track repair work.

I remember a couple of bike vs landrover incidents though. No fun :-(

dn

**simo** · 11th April 2005, 20:36

Good News :The word is that Thompsons Track has been graded again!!!! Bad News : 4 wheel Drive clubs destroyed it last weekend. Nuf said about this lot!!!