Onslow Pylon Track

[Jantar]

its too nice today to stay indoors on the computer so off for a ride. I decided to try and find a route form Lake Onslow to the Upper Manorburn. None of the maps show a suitable route but the terrain is good and it should be possible. Today's effort is the first part of that search from lake Onslow to Bridge Huts Rd where it disappears on the maps. The DB1K riders will be familiar with the Serpentine to Onslow section so I won't go that way.

Lake Onslow is a small reservoir for the Teviot Power Scheme, so I started at the Lower Teviot Power Station

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow01.jpg

With the temperature today at over 30 C I don't think that sign on the substation gate is quite correct

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow02.jpg

I was suprised at how windy it was on the tops. I guess those wind machines must be working.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow06.jpg

Lake Onslow

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow09.jpg

Onslow Dam. If reseach currently being carried out at Waikato University gets followed up , this Dam could be replaced by one 60 m high.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow10.jpg

The Teviot River as it leaves Onslow. I had intended crossing the ford rather than the bridge until a fisher waded out in his thigh waders and the water was over his knees.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow11.jpg

My Topo map showed pylons crossing this area, and that suggests a pylon access track. Nothing on Map source, but sure enough there was a track.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow12.jpg

There are a couple of wee fords to cross. This one was slightly deeper than it looked, about mid wheel, but it did have an awkward step up on the exit.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow13.jpg

The track was generally easy to follow. BUT it is rutted, and when those ruts are covered by long grass the only way to find them is to drop a wheel into one.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow14.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow15.jpg

Those Damn wind machines again. There was no wind anywhere except when these things were visable.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow16.jpg

And finally Bridge Huts Road.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Onslow/Onlow17.jpg


So next trip out is to find a route from here over the top to Manorburm

[unstuck]

Good area for a play.cool pics.:niceone:

[FJRider]

its too nice today to stay indoors on the computer so off for a ride. I decided to try and find a route form Lake Onslow to the Upper Manorburn. None of the maps show a suitable route but the terrain is good and it should be possible.

Go and speak to the guys at the Rail Trail ... the "Goldrush" multi-sport event goes through those parts ...

[unstuck]

There are heaps of old rabbit board tracks in the area and getting to manorbourn from that last photo with the turn off to teviot dam and the bridge is doable. Can also get there going in past mckenzies beach up at the far end of lake roxburgh.:yes:

[bart]

207kb :nono:

Here, I'll fix it for you

[Eddieb]

So who watches the watchers?

It's pretty hypocritical for mods to trash a thread for having embedded images over 100kb's, then for one of those same mods to create a thread in the same forum section with 12 images embedded where the smallest is 181kb.

That's 12 infractions for you, and can a mod please remove the oversized images in this thread for the sake of those internet users still on a dialup connection.

[Padmei]

Oh the outrage!!!
You sir are the DEVIL!!!

[Jantar]

Fixed. They were all under 100kb in my own directory, but I uploaded them uncompressed.

However, see how easy it was to fix?

[Box'a'bits]

Fixed. They were all under 100kb in my own directory, but I uploaded them uncompressed.

However, see how easy it was to fix?
Hi Jantar, you missed one :innocent: The one just before 'those dammed wind turbines'.

How did you do that? Just a compression using office pictures?

[Jantar]

Hi Jantar, you missed one :innocent: The one just before 'those dammed wind turbines'.

How did you do that? Just a compression using office pictures?

That's now fixed as well. I used PhotoFun for the compression tool. That allows you to compress the resolution while still maintaing the 640 x 480 format.

[FJRider]

That's now fixed as well. I used PhotoFun for the compression tool. That allows you to compress the resolution while still maintaing the 640 x 480 format.

I use this website often. Has sat view too ..

http://www.nztopomaps.com/

[cooneyr]

I did a bit of searching on some maps and the Walking Access Management website (http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx) when thinking about an alternative to the State Highway seal between Alex and Roxburgh. There is a unformed legal road (paper rd) along the top of the Knobby Range between Little Valley Rd (out of Alex) and Knobby Range Rd (goes past McKenzies Beach as previously mentioned). Aerial Photography suggests there is a track that mostly coincides with the legal road along the length of the range.

I'm didn't add it into this years DB1k cause many found day two tough enough without more tracks. I am keen to find out if it is ridable though as an options for future rides.

I've attached a gpx file (you mentioned Mapsource so I assume you know how to use a GPX file?). I've changed the extention from .gpx to .doc, just change it back to open it with Mapsource.

Cheer R

[Jantar]

There are heaps of old rabbit board tracks in the area and getting to manorbourn from that last photo with the turn off to teviot dam and the bridge is doable. Can also get there going in past mckenzies beach up at the far end of lake roxburgh.:yes:

I'm sure there used to a track across the top, But now that a lot of that country has revertyed to DOC land they are no longer marked. I'm sure it is doable. What I intend to do next is to make a map of the old tracks and copy them to Mapsource to load onto the GPS.

The route from McKenzies Beach is still there as long as the gate at the top of the Knobby Range is unlocked.


I use this website often. Has sat view too ..

http://www.nztopomaps.com/

I have all of the Topo maps on my PC, and they

[Jantar]

I did a bit of searching on some maps and the Walking Access Management website (http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx) when thinking about an alternative to the State Highway seal between Alex and Roxburgh. There is a unformed legal road (paper rd) along the top of the Knobby Range between Little Valley Rd (out of Alex) and Knobby Range Rd (goes past McKenzies Beach as previously mentioned). Aerial Photography suggests there is a track that mostly coincides with the legal road along the length of the range.

Thanks R. Yes that track is still there and is a good ride as long as Little Valley leave the gate at the top unlocked. Many years ago (1974 from memory) there was a motorbike race between Alex and Roxburgh over that route called the Line 7 50. Line Seven were the Sponsors and 50 because it was just over 50 km return.

[FJRider]

It can be done. HAS been done. In this day and age of modern 4WD's ... everybody has one, so locked gates appear where there were none. Or fencelines with NO gates across tracks. Contact Run-holders maybe ...

[Taz]

Photo's are too small. Can you put a thread up on Advrider with bigger pics?

[Jantar]

Photo's are too small. Can you put a thread up on Advrider with bigger pics?

When I find a full route the whole way I'll put up a thread on Advrider.

[Gremlin]

Very nice... and I must admit, I'm jealous...

Also, if you upload your tracklogs to the NZOGPS guys, they will add onto the maps...

[k14]

I did a bit of searching on some maps and the Walking Access Management website (http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx) when thinking about an alternative to the State Highway seal between Alex and Roxburgh. There is a unformed legal road (paper rd) along the top of the Knobby Range between Little Valley Rd (out of Alex) and Knobby Range Rd (goes past McKenzies Beach as previously mentioned). Aerial Photography suggests there is a track that mostly coincides with the legal road along the length of the range.

I'm didn't add it into this years DB1k cause many found day two tough enough without more tracks. I am keen to find out if it is ridable though as an options for future rides.

I've attached a gpx file (you mentioned Mapsource so I assume you know how to use a GPX file?). I've changed the extention from .gpx to .doc, just change it back to open it with Mapsource.

Cheer R
I'll go have a look in the next week or so. Never ridden out there and always wondered where it goes. Got my nobblies for the DB sitting in the garage so I will get my a into g and fit them first.

[FJRider]

When I find a full route the whole way I'll put up a thread on Advrider.

I found this map ... a few places to start looking.

[_Shrek_]

I did a bit of searching on some maps and the Walking Access Management website (http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx) when thinking about an alternative to the State Highway seal between Alex and Roxburgh. There is a unformed legal road (paper rd) along the top of the Knobby Range between Little Valley Rd (out of Alex) and Knobby Range Rd (goes past McKenzies Beach as previously mentioned). Aerial Photography suggests there is a track that mostly coincides with the legal road along the length of the range.

I'm didn't add it into this years DB1k cause many found day two tough enough without more tracks. I am keen to find out if it is ridable though as an options for future rides.

I've attached a gpx file (you mentioned Mapsource so I assume you know how to use a GPX file?). I've changed the extention from .gpx to .doc, just change it back to open it with Mapsource.

Cheer R


Thanks R. Yes that track is still there and is a good ride as long as Little Valley leave the gate at the top unlocked. Many years ago (1974 from memory) there was a motorbike race between Alex and Roxburgh over that route called the Line 7 50. Line Seven were the Sponsors and 50 because it was just over 50 km return.

I was up there last year having a poke around it took me a while to find the track at the end of the road from this end as the farmer up that way has disked what use to be the road back into pasture

[cooneyr]

I was up there last year having a poke around it took me a while to find the track at the end of the road from this end as the farmer up that way has disked what use to be the road back into pasture

Technically this doesn't mean we can't go for a looksee. Obviously good practice to talk to the cocky first.

[_Shrek_]

Technically this doesn't mean we can't go for a looksee. Obviously good practice to talk to the cocky first.

aye I was talking to the contractor they know the paper road is there but they were saying there is a locked gate at the Alex end & don't want people using it, but it use to be the old road from Alex to Roxburgh away back until they built the existing one, which we use now

[k14]

I'll go have a look in the next week or so. Never ridden out there and always wondered where it goes. Got my nobblies for the DB sitting in the garage so I will get my a into g and fit them first.
Well I went for a little shakedown before the DB this afternoon out on little valley road. Approx 13km from Alex the road comes to a dead end where Mt Campbell station begins. I had a talk to the farmer and he said that you have to go through Matangi station and then through Doctors Point station. There is a gate at Drs Pt station that is locked so you need to get the key off the farmer. The original road is apparently now too overgrown to use (even on a bike) and you have to use the Matangi station road/track to get to Drs Pt which then takes you over the Raggedys to Roxburgh. I may try and get in contact with the farmers and see if they will let me ride through one day.