Casual adventure cruising in the Wairarapa

[merv]

OK every now and then me and Mrs merv decide its time we took the trail bikes away for a few days and just cruise around on them as long as we can find some gravel roads or tracks to ride on. Nothing too hard when you are getting to our age of course. Last year we did this twice in the Wairarapa staying first at Martinborough and then at Greytown. That meant we had covered the ground from Riversdale South so this time we thought we might as well stay at Masterton and do Riversdale and North of there.

We went over on Thursday when it was wet but clearing so after checking into our motel we just did a nice easy loop that afternoon back down to Carterton and then up Mt Dick and back. The views from up there are fantastic and we must go up again on a nice sunny day. The track is kind of rocky but you could get a car or road bike up there OK if you aren't worried about scuffing your tyres a bit. There are side tracks further on that suit only trail bikes.

That's a view of Carterton in pic 5 and the track up in pic 6.

[merv]

We went further down from the top into the trail tracks which was fun but eventually we turned around when it was getting a bit rutted and slippery. Probably great without the rain beforehand.

[PLUG]

nice way to have a long weekend ...

[merv]

Friday it pissed with rain and was freezing cold and the forecast wasn't great so we stayed around Masterton shopping and doing stuff like that and eating and drinking. We both bought tube scarves at the local Moto Guzzi Kawasaki Dealer (tried Langlands and Dave Anderson - didn't have any) just in case for the weekend riding.

The surprise was come Saturday the weather was fantastic, didn't need the tube scarves, so off we went (leisurely start about 10am) out on the seal to Tinui, then over the backroad to Alfredton which has some great gravel and then up to Pori Road and Mt Marchant Road. Mt Marchant is a nice dirt loop that is well worth the ride. Then back to Alfredton and we wondered about our gas getting low so detoured to Eketahuna to fill up.

From Eketahuna we went back to Alfredton and then down the road taking the detour via Bideford. This turned out to be a very nice gravel road (I hadn't been on that before) and its one of those kind that if you haven't done them get a trail bike and do it now before they are all sealed over.

[skelstar]

I've NEVER done this kind of thing before but: whats the story with access to these tracks?

[merv]

nice way to have a long weekend ...

Yeah, like you we like the dirt bikes too.

Here's a couple of more pics on the Bideford Road on Saturday and then we get into the Sunday ride.

On Sunday I'd checked our maps and thought you could go down through Wainuiouru and Stronvar and reach the Te Wharau to Riversdale Road. Off we go but find the road was a locked off forestry road so in the end we went down the Ngahape Road to its end (we knew that was a dead end) and then turned back going back to Wainuiouru and then onto Te Parae Road to meet the main Castlepoint Road to get to Riversdale from there. There's me thinking no sweat we'll get gas at Riversdale, but oh no, the gas pumps are dead awaiting the usual thing of new tanks. The woman at the store reckoned she'd have them in by Labour Weekend. Great not much use in April, how far will our trail bikes go on their small tanks of gas. Luckily both are light on fuel getting around 26 - 30 km/litre.

The photo at Wainuiouru is different because normally we are there on the road bike after doing the loop up the hill climb road from Gladstone.

[MrMelon]

Looks like fun I'll have to give a bit of this sort of thing a go now I've got the right tool for the job!

[merv]

I've NEVER done this kind of thing before but: whats the story with access to these tracks?

I told you we are getting old, so went entirely on legal roads and didn't need access permission for anything. We just like the gravel and the quiet countryside, don't need anything tough like a hard out trail ride.

From Riversdale we went around the gravel road to Te Wharau - I love that road especially where it goes though the forest. From Te Wharau its seal all the way back to Gladstone where we met up with a few KBers.

Go to this thread and page http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=46601&page=17 to see my Gladstone pics.

By the time we'd hit Te Wharau we were feeling OK about the gas because neither bike was needing reserve and in the end got back to Masterton OK even after the detour to Gladstone.

The last pic is a shot off my GPS showing the dotted snail track that we left all over the Wairarapa. In all we did 793km from Porirua and back to Porirua.

Highly recommended as I said above and get in quick before all the gravel roads are gone.

We finished the trip off with a leisurely cruise back today and now bugger-it I'm back at work tomorrow.

[Hitcher]

Hmmm. Maybe one should get a V-Strom...

[merv]

Hmmm. Maybe one should get a V-Strom...

You've said this before mate and I'm saying hurry up before all the nice roads disappear. Even the road out of Tinui to Alfredton has less gravel on than the last time I did it a couple of years back. The black is creeping (not to mention the dreaded yellow lines). The nice thing about gravel roads they can't paint any markings on them so you can pass where you like (or can).

[Howie]

sounds like you had a good weekend touring the back roads. your right about the black top slowly creeping over more good gravel roads.

[xwhatsit]

Looks like fun.

I've just been to Waiheke for a few days with my girlfriend. Took the bike over on the ferry. Went up to the house we were staying in, and found out that the road the house was on was a gravel track! My CB didn't bat an eyelid, went straight up the twisty narrow road. Turns out quite a few of the roads on Waiheke are still gravel -- and because of the rain, quite rutted and shithouse. We did a fair bit of exploring, but the bike came out fine. Had to give it (esp. the chain) a bloody good clean when I got home.

Going by those photos my CB250RS could take that on :D Don't need a WR250 enduro weapon ^_^

[Trudes]

That looks like wicked good fun!!! :rockon:

[merv]

Going by those photos my CB250RS could take that on :D Don't need a WR250 enduro weapon ^_^

Yep a CB250RS would be OK on the roads we went on, just the right time of the year when they weren't slushy and weren't very dusty either.


That looks like wicked good fun!!! :rockon:

Yeah got keep at it eh can't just ride on the sealed roads all the time.

[SDU]

Great write up & pics Merv.:rockon:
Looks like an interesting ride. Good the rain got rid of the dust for you.

[jeff]

Hi Merv and Mrs Merv

Great ride and write up. We will go and have a look at some of these roads when we get a new traillie. The DR500 is well past it, it has 114,000k on it (motor untouched). Looking forward to getting a new one so we can check out these back roads.

Tell Mrs Merv I am jealous. I should have kept my XT (Chrissie).

Jeff and Chrissie

[Aslan]

looks like you and mrs merv had fun merv - great report as always with plenty of pics - cheers Aslan :scooter: