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Crisis management
19th April 2007, 08:30
Adventure ride this Sunday 29th April.
See post number 12.....

Is there anyone local that wants to join in short rides around the Auckland area?
I want to get out more into the gravel roads around the Helensville too Puhoi area and possibly onto the sand at Muriwai and Kaipara south head. My plan is to do half day rides on weekends and possibly some short evening rides as well as any manageable trail rides that come up.
I'm riding a DR650 and am new to this type of riding but am not afraid of making a complete arse of myself......:shit:

Soooo, if there's anyone that wants to join in, offer encouragement and generally embarass themselves send me a PM!

Don't feel you have to commit to a lifetime of riding with me, I don't mind one off ideas or any suggestions.

Cheers Iain.

Zukin
19th April 2007, 18:04
Hi there

If I was a closer I would tag along with ya:yes:
Gets kinda boring riding by yourself all the time aye

You could always take next Friday and the following Monday off work and come on our little ride in the Wairarapa :yes:

Cheers Scott

Crisis management
19th April 2007, 19:53
I did consider that Scott, in fact I'm bloody jealous! Unfortunately, I'm working flat out at the moment trying to catch up, so can't really justify a long weekend.
Some other time maybe? :bye: :bye:

windboy
21st April 2007, 00:08
Is there anyone local that wants to join in short rides around the Auckland area?
I want to get out more into the gravel roads around the Helensville too Puhoi area and possibly onto the sand at Muriwai and Kaipara south head. My plan is to do half day rides on weekends and possibly some short evening rides as well as any manageable trail rides that come up.
I'm riding a DR650 and am new to this type of riding but am not afraid of making a complete arse of myself......:shit:

Soooo, if there's anyone that wants to join in, offer encouragement and generally embarass themselves send me a PM!

Don't feel you have to commit to a lifetime of riding with me, I don't mind one off ideas or any suggestions.

Cheers Iain.
Hi Iain,

I'm keen as beans, in fact just posted a similar message in the forum. I've been doing little rides as you mention round puhoi, waiwera, south head, riverhead and so on. I'm free this sunday morning, anyone else joining???

Cheers,

Armando.

Ixion
21st April 2007, 00:13
I'd be interested, though I don't always have much free time
Les

Big Dave
21st April 2007, 00:44
Yeah - I go through that way on my XB12X frequently.
Can show you some nice rides. Prefer afternoons.

Crisis management
21st April 2007, 08:22
Thanks for the replies guys, looks like we can make this work!
I'm working this weekend so sorry, Windboy, can't come....I'll give you a call tho as I'm off to Milford this morning, maybe we can meet?

I'm available anytime really, as I'm self employed so afternoons during the week or weekends is fine and by the sounds of you lot there are enough of us to be able to hook up at convenient times. My only request is a bit of notice....
Either we post ideas here or get together say this wednesday or thursday evening for a beer & a chat.

Let me know...preferably on line as that way everyone can see whats happening!

windboy
21st April 2007, 13:28
Just met Mr crisis management a couple of hours ago, sounds like we're on for a good time once we get out act together. Unfortunately, he's unavailable for a ride this weekend.

In other hand I'm itching to try my new front tyre on the gravel. Anyone keen for an early ride sunday morning? Up towards puhoi and popping out at kaukoupa. Maybe wood hill forrestry roads and finish with a beer or coffee at kumeu (depending how many of us). We could start the ride at say 8ish? meet at the big BP on the motorway to orewa?

Anyone in?

Later

Windboy.

korupt555
21st April 2007, 15:50
Keen as, but we only have dirtbikes, cr125 and ttr230. the forestry roads at woodhill sound like a good idea, was looking at doing it on sunday myself, just to get some ride time. let us know either way

Henk
21st April 2007, 20:18
Could be keen at some stage.
Let me know with a bit of notice. Over committed time wise like most people these days.

windboy
22nd April 2007, 11:55
Just got back, the road from puhoi to Kaukop was in really good condition.

The coarse gravel washed away with the rain and it's down to very fine dirt in most corners. You can go twice as fast underthese conditions. Even my brand new front deathwing 301 felt bloody good (when compared to the stock standard deathwing 25s, worne out as well). Not bad at all for $70 installed.

Well guys, reasonable feedback from you; there's clearly an interest, we just need to get out there. Whenever anyone is keen should post a ride out and whoever can make it joins in...

Later,

Windboy.

Crisis management
23rd April 2007, 17:59
To get this started I'm off this Sunday sooooooo....

Meet at Shell Westgate (top of Nth western motorway) at 8.00am

Depart at 8.15 am.

Ride thru Riverhead (& parts of the forest) via Ararimu valley towards Kaukapapa then via Helensville to South Head.
Return via Helensville & Riverhead.

A bit of a mixture of seal and gravel and I'm treating it as an exploration for future rides.

I aim to be back in town by 12ish but it depends a bit on how many good roads we can find.

I'm riding a blue & white Dr650 so hopefully a couple of you can join me this Sunday.


I'm open to alternatives / variations on routes but have only got the morning available this time.

windboy
24th April 2007, 09:48
I'm keen.

However, I'm coming from the north so I shall meet you at the car park in riverhead forest? or else at the shell by the riverhead roundabout? whichever works better for you; around 8.30?

Also, you planning on going off road to south head? apparently you can go all the way through woodhill forestry roads...

later,

Windboy.

Crisis management
24th April 2007, 11:36
Lets say at the Shell @ the roundabout (in case I get lost..).

If you know, or think you know, a route thru woodhill, I'll be happy to try it out! The more off road the better as long as it is "manageable" off road.

We may need a bit of a "final decision making" meeting on Sunday am depending on who turns up and the bikes / riders capabilities so I'm keeping an open mind till then about the actual route.

chris
24th April 2007, 15:43
Please don't ride illegally in Woodhill, it benefits nobody. As of recently there are also officers of the law patrolling in the forest and your bike will be confiscated if you're caught.

Crisis management
24th April 2007, 15:48
Please don't ride illegally in Woodhill, it benefits nobody. As of recently there are also officers of the law patrolling in the forest and your bike will be confiscated if you're caught.

Thanks for that Chris, I was assuming whatever we do is being done legally, I'll bear that point in mind. I assume any private roads will be well marked as such, and that it is fairly obvious if you aren't supposed to be somewhere.

Do you know how we can find such info out?

chris
24th April 2007, 15:53
Thanks for that Chris, I was assuming whatever we do is being done legally, I'll bear that point in mind. I assume any private roads will be well marked as such, and that it is fairly obvious if you aren't supposed to be somewhere.

Do you know how we can find such info out?
Have you got route sheet holders?

Crisis management
24th April 2007, 16:04
Have you got route sheet holders?

I have, courtesy of a last minute panic before the Kaipara 200.......

chris
24th April 2007, 16:05
I have, courtesy of a last minute panic before the Kaipara 200.......

Do you still have the route sheets?

Crisis management
24th April 2007, 16:09
Do you still have the route sheets?

Only the last half, the first half had a disagreement with the ground as I recall.

Someone should invent a device where people can talk to each other without using a one fingered typist!!

Alexander Graham Bell where are you!

chris
24th April 2007, 16:12
Alexander Graham Bell where are you!
Who's he? My e-mail however is chris@kiwirider.co.nz

Ixion
24th April 2007, 16:13
Please don't ride illegally in Woodhill, it benefits nobody. As of recently there are also officers of the law patrolling in the forest and your bike will be confiscated if you're caught.


Interesting. Do you know where they were based. I'm interested in the fact that householders who are burgled are dismissed cursorily on the grounds that the police have inadequate resources. Yet they can spare resources to provide what amounts to a security service for a private corporation. I'll be interested to see how Mr Broad explains that.

Also, "confiscated" ? On what grounds. I know of NO law that would permit that and NO law that allows confiscation without the judgement of a court.

The legal grounds on which the public roads throught the forest were closed are also very shaky. Basically CHH just moved in and closed them unitlaterally. They are still marked as roads on most maps.

Crisis management
24th April 2007, 16:14
Who's he? My e-mail however is chris@kiwirider.co.nz

Some merkin bloke that invented the telephone.

Email sent.

chris
24th April 2007, 16:19
Interesting. Do you know where they were based. I'm interested in the fact that householders who are burgled are dismissed cursorily on the grounds that the police have inadequate resources. Yet they can spare resources to provide what amounts to a security service for a private corporation. I'll be interested to see how Mr Broad explains that.

Also, "confiscated" ? On what grounds. I know of NO law that would permit that and NO law that allows confiscation without the judgement of a court.

The legal grounds on which the public roads throught the forest were closed are also very shaky. Basically CHH just moved in and closed them unitlaterally. They are still marked as roads on most maps.
CHH don't own Woodhill any more. As for your other points, don't ask me, just passing on what I was told. I also know that they were on the beach, booking bikes that were not road legal. Surely it's easy enough to just not ride illegally?

Henk
25th April 2007, 08:41
I for one am glad that something is being done about illegal riders in Woodhill. I've had a number of near head ons in the place when marking out events. Last year one of our freinds young daughters had to drop her bike when she came round a corner and there were about 12 people who were too tight to pay to ride at the bike park coming the other way.
Illegal riders not only make it dangerous to organise events but also builds up immense ill will with other legitimate users that makes access more dificult to get. These guys could well cost us riding areas.

korupt555
25th April 2007, 20:25
Whats the deal with riding the 'main' forestry roads in woodhill and riverhead? are people allowed to ride them, as long as you dont leave the road and go into the forest?

Ixion
26th April 2007, 02:47
Those "illegal" riders may be more legal than you. When the government sold Woodhill to Alex Harvey (whence it was onsold ad infinitum), one part of the deal was that Alex Harvey were supposed to allow access to the forest for recreational purposes . As had been the case when the forest was owned by the pople of NZ. And for many years ALL the roads (which, when the forest was sold were PUBLIC ROADS) were open to the public , except when loggin operations, or fire risk, necessitated their closure.

Now the forests have been sold to off shore corporations and NONE of the roads , except the road to the beach, which was retained as public property in the original agreement , are ever open.

The "owners' of Woodhill are not doing people some sort of favour by their grudding allowance of a tiny fragment of the forest for recreational use. They are in fact perpetuating a massive ripoff and swindle on the people of NZ. If some riders are willing to challenge this corrupt and greedy misappropriation of OUR property, then GOOD ON THEM.

windboy
26th April 2007, 07:47
I'm not very familiar with the rules here, just want to get out there and have some fun!

I have been mountain biking for years in woodhill and as far as I know, from 7 to dusk, woodhill forestry roads are open to the public. Has always been the case since 1999. with the exceptions of wednesday and saturday when they are opened till 12 at midnight.

Now this includes the gates at woodhill bikepark and the one on rimmers rd. Not sure about the rest...

Anyone else in for Sunday morning then?

Cheers,

chris
26th April 2007, 08:41
Those "illegal" riders may be more legal than you. When the government sold Woodhill to Alex Harvey (whence it was onsold ad infinitum), one part of the deal was that Alex Harvey were supposed to allow access to the forest for recreational purposes . As had been the case when the forest was owned by the pople of NZ. And for many years ALL the roads (which, when the forest was sold were PUBLIC ROADS) were open to the public , except when loggin operations, or fire risk, necessitated their closure.

Now the forests have been sold to off shore corporations and NONE of the roads , except the road to the beach, which was retained as public property in the original agreement , are ever open.

The "owners' of Woodhill are not doing people some sort of favour by their grudding allowance of a tiny fragment of the forest for recreational use. They are in fact perpetuating a massive ripoff and swindle on the people of NZ. If some riders are willing to challenge this corrupt and greedy misappropriation of OUR property, then GOOD ON THEM.
So get off your high horse, stop moaning and challenge them in the courts.

Henk
27th April 2007, 18:52
The contract they have with the crown states that recreational access must be granted where it doesn't interfere with operations and that existing users have preference.
What that means is that they could conceivably set aside half an acre for walkers and that's your lot.
When you are in there trying to run events for the riding public with all the labour etc supplied by volunteers, riding their own bikes (and banging up arrows isn't easy on them) with multi million dollars of public liability and rural fire insurance, it's a bit irritating when you come within six feet of a head on and a trip to hospital because someone is too tight to pay $20 to ride at the bike park or $30 to go to an organised ride the following day.
As a rule if you have to go around a locked gate you shouldn't be there, note that a lot of the gates in Riverhead get destroyed by people seeking access. Ixions point about them being public roads only holds any water if the bikes concerned are road legal, and none of the illegal bikes I have seen in Woodhill or Riverhead in the past 6 years or so of running events have been.

<Rant off>

PLUG
27th April 2007, 19:52
:jerry: healthy debate ... i subscribe to the theory of ... permission is paramount

Henk
27th April 2007, 22:32
There used to be quite a few paper roads in Rodney that you could ride. They've all been closed now and the land handed back due mainly to four wheel drives carving them up and annoying the neighbors by spending all day grinding and winching their way through them.

Crisis management
29th April 2007, 19:35
Right, after much heated debate and legal pontifigating...we went for a ride!

Myself, Rogson and Windboy braved torrential downpours (well maybe a couple of showers) to ascertain the public access in Woodhill.......
to find the gates closed and locked!

Actually we meandered our way from Riverhead to Woodhill, and after finding that closed, made our way via Kiwitahi and Inland roads (pleasant gravelly slush...) to Kaukapakapa and on to Puhoi via Tahekoroa.

This being only the third time i have been on gravel was an interesting experience, luckily we were riding far enough apart that my screams of terror didn't put them off......there was a regular litany of "Oh Fucks" as I approached any corner. Remind me not to lean into the corner on a dirt bike....it definately doesn't work!:gob:

After three valium and leisurely coffee at Puhoi we headed back via upper Waiwera road to Wainui.

Windboy provided the adventure component by forgeting to put any gas in his tank....the outlook from the top of Noakes Hill is quite spectacular but you can't actually spot any gas stations from there! Luckily for him, it's all downhill from there.


waits quietly for excuses and protestations from Windboy.....

Watch out for country kids....they stand on the side of the road waving. :yes:

Thats ok, I always wave to people, but these little darlings were standing at the start of a sharp, off camber, downhill right hander.....which I carefully entered way to fast (still waving, mind) and spent the next 5 seconds trying not to visit the dairy herd and almost made my own contribution to the manure supplies. :shit:

A quiet lie down, three more valium, and all was rosey :Punk:

The rest of the journey, via Ararimu valley and another coffee stop concluded the trip..... about 200kms in total, about 60% on gravel.

Good roads and really neat countryside, definately a good way to get north from Auckland but pretty much limited to those roads, as almost everywhere else is sealed. Bastards!

Right, next trip to Port Waikato and south to raglan etc....

Henk
29th April 2007, 19:50
You'll love the coastal route from port waikato to raglan.
There are still a few gravel roads on the east coast between Wellsford and Warkworth that are worth a look as well.

Crisis management
29th April 2007, 20:23
You'll love the coastal route from port waikato to raglan.
There are still a few gravel roads on the east coast between Wellsford and Warkworth that are worth a look as well.

Yup, do Raglan next then back up north to Warkworth, Pakiri, Mangawai?, port albert etc....

All part of a cunning plan!

Ixion
29th April 2007, 21:31
I could not make it. I had to go to the hospital. (Not me, a relly. For some incomprehensible reason almost everyone I know seems to be getting sick or dying these days. It must be a very sickly season, is all I can think of, they never used to do it). Maybe next time.

windboy
30th April 2007, 16:32
Right, after much heated debate and legal pontifigating...we went for a ride!

Myself, Rogson and Windboy braved torrential downpours (well maybe a couple of showers) to ascertain the public access in Woodhill.......
to find the gates closed and locked!

Actually we meandered our way from Riverhead to Woodhill, and after finding that closed, made our way via Kiwitahi and Inland roads (pleasant gravelly slush...) to Kaukapakapa and on to Puhoi via Tahekoroa.

This being only the third time i have been on gravel was an interesting experience, luckily we were riding far enough apart that my screams of terror didn't put them off......there was a regular litany of "Oh Fucks" as I approached any corner. Remind me not to lean into the corner on a dirt bike....it definately doesn't work!:gob:

After three valium and leisurely coffee at Puhoi we headed back via upper Waiwera road to Wainui.

Windboy provided the adventure component by forgeting to put any gas in his tank....the outlook from the top of Noakes Hill is quite spectacular but you can't actually spot any gas stations from there! Luckily for him, it's all downhill from there.


waits quietly for excuses and protestations from Windboy.....

Watch out for country kids....they stand on the side of the road waving. :yes:

Thats ok, I always wave to people, but these little darlings were standing at the start of a sharp, off camber, downhill right hander.....which I carefully entered way to fast (still waving, mind) and spent the next 5 seconds trying not to visit the dairy herd and almost made my own contribution to the manure supplies. :shit:

A quiet lie down, three more valium, and all was rosey :Punk:

The rest of the journey, via Ararimu valley and another coffee stop concluded the trip..... about 200kms in total, about 60% on gravel.

Good roads and really neat countryside, definately a good way to get north from Auckland but pretty much limited to those roads, as almost everywhere else is sealed. Bastards!

Right, next trip to Port Waikato and south to raglan etc....

Hey I'm glad to add a bit of excitement to the ride. Also happy to not been the only one swearing in a few downhill/muddy/off-camber corners :gob: .

I was looking forward to take some good muddy shots of the bike when I got home but a thick downpour on my way back took care of most of the bike washing for me.

It was a cool half day ride only mins from AKL which was indeed the goal. I'm pretty sure there are plenty more. Bummer about the forestry road, I know it was my suggestion for starters but not long ago the bit from rimmers to bike park was open and has always been as long as I can remember. Anyways wouldn't have been an exciting route anyway.

Very keen on the Port Waikato one, although i'm pretty sure it takes more than a half day, unless you start at crack of dawn...

Zukin
30th April 2007, 21:07
Good write up :yes:

A half day down in Waikato/Raglan would be too short, why not make a weekend of it (or 2 x 1/2 days) with a stopover at a cheap campsite somewhere where we can talk bikes over a few quiet refreshments:yes:

I would probably be a starter for that

Cheers Scott

Henk
30th April 2007, 21:54
The pub at raglan does a decent feed and the cabins at the campground are a reasonably cheap and easy way to go. Just take a sleeping bag and something to jam in the stuff sack for a pillow.

Zukin
30th April 2007, 21:56
I love the Whaanga Coast road!!
Raced a few times around there in a rally car but never on a bike:yes:

Organise it and I will try to be there

Crisis management
1st May 2007, 21:33
At this stage my intention had been to only do day rides, simply because of a shit load of other commitments, and the raglan ride would be an easy day.
I want to keep these going regularly rather than have to plan a two day ride a couple of months in advance so I'm going to promote the one day version (sorry Scott) rather than anything longer at this stage.
I'll post a new thread for this tomorrow night and see how it goes.

Scott, maybe we can organise a weekend later in the year????

chris
2nd May 2007, 09:08
If I get a spare day and it coincides, I'll come for a blat. Just need to fit new fork seals to the DR first. It's also in desperate need of a new knobbie.

Henk
2nd May 2007, 19:18
It's also in desperate need of a new knobbie

No really?
Is that you excuse for failing on that hill the scorpio got up on Monday
:yes:

chris
3rd May 2007, 08:24
No really?
Is that you excuse for failing on that hill the scorpio got up on Monday
:yes:
Now I could blather on about not being able to gain any momentum due to not being able to get any grip when getting on the gas which in turn had the effect of me only reaching halfway up the hill, the DR wouldn't even move when I got off it, I had to push as well as clutch it. But I won't :whistle: