Wires track, Thames?

[Rupe]

Anyone been here before, and know what it's like?

Is it still open to use?

http://www.nztrails.com/BikeParkDetail.aspx?rideId=11

Sounds interesting

[Danger]

Talked to a guy today who just rode it last week, said it was a real mission! Done it many times on MTB and once on motorbike but my riding buddies Honda (wouldn't ya know it) crapped out and the ride was cut short before we really got to get into some of the off shoots. I would be keen to ride it if someone else was keen. $5.00 honesty box.

[Rupe]

Talked to a guy today who just rode it last week, said it was a real mission! Done it many times on MTB and once on motorbike but my riding buddies Honda (wouldn't ya know it) crapped out and the ride was cut short before we really got to get into some of the off shoots. I would be keen to ride it if someone else was keen. $5.00 honesty box.

Yep me and another would be keen, give us a shout if you fancy heading down. Would be best to go with a few people incase anything went wrong.

By the way, whats the boulders bit like????

[Danger]

Yeah already spent a good half day pushing a bloody Honda outa there!
The guy I spoke to today said it was really hard, the boulders were very slippery even though they were not wet. Now would be the time to do it before it did rain again. Off course on a MTB you can just pick up your bike over anything you can't ride, but I don't actually remember not being able to ride any of it on MTB's but we didn't ride the off shoots. We used to ride right over to Whangamata and back on the MTB's, but you could not do that on motorcycles, because I don't think you were even sposed to ride MTB's on the Whangamata side from memory once you get to a certain point, it becomes popular with hikers. I have not been there for about 7 years. Last rode it on MTB's about 10 years ago. Actually been trying to talk a mate into a Coromandal ride recently, its the ideal time of year.

[cave weta]

I ride there about twice a month. Yes you need balls of steel to get round the loop track, the 'rock garden' is crap! do not go without at least 3 riders.and take a tiedown for towing. please use the $5.00 honesty box. the upkeep on this track is high due to heavy rain and the clay base. Also beware of other riders at this time of year,- earlier this week I met 8 riders up there

[Firefight]

yes done it many times, not in the last couple of years, bloody hard work on the rock slide (decent), run by doc, not sure but I thought we paid more than NZ$5.00, the best river crossing's in the NI, think the track crossed back and forward over the river about 4-5 times, as others have said
don,t ride alone !, oh yeah and lock your car/van, remote car parking midweek.


F/F

[Firefight]

By the way, whats the boulders bit like????


bloody long, and often steep decent, of fukin big boulders, slippery if too early in the am, or raining, seems to go on for ever, challanging to say the least, ,hard to say how long it goes for, but good ride once at the bottom,


F/F

[cave weta]

bloody long, and often steep decent, of fukin big boulders, slippery if too early in the am, or raining, seems to go on for ever, challanging to say the least, ,hard to say how long it goes for, but good ride once at the bottom,


F/F



Ha ha - I love the way you guys all talk about the 'decent' down the rock garden! it is a loop track- you guys had better make sure you head off the right way around cos, doing it backward is even more fun!:nono:

[Rupe]

thanks for the heads up.

Anyone know where it is as the link doesn't help much????

[Firefight]

thanks for the heads up.

Anyone know where it is as the link doesn't help much????



will send u a pm


F/F

[kevfromcoro]

Is that the Maratoetoe loop track?
Done it a few times...on bikes and 4wds.
its hard going alright...
used to be a donkey track that went down to whangamata.. never done it..to overgrown.
Manukau 4wd went in there once.. at 10 am sunday morning...and didnt get out till about 8am Monday....

[kiwisurf]

Rode it on Friday. Lots of twisty turny single track. Its nice and dry at the moment so nows the perfect time. The gut buster is changelling and a real mission if you ride it up hill.
Take the road from Paeroa to Thames. About 10mins or so out of Paeroa you will get to Maratoto road (i think). Its has a sign that says "The Wires" anyway. 10mins down there you get to Wires road which has a entrance but we entered through another part which is a bit further down the road. When the road turns to gravel theres a track (first one) with an area for carparking and the motorbike track runs from there.

[Danger]

Ok just resurecting this for Fridays ride. Which is the best loop direction to tackle this? As I recall the loop is on the left as you ride up the initial track. Do you take the first left option or do you continue on and take the second left option (as the track continues onto Whangamata as I recall via MTB).
How long is the loop and how long typically does it take?
Unfortunatley we are still only at two riders.

How about you Scott, fancy another day off work riding? Come on if your reading this I know your interested ha ha!

What about you Caveweta, are you in?

[Rupe]

Ok just resurecting this for Fridays ride. Which is the best loop direction to tackle this? As I recall the loop is on the left as you ride up the initial track. Do you take the first left option or do you continue on and take the second left option (as the track continues onto Whangamata as I recall via MTB).
How long is the loop and how long typically does it take?
Unfortunatley we are still only at two riders.

How about you Scott, fancy another day off work riding? Come on if your reading this I know your interested ha ha!

What about you Caveweta, are you in?

Are you sure you don't fancy going Sat???

can you post a bit of detail on what the course is like, after you've been there. It's all a bit unclear what it's like and I'm real keen to go soon, so all/any info would be cool.

Anyway, if anyone can answer some of Danger's questions above, that would help too.

[Danger]

Yeah I will report back. At this stage its still a Friday ride, it suits my riding mate and there will be less other trail users. This dry weather can't last forever so I think this will be a great opportunity to tackle it when it should be a little less extreme.

[Ktmboy]

If you are going Saturday I could be in. Have to take the young fella to the Thames scambles so it would work in good.

How far away is it from Thames?

[Danger]

Its looking like it is all go tomorrow. My mate is organising a few of his army mates to come along and they are all on orange except for one green.

Its 10km south of Thames. The track is open today and I'm expecting it to be open tomorrow. There is a number to call and check (like raceline) before traveling.

Please if you ride this track go easy on the freshly repaired sections of soft dirt where ruts etc have been filled in.

Here is some more info on it.

"Maratoto: Wires Road & Old Whangamata Track

* The Maratoto/Wires track is closed for maintenance. Phone 027 524 2132 for current track status before travelling to area.
* Users should note that the 4X4 trail may be closed at any time to vehicle use – please phone first to avoid disappointment!"

Website says it is closed but I imagine they do not update that at all. Ring the number first! I guess thats what they are trying to get people to do rather than showing up expecting it to be open when its not.

More info aimed at trampers.

Description

"Maratoto tracks
Wires Track

Time: 3 hr one way

The track is signposted off Wires Road 500 metres before the gate and carpark. The wires track is named after the telephone line which used to run through the Maratoto. Remnants of these old telephone poles can be seen along the track, as can the fence from an old cattle holding pen. Two beautiful falls are found not far off the track on the Hamuti Stream. As well as the falls, there are side excursions that can be made along the track to large kauri and totara trees.

In places the track is steep, and during winter there can be muddy spots, but the track is well marked and gives lovely views across Maratoto. The track finishes where it meets the 4-wd track. It is possible to loop back to the carpark via the 4-wd track, this takes less than two hours, but note that the track is designed for 4-wheel drive vehicles, not trampers, so care must be taken."

Also the honesty box is $10.00, not $5.00 so please be honest.

Thats about all I know at this point.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=35900

http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=38591

[Robbo]

The Wires Track. Wow, that brings back some great memories. Rode across that track many times just over twenty years ago. You could leave from the Hikatia end and get all the way across to the Wentworth Valley at Whangamata. There were some awesome tracks to explore up on the top also and i believe there was a track that also went through to Waikino in the gorge going to Waihi. There was also a bit of old machinery left up there from the early mining days. Always amazed me as to how they got it up there.
I understand that the Wentworth Valley end is no longer passable, be a shame if that is the case.
Anyway, hope you have a great ride up there and would love to here a report about it sometime.

Cheers

[cheese]

I'd be really interested in hearing what you think of the track Greg. I'd love to go to some new places as "the usual" are getting a bit boring. No offence to the people that do a great job of running the tracks out there.

[Danger]

Yeah I know what you mean Cheese, that why I'm really looking forward to this ride.

Its back to the two of us, the army guys were not keen to ride. Oh well, I'm sure we will manage. Doesn't look like Caveweta is going to show either. Probably be faster with just the two of us anyway.

[Danger]

The road to the track is called Old Maratoto rd and it is 15.5km from the intersection at Kopu. Old Maratoto road is in a little settlement. Follow that until you cross a concrete ford, turn left and then left again when you find Wires road.

Ended up being 3 of us, AJ and his mate Calvin and I. Unfortunetly AJ got of work late so I tried to scout out the parking area beyond Wires rd to no avail. While trying to find cell phone coverage to text instructions I pulled off to the side of the road and drove straight into a hidden concrete pipe which destroyed my left front tyre, so it was on with the space saver and then down to the carpark on Wires rd which is where I have always left from on past visits. The fee is paid at the top of Wires rd and it is only $5.00.
Note that both the website and signs at the entrance and around the track say that the tracks are closed, yet on ringing the cell phone number before leaving AK the message says the track is open. The signs have been up for a long time and are covered with cob web's and I doubt that the website is updated very often either. So phone first and take that as the more likely correct update.
After waiting for a long time and gearing up I was just about to venture off on my own when AJ and Calvin finally showed up. They had gone beyond Wires road per earlier instructions looking for a starting point and had failed to get (or read) updated instructions. Cell phone coverage is sketchy or non existant.

We cruised up the gravel road towards the track slowly so as not to annoy residents with dust or noise. We passed about a 1/2 dozen houses and then onto the track. We were always aware that we may run into other users so were cautious around corners. We never saw another person or vehicle.

A few places were marked closed, trees growing but we explored a few off shoots from the main track that were open, most were dead ends. One that looked interesting and challenging with some larger rocks going up hill we decided that we would challenge later after exploring some easier options to warm up. Remember us guys are not used to riding rocks so this seemed like a good option. Unfortunatley AJ had to be back in the city for his old ladies birthday so time was a bit against us and we did not get back to this part, but we will look at it again some other time no doubt.

So we made our way to the Tairua river but instead of exploring further due to our time restraints we went straight onto the motorcycle loop to Maratoto road and back to the starting point. The walking estimate was 3.5 hours (I guess it was a walking estimate, I figure it would actually take longer than that) and it started of reasonably challenging with some ruts deep enough to hang your swingarm on and some large rocks that had taken a bashing and were bashing the frame rails under the bike. We tried to take it easy because we did not want to hole the crank cases but you really had to commit and keep the momentum going becuase if you stopped it was quite a slippery hard surface and you would often just spin or get caught up on the loose rocks or get caught in a rut. The slick off camber rock bed was a bit tricky in places. A couple of times I muffed it and started to blow but got going again only to never really recover because we were pushing the pace due to the time constraints. Also there were some good views that we had only brief glimpses of because we could not afford the time to stop. AJ wanted to be back at his truck in 45mins, but it took us about 1hour 20 to make it back following the motorcycle loop.

The descent with the boulders was quite challenging because it was really steep in places and put a lot of load on your arms trying to hold yourself up. Once commited there was no turning back and it would be practically impossible to return the way you came.
Calvin got a stick caught inside his radiator shroud which broke. I got the same stick caught under my boot and it almost lifted me off the bike while my front wheel was trying to negotiate its way down the steep drops.

I was the least fit of us three and I was dragging the chain a bit and getting tired from the constant descending. Towards the end you cross the river 4 or five times.
With a bit more fitness I reckon we could of cleaned the lap out in an hour. But I also think that I would have enjoyed the ride more if we could have taken more time to recover after muffing it, just a 30sec breather to regain composure and ride like we should instead of just hammering stuff to get to the end. And take time to enjoy views etc. The other guys got a bit more of a breather while they waited for me. Because I was last I got no rest.
And I reckon anymore than 3 riders would not have been a good idea because the progress would have been slower. 3 is a good number because if one rider falls and hurts himself one can stay with him while the other goes for help. Also there is a gate a few km's from the end and if that had been closed and locked it would taken 3 riders to lift the bikes over it.

So we eventually got back ok. No where did any of us need assistance from another rider, and other than Calvin's broken radiator shroud and his broken helmet peak we had no damage to any of the bikes. I was expecting at least a dent or two in the exhaust chambers on our 200EXC's but no dents occured. Only the Kawasaki sustained damage which could of happened to any bike. Small bore 2 strokes are ideal for this track. I would not like to ride a 450 diesel around there or a MX gearbox. And I think the fork protrusion on a KDX would cause major issues on this track with the lower fork tube hooking up on ruts and rocks and possibley sending you flying on the steep descents.

All up we had only been gone about 2 hours, but it felt like more. It only took about a half tank of gas to do what we did so with more time the option is there to do a heap more exploring. Its not fast riding, more technical.

Even with the dry weather it was quite slippery in places. With the expected rain this weekend I'm glad we went when we did. Although AJ is keen to return when its wet and slick. He reckons we ride this track one day, camp out somewhere or stay in a little town, drink piss and cause havoc and then hit Thompsons or Neasville or some other track the next. Perhaps if we get more weather like we have had this summer over the next month I could be keen.

So be warned, it does take some experience and fitness to complete this track like we did. But the main loop up to Tairua river is not challenging at all and anyone would be capable of riding this, but thats only a small part of the trails and would not really be worth the effort and drive. They have done a lot of work to the main track. It used to be a lot more challenging than what it now is. The motorcycle loop is a lot more of a challenge. If you can get around Riverhead in the wet you should be up to it though. Just keep the momentum going.

Good luck if you take it on.

[cave weta]

An excellent write up Danger! I havent been in here for two or three weeks- If you had PMd me I would have brought the big Diesel out but I didnt know!


let me know next time and I will show you the historic logging dams, mining relics and the waterfalls. also ive got nice accomodation in waihi for $45 per night www.bularangi.com (www.bularangi.com)also will show you around Neavesville and my own enduro loop where we ride through a huge tunnel and explore goldmines.

[fergie]

good report danger,, i road there 15/18 years ago on an old dr250. nothing but bloody hard work all day but i sure did enjoy it. would love to do it on a modern bike.

[civil]

Did Thomson Track yesterday from the Waikato side. It was fantastic, nice and muddy. We got most of the way back down the BOP side until the bog holes got the better of us and decided it was too much like hard work getting out of them.

[Danger]

An excellent write up Danger! I havent been in here for two or three weeks- If you had PMd me I would have brought the big Diesel out but I didnt know!


let me know next time and I will show you the historic logging dams, mining relics and the waterfalls. also ive got nice accomodation in waihi for $45 per night www.bularangi.com (www.bularangi.com)also will show you around Neavesville and my own enduro loop where we ride through a huge tunnel and explore goldmines.

Sorry Cave Weta I thought that you were following the posts when I was looking for riders and if I thought you were serious in coming you would have been welcome. Would be keen on a ride sometime. Been off the bike a bit lately and need to build up some fitness first. Might be keen on Neasville next. How does that compare to Wires?

[cave weta]

Sorry Cave Weta I thought that you were following the posts when I was looking for riders and if I thought you were serious in coming you would have been welcome. Would be keen on a ride sometime. Been off the bike a bit lately and need to build up some fitness first. Might be keen on Neasville next. How does that compare to Wires?

Its very similar but longer and with lots more side tracks and a couple of good loops. Im still in my busy period at the moment but after Easter things should get quieter and we will do a trip up there!

[ali-s]

Its very similar but longer and with lots more side tracks and a couple of good loops. Im still in my busy period at the moment but after Easter things should get quieter and we will do a trip up there!
hey cave weta - that's sounds awesome, room for an old one at the back? - as said before - great write up danger, sounds like a fine day in the saddle.
Often wondered why kawi never put a good set of usd's on the kdx? I would have chosen it ahead of the klx if they had.

[Danger]

Yeah that is a shame. This is what it would be like on the KDX.

[cave weta]

[QUOTE=ali-s;1444482]hey cave weta - that's sounds awesome, room for an old one at the back?

Ha ha !!! I bet you are no older than me.-
Im in the super vets class. -had my bike licence for 31 years.....

you would be very welcome- lets put something together for after easter.

[ali-s]

:Oops:

it happen's to the best of us i suppose.
I read somwhere ages ago it was because the kdx is light and doesn't need the full monty up front, but then take a look at a drz 400, same style of fork and she's not the lightest ride around ? :scooter:

[ali-s]

[QUOTE=ali-s;1444482]hey cave weta - that's sounds awesome, room for an old one at the back?

Ha ha !!! I bet you are no older than me.-
Im in the super vets class. -had my bike licence for 31 years.....

you would be very welcome- lets put something together for after easter.


:lol: XLNT - diary is open and pen ready - having just moved up to the BOP am looking forward to exploring a bit of the N Island, I'll just have to make sure it doesn't clash with me taking the zimmer frame in for a service !:cool:

[roger_doger]

Here's what happened when me and a mate attacked it a few days ago:

"We headed off to the Coromandel area (we entered the coromandel forest from the Paeroa side) to explore a track we'd heard about. We had an awesome ride the first hour or so. The track was primo - winding its way through native bush. Slowly it got trickier and trickier. It was a good challenge, but the kind of bike that Shaun has is not good for slow technical riding, so we got to a point where we decided to turn around. That was all well and good. Then I was leading back down the track, and we came to a point where the colour of the dirt changed slightly, but I didn't think anything of it. That is until I went to ride over it and got sucked into a 1m deep bog. We almost couldn't see the front wheel it was buried that deep! And it was the stickiest, clumpiest, dirtiest mud I think I've ever encountered. It took Shaun and me over 40 mins to get it out. We used various strategies, the bike was literally upside down for half of the time. But we finally got it out. Went to kick it back into life....it fired up second kick, of course! So we were "back on track" and blatting down the track again. Shaun was skirting his way around a deep puddle and accidently dropped his bike in the puddle. It looked funny (as I'm sure my bike in the bog did, but it was my turn to laugh), but then when he went to try and kick it over it wouldn't kick. Uh oh, that only means one thing - water in the cylinder head. We didn't have any tools with us (slap on the hand), so I shot back to the van, picked up some tools and came back. We stripped his bike down and tried draining all the water out of the cylinder, but it was no use. The bike was stranded. So it was the trusty XL (my bike) to the rescue. We hooked up a tow rope and towed her back through the bush. It was a very tricky assignment trying to tow a bike (and person) up some of the gnarly, rocky tracks - I was fighting between momentum, traction, and keeping the front wheel on the ground - but I have to give all the credit to my bike! It is a legendary machine. It handled it all with relative ease. I'm still blown away at how much torque the thing has. So anyway we finally got back to the van, and were able to head back in one piece. It certainly isn't a day we'll forget in a hurry."

[BILLY P]

hi guys we rode the wires loop and the gut buster on feb the 8th 08 it was all good. but the track was meant to be closed because the main loop ends at a 12ft bank where they are putting a drive into a block of land. there where no signs up in the morning and none in the afternoon except the new land owner chained a gate across the track at the very end and told us we where trespassing.we explained to him we could'nt go back with the amount of gas we had left and we where stuffedand we are only 200m from the car park. to bad he reckoned and told us to f off. we explained that if there was signs we would'nt be here. f off again. so we did. it's a wicked ride but now needs a end to the track. doc are meant to be sorting it out shortly.

[Danger]

How did you finish the track then? There is no physical way you would get your bike back up those rock descents. You would need a dozen Sherpa's.
There was a point near the end by a river crossing that had a left and a right option. We took the right option and went over the private land as indicated by the sign and got back ok, there was no chain or gate up at that time. Not sure where the left option takes you to, perhaps Old Maratoto road? That could be an optional way out? Cave Weta might have more info.
Thanks for the warning though. Was just thinking today that I was getting a hankering to head down there and ride the track again.
I just checked the dates and are you sure you did it on the 8th of Feb cause thats the exact day that we did the ride? We were the only ones there parked at Wires road.

[BILLY P]

sure was the 8th danger .truck and ute parked at car park at the end of the road. we got back by riding down the guys fence line while he screamed at us.the gate was chained at the very end of the track where the earth works is happining. you would understand why we couldn't go back up the track. to hard and to stuffed. it's still the best test of your skills i reckon as well as neasvile. cheers