Riverhead Twilight trail ride 27/2/09

[FROSTY]

Looks like theres gonna be a twilight ride up in Riverhead forest this friday.
By twilight they mean 3.00pm till 7.30pm with the dry weather the clay trails should be heaps of fun.
Entry is $39 .
Aparently the way is sighnposted from SH16 at allelly house but its off off old nth road

[DELLORTO]

riverhead dosnt get dry..................its like a sponge

[noobi]

riverhead dosnt get dry..................its like a sponge

That's what I thought about thunder but it dried out really quick yesterday, so a week should be enough to at least firm up, and if not just let your tires down a bit

[xen]

Should be going, its $30 for members $35 non. With most of the trails in the forest it takes longer to dry but all good, just ride slower (and fall more)

[Crisis management]

The Riverhead rides are good but can be demanding for newer riders, as long as you take your time and ride sensibly it's all achievable.... good tyres help!
There's always some mud around as it holds the damp in but the forecast looks ok ish for this week. I will definately be there so look out for a blue Isuzu with a mud encrusted ktm attached.

Actual location is off Ararimu Valley road but it is reasonably signposted from SH16, get there ready to ride at 3!

[billaroo]

Here's the flyer

[EXCDirt]

I've never ridden at riverhead before.
Is it real slippery? rmz 450 with half worn tyres be ok.
Been riding 3 months and want to go to riverhead before it gets too slippery.

[cheese]

It can be slippery, but its dam good fun! You need pretty reasonable tyres for riverhead.

[Crisis management]

Is it real slippery?

Like all these things it's weather dependant, the forecast for the rest of the week is dry (at the moment) with the rain holding off until friday night. If the trail is similar to a couple of weeks ago you will not have any problems as long as you don't do any of the A loops. There will be damp and muddy places as some of it is in forestry which doesn't dry in a hurry and the tree roots will be slippery, it can be tight & texchnical in places so expect to take your time and think your way around.
Lower your tyre pressures and be careful with your throttle control....

The worst that can happen is you will find parts of it hard and you will learn something about dealing with those obstacles, it is a great ride and the terrain is really interesting.

You will enjoy it!

[Cary]

Was planning to go to Woodhill in the am but thinking about this ride. I have a mate on a YZ450 with a modified(butchered! & not by him) exhaust and is a little loud, how strict are they on noise limits?

I'm taking it a ProCircuit equiped KDX wil be ok........

[chrisktm]

It cant be that hard, my mum does the whole riverhead rides by herself!

[Crisis management]

It cant be that hard, my mum does the whole riverhead rides by herself!

You can be quiet, I still haven't forgiven you for that bloody clear felled hill bit you marked out last time. My self esteem is still in recovery mode......

[chrisktm]

Come on! I put a proper sign up and everything :innocent: I'll make sure this weeks one is nice

[Dutchee]

Your mum's not riding this one though Chris ;)
Guess I'll have to keep Fiona company this week.
Hey, did you find your bumbag?

[chrisktm]

Yeah Junior had it thank god!

[Rupe]

shit, really fancy going to this one. But by the time I finish work and battle through the traffic they are trying to shut up.

[EXCDirt]

shit, really fancy going to this one. But by the time I finish work and battle through the traffic they are trying to shut up.

I'll write you a note to get off early?

[Dutchee]

Yeah Junior had it thank god!
Excellente :) Oh, need to ask you what goggles you wear as found some scott tear-offs we no longer need/want.

For those not able to make the last twilight ride for this season, Sunday week is a trailride (hmmm, ride my bike 4x last year and I'm almost there already this year, ah well, a year off dirtbiking was fun).

[4stroke]

Come on! I put a proper sign up and everything :innocent: I'll make sure this weeks one is nice

na leave it hard as, make this lot harden up, if its easy it doesnt make ya work for it, ya dont work for it and ya dont get better at riding the hard stuff. besides its bloody good fun.

[billaroo]

Excellente :) Oh, need to ask you what goggles you wear as found some scott tear-offs we no longer need/want.

For those not able to make the last twilight ride for this season, Sunday week is a trailride (hmmm, ride my bike 4x last year and I'm almost there already this year, ah well, a year off dirtbiking was fun).

Sunday week is the Top Trailrider Enduro- sorry no trailriders......

[tnarg]

In all these years I still hav'nt ridden Riverhead. Not sure why either. Gotta work fri night so will have to miss another one. Bugger.

[Crisis management]

Well that was awesome, thanks yet again to the Waitemata club for a well laid out trail and great conditions! :Punk::Punk:

There was one loop of about 30kms with no short cuts, as I understand it, this is to be part of the Top Trail Rider enduro in two weeks time so was a good mix of single track, open gravel roads, clear felled terrain (not that bloody hill this time, thank you Mr Birch), tree roots, ruts and the odd steep bit.
I did my usual by falling off in the easy bits and, later on, in the hard bits and apart from one reasonably spectacular somersault seem to have survived reasonably unscathed...must remember not to lock the front up at speed.:no:
I rediscovered my inability to wheelie as there was one log blocking the trail to get over, I had to resort to dragging the bike over it as there was no way I could synchronise the front wheel in the air and being anywhere near the bloody log.
The worst bit was the other guys rolling around with laughter back at the carpark when they pointed out there was a bypass trail right beside the log......I used that route next time.:stupid:

He-man award goes to the guy on a BMW 650 dakar who attempted the ride, last seen buried under the bike upside down on a bit of a steep downhill. He still hadn'd got out by the time we left but either the sweep riders dragged him out or there is a very cheap BMW in there somewhere.

Great entertainment, thanks to all for setting it out and providing the ride!

Iain.

[Dutchee]

The Dakar got out under its own steam.
When we left, they were out looking for a broken down IT, which I hope they found. Each time the sweep guys came in after looking for a lost person, the person had come back, but another was lost or broken.
If anyone is going to get lost, it's usually me, but no, this time it was everyone else.
I had a good over the bars crash going down hill leading to the bridge with the rails. Thanks to those who helped & those who offered (I had thought I could sort it out, but being a short ass got myself into more of a mess). The ride went downhill from then on, but sorted myself out eventually. Only did one loop as couldn't face being babysat on another loop and was stuffed.
Definitely a good ride though and was surprised I could keep up with the odd rider (until I stuffed up big time).
Thanks to everyone who helped put on the event, and to the daughter who supplied a yummy chocolate cake ;) (sorry, useless at names).
Iain, I couldn't believe it when you said about the log, I'd never even thought about going over it and was stumped where you meant (if I can spot an "easier" way, I'll take it, I hate logs).

[EXCDirt]

That was an awesome trail!
First ride in the riverhead forest and was expecting to get a lot messier than that. Managed 3 laps and am now sore but not too damaged. Took the stickers off both sides of the handguards from tree skimming.
That log.... I'm glad there was a bypass, after a couple minutes of trying I took to the bush in the hope it would bypass it.
Huge credit to the guy on the Bmw and the young lad on the crf100 who both made it round. Not ideal bikes for it I would say?
And thanks to the waitemata club for marking out such a varied trail.
When's the next one?

[tommorth]

yeah great ride managed to come off a few times once on the gravel road even straight into a gorse bush had a go at the log first time round front wheel made it but thats about it

:niceone: to the guy who got his van stuck in the carpark

thanks to those who organise the ride will definitly be going back great mix of trails

[xen]

Very cool ride, was a nice long loop. Didn't try the hill climb which is probably a good thing. Can see it will be getting real slipperly in there soon. Cheers to the club guys, good stuff