Waihou Thumper
14th April 2009, 09:41
Well folks, this started out as a social get together and slowly developed into a full blown adventure ride. Scott (shouting scott), Brett (big guy) and Mark (NZKTM) thought about heading north once again and Scott sharing some of those great north trails and roads it has to offer!
He didn't disappoint in the least....
It was decided that if you turn up, you are in, if not, then bad luck as you missed out on some great riding and fun...
The Friday afternoon Scott picked up a 1200GS from the hire company and Mark and Brett met him in the big smoke for the ride north home to his place via some of the back roads. Oh, some, I meant all....
The GPS came in handy and we criss crossed our way north to Whangarei and points beyond.
Who would have thought that the roads between Mangawhai, Wellsford and Brynderwyn would be so much fun and fast, real fast! Gravel was sparce, it was more limestone and hard packed mud with a bit of pebbly stuff.....
The views were great, Waipu from a great height and the Whangarei Heads...
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22312
This road we found was a beauty! It wound the ridges from Mangawhai road through to Wellsford and more. On the way home we even found more and crossed over State Highway 1 and headed up Coronation St towards Port Albert....
More on that later.
We arrived at Scotts place early evening and he raved about the BMW, loved it...Sure made a difference from the DRZ400, his arse loved him for it!
The bike is for sale and he is seriously considering a buy!
We got a few phone calls and before we knew it we had seven booked for the Saturday. Time to plan a route and Scott had a few good roads in mind. Scott, Mark and Scott (the non shouting one) knew the area well as they all grew up here and have never left....Talk about know everyone around the hills, it was great, especially if you wanted a bit of help fixing a flat tyre or sommit! Of course this happened right on the first morning when one rider needed a little help...
All fixed we got ready for the day...
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22319
Brett deciding the KTM might be better left in the garage. This was our sweep bike..
The day was long, the roads were fantastic and we all ended up at Whangaroa Harbour for a late lunch. A few of us found a track through a forest called the Mokau ridge track. It meandered around the ridge as a 4WD track and was bit slippery in places but nice and long and sometimes quite awesome in the scale of adventure riding!
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22302
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22303
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22304
We all headed out together after lunch, fueled up in the bellies we hit more trails and meandered home to Scott's.
Sausages, bread and a couple of ales we chatted into the night and worked out the route for the Sunday.
We had a few more joiners for the Sunday and after meeting at Shell Kamo hit the back roads around Dargaville and points beyond.
Dunno the names of the roads as yet, but will have them once I sort out the GPS tracks....
You can see a few of the places in the photographs, the road signs and stuff....
I was too busy riding to take loads of photos, the pace was brisk and we all took turns at the front and some at the back....
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22310
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22301
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22306
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22309
He didn't disappoint in the least....
It was decided that if you turn up, you are in, if not, then bad luck as you missed out on some great riding and fun...
The Friday afternoon Scott picked up a 1200GS from the hire company and Mark and Brett met him in the big smoke for the ride north home to his place via some of the back roads. Oh, some, I meant all....
The GPS came in handy and we criss crossed our way north to Whangarei and points beyond.
Who would have thought that the roads between Mangawhai, Wellsford and Brynderwyn would be so much fun and fast, real fast! Gravel was sparce, it was more limestone and hard packed mud with a bit of pebbly stuff.....
The views were great, Waipu from a great height and the Whangarei Heads...
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22312
This road we found was a beauty! It wound the ridges from Mangawhai road through to Wellsford and more. On the way home we even found more and crossed over State Highway 1 and headed up Coronation St towards Port Albert....
More on that later.
We arrived at Scotts place early evening and he raved about the BMW, loved it...Sure made a difference from the DRZ400, his arse loved him for it!
The bike is for sale and he is seriously considering a buy!
We got a few phone calls and before we knew it we had seven booked for the Saturday. Time to plan a route and Scott had a few good roads in mind. Scott, Mark and Scott (the non shouting one) knew the area well as they all grew up here and have never left....Talk about know everyone around the hills, it was great, especially if you wanted a bit of help fixing a flat tyre or sommit! Of course this happened right on the first morning when one rider needed a little help...
All fixed we got ready for the day...
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22319
Brett deciding the KTM might be better left in the garage. This was our sweep bike..
The day was long, the roads were fantastic and we all ended up at Whangaroa Harbour for a late lunch. A few of us found a track through a forest called the Mokau ridge track. It meandered around the ridge as a 4WD track and was bit slippery in places but nice and long and sometimes quite awesome in the scale of adventure riding!
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22302
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22303
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22304
We all headed out together after lunch, fueled up in the bellies we hit more trails and meandered home to Scott's.
Sausages, bread and a couple of ales we chatted into the night and worked out the route for the Sunday.
We had a few more joiners for the Sunday and after meeting at Shell Kamo hit the back roads around Dargaville and points beyond.
Dunno the names of the roads as yet, but will have them once I sort out the GPS tracks....
You can see a few of the places in the photographs, the road signs and stuff....
I was too busy riding to take loads of photos, the pace was brisk and we all took turns at the front and some at the back....
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22310
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22301
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22306
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/picture.php?albumid=1952&pictureid=22309