New Year's Eve Rainbow ride

**snodpete** · 6th January 2010, 12:14

Ruth and I had a adv touring shakedown ride over New Year, riding from home in Westport to Lake Tennyson via St Arnaud and the Rainbow Valley on NY eve. Got our feet wet in the first ford 'cos I'm a noob (gravel a bit loose, wife had to walk…), rest of the gravel was in great nick.

We returned via Waiau, Clarence Bridge and Nelson. Managed to fit the minimum of gear required in our rear pack and tank bag, just a few refinements required in clothing and camp cooking needs. We're off North next week - Cape Reinga, might see you out there.

Pix coming - working on them now

**snodpete** · 6th January 2010, 12:32

and now for our next six photos - have discovered I can't upload photos using Firefox on Mac

**Waihou Thumper** · 6th January 2010, 13:19

Nice stuff....Looks like a great place to wind down and enjoy the scenery. You can free camp on the Rainbow? Or just the Molesworth Station? or both?

**cooneyr** · 6th January 2010, 13:52

Originally Posted by NZKTM

Nice stuff....Looks like a great place to wind down and enjoy the scenery. You can free camp on the Rainbow? Or just the Molesworth Station? or both?

There are a couple of nice places to free camp in the Rainbow but watch out for the bity insects and there is a doc hut at sedgemere lakes. Molesworth has two designated camp sites but no huts.

Cheers R

**Waihou Thumper** · 6th January 2010, 14:13

So I have been told...I might use this or T Tree Oil....
Thanks Ryan

Use the original Amber-colored Listerine. Put it in a spray bottle & spray on people, blankets, clothing, decking & lawns. Great for parties or hiking. Listerine can last for up to 2 days on decking if it does not rain. You can use a plant sprayer to spray on large areas or a tiny spray bottle for small areas. Do NOT use the other flavors like Mint or Orange because they have a sweetener in them, use only the original Amber Listerine. It's the Menthol & the Eucalyptus that makes Listerine work & keep mosquitos away....Hopefully

**snodpete** · 6th January 2010, 14:30

Plenty of info on this http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/docume...rau-valley.pdf

Cheers - P

**Padmei** · 6th January 2010, 19:00

Good stuff pete. Quite a few bods I've been talking to have done rainbow etc in the last week. Thanks for sharing. Stroms still looking prettty tidy!!
have you read "twisting throttle America"? Very funny & he gave his 1000 Strom a good workout over there.

**junkmanjoe** · 6th January 2010, 19:31

mate...we so going to ride this road....Oh yea....

JMJ

**Underground** · 6th January 2010, 20:06

Good on ya Pete and Ruth , You got new tyres ?
Dont worry about having difficulty with those fords , I splashed down spectacularly taking the 'optional ford' just after the gorge last year.
Are we going to be seeing you on your travels ?

**snodpete** · 6th January 2010, 21:20

Tyres? Yeah Shinko rear and Tourance front - managed to ding my front rim on the way to Chch for service (and new tyres) hitting a piece of firewood in the middle of the road just round a corner near Inangahua. Bike leapt about a foot off the road and I had sphincter issues... Tyre guy had trouble balancing it..! Would love to visit your corner of paradise Jeff - bit tight for time on next week's mission but we know where you live (roughly)! - we won't forget.

**Aslan** · 7th January 2010, 06:20

thanks for posting Pete - nice pics of what is one of my favourite roads - I expect to travel down through the Rainbow with NZKTM in a week's time en route to the DB.

Q - what condition was the first significant ford at the Rainbow Station end in? In past years it has had an eroded concrete spillway with deep holes in it - just the thing to catch a heavily laden GS (pig) in - I assume this may be the one you refer to in your RR

cheers - enjoy your trip North in this great land that is Aotearoa!

**Padmei** · 7th January 2010, 06:44

Originally Posted by Aslan

thanks for posting Pete - nice pics of what is one of my favourite roads - I expect to travel down through the Rainbow with NZKTM in a week's time en route to the DB.

Q - what condition was the first significant ford at the Rainbow Station end in? In past years it has had an eroded concrete spillway with deep holes in it - just the thing to catch a heavily laden GS (pig) in - I assume this may be the one you refer to in your RR

cheers - enjoy your trip North in this great land that is Aotearoa!

It's all good at the mo Aslan. I ended up taking the bridges instead of the optonal fords at the start cos the Protect our waterways signs made me feel guilty

**Aslan** · 7th January 2010, 07:44

Originally Posted by Padmei

It's all good at the mo Aslan. I ended up taking the bridges instead of the optonal fords at the start cos the Protect our waterways signs made me feel guilty

Cheers Padmei - may the force be with you

**snodpete** · 7th January 2010, 07:58

@Aslan - yes, it was the first 'significant' ford that bit me. The concrete was OK but there was a lot of gravel covered in water before the pad which I cleverly tried to skirt around and got caught by - your experience may differ ; )