1000km Northern Adv Ride

**bart** · 16th September 2010, 22:14

I've been thinking on similar lines, as the DB1K never seems to fit with my plans.

I'm more than happy to help out. I'll think about it over the next day or so, as I'm shattered after flying to Auckland and back for a meeting today.

Marks may have a few good tracks to add also. How technical do you want it?

**marks** · 17th September 2010, 08:48

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

i think it would be quite difficult to bang up a 1000km route that takes in a heap of gravel to be ridin in one day

reason, most our gravel roads are narrow / tight with heaps of blind corners and not really able to be ridden fast. safely..
they are short roads mostly linking to a sealed road.

is easy enough to wast a full days riding around the rapa and only banging up 400 odd kms

north island is a lot tighter than the south wide open spaces, its only 750 odd kms from my house to auckland...

JMJ

I think Joe has a valid point. If maximum gravel is the goal then 1000km is tricky.
I f a great 1000km ride is the goal then that's much easier.

Personally I think some sort of Welly-Shannon-Ashhurst-Taihape-Napier-Waipawa (via Valley Rd/Raukawa Rd/Argyll Rd - woooohoo

) - Parongahou - stay close to the coast to Martinborough and over the hill back to Welly (actually this is pretty much Barts last RRRR - which was a great ride)

whatever - as long as it avoids state highways then I'm in

**buggsubique** · 17th September 2010, 09:11

Originally Posted by pete376403

Turakina valley road between marton and tangiwai is a good stretch of gravel, if that would fit in your plans

Yup, have included it I think. but would be lost perhaps if we head out East.

**buggsubique** · 17th September 2010, 09:15

Originally Posted by CrazyFrog

Great idea Buggsy, is the aim here to rack up 1000K via any half decent route, or chase gravel for as much as possible?
I've got some good ideas for more gravel, mostly Wairarapa, Eastside, and Central Plateau area, but you'd most likely have to give the Naki a miss and backtrack down Whanganui River Rd. Your current proposed route has a shitload of sealed road, but they are nice roads nonetheless. Navigation shouldn't be too difficult and the alternate route would probably give a 60 seal/40 gravel ratio.
Also, does the start point have to be in Welly or would somewhere in the 'Rapa be more suitable? Ideas?

personally, and this is probably where some views will differ, I'm after chasing distance with as much gravel that can fit in with the mammoth ride - ie not so much about keeping a tighter circuit for the sake of keeping off seal. I'm first to admit there's a lot of seal in this route, but the art of trading the main roads for back roads has not fully taken place yet - still under way.

Open to starting in the Rapa - I live in Upper Hutt, so easy for me!

**buggsubique** · 17th September 2010, 17:27

This is a 1200k er with a mild eastern route. The Naki has been tidied up a bit to stay off the main roads. Still a fair bit of seal. This one would probly best be run Rapa - Central - Naki - Wgtn for an easy last couple hundy - possibly with the iron man Akatarawa section last. Starting to get towards a 2 dayer really though IMHO.

**Gremlin** · 17th September 2010, 18:16

The roads through Pureora forest definitely exist, I've tracked a lot of them myself (but still more to do). If you have Mapsource, load up the NZ Open GPS Mapset, and you'll see them. Can spend hours in there alone.

**BMWST?** · 18th September 2010, 18:29

Originally Posted by buggsubique

This is a 1200k er with a mild eastern route. The Naki has been tidied up a bit to stay off the main roads. Still a fair bit of seal. This one would probly best be run Rapa - Central - Naki - Wgtn for an easy last couple hundy - possibly with the iron man Akatarawa section last. Starting to get towards a 2 dayer really though IMHO.

this is the sort of ride the big adv bikes are for IMHO

**Howie** · 19th September 2010, 00:07

Ok a couple of questions does it have to be a Wellington start and finish? and are trying for a a single day event or two day ride?

There are plenty of gravel options/ semi gravel options in the Wairarapa. and Manawatu.

**buggsubique** · 19th September 2010, 09:27

Originally Posted by Howie

Ok a couple of questions does it have to be a Wellington start and finish? and are trying for a a single day event or two day ride?

There are plenty of gravel options/ semi gravel options in the Wairarapa. and Manawatu.

In my mind, the Rapa and MWatu are close at hand and can be done any given weekend. The intent here is for a long haul in one sitting. It is meant to be hard and uncomfortable, not a leisurely day tripper.

Depending on what people want to do it may morph into a 2 dayer or there may be two groups in the end.

The goal is 1000-1200km (depending on final route) in one ride, taking in as much gravel routing as possible within the intended generic route.

**junkmanjoe** · 19th September 2010, 10:38

okies maybe

welly to

taradale, over gental annie, taihape up to waiouru

waiouru to turangi

turangi to taumarunui

taumarunui matau

matau to inglewood, round the cape..to hawera

hawera to welly..

yea.....or na

my arse would be dead....

JMJ

**buggsubique** · 19th September 2010, 10:47

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

okies maybe

yea.....or na

JMJ

Chuck a map up so we can see the route bro.

**JATZ** · 19th September 2010, 13:50

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

okies maybe

blah blah blah

my arse would be dead....

JMJ

I've got a set of E-08's I could slip onto the Big for a ride like that, Hmmmm

**Howie** · 19th September 2010, 13:50

Over Here is a route that is about 600km from upper Hutt to Napier I couldn't get it to track along the Beach between Blackhead and Pourerere

Could then head over Gentle Annie, and down the other side, and back down the Wairarapa