The Masterchef Ride Feb 26th/27th

[Rosie]

Despite the slow start on the calendar, we are going to go ahead with this ride on the original date. If this one goes well, we may organise another one in future, since there was a lot of interest.

So, here is the plan:
Meet at Okere Falls Store for coffee/breakfast on the Saturday morning. You are welcome to camp at Clint's place (Gisborne point, PM me for directions) on Friday night, and join us for a bbq dinner.

From Okere we'll wind our way through some of the gravel roads between the Rotorua lakes and the coast. I'll pack some picnic supplies for lunch (unless numbers get out of hand, then we'll do something different). We have several more/less technical options on Saturday, depending on the abilities and enthusiasm of those attending.

Mid afternoon we'll arrive at Mangamate campsite on the edge of the Whirinaki forest, where we will set up camp, and go for a swim in the river (since it is proving to be the hottest February ever), before cooking up an adventure-camping style buffet. You can either come up with your own adventurous creation, or I can supply a (straightforward) recipe. If you can't cook, or don't own any cooking gear, we are happy to help out (This means you Mr. Night Falcon )

On Sunday we'll make our way back to Clint's place via some gravel roads, probably aiming to arrive around lunchtime, or early afternoon. If anyone has a better idea for a Sunday ride, let me know.

Important information:
The campsite at Mangamate is $6.10 per person (cash, unless you want to leave your credit card in the honesty box)
There isn't any fuel at Okere. Depending on how you get there, the closest fuel is in Paengaroa, Lake Rotoma, or Rotorua. Please fuel up before you arrive. I haven't mapped out the distances between fuel stops yet, but I don't think there are any >180km

If there are any changes, I'll edit this post to keep it up to date

[Eddieb]

If I was closer (and another date) I'd have been keen, it's a good concept.

As it happens I will be up that way that weekend but I'm heading for the Cambridge - Hamilton Toy run for the cancer kids on the Sunday , the one road event I do each year.