Karapoti, a little video

[kezzafish]

yeah i recon it was cool. Will do it again next time we're heading in that direction. The first part is fast and technical. There's only a couple of nasty ruts and there's a couple of cool slippery climbs. It would be easier in the other direction as it would be mostly downhill. It's better than going up the main road and getting collected by a sideways quad. Same with the link track, If we're heading to the staircase we'll often go through that rather than the road (from Pram track side) i've always thought that was the easy direction?? with the exception of the rooty hillclimb of death

[gsig]

yeah i recon it was cool. Will do it again next time we're heading in that direction. The first part is fast and technical. There's only a couple of nasty ruts and there's a couple of cool slippery climbs. It would be easier in the other direction as it would be mostly downhill. It's better than going up the main road and getting collected by a sideways quad. Same with the link track, If we're heading to the staircase we'll often go through that rather than the road (from Pram track side) i've always thought that was the easy direction?? with the exception of the rooty hillclimb of death

Did you ride the Link track then the Devil's Staircase/Rock Garden last Saturday (2nd April)? We've definitely found the Link track easier starting from the Staircase side. You only have 1 tricky slimey clay climb and the rest is fairly straight forward - beats that rooty rutted out climb you guys have to ride up

After the singletrack bottom part of Neil's track (heading up) is it all deep ruts & bogs or does it improve further up?

[kezzafish]

Did you ride the Link track then the Devil's Staircase/Rock Garden last Saturday (2nd April)? We've definitely found the Link track easier starting from the Staircase side. You only have 1 tricky slimey clay climb and the rest is fairly straight forward - beats that rooty rutted out climb you guys have to ride up

After the singletrack bottom part of Neil's track (heading up) is it all deep ruts & bogs or does it improve further up?

Oh yeah, that was me and a couple of non KBers. I'm the tall guy on the 300... You were with he guys at the top of the rockgarden then... yeah? How'd the rest of your day go?

will have to give the link another go in that direction then. Only did it once and that was a while ago and on a firebreathing 450

It's pretty much all gnarly after the single track bit, a few climbs up slippery rocks and bogs with single track in between theres only a couple of horrid ruts and the worst one is probably the one on the vid

[Blagger]

+1 to doing Devil's Staircase down then Rockgarden up cos I've done it the cunty way.
Dragging an XR500 up the Staicase is no fun

Has anyone done Wayne's Track? Thoughts?

[kezzafish]

ha haaa, that would have been a bastard...

Where's waynes track?

[Blagger]

Wayne's Track goes Titi Rd to Whakatikei roughly in the same line as Link Track but further West.

Starts roughly halfway between Roller Coaster and Link on Titi and ends on Whakatikei just below the Firewood loop.

[andy mac]

We ride Wayne's track downhill from Titi Rd. It is all singletrack with 3 sections. The start winds thru the trees & under some big logs, then a greasy downhill rut, then 3 stream crossings in the cutty grass & gorse. The first stream crossing has the steepest drop-in and exit. It is all doable = I manage but I wouldn't ride it alone or take a KLX650 thru. It's like the staircase you get in a rut and slide your way down.
Gsig thinks it was Rory Mead he saw riding uphill alone

Waynes, Neils, Link tracks are all shown (but not named) on the map the Regional Council sends out with the trail riding permit.

Is the Firewood loop on the west side of Whakatikei Rd, which direction do you ride it? And what is the rollercoaster like?

Here's some vids from last year.




Gsig's hemet cam. Entrance to Waynes from Titi Rd at 2:30. This still is the drop into the first stream.

[kezzafish]

Cheers andy. that second video is mint. Waynes track looks cool. So If i was heading up Titi road towards the top of the staircase it is before the link track yes?

The rollercoaster is cool. do it downhill from titi road for sure, Theres some big rocky chutes to descend. Would be very difficult upwards. Although I'm sure rory can get up it. I've met up with him on the rollercoaster before but he was coming down it.

The firewood loop... Where's this?

[andy mac]

So If i was heading up Titi road towards the top of the staircase it is before the link track yes?

Yes 2.8 km from Perhams Rd, apparently the mountainbikers call it Boobies.

http://tracks.org.nz/track/show/299

[Blagger]

Just chucking this into the thread to see if the link works

http://s518.photobucket.com/albums/u342/60MPa/

[Blagger]

Seems to work ok - this is the map I ride off - originally printed on an A3 and laminated so the photocopy is a bit crap

[andy mac]

Thanks Blagger that's great & isn't it typical that the old map has more info than it's replacement. I just laminated the new map today now I will have to do yours.

Do you know Wheelie Dave from Stokes Valley who also has a 650?

[Blagger]

[QUOTE=andy mac;1130031393]We ride Wayne's track downhill from Titi Rd. It is all singletrack with 3 sections. The start winds thru the trees & under some big logs, then a greasy downhill rut, then 3 stream crossings in the cutty grass & gorse. The first stream crossing has the steepest drop-in and exit. It is all doable = I manage but I wouldn't ride it alone or take a KLX650 thru. It's like the staircase you get in a rut and slide your way down.
Gsig thinks it was Rory Mead he saw riding uphill alone

Waynes, Neils, Link tracks are all shown (but not named) on the map the Regional Council sends out with the trail riding permit.

Is the Firewood loop on the west side of Whakatikei Rd, which direction do you ride it? And what is the rollercoaster like?


Thanks Andy - great Vids

I wouldn't take the KLX through that lot either - I'd only do it with a light modern-ish bike pref a 2-stroke
I haven't done the Firewood loop but a 4WD guy I met said that it wasn't really for bikes FWIW-
pshaw..

All of this tight rutty stuff isn't really my cup of tea but I guess that this sort of thing has the payoff of the problem-solving challenge.
The ridge run over Clearys? Yesss.....but those pine needles can be deceptively slippery haha

[Blagger]

Hi Andy no I don't know Wheelie Dave (great name, btw) - I put the map and the relevant info up in the "places to ride" sticky

[Keithf]

hmmm,

coming to Wellingtron in the week after easter maybe I should drive and bring my bike instead of flying down-looks like a neat place to play