Mini RR - Raspberry Flat and owned by a branch !!

[Monstaman]

Morning Lads

Toddy from Te Anau arrived in Wanaka just after lunch on Saturday, he had never been to the roads end up the Matukituki to Raspberry flat so it was set to be a nice day and relaxing ride, 51 km from our door to road end plus on the way back to to West Wanaka and up Shania Twains drive.

Toddy took the lead up the valley so he could get unobstructed views and not have to look through our dust, we reached the top without drama.

While we were there Mum nature was brewing up some angry weather, it started spitting and blowing so we set off on the return leg.

We just got to the end of the top of the valley where it tapers in, Toddy was ahead so got through with not problem, Richard was in front of me and he got completely rained on with leaves and branches with a huge wind gust through the Willow trees, I was only 50 metres behind him and got hit by the same, such was the impact on my helmet from flying debris it sheared off the top screw holding my peak on my Hornet (as I found out later)

A 2.5 metre branch flew across the road and landed 10 metres in front of me (that was lucky), the wind gust was so strong it blew me across the road into the softer shingle (ouwh that wasn't), the wind then picked up the branch OFF the road (that was lucky) .... but then swirled it around then proceeded to swat me in the head (ouwh that wasn't) .

So I binned the bike and I was ok (that was lucky) but bent my gear lever again (ouwh that wasn't), all I could do was larf, so having the camera in my pocket I took the photo, Richard came back to help, we were both larfing at the strength of the wind and the blasting of veges we just had.

Picked up the bike, bent the gear lever back out far enough to make it ridable (that was lucky) and carried on home.

What a grin, great ride with great mates in a beautiful place and no one died .

Coupla pics of the dangerous water crossings and the man eating killer branch, note the skid mark from where I was coming from, lucky I was only doing 50 - 60 k when it all got untidy.

[Monstaman]

Last lot of pics

[cold comfort]

Great training ground right on the back doorstep there. Practice for dodging bears, spears and hand grenades. Trick is to stay in one piece until you leave. Cheers for the endorsement on the Tiger thread too btw.

[Transalper]

Wow, you were lucky.... and you wasn't.
Great entertaining read.

[unstuck]

Cool, looks like fun. Me and my brother are supposed to be going in there this summer.

[Monstaman]

Cheers for the comments, bloody funny to look back on it, certainly wasn't on the game plan to be taken out a straight bit of shingle.!!

I guess the one thing that comes out of this is be prepared for ANYTHING cos you don't know when it will strike and make sure you a wearing clean undies with spare capacity .