Cold Kiwi: Anyone for some gravel on Saturday?

[Howie]

The district plan map, does tend to support the fact that some of those roads exist & more importantly link anyways

Howie had a ride on Ridge Rd South a while ago - but that was in summer & I recall that it was dry but had been very pugged up with stock - an implication that in winter it might be 'challenging'. Challenging is good.

Worst case we do a U turn & back out

Matawhero Rd is 'O' for Awesome - fast flowing gravel. I'd be quite surprised if you haven't done it though

Ridge road south appears in this thread http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ke-s-Bay/page6
There is link posted by drbandit on the last page that should lead to a ride report where he got right through ridge road south. I also know Kaweka rd has been ridden during the summer months although I'm still to do that, and looking at the length of the grass at the start it may not be the time of year to do it.

[Crisis management]

If it's of any use.. Colin took me on a couple of Open source "roads" on the way to the MMMM, I did suggest that as they weren't on the AA maps maybe they didn't exist. I was right, farmers paddocks was the best description and deceptively muddy sinking both bikes a few times. Very entertaining, but after apologising to the one farmer we found he did point out that one of his neighbours didn't take kindly to that sort of incursion and it could have ended a bit uglyish.

Be sensible.

[dino3310]

yeah that sounds like something Colin would do

[Howie]

Another good short road is Kotukuraeroa road which is east of taihape, A couple of pics Bart took of it appear on page 5 of the thread I mention above. Again it might be fairly wet in the middle of it this time of year, and is like a farm track in the middle.

[Box'a'bits]

Another good short road is Kotukuraeroa road which is east of taihape, A couple of pics Bart took of it appear on page 5 of the thread I mention above. Again it might be fairly wet in the middle of it this time of year, and is like a farm track in the middle.

That's Bart's Nemesis track?

[Howie]

That's Bart's Nemesis track?

Wasn't going to mention that bit

[Gremlin]

I thought the idea of the open gps was that the roads were generally user-submitted, so if it's on there, someone, somewhere had travelled along it and considered it to be an actual road (and a legal one at that, presumably). Unlike the topos, which base their roads on satellite images and wishful thinking. If they are just sticking random stuff on the open gps maps (and letting you route along them), the maps lose a lot of their usefulness.

No, the maps started out with LINZ data I believe (or similar). The problem is, that when the data was submitted (like, decades ago, before it was actually created) that was what was planned. Whether or not it was actually created was a different story. A couple of towns I checked out, Denniston and Bulwer, by map data said they were several streets large. In reality, the town never developed as planned and basically barely existed. Very common stuff. Another debate is paper roads, roads farmers want to be private but shouldn't be, tons of stuff really.

Over time, the NZOGPS maps will be the best source of digital maps for NZ (if they aren't already). As users submit more corrections (hell, I even go for rides to prove the maps wrong) it will become more and more accurate. However, even new developments (like the quarry in Auckland) have streets that are not laid out according to LINZ data... simply has to be travelled and corrected... I simply go somewhere and log what I see. If I see a local I might ask what the status of this or that is, etc.

[clint640]

This one has gotta be high on the list:




Clint

[Rosie]

This one has gotta be high on the list:


Clint

What's that white stuff stuck to the sign? I don't like the look of that

Thank you for all the road suggestions everyone I will add them into the selection process.

[Eddieb]

This one has gotta be high on the list:


Clint

Where exactly is that Clint? Google is not giving me any answers

[Rosie]

Where exactly is that Clint? Google is not giving me any answers

As a guess: Otaihape Valley Rd is a no exit road going southwest from Taihape township. It heads in the general direction of the aforementioned Ridge Road South, but then stops. Or does not stop, if Clint's sign is anything to go by - WAMS shows access going all the way through to Ridge Rd, and has a green blob at the Ridge Rd end, presumably a scenic reserve? (You'd think DoC would list their scenic reserves on their website, but apparently not)

[Rosie]

Off SH1 not far south of Taihape is Gorge road, which turns into Wairanu road and then into Torere Road.

Not far up Torere Road is Puhirua Road, Puhirua road exists on the maps but is unmarked when you get there, it just looks like a farm track. I tried to go down it after cold Kiwi last year but 100 meters into it were about 100 grazing cows on a track 10 foot wide and I couldn't get through them. It looks like it could be worth another look though.

http://www.wises.co.nz/l/puhirua+roa...175.876179/15/

Gorge Rd was on the list, so good to know that it exists. Tuhoe Rd that loops off the bottom of it looks interesting, Basecamp will send me through there on a bicycle, but not on a motorbike, which has me intrigued.

Has anyone done Watershed rd (western side of SH1, comes out south of Mangaweka)? It looks suitably wiggly, and it is on the AA maps, so may even exist.

[Eddieb]

Gorge Rd was on the list, so good to know that it exists. Tuhoe Rd that loops off the bottom of it looks interesting, Basecamp will send me through there on a bicycle, but not on a motorbike, which has me intrigued.

Has anyone done Watershed rd (western side of SH1, comes out south of Mangaweka)? It looks suitably wiggly, and it is on the AA maps, so may even exist.

Gorge / Wairanu / Torere Roads are all sealed but nice roads. Puhirua Road is a farm track.

I haven't done Watershed but have done Kiekie at it's southern end. Kieikie is a nice enough sealed road and what you can see of Watershed road as you go past is sealed.

[Rosie]

Gorge / Wairanu / Torere Roads are all sealed but nice roads. Puhirua Road is a farm track.

I haven't done Watershed but have done Kiekie at it's southern end. Kieikie is a nice enough sealed road and what you can see of Watershed road as you go past is sealed.

From squinting at the satellite images, a lot of Watershed rd looks unsealed... but who knows.

[Gremlin]

Basecamp will send me through there on a bicycle, but not on a motorbike, which has me intrigued.

Routing restrictions for various reasons. Either vehicle types are prohibited (possibly allowed with permit) or terrain restricts use. Motorbikes and cars are one category in routing unfortunately...