Thomsons Saddle/Macetown - Central Otago?

[ShinySideUp]

Hi there KBers. Happy New Year.

Has anyone been up Thomson's Saddle between Bendigo and Omakau? Also hoping to ride Arrowtown to Macetown. Haven't got many windows to ride but those are the places we might get the opportunity. The other cool trails in Central Otago will have to wait for another time.

Happy adventures everyone.

[FJRider]

Hi there KBers. Happy New Year.

Has anyone been up Thomson's Saddle between Bendigo and Omakau? Also hoping to ride Arrowtown to Macetown. Haven't got many windows to ride but those are the places we might get the opportunity. The other cool trails in Central Otago will have to wait for another time.

Happy adventures everyone.

Yep .. Thomson's track should be fine. A shit-load of gates though ... it can get a bit tricky if the wind is a bit strong though.

Macetown road shouldn't be an issue in itself ... but at this time of year ... anybody/everybody with a 4WD will be going in there. A few even try it without 4WD.

[pete-blen]

Thompsons gorge/track will be fine this time of the year..
Only one mini river crossing.... But as said a shit load of gates....

[unstuck]

This time of year you are better off going into the Nevis as far as the chinamans hut, then following your nose to the east.

[FJRider]

This time of year you are better off going into the Nevis as far as the chinamans hut, then following your nose to the east.

Bugger all rain in the area lately ... the Nevis road will be sweet ... And the Garston pub will be open (For those NOT banned from there)

From there ... the Von river to Walter Peak. Check with Real Journeys if you can put the bike on the Earnslaw to cross to Queenstown. A DR350 shouldn't be a big issue.

[FJRider]

Lots of river crossings with Macetown. You could consider Skippers Canyon too.

At THIS time of year ... FUCK OFF ... !!!! I was there three days ago ... THREE high top (2WD) Hi-ace campervans on the road. Plus assorted other dickheads in/on various means of transport.

Plus the busy season COMMERCIAL company vehicles ... avoid that area. THEY have timetables to keep.

[FJRider]

Lots of river crossings with Macetown.

As I recall ... about 35. As I said in an earlier post ... water is NOT the biggest problem. Fuck all rain lately ... water levels are down.

[unstuck]

Bugger all rain in the area lately ... the Nevis road will be sweet ...

Was pissing down in there on wednesday, was heaps of fun on the clay on the other side of the river. Back out to Nokomi tomorrow but this time heading towards east dome.

[ShinySideUp]

[ShinySideUp]

That last post was my teenage son. That will teach me not to leave the computer logged on.

Thanks for all your comments. We are linking up with other folk (non-riders) in Central so won't have many opportunities to get on the bikes. We did the Central Otago Rail Trail on push bikes this year and got to hear of all the cool trail rides the region has to offer. Really keen to do the Nevis. If only I can convince the other half to take another couple of days off work...

[Jantar]

When are you thinking of Thompson's? I have the next few days off and wouldn't mind sharing opening the gates (all 22 of them).

[ShinySideUp]

When are you thinking of Thompson's? I have the next few days off and wouldn't mind sharing opening the gates (all 22 of them).

Hi Jantar, You lucky thing living in Central Otago.

I am sure you know the trail well.

Our plans are up in the air a bit as we are working around the plans of two family groups in different locations. If we get the chance we thought we would go exploring from Bendigo but unfortunately won't have time to do the whole trail.

You have the right idea, living in Alexandra. Central is a great playground for people who enjoy being on two wheels.

[ShinySideUp]

Hope you found someone to ride with Jantar as we ended up having car troubles towing the bikes up and over all those passes and it was a case of having to play each day by ear.

That said, we did get to every destination eventually. Though it was in the heat of a sweltering hot Central Otago day, we were delighted to get the opportunity to do Thompson's Track. It was a memorable and scenic ride and we talked the young fella (riding pillion on my husband's bike) into opening the gates at 50 cents a gate.

We went over the pass to a spot a few kms short of Omakau where we cooled off in a water race. On the return trip my husband had the idea of heading up Moka track for a photo. Looked quite steep but doable, so I agreed.

Partway there I questioned him as to why the track ahead looked so shiny.

"Just rock, it's nothing", he replied.

Well, all I can say is I have never experienced such a brown undie ride in my 2 years riding trail bikes! It was schist rock most of the way, on a camber, steep and technical beyond anything I have attempted before. Of course, once you have started, you are committed - it is all you can do to keep the throttle open and hang on for dear life!

I am happy to report that we all got to the summit in one piece. Also happy to report that we found an alternative route back down!!

The two of us were also lucky to have just a few hours to ourselves to ride to Macetown. It was so much fun and I was proud to master deeper river crossings, getting there and back �ll by myself'. We bumped into some mountain bikers who later admitted that, upon seeing a middle aged woman on a trail bike, they had stopped a little further up the track to watch, in anticipation of some entertainment. I was glad to disappoint them on that front. All in all, a great adventure ride.

[Phreaky Phil]

We only counted 15 gates last time through, but I had trouble with my automatic gate opener. She wore a hole in her boot !