Back roads, Welly to Tauranga?

[BMWST?]

going to Tauraunga for xmas.Dont ride anymore due to some kinda ear problem in that the wind noise drives me insane.So i hunt out the back roads in a Mitsubishi Pajero,the mrs even enjoys the exploration,and the scenery is ussually better.
So we will be heading for wanganui on the night of the 23 and want as many back roads as possible from there.Any thing "formed" is ok,whilst i have all terrain tyres i dont have a winch or bash plates.
roads or place names please,i will plot a route on my gps.
Years ago i rode a road up there with a mate,i am sre it was the whangehu river valley?.We wnt in somewhere along sh 49 and came out near whangaehu.At time it was just like the summerhill road ,like thinking...am i on someones farm?

[Moi]

I was thinking of that road as well. I think, stand to be corrected, the Wanganui River Rd is still closed - OK, it is sealed but still a great drive up it to Raetihi.

What about Taihape to Napier? Or from north Taranaki to Raglan by those road along the coast - someone on here wrote about them earlier this year, I think...

[eldog]

check out the road conditions on here, quite useful http://maps.aa.co.nz/traffic/roadwatch
seems to have latest info.

zoom in and find out what you need.

Raglan, Kawhia to North Taranaki was OK to do in a car a few years back, just keep an eye out for locals cutting the corners.

Kiwi Road anyone?

Did the Wanganui River road beginning of this year, much easier than I expected - closed ATM

Random thoughts -
Stratford to Whangamomona Pub always good for a feed, then on to Ohura, Ararimu East road if you like twistes then Ongarue - Benneydale (Wooden Heart Café) across to Mangakino

There are locals who would know more. Have a good trip

[BMWST?]

check out the road conditions on here, quite useful http://maps.aa.co.nz/traffic/roadwatch
seems to have latest info.

zoom in and find out what you need.

Raglan, Kawhia to North Taranaki was OK to do in a car a few years back, just keep an eye out for locals cutting the corners.

Kiwi Road anyone?

Did the Wanganui River road beginning of this year, much easier than I expected - closed ATM

Random thoughts -
Stratford to Whangamomona Pub always good for a feed, then on to Ohura, Ararimu East road if you like twistes then Ongarue - Benneydale (Wooden Heart Café) across to Mangakino

There are locals who would know more. Have a good trip

yes done the whangamomona ohura etc a few times,its my go to route if i have the time.I am also going to go east coast motu to tauraunga.The thing about the pajero is being a modern diesel is it amazingly economical for a 2.5 tonne brick.
You have given me some ideas tho,might make the centre of the north island part of the trip this time

[eldog]

yes done the whangamomona ohura etc a few times,its my go to route if i have the time.I am also going to go east coast motu to tauraunga.The thing about the pajero is being a modern diesel is it amazingly economical for a 2.5 tonne brick.
You have given me some ideas tho,might make the centre of the north island part of the trip this time

if you are going to cross at Whakamaru (there is a petrol station there or one at the Managkino/Whakamaru/Bennydale rd intersection cross the dam take Old Taupo Rd, Wiltdown rd, Lake Arapuni rd to Putaruru/Tirau/Okororie Springs Hotel - nice riding this part.

Kihikihi to Whakamaru is quite nice IMO
Also Whakamaru to Taupo via Kaahu Rd/Poihipi Rd (Mokai)

Did the Waioeka Gorge on the 1KC recently

Motu could be interesting...... Something I plan to do sometime after a bit more practise.
If you can get a copy of Mike Hydes Twisting Throttle he describes a few more interesting rides you might be interested if you are going Gisborne/Central NI etc. IMO it's worth it just for the humour.
Enjoy.

[Ender EnZed]

Have you done Turakina Valley Road before? It's gravel most of the way and you're not likely to encounter too much Christmas traffic along there.

EDIT: Just read the first post again, Turakina Valley Road may well be the one you're talking about here.

Years ago i rode a road up there with a mate,i am sre it was the whangehu river valley?.We wnt in somewhere along sh 49 and came out near whangaehu.At time it was just like the summerhill road ,like thinking...am i on someones farm?

EDIT EDIT: I see there is also a Whangaehu Valley Road.

[eldog]

Have you done Turakina Valley Road before? It's gravel most of the way and you're not likely to encounter too much Christmas traffic along there.

EDIT: Just read the first post again, Turakina Valley Road may well be the one you're talking about here.


EDIT EDIT: I see there is also a Whangaehu Valley Road.

I was trying to remember another loop one out of Wanganui Kauarapoa rd to /Kai Iwi

Will try and convince the other ones I am with to take the Turakina Valley rd (mostly gravel?) instead of Whangamomona.

Gentle Annie - Taihape to Napier will be hot and soft this Xmas.

and for the intrepid traveller the Geographical Center of the Nth Island - Pureora(Needs research)

[BMWST?]

I was trying to remember another loop one out of Wanganui Kauarapoa rd to /Kai Iwi

Will try and convince the other ones I am with to take the Turakina Valley rd (mostly gravel?) instead of Whangamomona.

Gentle Annie - Taihape to Napier will be hot and soft this Xmas.

and for the intrepid traveller the Geographical Center of the Nth Island - Pureora(Needs research)

have been there its a bit sketchy direction wise but there is a sign post which leads you to a car park,which is then a short walk to the marker.I am sure there are others here who have done it.I have a gps track somewhere i think

[Gremlin]

Kawhia Raglan is a gravel road, last time through it was freshly graded and annoying.

Turakina Valley Rd is gravel, look up the latest version of the NZ Open GPS Maps, I've updated some roads in the area when I was there around Q Birthday (Colliers Junction to Tangiwai on Turakina is now showing accurately for example, but plenty to check south of that).

Centre of the NI, again, look in the maps for a feature (or POI) called "Centre of the North Island Track", it's on the map and I've mapped sections of Pureora Forest 2-3 times (all gravel). Plus you can navigate East/West as the roads link up (Barryville to Kakaho Rd on SH32).

Kiwi Rd, or another (I can't remember which, and unfortunately mappers mis-interpreted my data) is walking/cyclists/motorcyclists only the last time I saw it 2-3 years ago. It's a road that links the inland with the west coast. Plenty of map tracking to be done in that area as well (I think it's one of the most inaccurate areas of the open source maps).
Edit: Might be Moki Rd.

[Ender EnZed]

Will try and convince the other ones I am with to take the Turakina Valley rd (mostly gravel?) instead of Whangamomona.

I was responding to BMWST? with a Pajero when I posted that. It could be done on road bikes with fat tyres and low bars but you'd have to be up for a challenge to have fun doing it.

[eldog]

I was responding to BMWST? with a Pajero when I posted that. It could be done on road bikes with fat tyres and low bars but you'd have to be up for a challenge to have fun doing it.

I realised who your post was aimed at.

I was thinking about a challenge.... It's what I have been doing this year challenges.

I wasn't sure what the road conditions are like, my gravel riding is slow and careful.
Handy to know what it's like at the moment.

[eldog]

Kawhia Raglan is a gravel road, last time through it was freshly graded and annoying.

Turakina Valley Rd is gravel, look up the latest version of the NZ Open GPS Maps, I've updated some roads in the area when I was there around Q Birthday (Colliers Junction to Tangiwai on Turakina is now showing accurately for example, but plenty to check south of that).

Centre of the NI, again, look in the maps for a feature (or POI) called "Centre of the North Island Track", it's on the map and I've mapped sections of Pureora Forest 2-3 times (all gravel). Plus you can navigate East/West as the roads link up (Barryville to Kakaho Rd on SH32).

Kiwi Rd, or another (I can't remember which, and unfortunately mappers mis-interpreted my data) is walking/cyclists/motorcyclists only the last time I saw it 2-3 years ago. It's a road that links the inland with the west coast. Plenty of map tracking to be done in that area as well (I think it's one of the most inaccurate areas of the open source maps).
Edit: Might be Moki Rd.

thanks for the info, great.
is it worth the effort to try and get data if I am there.
just need to get some practise and time.

[Gremlin]

is it worth the effort to try and get data if I am there.

Absolutely. Thing with open source is that anyone can contribute if you want. Obviously you need to use their maps on your Garmin GPS, then, when you spot an error, you report the location (using co-ord), what's wrong and how to fix (so, instead of an intersection, say, it's now a roundabout). If the road is in the wrong place, then a track log is needed to show the right position (ideally 1 sec track log if you can). If the road is gravel instead of sealed, then note where it changes etc.

I stop at the points, note Gsx (x = number as I come across several in a day) when the road turns to gravel, Gfx when it finishes (same x as start so I know which match up) and Gx for gravel to end of road (assuming dead end). Helps when I process all my data on the computer. Corrections are reported by tile (8 for the country, 2 - one for each island - for POI) in separate threads here: http://gwprojects.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

[eldog]

Absolutely. Thing with open source is that anyone can contribute if you want. Obviously you need to use their maps on your Garmin GPS, then, when you spot an error, you report the location (using co-ord), what's wrong and how to fix (so, instead of an intersection, say, it's now a roundabout). If the road is in the wrong place, then a track log is needed to show the right position (ideally 1 sec track log if you can). If the road is gravel instead of sealed, then note where it changes etc.

I stop at the points, note Gsx (x = number as I come across several in a day) when the road turns to gravel, Gfx when it finishes (same x as start so I know which match up) and Gx for gravel to end of road (assuming dead end). Helps when I process all my data on the computer. Corrections are reported by tile (8 for the country, 2 - one for each island - for POI) in separate threads here: http://gwprojects.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

Thanks Gremlin,
Nice simple instructions.
I will have a look at the site and see if I have time when I am down that way over Xmas.

[Eddieb]

have been there its a bit sketchy direction wise but there is a sign post which leads you to a car park,which is then a short walk to the marker.I am sure there are others here who have done it.I have a gps track somewhere i think

Take your pic

http://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/g...island-tracks/

Geographic Centre of the North ISland
http://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/g...-north-island/

Turakina Valley Road
http://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/g...a-valley-road/

Whangaehu Valley
http://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/g...ngaehu-valley/