Porika Road?

**ShinySideUp** · 23rd February 2016, 20:42

Hubby and I haven't done the Rainbow Road so the plan is to register the bikes (250cc dual purpose) and head off on a 2 day expedition to mark our 20th wedding anniversary. It would seem the Porika Road has a bit of a reputation. Just wondering if there are folk who could please explain how technical the ride would be compared to, say, a typical organised trail ride. Or a 4wd track like Macetown.

The footage I have found online doesn't look too bad ( fish eye lens), but the comments suggest otherwise. Quote: "the road eats riders and machine for snacks"!

Would also welcome any suggestions for which is the best direction to ride the Rainbow Road, where else to explore, places to stay etc.

Thanks

.

**RMOTO** · 23rd February 2016, 21:29

Originally Posted by ShinySideUp

Would also welcome any suggestions for which is the best direction to ride the Rainbow Road, where else to explore, places to stay etc.

Thanks

.

Hi ShinySideUp, some photos and info on the Porika can be found here: Porika Track, the route is typically a grade 4 while Macetown is a grade 3. There is one main steep rocky section that is best slowly descended (riding North to South) if you are wary of grades, the rest of the route is a very enjoyable ride and fairly straightforward on small bikes.

Personally for a 2 day ride departing Chch, I'd recommend heading up the Molesworth, then camp up either the Leatham, Boulder Stream or the Branch, then head back to Chch through the Rainbow.

This is a favourite little loop run if I have a couple of days free. A new route package on the Peninsula called Windy Ridges is being released next week, following that is a route package featuring this very loop (lots of cool new route packages being released this year). There will be additional options to this route as ideally an extra day or two up your sleeve makes this loop an absolute blast.

Keep in mind you'll need to organise access if you plan to ride outside of the standard Rainbow Road and Molesworth open periods

Best of luck with your trip, what a cool plan for a wedding anniversary

**puddytat** · 23rd February 2016, 21:45

There is a shortish section at the top of the Porika that is quite difficult for some...large heavier bikes may struggle going down towards lake Rotoroa due to the loose rocky surface.....it is a 4 on the Remotemoto scale & for some it may feel like a 5. Coming from the Rainbow the track is relatively straight forward with the more technical bits towards the top...the trickiest bits would be over a distance of a few hundred meters. It is fairly chunky at the moment. On your 250s I'd say youd be o.k & it will be challenging....If in doubt get off & help each other down.
Going up from Lake Rotoroa is steeper than the Howard Valley side. You'll want good tyres,but that's because of the tricky top section. I haven't ridden the Macetown so cant comment .

Keep calm & have fun.

I have just seen what Josh has posted re the Leatham etc & it sounds that the heavy rain last week has gouged out the tracks badly in places...this was from someone in a large 4x4 truck .It may be still passable on bikes. DOC has 2 vehicles stuck up at Bottom Gordons hut due to the washouts & are sending in a digger to retrieve them sometime this week so it may well be sorted....

**Woodman** · 24th February 2016, 09:03

Best check the status of the Rainbow as it was still closed yesterday due to a massive slip before the gate on the St Arnaud side. Mind you I'm not sure when you are intending to go so may be irrelevant.

**Transalper** · 24th February 2016, 17:38

Porika ate my helmet last time I descended that (Howard Valley down to the lake). Keep tape in your tool kit, it can stick all kinds of things back together.
Think I've only come off twice on that track in all the trips I've done over it.
My first time down it was the first ever NZ Dusty Butt 1000 in 2007, just chasing the tail light of the bike in front in the dark with no dramas.

**Takataka** · 24th February 2016, 18:33

I came up from the lake yesterday. The track is pretty rutted for a short section but I had no real problems with a loaded bike.

**ShinySideUp** · 27th February 2016, 08:31

Thanks so much for the awesome information guys. We are game to give the road the go. I'm all for an element of adventure, and it's not like I haven't fallen off before.

Hopefully everything will fall into place for us to be able to make the trip. If so, we will let you know how it goes. Will aim to get to get a photo if there are any interesting happenings. We will be sure to pack some tape! Cheers.

**Tazz** · 27th February 2016, 09:41

You'll be fine. Beautiful area.

Happy anniversary!

**pete-blen** · 27th February 2016, 10:36

I have been though with a sidecar on the little XR250
from the Howard valley to the lake direction..
was no drama at all...

**ShinySideUp** · 8th April 2016, 11:06

Just reporting back from our 20th anniversary adventure ride this week. Though it meant WOFing and registering our bikes especially for it, we are so glad we chose to celebrate in this way.

We drove to Hanmer and set off on our bikes from there. Lewis Pass, Maruia Saddle, Matakitaki Valley, Braeburn Track, Porika Track, and we took the Rainbow Road back to Hanmer the following day.

The Porika was definitely an unforgettable track. Factor in sun strike, then to spice things up another notch, Godzone competitors on mountain bikes coming down to the lake as we were making our way up! Yikes! We encountered about 25 in total over the course of the track. The zig zag section up from the lake lived up to its reputation. If I were a cartoon character there would be no counting the exclamation marks appearing over my head, but I somehow made it to the viewing point over the lake with no drama. That's where I cleverly managed to stall the bike. With a rock in front of my rear tyre, hill starting was not straight forward, and on the third or fourth attempt I dropped the bike. Needed help at that point, but otherwise the trip was uneventful. We were very fortunate that the track was dry. Can’t imagine tackling it in slippery conditions! We were both really, really pleased we took on the challenge and lived to tell the story!

Doing the Rainbow Road also had its interesting moments. Not far into our journey we were stopped by a DOC worker who gave us the heads up that there were a couple of soldiers further up the track “playing with machine guns”. Say, what? Don't know whether it was tiredness or I got a bit complacent, but coming back from Lake Tennyson, I hit a corner too fast in loose gravel and it was immediately apparent I was in a spot of bother. It was a fight to keep the bike upright - the road was going to the left, me and my bike were tracking straight ahead, and directly in my path was a nasty looking ditch. Progressive deceleration gave way to a last second seize of the front brake as the front wheel hit the dirt. The bike came to an abrupt stop, and there I found myself - struggling not to drop it - right on the very edge of the ditch. I had figured I was going in, or rather the bike was going in it and I was going to fly, so I am feeling pretty grateful to be in one piece as I write this. When I met up with hubby further up the road he told me things went a little awry for him on the same corner. I lost my mojo a bit after that, but what I found, was uneaten M&Ms in the bottom of my bag, of which I ate far too many before we continued on our way, albeit a little more cautiously.

So, all in all, the perfect blend of adventure, amazing scenery, beautiful weather, and just enough drama to make it unforgettable.

Oh, and M&Ms.

So cheers everyone for the info and encouragement to go for it. A special highlight of our married life, for sure. .