Tuakau to Raglan gravel ride.....

**XTC** · 8th January 2006, 20:40

Here's some pics from the ride today. Didn't take many as that was Big Daves job.

The ride left from Les Batkin reserve under the Tuakau bridge at 9:30 sharp (9:50 really). We then headed to Onewhero and onto Klondyke Road. From there it was on to Port Waikato then thru to Limestone downs and down the coast road to Te Akau then Ruakiwi thru to SH22 and on to Raglan. Lunch and some liquids at the pub and then it was Oscars turn to take us south on the Whaanga Road? around Mt Karioi and north thru Te Mata. Stopped at Te Uku and farewelled the Waikato contingent and us northerners returned up SH22 stopping in tuakau for an icecream.
Was a great day, Roads were almost deserted, weather was perfect and the company even better. Thanks all for a great day. - Andy.

Also see here for more pics- http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=22761

**Motu** · 8th January 2006, 22:00

I crashed!!! He he he.

I fitted a couple of Kenda K760 knobs yesterday,and on my ride up to Tuakau couldn't believe how horrible the bike felt....just like you'd expect with two used tyres off different bikes reverse mounted.Towards the end of the day they seemed to settle in and I gained more confidance with them...but I reckon they had less grip than my worn IRC trail tyres.

Anyway....that's the excuses out of the way - what a great day,I'm stoked.8 bikes and all riders very capable in gravel,so we didn't have to wait for stragglers,or have someone running away ahead.The Freewind was 2 up and on the pace well,but it kicked up more dust than any other bike,I didn't like being behind it.Lots of dust,and sometimes it payed to back out and we all spread out.A few times we upped the pace and it was good fun,just because those KTMs were nearly 3 times bigger than my bike doesn't mean I'd let them pull away too much.

Over lunch in Raglan Oscar says he'll take us around the mountain,and go for a blat on the beach,easy enough even the Buel can do it - yeah right,I've heard his ''easy'' before! The beach was fun,real fun...and I was enjoying learning more about how my bike works,getting some good slides in,finding how this 2 stroke power comes on,if the tide was further out I could of done some 3rd gear 360s.I knife my front wheel into the softer sand higher on the beach and go down - I can't be arsed picking it,but it has to be done.Further down the beach Oscar crossed a deep stream and over into a trail in the dunes,Clint and I follow.The sand was soft and takes a bit of work to fight through,I'm glad I not on a bigger bike.We regroup and work our way to Te Uku where we split up and go our seperate ways.

I did just over 300km and was on the road for 8 hrs,a bloody good day,met some new faces,but people I'd spoken to through this medium...kinda like we'd known each other for years.Looking forward to the next one.

**oldrider** · 8th January 2006, 22:22

Hey Motu, that must have been a good day, I can feel the excitement in your post.
How did you get on for gas? Are there plenty of gas stations along the way?
Great day, great pics. (and Dave's on the other thread) Cheers John.

**Cary** · 9th January 2006, 06:32

Great day, good people. Good to ride with a bunch of guys on the same type of bike to. Looking foward to the next.

Dam that 22 is fun on any bike. What about that Primera Andy, didn't like you passing him and was using all the road when I tried, good clip for a car! I only got him when we got to the gravel section.

Good day all round, You do take a lot of photos huh Dave, on ya. lets do it again soon.

Thanks Andy.

**clint640** · 9th January 2006, 06:56

Yup, a fantastic days riding: great company, excellent organisation, fine weather, awesome scenery, twisty gravel, twisty tar, a bit of beach & a dash of deep sand singletrack to top it off. Who could ask for more?
I had a nice ride back via Te Awamutu & Mangakino too, although my arse was getting a bit tender by the time I got home!

I'll put a trip report up on advrider later (I like the way y' can spread the pics through the narrative) but heres a few shots:

Cheers
Clint

**rogson** · 9th January 2006, 09:24

Thanks XTC for organising a great ride - made even more enjoyable by the great company.

I took a few pictures, but apart from the two below they are of embarrassing quality compared to Big Dave's. Getting them to pose for the beach shot was like herding cats - you can see the evidence of what they preferred to be doing in the foreground/background.

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2006, 19:12

593 is impressive on that padded pole thing those bikes call a seat - I didn't log it - but hippie said 300km for us I believe.

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2006, 19:20

Originally Posted by Cary

Good day all round, You do take a lot of photos huh Dave, on ya.

Yeah - I try not to impact the ride too much - you didn't have to wait too long I hope - got it sorted with the small bum bag and fingerless gloves trick - can have the minolta out and shot and back in the case in seconds and I don't notice it when riding. Just have to wear the Michael Jackson look.

Anyway I talked to Priestley - he's keen for a story on Adventures riding around AKL for KR. Stick wif me and I'll make youse stars kids. Motu for cover boy!

**Cary** · 9th January 2006, 20:14

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Yeah - I try not to impact the ride too much - you didn't have to wait too long I hope - got it sorted with the small bum bag and fingerless gloves trick - can have the minolta out and shot and back in the case

Not at all, after following you that first few k I thought it would take you a while but was supprised how soon you did show up when we stopped. Almost as impressive as Motu and the DT230

Now we need Oscar to sort a ride for us a little further south

Over nighter be good........

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2006, 20:26

Originally Posted by Cary

Not at all, after following you that first few k I thought it would take you a while

Now we need Oscar to sort a ride for us a little further south

Over nighter be good........

Yeah - I had waaay too much damping and rebound damping in the front forks till first stop. (road setup) - Soon as I backed them off, the front wheel stayed in contact and i sped up a lot.

He's been making noises about Awakino or summat. I've always been keen - but would to have bludged a bike - till now.

I have to work around magazine deadlines but it would be pretty good - they tell me Kawhia harbour is a sight.

**XTC** · 9th January 2006, 20:35

I almost collected a hawk on SH22 on the way home

had to hit the picks and it missed my head by about a foot as it launched itself off the road kill it was busy munching on....

I had thought hippie must have been going bloody slow up 22 for us to catch him up..... Then I saw you (Dave) taking photo's and realised he musta stopped!

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2006, 21:34

Originally Posted by XTC

I almost collected a hawk on SH22 on the way home

had to hit the picks and it missed my head by about a foot as it launched itself off the road kill it was busy munching on....

I had thought hippie must have been going bloody slow up 22 for us to catch him up..... Then I saw you (Dave) taking photo's and realised he musta stopped!

He was just cruising - the DR gets the speed weave with the knobbys over 110 - I cleared out and stopped - but the speed you go on that thumper you'd catch up to most people anyway.

And I have to admit - you were right - I did use a lot of the Buell to catch you, and fark it was fun - and there's not many bikes that go through those sections of tarmac either side of the dirt near the end of 22 better than ours anyway I suspect. We were cookin' man.

Oh yeah - I got a turkey or something out at Port Waikato during the week.
Hit it flush on at 110 - it missed me - got the frame and died instantly. Woulda hurt too.

**Motu** · 9th January 2006, 21:51

Originally Posted by Big Dave

they tell me Kawhia harbour is a sight.

I was down that way at Xmas,but did Aotea,the harbour between Raglan and Kawhia.I made a mess of my ride report - I was having trouble with my photos....ahem,something about bitmap and JPEG.This is the thread here -
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=22458

**Cary** · 9th January 2006, 22:10

Originally Posted by XTC

I almost collected a hawk on SH22 on the way home

had to hit the picks and it missed my head by about a foot as it launched itself off the road kill it was busy munching on....

I saw both, think yours woulda had the bigger fillets..........

**rogson** · 10th January 2006, 07:05

Originally Posted by Big Dave

............Anyway I talked to Priestley - he's keen for a story on Adventures riding around AKL for KR. Stick wif me and I'll make youse stars kids. Motu for cover boy!

I have a route sheet mailed to me by KiwiRider (a least 4 years ago?) of an Auckland West Coast area adventure ride. I've never got around to doing it so I don't know what the total mileage is or how long it takes, but I imagine it would probably be about a half day affair.

I'd be keen to give it a go - any others?