Newbie adventure ride - Wellywood

**Bartman10** · 6th October 2006, 21:26

Fraggle and I are picking up the new DR650s next week....

We're keen to try a bit of a gravel road/dirt road ride somewhere for a night or two in the Wairarapa after Labour weekend.

We're not very experienced dirt bikers... I did a bit in my younger days but that was about 10-15 years ago.

1, anyone want to join us?

2, anyone got any route suggestions for a ride to a nice camping spot, either in the hills or around the Wairarapa coast?

I'll do some more research on the route too and we cab sort the details later, but it will probably be first or second weekend in November

Cheers

**Wasp** · 6th October 2006, 21:45

white rock is good, i did it on a vtz250 (my old road bike).

its about 20-30 kms of coarse gravel road out to the beach where you can camp.

**Garry.W** · 9th October 2006, 12:57

Originally Posted by Bartman10

Fraggle and I are picking up the new DR650s next week....

We're keen to try a bit of a gravel road/dirt road ride somewhere for a night or two in the Wairarapa after Labour weekend.

We're not very experienced dirt bikers... I did a bit in my younger days but that was about 10-15 years ago.

1, anyone want to join us?

2, anyone got any route suggestions for a ride to a nice camping spot, either in the hills or around the Wairarapa coast?

I'll do some more research on the route too and we cab sort the details later, but it will probably be first or second weekend in November

Cheers

Sure I could find a couple people who would be keen to join you, there's plenty of good gravel and forestry roads out on the Wairarapa Coast, with more than enough unsealed stuff from Martinborough up to Riversdale, and further on to Castlepoint if you're keen. Pretty much camp where you want really. Get in touch when you sort out a particular weekend. Garry.

**Bartman10** · 18th October 2006, 15:36

OK here's the plan...

11-12 November.

Meet up at Rimutex (Caltex Rimutaka's) at 2 pm on Saturday the 11th of November (give me time to do some chores around the house), cruise over to Martinborough and through to Hinakura and on to Te Wharau Forrest.

Have a look around and a cup of tea. Then cruise down East Coast Road 'till we get to Glenburn road. Follow that for a bit and camp some where along there beach.

Next day keep following the road 'till we get to Glendhu. Follow the road out to Tora and over to white rock and cruise back to Martinborough. If we've got time we'll check out some of the forest area at Aorangi forest park.

There's likely to be a mix of tarmac, gravel, beach and forest roads.

I don't really know what the area is like because I've never been out there, but hey, it's an adventure ride! There's plenty of roads that lead back to martinborough along the way so we can always shorten or extend the route as we see fit. Might even end up going right round Cape Palliser road.

Bring a tent, cooker and sleeping bag and something to eat.

See here for location guide.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=10...,0.917358&om=1

You're welcome to join us for both or only one day if you want.

So far it's me, fraggle and a couple of DR650's. We've been riding sport bikes up till now so it should be interesting...

All this doesn't depend on the weather. We'll go regardless if it's sunshine rain or hail. Bad weather usually makes for a better story (if you survive...!)

One last thing... I'm big on personal responsibility. I'll carry a first aid kit and some tools etc, but you've got to make sure you've got enough stuff to survive including puncture repair.

**Zukin** · 18th October 2006, 18:56

Hey there

Sounds like a great ride?
However were you aware that most of the roads on the coast that are shown on that map are not actually roads?
They are private property?
You will need to get persmission from Glenburn Station to go through, same at Glenhu and Tora.
The trip is good though if you can get permission.
They are normally pretty good though.

Cheers

**Bartman10** · 18th October 2006, 21:38

Cheers for that. I'll try to figure out who I need to contact. Have you got any ph numbers?

Bartman

**Zukin** · 18th October 2006, 21:59

PM Sent

Lots of Bling expected

**Bartman10** · 2nd November 2006, 19:02

I'm gonna have to postpone this one for a couple of weeks.

Things have been a bit busy at work at now I've come down with the 'flu. I also didn't realise all this was private land at first so I'll need to work on some of the land owners a bit more. I'll put it off 'til after the hawkes bay adventure ride.

Sorry to who ever was looking forward to this. We'll try to make it dec 9 - 10.

Cheers.

**merv** · 2nd November 2006, 19:10

Hi I could be interested, but if the weather is right this year I probably should take the VFR on the Coast to Coast again on 9th because I missed it last year.

Always too many choices, not enough time. Also I'm in Aus a couple of weeks this month so I don't have many free weekends before Xmas.

Maybe if you keep letting us know what you are doing I could do one day on 10th and catch up with you somewhere adding some oldbie to the newbie ride.

**upshift** · 2nd November 2006, 22:03

Could be interested in this too, but spare weekends before christmas are gettin' few and far between. I'm a bit of an oldbie newbie I suppose and been doing the gravel and off road stuff for 6 months now.

**Bartman10** · 24th November 2006, 12:51

OK kids. Change of plan... The original route involved a bit too much private land.

See attachment approximation of the new route. We'll be exploring forestry and other roads as we go along.

Meet up at Caltex Rimutaka at 10 am on Saturday 9th December. We'll be camping somewhere along the way and try to get back to wellington at about 4pm Sunday I guess.

Bring a tent and food for lunch, tea, breakfast etc... Prolly camp near the beach somewhere...

We might need to escape to HW2 for gas or find somewhere else with a gas pump...

If I sound disorganised, it's because I am! Keep you posted for more.

Cheers.

**Bartman10** · 24th November 2006, 12:58

Oh, and it's meant to be Stronvar. We'll be doing the figure 8 going north on the west side and coming down the east. There are quite a few tracks off the main road in places.

Might modify the route as we go... If anyone has any more suggestions that'd be great.

There'll be mix of gravel and seal.

Cheers.

**Zukin** · 24th November 2006, 17:43

Sounds good
Do you have a GPS?

Cheers Scott

**merv** · 24th November 2006, 18:54

If the weather is good I'll probably do the Coast to Coast as I said above on Sat 9th on the VFR which I guess you realise ends up at Akitio so may be see you there. Otherwise I perhaps could steal Mrs merv's DR and race over and catch up with you on Sunday wherever you might be if you had an idea where you might camp.