Thompsons Track Mud Fest

[Danger]

I might have been keen but doing the Possum Trapper on the 2nd. Maybe some other time.

[Motu]

Have you got enough coming to make this happen yet?

[shaneh]

Looks like it's Civil, Motu and Me.
That's enough to get me out of bed.
Civil is leaving from Tga side, coming across then meeting us on Matamata side, then going back with us.

My vote is the trips on.

It's almost 2 hr travel time for me from Raglan, so if I'm a bit late please wait for me.

[DingDong]

I've been up there heaps... and have taken a quad once, each time I swear I wont do it again but I always start hanging out for another challenge.

From the Tauranga side, there are only 4 big bogs

Best advice is to:
walk every bog first, then decide if your going to ride it or push it
wear sneakers and shorts (shoes need to be tight or you'll lose them)
Travel as light as poss, rope is a must for clearing water from pistons.
Spare chain link might help too (along with some tools)

Bikes:
Needs to be a good starter (sometimes too slippy to push start)
Tyres dont need to be good, the ground is clay and you'll just end up riding a huge mass of mud anyway.
Gas wont be a problem... it aint that far, just hard work
Dont lube your chain... it'll be a waste of lube
The best way to shift a quad through the big holes is to flote it, guy on each side (up to their necks in it)

I want to come but I have already organised a golf thingy...

If the date changes to the 4th or the 2nd I'd be keen ( leaving from the TGA side)

[DingDong]

and also...

The Tauranga side takes about 1.5 - 2hrs to get up, thats taking your time to negotiate the route, then about 40 minutes to get back down(because you know the track).
You can actually walk the track in a couple of hours and it is poss to push a bike out in a couple of hours if going down hill.

[shaneh]

I'll be bringing a tow rope, small shovel and trying to find my hand winch but not having much luck.

[Danger]

and also...

The Tauranga side takes about 1.5 - 2hrs to get up, thats taking your time to negotiate the route, then about 40 minutes to get back down(because you know the track).
You can actually walk the track in a couple of hours and it is poss to push a bike out in a couple of hours if going down hill.

Gee I do it quicker than that on my MTB.

[doubledown]

How would a sport quad handle this? Sounds like fun but I don't wanna be the kook that holds everyone up I'm doing the Maramarua thing tomorrow & don't have anything better to do the next day.

Oh, and hi from a n00b :spudwave:

[civil]

How would a sport quad handle this?

From the Waikato side would not be a problem, just stop when the bogs get too deep!!!, but that will be all the way over anyway.

[doubledown]

From the Waikato side would not be a problem, just stop when the bogs get too deep!!!, but that will be all the way over anyway.

Righto. Sounds like a plan then, given I don't do some sort of mischief to myself or the quad tomorrow. And I'm not laying any bets on that

[shaneh]

I'll be taking my 10 year old farm quad. It's 4WD so got a slight advantage over your sport quad. But you've probably got a tonne of extra horse power and your bike is much lighter (less sinking into bottomless bogs) and more ground clearance.
How about, I'll promise to tow you out if you promise to tow me out.
I've got a tow bar and substantial frames to hook onto.
Your sport quad might be missing this stuff, so if it's easy to do, please put some hook points on front and rear.
I'm bring a small selection of recovery gear. If anyone has a compact hand winch please bring it along. I can stow it on my bike easily.

[shaneh]

My cell if you need directions (and if I have coverage) is 021 742 634

[DingDong]

Gee I do it quicker than that on my MTB.

MTB's dont get bogged down so yeah they'd be quicker... but you'd have a hard time peddling to the summit

[Danger]

MTB's dont get bogged down so yeah they'd be quicker... but you'd have a hard time peddling to the summit

My mate and I did it twice on MTB's in one afternoon from the East side, and the first time we went down the West side for a look too. Its a good downhill back to the East side which was real fun. But we were crazy enough to enjoy the climbs as well. Those were the days eh?
Actually remember passing some guys stuck on their dirt bikes in some of the bogs. They were knackered ha ha!

Good luck with this ride guys.

Might be looking for a ride after Wednesday this week, but as said doing the Maramarua ride Tuesday (which is today, better get to bed LOL!)

[doubledown]

How about, I'll promise to tow you out if you promise to tow me out.

No worries It's easy to get a towrope around the frame at the front, but bugger-all options at the back short of risking tearing off the grab bar. It does have reverse tho so I can always tow backwards.

Gotta get me one of these for next time Never thought you could fit one to a sport quad.

http://www.atvconnection.com/Feature...hing-It-Up.cfm