Recommended South Island back roads?

[Quasievil]

Hiya all
On Sunday (this week) im starting my S.I trip, Im hoping to get out the back of beyond as much as possible.
Im hoping for a bit of local knowledge from the S.I crew so I can get amongst it, the plan so far is to hit Molesworth station on Sunday, or at leat most of it......is it open ?
Also what other stations are there to go through, and with your advise can you please tell me the names of the roads to enter on and near by towns so I can reference it on the map? ie Im keen on Rainbow??? but where the hell is it ??

All advise much appreciated

cheers

[sAsLEX]

ie Im keen on Rainbow??? but where the hell is it ??

Just an hour south of Nelson or Blenheim, town called St Arnuad , enterance to the station is near there comes out near Hamner Springs


http://lh5.google.com/thenakinavy/Ra...g/DSC03441.JPG

Check the date of the pic to see what the weather might be like!

[MyGSXF:Me]

pm warewolf! or Nordieboy..

also check out this thread.. http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...=59894&page=19

safe trip!

[warewolf]

The Dusty Butt threads have more detail than you could possibly want. Covers the bulk of the interesting gravel roads in the top of the south, except for Golden Bay and Marlborough Sounds. Both have some good roads but most are dead-ends which excluded them from the DB.

Peter Mitchell's Motorcycle Atlas is also a good primer.

[Howie]

I'd suggest getting a copy of "Kiwimaps" south island complete drivers atlas,they have been mentioned on another thread here recently, has most of the roads and tracks in it, and they are all indexed. For further down the south island I'd suggest doing Danseys Pass(Nasbey to Duntroon), The Hakataramea valley road and pass(Hakataramea to close to Farlie, could also include Mackensie pass) and another good one if you have the time is put your bike on the Earnslaw at Queenstown and get off at walter peak station and ride out the access road. The choices are endless. Have fun

[cooneyr]

The Molesworth is definitely open, did it last Sunday. The north end is reasonably corrugated, the middle has had river gravels put on it so there is a few good stones to pinch flat on and the southern end has been graded is is very very dusty and is loose. The Rainbow is in better than average condition at the moment.

Other tracks to look at are the Porika, Breaburn, Maruia Saddle, Maruia West Bank Road, Big River Track, Napolean Hill, Lees Valley, the roads around Banks Peninsular, Pyrimad Valley (Ram Paddock road). This is just a few that spring to mind. Maps of many of these are linked in this years DB thread first post (as linked by MyGSXF).

I'm on dial up at the moment so cant do GE kmz files easily at the moment. When I get back to Chch I'll look into put up a tread with some kmz files (go back down on the 6th so probably be the 7th).

Cheers R

[McJim]

Don't know how far south you're planning on traveling but the Southern Scenic Road from Balclutha to Invercargill via Papatowai is just pure sex. Sweepers, twisties, hairpins, uphill, downhill, gorges. I did it today there and back. Unfortunately the last bit from Tokanui to Invercargill has too many straights.

Fucken awesome mate. Worth a try.

[98tls]

Don't know how far south you're planning on traveling but the Southern Scenic Road from Balclutha to Invercargill via Papatowai is just pure sex. Sweepers, twisties, hairpins, uphill, downhill, gorges. I did it today there and back. Unfortunately the last bit from Tokanui to Invercargill has too many straights.

Fucken awesome mate. Worth a try.

From the book "If you want to get home again" by a prominent Nth Islander "after Dunedin the movie Deliverance springs to mind so unless squealing like a pig is your thing then a 180 is for you".

[clint640]

If you're getting down to Otago don't miss the Nevis road from Bannockburn to Garston. The Onslow road from Ranfurly - Roxburgh is good too, as is a spin out to Macetown from Arrowtown.

Cheers
Clint

[Mint Sauce]

The Dusty Butt threads have more detail than you could possibly want. Covers the bulk of the interesting gravel roads in the top of the south, except for Golden Bay and Marlborough Sounds. Both have some good roads but most are dead-ends which excluded them from the DB.

Peter Mitchell's Motorcycle Atlas is also a good primer.

Where or how does one find said Dusty Butt threads? I tried a search for Dusty Butt under this Forum and didn't get much back.

[pevs]

Last Years Attempt at the Dusty Butt 1000
This years attempt is HERE

[Mint Sauce]

I'm also planning my first solo tour of SI around March this year. Fairly new back to a bike, 25+ year break, age 50+ rider and very new to off road. Have been doing my learning by the Waimak and on the Banks down here.

I know I'm going to open myself to the Flak here but can anyone advise which tracks not to attempt at this stage in my solo riding and the must not miss? Just trying to avoid the several hundred m drop or inevitable wash down the river in this stage of my learning.

Thanks in advance for the helpful repsonses.

[Somejuan]

Try the wee road from the back of Amberley through to Hawarden which runs alongside Mt Gray - only about 20km of metal though - with some interesting left-hand downhill corrrogated hairpins :-) even more interesting with a gusty nor'wester in your face.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Don't know how far south you're planning on traveling but the Southern Scenic Road from Balclutha to Invercargill via Papatowai is just pure sex. Sweepers, twisties, hairpins, uphill, downhill, gorges. I did it today there and back. Unfortunately the last bit from Tokanui to Invercargill has too many straights.

Fucken awesome mate. Worth a try.

The Catlins is a great ride and I have now done it 3 or 4 times now brill even Xaria has done it 3 times... (she been onnly riding for 4 months now)

The full southern scenic route is also worth doing from start to finish (did it the other day Dunedin to TeAnua and in to Milforld) well worth doing Yes there are a few straights but yah get that no matter where you go...

[Transalper]

Try the wee road from the back of Amberley through to Hawarden which runs alongside Mt Gray - only about 20km of metal though - with some interesting left-hand downhill corrrogated hairpins :-) even more interesting with a gusty nor'wester in your face.

Amberley to Hawarden.. would that be the Pyrimad Valley?