Nooby sticking his head above the parapet!

**Mint Sauce** · 17th July 2007, 17:58

Hi All

Just thought I would stick my head above the parapet even at the risk of getting it shot or cut off.

Recent immigrant (english take away for a kiwi girl) and now settled in Christchurch.

Just returned to a bike after a 20+ year gap (old enough to get full membership of Ulysses). After some years of mountain biking in different countries just couldn't resist what the South Island has to offer for a dual sport.

So just bought me a Japper 2006 Dakar with 7600 km on the clock at a sweet price compared to new and now getting my wheels feel back again. It may look pretty and modern, have fuel injection and ABS but it's just an old thumper at heart.

So just a few questions:

No previous off road experience, so any guidance from some local riders on off road rides to cut my teeth on in the Cristchurch area?
Any suggestions for a playground to practice off road stuff?
Hints on what to carry for a day ride with off road and long weekends?
Any other nooby around in the same position want to share the learning experience?
Anyone who does mentoring on adventure riding in this area? Could not find anyone on the site?
Anything else anyone has to offer a nooby?

When I get up to speed hope to see some of you around on the trails.

Mint Sauce

**skelstar** · 17th July 2007, 18:26

Welcome to NZ...you lucky bastard being in the SI (born there).

**Hawkeye** · 17th July 2007, 18:27

Welcome to the mad house. Just one word of warning... Don't feed the animals.

**Meanie** · 17th July 2007, 18:46

Welcome to kb and to our fine country Mint sauce
You have ended up at the right site, plenty of good people and contacts here

**merv** · 17th July 2007, 19:02

mmmmmm lamb goes well with mint sauce.

Christchurch is a great adventure place - loved it when I lived there years ago.

**cooneyr** · 17th July 2007, 19:02

Welcome to KB. Lamb to the slaughter bring the mint sauce aye.

There are a number of adv riders around chch. We seem to get out and about relatively regularly.

A good place to find a few gravel roads to try your hand at is around Banks Peninsular. Lees Valley is another good day ride. If you want to get muddy the north side of the Waimak (go over the bridge on the old main north road).

As for what to carry there are a few threads on here about tools and gear.

I don't think anybody here does adventure riding mentoring but you are welcome to join in on rides. Keep an eye out in the ADV section or the Meetings and Events section.

Cheers R

**tri boy** · 17th July 2007, 20:28

Welcome to the site.
Your going to be spoilt for choice regarding rides down there. Just ignore the one eyed Cantabs. They don't know any better.

**Mom** · 17th July 2007, 20:32

Welcome to NZ and to KB Mint Sauce, I am certain you will find us all normal

You have chosen a pretty nice place to settle!

**Transalper** · 17th July 2007, 20:42

Yea, welcome, quickest way to learn is to ride with us, I'm sure we are full of it, um, I mean full of good advice when there is advice to give, if it's wanted at the time.
Check out my youtube channel for some video of our more interesting trips... and some less interesting ones too.

**sels1** · 17th July 2007, 20:48

Welcome aboard Mint Sauce. Plenty of fun roads around Banks Peninsula

**far queue** · 17th July 2007, 22:17

Originally Posted by cooneyr

A good place to find a few gravel roads to try your hand at is around Banks Peninsular. Lees Valley is another good day ride. If you want to get muddy the north side of the Waimak (go over the bridge on the old main north road). blah blah blah ...

Yeah, wot he said. The Waimak is good for learning - nice and close, you can just play on the shingle roads and stop banks, or head out into the riverbed for a bit more challenge, or into the bush tracks and mud, etc - whatever takes your fancy at the time.

Originally Posted by Transalper

Yea, welcome, quickest way to learn is to ride with us, I'm sure we are full of it, um, I mean full of good advice when there is advice to give, if it's wanted at the time.
Check out my youtube channel for some video of our more interesting trips... and some less interesting ones too.

Watch him, he just wants you to come along so he can catch you falling off on video

But all the same, tag along on a ride, you'll be most welcome. It doesn't matter if you're slow to start with, there's plenty of stops to regroup.

Oh, and welcome aboard.

**426crasher** · 17th July 2007, 22:43

Hi ther mint sauce
Welcome to NZ from a fellow pommie. Loads of good places to crash your beemer round canty. I'm up for a ride along the wimak or around banks if you like.What part of the UK you from.

**RedKLR650** · 18th July 2007, 00:21

Originally Posted by Mint Sauce

Hi All
Recent immigrant (english take away for a kiwi girl)

and now settled in Christchurch.

Just returned to a bike after a 20+ year gap (old enough to get full membership of Ulysses).

After some years of mountain biking in different countries just couldn't resist what the South Island has to offer for a dual sport.

So just bought me a Japper 2006 Dakar with 7600 km on the clock at a sweet price compared to new and now getting my wheels feel back again. It may look pretty and modern, have fuel injection and ABS but it's just an old thumper at heart.

Mint Sauce

So thats whhere all the girls are, overseas ordering takeaways.....

Anyway, welcome to the asylum, keep reading the threads on here and you'll meet all sorts of crazy wonderful people and if you ask nicely, they may just invite you on a few rides :-)

No, seriously, the adventure group from Canterbury are a great lot, and they have some pretty good rides too

Looking forward to catching up on a ride sometime

Stu ( Also a young Ulyssian )

**Mint Sauce** · 19th July 2007, 13:38

Well first of all thanks to everyone for the warm welcome to NZ, KB and Adveture Biking. Really appreciated.

Special thanks to Coonyer, Transalper, Sels1, farqueue and 426crasher for a mixture of ride info and invites to ride. Will come back by PM on the invites when I have had a bit more refresher time on the bike.

Someone asked what part of Pommy land I was from. Liverpool originally, but a long time ago; I can assure you no wheels have ever gone missing in any group I have ridden with!

Can anyone advise the best large scale map for the Banks? Something equivalent to the OS series in the UK is what I am looking (1km to 1cm).

**clint640** · 19th July 2007, 13:44

The 1:50 000 260 series topomaps are probably what you're after, next up is the 1:250 000 ones. Most of us Adv-Geeks have them digitally: maptoaster, nzmapped or memory-map being the common ones.

& welcome to NZ! hopefully I'll be down south again over summer for some more riding.

Cheers
Clint