Coleridge - Sunday 27th

**timg** · 26th July 2008, 18:09

Originally Posted by Transalper

I think i'll be out, spent the gas money on other (new and currently exciting for me) interests (RC Helicoptors) today... oh the drama

Boys & their bloody toys!!

**Transalper** · 26th July 2008, 18:21

Originally Posted by XF650

Fitted a camera to the new toy yet?

Their only baby electric helis, would probably lift the origon self contained cameras but nothing I currently own is small and especially crash proof enough for that. Be cool though.

Have a good one those of you who go

**El scooto** · 27th July 2008, 08:38

Won't be joining you fella's. Other commitments have to be attended first. The weekends just aren't long enough! Enjoy

**cooneyr** · 27th July 2008, 12:30

Originally Posted by El scooto

Won't be joining you fella's. Other commitments have to be attended first. The weekends just aren't long enough! Enjoy

you have a late night again? Other commitments involve getting over lots of

and watching the pathetic rugby?

Or is it much more benign in that your laying again

Cheers R

**XF650** · 27th July 2008, 21:35

Left my camera at home so will try to describe the ride in words:
By the time Timg (on his wifes CRF230L). NigelP (Freewind) & I (Freewind) had finished our lunch @ Terrace Downs the drizzle had cleared. We then headed up to the turn off at Lake Coleridge Station.
If you like riding gravel then the Harper Road is a must - a mix of fast sweepers, straights, hills & nicely cambered corners. The road base was damp but not too greasey - perfect. And all the while surrounded by the vistas of the high country, with views of Lake Coleridge plus a couple of smaller lakes right next to the road. Most of this road is through Ryton Station where we stopped for a yarn with some fisherman who reported good catches - the lakes were all like glass.
All too soon we arrived at the hut settlement at the head of Lake Coleridge. From there we followed the Canal up to the Wilberforce River diversion.
On our way back we rode up the Harper River diversion canal.
As you can guess, the two rivers are diverted into Lake Coleridge then fed through a hydro power station back into the Rakaia River - all to run the coffee machines up north I suppose.
So in the end a great day's ride. Looking forward to next time when we do the complete loop & hook up with the Mt Algidus road.

**nigelp** · 28th July 2008, 06:57

Originally Posted by XF650

Left my camera at home so will try to describe the ride in words:
By the time Timg (on his wifes CRF230L). NigelP (Freewind) & I (Freewind) had finished our lunch @ Terrace Downs the drizzle had cleared. We then headed up to the turn off at Lake Coleridge Station.
If you like riding gravel then the Harper Road is a must - a mix of fast sweepers, straights, hills & nicely cambered corners. The road base was damp but not too greasey - perfect. And all the while surrounded by the vistas of the high country, with views of Lake Coleridge plus a couple of smaller lakes right next to the road. Most of this road is through Ryton Station where we stopped for a yarn with some fisherman who reported good catches - the lakes were all like glass.
All too soon we arrived at the hut settlement at the head of Lake Coleridge. From there we followed the Canal up to the Wilberforce River diversion.
On our way back we rode up the Harper River diversion canal.
As you can guess, the two rivers are diverted into Lake Coleridge then fed through a hydro power station back into the Rakaia River - all to run the coffee machines up north I suppose.
So in the end a great day's ride. Looking forward to next time when we do the complete loop & hook up with the Mt Algidus road.

Well said, cheers for the ride! All we need to do is find a turbo small enough for the CRF and the road sections will be a breeze!

**homer** · 28th July 2008, 07:18

sorry didnt make it .....next time fellas
sounds really cool . Yep those roads are great 80 k 110 k sweepers are great corners.

**XF650** · 28th July 2008, 10:29

From the Wilberforce Canal we rode a track along the flood protection stop bank, that looked to follow the river downstream. Before the bluffs the river has scoured out the track leaving a 6ft drop. However the track still blends in with the river bed behind it. In certain light or going too fast, this route could be quite painful.

**nigelp** · 28th July 2008, 11:35

Originally Posted by XF650

From the Wilberforce Canal we rode a track along the flood protection stop bank, that looked to follow the river downstream. Before the bluffs the river has scoured out the track leaving a 6ft drop. However the track still blends in with the river bed behind it. In certain light or going too fast, this route could be quite painful.

I dont know why Timg didnt try and jump the gap anyway...wasnt his bike he was riding anyway. I guess he wont be allowed out for a while riding look at the state the bike was in when he got home!

**helenoftroy** · 28th July 2008, 17:44

Originally Posted by XF650

Left my camera at home so will try to describe the ride in words:
By the time Timg (on his wifes CRF230L). NigelP (Freewind) & I (Freewind) had finished our lunch @ Terrace Downs the drizzle had cleared. We then headed up to the turn off at Lake Coleridge Station.
If you like riding gravel then the Harper Road is a must - a mix of fast sweepers, straights, hills & nicely cambered corners. The road base was damp but not too greasey - perfect. And all the while surrounded by the vistas of the high country, with views of Lake Coleridge plus a couple of smaller lakes right next to the road. Most of this road is through Ryton Station where we stopped for a yarn with some fisherman who reported good catches - the lakes were all like glass.
All too soon we arrived at the hut settlement at the head of Lake Coleridge. From there we followed the Canal up to the Wilberforce River diversion.
On our way back we rode up the Harper River diversion canal.
As you can guess, the two rivers are diverted into Lake Coleridge then fed through a hydro power station back into the Rakaia River - all to run the coffee machines up north I suppose.
So in the end a great day's ride. Looking forward to next time when we do the complete loop & hook up with the Mt Algidus road.

Sounds like a good day was had......So would love to come next time

Have been up to the top on the lake on the old R100GS and it certainly is a stunning ride

Originally Posted by nigelp

I dont know why Timg didnt try and jump the gap anyway...wasnt his bike he was riding anyway. I guess he wont be allowed out for a while riding look at the state the bike was in when he got home!

Slightly grubby was it Tim??

**timg** · 28th July 2008, 22:04

Originally Posted by XF650

So in the end a great day's ride. Looking forward to next time when we do the complete loop & hook up with the Mt Algidus road.

Yup, a great day out. Weather just got better and better the further we went

This was the first real outing with the Hobbits bike. Until now it's just been used for commuting and a couple of blats over Dyers Pass/Summit Road which it has handled well and been able to run at 100kmh reasonably comfortably and topping out at around 118kmh with a bit of a wind up. However on Sunday I was geared up with wet weather gear = increased wind resistance I guess heading inland with a bit of a southerly breeze/side wind and the wee bike struggled to get to and maintain 100kmh which does not bode well for it being used as a wee adventure bike for the Hobbit. On the way back heading down hill across the plains it was able to pull 100 no problem. Looks like we will have to look at buying a bit of upper end grunt - exhaust, jetting & airbox mods and see how it goes.

Originally Posted by helenoftroy

Sounds like a good day was had......So would love to come next time

Have been up to the top on the lake on the old R100GS and it certainly is a stunning ride

Slightly grubby was it Tim??

Not my bike, I'll clean it just as many times as Debbie's cleaned the Transalp.

Pix;
1. See there is a bit of blue sky!
2. Always seem to be able to get a shoot of a zooki gettin fixed

3. Grubby wee bike

**The Mistress** · 29th July 2008, 23:26

Mmm looks and sounds good fellas,
I'm feelin pretty wistful,... got me heated grips on, but just road tyres for the winter, what a wuss...I'll crawl out from my rock when I've finished hibernating (and marking essays)...
Keep those stories coming, it could be sooner than expected.