Nelson Rideouts - Where next?

[NordieBoy]

Nothing wrong with a night ride into Reefton, its easy to find in the dark cause they were the first town to get electric light

And we won't be putting up tents...

[JATZ]

a question for you nelsonites

we are planning to go to the porika via the Wairau valley which I hate with a passion.

How much longer would it take to go via the mangatapu?

what sort of ride time do you think it would give us if we did the following:
Picton
Nelson via Mangatapu
Porika
Breaburn
Murchison
Maruia saddle
Springs junction
Reefton

Sounds like a betterer plan, this way you still do the Maungatap and some other roads.Porika can be done on the way back to the ferry on sunday, or missed if time's short
Aaaand you can pop into cafe Nordie for a brew

[marks]

would have to take in to count, new roads for some riders, so travel times will be slower.
weather. trying to find places in a strange town in the dark is a bitch...

as all off us i want to ride as much as possable.

but as on the KCR arriving at a motorcamp in the dark, that sucked a bit.
thats my thoughts.

carry on...

I think Joe has some valid points

In the interests of those who don't know the area well its most probably sensible to leave the Nelson stuff till Sunday (if time permits).

And it is a bastard getting into a new town late and finding there is no
dinner available.

Thanks for the input guys

Hopefully see you all at St Arnaud around 10-10.30

[cobber]

very do-able, I did from here (Richmond) to Reefton via Pigeon valley, Sunday creek, Dry weather Porika, Braeburn maruia, Westbank in 4.5 hours exactly. so if you add 2-2.5 hours onto that for the Picton to nelson its a long but good day, and if you miss the pigeon valley dry weather route take about an hour off.
I am not used to riding in groups so it could be a different kettle of fish than solo.

Nige, I just had a look at a long range forecast and it is looking really good for next weekend so you will have a stunning ride and hopefully the creeks are low.

[Woodman]

Nige, I just had a look at a long range forecast and it is looking really good for next weekend so you will have a stunning ride and hopefully the creeks are low.

Cheers, that bloody good news, now do I take me new rainsuit or leave it at home??
Have done the tee mod on the klr so am looking forward to trying to drown the beast.

[Woodman]

I think Joe has some valid points

In the interests of those who don't know the area well its most probably sensible to leave the Nelson stuff till Sunday (if time permits).

And it is a bastard getting into a new town late and finding there is no
dinner available.

Thanks for the input guys

Hopefully see you all at St Arnaud around 10-10.30

Ok so that is sorted, so nelson guys what are our plans?
My suggestion is tomeet somewhere in Richmond, not Mobil cos of the roadworks but maybe elsewhere. What time depends on the route we take.

[warewolf]

Hey Fran thats not a bad Photo of my Indian on the ambo ride , it was a good day even though Im not a fan of riding in groups like that , to many to close together for my liking

I don't count that as a 'ride' but rather 'parade'. Only do it for charities...

[NordieBoy]

Hey Fran thats not a bad Photo of my Indian on the ambo ride , it was a good day even though Im not a fan of riding in groups like that , to many to close together for my liking

I'm not a fan either. That's why I didn't ride with all you lot

[warewolf]

Sounds like the club trail ride on the weekend was a mud-fest. Trail bikes sideways on the flat straight bits, bikes resting everywhere on the first decent hill. They shut the track and took an hour to get all the bikes back to the pits.

Glad I didn't take the 640A out there!! Wasn't even going to consider it without adding a fresh set of mud tyres and rim locks. Even then it sounds like it would have been nearly hopeless.

[Woodman]

Sounds like the club trail ride on the weekend was a mud-fest. Trail bikes sideways on the flat straight bits, bikes resting everywhere on the first decent hill. They shut the track and took an hour to get all the bikes back to the pits.

Glad I didn't take the 640A out there!! Wasn't even going to consider it without adding a fresh set of mud tyres and rim locks. Even then it sounds like it would have been nearly hopeless.

they ended up running it in reverse (the track not the bikes padmei)

[CrazyFrog]

Quite nice sunset tonight up top of Linton Hill. The firebreak route up is pretty damn cool Will definitely have to do some more exploring in there, much has changed since I was there last..

Yeah, nice sunrise from up there too. Headed out at 6.30am for a chilly blast in the hills, lots of frost in the Maitai Valley, and all the way up Linton Hill. Note to self... even knobblies suck on frozen ground, where has my traction gone! No frost up on the tops, so had enjoyable ride thru Teal Saddle to Whangamoas, then decided to nip out to Hori Bay. Spectacular views from up there, nice morning light but forgot my camera....doh! Ah well, next time...

[JATZ]

Good to see ya enjoying y'self . Went to big river and Gannons rd today, should've been here.These norfislanders are a little strange though

[warewolf]

Headed out at 6.30am for a chilly blast in the hills,

We need to synchronise watches! I nearly got out there this morning.

Went for a squirt late today, up Linton Hill firebreak and revisiting some tracks along the ridge to Teal Saddle. The initial climb was quite greasy so I was hesitant to go down a few of the steep hills, by myself running out of daylight, not knowing if they were dead ends. Worked around to the bottom of some to approach from the easy end, took a second look at others and went down anyway.

There's surprising amounts of good technical riding in there, steep hills etc, especially when recent rain reduces traction substantially.

Google Earth track log (kmz file) attached.

[cobber]

Yeah, nice sunrise from up there too. Headed out at 6.30am for a chilly blast in the hills, lots of frost in the Maitai Valley, and all the way up Linton Hill. Note to self... even knobblies suck on frozen ground, where has my traction gone! No frost up on the tops, so had enjoyable ride thru Teal Saddle to Whangamoas, then decided to nip out to Hori Bay. Spectacular views from up there, nice morning light but forgot my camera....doh! Ah well, next time...

Is the Hori bay road open again? or closed only if you get caught, quite a cool ride out that way from memory but alwaysseemed to be closed for logging.

[CrazyFrog]

Yes, Hori Bay Rd opened again in March. The logging ops have finished up there for now, so access open. Looks very different up on the tops, but views are just amazing now.
I wonder when/if they'd ever start subdividing up there? Put me on the waiting list for one of those prime real estate sections! I think water could be an issue up there tho, would need to put in some decent rainwater tanks.