Nelson Rideouts - Where next?

**Padmei** · 19th January 2013, 12:06

you still around?

**JATZ** · 19th January 2013, 14:59

Originally Posted by Padmei

you still around?

Ditto

**NordieBoy** · 19th January 2013, 18:21

We're baaaaack!
The Nelson side is nice and rocky, the Marlborough side more open and both are getting undergrowth pushing in from the sides.

Met a couple of guys on a DR650 and Tiger from The Bay who are going over to South America soon. They'd just been through the Rainbow and Molesworth.

Apparently, snow on Jacks Pass last night.
They camped in the St James and it was... Chilly...

Oh and as I didn't get a photo, Padmei didn't get stuck under his bike at all.

It did however take us 50 min to get to the caretakers

**Padmei** · 19th January 2013, 19:07

Frick me that was a work out. What happens when your heart rate reaches 380bpm?

You know I enjoy riding thru there if we're not trying to go up or down ridculously slippery stupid tracks. Luckily I didn't fall off.......much

Good to catch up with other bikers - esp those with the means & time to do overseas adventures.

I was feeling really blah this morning & believe it or not, feeling off riding. It could have been my ride back from the bach on Tuesday thru the flooding cold torrential rain- that lil blast renewed my passion.

If it is wrm again tomm I may go out again - unless my body shuts down

**NordieBoy** · 19th January 2013, 20:31

Heart rate hit 160bpm up Hurricane Hill...

720KCal from Nelson to Pelorus, same as an hours MTB'ing.

**A.Cole** · 22nd January 2013, 09:50

Originally Posted by A.Cole

Ok, so my buddy and I are heading your way on the 15th of Feb and both our XT660Rs need new rubber.
It gets pretty damp up here in the far north so we tend to use a more knobby style tyre like the Metzler Karoo or the Dunlop D606.
The bikes will be trailered to Wellington and from Picton we plan to do roads like Molesworth, Rainbow etc and more of the same further south around Alexandra.
Having just chopped out a set of Karoo’s real quick I’m leaning towards D606s this time.
Can any of you who run 600cc plus adventure bikes please let me know what tyres your running down there?

Thanks for all your comments.
As we plan to try and stay off the black stuff as much as possible we have decided on Dunlop D606s.
Hopefully after the trip our tyres will still be ok to head into winter with up here where it gets rather damp.
Look out for a couple of old farts on XTs from the 13th of February onwards.

**MXNUT** · 27th January 2013, 11:26

Originally Posted by pete-blen

Mt Pat.... You need to take the North bank Rd "turn right from nelson" just before the Waiau bridge comeing into Renwick..
Mt pat road is a fair way up.. its the first side Rd on yer right after you hit the gravel.." a few 100 metres of gravel"
follow the signs to lake chalice.. when you get to the Lake Chalice car park keep going to the Mt Pat summit...
No key or premission needed....

Thanks Pete, Made it to the top last thursday. Was sunny at Renwick, then about half way up i hit the cloud. By the time i reached the carpark at the top for lake Chalice it was hailing and i could not see 20 feet in front of me.
The last 7 kms over the rock slides to the top were pretty scary in those conditions on my own. I didnt hang round at the top for more than 30 seconds.

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Oh, also, the Maungatapu is a weekend only ride, as the Sharlands Creek gate is shut during the week.

This should be a map from Sharlands to the Dam.
http://goo.gl/maps/GVrzq

Thanks for the Map Nordie, managed to find my way around the gate at Sharlands Rd ( after we had been turned away by the road workers on the Valley Rd ) and then just sort of followed my nose ( without getting lost ) until i came out of the forest to a sign that said Mangatapu track closed. Knew i was in the right place then.
A quick detour around the wire rope and i was on my way again. Saw some recent bike tracks on the gound, probably from you and Padders.

**thommo77** · 27th January 2013, 14:17

Quick question - approx how long from Blenheim to Hanmer on the Molesworth, then Hanmer to Bln on the Rainbow?

**pete-blen** · 27th January 2013, 15:19

Originally Posted by thommo77

Quick question - approx how long from Blenheim to Hanmer on the Molesworth, then Hanmer to Bln on the Rainbow?

Blenhiem to Hanmer via Taylor pass/Molesworth = 210km
Hanmer to St Arnads via Rainbow = 120km
St Arnads to Blenhiem = 100km

A round trip for me from Blenheim with out going into Hamner or St Arnads
for fuel was 407km.. was a nice days ride...

**Padmei** · 27th January 2013, 19:04

I think from memory it is about 2 1/2 hrs - 3 hrs each leg. Less if you ride a Kawasaki, more if you go down a bank.

**NordieBoy** · 27th January 2013, 20:09

Originally Posted by Padmei

I think from memory it is about 2 1/2 hrs - 3 hrs each leg. Less if you ride a Kawasaki, more if you go down a bank.

More if said Kawasaki needs it's air filter rinsed out with blackcurrant energy drink every so often...

**madmartin** · 28th January 2013, 23:05

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

More if said Kawasaki needs it's air filter rinsed out with blackcurrant energy drink every so often...

must be cheaper than air filter oil

**Padmei** · 30th January 2013, 19:52

I am contemplating a ride up to Mt Patriarch again on Saturday if anyone wishes to view the spectacularness of the Inland kaikouras & Richmond ranges. I will prob take some more photos & will be taking my walking shoes to actually walk to the top of the MT (should only take 1/2hr return)
Prob leave 9ishish if that is a vague enough bit of info.

Carry on