Wellington Rideouts - Where next?

[merv]

The crew were still smiling, that's the main thing.

We made it out to the sealed road near "Beyond the Bridge Cafe" then it was off to Wharite Peak. My GPS said it is 905m high. The road up wasn't so much rutted but covered in rather large rocks, not exactly fine gravel, and the trouble is they grade it so you can't get off the stuff.

[merv]

Great views up there to Palmy, Feilding, Pahiatua and Dannevirke.

[merv]

OK here's my last pic. By then it was past 4pm and getting on 5pm so we abandoned any thought of doing the gravel roads of the 'rapa and I just cruised back on the highway with marks. Ashhurst gas station had prepay so marks said f...em and we gassed up at Linton instead and then coffee at Widlbean in Otaki and then home in the dark - I got home about 7.30pm.

I'm busy the next two weekends so won't be on any rides, but have fun adventurers and I look forward to the next lot of write-ups.

[andy mac]

Great photos guys, I can see what I missed after Shannon.
It's interesting I see at least 3 different wind turbine designs. Obviously someone decided they could improve on the original design or just wanted their market share of the money. We don't ride the same brand of bikes!

[merv]

It's interesting I see at least 3 different wind turbine designs. Obviously someone decided they could improve on the original design or just wanted their market share of the money.

Yeah the older 3 blade jobs on the lattice towers are smaller than the new 3 bladed ones on the tube towers and both of those types aren't too loud, but crikey those twin bladed Kiwi designed ones spin much faster and screech very loudly, I'd say giving wind power a bad name. Perhaps they are more efficient, there'd have to be some reason they were used.

[NordieBoy]

I'd hoped I'd get some gas too but they were all out of 95 and I didn't think I'd run the aircooled motor on 91.

What compression is it running?

Both the Nordie (10.5:1) and DR (9.5:1) have a noticeably better bottom and midrange on 91.

Come to think of it we also run my XR250 racebike on 91.

[Paladin]

What compression is it running?

Both the Nordie (10.5:1) and DR (9.5:1) have a noticeably better bottom and midrange on 91.

Come to think of it we also run my XR250 racebike on 91.

Haven't tried 95 or 98 in my DR yet, but not feeling the need, seems to have plenty of guts on good old 91 to me!

[GSers]

Yeah the older 3 blade jobs on the lattice towers are smaller than the new 3 bladed ones on the tube towers and both of those types aren't too loud, but crikey those twin bladed Kiwi designed ones spin much faster and screech very loudly, I'd say giving wind power a bad name. Perhaps they are more efficient, there'd have to be some reason they were used.

Windmills, there are now 4 different sizes on the hills up there. The new 2 blade ones at the Pahiatua track end are the smallest (1) the ones on the towers at the north end of north range road are the originals (2) then there are the ones on the saddle road (3) and at this stage the ones in the middle of north range road are the largest (4) from my, a local point of view if they where all the bloody same size it wouldn't look so bad on the horizon but as it is in my opinion it looks stupid so much for resource management.
But wait there is more Kahutawara Valley up behind Massey currently in progress, keep an eye on the horizon its getting uglier.
Regards GSers

EDITED
What I have found out so far.
Originals (2) Blades are 23.5 Metres
Saddle Road (3) Blades are 35 Metres and are on 70 Metre Towers
Middle of North Range Road (4) Blades are 45 Metres not sure how high the towers are.
The last lot all came past my work by truck 1 piece at a time they came in through Port Taranaki.
The previous lot Saddle Road came down from the Port Napier
Regards GSers

[merv]

Yeah wasn't including the saddle road ones, but are they not the same as the middle ones on North Range Road?

[GSers]

Yeah wasn't including the saddle road ones, but are they not the same as the middle ones on North Range Road?

I believe the ones in the middle of north range road are the largest I will ask the guys from Vistas next time they come into work.
Regards GSers

[junkmanjoe]

yea mate that sucker in the middle, 3 blades, shes top dog on the hill.... got to be knocking 100 foot high.

[Paladin]

yea mate that sucker in the middle, 3 blades, shes top dog on the hill.... got to be knocking 100 foot high.

That thing is monstrously HUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE!!!! I've never seen one that big before; and a very weird noise as those blades whoosh round past you! Mental!

[bart]

I find it weird around that area with the shadows of the blades. Catching all these movements in your peripheral vision is real freaky. Even driving through the Manawatu Gorge can be a challenge.

[marks]

I find it weird around that area with the shadows of the blades. Catching all these movements in your peripheral vision is real freaky. Even driving through the Manawatu Gorge can be a challenge.

stop smoking that wacky backy and it wont seem as bad

[Eddieb]

Individual GPS track logs are now available via the link in my signature for Wharite peak, North Range Road, and the Mangahao Dams track.

For those of you without GPS you can load these into Google Earth and see where we were.