Anyone going 2 mid-north adv...

[MXNUT]

Saturday started with a 'challenge' section to sort out those who should stick to the main track and those who could do the tough bits. It was a forest section - muddy and rutted. The XR600 with it's new AC10's handled it fine but Matt was new to ruts and had a few close encounters with the mud so we thought we'd stick to the main track as we had to survive another 190km before dinner With the rain even the main track had some interesting bits... This was a beautiful single track piece through native bush that was really overgrown - one of my favourites.

Photo number 4 looks suspicously like an RM,i didnt know they made `ADVENTURE ` versions in the RM range

[CRM]

North on the Kaikohe road then east into the forest - but a really nice smooth gravel road with big sweeping corners. . Finally Te Horo School in Pipiwai for lunch. Extra nice

[CRM]

Photo number 4 looks suspicously like an RM,i didnt know they made `ADVENTURE ` versions in the RM range

Yeah I wondered about that too... Actually about 25% of the bikes there were unregistered. Apparently there are no up there (they would have made a killing on the weekend if they had been with all the unregoed 'adventure' bikes and all the the guys on sports bikes that passed us at warp speed when we were driving home).

[CRM]

So after lunch we did a loop in a forestry block not far from the school. This was nice open milled forest for the first bit and really the only chance I took to open up the big XR a bit... love that grunt. Then it was through some more mud, back down past twin bridges and onto the Opouteke Road and back into another pine forest which took us right back to Trounson Park. A long but fairly easy section with some challenging river crossings. The first one was my only 'off' of the day. The water was dirty from the rain but it didn't look too deep so I went first

When the front wheel disappeared suddenly I knew I as in trouble, fell down the low side but managed to hold the bike above water and pull the clutch in until I got up and walk it out- no photos unfortunately (and fortunately I wasn't under long enough to drown the camera in my pocket).

This was a bit further on - I thought Matt might struggle with this one so I stopped to take a picture but he handled it like a pro. So we stopped for a munch and topped up his radiator (the fan stopped working so it was overheating in the slow sections).

[CRM]

They put on a bit of a feed in the local hall in the evening with a guy playing an accordian and one-man-bang stuff. Real good country hospitality - pavlova, trifle - the works. Then we all wandered off and crashed into our pillows

[CRM]

Sunday the idea was to ride back out the Mangakahia and do the Taraire Station (I think). Anyway we set off on the wrong road (note to self - take map next time) and had our own private adventure up towards the Waipoua Forest. By the time we got back the sweeps had gone and some other guys there were going out to the coast instead. The thought of riding the same roads we'd ridden the day before for and hour to get to this station wasn't totally appealing anyway so we decided to do some sightseeing towards the west coast. Went to Kai Iwi Lakes, then out to the coast. We were going to do Baylies Beach down to Dargaville but the tide was too high so just had a play around then went back for lunch and home.
Day 1 200km, Day 2 118km.

Thanks DucatiJim for putting us onto the ride.

Next ride I think we'll carry all our gear on our bikes and do as much of the Northland Coast as we can (seen one pine forest you seen em all!!)

[CRM]

Ducatijim rolled in my gate about 5:45 pm last night.

Actually, it is probably more accurate to say that a vaguely bike shaped heap of dried mud rolled down my drive and Ducatijim hatched out from somewhere in the middle.

I gather that it was rather more strenuous than he expected, but he may elect to tell you more himself, when he gets home.

Yeah I bet he slept well after doing all the hard bits on the big 650 then riding to Auckland...

[ducatijim]

.....yeah, wot he (CRM) said. Felt like I took a bat to a gunfight!

The true adventure sections were to die for....the trail bits would have challenged me on my KDX!!!!!

Good weekend alround: lots of good ridn and meetn heaps of new and exciting folk!