Adventure Bike Rally

[XF650]

From Garston we shot down to Mossburn for smoko & my last work call of the day. Then headed inland to Mavora Lakes Rally digs. The gravel here is very fast - big long straights & sweeping corners. I noticed Murray moving up into my mirror so naturally assumed it was to be a race, but no matter how fast I went he just sat there like a wing man. What i didn't realise was he was trying to avoid my dust & the faster I went the more stones I was kicking up - his alloy wind sheild worked well but his arms & legs showed some ripper bruises later.
The Rally venue was Hikuraki Lodge that is owned by Landcorp. Toddy (hondav2) put on a great feed followed by the usual yarning, drinking & laughter that goes hand in hand with a bunch of like minded adv bikers. I think there were 15 riders there the first night although most are more active on Advrider.com than KB. But it was great to see fellow KB'ers Rosie & Clint there from up north & I trust they had a great trip.
Special guest was Friar Mike from Alaska who inducted us all into the exclusive Adv Bikers Society of "fukengruven". And yes, there is a secret handshake but that's all I can say........
pic 1: Rally signpost
pic 2: the Lodge
pic 3: one of the Dunedin riders but he did find a 2nd wind later on

[XF650]

Saturday we teamed up with Fleethawl & Duck01. First we tried to get to the Forks Hut but thick fog turned us back. So then we headed to Manapori but near the Waiau diversion Fleethawl got a flatty. Of course the Duck was carrying their spare tubes & he was nowhere to be seen, but luckily Murray was carrying a patch for his kids push chair, which did the trick. Actually between us we had heaps of tools incl tire irons & pumps, so it was no big deal.
Shot into Pearl Harbour to check out their plumbing then headed to the Borland Track. This is another 'must do' if you are in that area - miles of narrow gravel road (pylon track) that winds through pristine bush, gorges and untouched valley's. Eventually we ended up at Manapori South Arm, which just takes your breath away.
Once the sandflies started biting we headed back but did try one diversion that ended with a very testing ascent up a very steep, loose, crumbly switch-back. Luckily the Freewind stalled & bogged so i didn't get very far - not sure how the heck I would have got down that incline. I have since heard that some guy in a Landcruiser recently took his family up this track & his wife screamed all the way up and all the way down!!!
Fleethawl & Duck headed off for Winton while Murray & I headed back to the Lodge via a coffee at TeAnau. Tea was baked trout, caught that day by Friar Mike. That evening Toddy & Mike kept us entertained with tales of their adv riding trips around America & internet romances etc.
Pic 1:sign for Borland track (Mark insisted it said 130km/hr)
pic 2: Borland Saddle
pic 3: South Arm. Just before here a wash out had forced a concrete slab upwards - thanks to Clint & Rosie for warning us
pic 4: Green Lake

[XF650]

Pic 1: another pristine lake off Borland Track
pic 2: Toddy even supplied bike covers on the 2nd night
pic 3: next morning DR Big wouldn't even jump start
pic 4: no spark - Arrowrider looking very worried.
Eventually the fault was isolated to a loose connection in a birds-nest of wires, hanging under that front beak thing..
After helping Toddy clean up the Lodge we headed off through Mt Nicholas Station in the rain (so no pics) and on down to Walter Peak to catch the Earnslaw.

[XF650]

Getting the bikes on the Coleslaw wasn't too bad but with the Lake being low, getting them off took a bit of dragging & shoving - there wasn't much clearence between the deck head & the wharf. In fact the ship crew said we were the last bikes untill Wakatipu raises again. Rode through to Cromwell & stayed at Murray's place Sun night.
Since Murray had yesterday off work, it was obvious another ride was in order so turned off the work phone, shot down to Clyde, crossed to Earnsclue & rode the pylon track back over to Carricktown. This track was quite easy but I guess if really wet it might be a bit greasy on the steep bits on the Clyde side.

[XF650]

pic 1: not much head room for a DR Big on the Earnslaw
pic 2: the 'hard & fast' part of Clyde to Bannockburn
pic 3: Carricktown - some good looking tracks in those hills. Next time.....

[XF650]

The following pics are to prove that I did do some work (farm) calls on the way home yesterday
pic 1: it's amazing how much grass can be grown under spray (pivot) irrigation in the Omarama basin. Previously it was just rabbits & weeds.
pic 2: this farmer is getting married shortly - I warned him he could loose his hair, like I did
pic 3: That's Simons Hill, with Tekapo River / Haldon Rd behind that.
pic 4: I could say I was helping round up the sheep, but I was actually in the way

[XF650]

Hopefully arrowrider & others have some pics to fill my gaps.
Thanks to Toddy for organising the Adv Bike Rally. It looks like it will become an annual event and I would recconmend the riding down there to everyone who's into adv bikes, gravel riding and big sky scenery.

[JATZ]

Eventually the fault was isolated to a loose connection in a birds-nest of wires, hanging under that front beak thing..

I had exactly the same thing happen to mine, in exactly the same spot ( the birds nest under the beak ) corroded terminals
Renewed 2 plugs and associated joints, wraped the whole thing in an old inner tube and havn't had a problem since.
Stupid place to put that many joins/plugs

[marks]

great report Struan

wished I coulda been there but shit happens....

[richyrich]

Getting the bikes on the Coleslaw wasn't too bad but with the Lake being low, getting them off took a bit of dragging & shoving - there wasn't much clearence between the deck head & the wharf. In fact the ship crew said we were the last bikes untill Wakatipu raises again. Rode through to Cromwell & stayed at Murray's place Sun night.
Since Murray had yesterday off work, it was obvious another ride was in order so turned off the work phone, shot down to Clyde, crossed to Earnsclue & rode the pylon track back over to Carricktown. This track was quite easy but I guess if really wet it might be a bit greasy on the steep bits on the Clyde side.

great report there xf,good pics too,yeah we had a bit of a hassle getting
off at qtown as well,skipper lifted that big block of concrete and hung it over the opposite wide to the wharf and made the boat list away from the wharf.
much easier

[XF650]

great report there xf,good pics too,yeah we had a bit of a hassle getting
off at qtown as well,skipper lifted that big block of concrete and hung it over the opposite wide to the wharf and made the boat list away from the wharf.
much easier

You lucky buggars - he didn't offer that great counter weight idea to us. However I think our efforts in dragging & pushing the bikes on their sides up that bloody ramp provided great entertainment to the tourists though.

[hondav2]

Great meeting every one Here is some more pics http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=355983&page=5

This is Frier Mikes thread in the Alaska section and pics http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427309

As for next year I booked a date but it will clash with Vinceint Rally so will cancell it and go for 3rd weekend Feb again if I can get it. Cheers Toddy