Southern Coast ADV ride (14-15 Feb)

[marks]

calendar thingy here

***STOP PRESS*** Aslan and his wife have kindly offered to Host a BBQ starting 6pm on Friday (13th) night in Lower Hutt. Bring meat/drink and gold coin. Salads/breads and great company provided. PM Aslan if attending and he will PM back directions/contact info. Be there or be square.

A nice 2 day trip winding through some of the awesome roads of the Wairarapa area. A mixture of brilliant twisty seal, great gravel combined with a couple of knarlyish 4wd tracks should make a nice way to spend a weekend .
All names are straigh out of Google maps to make searching the route easy.
Dates are weekend of 14th/15th Feb.

There will be 3 interesting/challenging options:
Sat morning: Orongorongo to Wharekauhau (beach track with some nasty stony bits and sinky sandy bits - approx 3 hrs)
Sat afternoon: Haurangi Rd to Sutherlands Hut (4wd track with multiple stream crossings - some with steep entry/exits - approx 4 hrs return).
Sunday morning: Makiro track (rutted grass track approx 1-1.5m wide with some steep drop offs - slippery when wet - approx 2hrs end to end).

For each interesting/challenging option there will also be an easier (but still interesting) alternative.
I recommend decent tires (TKC80/E09 type are fine) and some form of engine protection for the interesting/challenging options.

Da plan so far:

Saturday 14th Feb
Meet at BP on Wainuiomata Rd (cnr of Fraser St) just past the shops in Wainuiomata at 9am on Saturday morning. Leave 9.15-9.30
Easy option: Head up to Upper Hutt (maybe via Whitemans Valley Rd if a local leads the way?) and over the Rimutukas. Right at Featherston and head down Featherston Cross Creek Rd into Western Lake Rd (awesome tar) south to Wharekauhau and west along Western Bay Rd to meet up with other group.
Interesting Option: south on Coast Rd to Orongorongo. Cost $15 per head for private farm access. Follow coast east untill Wharekauhau.

Head via East West Access Rd to Toppys in Martinborough for lunch.

Easy option: Out on Hinakura Rd and Pahaoa Rd to east coast then part way back to Hinakura and right into Moeraki Rd and over Admiral Range to Admiral Rd. Then off to Gladstone pub for a drink before heading to Carterton Holiday park for evening.
Interesting Option: south to Dry River Rd and via Blue Rock Rd to Haurangi Rd which ends at a 4wd track into the Aorangi Forest Park to Sutherlands Hut. Back by Ruakokoputuna Rd and Te Muna Rd to Martinborough Masterton Rd and off to the Gladstone pub to catch up with the softies for a drink before heading to Carterton for the night.

Accomodation for Sat night
Carterton Holiday Park - 198 Belvedere Rd - 06-3798267
Self contained cabins (4 left) ranging from $70-$85 for 2 ppl + $5 for sheets etc.
Basic cabins $40 for 2 (extra ppl $10 each - max 4) + $5 sheets
Tent sites are available for the terminally insane
get in quick - when booking say yiu are with the motorcycle group.

Sunday 15th Feb
Possible side trip up to Mt Dick via Dalefield Rd
Then up SH2 to Masterton (boring). Onto Te Ore Ore Bideford Rd to Bideford and onto Wairiri Rd then Daggs Rd and right onto SH52. Left into Pori Rd and then left into Pahiatua Pongaroa Rd and west to Ngaturi. Right onto Millers Rd , right then left to get onto Waituna Rd. Right into Makiro Rd. Regroup and split at intersection of Kumeroa Rd and Makairo Rd

Easy option: West down Kumeroa Rd and right into Waituna Rd, Left onto Pahaheke rd, Right onto River Rd, Left onto Hopelands Rd, Left onto SH2
Through Woodville (Coffee if you must) , Right onto Woodlands Rd and onto Whariti rd continuing up to Whariti peak (rough gravel road, easy 4WD track - a bit steep in places - 920m high - great views). Return to SH3, and turn right then left onto Balance Gorge Rd, left onto Balance Gorge road. Right onto Pahiatua Mangahao Rd and into Pahiatua for late lunch.

Interesting Option: Makiro Rd onto Makiro track and then either retrace our steps back over the Makairo track and out to Pahiutua or via Coonor Rd and right into Pahiatua Pongaroa Rd out to Pahiatua meeting Easy option people for late lunch.

Northen riders: sod off home after lunch.
Southern riders: - possible loop over North Range Rd then down Pahiatua Track to SH57. South to Shannon (maybe coffee) and back towards Wellington.

who's interested?

cheers


Mark

[Paladin]

Dave (Paladin) has sorted out access between Wellington and the southern Wairarapa coast (info here)

This would allow a nice 2 day trip winding through some of the awesome roads of the Wairarapa area. A mixture of brilliant twisty seal, great gravel combined with a couple of knarlyish 4wd tracks would make a nice way to spend a weekend .

Trip would start on Saturday morning in Wellington and finish for the northeners somewhere like Woodville or Pahiatua early/mid afternoon Sunday and back in Wellington a couple of hours later for everyone else.

Initial dates are weekend of 14th/15th Feb - unless that conflicts with another major ride?

who's interested?

cheers


Mark

Damn Mark, you're right on top of it aren't you!

Yep, I'm in for this one & those dates are fine for me.

[GSers]

Dave (Paladin) has sorted out access between Wellington and the southern Wairarapa coast (info here)

This would allow a nice 2 day trip winding through some of the awesome roads of the Wairarapa area. A mixture of brilliant twisty seal, great gravel combined with a couple of knarlyish 4wd tracks would make a nice way to spend a weekend .

Trip would start on Saturday morning in Wellington and finish for the northeners somewhere like Woodville or Pahiatua early/mid afternoon Sunday and back in Wellington a couple of hours later for everyone else.

Initial dates are weekend of 14th/15th Feb - unless that conflicts with another major ride?

who's interested?

cheers


Mark

Mark are you going to take your heavy adventure bike on this or one of your lighter ones?
Do you think one of those Overweight Oil Heads would make it around there.
I think I'm interested sounds like it would be a great trip.
I have been around there before a bl--dy long time ago by 4WD
From the Featherston side around and up the Orongorongo River and up over the top into Wainui it was a great trip then and well worth another visit.
I'll keep an eye on this post.
regards GSers

[pete376403]

I'd say I'm in for this. I do have something else planned for that Saturday but it's not as important as a ride.

[marks]

Mark are you going to take your heavy adventure bike on this or one of your lighter ones?
Do you think one of those Overweight Oil Heads would make it around there.

I will be on my heavy adventure bike - it should be a breeze on your morbidly obese whale

[young1]

At this stage that date suits me, sure it is for the bigger bikes?

[marks]

At this stage that date suits me, sure it is for the bigger bikes?

would I lie to you?

everything will be big bikable although the Sutherlands Hut track and the Makairo track need sensible tires.

I haven't done Turakirae Head to Ocean Beach bit yet - if its too knarly for KTM's I'll let you know well in advance

[CrazyFrog]

Count me in, can do either Waitangi weekend or 14/15 Feb. Any excuse for a road trip....

[young1]

would I lie to you?

hmmmm .....

[Aslan]

in principle Mark - I'm in! thanks for taking the initiative - sounds like fun

[marks]

well the sun is shining and work is quiet so I spose I'll sacrifice the day and go and do some in depth research in the 'rapa

[Crisis management]

I'm interested....I just need to consult with the social organiser and see if I'm "allowed" to be interested. I imagine any final decisiion on that front will have to wait until I've softened her up over the next week or so.

Is this the alternate CCA?

[MXNUT]

who's interested?

cheers


Mark

Well done that man

signed up already and counting the days down.

[Tony W]

I'm interested....I just need to consult with the social organiser and see if I'm "allowed" to be interested. I imagine any final decisiion on that front will have to wait until I've softened her up over the next week or so.

Is this the alternate CCA?

Jeeez ! ...that's a long way for you, there and back in one day......!!!

[OV Lander]

Would be, but will be away that weekend - sorry!