North Island invasion of South Island

**marks** · 30th March 2009, 07:04

follow our progress here

Mark Ph 0274499115

21-24 May - 3 day adventure ride focusing on light 4WD tracks in the Reefton area.

Thursday
6.25pm ferry to Picton - arrive Picton 9.25 stay at:
Waikawa Bay Holiday Park 5 Waimarama Street 0800 924 529

Friday
Leave at 8am and head down HW63 to St Arnaud for coffee/gas - leave St Arnaud at 11am sharp

Warning - the Porika Track has a steepish (and maybe loose) descent to Lake Rotora. Alternative route - continue to end of SH63 then left into SH6 then left again into Gowan Valley Rd which goes to regroup point at Lake Rotoroa foreshore.

Regroup at Howard Valley Rd turnoff from sh63 and run cornerman system for Porika Track (regroup at Lake Rotoroa foreshore) and Braeburn Track
Left into Tutaki Rd North then right into Mangles Valley Rd and then left onto SH6 to Murchison

lunch at Rivers Cafe - 51 Fairfax St Murchison 03-523 9009 - go into Murchison and turn left in middle of shops

Cornerman system continues - Continue down Fairfax Rd. Veer left into Matakitaki Rd
Regroup at intersection of Matakitaki Rd Glenroy Rd and Maruia Saddle Rd then continue on Maruia Saddle Rd to regroup at intersection of SH65
Left into SH65 travel 18-20km till right hand turn across river into West Bank Rd then at end of West Bank join SH65 and go to Springs Junction for regroup/coffee. End of cornerman system for day - ride east on SH7 to Reefton. Sort out accommodation and dinner

accommodation for Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd is THE OLD NURSES HOME ACCOMMODATION 104 Shiel St, Reefton 03 732 8881

Saturday
Meeting place for all rides starting from Reefton is The Broadway Tearooms And Bakery (opposite Wilsons Hotel at the east end of Broadway )

Meet at 8am to leave by 8.30
Head south on SH7 1-2km and turn left onto Soldiers Rd, approx 10km then veer left into Big River Rd. Go to old building at end of track and dick around
Return to Reefton for lunch

meet at 1pm then head north on SH69 from Reefton 2-3km then turn right into Gannons Rd
Gannons Rd veers left over the river and onto Waitahu River Rd which is a rough stony 4wd track - ride till cant go no further then head back to Reefton
If time permits some may want to head further north on SH69 until right turn into Boatmans Rd which leads to Kirwans Track - accessibility unknown.

Sunday
Meet at 8am to leave by 8.30
head north on SH69 up through Inangahua Junction onto SH6 then a further 15?km and turn immediately left after first bridge onto New Creek Rd regroup point -Start of cornerman system
follow New Creek Rd take left into Pensini Rd to start of track
there is a $5 cost per head for the New Creek-Denniston track - via an honesty box at the gate which only takes coins (its not waterproof)
Follow track to turnaround/regroup point at Mackley River. There is a steep but straight forward descent down to the river and there is limited turn around room at the bottom. Head back to SH69 with a regroup at right hand turnoff to 'Tower Ten' (I think) about halfway back. If time permits we will follow this to its end at the Mackley River. Regroup at end of New Creek Rd - by the bridge on SH6 - end of cornerman system.

Head north on SH6 to Murchison (lunch at Rivers Cafe - 51 Fairfax St - where decisions can be made about the rest of the day
(approx 200km/3hrs from Murchison to Picton - with 5pm reporting time)

General Stuff
I will lead (black LOUD KLR650) on all sections but please pass me if I'm slowing you down (if you get lost after you pass me we wont come looking)
Joe will be tail end charlie on all sections (yellow DR650 with massive white tank)
Load an ICE (In Case Emergency) number into your cellphone so we know who to contact if it hits the fan
If you pass anyone - give them a 'toot' to wake them up so they don't drift into your path or wet themselves.

Google maps of routes (my first attempts - so may not be accurate)

Friday Route

Saturday Route

Sunday Route

all tracks can be checked over in detail on Ryans advroutes site

**Paladin** · 30th March 2009, 07:41

Oooh I like it!

**NordieBoy** · 30th March 2009, 08:18

We'll be ready for 'ya...

**warewolf** · 30th March 2009, 09:15

Ferry to Nelson is only 75 mins. You could probably stay in Nelson on Friday night just as easily. Gives you more striking distance on Sat at the expense of doing Maungatapu etc in daylight on Sat am. Nelson fri night, Reefton area Sat night, ferry sun arvo? I will have to check with her indoors, but a couple of bods could stay at our place.

June could be icy and high water. Might be more pleasant to get up on to the ridges in the Moutere Depression: panic mac, spooners, old coach, those areas, ie the stuff closer to Nelson. With a caveat, that some winters some sections of Old Coach turn into a 20cm thick clay quagmire. Plenty of options to avoid it if necessary.

**buggsubique** · 30th March 2009, 10:32

zeRax and I will keep an ear to the ground on this one - happy to offer company around Marlborough and will see how it works out for tagging along to Nelsin for a bit of an explore...

**bart** · 30th March 2009, 18:32

BASTARDS. Do you realise I'm going to have to buy a new bike now.

Guess I'll have to go to plan C.

Plan A = 690E
Plan B = 650X
Plan C = Dog Rooter 650
Plan D = Keep the DRZ
Plan E = Walk

Bloody recession, f*cking with my ability to buy toys.

**Paladin** · 30th March 2009, 18:37

Originally Posted by bart

BASTARDS. Do you realise I'm going to have to buy a new bike now.

Guess I'll have to go to plan C.

Plan A = 690E
Plan B = 650X
Plan C = Dog Rooter 650
Plan D = Keep the DRZ
Plan E = Walk

Bloody recession, f*cking with my ability to buy toys.

Oh yeah baby - Plan C all the way!!!!!

Come on Bart, you know you wanna!!!!!!!!

**Cary** · 30th March 2009, 18:44

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread for sure

**bart** · 30th March 2009, 18:50

Originally Posted by Paladin

Oh yeah baby - Plan C all the way!!!!!

Come on Bart, you know you wanna!!!!!!!!

What.............join the Dog Rooter club. Only because, with a slightly uncertain future, I don't want to lay out too much coin.

After the other weekend, I don't think I could handle another 540km day on the DRZ. Just want something with a little bit more legs for the road, that doesn't vibrate like shit, without loosing the off road ability.

What about this south island thing

**Paladin** · 30th March 2009, 18:54

Originally Posted by bart

What.............join the Dog Rooter club. Only because, with a slightly uncertain future, I don't want to lay out too much coin.

After the other weekend, I don't think I could handle another 540km day on the DRZ. Just want something with a little bit more legs for the road, that doesn't vibrate like shit, without loosing the off road ability.

What about this south island thing

With this much advanced planning we could end up with a fair sized army going across for the beach landing!

**Cary** · 30th March 2009, 18:56

Originally Posted by bart

Just want something with a little bit more legs for the road, that doesn't vibrate like shit, without loosing the off road ability.

Sounds very similar to the Speights 'perfect woman' ad to me.............

**pampa** · 30th March 2009, 19:17

I'd like (love to) to ... my chances of actually joining are however
:
:
-10

Good luck

Originally Posted by marks

EddieB has suggested we all go down south for a weekend. Maybe Friday night ferry - stay night in motor camp in Waikawa next to Picton then invade Nelson and listen to them play their banjo's or do some other localish rides then back on Sunday arvo?

If we could squeek an extra day we could do some of the awesome stuff around Reefton (my preferred option)

This would be May or June

anyone interested?

any of you South Islanders got any POLITE suggestions?

cheers

Mark

Plan A sounds nice
Plan B a good alternative
Plan C better save to plan A or B by implementing plan D or E
Plan D better save to plan A or B by implementing plan E
Plan E bottom line be happy u can still walk and enjoy some people cant

BASTARDS. Do you realise I'm going to have to buy a new bike now.

Guess I'll have to go to plan C.

Plan A = 690E
Plan B = 650X
Plan C = Dog Rooter 650
Plan D = Keep the DRZ
Plan E = Walk

**Paladin** · 30th March 2009, 19:25

Originally Posted by pampa

Plan A sounds nice
Plan B a good alternative
Plan C better save to plan A or B by implementing plan D or E
Plan D better save to plan A or B by implementing plan E
Plan E bottom line be happy u can still walk and enjoy some people cant

THAT was totally uncalled for!

Plan C is a sh*t hot idea!

**Padmei** · 30th March 2009, 19:30

Another option from picton could be port underwood road (excellent) & maybe some forestry roads around port underwood or through to Rarangi then blenheim. From blen maybe out to French pass (there & back) with the slippery track done in between, over Maunga into Nelson. From Nelson can do some local tracks around Hira forest or some of the Dusty butt tracks.

If it was me catching the ferry over for just a weekend I'd prefer to spend time doing closer gravel to the top of the south rather than long miles to Reefton & back.

Thats what I'd like to do anyway when I finally drag some other sorry Sth Islanders to visit Weelywood.

Whatever happens if the weekend works I would loveto catch up with you wrongislanders.

Does the ferry have specials for bikes & riders thru the year & what would they be ballpark?