Waiawa Gorge this Sunday 3rd May at Otaki

[mazz1972]

Don't forget the HMCC trail ride on this Sunday at Otaki - details in the attached PDF flyer.

Hope to see you there!!

[Hazza]

Aw yea sounds good might have to do it.

Whats it like have you done it before? any A sections?

[kezzafish]

Much grass mazz?

[mazz1972]

Aw yea sounds good might have to do it.

Whats it like have you done it before? any A sections?

It's a mixture of farm tracks, bush, logged areas etc, hills, and rolling farmland. Hopefully the AAA section will be included (not suitable for 2WD quads).

I've not done the track myself, just the organising!

[mazz1972]

Much grass mazz?

The track is about 60% farmland, and the rest bushy areas etc. There is usually grass on the farmland but it's been pretty dry up till now so not sure! Generally not grass in the busy areas where I'm told it's a bit like the Maungatuks - some rocky areas and slippy bits!

[kezzafish]

ha haaa... wicked. Can't wait now. Be good to get a bit of variation. We'll be there with bells on

[mazz1972]

Due to last year's cancellation (twice!) we haven't been up there for two years so it will be interesting to see tomorrow at set up what the track condition is like.

[evoetr]

Don't forget the HMCC trail ride on this Sunday at Otaki - details in the attached PDF flyer.

Hope to see you there!!

Does anyone know how long this track is ? Just a rough estimate.

Cheers. CB

[mazz1972]

A guestimate of the track length is approx 25kms, plus there are four optional loops making up to about 40kms if you do all of them:

1 x B
2 x A
1 x AAAA - VERY EXPERIENCED RIDERS ONLY - this is a real tough one.

The track is running in reverse to the previous time - so you aren't heading up that looooog slippery hill off to the left of the carpark - you'll be coming down it (and it's pretty dry).

About half farmland which is grass. The rest is half bush and forestry with slippery clay in these areas.

There's a stream you'll cross about five times.

The weather is great, no rain since Wednesday. Dress warmly tho as although it was sunny up there today, it was quite breezy and the wind was FREEZING!!

[kezzafish]

Awesome stuff. had a ball, cheers mazz and crew. The AAAA loop was wicked. Found a dude stuck half way up it. He went against all the riders briefing advice (EXPERT only, good tyres, don't go alone and you have to think you're the shizzle (accordng to the fella on the mic)).

Well this guy was no professional, had a shit tyre and no mates. Made me laugh. so i walked back down to try to ride his bike up from the stupid place he had stopped and i slammed LOL and then knakkered myself picking it up and turning it round to find a good starting point. My mates turn next and he got it up. Was dissapointed to see it closed off on our next loop but i guess there were some problems??? was tempted to ride over the bunting but thought we'd better not.

I think a few people were put off trying it by the description of it at the briefing. It wasn't too bad but i can see why ya wouldn't want every tom, dick and harry down there as you'd still be there now lol.

Anyway, thanks again and we'll be back for the sand country run

Think i saw ya there charmed1 but was on the mish catchin up to my mate. I'll say hi next time. Did ya ride? you were walkin across carpak paddock with bubs and a super tall dude

[thecharmed01]

Yah muchos gracias for the ride today! Was most fun!!!!

Aww shame you didnt say hi Kez, that would be my baby in the crazy cute lil motocross jumpsuit his daddy bought him, and said daddy being the 'super tall dude' I was with hahahahaha.
Stop and say hi next time!!!!

I did ride, although I only did the first short loop, I didnt do the forest stuff or anything.
It was the third time on my bike and I think I actually did okay..... I got 3 runs of that short loop and got faster and faster each time.
Uphills were pretty good, I managed them all fine (other than one time I *DOH* managed to accidentally knock it into neutral) but the downs were a bit slower. Got one of the berms pretty sweet though so was rather happy with the runs all up.
Getting better with boots, gear changes and finding my footing and the confidence went up about twenty notches after that ride.

I met up with crfchick (?) - Sarah - who was parked only a few cars down from us and we rode the loop twice, she tailed me.....
Was awesome to have someone to ride with and sounded like she enjoyed it too.
You'll have to ask what she thought of my riding though LOL
I cant see myself ride hahaha.

I have to say though, props to the organisers, as a VERY new rider - 3 times on the bike - I was really stoked that there was a loop I could ride.
I managed the first loop really easily even though I was very nervous first run out.
It's a shame that there isnt the possibility of a nana line for the hard sections on the larger loops as I would have loved to have been able to spend longer on the bike (time on the bike makes a huge difference to comfort and confidence) but I was given the impression that I wouldnt manage only two key sections (the steep slippery uphill that was giving riders grief and the river crossing) as I am too new a rider...... and those two sections being the only ways to go made me agree that I was stuck on the smaller loop.
Other than that 'wish' the day was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Cant wait for more....

See you at the Sandy ride Kezza, we aren't bringing bubs to that one, so I'll get to ride all day WOOHOO!!!

[pete.ktm]

yeah pretty good ride, you would have felt like your at karapoti in that slippery clay shit keeza. broke my wrist in 8 places in stuff like that so it's not my fav.

you get 10 points for doing the AAA section after listening to the briefing description of it, it sure put me off.

roll on sand country!

[ruphus]

Yip, was a good day alright. The farm country was fun and that clay stuff in the forest really made you concentrate on what you're doing. The A loops were fun but I wasn't going to try that AAA loop. Good on ya Kezza for conquering it.

Looking forward to Sand Country in a couple of weeks time.

[mazz1972]

Thanks for your feedback everyone....glad you enjoyed the ride!! It's nice to get positive feedback. All up about 420 riders so that was a good turnout.

We had planned to close the AAA early so we had enough time to get anyone out that had gotten stuck down there (thankfully there was one).

Charmed....you'll learn from watching how other people tackle "obstacles" such as steep bits, slippery areas etc. Sometimes it pay to just stop and watch others for a while and watch the line they take, if they stand/sit, lean forwards/backwards, how much throttle etc etc.

[crfchick]

Yah muchos gracias for the ride today! Was most fun!!!!

Aww shame you didnt say hi Kez, that would be my baby in the crazy cute lil motocross jumpsuit his daddy bought him, and said daddy being the 'super tall dude' I was with hahahahaha.
Stop and say hi next time!!!!

I did ride, although I only did the first short loop, I didnt do the forest stuff or anything.
It was the third time on my bike and I think I actually did okay..... I got 3 runs of that short loop and got faster and faster each time.
Uphills were pretty good, I managed them all fine (other than one time I *DOH* managed to accidentally knock it into neutral) but the downs were a bit slower. Got one of the berms pretty sweet though so was rather happy with the runs all up.
Getting better with boots, gear changes and finding my footing and the confidence went up about twenty notches after that ride.

I met up with crfchick (?) - Sarah - who was parked only a few cars down from us and we rode the loop twice, she tailed me.....
Was awesome to have someone to ride with and sounded like she enjoyed it too.
You'll have to ask what she thought of my riding though LOL
I cant see myself ride hahaha.

I have to say though, props to the organisers, as a VERY new rider - 3 times on the bike - I was really stoked that there was a loop I could ride.
I managed the first loop really easily even though I was very nervous first run out.
It's a shame that there isnt the possibility of a nana line for the hard sections on the larger loops as I would have loved to have been able to spend longer on the bike (time on the bike makes a huge difference to comfort and confidence) but I was given the impression that I wouldnt manage only two key sections (the steep slippery uphill that was giving riders grief and the river crossing) as I am too new a rider...... and those two sections being the only ways to go made me agree that I was stuck on the smaller loop.
Other than that 'wish' the day was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Cant wait for more....

See you at the Sandy ride Kezza, we aren't bringing bubs to that one, so I'll get to ride all day WOOHOO!!!

Was a FANTASTIC day!! Thanks so much to the organisers!! Well marked out tracks, good variety of terrain, great fun!!
Was so cool meeting you too Charmed! I think you're a natural, was fun riding with ya, cant wait for the next ride
And hell yeah, well done Kezza, that AAA loop sounded pretty hardout! We'll have to meet up with ya next time and you can show us some tricks hehe