Bottom of the North Tag-O-Rama

[Paladin]

Right only took a week lol , Try this

That was good fun heading in there with you mate! Glad to see you so totally at home on the Big - knew you & the bike would be right for each other!

Am still still quite gobsmacked at just how rooted my rear D606 is after comparing it to your brand new one! Was certainly wishing I had more tread on a couple of those greasy descents!

Still I didn't come off at least!

[Connor]

Yeah great arvo Dave , you just couldn't resist it could ya LOL

[bart]

Good on ya guys. Starting to get adventurous.

Hmmmmmmmm.......what am I doing Saturday.

[twotyred]

I have no idea where this even might be...

[bart]

Too late. I've got it

Sorry...............I'm bored.

[Howie]

so where abouts is that Bart?

[twotyred]

Too late. I've got it

Sorry...............I'm bored.

nice effort...looks like it was good enough to fool Howie

[marks]

so where abouts is that Bart?

you've been there

[Paladin]

Too late. I've got it

Sorry...............I'm bored.

Cheeky bugger!!!

Ride there today and take current photo then! I don't believe there's grass growing next to it anymore!

[bart]

Cheeky bugger!!!

Ride there today and take current photo then! I don't believe there's grass growing next to it anymore!

I would, but it's about a 5 hour round trip. Been working all day, and one of my staff just rang in sick, so I've got to go work a few hours of night shift tonight as well.

Besides, I don't think the Mudbug would make it.

[Paladin]

I would, but it's about a 5 hour round trip. Been working all day, and one of my staff just rang in sick, so I've got to go work a few hours of night shift tonight as well.

Besides, I don't think the Mudbug would make it.

Haha!

BTW, I think I may need a new rear tyre before going anywhere near Cnut Hill - when i saw Phil's new rear D606 on his Big, I realised mine is well rooted in comparison and I've only got 3500k's on it - was a tad unwieldy on that slick-as-snot yellow clay on descents on Monday! That Big DOES sound nice and goes like stink with that 46 sprocket on the back - he was tearin up hills in 2nd all afternoon! Maybe we could encourage him to take the Big up Cnut Hill, could be interesting!

[bart]

Haha!

BTW, I think I may need a new rear tyre before going anywhere near Cnut Hill - when i saw Phil's new rear D606 on his Big, I realised mine is well rooted in comparison and I've only got 3500k's on it - was a tad unwieldy on that slick-as-snot yellow clay on descents on Monday! That Big DOES sound nice and goes like stink with that 46 sprocket on the back - he was tearin up hills in 2nd all afternoon! Maybe we could encourage him to take the Big up Cnut Hill, could be interesting!

I must say, that area where the tag is, must be one of the slipperiest bloody tracks I've ever ridden in winter. Crazy place in the wet with shit tyres.

Oh well, off to work I go.

[junkmanjoe]

ive nearly forgotten what work is......

[Paladin]

I must say, that area where the tag is, must be one of the slipperiest bloody tracks I've ever ridden in winter. Crazy place in the wet with shit tyres.

+1 on that!

I'll be honest and say I have purposely avoided that yellow stuff in there this winter! But Phil needed his D606's scrubbed in and the first part and middle part of that track from the direction we entered is nice and stoney so seemed obvious place to get the scrubbing-in done in one ride! Downside being my having to deal with the descents on the yellow snot! I'd rather ride Odlins Rd than that yellow clay any day!
We only had a couple of hours or so to play but had a little explore up a couple of side tracks too, ones I hadn't been on! (one of which was labelled for cyclists & horses only! ) All good fun!

Phil's well hooked LOL! His partner is now coming to terms with being an ADV widow!

[andy mac]

twotyred "I have no idea where this even might be... "

Like twotyred I also had no idea where this loghauler might be, so my wife asked her workmates in the DOC Recreation & Historic team where it was. Orange Hut in Akatarawa forest was the immediate answer.

OK now I know but so also do Bart & Marks - and marks is just down the road in Raumati. Hmm slow day at work, right I'm taking a 1/2 days leave.

It's going to be wet in there so I will enter from the Maungakotukuku entrance which has gravel roads. Wrong, 5km in & on a greasy uphill the back end steps out 90* & we hit the deck.

I must say, that area where the tag is, must be one of the slipperiest bloody tracks I've ever ridden in winter. Crazy place in the wet with shit tyres.

I piledrive my chest onto the end of the handlebars - f...ing hell, eyewatering pain & mucho rapid pacing back & forth for the next few minutes. Remembering my own advice to Paladin (when he crunched his vertebrae) - wait 5 minutes then get on the bike & HTFU. Meanwhile I'm realising its not a good idea to be riding a 200kg bike alone and with no cellphone coverage. I manage to pick up the bike, no damage & we all know it's easier to go uphill than down and the Orange hut is uphill, so on we go being very, very careful. Hmm theres a few more intersections than the last time I was here, 25 years ago. But joy this intersection is signposted & the hut is just around the corner. Tag completed & we are heading home, down the greasy hills with one particularly butt clenching slide but arriving safely at the entrance.

Great sense of satisfaction to get this tag. Will try to find another challenge for you before the weekend.