Seven Summits Spring Safari

**Padmei** · 5th August 2009, 07:42

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Plenty of wire up in the forestry...

+1 on that. I was tempted to "roll" up 50m of some discarded wire rope for a flying fox.

Bubbs how long would it take to get it up & running - do it the weekend before the ride or on the day? Were you thinking of making a barge or having a suspended rope
Even if it wasn't part of this ride I reckon it'd be fun to do. I could even get a kayak to get the rope across. Or a bow & arrow..

I'd be keen to give ya a hand - got no camos but a good fluoro vest.

**NordieBoy** · 5th August 2009, 07:50

I have no skills either but also have a fluro vest.

**buggsubique** · 5th August 2009, 08:17

never done anything as wide as the wairau before. Would def be a weekend affair. Probably accompanied by tents, beer and manly stories around a fire on the South Bank. Will have to spend some time on reconnaisance for best crossing point. Given the width, probably looking at a tethered raft rather than overhead wire. Let's bump this into a new thread once we've done a recce and know it's possible and worth a go.

**Transalper** · 5th August 2009, 10:21

I have a fluro vest too, should make our bodys easier to find downstream.
My bike is of the bright yellow type as well so I am advantaged in having that easier to find when lost to the water too.

**JATZ** · 5th August 2009, 18:35

Originally Posted by buggsubique

never done anything as wide as the wairau before. Would def be a weekend affair. Probably accompanied by tents, beer and manly stories around a fire on the South Bank. Will have to spend some time on reconnaisance for best crossing point. Given the width, probably looking at a tethered raft rather than overhead wire. Let's bump this into a new thread once we've done a recce and know it's possible and worth a go.

Hell yeah

I'm in, I think, do we get to play with power tools and blow shit up

, I can even bring my own fluro and hard hat(Fluro too of course)

Back on topic....... wouldn't mind tagging along on the SSSS too if I have a bike for it

**Underground** · 5th August 2009, 18:54

I think a new thread is in order for the WC thing (Im just having trouble thinking of something sufficiently disgusting to use as a title)
We're certainly not going to fit it in to a 500k one day ride.

**Woodman** · 5th August 2009, 20:21

mmmm Big wide river crossing sounds cool. Do we need to plan or just turn up and do it ?

**warewolf** · 5th August 2009, 20:40

Just do it.

Can your bike swim, too?

**Dont Know** · 5th August 2009, 21:04

Will the Tiger fit on the trailer? I thought about that for the KTM, my trailer is just not big enough. Plus with a tall bike and a tall trailer, equals trouble I think. Labour weekend combined with a couple day either side will make a great ride.

Originally Posted by Cary

Could be an interesting day trip

Fit some knobbys to the Tiger and book a trip to Welly on Anthrax's trailer.......

**Cary** · 5th August 2009, 21:09

Originally Posted by wrf2500

Will the Tiger fit on the trailer? I thought about that for the KTM, my trailer is just not big enough. Plus with a tall bike and a tall trailer, equals trouble I think.

It's a big trailer..... Used it before when I had to trailer the bike up to Fletchers Bay in the Coromandel, no problem. Have had it on the back of my doudle cab utes short tray to, easy.

However looks like I may have to bail on this trip.......

**Woodman** · 6th August 2009, 20:38

Originally Posted by warewolf

Just do it.

Can your bike swim, too?

It can do anything. (in theory)

**CrazyFrog** · 6th August 2009, 21:10

I did a recon ride today, fuck what a great day on the bike.
All the gravel roads are in primo condition, hard and real fast, great with no dust and good traction.

Dovedale and Jacobs were a little slippery on hard clay base where it's been frosty, otherwise good elsewhere else.
Mt Arthur road is a little corrugated on the steep bits but packed down real well. Real good.
Stopped at the farmers house at the end of Stanley Brook Rd, has a chat about access through paper roads up Berrymans to Spooner Tops, and off I went. Braaaaaap-bloody-braaaaaaap! Needless to say, I'm still fizzing. Fantastic Dakar training ground.

Looks like they lock the gate at the Spooners access end though, so will need to do more research on that one.
Spooner Top Rd was just as good, then linked back to Wakefield via 88 Valley, Swamp Rd, another gate at Pab Rd (open), and Quail Valley. Bit lumpy after fresh logging, but bloody good fun.

God we're spoiled here, didn't meet another vehicle all day on any of the gravel roads I took.
I'm doing some homework now on access to Beeby's Knob (man, that sounds so gay) at Tophouse, which would be a good alternative to the very unchallenging Mt Robert access road. It's a seasonal 4wd track bit like Porika, but usually opens in December, I'm hoping to get special access earlier, so hope they take bribes.

**JATZ** · 7th August 2009, 01:30

Originally Posted by CrazyFrog

Stopped at the farmers house at the end of Stanley Brook rd, has a chat about access through paper roads up Berrymans to Spooner Tops,

Was that Burnett's place ? I

Originally Posted by CrazyFrog

I'm doing some homework now on access to Beeby's Knob at Tophouse (man, that sounds so gay) which would be a good alternative to the very unchallenging Mt Robert access road. It's a seasonal 4wd track bit like Porika, but usually opens in December, I'm hoping to get special access earlier, so hope they take bribes.

I think access is aranged through D.O.C.