Two nights away, Rangitikei and Hawke's Bay

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 19:00

From the Junction above I headed along Ridge Rd Sth. The views from up here are great . I eventually got to the end of the Gravel section.

Pic 1-3: General views from Ridge Road South (A1530,31,33)

Pic 4: Looking down on Taihape (A1534)

Pic 6: this sign sounds promising! So off I go down the unmaintained section. (A1536)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 19:14

The unmaintained section was actually reasonably easy to ride apart from the odd hidden rut in the grass, and the very odd damp patch of clay, which was really slippery, don’t think I’d want to try riding through here if it was raining. After about 4km of the grass track, and about 3 or 4 gates, I came to a halt at a locked gate. So I turned around and headed back. I might make some inquires into how to obtain access to the rest of this road, as according to the 4wd book it used to be open all the way through, and I couldn’t see an alternative track that looked obvious.

Pic1 –5: views on unmaintained section of Ridge Rd Sth ( A1538- A1539- A1541-1542-1547)

Pic6: the locked gate (A1546)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 19:33

I then made my way back to the Junction mentioned before. I had planned to do Ridge Rd south, then have a look at the Southern end of Kaweka Rd, and hopefully follow a track across that looks like it came out on Wairepu Rd east, and then onto Watershed rd, and make my way back to Taihape. As I hadn’t got right through I decided to have a look at the Northern end of Kaweka Rd. so headed along that. Where the Gravel road ends I decided that as it was about 7.00pm, I was on my own,and it looked a bit more challenging than the last one. I wouldn’t have a go at getting through it, I did walk about 100 meters or so down it first though. And found the following

Pic 1-4: views down the start of the grass bit of Kaweka Rd. I didn’t like the look of the very long grass, and the ruts full of water as the few I had hit earlier had been quite slippery. (A1550-1553)

Pic 5-6: Views of and from Kaweka Rd (A1554-A1558)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 19:38

I headed back out Kaweka Rd , and down Pukenaua Rd, back to the Holiday camp for a Shower, coffee, and Muffin.
A view from the top or Pukenaua Rd, and the bottom side of the slip on ridge rd Nth

Pic 1: View from top of Pukenaua rd (A1549)
Pic 2: view of slip on Ridge rd Nth, looking up from Pukenaua rd. (A1563)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 19:53

Day two, I got up bright and early, and was packed and at Macdonald’s at the south end of Taihape by about 8.00am, I sent a text to Bart saying I would wait untill 9.00am for him if I hadn’t heard from him before then. With about 5 minutes to spare and just as I was putting my Helmet on Bart turned up, so we had a quick chat. He refuelled his bike and off we went to a track I had heard about just east of Taihape. You’ve already seen a few pictures of that and read what happened, so I won’t bore you with that. After doing the track we headed to Taoroa Junction, and turned left onto Pukekahu Road, then onto Materwhero Road, and through to the Napier-Taihape Road, Had a Lunch break up Comet road down a little track that Bart spotted. Then Continued our Journey through to the Hawkes Bay side of the Napier Taihape road, with a look up lakes road I think it was.

Pic 1: another view of the little track we took (A1564)
Pic 2: views along Pukekahu Rd (A1569-A1570-A1571-A1573)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 20:05

Pic 1: looking down at the Headwaters of the Rangitiki river? (A1575)
Pic 2-3: Materwhero Road (A1578-A1579)
Pic4-5 Comet road (A1583-A1586)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 20:18

We then returned to the Napier-Taihape road and a long it to just after willowford where we turned off and headed for what I hoped was a short cut across the Tutaekuri river, and Oatakara stream which it turned out it was. After that we headed north to puktitiri, and on th the Mangatutu Hot springs. After leaving the Hot springs we headed our own way Bart off home, and myself off to Napier for the Night.

Pic 1: Bart crossing the tutaekuri river. (A1587)
Pic 2-4: At the Hot springs. (A1589-A1590-A1592)
Pic 5-6: views on the road to the hot springs (A1588-A1595)

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 20:19

Day three, the ride Home i'll put up a bit later as someone else in the house is after the computer at the moment.

**bart** · 5th January 2010, 20:37

Nice pics Howie. That river (A1587) was a wee bit deeper than I expected. I thought I'd give it shit, but the bike bogged down a bit. Awesome shot.

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 22:17

Originally Posted by bart

Nice pics Howie. That river (A1587) was a wee bit deeper than I expected. I thought I'd give it shit, but the bike bogged down a bit. Awesome shot.

I think I went through on the right hand side of the ford, and it was slightly shallower there, but my bike bogged a litle bit. It was fairly deceptive as it was deeper than it looked for sure. Still not to bad a place to cross as long as the water levels aren't high.

**BMWST?** · 5th January 2010, 22:23

Bloody good you two!What tyres do you run Howie?

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 23:04

Hi BMWST?, I am currently running Michelin T-63's which probably don't come in a large enough size for the back of a BMW twin. they are fairly good on and off road although the front isn't a particularly deep tread for A knobbly profile. so Might not be that good in deep Mud.

**BMWST?** · 5th January 2010, 23:22

Originally Posted by Howie

Hi BMWST?, I am currently running Michelin T-63's which probably don't come in a large enough size for the back of a BMW twin. they are fairly good on and off road although the front isn't a particularly deep tread for A knobbly profile. so Might not be that good in deep Mud.

prolly not the modern ones but the pd runs a 130/80x17

**Howie** · 5th January 2010, 23:49

Originally Posted by BMWST?

prolly not the modern ones but the pd runs a 130/80x17

well thats the same size as I run on the KLR, I think it was only $140 odd dollars at TSS + fitting when I got it, and looks likely to last 4-5000km

**Howie** · 6th January 2010, 00:00

Well after a very warm, and humid night in Napier, I got away at about 9.00am with a stop to fuel the bike and myself, before heading towards Havelock north, and turning off onto the TE Mata- Mangatere Rd, then ontoWaimarma Road. I saw about 3 police cars sitting on this road must be good place for catching speeding drivers. I then turned onto Kahuranaki Rd, to Elsthorpe, where I went out to Kairakau Beach to have a look, before heading down the coast via Willams, Mangakuri, clareinch roads, and out to Pourerere beach, then down to Aramoana via Gibraltar road.

Pic 1&2: Kairakau Beach (A1598-A1599)
Pic 3: Mangakuri Rd (A1600)
Pic 4&5: Pourerere Beach (A1601-A1602)