Tussock Buster/ X Country, 26-27 March

[Crisis management]

Well that was fun, the weather exceeded all predictions, everyone I bumped into was well behaved and the tracks were great fun. Friday was a bit dusty and being old farts we only wandered around 50 or 60 kms, Marsden, Tussock and somewhere else we all can't remember what it's called, my apologies to the photographer on the Tussock Buster but standing in the middle of the track wasn't your smartest move....

Rain overnight sorted the dust out and we did whatever the big loop is called (Ktmboy was seen doing great work trying to herd bikes at the start, someone buy him a beer), the only disappointment on that loop was missing the Lion loop, either the army needs better signage or I need to take my glasses. I have to confess to an almost drowning at the first ford, a semi skillful bog crossing (meant to do that, ok?) some concern on the Aziz loop (a touch steep at the top!) and a semi successful attempt at Phils hill (I'm alive and the hills still intact). After a brief afternoon nap I wandered around Maki....whatever loop, the 40 km one, that was a good mixture of terrain, it would have been relaxing if I wasn't completely knackered.

Sunday was very restrained with a single assault on sniper alley, it was a touch slippery in places but again simply stunning terrain, views and weather. I should be recovered in about a week.

So, thanks to the army, Off-limits, the pub in Ohakune and all the people that did so much to make it work, if you haven't been there, mark your calendar for next year.

[meteor]

Sniper Alley took me and the kids 4 plus hours, managed to look like a black and white minstrel after one of the bogs and then that badly rutted and wet uphill! If the army/off limits guys weren't there to help I'd still be stuck on that hill. Great event tho'.

[Ktmboy]

Well that was another great TB. Yes, I missed Lion the first time around as it wasn't that well posted. Was well rutted by the time we rode it late this arvo but was still do able.

We also spent a bit of time riding bikes for others up the rutted bit on Sniper about 1300hrs. And then it rained...I mean big rain, certainly wasn't a novice track by that stage.

Over 1500 riders registered for the weekend and only a handful of injuries requiring the medics.
However I bet that there are a multitude going to the physio tomorrow.

[Crisis management]

We also spent a bit of time riding bikes for others up the rutted bit on Sniper about 1300hrs.

We were just ahead of you there! It did get a bit slow thru there....it was a straight forward piece of track as long as no one was standing about in the middle of it scratching their arse and blocking all the lines that didn't involve 2 metre deep ruts. I can safely say we were glad to get to the top of the hill and have a wee lie down.

Meteor, was it your lot that we passed at the ford before this hill? I was riding an orange & white KTM200.

[Cary]

First time at Tussock Buster and was almost the perfect ride.

Did the dust on Friday and 3 of my riding mates didn't see an arrow and took a wrong turn and got lost. I waited half an hour for them to return without luck! Managed to stop several riders from making the same error.

They returned home 3 1/2 hours later with zreo gas left. Only by luck they made it back. Had reported them to ride HQ as MIA.

When I gave up on there return I got a front flat and had to ride the last 20k home. Removed a bit of wire from tyre.

The Saturday was brillant and the lil KDX was screaming all day
Snipers Alley was the best loop and a good way to finish the ride off Sunday morn'

Seems the piston kit/muffler packing Taz & I did before the ride did the job!

Stayed in a house just off base and had the luxury of hot showers and could ride to/from the tracks from the house

Gotta be on anyones 'Must ride' list.

[BoristheBiter]

I am so sore, even just lifting my arms up hurts.
we did dam buster and the hill climb (B20 i think) then tussock, slipped off the waterfall crossing (not good).
Did than main loop again but took the other way (axim ??) then did the dam challenge.
I was disappointed that they closed part of the track and we just rode up the road but it was still a great weekend with no injury's.

[mattnzl]

I Managed to drop the bike in the drink at the second river crossing but the trusty 2 stroke started straight up and shot an impressive water canon out the exhaust.
That bog hole crossing that had the little slippery tin bridge caught me out every time though, and I'm sure that's why my arms are so nackered today (much pulling/pushing to get our bikes through).
Great time though. Next year I'm taking a portable drier to dry out my gear each night hehe!

[motor_mayhem]

Crazy weekend, my bike spent more time drifting than on any other ride I've done.

Friday aft did tussock buster and marsden loop, it was dry and a bit dusty b ut mostly great going. Flat in the last 2 or 3km, got a new rear tube put in that evening by the repairs/suspension guy. People in our group had their tent blown to pieces so opted for other accomodation on saturday. My pit tent cover was also shredded.

Saturday did sniper alley, went through the ford without dropping the bike , handstand on the handlebars at the peat bog (decided the bridge was cheating but my pick of the calm places wasn't very good) the clay hill wasn't too bad but got stuck when someone in front fell on the good line and had to take the bad line to avoid them, dragged bike back to good line when it cleared and was fine for the rest of it, another rear flat in the last 2km from home, turned out the valve had been sheared off the new tube . The offlimits guys were really good, one guy sold me a second hand but plenty usable tyre for cheap and another 2 fitted it with a spare tube I had.

Sunday, did azim, had to take alternate route to get to the start as the usual way was closed, was quite crazy traversing the hills, fell on one of the steepish and by then wetter clay downhills then 5 mins later dropped bike in the ford literally 1m from the end of it, was about 35ish meters when crossing on the diagonal. Luckily a guy there on a broken quad had a tow rope and the rmz was bought back to life pretty quickly with no other tools required. From there my riding buddies went up B20 and I went the flat way which was still not too easy in the wet. With the conditions getting worse and being by myself, I avoided the Lion loop and the hill climb after the 75km, opting instead to get me and bike home in one piece without assistance as there was very few people around either. The b20 boys had to come back the way they came as they reached a bit that was impassable due to the rain

Lessons learned: add tyre levers, patches etc. to tool kit, also acquire additional mx gear as putting on the wet muddy stuff back on was not amazingly pleasant, additional pegs and guide ropes for pit tent.

Lessons learned from other events that paid dividends here: having earplugs so you can't hear your tent flapping in the wind, good maintenance meant the engine ran great all weekend, altitiude and Sunday swim aside, carrying spare radiator water in backpack - 450 got a bit hot and bothered up the clay hill on Saturday, having a waterproof remote for your car alarm is a relief as is having the new outdoor cases you can get for Contour HD.

Great weekend - worth a small novel I thought.

[meteor]

Meteor, was it your lot that we passed at the ford before this hill? I was riding an orange & white KTM200.

It sure was. A couple of tired out fathers on CRF's and an assortment of teenage boys on 85's and a KDX200... Although I'd like to think of it as a river crossing as it make's me feel better about my efforts! Still owe you a beer for rescuing my son at Riverhead many moons ago.

[thecharmed01]

We also spent a bit of time riding bikes for others up the rutted bit on Sniper about 1300hrs. And then it rained...I mean big rain, certainly wasn't a novice track by that stage.

Possibly you guys rode my bike up... little CRF150

I come flying round the corner at the bottom, chasing the boyfriend on his KX250 and saw him half way up stuck in a massive rut, I wound up sideways sliding up the hill about crapping myself cause I didn't think I could stop!!!!
Then once I did stop, there was no way I could get up there, the ruts were thigh deep on me hahahahaha
Plus, apparently I suck at clay so I discovered!
I think my bike was ridden about 2/3 the way up, then once I mucked around waiting for everyone else, me and my gf managed to make our way right up to the top and then up the next clay hill ok, but boy that first biggie was a killer!
There wasn't a single line up by the time we got there!!! I was well impressed when a couple of bikes came screaming past me, was wicked to see them do it so easy, when I'd watched 20 plus riders, needing help to get up!


I sort of enjoyed it, def gonna come back next year but this year forces conspired against me somewhat.
I got no sleep Friday night cause of the storm, so Saturday I was a wreck and too tired. so my morning trail did Tussock Buster and was just making dumb mistakes.
The afternoon was way better, did a lap of Marsdon and really enjoyed that! I was starting to find my groove on that track, it had the most awesome bermed corners... fast and floaty!
No one wanted to keep riding though so we ended up hitailing it to a lodge for sat night.

Wasn't gonna ride Sunday but peer pressure ruled and I ended up doing Sniper Alley hahahaha
Was a MEAN ride too! I was SO stoked that I was pushed into it as that was by far the best track of the ride for me!
The hills had a lot less whoopdy whoops, so were a lot faster.
The climbs were wicked... the tight DH forest section was tough, but easily cruised. I just made my way down in 1st over the back... rode it like a roller coaster and rode the rut all the way to the bottom!
Then the section after the forest was so fricking FAST! It was AWESOME!
Clay hill wasn't so great, but once we got past the first section it was fine, the sand was fun!

I just wish we hadn't had to wait so long for one rider who never even made it up, because we were there when the downpour hit, then the wind picked up and I think I pretty much near gave myself hypothermia.. oops.
Once we decided (after about an hour or more standing round) to keep going, I was frozen through and by the time I hit the road section I couldnt feel my fingers and was changing gear without the clutch... Didn't take the last forest section back, but took the road all the way.
Got back to the car and just got out of the wet stuff and into dry as quick as possible trying to get my teeth to stop chattering hahahaha
Good times....

Hope it's slightly less stormy next year

[L Rider]

This was my 3rd year there and by far the best
Managed to arrive just in time to fit in a small ride on Friday arvo.
Expected the weather to be terrible and came prepared for it. Weather forecast was so wrong! Only real rain we got caught in was on Sunday arvo and even then it didn't last that long. Did make the clay hills very interesting to get up - on one hill I was on my on butt on the ground more than on the bike.

Already looking forward to doing it all again next year.

thecharmed01 - pretty sure you's were camped near us. Were you the one's who's tent & gazebo got blown over Friday night - had sleeping bags etc hanging out to dry?

[thecharmed01]

haha yup.... poor wee tent, was a summer tent, but I didn't expect it to be so bad up there so I thought it would be sweet....
Gazebo wasn't altogether fine before we went up, it got hit by wind another day so it was already held together with duct tape and luck hahaha.
The wind just really wrote it off....

We went to a lodge in Ohakune for Sat nite and it was much nicer and only cost us $20 each :P

[L Rider]

haha yup.... poor wee tent, was a summer tent, but I didn't expect it to be so bad up there so I thought it would be sweet....
Gazebo wasn't altogether fine before we went up, it got hit by wind another day so it was already held together with duct tape and luck hahaha.
The wind just really wrote it off....

We went to a lodge in Ohakune for Sat nite and it was much nicer and only cost us $20 each :P

The weather forecast was for worse than it was. Saturday night was calm as but then Sunday (we were they only tent to stay another night) was worse than Friday night with the wind.

That was cheap for the accomodation.

[thecharmed01]

I hadnt seen the wind forecast :-(
I saw it was meant to rain, that was why we took the gazebo anyway, but if I had realised the wind was meant to be high I would have booked the lodge for friday too hahaha.

Ohakune has a bunch of lodges like the one we stayed at, and being off-season they are cheap as chips!
The one we had, was perfect. Heaps of off-street parking (no bikes really visible from the road except the one in the carport) so we had 4 cars and 3 trailers parked up easy as and heaps more room.
It had beds for 12, plus the lounge and couches and was only $200 for the night.
$150 for the lodge and $50 for cleaning.
I would totally stay there again, it was wicked... Sky TV, (pay-as-you-go) Wifi access, massive yard...
She charges about $350 a night in snow season, but honestly, if you filled it, that's still only $30 a night for a dozen people.

Saturday morning we jumped online and looked at find a bach or something off google and scored it. Rang her, booked in and it was awesome!

Funny you guys were the only ones left hahaha
You guys are HARD yo!

[L Rider]

I hadnt seen the wind forecast :-(
I saw it was meant to rain, that was why we took the gazebo anyway, but if I had realised the wind was meant to be high I would have booked the lodge for friday too hahaha.

Ohakune has a bunch of lodges like the one we stayed at, and being off-season they are cheap as chips!
The one we had, was perfect. Heaps of off-street parking (no bikes really visible from the road except the one in the carport) so we had 4 cars and 3 trailers parked up easy as and heaps more room.
It had beds for 12, plus the lounge and couches and was only $200 for the night.
$150 for the lodge and $50 for cleaning.
I would totally stay there again, it was wicked... Sky TV, (pay-as-you-go) Wifi access, massive yard...
She charges about $350 a night in snow season, but honestly, if you filled it, that's still only $30 a night for a dozen people.

Saturday morning we jumped online and looked at find a bach or something off google and scored it. Rang her, booked in and it was awesome!

Funny you guys were the only ones left hahaha
You guys are HARD yo!

The lodge sounds like a good score.
I love camping even in winter. Our tent was huge with even a big room that we had set up for cooking and sitting around and relaxing in.