Minginui - Matawai - Motu Midwinter Madness Ride 2-3 July 2011
The world famous MMMMM Ride is on again 2-3 July
UPDATE 27/6: ROUTE SHEETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD - See p3 of this thread. Print them out & bring them!
See calendar entry here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/ca...5&day=2011-7-1
Please register so I can keep track of numbers.
The format will be a bit different this year due to part of the route being washed out & the accomodation at the station not being available.
Initially there will have to be two groups for Saturday Morning - the Cool Team & the Warm Team. To be in the Cool Team you will need some combination of lightish bike, knobbyish tyres & riding ability plus a willingness to possibly get wet feet. To be in the Warm Team you just need any sort of adv bike & to be more sensible than those in the Cool Team. The Waikaremoana road is quite slippery in places at present so less experienced riders & those on big bikes will enjoy themselves much more on knobbyish tyres.
The Cool Team will kick off from the Rangitaiki Tavern on the Napier-Taupo Rd Saturday morning at 8am sharp. There is food, beer, basic cabins, a 5 bed house & camping there for those who want to arrive Friday night. Phone them on 07 384 2803 to book yourself a bed.
More comfy accomodation, & extra bunks are also available 5km back down the road towards Taupo at the Rangitaiki Lodge. They have a couple of nice motel units, some tidy cabins & a bunkhouse. Call them on 07 384 2800 to book. As the Lodge bar usually closes at 8 the main gathering/meal/beers will be back at the pub.
8am Saturday the Cool Team will leave the Pub & head North along the Waipunga Rd. There is a crossing washed out not far from the highway so there is a short offroad section around that, it's not too bad but it would take too long to get a big group with a few less capable bikes/riders through & could be a bit wet if the stream is up, hence the Cool/Warm split. We will use the cornerman system through the forest.
The Cool & Warm teams will meet at the Minginui Road turnoff on SH38 9:30ish, leaving there at 10am.
The Warm Team can do whatever they like before that, stay in Rotorua, Murupara, Galatea, Awakeri or whatever. Watch out for ice on the roads if it is a frosty morning.
As a lukewarm combination we will then continue on through Waikaremoana, Wairoa, Tiniroto & a few backroads to Matawai. I have written up a route sheet so people can do their own pace Minginui - Matawai & have the choice of bypassing Wairoa on backroads if time & fuel range permits. You need 230km fuel range to bypass Wairoa.
At Matawai you can stay in the Pub, ph 06 862 4874, or the campground which has heaps of bunks, ph 06 867 5016 or 027 445 8755. The pub does dinner but with enough numbers & interest we could do a BBQ at the campground instead.
On the Sunday we'll head out to Matawai then off down the Motu Rd to Opotiki, From there the route is routesheeted again via some highway & a few more backroads back to my place at Rotoiti.
Any trailer scum planning to attend are welcome to drop their car & trailer at my place for the weekend.
Further details will be added to this post as we get more organised.
Remember this is a MIDWINTER ride. Based on previous MMMMM rides there is a 100% chance it will rain, a 66.6% chance of snow, an 80% chance it will be bloody cold & a 100% chance that all those mad enough to do the whole ride will have lots of fun. The Warm Team route is all tar & gravel roads, nothing technical, some of the gravel is often fairly rough & muddy though.
Distances:
Taupo - Rangitaiki Pub - 35 km (no fuel)
Rangitaiki Pub - Minginui - 75km (no fuel)
Minginui - Waikaremoana 70km (thats 180km from Taupo - pack extra gas if you've got a small tank)
Waikaremoana - Wairoa 60km (Waikaremoana - Matawai on Ohuka Rd etc 230km)
Wairoa - Matawai 180km
Matawai - Opotiki 75km
Cheers
Clint
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Originally Posted by Howie
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