2013 Queen's Birthday Ride - Canterbury

[pete-blen]

What a fantastic write up.....
Would have all been great apart from the bit...

[Transalper]

Agreed, that's a great write up with good pictures that really help re live the adventure.
Might have to save it for off line viewing into the future.
And thanks for helping me over that last 100 meters of lumpy, I could feel I was becoming more behind the bike instead of leading it by that stage, kind of see the fall over coming but not do much about it. It's a weird feeling.
Those 4x4ers at the Growler were pretty adamant the high road out past the Rangatata did not exist all right, think we were all relieved at the last hut on the way out when we were told it did exist and started right there with no more major water crossings (though there were a few more small ones).

[Woodman]

Very good again, the hunters sound like twats.

[pomgolian]

Great RR cant believe the attitude of those hunters (in regards to the track out which surely would have been safer if they knew about it), i was surprised about the group splitting up as its far safer crossing swollen rivers as a group. (As we found out when stuck at Scotties hut earlier this year) I edited this post as there are two sides to every story and some of their points are valid.

[Frodo]

Wow! Amazing story. Colebatch, eat yer heart out! This is Canterbury Extreme!
Glad you all made it back okay.

[DR Girl]

I hate sounding like a teenager but. . . . O M G !!!! You guys went through hell & back.
A MASSIVE EFFORT. You all are HARD CORE ADVENTURERS!! Well done.
An excellent ride report hilslamer & pics considering you had to pull your camera out in those conditions & you weren't well.
How are you feeling now ?

[ADVGD]

Chapter 3...

Great job on the writeup Tim, glad you enjoyed the terrain/route/trip

Hey, looks like you took my last post as a dig at you... I just felt that waypointing huts was a good suggestion for the future

Na, I didn't take is as a dig, just making sure we are on the same page mate. This was a ride to GPS log and inspect route conditions of linking track sections. I know where each and everyone of these huts are and intended to lead the group there, the GPS files supplied were a route indication only, not a finalised set.

The organised ride that I'm putting together will have an extensive set of GPS files supplied including full route, camping areas, huts, fuel stop options, mechanical repair contacts, food stops etc etc.

For interests sake, the route you covered is less than 15% of the final route. At this stage the final route will be over a period of 5 days riding. A good portion of the route will be of similar terrain, similar rivers to cross, and poses the same risks of having to spend time up valleys should river levels come up. I have ridden 95% of the route, there are just some linking sections and optional/challenge sections to GPS log and document.

I will be heading off to inspect the remainder of that route plus extra sections shortly and will let riders know via PM, cheers

[hilslamer]

An excellent ride report hilslamer & pics considering you had to pull your camera out in those conditions & you weren't well.
How are you feeling now ?

Thanks go to Canon and their trusty D20...google it, you will how well it is suited to this type of venture.

I'm getting better, thanks...lost my voice for two days last week, had to take time off of work to get the fever down, all that jazz. It was gonna happen whether I went riding or not, although swimming in glacial icewater probably didn't help it get better any sooner.

Great job on the writeup Tim, glad you enjoyed the terrain/route/trip

Thanks...with subject matter this good, it makes it easy to be motivated to do it!

More time riding next time, hopefully, but all of it is quality time in any case. I've been perusing your website quite a bit, and will be PMing you with a barrage of questions relating to this and other rides...

[clint640]

Great pics & story Hilslamer!

It looks like a cool area to do some exploring in.... in late summer when the rivers are low My Sis now lives near Stavely so we are thinking basing ourselves there for next summer's SI trip as we haven't ridden much in that area.

Cheers
Clint

[NordieBoy]

Thanks go to Canon and their trusty D20...google it, you will how well it is suited to this type of venture.

I've got a D10, not the prettiest cameras ever made but the image quality is second to none.
Wish it had an auto type lens cap though.

I prefer my Olympus 1030 form factor but the image quality isn't near the Canon.

[hilslamer]

I've got a D10, not the prettiest cameras ever made but the image quality is second to none.
Wish it had an auto type lens cap though.

I prefer my Olympus 1030 form factor but the image quality isn't near the Canon.

The D20 is the best of both worlds...I had a D10, I know what you are talking about.

[GPS MAN]

Great job on the writeup Tim, glad you enjoyed the terrain/route/trip



Na, I didn't take is as a dig, just making sure we are on the same page mate. This was a ride to GPS log and inspect route conditions of linking track sections. I know where each and everyone of these huts are and intended to lead the group there, the GPS files supplied were a route indication only, not a finalised set.

The organised ride that I'm putting together will have an extensive set of GPS files supplied including full route, camping areas, huts, fuel stop options, mechanical repair contacts, food stops etc etc.

For interests sake, the route you covered is less than 15% of the final route. At this stage the final route will be over a period of 5 days riding. A good portion of the route will be of similar terrain, similar rivers to cross, and poses the same risks of having to spend time up valleys should river levels come up. I have ridden 95% of the route, there are just some linking sections and optional/challenge sections to GPS log and document.

I will be heading off to inspect the remainder of that route plus extra sections shortly and will let riders know via PM, cheers

Looking forward to this..might make the trip Down for this one!!!

Will stay posted.....

Wade

[NordieBoy]

The D20 is the best of both worlds...I had a D10, I know what you are talking about.

The D20 is very Olympus 1030SW like.

[Night Falcon]

Thanks for sharing your adventure. Astoundingly bad form shown by those hunters but you reap what you sow....looking at those river crossings its amazing you didn't have more drowned bikes!

[LankyBastard]

Fantastic write up, awesome read! Sounds like one hell of an adventure, again, shame about the hunter's attitude (apart from Reuben, who sounded like a champ)

It's write up's like these that helps motivate me to get my DRZ400 modded up and get out for some adventure!!

Thanks again