Port Underwood Rd - you got to ride it

[marks]

This is an awesome road - 50/50 seal/gravel - beautiful views - plenty of curves - just awesome - the only way to get from Picton to Blenheim.

[Swampdonkey]

Nice pics guys ,well done .Im going to be there 4th March will ride it for sure.Cheers

[MyGSXF:Me]

Great pics!!!!

[Steam]

Oh yeah, nice place. I binned there taking my road bike through. Just a broken indicator and bruised dignity though.
It's not really suitable for a road bike, not difficult, it just won't be too much fun on the typical windy NZ gravel hill-roads.

[marks]

Oh yeah, nice place. I binned there taking my road bike through. Just a broken indicator and bruised dignity though.
It's not really suitable for a road bike, not difficult, it just won't be too much fun on the typical windy NZ gravel hill-roads.

having the right tires makes an awesome difference on the steep windy gravel bits - I wouldn't enjoy doing it on road tires at all. Its also pretty corrugated in places at the moment and I imagine it would shake your teeth out on a road bike.

cheers

Mark

[deanohit]

Great going guys! I used to drive round there heaps with the boat trailer, but never biked it.

So did you lose anyone in the potholes?

[warewolf]

Nice shots! That road's definitely a hidden gem. To be honest, I prefer the sealed bit on that road, climbing the range. I've suggested it to the Nelson & Bays RATs as a worthwhile diversion (to the top and back, on the seal) on a Picton run, but sometimes road riders can be hard to convince that a dead-end road is worth doing.

[buggsubique]

I moved to Blenheim at Xmas time and have just this weekend moved into our new house...been pretty busy suffice to say. BUT I have been out and about for a few rides around the traps, this being one of them, and Marks is right - it is AWESOME. IMHO the ideal way to ride it is on a plated trailbike where you can have a little more fun in the loose stuff (within reason of course) and duck off the road into some of the open firebreaks / tracks. It gets bloody dusty if it's dry season, and yep tyres are critical. Even with a road knobbly up front she got a bit sketchy at times - all manageable by adjusting speed and ego though. As it was I had to help push a car back onto the road (front wheels were over the edge!). You do get a few punks trying to be rally drivers so watch that...

As a side note, I'd gladly meet anyone wanting to explore Marlborough on the weekends. There is plenty of gravel riding to be done, and some magic scenery most places you go. In time I will put together a wee post of "rides to do" with route descriptions and pics etc etc.

Heres a couple more to add to Marks' - plenty more fun to be had for the more adventurous...all off the same road.

Right now though, I'm back to unpacking and changing nappies...

[Padmei]

Nice photos. We have a family bach at the end of the road where we holiday every year so have travelled on it a lot -on car & MTB only no motorbike!! It can get really stutterbumped up the hills. Is this difficult on a bike?

The only thing you have to watch are the massive logging trucks on this narrow road. The drivers are usually excellent though calling through to the other trucks to let them know you're coming through.

If you can get ' authorised' access to the forestry road up by the repeater station by Ngakuta bay the views across to Tory channel are incredible, as are the forestry roads over the other side. Once again have only done it by MTB but with a motor would be awesome.

[Jantar]

....
It's not really suitable for a road bike, not difficult, it just won't be too much fun on the typical windy NZ gravel hill-roads.

Stromfrau and I enjoyed going through there two up on a Suzuki GS1200SS.

[warewolf]

Stromfrau and I enjoyed going through there two up on a Suzuki GS1200SS.

Well done that man! and woman!

[deanohit]

If you can get ' authorised' access to the forestry road up by the repeater station by Ngakuta bay the views across to Tory channel are incredible, as are the forestry roads over the other side. Once again have only done it by MTB but with a motor would be awesome.

Done it in the 4x4 a few times pig hunting over the TC side, well worth the trip, I reckon you could drag a bike under the gate, been a few years since I was out there though.
I did have alot of fun fanging around the trails on my mates quad through those trails, plenty of space, no vehicles and a dry grippy surface!

[kanny]

jealous jealous jealous

[marks]

the volty would have easily handled all the bits I did with Tri Boy (The volty is bigger than the bike I rode). And if you'd been there he might not have to pretend he had a "special" friend (Stanley) sleeping with him

[oldrider]

Ever notice the common denominators?

Venture tracks, gravel roads and Transmission lines!

Motorcycles boldly going where only Transpower (previously NZED) has gone before. John.