Nelson Rideouts - Where next?

[CrazyFrog]

Big River...Stunning ride that. The mighty DR and little tenere thumping thier way through the westcoast bush, brilliant! (still fizzing @ the bung over that one)

James, I took the bait, and did Big River today. Shit, that place is adventure ridings' best kept secret (Not for long..).
Well done Mrs Jatz for riding it, it's kinda bony in places, and the rivers had a bit of water running, just to make things interesting.
The big KTM gobbled up the bumps, but I had to treat the front with a little respect on the wet slushy leaf litter, after almost losing it at one stage, it wouldn't have been a good look, 20km into the bush trying to extract a KTM from down a bank by myself.
Did nearly 600km round trip today, Nelson - Murch - Reefton - Big River - Springs Junction - Maruia Track - Murch - then home. Good practice for the Dusty Butt, ya gotta love daylight saving!
Pics coming, gotta re-size them first.

[CrazyFrog]

It looks like Sat and Sun are going to shit with heavy rain dammit
Oh those poor rallyites up the Maitai.

I love camping in the rain........NOT!
I'll think of them while I lie in my warm bed listening to the rain on the roof

[NordieBoy]

Well tonight was a success.
I found the rear doesn't skip off rocks as much at 20psi as it did at 26psi and Jatz found his shock was doing the business and that if you want to save weight, sprocket teeth arn't the best area to start with.

Had a ride on the Big and it's a nice bike seated. My knees fit nicely in the tank sides and it feels a lot like my bike engine-wise but had to take it fairly easy. Standing I had to adopt the "horse riding" position which I didn't like so much

[CrazyFrog]

Big River pics as promised.....

1. Drinks anyone? ...thems are some big cyanide tanks
2. One of many mineshafts
3. KTM getting wet feet...only just
4. Typical track shot
5. Track again
6. Where the rivers flow with beer....I've arrived in paradise

[JATZ]

Hard to believe they used to empty out the cyanide tanks then refill them and use them as swimming pools for the kids during the summer holidays.
They were 'ard back them

[CrazyFrog]

More Big River....
1. Welcome to Big River, watch for rednecks with guns....
2. Have I arrived in Middle Earth, where are the hobbits?
3. Now where's the shallowest part?
4. Derelict settlement
5. Another mine

[NordieBoy]

Hard to believe they used to empty out the cyanide tanks then refill them and use them as swimming pools for the kids during the summer holidays.
They were 'ard back them

Better than birth control

[NordieBoy]

2. Have I arrived in Middle Earth, where are the hobbits?

I refer you to...

1. Welcome to Big River, watch for rednecks with guns....

Got to do this ride some time and the Aorererere Gold Fields.

[cooneyr]

....Got to do this ride some time and the Aorererere Gold Fields.

Wait till Xmas.... please. I'm keen as to go and do the gold fields on a bike. Been through in a SWB cruiser about 7 years ago.

Cheers R

[Woodman]

big river looks great. I am keen, how do you get there/ turn offs etc.Does it come out somewhere or is it a turn back ride? Maybe I should just be adventerous and go and find out.

[NordieBoy]

Out and back.
Check advroutes.org.nz for the gps trail...

[Transalper]

big river looks great. I am keen, how do you get there/ turn offs etc.Does it come out somewhere or is it a turn back ride? Maybe I should just be adventerous and go and find out.

Yep, ;like Nordie says, it's all mapped out on cooneyrs ADVRoutes website, has been for ages.
I've always done it as a in and out trip myself although there are other roads/tracks to explore off the main run all over the place.
Enough to get lost with depending on how keen you get.

[NordieBoy]

Right...
I'm off for a shock/tyre test ride today.
Apple Valley
Old Coach
Rosedale
Jacobs
Sunday Creek
Panic Mac................Spooners Saddle.

Maybe Wairoa Gorge/Ben Nevis on the way back.

Heading off at 12:30 from home.

[NordieBoy]

That was quite cool.
The Panic Mac end is nice and tight in old growth pines and then opens out to nice higher speed gravel (rally of Nelson roads).

[JATZ]

That was quite cool.
The Panic Mac end is nice and tight in old growth pines and then opens out to nice higher speed gravel (rally of Nelson roads).

Got into trouble for that.....

Me @1:00 "just gunna go for a quick squirt through old coach rd, won't be long"
Her "o.k. see you soon"

Me @ 5:00 "honey I'm home"
Her "where the hell have you been? I should've known you can't go for a quick ride "
Me "well...........I did txt you from the top of the spooners"