Sutherlands Hut & beyond Sat 28th Feb

[Paladin]

Junkmanjoe and I are planning to head out to Sutherlands Hut and then explore a track Joe knows/has seen there to try and head over the hill to join up with the Ngawi Road just to add a bit of spice into the trip.

Welly guys we could meet at Rimutaka Caltex in Upper Hutt and then join up with the 'Rapa gang in Martinborough outside Toppy's cafe.

Who's interested and what time do you fancy for the Caltex meet up? 9am?

[andy mac]

Apparently DOC closed the track between Sutherlands hut & Pirinoa after someone was killed on it. The track was very steep & you travelled downhill from Pirinoa, a trials bike was probably the best choice. I think I’ve seen a photo of the locked gate at the Pirinoa end in an earlier Cape Palliser thread.

[junkmanjoe]

ok i just been down to D.O.C office.
done a bit of brown tounging, singed my life away, and have a key arranged for the tekopi beach gate.
have been in touch with local 4x4 clubs who look after the track. they say every thing will be fine,.

so this means we can go right through from cattle stop to hut and then over top to lookout and on to the beach.

there is a small charge of $5 per bike, to help with up keep of the track.
if we keep in good with these guys, we be able to use the track on a regular bases.

so this ride will go ahead on sat 28th feb.
possiblly not suitable for smooth road tires,if its wet theres
a grassy section on coast side.

so now we get to see the whole road. .

all good.

let us know numbers.

i think dave and my self and if any one else would like to come along, i would like to go in from the hut side and just check the steep section, aprox 100m long up to the summit.

just to be safe for next weekend.

all good.

[andy mac]

Joe well done getting the key, that's good organisation.
You can be the test pilot for the steepness factor. I imagine the clay track down into Sutherlands is getting greasy in this rain. Is it raining in the Rapa?

[Paladin]

I've posted the Sat 21st reccie ride for this on the Welly rideouts thread:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...=85178&page=10

[junkmanjoe]

Joe well done getting the key, that's good organisation.
You can be the test pilot for the steepness factor. I imagine the clay track down into Sutherlands is getting greasy in this rain. Is it raining in the Rapa?

Hi andy.

the track on this side down to the hut its 90% gravel rotton rock,and very doable we or dry, may be a few more puddles down the flats, and creeks may be a little up.

but i dont think that will be a problum.
have been told buy two 4x4 clubs that track up to and over summit lookout is good and metal, may have a tree canopy in some aeras. la little further down coast side, possably a bit off grasy track.
we go as far as we can tomorrow, check track for rideablity.

all good.

[Aslan]

Hi - I'm keen for the Junkman Joe / Paladin ride next Sat 28/2 - relaxed as to start time from Caltex Rimutuka (Paladin we could leave from my place together if you like) - and yes Toppy's sounds good for refreshments.


Plan to use my DR for this ride - cheers Aslan

[junkmanjoe]

Well chaps.

as we all got off to a late start.
in the rain. yummy,
arived at martinbrough, and to our joy, it stoped raining.
parked up at toppys, and there she was......
but we didnt just go there to see the cafe godess.....
we went to get our selfs in to trouble, and we did......

the track to the hut was a nice ride, just love that road, i never get sick of it.
creeks where up a little, nothing to worry about, a few more and BIGGER muddy puddles, paladin managed to get him self fully side ways in a boggy bit, nice job as he didnt fall off......
when we arived at the hut, a small suprise awaited us,
there was 7 mini moke farm bikes there, on tour..... range from 50cc up 70cc, cool bunch of chaps and happy to have a chat. they had come down the track we where heading up. and they did it in the dark...... WHAT....
they warned us of whats to come.
so we sadled up and headed in to the unknowen.........
Holly crap, first 50m or so was nice casual climb, we rounded a hairpin corner, and there was the start, stright up, lose rock, deep water ruts, and no where to stop.
so off we went, or we tried,,,,, vrooommmm.

the further up we went to worse and steeper it got,we had to switch from side to side of track to try find a good section to even ride on. keep the power on try find a good line and DONT stop. my dr had a bad habbit, and decide it might like to try lifing the front wheel up every now and then, as if i didnt have enough to worry about, after a few hicups on that section we got to a flat area, we though well that must be the bad bit over and done.. sweet..
after that section, track was good, much like the top of the plylon track, i thought this is good...
carr ied along a bit further, along a ridge line, we are quite high up at this time.
up and over the ridge, we started to head down again, and i could see the track ahead of us, and it looked like it just went STRIGHT UP and disapared round the back of next ridge....so i said to andymac and paladin wait here and bart and i will go check it out and see if we can get up.
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA
bart guned it took off like a cut cat, he got about 3/4 way up and bailed.
i lined it up, kicked it in the guts, vrrrommmm and only got about half way... bugger..... turned around back down for another go, full tit hanging on for dear life, doge the big rocks weight forward keep front wheel on the ground, going like hell mary on heat, and i only got about 10m further than last try, bart not much further.....bugger....
i jumped on paladins bike,.vvvrrommmmm.... na no futher.
bugger....i was defeted. we couldnt get up.. rock was big and deep and lose, and so steep, was hard enough to walk up, i would say, its 1 and 1/2 times stepper than the plylon track with marbles on the track. form the long down hill skid marks on the track, the mini mokes just skided all the way to the bottom.
so we turned around and headed back out, few minor hickups comming down, not to bad, all agred to head for the pub for a well needed jug.
must take my helmet off to andymac, he had his trusty road tire on, and just powered up the track till the bad part.

so im sorry to say track is at this stage is not very safe for travel, even comming down some sections were a controled slide for my self, as for comming in from other end, i really need to look in to this, this track as beaten me and i wont rest till i have done it, end to end....

so this means the ride over the tekpoi / southerlands track.
is cancled for next saturday. sorry i forgot to take my camera, hopefully bart will post a few pics later on.

thanks to Bart, Andymac, Paladin for comming on this trip.

[bart]

Cheers for a great day Joe. Thanks Andymac and Paladin. Quite a challenge today.

I'm still in the dog box with the missus. I was only 4 hours late home. I think I've run out of browny points.

Anyway, I'll post some pics in the morning.

Cheers,
Bart

[bart]

OK, here's some pics.

Pic 3 shows some of the local wildlife. Bastard liked me that much, he wouldn't let go.

Number 6 shows some more local wildlife

[bart]

Few more........

Awesome river crossings

Paladin getting a bit crossed up. Great save.

[bart]

Monkey infestation at the hut

A few steep bits

[bart]

1. Paladin fanging it up a steep bit
2. Defeated. You can see the track winding up the hill at the top of the photo. Very steep with loose rocks. I'll be back one day with offroad gearing.
3. Coming back down was a mission in itself. Andymac makes it look easy (with a road bike on slicks).
4. Joe hooning down the hill
5. Rest at the river
6. NO COMMENT!!!! (I felt bad taking this photo..........honest).

[merv]

Monkey bikes, that brings back the memories they wouldn't be very young models would they?

[junkmanjoe]

great pics bart.
sorry i got you in the poo with mum.......coming home late.

its a shame the pics dont show reaily how steep it was...
and yes we will be back to atack the track.
one day......soon.

yes not sure what paladin was thinking, maybe, i think i just fall of my bike for something to do........
it was a fairly high speed crash, oh and a bee stung him on the nose,,,,, he had a bit of a off day.....

the mini bike crew was going to sneck up the old incline track on there way back to welly....naughty boys....

top day mate.
c u in couple weeks.