Orongorongo Full-On Adventure Ride, Sunday 12 April

[Box'a'bits]

Final ones are of EddieB, Dave (Paladin), & Jen (MyGXF) doing the final river crossing.

I wimped out at 3.30. The guys were heading for the coast - just to try until the hard bits....

[magicfairy]

A young(ish) man left here this morning.
A stiff, hobbling, tired, sunburned old man has come home in his place.


Must have been a good day then

[Box'a'bits]

Inner thigh cramps.... yah gotta love 'em.

[andy mac]

An excellent day out on Wellington's South Coast. The views were superb but we needed to concentrate on the track - it was a long way down.

Thanks Andrew for the tution on how to bulldog our bikes down the steepest slope with the motor stopped & bike in gear. But I still dropped it at the bottom

[junkmanjoe]

did nearly everyone fall off today.

[GSers]

You guys look like you where having fun, a bit much carnage though I hope everyone is still walking and talking OK. Catch you soon.
Regards GSers

[andy mac]

Creek crossing photos of Pete? CR125, Steve KTM640A, Jim BMW 1150GS, Michael Gasgas Pampera 200?, Dave DR650, Eddie BMW Paris Dakar 1000.

Eclectic mix plus Andrew Beta 450, Dave? KTM450, Jen DT175, Mark KLR650, Fred DR400, Andy Transalp600

Apologies if I forgot anyone.

[.chris]

Looks like an excellent ride.
I will have to try and book a trip down that way next time you guys are doing it. Looks like it would be worth the trip.
I hope everyone recovers from the off's, and their bikes.
Come on Dave, show us the damage to the bike and helmet

[Pampera]

Another memorable day and great company. Thanks Dave for all the organising and the whole team for the companionship.

Joe, I would like to be able to say you didn't miss anything - but that would be a lie. How can we have TWO completely still and sunny days in Wellington over Easter? TWO! And get to ride on the coast and the coastal hills on one of them? Look on the bright side, it was a lot better that your bike ceased to proceed before we got into the rough stuff. Better luck next time.

First batch of pictures show the team high above Orongorongo Station and two tiny bikes negotiating a rocky bit of the trail in the big scenery. Around the corner and there is the Wairarapa spread out before us! Looking down from the highest point of the trail towards Wellington Harbour in the distance. The last steep descent from the "trail loop" on the high point of the station, Jim's 1150GS "resting" and Mark lowering his KLR engine off towards the rest of the bikes far below.

Not a breath of wind despite the exposure and altitude. A breeze would have been a relief, some of the group finished their water before the ride ended.

Michael M

[Pampera]

After a (self catered) lunch on the grounds of the Station we headed up the Orongorongo River. Plan was to head over the ridges to the left (West) but we missed the turn off across the river aned ended up where we should not have been, in the Forest Park.

Dave came off the DR650 heavily when deflected by a small wash in the track and added more damage to an impressive list accrued in only a few short weeks of ownership. A man always prepared to push himself beyond his comfort zone and grow, although this became a little too literal today, with some painful injuries - although not sufficient to bring his ride to an end. I think you will be sore Monday Dave!

After (accidentally) penetrating the DOC estate as far as we could and being turned back 3 km from the end of the navigable track, we returned to the Coast and partly reprised the South Coast Ride of a few weeks back, although it was too late to make it all the way to the gate and return to Wellington via Martinborough. It was agreed there will be a reprise of the Coast loop later. A few of us checked out the big wash out, riding over it. I believe the sharp erosion lips of the South Coast day have now been worn down and are a lot more manageable than they were back then.

Eddie contemplating Dave's rather bent Suzuki. The team stopped as far up the river as (most of us) penetrated. Leaving the Park and back into Orongorongo Station. On the big scree slope. Met up with one of the station staff and his mate on the scree - these boys are tough, they don't need helmets (or any other gear!). Pumping up the tyres ready for seal and home again, using air supplied from Jim's 1150 Adventure. Wish it had an espresso machine standard as well!

Again thanks to Dave for organising all this and to the station management for having us. I didn't come off today but nevertheless I am tired enough to be sleeping well tonight!

Michael M

[marks]

that was an awesome day - woohoo

Even the tar from Wanui to Orongorong is an absolute blast.

Sorry you missed it Joe (I know what that's like - at least I got about 20k's further than you did on my last attempt.

Dave - hows the back?? - and thanks for organizing a really great day.

keen to do it all again sometime soon

[Eddieb]

Well what a day. I'm feeling battered and bruised, with slight swelling in my left hand after my river incident, but no doubt no where near as sore as Dave must be.
I managed to put a crack in a rocker cover, bend a crash bar, break one of the handle bar guard mounts, and put some big scratches down the side of the tank on the GS.

The views were amazing



We had a special guest join us, MYGSXF from them southern lands.



There were open sections





Some KTM riders found even the easy stuff difficult



And tight steep stuff



Where some descents were less than graceful



And some took the safer option



MYGSXF went from River Virgin to full on attack mode whenever we had to cross one



DR650 for sale, bidding now down to $1500, one lady owner, never rolled, bowled or Ar**holed.



128 pics here

[Paladin]

I'll comment more later, but basically, am stiff as hell in my neck on left side and right shoulder and lower back and on the Voltaren with Paracetamol chaser - not feelin great you might say!
And only now just gettin some dinner as have been besieged by kids and a visitor!
And the DR looks like a train wreck!

[Howie]

Well it looks like you guys had a great day out, you couldn't have had better weather either. Great pictures too.

Joe, sorry to hear about your bike breaking down, hope the repairs go smoothly for you.

Dave if you want a hand straightening your headlight mounts etc let me know, I'm not that far from you and have a well equiped garage.

[Paladin]

Firstly thanks to everyone for their support after the crash - one of the things about going out for these rides is the fact that the guys that go are such great blokes (and ladies, sozz Jen!) - have already had two offers of help to fix bike - awesome mates - cheers guys!

As usual thx also to all who took photos for a record of a wonderful day out on great tracks and scenery; crash aside I had a wicked day as I think everyone did AND we have totally converted Jen to adv riding - woohoo!

So here's a few pics just for fun! The helmet cracks are around the chin gurad but alas its toast plus the visor and peek are now taped on

Think the healight and shroud should be sortable but the bars are pretty damn bent on the left side! Indicators easily sorted, reg plate easily sorted and the tank STILL isn't dented - god knows how! And how I didn't destroy another mirror in that wreck is beyond me! Headlight is cracked but still working at least!

Here ya go: