27th August Off-road ride

**nigelp** · 22nd August 2006, 16:28

awesome, thanks for that. Will leave the gearing as is then.

**Transalper** · 22nd August 2006, 18:58

Just thinking I might bring the CRF again and if i do might leave you and try diverting off your green line early and following something similar to my Red line and see you at the Eyre river after youve done your coffee... or walk the bike in to the coffee shop from there...

**laRIKin** · 22nd August 2006, 19:19

Originally Posted by nigelp

Hey there

I am still keen, how long you think the ride will take? My bike is geared quite high at the moment, so no high speed cruising for me

, how much road driving is there? I can chuck on a different rear sprocket if need be

It may take most of the day for the ride I guess, that why I want to start a bit earlier. (could be 6-8hrs, you can easily turn home at any point)
And now the days are getting longer and is not as cold in the mornings (not to day of coarse) so a earlier start is not so bad.

I would still bring something to eat and drink on the ride.
Even though we are going to have a lunch and a coffee in a town.
As the ride will still be a long one and you will appreciate a top up.
And dress for all types of weather, as it can change as you go up and down the river (winding and colder), so don't under dress as you may get cold.
But don't over dress (unless you can carry it) as if it does turn to crap we can bug out in about an hour. (does that make sense?)

As for gearing (as said) the ride is basically flat with small mounds and stop banks to climb over.
As long as you can take off and ride in deepish mud/sand or gravel and ride in the tighter stuff (in and out of trees) you should be alright.
It would properly be a good thing to be able cruise at about 100k's on the bits of road (tar and gravel) that will be on.
But don't worry to much about that to much about that.

See you there

**Transalper** · 22nd August 2006, 19:26

Yep, i'd leave the gearing set for trailriding if it's already set that way. When we go to Lees Vally or similar again then i'd maybe think about looking for more top speed

**miSTa** · 22nd August 2006, 20:56

Originally Posted by lemans

MR S have you got your crash bars?

No, not as yet. Long story but basically I'm still investigating my options and pricing, and you know what? The best deal so far is buying a set and shipping them from the UK - yes England! That's just f'n ridiculous.

Anyway, count me in. I don't mind be tail end Charlie taking the easy routes

See you all on Sunday weather permitting.

**nigelp** · 22nd August 2006, 21:02

Originally Posted by Transalper

Yep, i'd leave the gearing set for trailriding if it's already set that way. When we go to Lees Vally or similar again then i'd maybe think about looking for more top speed

Thanks for the info. Will leave it as is then, and just play catch up, or maybe the short cut route!

Looking forward to it, went down the Waitaki river last weekend and had a play about in some water, and around on the stones and sand. Also had a play in an un-named

forestry block that used to be public access. Can go from Herbert through to Dunback until they cut-off the access!

**cooneyr** · 23rd August 2006, 11:17

WX not looking so good. How commited are we? I'm a nutter and would do anyway if raining as long as I can see.

NigelP - I'm geared pretty high (higher top speed and not so good at low speeds) with 250 cc and manage OK when moving with this group. Biggest problem is going slow but doubt there will be much slowness this time

R

**far queue** · 23rd August 2006, 11:52

Originally Posted by cooneyr

WX not looking so good. How commited are we? I'm a nutter and would do anyway if raining as long as I can see.

If it rains while while we're out there, that's OK, it wont bother me, but I'm not going if it's pissing down before we start. I have other things I can be doing with the day, and there will be other fine days. The current forecast is below, but it's a few days away yet, and the forecasters are hardly renowned for their accuracy.

Saturday:
Some rain for most places, especially northern and western parts of both Islands.

Sunday:
Showers and southwesterlies spreading over much of the country but dry in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

**laRIKin** · 23rd August 2006, 18:23

Originally Posted by Transalper

Just thinking I might bring the CRF again and if i do might leave you and try diverting off your green line early and following something similar to my Red line

We are going to have another big bike so you may as well ride the Transalp and we can stay as a group get a coffee and not get split up and getting lost.

Originally Posted by Mr Sensible

I don't mind be tail end Charlie taking the easy routes
See you all on Sunday weather permitting.

It will be good to see you and I'm going to check out the more open tracks for you on Saturday.
We tried to do it last weekend, but had to much fun being fools trying to ride home down the river with out drowning the bikes or us.

Originally Posted by cooneyr

Biggest problem is going slow but doubt there will be much slowness this time

You are right about that, now we have the BMW coming we will be riding the open tracks so the speed will be up.
I was going to do that anyway to a point as we have a bit of ground to cover.
With only a few tight real muddy bits, but we can do more of them on the way home if you are still keen.
Green Meanie will be riding as well.

**Transalper** · 23rd August 2006, 19:13

Originally Posted by lemans

We are going to have another big bike so you may as well ride the Transalp and we can stay as a group get a coffee and not get split up and getting lost..... now we have the BMW coming we will be riding the open tracks so the speed will be up...I was going to do that anyway to a point as we have a bit of ground to cover. With only a few tight real muddy bits, but we can do more of them on the way home if you are still keen.

Ok then, maybe.
So now with open track/road in mind i'd still say to nigelp that unless you like messing about changing sprockets and readjusting your chain then leave it as is and see how she goes. Next time you'll know better what u want to do.

**far queue** · 25th August 2006, 15:43

Originally Posted by cooneyr

Righty-O peeps, homework for this month is to come up with some places to go riding during spring and summer.

The overnighter sounds like a good idea as well.

So, has everyone done their homework?

The current forecast for Sunday is ... "South Island, fine in most places with frosts, but coastal showers in the south and east at first and showers about the fiords in the evening." ... so, it's looking like it could be OK.

**cooneyr** · 25th August 2006, 16:01

Originally Posted by far queue

So, has everyone done their homework?

The current forecast for Sunday is ... "South Island, fine in most places with frosts, but coastal showers in the south and east at first and showers about the fiords in the evening." ... so, it's looking like it could be OK.

Hopefully just handed in my last Uni assignment ever (bar my year long research project next year) hopefully

- Oh you mean places to ride - will print off topomaps before sundays ride.

Boss put me onto this site. http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forec...rain&region=nz

According to this will be little damp at 6am then clear by 12 so may be a little damp first thing but otherwise good - you just said that to didnt you FQ! Two met sources with the same predictions! Fingers X'd anyway.

R

**far queue** · 25th August 2006, 16:15

Originally Posted by cooneyr

Boss put me onto this site. http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forec...rain&region=nz

I'm quite happy to look at pics with "pink bits" in them, but those ones don't do it for me. That's too much like hard work, I'll stick to reading someone elses interpretation thanks all the same.

**Ghost Lemur** · 25th August 2006, 16:57

Damn it I want to come out and play.

Wish the CFO would hurry up and find a job with weekends free. These blue moon weekend days off mean that even when she does, she wants to do something (understandably) as a family.

So instead of going out and getting dirty this Sunday I shall be at the "Parent Child expo". Whatever that hell that is.

Ah well, on the positive. After we found the garage door open a couple of nights ago SHE suggested I start riding the bike to work til it's insured. Therefore allowing me to totally disregard the commitment I made to not ride it til after we got back from Fiji.

Still got a little over a day to convince her she really really wants me to play tale-end nanna with you guys.