Attention Southern KB venture riders.(and interested Northerners)

**oldrider** · 27th October 2006, 21:51

Calling all Southern KB venture bike riders who are planning to attend the South Island KB ride in at Otematata on December 9 2006.

In the interest of venture bike riders I would like to know how many of you would be interested in coming through on the Friday night and then going for a local ride on the Saturday before meeting up with all the other KBr's for the stopover on Saturday evening?

The ride I envisage would possibly be from Otematata across the Omarama saddle to Saint Bathans, then across to Naseby (perhaps for lunch) then back to Otematata via Mount Ida syndicate block and Otematata station through Otematata and back to the Rugged Ridges shearing sheds in time for the southern KB gathering in the evening.

I doubt whether any of you have ever been through the Otematata Station road before but some of you have probably been over the Omarama saddle track before.

It is quite a long ride so if that is too big we can do variations to suit, maybe just across the Otematata Mount Ida to Naseby track and return with a little difference built into the return route!

This would be a bit subject to weather and river conditions of course.

I am going to check out the route on Sunday 5 November just to make sure that it "is" still OK for all venture bikes so if I can do it on the TransAlp anyone else should be able to shit in.

You will need to have good tyres as some of the rocks in the area tend to be a little bit sharp here and there if you are not careful.

We will check out exact distance and sort out fuel requirements and backup etc etc before we go so no one is left in the poo.

Can someone run a poll or something to see what interest there would be in adding this on to the KB ride in weekend at Rugged Ridges shearers quarters at Otematata on the w/e December 8/9/10 2006, I will do the rest at this end in getting permission to go through the farms in question.

I have already got most of them.

None of this conflicts with any other organised rides, like the Southern Passes ride etc so it is all different territory. (as far as I am aware) Cheers John.

**far queue** · 27th October 2006, 22:27

This weekend that you guys are organising down there is sounding better and better all the time. Unfortunately I wont be able to make it, so would you mind not making me any more jealous

**miSTa** · 28th October 2006, 19:59

Count me in John.

**Transalper** · 28th October 2006, 23:13

I would have been keen but have other comitments that weekend sorry.

**PLUG** · 29th October 2006, 10:23

... bastard ... another commitment ... otherwise I'd be there with bells on ...

**Ruralman** · 29th October 2006, 13:34

How do you guys organise your Canterbury Rides - is it very non structured or do you have a club or roster or something?
In whichever case would it be possible to look at other dates that most of you guys could come down for the ride OR has described?
I am pretty keen to do it if its suitable for the T/A (sounds like it should be OK) but I won't be able to get there to do it on the MT Cook trip weekend. Is there any other dates before or after this that don't clash with other significant things?? (There seems to be a lot of rallies on but some of these you may be happy to skip)

**far queue** · 29th October 2006, 14:12

Originally Posted by Ruralman

How do you guys organise your Canterbury Rides - is it very non structured or do you have a club or roster or something?
In whichever case would it be possible to look at other dates that most of you guys could come down for the ride OR has described?
I am pretty keen to do it if its suitable for the T/A (sounds like it should be OK) but I won't be able to get there to do it on the MT Cook trip weekend. Is there any other dates before or after this that don't clash with other significant things?? (There seems to be a lot of rallies on but some of these you may be happy to skip)

Very non structured - we’re just a disorganized rabble, with no club affiliations for these rides. Someone has an idea for a ride they want to do, and the rest of us go along or not, depending on what other commitments we’ve already got or whether the ride interests us. The Labour day adventure ride we did was organised by a local bike shop, hence the big turnout.

The rallies I’m doing this season, and not skipping, are …
4/11 Maitai Rally - Near Nelson
25/11 Magpie Madness Rally - Near Winchester
3/2 Vincent County Rally - Near Alex
3/3 March Hare Rally - At Waimate

The Vincent and March Hare rallies will see me exploring the back roads down your way, so something could be arranged then. Between now and xmas I won’t be getting away for a weekend other than the 2 rallies above. I’ll get out for the occasional day ride but that’s it for now. Post xmas, I don’t have any definite plans at this stage, although I’d like to head Nelson way for a good look around at some stage between xmas and 14 Jan.

**oldrider** · 30th October 2006, 20:05

Well it snowed heavily on the hills around here last night! There is a white blanket right across the area from Otematata to Naseby.
Just where I wanted to go and check out the road this weekend.
We were going to check the track for suitability for a ride for KB venture bikers on the KB ride-in in December.
The river is fair roaring down as the level builds up from the fast snow melt today.
Somehow I don't think we will be going very far this weekend after all, unless the river drops really fast.
It also seems that not too many venture bike riders are coming down for the shearers quarters ride-in anyway so I guess I will have to flag the proposed ride.
Another time perhaps?
I can rustle up a pretty interesting and mildly challenging short ride for anyone who is interested at the time, if it should be wanted.

Cheers John.

**Ruralman** · 30th October 2006, 20:32

Thanks for that John - your contacts and local knowledge will be a huge asset in planning a trip through the backcountry in that area, and it would be fantastic country to do an adventure ride through.
I hope we can pull something together that attracts the bulk of the canterbury adventure riders down as I'm sure we'd have a great weekend as well as great riding

Just looking through farque's post again - is there any interest in a mid-late January weekend?? The fire risk might be bloody high in that high country which could effect access but it would be warmer and the river would be lower.?

**Transalper** · 31st October 2006, 08:15

I definately would be keen for another date specifically for an adventure run based around Oldriders area.
I'm not in to the Rally scene anymore so am fairly flexible on weekends. Cooneyr and Farqueue are a little harder to tie down as they have a lot of family etc stuff happening in there lives.

**far queue** · 31st October 2006, 11:33

Originally Posted by Ruralman

Just looking through farque's post again - is there any interest in a mid-late January weekend?? The fire risk might be bloody high in that high country which could effect access but it would be warmer and the river would be lower.?

This thread, and ways to get down to you guys has been nagging at me for a couple of days, with the following result …

Just an idea at this stage, but the Vincent County Rally is on Fri 02 and Sat 03/02/07, the rally is roughly halfway between Ruralman and Oldrider, and Waitangi Day is on Tues 06/02/07 – Sooooooo ... as I’ll be at the rally anyway and in the middle of your backyard, I was thinking that MAYBE I could take the Friday and Monday off and …

Friday – Take the backroads (MacKenzie, Haka, etc) to the Kurow Motor Camp
Saturday – Backroads from Kurow to the rally
Sunday & Monday – 2 days to explore wherever with accommodation booked somewhere along the way.
Tuesday – The backroads to home

Ruralman and Oldrider – does any of this interest you?
Ruralman – this is close to you & Jantar’s passes ride departing on 11/02/07, is this a problem?

Canterbury Guys/Gals – anyone interested? Suggestions? Alternatives?

Any other KB’ers out there interested?

RE the fire risk mentioned at this time of year. It could be pointed out that we ride fairly mild off road bikes, with spark arrestors, are willing to carry fire extenquishers if required, and are older riders not young hoons.

So, just a thought I'm throwing out there at this stage ...

Originally Posted by Transalper

I'm not in to the Rally scene anymore so am fairly flexible on weekends.

No problem, there are probably others not interested in the rally either, so perhaps that group could peel off and do their own thing, then we could meet up again in the morning.

**cooneyr** · 31st October 2006, 12:46

As TA said it is a little hard for me to make commitments so far out but I'm definatly keen to explore the area. At this stage there are no firm plans for mid jan on but get in early and I might be lucky. I'm not that into the rally scene either but FQ's idea sounds interesting. Will definatly watch this space.

Cheers
R

**PLUG** · 31st October 2006, 13:38

... sounds like a plan FQ ...

**far queue** · 31st October 2006, 17:32

Originally Posted by cooneyr

As TA said it is a little hard for me to make commitments so far out but I'm definatly keen to explore the area. At this stage there are no firm plans for mid jan on but get in early and I might be lucky. I'm not that into the rally scene either but FQ's idea sounds interesting. Will definatly watch this space.

Cheers
R

I find that early planning, and planting the idea with the other half early makes life easier further down the track. The idea has therefore been presented to her indoors and passed the initial planning phase approval, on the understanding that things could/probably will change. I've also been told that Waitangi day is the last day of the school holidays, in case that affects anyone else out there.

**Ruralman** · 31st October 2006, 19:21

This is looking interesting - I wonder whether you guys, and possibly me as well, with families could also consider setting them up at the Otematata or Kurow Motor camp for a night or two??? If there was a few of them there they should have a great time and we could do the ride and also spend time with them??

I admit I haven't thought this through completely myself but its worth tossing into the mix - it could also mean, perish the thought, that 1 or 2 bikes turn up on trailers behind the family wagon.
I'm still anguishing over what next trail bike to buy - I need to get something else for my 15yr old son - and I'm tending back to getting him to ride my KDX220 (even if I have to put the standard pipe and jetting back in to slow it down a bit) and getting a 600-650 thumper so that I can do some of the multi day rides that require better off road ability than the transalp but also need a road registerable bike. I would need to put some serious knobbies on it to do the off road trail rides I like to do - but by Feb I might have this and depending on the set up I might be happy to bring it on a trailer.