Welcome Rock Trail

11 March 2014 in Mountain biking, welcome rock trail

Have you ever thought what it might be like to ride miles and miles and miles of water race track through high-country Otago?

Welcome Rock Trail is on the way! It’s being built by a Southland farmer with a vision, and should be opened by the end of the year. Kath Kelly and Jonathan took a sneak preview and loved it.

More details will follow when the opening date is set – there is still lots of work to be done. Volunteers are welcome. Check out the Welcome Rock website: http://www.welcomerock.co.nz/

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The trail had a gentle gradient, but is narrow and twisty in places, making it great for interesting biking.

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Tom O’Brien – a man with a vision of mountain biking heaven.

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Connor on the left here has been working on the track full time since last Winter. On the right is a fit young German WWOOFer. They each build 30 to 70 metres a day in this terrain.

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Kath Kelly on Welcome Rock, the highest point for miles around.

Heaven’s Door

20 February 2014 in Mountain biking, heavens door, old ghost road

Crystal night at Heavens Door on the Old Ghost Road. So many stars, blinded by a full moon and impressed by Venus. Checked out the trail building action for a couple of days. Almost 2.5 km hand-built in two months. Quite incredible really, but also fairly gnarly. Expert riders will love the latest section.

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Wild Coast Track

20 January 2014 in Cycle trails, wild coast track

Lots of people did BIG miles in the weekend! Mostly training for the Kiwi Brevet 2014.

Jonathan and Bronnie caught the train to Woodside and rode the new cycle-path to Greytown before getting pushed by a northerly down past Lake Wairarapa to the ‘Wild Coast Track’. It has just been signposted by DOC, but the track work has yet to happen, so it is still rough riding and there are several walking sections. We stopped in Days Bay for a mega burger afterwards and then cruised back to Wellington.

What a great day!

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West Coast Wilderness Trail Opening

13 December 2013 in News

The West Coast Wilderness Trail, going from Hokitika to Kumara, opened on 23 of November and it was AWESOME. From 6.30am, riders started from both ends and met in Kumara for festivities. Jonathan joined 30 others from Hokitika who rode two legs (70 km) through scenic country, and via Cowboy Paradise.

It was so good that he and a new friend Kevin O’Donnell decided to ride back to Hokitika. Crazy, yet, but also “…more fun than pissing on an electric fence” as they say on the Coast. Only just made it before the Takeaways shop closed!

Just be aware that there are several sections still under construction, although you can ride on roads to avoid them.

We were also lucky enough to have a tour of the tracks on Blue Spur, just out of Hokitika. The locals have done an awesome job up there, and although the tracks are rough they are also mega fun to ride.

Thanks to John, Jonno and Neil for the tour, and not breaking me (they way they have so many others!). It was a real buzz.

Round Taupo
& Mt Pureora

13 December 2013 in Events, News

Round Taupo was just as much of a buzz as ever. Great to meet so many cyclists in such a short space of time.

The following day we teamed up with mountain bike guide Ted Webb and did a circumnavigation of Mt Pureora.

Beautiful scenery, tricky navigation and a mix of riding = a classic mtb adventure. One for the next edition of Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides.

We recommend Tread Routes – NZ Mountain Biking Expeditions for any group looking for an awesome biking holiday.

Rimutaka Cycle Trail Opening

13 December 2013 in Events, News

The Rimutaka Cycle Trail had its official opening on 23 of October.

It stood out as special because of meeting an old man that used to live at the Rimutaka Rail Trail summit. Ron Mitchell had to catch the mail train to school at Cross Creek and has vivid memories of life on the trail when steam was king.

Here is Jonathan having a look at Ron’s photo album, and the PM opening the latest cycle trail.

The great thing about local cycling holidays is that you can be flexible and take advantage of fine weather with a group of friends. We decided to head around the Rimutaka Cycle Trail and had tailwinds most of the way.

The trail is in brilliant condition for 99% of the route from Petone to Ocean Beach, which is where we camped at DOC’s Corner Creek campsite. The last section around to Orongorongo Station will be officially opened soon, but be warned, there hasn’t been any upgrading work done yet. We will let you know when they start.

Opening of
Thermal By Bike

28 August 2013 in Old Classics

Despite intermittent rain, 77 people went to the opening of Te Ara Ahi Thermal by Bike. The trail transported us through unique geothermal sides, active with geysers and bubbling mud pools.

Highlights include cultural shows, bush walks and the lure of long soaks in soothing hot pools. The trail is humming with worthwhile distractions both on and off the bike. The first half of the ride was mostly off-road. The second half is mostly on road.

Wish we could finish our rides at thermal hotpools in Wellington!

How to…

28 August 2013 in How To's

(re)introduce someone to the joy of cycling

If you want to (re)introduce someone to the joy of cycling, here is a great way to do it (I’ve tested it out on a friend).

Catch a shuttle up to Waimangu Volcanic Valley with Thermal Land Shuttle (0800 894 287).
Check out the valley – it is pretty amazing.
Have a coffee in the cafe.
Jump on your bike and ride 31 km, mostly downhill, back to Rotorua.
Head for Zippys and/or a soak at the hot pools.

They will think cycling is easy, fun, and interesting, without being knackered by hills or freaked out by technical stuff.

Bike Taupo: Waihaha

28 August 2013 in News

Bike Taupo does it again!

In May, we finally had a chance to ride the new 14 km Waihaha section of the Great Lake Trail. Brilliant fun, and great scenery, although you need to keep your speed in check… in places the damp leaf litter is very slippery. You can end up wrapped around a tree before you know it.

It starts at the Waihaha River Bridge on the western side of Lake Taupo and goes for 14 km to a dead end near the lake. Then you ride back the same way. There isn’t much altitude gain or loss, so that’s not a problem.

Bike Taupo trail building crews are now working from a bay only accessable by boat, back to this point. They hope to be finished by Christmas and rumours are that it is the best yet. Go BikeTaupo!

Reveal the Trail

28 August 2013 in Events

The Odyssey track building competition over Easter saw 55 people carve over 1000 metres of track. It ended up spanning two days, because we tried unsuccessfully to postpone on Saturday, but three Nelson teams were already on their way, despite torrential rain. Luckily if fined up and they were joined by a dozen locals and the Kennett clan team from Wellington.

On Sunday the track was built all the way through the pines to the 800 metre mark. First equal, having built 160 metres each, were the Quiet Revolution team and the Kennett clan team. The Trail Saints from Nelson were only 10 metres behind in third place.

The weather was perfect on Monday, so 30 Golden Bay locals entered, but the building was much tougher as we carved across a steep scrubby face for almost 300 metres.

The end result is that well over half the track has been built. It is currently grade 4 in the pines and grade 5 below that. There is still a fair chunk of work to go, so it probably won’t be rideable all the way through until after winter.

Many thanks to the event sponsors for prizes and materials: Ground Effect, Giro, Cycletech, Quiet Revolution Cycle Shop and us.

Check out Project Rameka’s website.