The Annual Trip Report, 25th to 30th October 2011

(Links for each day to Mellonfarmer's)
Day One, The Journey and a "Leg Stretcher"
Phatboy and Dozer picked up Mellonfarmer. Tinks picked up WeirdlittleSilverfox and Sandals and Helmutt. They drove north and inland.

The Lyell
At Inungahua they turned right, up the Buller a ways, over the IronBridge and onwards a few kms pulling into the wrong carpark. Then finding the right one...

An easily made wrong start was made, but it seemed like the right start at the time, and the riders progressed up a very steep at times track to a wicked old cemetery in the bush, before a cool descent to a bridge. then it was a lot of steps to climb up to the Old Dray Road. This track climbs and climbs and climbs and a groove just has to be gotten into and everybody got into that groove and climbed and climbed and climbed. For two hours they climbed, each in their turn, cursing Mellonfarmer for this "leg stretcher". Eventually a slip was got to, miles after the 8Mile point MF thought was the end (thats what the book said!), and so they'd all had enough, and turned tail and flew down, loving every second of it, forgiving the curses earlier poured. Ride number one, a resounding success.

Westport for the night. Great food from Alex Hastie of The Pines.

Day Two
Britannia
Drizzly start, so no Denniston, so a little further north and up to a roadend and once again, up up up. this time, narrower, steeper, rootier, slippery-er. into the clouds. hour and a bit climb to about 600m, turn around and scream back in like 10 minutes (was more but felt soooo much quicker compared to the climb).

Delicious lunch at the Drifter's Cafe in Granity.

Charming Creek
Up the Ngakawau gorge on an old railway. Sleeper city. Spectacular vistas, waterfalls, coal, sulphur seep, flat boring bit, techy interesting bits, tunnels.

That night, THANKS BRUCE for the Whitebait feast. Silverfox's first time ever eating Whitebait.

Day Three
Denniston
The crew bolled on out of the Accommodation in Westport within a drizzly morning, thinking Denniston might be a bit damp, but a couple kms north of town they drove out of the rain and into nearly sunshine. On up the twisty road and parked up at the museum. cool breeze greeted us rocky, 4wdrivey, sections of excellence, must-do bridle path down.

to reefton, excellent accommodation

Blacks Point
relentless climb on easy track, then not quite as easy track, then some down, and lots more up and downs and ups, then the best fricking downhill ever followed by some good stuff and switchbacks and hot brakes.

Day Four
Kirwans
The weather was right, so Buggs made the calls and the Chopper was to pick us up from the end of Boatmans Rd just after 9. A first time in a whirly-bird for several in the group. a few minutes flight to Kirwans Hut, first load with MF, Sandals and Helmut, plus the thousands of $$$ worth of bikes swinging on a rope below. Two more loads reunited smiling faces with their machines, and off flew the chopper, roughly an hour after he'd left base. a long way down.

>>>the rest of this post will be updated as and when i can get to it<<<

Waiuta
Pretty stuffed from Kirwans, not to mention previous days riding, so we took a while to get it together for this one. Phatboy even had a wee kip i believe... And Sandals piked out, having ridden the trail before, and so that she could stay home and cook for us. (and a very nice meal it was too, except for the fact that some theiving bastards had stolen half our mince!!!).

So. Waiuta. long road in, driven, to the cool old minimal remains of a ghost town, and on up more gravel for a km or so to where the vehicles parked. 4wd start section, climbing up to a very sculpted gravelled track which progressively became more like other tracks we'd been riding. to mellonfarmer's mind, it was most like the Lyell only a bit muddier. Climbed for a while then levelled out and we were all so stuffed it was almost not fun, other than kaka flying over and bird song. So, overall, i'd say its not as fun as you'd think, but still pretty good. At 5 minutes to 6 we turned around and headed back. Mellonflatter stopped to pump up his front tire and the others all got away on him, so once back on the trail he wound them all back in one by one.

Then him and Helmut (with helmet) rode the road out. fast, gravel, blind corners, fun.

Day Five
Croesus
Bestest track ever, just about

Hanmer
Meeting up with the others and Rubberjoors has covered it

The weekend of 29/30 October.

Picked up The Cook and Headed up to Hamner to hook up with the rest of PFMTBC who had been on the annual trip. We got there and headed out. We headed up the Flax Gulley Track (a first for us) which was a nice steady climb and really enjoyable. From there we did Swoop track onto Majuba and then up Timberlands Trail which is short but steep. Had a rest here before then Climbing up Jollifes Saddle Track. I was a bit annoyed on not getting the last hairpin. We stopped for a bite before heading down the otherside. The Cook had an off on the first Switchback but other than that it was a fast blast down. Across the footbridge and then climbed upto Deetox. A fun but of track but not really worth the climb in my opinion. Then up part of Mach1, down dogstream and then we climbed up Jollife Rd before doing Red Rocks which is a fun swooping track. Headed back to town for a bite where we then Hooked up with Twopot and Lance. We then drove the ute to the bottom of Threshold before starting the climb to the top. Steep track and we pushed some of it. At the top we pushed up an obscure extension. This was really steep, unrideable up sort of track. Ended up on a fire road before coming down. This was a blast, whooping and hollering. The Cook did have a surf and an off but survived to tell the tale. Down into the rest of this high speed and challenging track. Loved it immensely. From the bottom The Cook took the ute back to the House while the 3 of us rode back. Showers and beer while we waited for the posse. They arrived about 6.30 and we went off for dinner and back to the House for lotsa drinks. The morning arrived way to soon but we cleaned up and then mounted up for a ride. Nelsie had arrived to join us. The Posse now consisted of Nelsie, Mellonfarmer, Phatboy, Bugs, Dozer, Silverfox, Tinkerbell, Sandals, Helmut, Texas, The Cook, Twopot, Lance and myself. Up Flax Gulley then we went up Yankee Zephyr (Great down hill blast), across the Swamp, up Timberline, Down Red Rocks, up Dogstream where we broke into two posses. A few went and did Deetox while the bulk headed down Mach1 and then started the climb to Threshold. We rode all the road to the second firebreak, stopping for a rest 3/4 of the way and then whooped and hollered our way down the track. Down the rode to town for a bite before hopping in the vehicles for the drive back to town. For me and the cook 2 successful days of riding. For the others it was the end of a long week. Hoping one of them will fill in the details of their trip on here.

Tuesday 25th October

With most of the team already away on the trip I went out with Bugs and the Cook. We headed up Gruntsbury. The road was ok but by time we got to the steep stretch I was very tired. We continued upwards at a slow pace (thanks Bugs). At the top we went around Mt Vernon with me leading. Now I felt good. We then headed down towards Rapaki. Once we regrouped we noticed no sign at the top so we headed down the track. Still lots of people using it. At the bottom we discovered it was fenced off with a big sign saying Closed. (they need one at the top too!!!!) I then dropped a spoke. We headed home with me dropping the bike off for spoke, rear cluster, bottom bracket and chain. Also going to look at brakes too! I will be ready for Saturday at Hamner.

Saturday 22nd October

Bugs and texas arrived at mine and we rode over and met Dozer outside silverfoxes. Only the four of us as everyone else was, working, transporting, organising fixing, getting repaired or visiting those already holidaying. So as i said the four of us headed around the road to kennedys Bush. We trundled around the track at the bottom and then climbed the single walking track to the paddock, grunted up the muddy paddock and then up the little switchbacks. All cleaning them. The road took us to the fence and we then debated single track or gravel track. We chose the gravel track which was sensible as you could see the single track as we rode. It was under water. We then did Siberia down to the gate and after riding through the muddy bit here we started the long grind up. I even managed to ride up the lot. we then followed dozer up the steep option where texas and I dabbed before passing through a number of angry cows before the last few bends before the steep rutty section of the climb. I gotta admit i did not ride it all, in fact no one cleaned it all but they got close. We stopped for a bite at the road before trundling around and up to the top of the body bag. Down here we went with me finally being in front. Up to the B line we went and then bugs led us into some wet track. It was very wet and slippery in a lot of places, sliding and having fun. Plenty of smiles and mud flicking. At the bottom we finished on worsley and then down the road to the last off road section which was also fun, fast and slippery in places. we loved it. Dozer peeled off to pick up his car and we all met up at the garden center cafe for coffee and discussions about next years trip. great ride, me 35kms which i am happy about.

Thursday 20th October

it was my first ride in 4 weeks and I was looking forward to it, albeit with some trepidation. The posse which included Texas, Bugs, Phatboy, Tinkerbell, Sandals, Helmut, The Cook, and Dozer all headed up Richmond Hill Rd. The main part of the posse at a steady pace, a couple racing ahead and then there was me trailing at the back. At least I kept up with Helmut who walked a good half of it. A quick stop at the top where I led off towards the gate to the fourwheel drive section. The next section saw Phatboy and Tinkerbell race ahead. The Cook and I kept up until the wet section below the cliffs where we stopped for a couple of minutes before regrouping with the others below the shearing shed. From here I took the new shingle track while the others either followed or cut across the old track. At the top we chatted before heading down towards Clifton Tce. The track was damp and slippery. I led with Phatboy on my heals. The rooty section was interesting with many comments about slippery roots. Just how they should be!! We then went down and across to Richmond Hill for a fast run down to Dot Com by 7.30. From here some of us popped into the brewery for a quick Beer before heading home. It felt good to be out on the bike and I did a lot better than I thought. Bring on kennedys tomorrow.

Sunday 9th October

TexasHold'em, Sandelabra, Silverchair, Dozer and Tonkabelle, met at Bugg’s house. Both Bugg’s and Dozer with brand spanking new machines, Buggs a phat Giant Reign, Dozer remedying his Jamis affliction with a Trek Remedy.

They rode round back of Ferrymead shops, up Mt Pleasant, down Greenwood (which was open), back up Summit Road to pines, down Richmond Hill into valley. They stopped in Sumner for coffee, then rode back to Bugg’s on the road and round back of Ferrymead shops again.

Was a good ride, a lovely day.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the plains, Picton, Mellonfarmer and Phatboy went up the Blowhard (with pics!), which involves a lot of going up, steeply. but then, also has one of the best downhills there are, ever.

Saturday, October 1st

Possibly, Silverfish, Sandalada, Buggs, Dozey, PhattBoy, Texaus and Tinks, maybe went up Worsleys, did a blat of the Nun to kiwi and back up over Worsles and down out the B-Line, maybe, Tinks thinks...