Puketoi preamble

I hate to admit it but in a couple of weeks' time I'm taking some guys from work on another gravel roads excursion in our utes/4WD's.  A bit sad really (4 wheels and all) but they know that I know (I know that's a lot of knows) my way around a few gravel roads and can put a bit of a route together if asked.

Anyway, I have put a route together and I kinda promised I ride it prior.  Well, Colin and I sort of did a tiny bit of it and in particular checked out Puketoi Road which may be an option if the weather is good on the day - if it's wet it will be a no-go as it's as slippery as jandals on wet lino.

Leaving here, we gassed in Woodville (survived a small heart attack at the price of fuel - cheers Trump) and then headed to the first gravel Road of the day - Pahaeke Road.  It was here I confirmed that my ride would be interesting - a bald rear E-07 is not the flashest on gravel.  This would be a day of slides and every change in gravel composition had me relearning how to handle the bike - yeah, it was fun!

Top of the Rising Sun (Towai Road)

What damn mode is this in?

Our timing into Pongaroa was bang on with it being right about lunchtime.  It just so happens that the pub was open and serving up its great burgers.

After lunch, it was time for a short run down 52 before the attempt on Puketoi Road.  Puketoi Road has all sorts of signs saying no trailers at one end (no problem) to road closed and unmaintained road at the other end.  But it is passable and needed to be ridden.

From the Eastern end, it starts off as a decent gravel road before changing to a dirt farm track which gets a little rougher in places as you climb the hill.  Along the way there are places where it definitely can get slippery when wet (went up with a 4WD club a few years ago and some souped up 4WD's had difficulties) but we were lucky in that there were only a few muddy bits and I only really had one moment where I thought I was going off (see previous bald tyre comment) but managed to stay on somehow.

One of the things we came across was the below slip.  It's narrowed up the road quite a bit - not sure that I want to squeeze my ute through that gap - and it's pretty huge when you look over the side.  Shame the picture is a bit crap.

The not so great pic of the slip

After summiting the hill, you then drop down towards Pori Road.  This generally is in better condition but still had some technical bits where you need to swap ruts and pic decent lines.  At least you get to use a couple more gears - the rough stuff coming up normally required 2nd and occasionally 1st.  I really enjoyed the more technical riding, and the descent was a lot of fun.

A bit of a breather, it was hot work

Out back on Pori Road

Mission accomplished, the ride concluded with a pootle to Pahiatua, a fang over Tararua Road (much sliding was had), a zap over the track and then home.

Not a particularly long day but a great little ride to confirm the performance of bald tyres on a variety of interesting surfaces...

The Britten Museum

Just back from the TT2000, but you'll need to wait for the write-up...

We had plenty of time this year to get the to the ride start in Christchurch so ended up there early with time to kill.  A good thing that the Britten Museum had just opened its doors for the first time the day before we got to Christchurch...

I've previously seen the large Britten display at Motorcycle Mecca in Invercargill on a previous trip and now I believe that all the Britten stuff has been moved to the new museum along with a whole lot more.  

Along with the memorabilia (including 2 of the 10 final version Brittens currently) there was plenty of information about Johns life and birth of the Britten.  There was even an AI hologram of him chatting about the bike.

Anyway, here's some of the pics and a video I took of one of the Brittens:

That tyre dilemma...

 ...before a trip.

Has that tyre got 5,000kms in it?

Things to consider:

• How many km's has it done?  9,244.
• How long did the last rear last?  11,503.
• Does it still look good?  Yes.
• Have you used the same tyre before?  No.
• Is the Tiger hard on rears?  Nope.
• Where are you going?  South Island (coarse chip eats tyres).
• Are you expecting wet weather?  See above.
• How many kms are you doing again?  5,000+
• Feel like living dangerously?  Nope.

Very impressed with the Anakee Road

So, Colin and I are doing 2 x TT2,000's this time around.  There's no time for tyre problems or trying to find a tyre in the middle of the ride.

So out with the crazy amount of tools required to remove the rear wheel.  Yep, it's not a Japanese bike.

And on with the new Anakee:

Seven more days at work...

Sleeping in...

 ...is a waste of good riding time.

On Sunday, Colin and Andy got up early and were at my place just before 8am.  I was even ready for them too...

After coffee it was time to make tracks with the initial plan (based on our usual detailed planning session) being to head for Turakina Valley.  But first I had to show off and demonstrate that I was only 5 minutes from gravel - ok, so it was only a short bit of gravel on Watershed Road, but it got us over towards Colyton, Feilding and then Halcombe and Marton.

North of Marton we got back onto gravel on Galpins Road and dropped down Taurimu Road onto Turakina Valley Road.  The drop down Taurimu is particularly nice as there are some good views at the top and then a cool dive into the valley of Peacocks.

Did I mention peacocks?  Oh yeah, this time around they were out to get me.  I didn't see the damn thing until I was nearly on top of it but luckily it went for a near vertical take-off next to me rather than head butting me.  Damn, they are pretty big when they're taking to the air - even Andy mentioned it after watching it all from behind me.  Oh, and there was another one just up the road a bit too...

Once North of the peacocks, the gravel was good, but we had to deal with quite an unusually large number of vehicles along with plenty of sheep to keep us on our toes.  Still totally worth it 😉

The last bit of gravel (North of the above pics) was its usual sublime self.  Plenty of pace could be applied and Andy sat just behind me eating my dust as I slithered around a fair bit.  Great fun!

In 'kune we stopped for an early lunch and fuel before crossing over to Raetihi and turning South for a bit, aiming for the gravel of Oruakukuru Road.

This was another cracker with the gravel being more fun than the seal at the start of the road.  Once again there were a heap of sheep all over the place and even one taking a permanent break in the middle of the road courtesy of something bigger than a bike (I hope).

Not far from the resting mutton I had my next run in of the feathered variety.  Coming out of a right-hander, I disturbed a snacking hawk, and it was blimin close - I reckon I could have given his nails (big ones at that) a trim for him.  I dunno what he was doing there when the feast of a lifetime was just down the road - probably a bit much for a hawk to takeaway...

After the last stretch of fast but very corrugated gravel we hit Whangaehu Valley road and enjoyed its tight and twisty corners before it turned to gravel and took us up over Burma Hill.  This time around we had to deal with cattle as well as sheep, but the big chooks left us alone.

At lunch and because we had plenty of daylight left, I floated the idea of adding in a trip through the Badlands, North of Whanganui.  The two others both thought this was a reasonable idea so we decided to use Te Rimu Road as a short-cut to get over that way.  It's always fun and though the bulls were hiding today (I'm not complaining), there was the odd bit of silt from flooding around the (dry) fords that behaved a lot like the dreaded sand, and everyone hates sand...

Not being able to ford the Whanganui River (might have got run over by the paddle steamer) and not being naughty enough to sneak across the pedestrian bridge, we had to briefly dip into Whanganui to cross and then make our way back up the other side of the river before the great run through the Badlands.

What a blast it was!  This is a really neat little track that gets narrower the further you head in and you really feel like you're in the middle of nowhere.  This is why we have adventure bikes.  Oh, and once again, there was plenty of slithering around.

Andy ready for a breather

Colin makin' dust

Luckily, the end of Kauarapaoa Road doesn't mean the end of the gravel.  The ride out on Rangitatau East Road is on 20+km of wider, faster gravel and it was good!

Expensive!

Rangitatau East was the last of the gravel for the day and after a cool drink just out of Whanganui it was time to slab it back on the seal and wave off the guys at Sanson before parking the trusty T7 up.  About 510km for me and 700ish for the Southern contingent.  Great ride!  Oh, and I need a new rear...