Whoopeecock

Should look at working D’Urville Island into the ride one year. I know that for those of you that haven’t been out to French Pass are going to fizz, and getting over to D'Urville, especially with a bike, is pretty rare. We did it about 20 years ago on an organised trail ride, and I see the adventure bike guys go over there fairly regularly. https://www.remotemoto.com/articles/durville-island/

And much more cozy to travel 3 up in a single cab ute too.

Faaaaaarrrrrk! That’s some big riding. I can already see issues with out last Portage though. That road is fucked, and even more so after last weeks weather.

check out the ride at 18:00. Not a place you’d want to hit a rock on a big heavy bike.

He looks like a contender for next year

Just looks so comfortable

Such a good lunch again, thanks to the support dudes.

Major chemical spill in the same place at the same time you guys are starting off? What are you running in those scooters?

It’s going to be sunny, pants are optional.

If that’s the photo of the Tauramanui petrol station, you’re in for a treat Sunday morning at Caltex Nelson. We might not do meth (in the carpark next door they definitely do), but we do a good coffee.

That's what I was thinking, over the Porika and turn around and back the way you came. If it's too knarly for anyone, they can head out to the highway and scoot back around the main road back to the Howard Valley or St. Arnaurd and wait for the rough riders.

Can’t see that still being on there after the Managatapu. There’s some pretty big rocks on there.

Still not looking likely, and this weather won't help either. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/127663739/kenepuru-rd-likely-to-close-for-extended-periods-as-repairs-continue

Old mate was about 80 and recovering from a stroke and a seizure to be fair, so probably a good effort on his part. I took the family over it in my work ute a couple of years back not knowing what it was like, and we made it just fine. Just noticed a few people online saying it was harder than usual at the moment, and tracks change. So if peeps have been over it recently, than their intel must be good.

Spoke to an old boy in Murchison last Friday on my way down to the shed session in Christchurch, he’d just ridden the Porika. Said it was absolutely horrible on his new CT125 Hunter with the road tyres. I’ve also heard a lot of ADV bike guys crying about it too, but they’re a different kettle of fish with big heavy bikes and some don’t do gravel well. There is Mt Inwood lookout we rode past last time too if time allows.

From what I've heard and read, you can ride from Hanmer to the cobb cottage where we had lunch, but go no further. Roadworks is more at the Blenheim end, with local access only. Could ride to cottage from Hanmer, camp the night there or back to Hanmer. Day 2 Rainbow and then there's plenty of other rides between St Arnaurd and Nelson like Mt Robert, Inwoods Lookout, Porika track, etc Stay night at St Arnaurd and go back through Rainbow. Plenty of options to compensate for no Molesworth. There used to be a pushbike race called the Rainbow Rage, we could steal that name...

Good video of our favourite track being ridden by Chris Birch on a slightly bigger bike with a mountain bike in the back. https://fb.watch/81jWl7eiRb/

Yeah, was thinking an old ag bike rack of some description.

I’ve been torn between upgrading the Monkey’s suspension, which was the worst part of it, or getting another bike. I want to put a 125 eleccy start in my CT90, but I bought another Monkey so other projects have got in the way. But last weekend a 1976 XL250 popped up, and I had to have it. I VMX slightly older XL’s, and this one is so mint I had to have it. I know it’s definitely it the mid sized bike realm, but it’s not massive, it is old, and I hope you’ll let me in again. Just got to find a rack for it.

My 2 cents, the ride was perfect the way it was. Food, brews, BBQs and good dudes with awesome riding. The direction it ran was perfect, like a few have said, to iron out any issues in the easier day. And if Jollies Pass didn’t shake it out of you, the rest of the ride was going to be fine! As for side tracks, there was talk of Mt Altimarloch on Day 1, and Mt Robert on Day3, but fuck knows when we would have squeezed them in? We were rolling into town fairly late at the end of a big days ride. Not sure riders, fuel or bikes could have taken much more.

Great to see the scree downhill from the rider.

Didn’t get much video, just up the mountain.

Great video Sean

Someone have a look and see if these links work, shows each days riding through the Scenic app. https://scenicapp.space/ride/LZVGVSeJ https://scenicapp.space/ride/tJxnVusP https://scenicapp.space/ride/NmShYloJ

In Aussie, quite a few of them mount XR tanks for the long haul. Cause you know, you should try and ride a postie bike across a desert...