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Maruia Moped Melee, 10, 11, 12, March, 2023


RUNAMUCK

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7 hours ago, RUNAMUCK said:

Day one, we rode small bikes wlthrough the Lewis pass. It was pretty cold tbh. Gassed up again at springs junction, and 5ook a last minute detour down the west bank (unsealed road) which came out near Maruia. 

We then pressed on to Maruia Saddle road, which was a very enjoyable trail. A boomer in a campervan forewarned us there were a number of people on push bikes coming the other way. 

Quite the way in, we encountered two old blokes on bikes. One had blacked out while riding and was incapacitated.  His companion had set off an PLB. (And Initially though we were the ones responding. 

Mof cancelled the call for him, (he seemed a bit away with the fairy's too tbh)  and we loaded up their bikes and gave them a ride back to murchison.  There we gassed up again, before gorging ourselves on delicious premium spicy tubes of mystery meat. Slathered in sauce, and washed down with a mixture of cheap beer/and or solftdrink/water.

With our bellies brimming with dead animals, we again set off. This time turning off up mangles valley road, which was another thoroughly enjoyable ride taking up to Lake rotoroa. We regrouped again here, and fucked about for longer than I would have liked. (I think it was bike trouble tbh) 

Eventually we then set off for the nightmarish hellscape that is the Porika track.  It was tricky last year, this year the very first section was almost insurmountable. (For a ride as unskilled as me) after the first hairpin it was more or less manageable. (But challenging none the less) @Hungry hit a rock got bounced off course and over the edge. Fortunately a team of helpers and Harry's winch were able to recover his machine from around 5m down a pretty steep bank. I didnt recall the decent being as bad last year either. I hit a big patch of clay and dropped the NBC.  Once we got clear of that misery, it was WOT all the way down to St. Arnaud for a gas up. Followed by another wide open throttle run into Nelson.  By then it was 730, and many of us were cooked. 

A nice curry and a few drinks went down a treat. (Except for wankbankA100 who proclaimed the curry to have been cursed. 

After a much needed sleep, we set off for a much nice days ride. Over the wongamoas, and out to French pass. With a stop st Okiwi bay going both ways. (The road was narrow and winding in places)  we were also treated to some breathtaking views. (I cant wait to go back tbh)  there was a great spot to park up at the very end of the road. Once again we stuffed ourselves with the flash of dead animals, burned over dinosaur gas. The ride back to the main road was pretty speedy.  The we had a protracted stop at rai valley to fix a broken clutch cable on the RGV. 

One back up vehicle had had their fill of twisty stuff for one day, and headed straight back to Blenhole. The rest of us took the glorious queen Charlotte dr. Not long I to this the spacy 250 gave its last fuck, and compression exited the chat.  We fanged it at extra legal speeds. The ride back to blenhole was a meh one. 

Once I finally located my accomadation, we gapped to the nearest pub for some much needed sustenance and hydration.  (A good time was had by all) 

The morning saw a dusty start. (The riders, not the road) and we embarked up the wairau valley for a long slow slog uphill, and Into a headwind. Once again at St. Arnaud was refilled, and then set off for the next leg.  Once the seal ended, the track to the toll gate was both rough as guts, and heavily shaded by native bush. Which made reading the road nearly impossible.  The first river crossing was cold and wet. And so few the feet of many following the crossing.  Beyond the toll gate the road gradually improved. And we were treated to some truely breathtaking scenery.  Beyond the very top of the wairau valley, the road improved out of site. And the more adventurous riders fucking sent it. Lake tennyson provided us with a sunny venue for the bbq lunch.  We added a sticker up in the rafters of the shelter beside the one from two years prior. After lunch the roads were fast and free flowing. With two riders running  out of talent. One of then went right off the road.  With a bit of team work we maneuvered the bike down to a lower track.  It started, and after the wheel and forks were realigned the rider continued on in the same manor. We reached the junction, and turned left, to take the longer way back to the camp. Jollies pass road was rough as guts. Naturally we took a detour off that track to prolong the run as long as possible.

Back at camp we finished off the beers, and loaded up the bikes. 

The GC prize was awarded to MOF for letting PeeDubs ride his bike for such a huge chunk of the ride.

850kms ish, three massive days. 

Saw a few old friends again, and made some new ones too. 

All I cant say is, Bring on next year! 

The Mackenzie moped melee 2024.

LETS RIDE BIKES!!!!!!!

Fantastic write up Bart, and makes me even more bummed I missed the second 2 days. Thanks for organising such an awesome trip, again, and I’m looking forward to the McKenzie Melee next year. And thanks to all t(e support crew and cooks and other GC's who make this trip give me warm fuzzies in my nether regions. 
Bring on the next ride (and stop riding capable big bikes, it’s cheating!).

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