Category Archives: friends

family, food, friends, NZ, snow

A Birthday Trip – Finally

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After fifteen years of annual Birthday Trips (Adele and her friend Theresa share a birth date and have marked the occasion with various wilderness trips since the start of university), I finally made it along to one.

Otago is a long way to go for just a weekend, so I took a week off work and headed down for the Birthday Trip and other winter adventures. My first snow holiday in six and a half years – well overdue.

Meadow Hut out the back of the Snow Farm on the Pisa Range was booked out way back in February. Saturday morning, nineteen of us (including five intrepid children) left Snow Farm on the four kilometre route to the hut. Some of us were on touring skis with skins, others on skinnier skis and some on snowshoes. I assume due to differences in pace, we separated into two groups – skiers and snowshoers (which did have a couple of skiers along to help corral children).

The weather started to turn as we left and quickly deteriorated. Thankfully, we weren’t carrying heavy packs – most of our gear and food was coming in by snowmobile. The clouds rolled in and it started snowing, big wet heavy flakes. On the final stretch to the hut the wind funneled down the valley and the situation rather turned into a blizzard. The wind so strong and the snow so wet, every flake hitting one in the face elicited distinct pain.

Thankfully, the hut was not really that far away. We bundled in and got the fire going as we thawed out. Some hardier souls than I, and more experienced & useful, headed back out into the storm to help the families. Drama ensued due to the horrible conditions; children were bundled into backpacks and arrived in the hut rather quiet. The snowmobile was somehow rolled off the side of the trail, landing on the staff member’s head. He was OK. Those of us out there had to help right it, unpack the trailer, move all the luggage up the bank and reload it.

Eventually, all were safely in the hut and warming up. Finally there, a lovely afternoon and evening sheltering from the storm around the fire commenced. The beauty of the luggage being carted in for us was that we had hearty amounts of food and drink. Sharing numerous different curries, we ate well, chatted and played card games.

Most slept well, the storm blew out during the night, the snow groomer drove past at some horrendously early hour and woke us, and a bluebird day dawned. A lazy start to the day was spent breakfasting, packing and assembling for Sunday adventures. Those on snowshoes headed out to play in the snow; while those on skis also left to enjoy a bit of ski-touring further out on the Pisas.

With plenty of skinning up hills, we found some nice turns and fantastic views back over the Cardrona Valley. I enjoyed my first ski-touring in over seven years as exploring various routes over the hills, down into little valleys and eventually back to the route we’d skied in on the previous day. All made it back to the cars suitably spent.

A fun little trip with great people – excellent to finally make it on such a trip. For the actual birthday, we headed up to Treble Cone for a day of resort skiing. The snow was good, although the visibility worsened in the afternoon – we headed back to Naseby for birthday dinner.

bikes, friends, GPS, MTB, NZ

Timber Trail Double

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Through the summer, Josh and I occasionally mooted a mountain-biking trip away without getting further than riding local trails. With the end of daylight saving fast approaching we were running out of time. Easter weekend was the last opportunity, but I had a bikepacking trip planned for most of it. Good Friday it was to be, provided the weather forecast was amenable to a big day of riding.

Having ridden it twice in different bikepacking events, I’ve long wanted to ride the Timber Trail unloaded and with suspension. Josh had never ridden it; so it was settled. But to help with logistics, we thought it the best use of our time to ride it there and back and save the need for a shuttle. What’s an extra eighty-odd kilometres of trail and a big hill when you’ve just done the same in the opposite direction?

Sleeping poorly in the cabins at the Pureora trailhead, we needed an early start to ensure we’d finish in daylight and I could get to Rotorua in reasonable time. I was pretty sure it had been raining a bit all night, and getting up at five there was sufficient evidence to suggest I was not mistaken. After a big breakfast of bacon and eggs (normal for me, a foreign concept to Josh that I was hoping would slow him down a bit) we were off at six into the dark and rain.

Through twisty dark turns we began the ascent of Mt Pureora, a nicely graded climb up to near 1000 m. The lush native forest, for which the trail is known, kept most of the rain off us; but the canopy could do nothing for all the water spraying from under our tyres. It was bright enough, through the cloud, to turn our lights off as we contoured along towards the highest point. No views of Lake Taupo in the gloom; at least we could descend in the wet by natural light. It stopped raining and eventually it was dry enough to remove all our waterproof layers.

With the rain, and then the tight schedule, my camera stayed away most of the day. This only goes to show how the inside of my legs were filthy, while the out-side of my socks stayed bright.

Josh probably contemplating how much he’ll have to wait for me as the day progresses. A brief stop for a snack at the shelter I slept in the previous time I was here.

The trail stayed wet, but it was generally in better repair than November. The day cleared nicely and we didn’t see any other riders until well after halfway and passing the Timber Trail Lodge. The first riders were a group of four on e-MTBs. It’s satisfying, if a little tiring, catching up and passing e-bikes on climbs.

Nearing the Ongarue Spiral I realised I was getting sore wrists as my front suspension was really not working. I rode most of the remaining hundred kilometres with it locked out – so much for riding on a full-suspension bike (c.f. a fully rigid bike). It was not until the next day I figured out what must have been causing the unusual knee pain my left leg was giving me.

By half-eleven we were at the opposing trailhead, stopping for half an hour to lunch in the sun and top up water supplies. We figured five hours and twenty minutes (including stops) was not bad going considering the dark and rain we started in, and the muddy wet trail. Turning we had the more difficult leg to conquer, our lunch spot was almost four hundred metres lower than where we would finish. Continually revised calculations of average speed and distance remaining had me confident we’d get back in plenty of time.

It was surprising just how much the track dried out in the afternoon. We passed many people riding in the opposite direction, including those e-MTBs just after discussing their whereabouts, all out enjoying the splendid weather and native forest. Halfway back we were making good progress and Josh still had far too much energy. With just less than thirty kilometres to go there were a couple of steeper pitches that really took a lot of energy out of me; as my single chainring has thirty-two teeth and I’m not running a dinner plate on the end, I ran out of gears and really ground up these pinch climbs.

There are quite a few photos from Josh where he’s obviously waiting for me!

I slowed significantly, even though the last fourteen kilometres of climbing was rather gentle. Josh was regularly waiting for me. I hadn’t completely had it, but was definitely slow and nursing my knee. Finally, the highest point arrived. After a sublime downhill to Pureora and lovely trail over the last few kilometres, I became convinced that south to north is my preferred direction for riding the Timber Trail – even if has significantly more climbing.

I can’t pretend I wasn’t just a little relieved to hear Josh finally start to sound a bit tired; it only took eleven and a half hours, a hundred and fifty-five kilometres and almost three thousand metres of climbing. Waiting for me probably didn’t help either! Still, we made it – well pleased to complete in twelve hours with no real problems. Well, my knee is still sore and my bike is getting the front suspension serviced; but trifling matters compared to a great day out. One day I’ll ride that trail slowly and bother to read all the informative signs!

around home, bikepacking, bikes, friends, GPS, NZ

Mangatutu Three Hot Springs

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Deciding it was high-time that Carl put his recently acquired bikepacking set-up to good use, we finally found a weekend free of other commitments and headed for the hills. Choosing a much hotter and head-windy day for the third annual overnighter to Mangatutu Hot Springs, it was great to have some company on this iteration of the trip.

I managed to cobble the requisite gear onto my bike in plenty of time – note extra water portage for the hottest day of the season so far.

Carl didn’t faff for too long after I arrived at his house and soon we were off into the strong northerly wind, conscious of the high-twenties of centigrade to deal with. With tyres, that have actual tread on them, it was noisy and slow going as we climbed up Puketitiri Rd. However, there was little traffic, the weather was pleasantly warm and the whole road fills me with nostalgia. Carl kept a good pace and there were few photos stops – so these two links will have to do.

A brief respite at Patoka School was used to fill water bottles and prepare for the last thirty-odd kilometres of climbing. Up to Patoka the road approaches five to six hundred metres above sea level; after Patoka the road undulates, constantly flirting either side of six hundred metres. At Ball’s Clearing the seal finishes and we enjoyed the change in surface to gravel – if not the steep hills as we rode into the evening.

Passing a collection of pick-ups, we missed the Search & Rescue training exercise and, thoroughly spent, dropped off the last pass to the campground. Almost-matching tents were pitched, dinners cooked & consumed before well deserved soaks in the eponymous hot springs. It was a brilliantly clear night, with the full moon casting long shadows as it rose. Despite the clear night, it was warm; rather worn out from the hills and the headwind, we slept well.

Cattle kept beady eyes on us as we climbed out of the Mohaka River valley.

There were plenty more hills to lay eyes on as we were pushed along by the warm northerly.

Carl shows me again why I really should get around to fitting some aerobars to my bike.

Leaving the Mohaka far behind, we were soon back at Ball’s Clearing and whizzing down the seal back home.

Yet, there were still many small hills to get up. Nearing Taradale it was fun to be caught up by someone on a gravel bike (who’d ridden roads I’d half-hoped we’d have the energy for) and consequently yarn about past & upcoming bikepacking events.

Beer & refreshments awaited us as we returned – pleased with a successful outing where Carl proved a capable bikepacker and excellent riding buddy. Now, to find some more hills and get some more miles under the wheels.

bikes, friends, MTB, NZ

Fab Rotorua Weekend

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With the ever-kindness of friends, it was an easy decision to extend a hectic one-day conference trip to Rotorua to include staying at Lake Tarawera, catching up with friends and a little mountain-biking.

An interesting day stuck inside over, I had a bit of time before meeting Roger at a self-billed craft beer pub in Eat Streat. My step count (this corporate challenge thing is good motivation for ensuring a moderate level of daily activity) having suffered from sitting in a conference room all day, this spare time was easily accounted for with a stroll down to, and around a little of, the shore of Lake Rotorua.

Bike tree!

Absolutely years since I’d been to the living Maori village of Ohinemutu, it was a pleasant stroll in the fading light amongst the buildings and geothermal steam.

I retraced my steps through the village and continued around the lake for a while, finding more paths that I can’t remember the last time I walked – probably as a child, having lived forty minutes’ drive away.

Walking back past the museum, I found Roger quite at home at Brew – he’d only been living in Rotorua a matter of weeks. With tasty beer to add to the occasion, it was great catching up once again – a lot of talk about bikes, naturally. Planning the following day’s ride was also high on the agenda.

A stunningly clear evening led to a frosty start as we met Luke (another ex-Pukekohe biking buddy) for an early ride in the forest. I’ve ridden with Luke a bit over the last few years here, but Roger & I could marvel at how great it was to be out for a Rotorua sortie. I’ve since checked, it was over eight years between such rides – well too long! Even with all the riding I’ve done in the forest over twenty-plus years, I’m still being shown new trails. It seems the locals can build fantastic trails faster than I can ride them.

Luke took us off-piste to ride a recently developed/developing trail in a part of the forest I rarely go – and so close to the old parking lot. The first half was mostly rideable for me down the side of a loamy forested slope; but then it got steeper with a narrow ribbon of a rut cut in the dirt – I lost my footing once trying to walk down it. Such fun but.

Follow that ribbon.

Surely I’m somewhere further up the hill treating the roots a bit more circumspectly.

Back out in the open, it was fresh on the skin and crunchy under tyre.

Tumeke was another trail new to me, graded at about my limit it was great fun and rideable for me until the very bottom. His home calling, Luke left us to head further out. With another trail I barely remembered completed, Roger & I opted for the shuttle to enable us to head to the extremity of the forest in a timely manner.

From the drop-off point we charged up (well, it was charging for me) to Tuhoto Ariki – a wonderful piece of rooty singletrack through native forest. Beautiful riding, we had an absolute blast constantly marveling at the trail and its sublime mid-winter condition. My riding diary tells me I last rode this in 2007, when it was quite new – I remember it being muddy and rather hard work. Perhaps I’m a little fitter now, but it surpassed all my expectations – twenty minutes of challenging singletrack bliss.

Further out is Kung Fu Walrus – we tootled out there, I remembered it fondly from May. This time I was hoping that the last hundred metres wasn’t closed for logging – poor trail closure signage (i.e. none) that time necessitating a big push back up the hill.

There may be a lookout over Green Lake just before the trail. I also may have been having a sufficiently good time.

Another fun trail, there is plenty to keep me on my toes – and a few things I can’t quite ride every time. Which is great to keep me coming back to master them. Heading back to the van, there was yet another new trail for me: the much more mellow, but still enjoyable, Taura. Nearing the end of the ride, for old time’s sake, I nipped off for a quick blast around the Dipper (my earliest memories of MTBing are on this trail). Somehow in the few minutes I left him, Roger had managed to talk himself into a job of doing a pre-race sweep (checking signs, tape etc.) of a fifty kilometre course early the next morning. I say “job”, but something so pleasurable can’t really be called so.

I had planned to leave Rotorua that afternoon to return home for the final in the local cyclocross series which I’d been riding in (and much to my surprise, winning the B-grade on my MTB). But all this time with old friends and actually riding trails rather than muddy, grassy laps of a vineyard had me questioning my decision. I popped back to the lake for lunch before heading out again to catch up further with Luke and his family. I eventually ditched my cyclocross plan for riding proper trails, thus staying another night.

It didn’t seem so cold out at the lake early Sunday morning, but as I drove into Rotorua the cloud descended and the mercury dropped. Roger and I met for another frosty ride, hitting the 50 km course about quarter to eight. Snaking around some of the inner trails for quite a while, it was good fun in the trees before heading out into the open. Exposed to the cold, the surface was hard and we found ourselves sliding around a few corners.

1ºC is still shorts weather.

Rolling along the Creek trail we found a little bit of barrier tape to reinstate, but that was about it – mostly we just rode bikes and had fun in the excellent dry conditions. About fifteen kilometres in Roger realised he didn’t have the energy after the previous day’s ride and a few weeks of illness. Not to worry, I was happy to ride on, up the only big hills on the course and discover some more new-to-me trails. I thoroughly enjoyed heading out the back of the forest again. Realising I might be caught by some fast racers (they started ninety-odd minutes after us), I barely stopped.

Returning to the western side of the forest, the long-course confusingly rejoined parts I’d already ridden – and plenty of riders just heading out. From here there wasn’t much point in carrying on riding the course as the short-course racers were already there. I zipped down the old exit trail to finish my ride – it was good fun putting in a good three hours of riding with little stopping, and getting a few PBs.

Roger’s bike was waiting with Marlena.

Somehow I ended up with another bike to take home with me – Roger lending me a steel singlespeed to have little bit of a go on before the Worlds in November. Saying goodbye amidst promises to not leave it so long between Rotorua rides, I popped back out to the lake to clean up and pack. What a great weekend with old friends and bikes. Special thanks to Terry and Bronwyn for having me to stay, yet again. I was safely back in Napier before it even got dark – that makes the drive so much easier.