Easy spin up a rail grade

Rode the Rimutaka Rail Trail near Featherston for something that would be dry. Well at least it would be rideable. Par for the course it rained. Arrived at the trail head - last locked gate, and approached by a gentleman in camo gear asking if we where with the police. Yeah, hence the campervan... Apparently we'd gone too far up the road and stood a good chance of getting locked in. As we left the trail head after the ride about 30 cops went past with assault rifles.
Rail track was steeper than most with an average grade of 1 in 15 as they used a different type of track system. Had one in the middle and a horizontal wheel from the locomotive helped with the traction. Most rail tracks are less than 1 in 30 (No, I haven't become a rail buff. Just read the signs on the ride) 12 miles out to the end over the summit and then down the other side.


Track is made up of a great surface, but still a little muddy.


Just below the summit there is a 600m tunnel. You can just make out the far end - small circle of light in the picture. Luckily we took a couple of head torches, but they didn't do too much. Elbows out, keep it straight and hope that nothing else is in there!


Station at the top, and yeap, it's still raining. Good thing is that it's all downhill to the car 10k away.


Takes a while trip to realise that the tap in the sink doubles as a bike wash. Awesome!

Quick trip to Wellington

Had a quick trip from Feilding down the coast to Wellington to try some of the 'best riding in the country' Unfortunately there has been a lot of rain and the soil down there is of a clay base so it wasn't looking too good. View down the coast.

Had a few issues with the camper van - you could not open the sliding door from the inside - so we dropped that off and had a loaner for the day. Awesome 'bikers' car as loads of room in the back. A Veedub Caddy. Headed to Belmont park to try one of the classic traverses.

Once above the treeline the views and exposure are quite breath taking. Wind was so strong that Goose's back wheel was airborne at one stage as we stood eating.

Wellington Harbour and the South Island are both visable from the ridge line. We should have pushed on to Belmont trig, but the strong winds, low cloud base and heavy, cow chopped up soil made progress rather painful.

Opted to head back to the car at Cannon head. Have a feeling that it would be much better when the conditions are calmer and drier. Enough to say we enjoyed what we did and the downhill was a great blast. The gorse bushes got a bit too close for comfort at times!

Back to the north island part Zero

We returned to the north island from Christchurch after our adventure with the Harris crew. Picked up Peg - Gooses' mum at the airport, along with a new camper van and headed to Steve and Julie's place again. The cunning plan being that we'd have a week driving back to Feilding via a few of Peg's friends - staying with them rather than sleeping in the van. She'd get the chance to shoot the breeze with them and the two of us would get the chance to spin the wheels on the bikes.
Steve had planned that we'd have a day out on his boat - Hobson One.


We headed over to Rangitoto Island - just outside Auckland harbour. Once there we walked to the top of the volcano. As anyone with kids knows - it's hard to keep them motivated, buts hats off to Ollie and Soph as the two of them ran the last bit to the view point on the crater rim.


View back to town from up there is pretty good on a sunny day!

part one

After some time with Family we headed down the coast to Tauranga to spend a couple of days with the Mills. Peg got to hang out with them while we headed to Summerhill. A local explorer and philanthropist as made some trails on his farm that are rather good. A small donation gets you in and you're then welcome to ride. Views from the top are great.



Played around on some of the man made features at Summerhill. The raised walkway wasn't too bad!













Also had it's fair share of climbing there too.


















Strange how a bridge that is much wider than the raised walkway is suddenly soo much worse! Could be the drop to the stream 2 meters below.












After A couple of days out on the coast we headed inland to Rotura again. This time staying with a family friend. We went back into the forest there for a bit more biking and found a 'wonderful' climb.

part two

Goose's mum enjoying a bit of sun at the Oasis in Taupo.









Spent the day playing in the woods near Taupo. Introducing Goose's li'l bro's family to the joys of mountain biking. Took to it like a duck to water. Sophie and Julie having a quick break. Steve (Goose's li'l bro) had also just turned 40 and bought himself a very fancy Kona Dawg.



Time out for a bit of a break. Life in the van with Goose's Mum running support for the kids. Great having the van as could easily pop in and out for drinks and the likes. Also meant that Mumma Goose had a great place to chill will the li'l ones played!





Rain fell heavily during part of the ride - those white things are rain drops. Ollie pushed on and had an amazing day of riding. Real impressed at his determination and progress during the day. Managed nearly 20kms in the woods. Hats off!











Post ride recovery. Steve feeling it now that he's the big 40. Not sure if he's drinking that magic rugby water there!

slow blogging down under

Managed to get a bit of biking in at Craters of the moon on the way north from Feilding to Auckland. For once it wasn't rainning too much

left NZ for a week with the Family Harris in Queensland, OZ. Spent the time catching up, biking, hanging out in the sun and enjoying the company of our great friends. Seems the norm there to go riding super early (like before daybreak!) Had a mountain biking experience with Leon in the bush. In the middle of winter the hummudity still is close to 100%. Don't think that I've ever lost so much liquid in such a short period of time. Nice trails in the forest, some tight, some flowing. Deb had a quick side trip to Melbourne to catch up with an old friend. We then headed off to the south island with them for a week of outdoor adventures.

Weather was so good when we got to Wanaka that we decideed to get in an afternoon of biking will the Harris's went skiing. Some lovely veiws and a stunning afternoon at the sticky forest just north of town. Rental bikes seemed OK>


Dropped the Harris family off for a day skiing while we headded up the other side of the valley for a day at snow farm for some cross country. Landed a bargin as local day and only $20 each

View from the top of Snow Farm, looking across the vally towards Cardrona. You can make out the 13km dirt road access. 30 mins needed to cover this distance, climbs over 1200 meters (4000ft) All ski traffic uses this road and you have to carry snow chains as the weather changes just like that.

Hangin out on the chair lift at Cardrona. Conditions under the board- fantastic given that there had been no snow for over a week. Also a strange experience being so far above the tree line.


view towards Queenstown from Cardrona. Never made it to QT as we decided to stay in Wanaka for the duration. Following 2 days in town resulted in low cloud. Leon and Sue managed to get their day of heliskiing in as they ended up above the clouds


Finished our trip off on the south Island by hitting the coast and heading north towards Christchurch. Stopped off on the way at the Moreki Boulders