|
|
| January 2012 |
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| 8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| 15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
| 22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
| 29 |
30 |
31 |
|
Dec
Feb
|
 Tuesday, January 10, 2012
|
|
|
|
Club members may wish to try a non technical ride up to Mount
Patriarch in the Blenheim area.
Four of us headed over on 28th December. Dave Lewis/ Stu Mckenzie /Tim and
Olivia Miller
Easy to find where to go by googling "Lake Chalice". Just Turn right
prior to Wairau River on to the North Bank Road" which heads you in the
right directio. After about 15-20 minutes turn right at the Lake
Chalice sign.
The ride can either start at the very bottom of the hill as we did or
drive up the majority of the altitude to Lake Chalice. It is possible to continue into Mount Patriarch in a 4 wheel drive.
If you start at the very bottom of the hill as we did it's 26kms to the end
of the 4 wheel drive track at an elevation of around 1500metres. It is possible
to climb up the rocks further to 1696metres, though we left that for
others.
Approx 11km in from the bottom there is a car park and a sign saying
"lookout". Bike the 200mtrs to the look out where there is a picnic table and
fantastic views down the Wairau valley.
We carried on past Lake Chalice, approx 200mtr above it looking down
into it. The views changed as the road crossed from one side of a ridgeline
to the other, looking West to the Nelson and Mount Richmond range,
South to the Mt Tapuaenuku area and both up and down the Wairau Valley.
The track/road does get rocky in parts with slips that have crossed the road
but its pretty easy going.
Recommmend the ride in and the massive downhill return ride.
 Stu, Olivia and Dave at the highest point we reached. Submitted by Tim Miller
Posted by Alan Eskrick on 10/ 1 / 12; 6:59:01 PM
Discuss |
|
|
|
|
After Dave Mitchell's article in the NZ Mountainbiker magazine we were keen to check out the burgeoning Ghost Road. The last time of riding was in the solid frost of mid winter 18 months ago so the brain said wear warm poly. As it turned out the day was balmy and as we climbed the hill away from the Lyell sandflies, it was soon time to cut down to a riding shirt only. Previously we reached the 8-Mile Creek and then bush-bashed. This time it was a cruise and the grade continued steadily to our lunch stop at the bluffs. We viewed our destination, the three bumps of Lyell saddle in the distance and contemplated the verticalness of the country through which the track builders had pushed the next section. It was time to try it and, with eyes firmly glued to the track to avoid the view of the vertiginous drop, we rode across. From there the grade was easier and our only upset was a cut side-wall in Bryce's tire. The track became flat and swoopy near the saddle and suddenly there were signs indicating "Blasting, No Access". At that point a small track branched off and we soon found the hut. It was perched on the saddle with a fantastic view of the wild country beyond. After drinking our fill we blasted back down the hill, 3 hrs up and only an hour down again! Team members were Byce Buckland, Mike Merrick, Hamish and Rob Kay.
One of the many creeks along the trail
| 
The new hut on Lyell Saddle
|
More photos from our trip here and the previous winter trip here. Submitted by Rob Kay
Posted by Alan Eskrick on 10/ 1 / 12; 2:41:18 PM
Discuss |
|
|
|
|
Nelson club members were well amongst the podiums in several age group categories yesterday at the Queenstown Downhill round of the NZ MTB Cup. And with Kelly McGarry really a Nelson boy, the masters one podium was a real Nelson whitewash! Check the press release and results here.
Posted by Chris Mildon on 10/ 1 / 12; 11:06:20 AM
Discuss |
|
|
|
|
Here is your opportunity to help stake MTB's claim to the Mokihinui Gorge in its pristine state for mountain biking. The date for a work party to reopen the historic mining trail up the gorge is the 21-22nd January.
Concept: get in there on Saturday 21st and move rocks, prune trees, etc, so that people can ride the Mokihinui Track as far as possible.
Have a big feast on Saturday night at the local campground.
Ride/walk the track on Sunday, or do more track work, and/or paddle part of the Mokihinui River.
After opening up the old track it will be a fantastic ride, and will become part of the 80 km Old Ghost Road - a ride to rival the Heaphy Track.
If you have any querries or ideas, please reply to Jonathon Kennett, phone/fax 04 499 6376
www.kennett.co.nz
If you would like to travel down, Murray Drake will be coordinating some Nelson transport, flick him an email (hellomurray@gmail.com) if you'd like to join that tavel group.
Posted by Chris Mildon on 10/ 1 / 12; 11:02:31 AM
Discuss |
|
| |
|
|
|
