Re: A ride report - sort of.
Geoff Lock
> Partner and I rode the Otago rail trail in NZ last week.
>
> Degree of difficulty very low, lots of families do all or part of the
> trail and the female part of one couple we met was 6 mnths pregnant and
> having no problems (mind you she was a very fit looking lass).
>
> Anyway, the Rail Trail is incredibly well supported by the communties
> it passes through - you can book all your accomodation and transfers
> yourself, or use one of the companies like Trail Journeys or Cycle
> Surgery (we used Trail Journeys) to hanle accomodation, transfers etc.
>
> You can even camp out if you are up for it.
>
> We hired a Giant Sedona and a Giant Trail Glide and two sets of rear
> panniers.
>
> At the outset we thought the daily distance of 30~50km was pretty
> feeble, but there is so much to see and do that those distances do fill
> the day up nicely.
>
> The scenery is breathtaking and it is impossible to not be amazed at
> the amount of work done by men with pick and shovels over the 16 years
> it took to build the origianl railway.
>
> Everything organised by Trail Journeys worked pretty much perfectly -
> the bus was where they said it would be at Dunedin airport, all the
> accomodation was acceptable, some of it was fantastic. At the end of
> the ride Trail Journeys had shower facilities available and we cleaned
> up prior to getting on the Taieri Gorge train to return to Dunedin -
> again a gobsmacking experience.
>
> Our luggage was mislaid one night and we were not best pleased with the
> prospect of having to wear riding clothes until bed time and then
> having to climb back inot the same clothes the following day, but we
> need not have worried, Trail Journeys located our bags and dispatched a
> staff member on a 150km round trip to get them from where they were and
> deliver them to us - no harm, no foul.
>
> Lastly, in the brochures the Trail people warn rioders to be ready for
> sudden and extreme weather changes.
>
> The first two days of our ride was just like being home in FNQ, 30
> degrees, but with 5% humidity, a little more pleasant. The third day
> started a bit cooler as we left Wedderburn, but became positively
> arctic by the time we made it (just) to Ranfurly. It wasn't so much the
> 6 degree temperature and the hail that made life difficult as the 50kt
> wind that blew up.
>
> A couple of hours in Ranfuly saw the wind moderate a little and the
> hail and rain bugger off, so back on the bikes after a quick purchase
> of full finger wool gloves and a wool beanie.
>
> 20km later I had the experience of being literally blown off the bike
> as I exited a cutting. Now I'm a fair lump of a lad - 110kg so being
> picked up and blown over was a new experience - the panniers
> contributed a little. Just outside of Hyde we had to cross a very high
> viaduct that bridged a valley through which the wind was positively
> screaming, we walked the bikes...... I have a great picture of my wife
> riding on a straight bit of trail with about 20 degrees of lean into
> the wind to maintain a straight heading. At least the wind was mostly
> on our backs and quarter, we felt very, very sorry for the riders we
> met coming the other way.
>
> Anyway - absolutely reccomended for anyone with 4 days to kill and the
> desire to do soemthign different on a bicycle, particularly for
> families.
>
>
>
*mutter* *mutter* *mutter* some people have all the luck.
On a more serious note, sounds like a bloody good time to be had. :)
Blue Heeler
>
> mutter mutter mutter some people have all the luck.
>
> On a more serious note, sounds like a bloody good time to be had. :)
ATM the people on the Trail are mostly NZ and Oz folk. Get in quick and
do it before it is taken over by the Yanks - I like my wilderness
unspoilt by gleaming golden arches every 20km
--
Geoff Lock
Heheheh, going to take me a while to pedal to Otago, mate. Than there is
the small matter of crossing that trench with me bike :)
Kathy and Steve
We flew to NZ in October and decided to take our MTB with us. Got a couple
of bike boxes from the LBS and packed them with some bubble wrap etc. After
researching cost we rekoned we were happy with an outlay of up to approx $70
each way (airlines allow so a few kgs for sporting goods on top of the
usualy baggage allowance before you go into excess weight). Anyway, drove
down to Cairns, arrived very early for the flight as I do admit it is a
little difficult to carry bike boxes on trolleys thru crowds! We were given
preferential treatment by Air New Zealand. They came and got us out of the
queue and were very kind - Charged us $100 for the 2 bikes. When we arriveed
in Aukland the Custom officer came over to us and opened up an unused
Customs booth for us to go through.They did cut the tape on the boxes,
checked out the bikes and helped us to the next flight!
We had also prearranged with a motel to pick us up in Christchurch in a van
so that the boxes would fit and they sstored the boxes until we left 3 1/2
weeks later! (Cheaper airport motel, cost of $89/night)
We had hired a Campervan - I did ask for a rack on the back but they wanted
me to update for that so we just didnt mention that we had the bikes and
"snuck"them in. Bikes travelled well indoors and went out under a sheet of
plastic and locked up at night. On the few nights we stayed in van parks we
just asked the owners if there was a safe undercover area that we could
leave our bikes out of the weather and most offered us their carport or
shed!
When we got back to Christchurch we spent our last night there, packed up
the steeds, a wonderful cabbie came in a maxitaxi and took us to the
airport. Flew home with Virgin - nice chap there took one look at our boxes,
called us through first class queue and they didnt charge us anything for
the excess!!! Mind you they did change our flights and we had a 8 hour wait
in Sydney which sucked. I have travelled a lot overseas and found the Sydney
Airport Customs to be one of the rudest lot. They also cut into our boxes to
check the bikes but had no tape etc to reseal them. They also made no
allowance for anyone carrying a huge load, we were knocking into barriers,
people and signs just trying to get the boxes thru very tight corners LOL. I
would take the bikes again, we bought a book that had 400 MTB tracks in NZ
and we rode most days unless it was pelting rain!
NZ is a great destination to take and use your bikes.
Kathy
ps Heeler - we are off on a crazy 4 day ride at the end of this month, from
Irvinebank across the divide to Mt Garnet, then doing the Lappa Rail Trail,
and heading back to Irvinebank via Petford. Going to take 4 days, carry our
gear and generally almost die in the January heat! I would really recommend
the Lappa Rail Trail, have done it a few times and it is just a terrific
ride thru some very harsh FNQ country. MTB only - did it the first time on a
Hybrid and must have fallen off a dozen times in the sand! LOL all fun.
Kathy
bristan
"Blue Heeler" <wo...@bark.net> wrote in message
news:4b45...@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Looks a good thing to do.
Would it be feasible to do it in a group with car support for luggage, food
etc?
I have followed the trail on google maps sat view. checking out the size of
towns etc.
...quite interesting.
could you do it with out prebooking accomodation? ie is there plenty
available in non holiday periods.
Claude
"Kathy and Steve" <kathyandst...@bigpond.com.au> wrote in message
news:XoD1n.52$pv...@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
My experience on my one and only visit (to Auckland) is that it's worth
visiting NZ just o experience how courteous and trusting Kiwi's
are......Americans used to say that about Australia once
Patrick Keogh
support, with about a dozen riders. We had a great time.
Fred
"Patrick Keogh" <pat...@keogh.net.au> wrote in message
news:4b499c7a$1...@mail.netspeed.com.au...
As a resident of Dunedin it's a 200km ride by main rd to start of rail
trail, then 230km return trip over the trail and back home. So that makes a
good round trip that I have done a few times. I have never bothered booing
accomodation anywhere, but carry a one man tent - which I have used a few
times. The trail itself is easy riding. It can be done in one day, and there
is such an event each year attracting hundreds of entrants. It's a good
trip. For the more asdventurous a trip from Dunedin, through central Otago'
up West coast, then over Arthur's pass to Ch-ch takes about 10 - 12 days.
Magnificent and has the benefit of very quiet roads.
Peter
> As a resident of Dunedin it's a 200km ride by main rd to start of rail
>
> trail, then 230km return trip over the trail and back home. So that
> makes a
> good round trip that I have done a few times. I have never bothered
> booing
> accomodation anywhere, but carry a one man tent - which I have used a
> few
> times. The trail itself is easy riding. It can be done in one day, and
> there
> is such an event each year attracting hundreds of entrants. It's a
> good
> trip. For the more asdventurous a trip from Dunedin, through central
> Otago'
> up West coast, then over Arthur's pass to Ch-ch takes about 10 - 12
> days.
> Magnificent and has the benefit of very quiet roads.
Damn! More places I have to ride before I die. At this rate I'll live
forever.
Fred
"Peter" <p5...@REMOVE.THIS.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:1438044107286188107.160937p...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Well, when you're in Dunedin you could do the ride over the peninsula. It's
only 40 kms but is rated by the lonely planet guide as the best bike ride in
the world. Then when you've finished that, you can tackle the top half of
NZ's south island. Around the Malborough sounds, through Buller gorge -
which has been rated by travel magazines as the best drive in the world,
then over the Lewis pass to Christchurch.