Click here for more details A GREAT Ride (Gravel Road, Experiance Adventure Tour)

RIC: Aaron Larking 

February 18th, Meeting at Caltex Wellsford at 9:00am with stands up at 9:30am. An all day event, 6 hrs+, 240KM

This ride  is a good opportunity to experience the other side of riding that leads you to many more possible destinations that you never knew existed or thought of going to.

Intended as a gravel road introduction with 2 longer and more challenging rides planned for the coming months. Trilogy of Gravel Rides

Ride No1. "The Fellowship of the Thing"

Approximately 240Km of mainly Gravel Roads around the Auckland/Northland Boundary Region. There are fuel opportunities at the 130km mark and 180km mark, so all fuel tank sizes should be fine without carrying extra fuel on this one. The Lunch stop is a pie shop that sells coffee. But if you prefer pack a lunch and snacks. Bring Water, it can get hot and dusty.  

Route

The ride takes us first through Hoteo North, Wharehine, Burma Rd and Tapora to Birds Beach for a regroup. There is a Toilet (but untested)

Then a loop past Tapora Golf Club and Wharehine Hall to Te Hana. Crossing SH1 and heading for the Auckland Boundary. Just missing the metropolis of Hakaru  and stopping for the lunch stop in Kaiwaka. Fuel is available at Caltex and Gull. There are toilets opposite the 4Square.

After lunch and a head count, we head North via Mountain Rd to Maungaturoto to Batley for a regroup. It's a single road in. There is a toilet but it's not advisable.

Then North again with a section of sealed road before Paparoa where there is Fuel and toilets.

From Paparoa its up into the hills travelling parallel to SH12 to Piroa Falls. A regroup here and a chance to see the falls (if there is not a drought)

From the falls we take the seal again over the Brynerwyns to Kaiwaka via Baldrock Rd and Gibbons Rd. Finishing up at Three Furlongs Bar & Grill for those that are thirsty or have a chat.

This ride is not recommended for road tyres. Adventure bias tires are best either something 80/20 or 70/30 will handle the ride fine. Some roads currently have a spread of fresh deep gravel and others have pea metal on hard packed services (often on off chamber corners). Lesser maintained roads are corrugated and there are patches where the clay has bleed through. I personally currently ride with 50/50 tyres.