Pack a chainsaw next time....

[Motu]

Last weekend we were hit with some pretty rough weather - an old cyclone joined up with a couple of other depressions and covered the whole country.It dissipated the tropical cyclone and spread it's influence over a wider area,lots of flooding,slips and powercuts....nothing on the Australian scale of course,but it was a wild couple of days.

On friday night the top of the North Island got clipped by Cyclone Wilma,and for them it was even worse than last week.Last week I got a leak in our toilet roof....this week the rain wasn't as heavy,so my repair held up.

So,Sunday's looking good,I'll go for a ride.I will do the Kaiaua Loop,a popular ride with the trendy set.I've been doing it for 40 years,when all the roads in the area were gravel....now riders who wouldn't dream of setting a wheel in such conditions suit up in brand new gear on flash bikes and do the Kaiaua Loop.Destination is the Fish 'N Chip shop at Kaiaua,voted best fish 'n chips in the country for many years.

These days I get to it from the south,instead of Auckland where I used to live.I go over a very rough and narrow gravel road sometimes...this is the sign both ends of the road.



Going up the road I come across a slip,but there is a small bit left for me to go around - but going down the other side I come across this slip.The slip is on both sides of the road,on the right it is cut away and drops vertically down into a deep gully.



I'm struggling with the tree but it won't move,it's roots are trapped under the slip...and I'll never get the bike over it...I wouldn't even get my trials bike over it.I've only been off the bike for 5 minutes when a couple of guys turn up in a 4x4 pickup,and they have a chainsaw.They make short work of the trees,and we carry on in opposite directions.Once the local council find out about this the road will be closed...but it's pretty remote,and no one is trapped in there.



The rest of the ride is uneventful - but there are slips all around the coast road,some paddocks are still under water,and I can see how high the streams have been.There are more than a dozen bikes at the chip shop,but I don't know anyone...I usually don't.A 240km round trip,a nice days ride.

[montmil]

Wud ya lookit dat... Motu's adventure bike R65 in its natural element. Is the flyscreen a recent addition? I don't recall seeing it in previous snaps.

Sounds like a really good day ride for you. And how were the chips?

Monte

[Motu]

I've had the flyscreen on since I did the streettracker thing,it's ok without it,just a struggle in headwinds.The front guard is the new addition.And the panniers - I thought I might only put them on for special occasions,but it looks like I'll only be taking them off for special occasions.They are just so damn handy - what do I need to take today? It doesn't matter,just chuck it in anyway.

The chips were great,that's why they win awards.That coast is a great fishing area,and I expect some of the local catch ends up there.I didn't go there for a meal,just a parcel of chips wrapped in newspaper to eat on a BBQ table looking at bikes on a sunny day.

[nhmaf]

Well, a chainsaw may be a bit much, but if I were riding in those sorts of places that you do, I think I would consider putting a hatchet or what we call a bow saw (used when camping) into a pannier before going out "adventuring"!!

I like the "wild" outdoors too!

[Motu]

I don't normally find this sort of stuff on rides,and it was extreme weather.

Here is a slip I found on a ride on my DT230 - the road had been closed for about a year (that was 2006,and it's still closed) but I had always been able to get around,but the whole bank had now gone.



I went onto a farm,across 2 streams and back onto the road by an old abandoned farmhouse.In this photo you can see the slip up on the road centre picture.My bypass became part of adventure rides in the area.

[Lucky_Lou]

Nice little adventure i believe Motobins do a chain saw attachment........ [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Lou

[Semper Gumby]

If you have an old Honda you can get a Chinese Chainsaw motor for it brand new Cheap!

I heard on the news yesterday (Sunday) that there were two other storms headin' your way.  So be careful.  

[Motu]

That's for Aussie - we have a front going over the South Island with high winds...it will be breezy but warm up here.Hoping for good weather at the classic racing weekend at Pukekohe.

[Semper Gumby]

Motu,

I love that you are running around an R65 on two Dunlop 4 inch K70's.  That is cool!  

[Motu]

They are a lot better tyre than people realise,the compound is soft and they stick very well to the road....but wear out fast.I have another set of wheels with more modern tyres for long road rides.

I wanted K180's but they were out of stock - now 120/90x18 K180 tyres are back in stock and cheaper than the k70.I'll be getting a set very soon.

[diggers]

Where are those 2nd lot of pics Motu?

[Motu]

Kawhia Rd,on the Bridal Veil Falls side - it was still closed at Xmas,it's only a few hundred metres up from the crossroads at the southern end,but couldn't be bothered going to have a look.

[Motu]

Just went up Kawhia Rd today,the slip has been fixed in a minor way,but the road is still classed as blocked...and there are gates either side of the slip.but I went across anyway.The road has turned into just a track now,and in some parts you would need a 4x4 in winter,but got though today no worries.

The puddle is not very deep,but would probably stop a car.