Rameka Tumeke

T and Phee dropped H and me at the high point (~5km in) on the Canaan Rd and we rode downhill from there, thru the Gathering site and onto Rollercoaster. He was a wreck because of a bad night's sleep in Mot and so hated any climbing. I enjoyed the chuff and grunt tho, through the groovy forest to the Harwood's Hole carpark and then the real climb began which he also hated.  We were overtaken by a young fella we'd seen who's parents had dropped him at Harwood's carpark, he was krankin'.  Then while we had a break at the entrance of the forest a couple of guys we'd passed in the car on the way in got to us.

Into the forest and lovely rooty trail that is the Rameka. Nice and dry (as it gets) with cornflakes all the way.  Was the driest I've ever seen it, but still had wet bits.  Creek crossings were all a bit more rideable than in the past.  Roots weren't slippery, which was good.  Fatty behaved wickedly, and Hugo certainly enjoyed it a lot more once we got to where it started heading down more.  

Speed hit here and we bombed.  A couple of new lines zigs and zags where it used to be the rutted guts.  We took another new easy one in the forest too, which was pretty cool.  Avoided where Wayno got the Dozer moniker.  Also seemed different in the gully before the rocky ledge, which also seemed more rideable with less walk on the worst rocky section.  The view from there.  

From here it was much longer than I remembered, bombing through to the official end of the trail.  Then into the Packtrack, which had more in it that I remembered too.  This was super fun.  And the tomo was further than I remembered too.  Missed the lowest section of the packtrack, taking the connector over the hill.  this has fast swoopy switchbacks and a couple of overhanging thistles were interesting.  One we both ducked for, it was at head height and would have really hurt.  The second got me good, right on the nipple.  Felt like it'd ripped it off.

Into Great Expectations, and we had a blast rolling down this, all the way.  Amazing where the water has sluiced one of the streams, cleared he vege completely.  Lot of fun back and forthing in here, into the conifer, into the regen, into the conifer, then regen the rest of the way.  Nice new bridge over the Rameka Stream and then into the Klicks.  These were fun.  both sections, then we popped out on the road lower down and there was T and Phee.  The went up the road to turn around and we got to do a couple more sectoins lower down, before meeting them again.

A muchly enjoyable 19.5 kms travelled, only 207 m gained, but a total of 950 descended.

Top of the South, Day 2: Canaan Rameka'd

Early departure from camp at Marahau, Saturday 19th, and we convoyed up KaWhaka Hill, with a small issue with Alistair's car, that Pete took over the driving off to test and was actually fine.  At Canaan turn off we pulled up and found Norm, Keith (and i think that other guy who's name i didn't catch).  Then 4 vehicles, driven by Nelson, Pete, Andrew and myself, hooned down the other side into Takaka to meet the shuttle.  Introductions made and bikes loaded, a few locals filling up the seats, and up we headed, and in the Canaan Rd to the saddle and onwards down the hill, over the cattlestop and parked up where the grasslands begin.  The four of us were chasing so we left our hosts and headed onwards, staying on the road right through to Harwoods, i think about 30-45 mins behind the gang.  Met Alistair and Nico here at the carpark - they were just going to do the short loop, and they told us the others were doing half the long loop, back via the 2nd half of the short.  So, off we climbed.

Ground up to the Rameka turn off and onwards, not really remembering this from '09 when we did it on the soaking Golden Bay trip.  Climb got really grindy, for a bit, but all pinches were cleaned before the descent (which had held onto Steve's front wheel earlier), which at times was interesting to say the least.  Just prior to a wee creek crossing I heard a clicky clicky from my drive train and didnt think too much of it, but as i put the power on out of the creek >SNAP<...   bah.  Chain tool jobby couldnt fix it so Pete donated a quicklink which got me going again, albeit, from here on out not giving my chain quite so much torque.  About 5 minutes later Nelson flatted so we stopped for that too.  Then the chase was on, as we hit the saddle we could see some of our group ahead.  Reeled them in, on some fun trails, one or two sections across this face were the best bits there was, neat wee gnarl swooping through forest, into a few wee creek crossings, so well made.  One or two of the climbs out of some of the creeks along here i missed, but cleaned all the creeks themselves.  Just before the detour to the log drop jump I reeled in Keith, and immediately before the 'rock-gap' we caught the others lounging, waiting.

From here, tight trail up to the rock gap which most of our handlebars failed to negotiate, and then a sweet chute down to a sheep/cattle-stop then it was out across open lands, weaving in and out of the boneyards of past forest, and across a long slope the raised trail where they've lain logs together and filled the gaps with trail material.  a couple of places the trail material has eroded out, making you ride on the log itself.  Along here Steve had an off.  Nelson and me caught Marie not long after this and we all hung a right, down to a gate, then down to the first crossing of Gold Creek.  Along a whiles and another crossing and then the nice climb on chipped marble/quartz gravel, now stained brown where forest tannin water runs over it, up through a goblin forest, a fun descent then out into the open again for more swoopy descending across and into another forest section with a small climb then blast out and back to the car park.  Found Alistair and Nico here again, and the others all rolled in in dribs and drabs and we all settled for some snackage with the robins.

Clambered off up to Rameka turn off again, another quick regroup, camera transferred from Warren's to Nelson's bike, and I led off with Nelson tight on my tail.  Pushing hard, this trail section is actually quite hard work.  There's not a lot of downwardsness to it, it sticking with the 800m contour for the first couple of kms, then only losing the next 100m over the next couple, so you're really pumping it to keep any interesting speed on.  Conditions were awesome, very little moisture about.  Some of the creek crossings have tricky exits, making for dabbage and occasional dismounting.  Wended our way through the forest, pushing, ever pushing.  Finally, you turn that right hander down to the left hander hairpin and the real descending begins, crossing the 700 contour you're propelled into a techy rocky fun time.  I actually just about dropped Nelson through here, then you're through the Dozer zone, peeling left into the really tight twisty section, across to the otherside of the Dozer trail and back out for the final clay rutsville corner before heading out in the open gorse country and blazing through some erosion features and finally down to an intersection of trails.  We waited here for a while, and then a bit longer, then the others turned up (apparently having regrouped just up the trail a smidge...)

Next section is a blast hurtling down into a gully then climbing that rocky ledge, of which i dabbed the smallest bit i've ever dabbed through here, then rocky rocky and back into a wee bit of bush descent down to top of Pack Track.  Another regroup and speed set in.  This is possibly the best of all trails, near the top of my list.  The speed, the flow, the ease of which it comes at you.  Some insane piles of rocks getting thrown at your frame by your tires, the Tomo - we paused and dropped a rock down it... - then a couple of big bermy wall ridey things and then across the road and whoooah, my rear tire is feeling all washy, gotta take it easy, slowing up those on my tail through the jumpy swoopy bermy end before the road.  Another regroup and tube replaced.

Into Great Expectations and the grin-factor is just dripping.  Flying down here, careful on the off camber outside edge corners but railing the right handers.  Into the forest across and around and oh my that IS a long way down (still to descend!) and back into the forest and back and forth and in and out of the edge of the forest and then out into the regenerating bush and absolutely flying.  Super careful not to lose front wheels off bridges and scrubbing off speed for some of the corners.  Somewhere up here Pete got onto my tail and i was having trouble shaking him, and finally, down to the creek crossing and sploosh through, dropped my back wheel into a hole and stopped...  clamber clamber out and Nelson comes barrelling through cleaning it.  Then Pete, small dab, but mostly cleaning it.  I think everyone else walked it.

2 Klicks next.  The fun continued.  I led Nelson through the Do section, Pete and Alistair took the Die.  I think i like the Do, you stay higher and there's cool features near the end, whereas the Die (i rode a couple years back) you drop straight in then you're grovelling along he bottom.  Then into the river bed section, pinging across the tops of the rocks and out up to the road.  Regroup.  Blast.  into 1 Klick.  Again, lots of fun. cool jumps, not game for the first even tho it had a ramp on the back side of it - next time.  Awesome tight blast down through here, more riverbeddy type stuff, and then eventually a couple of interludes on the road and back into singletrack and finally out and down gravel, seal, mainroad, back to Takaka.

Drove to Nelson.

Total drive train replacement for me in this afternoon.  Chain, cluster, front (36t) ring.  One of the chainring bolts was made of cheese, so i had to use a ziptie to hold the retainer in place.  

The Golden Bay Trip... PFMTBC Inc, annual pilgrimage

Well. Weather-wise, this was the worst of our trips yet. Couldn’t have picked a worse weekend to ride in Golden bay. but cant do much about it.

Started off with torrential rain as Nelson and me drove into blenheim around 11.30-midnight Thursday in the Bongo. Rain didn’t let up all night, and we woke up to it too. Figured, lets go look at Rarangi and see (grabbing some Renaissance beers on the way). It ‘appeared’ to be lightening-up out at sea, so we headed off up the track anyway. An hour later, we’re drenched, pushing our bikes up through the clouds and the bush was saturating us further drip drip dripping down. I'd conveniently forgotten how much uphill there was on this ride. However, the sketchy-as downhill made up for it all - steep slick(ish) rooty rocky technical (made doubly so by the wet) trail down down down through the bush. FANTASTIC. That is what mtnbiking is all about. Pushing your limits, challenging your skills.

Changed into dry clothes and hit the road. Drove over and through towards Marahau to meet up with the boys. Ending up connecting with them in Kaiteriteri to ride the new trails there. Taking in halfpipe up, sidewinder, swampmonster, gladerunner, then up Shady lady (losing tony, steve and wayne somehow), to gladerunner and back through swampmonster and sidewinder, chainsuck starting to bite us all, then round Salivater back down. That was fun. Hosed down bikes at boatwash, and headed through to Marahau beach camp to our cabins. Weather held off a bit over beers and bbq.

Next morning, drove over the hill into rain rain rain. Decided we wouldn’t ride anywhere that day (tho, had we known what was instore for us, we *should* have done Canaan Downs then...). Checked into the Nook, and then drove through torrential rain (the westcoast kind where you nearly have to pull over cos the wipers cant keep up (tho, the Bongo wipers can handle anything!)) to the Mussel Inn for some beers and kai, then back to the Nook for dinner and lots more beer, and maybe some bourbons.

Sunday, joined by Norm from Nelson (who'd ridden with us in Nelson a few years ago), we drove up to Wharariki / Puponga (Farewellspit). Lovely day up there, barely a breath of wind, best I’ve ever seen it at Wharariki. Parked at Pillar Pt Lighthouse track start, sort of the top of the road. cruised down road to farm track along behind the beach, popped out to rock bridge and then GreenHill beach, and back up road and up track up to the Pillar Point Lighthouse and along the ridge a bit, chatting up some horses on the way. Then bombed it back down, track like a river bed - fast flowing, steep, rocky as hell, babyhead rocks abounding, and fun fun fun.

Drove down to Collingwood, had lunch as the rain started, then up to the Devils Boots, from whence we rode into the Aorere goldfields. Rode up grindy slurpy steep and rutty singletrack to Druggans Dam, a bit further, then 3 of us (Nelson Pete and me) back down the way we'd come up, while the rest 'piked' choosing to ride out via the 4wd track instead (this proved, by all accounts, to be everybit as challenging and enjoyable as our way (and longer too)).

Norm stayed over night, it rained all night, and Monday morning was still wet, so taking it easy getting started, we all took our 3 vehicles (leaving his behind) up Takaka hill, and half way out the Canaan Downs Rd where it was clearing a bit. Parked at the saddle. Rode down to Harwoods Hole carpark, and then out the Rameka track. Jungle riding at its best in these conditions... Very mucky, but VERY fun. I had a nasty crash, misnegotiating a rock entry to a streamcrossing, over the bars, into the creekbed, landing on a rock with my chest. Pounded the wind out of me, hurt like hell for a bit. But kept riding. Rex went over the bars at various times too, and Pete got stung good by a Lawyer of the bush variety on the cheek. Fun descent in the lower sections, the one bit i thought would be the worst. then a wicked struggle up the marbley cliff-ledge final climb. finally a fun bomb down the gravel access road to the Rameka Project that has extended markedly since i rode it back in March, and was a joy to behold. sidling singletrack through pine forest and hacked, nay, carved lovingly, through gorse and scrub. eminently turnable switchbacks throughout and even a kea screeching overhead in the pines. followed by a bomb down to the ford, and onwards down the rameka road. Once we finally got out to the road, rode back down towards the Nook, via a small detour into The Grove. sweet smooth walkingsingletrack up to a look out and back through spectacular limestone formations with rata trees and jungle bush. Three drivers and Norm went up to get the vehicles, with Norm continuing on home. (they were gone nearly an hour and a half, bloody long drive). Big celebratory night that night with three of us staying up til waaaay past our bedtimes.

Tuesday, still wet, so figured we’d head back up hill and do Canaan Downs trails. So, UP the hill once again, out to the saddle, and rode down the road again, and then into the start of the Rameka, only instead of turning left to go down, we continued up to Wainui Saddle. From here, locals (and DOC (see Mtbiking on this page) ) have made a trail that meanders across almost all of the Canaan Downs farm. Its really great. Awesome terrain, scenery, landscape. Lambs everywhere. Weather came and went, sometimes we could see the whole valley, other times we could only see about 10 feet. And one stage it hosed down for a good half hour. Luckily, biking keeps you warm. Plodded back up to the vehicles with sunshine trying to get through, and hail piled up around the sides of the road!!!!! Nelson rode down the road and I drove the rally-Bongo. I picked him up at the main road, then as we headed into the rain at the top, dropped him off again, and followed him all the way down the main hill retrieving him in Upper Takaka. Out to dinner at the Penguin in Pohara (just round the corner), then we all had like one drink each and crashed very early.

Awesome trail surfaces ridden, all drain well, none seemed particularly bothered by having 9 or 10 sets of tires over them at all. good times had by all. no major injuries nor major bike mechanicals. lots of chainsuck tho. and all our brake pads will have worn heaps more than usual.

Bring on next year. as well as trips to Hanmer, Kirwans, Croesus, Marlborough in between... not to mention Craigieburn and Wharfdale...