Heaphy Track News

To all you Heaphy track riders out there.

The track is very wet and getting cut up.

The grit is wrecking brake pads and gears.

Kea at MacKay Hut are chewing seats, handle bar grips and brake lines. You are not allowed to take bikes in the huts, but you can take seats inside.

Have had a number of reports about Kea damage at MacKay hut.

We have a few months of riding the Heaphy left.

Maybe postpone your ride until it gets drier.

BIG Working Bee 28th May

Jonathan Kennett is heading to the Bay in a couple of weeks and would like to organise a work party to give Great Expectations a boost so that it can connect with 2 Click by this summer. This will be a defining moment as it will culminate in the first long section of singletrack that avoids the road.
 

Please meet at the old Mill Site clearing at 10am on Sat morning 28 May. Tools and chocolate will be supplied, and there will be a whole range of jobs from pruning vegetation, to digging the track, and building a ford crossing. We will have a BBQ at the Mill Site and then do another two hours in the afternoon (if you can stay on). Jonathan Kennett will be leading this work party in partnership with Ricky Ward

Heaphy Opening May 1st

Bruce, Mark and Mel set off from Brown's at 6.35am - first out of the carpark!
What a stellar day. Warm, dry and clear with the trail in perfect condition.
A good honest climb, some rough descents, some beautiful pieces of flowing trail, great views, lots of sandflies, and some irksome river crossings.
A hard days work for sure - not to be underestimated!

Warning!

Attempting to leave Kohaihai in Jason and Emma's car.
Thanks Jason and Emma.

Mark, Bruce and Mel.

Lost and Found

Please contact Mark Allinson.
Sorry guys, this is the last resort. Last seen in Takaka, a 29er front wheel.
Have just embarked on an Epic journey in search of my elusive wheel.
Cheers Brucey T!

Reece Potter Fundraising Initiative

We are in the process of arranging a fundraising initiative to contribute funds in support of Reece Potter who will represent New Zealand at the UCI 2011 World Mountainbike Championships this August in Switzerland.

In association with ‘The Quiet Revolution’ bike shop in Takaka the initiative has started with a raffle, with a main prize of a GT Aggressor 1.0  24 speed Mountainbike with a retail value of $650, donated by The Quiet Revolution and W.H. Worrall Ltd.

Tickets are on sale now from the shop at $5 each.  You may spot Reece around town, selling tickets himself.

Tickets are on sale until 18^th May with the draw taking place on 20^th May.

We will be following up the raffle with a sponsored 6 hour event in early June.......watch this space.

Letter from Joe in Chile

Hi Pete, thought the mtn bike club might be keen to hear how things are going over here in Chili. I'm not sure how to post stuff on the blog but if you think this is worth putting on please do so for me! Not too savy on the computer but hopefully I"ve managed to attach a few photo's, cheers Joe.

Been here at Lago Paloma for almost a couple of weeks now and having a great time. I knew it was going to be a mission to get everything together before heading off for the year. On top of this trip I needed to get my motorbike sorted for adventures later in the year before leaving so departure was a little more rushed than I would have liked. Motorbike parts seemed to get lost in the mail, some were discovered to be faulty and then at last minute I get an email from travel agent saying departing  2 days early! Eventually the motorbike was disassembled and crated for shipping late on the night before leaving and I managed to get on the plane without forgetting my insulin and looking forward to some mtn biking.

At Auckland airport met up with the other trail crew members and it was off to the Chilian capital of Santiago followed by a 3 hour flight south plus 1 hr driving and then 30 min boat trip over to our lodge which has no road access. The property is quite spectacular with steep mountain sides dropping down to the lake, and bordering ridges containing steep rock spires and hanging glaciers, pretty cool. Parts of it were once farmed and has an appearance similar to Canaan - just steeper. Our accommodation is good and we have Chilean house maids who do all the cooking etc so the boys have it real cushy. Have had a few interesting conversations with out having a clue so need to get the Spanish up to scratch. I'm the oldest in the crew by a fair bit so there is a lot of fooling around and never a dull moment.

The trails are some of the best I ever ridden, mainly big fast flowing down hills with lots of berms and jumps. We have about a hour and a half up hill ride to get to our current work site and then a great down hill ride at the end of each day. So it's been real enjoyable so far, but it's bloody tiring and the Patagonian weather is often harsh with consistent wind and cold temps. It's just dumped a good load of snow on the tops and it won't be long before we're working in it which will put an end to the good riding and slow down the work, just hope it holds off.  

Hope all is well back in the Bay, enjoy the Heaphy cheers Joe.    

Milk & Honey photos

Photos from last Sunday. Free downloads. See Bike Club photos link on right hand side. enjoy. Rob

Reece Potter in NZ squad

Follow the link to see Reece Potter has made the NZ squad for the UCI2011 World Mountainbike Champs in Switzerland, 31st Aug - 4th Sept. He is one of 9 riders to make the squad from the Nelson region.
Reece will be riding in the U19's Downhill section. Way to go Reece, and a big GOOD LUCK from all at the Mountainbike Club.

http://www.cyclingnz.com/cnz5_news.php?n=3872

Tom Filmer who won our "Milk and Honey" race yesterday, also made it into the Cross Country section of the U19's, so well done Tom and the rest. Go the Top of The South!