The Timber Trail part 2 - November 2023

Maramataha Bridge - the longest on the trail

It rained overnight.  The rain falling on the canvas was a lovely aural sensation and before I knew it was I asleep.  Like many men my age being able to sleep through the night without going to the loo is a distant memory.  So it was a bit of hike to the ablution block.  En-suites are so much better.  The bed was very comfortable and I slept pretty well despite aching shoulders and a very sore bum from the chafing. 

Breakfast time

The dawn chorus was lovely with tui and bellbird at least making themselves heard.  Then it was up for breakfast, pack the bags and before we knew it we were on our way.  It was a gentle mounting of the bike to test the pain threshold.  Yes, I could do it.  The road was relatively smooth and the first part of the track was similar.  Then we started to climb slowly through the bush.  It was beautiful and sweet smelling from the overnight rain.  Of course there were pot holes, mud to squelch through, rocks to dodge.  However wending our way through that part was beautiful.  

We then reached the longest swing bridge at around 141 metres in length.  Photos were taken.  Then we crossed the bridge.  Immediately we were on a long climb.  I had the e-bike in "tour" and it was enough to help me keep up with our best climber, to work hard enough that I got a sweat up but not overstressing my heart.  The track was rutted in places and a little slippery where it was down to clay.  I don’t know for how many kilometres we climbed but it was at least two but probably more.  Finally we were at the top and all we had to do was wait for the others.  They came in dribs and drabs.  Rob said he had to stop a couple of times and another rider also had to stop.  The Mountain Man wasn’t going to do that and so he gamely did it without stopping.  The track then descended for a while which was very nice and at times we were motoring along only to have to slow down to avoid toppling off going through one of the many puddles or bits of bog.  The rain had really cut up the track and I suspect when it dries out some serious maintenance is going to have to be done on it. 

Phew! Arriving at the top

 

We had a rest stop for a drink  at Mystery Creek and then we continued on along an old tramway for about ten kilometres until we stopped for lunch.  It was a gentle climb and I used the power for much of it.  It meant I still had to work but I always felt more in control of it than with lots of power and not needing to work.  Of course I wouldn’t have got muchexercise if I hadn’t done that. 

Camp 10 and a jigger turntable

After another couple of kilometres it was all down hill.  Of course, it came with usual caveats, ruts, mud and then at about kilometre 70 we hit the remnants of a slip and there was a boggy, muddy area for which the only way to get over it was to ride as fast as you could or else you would stop and end up ankle deep in the mud.  There were some young ones at the end of the section who clapped us through.  I think they must have been waiting to see someone spill off or just enjoy the look of determination on the riders faces as they went through the area.  As we continued on (for about a kilometre) more maintenance work was being done leaving the surface quite slippery.  I was very glad of the big knobbly tyres as they really made going through it less perilous. 

Ongarue spiral -

The next point of interest was the Ongarue Spiral which was one of 81 such spirals in the world and the only one you can ride a bike around.  It was quite neat except there was a tunnel and of course I only had the phone to light it up.  However, it was short and while I walked through some of I was able to get on the bike before the end and get down to one of the view points. 

The next couple of kilometres were great as they trail was dry with light grit on it and we hurtled down it until we came to a stop sign to cross a road.  From then on it was about three kilometres or so to Ongarue and the trail head.  I then had about four kilometres to ride on the road to the depot.  It was a relatively quiet road and what difference riding on tarmac made.  I reckon about three kilometres on the road were equivalent to one on the trail.  The bikes were pretty muddy by the time we got there.

We changed and then it was into the truck and onto Auckland.  We had a good run there arriving at around 8pm.  We unloaded it before heading down the road to get some Thai food.  I was into bed soon after and as soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep.  

A selection of shots from the day

 

The Timber Trail part 1 - November 2023

A group of seniors ready to go

We were up at a bit after 6am and after shower, repacking and getting into our gear we had breakfast.  For the most part we were out of the motel by 7:30am but did not get away until a little after 8am.  We dropped Rob’s truck at Ongarue and got a lift from his brother to Pureora.  I’ve never been that way before and the landscape is quite beautiful.  Rugged land for farming and lots of pockets of bush.  An hour later we were at the drop-off point. 

When dropping off Rob's truck at the bike hire depot I had talked with the organiser to ensure that my bike was being transported to the head of the track.  Yes, it had already been transported there with the other bikes I was assured.  We arrived at the beginning of the trail just after a couple of the shuttles with all the bikes on the trailer.  Mine was nowhere to be seen. There was another chap who was also looking for a bike.  Then as I was thinking I would be waiting a while for my bike to my relief  another shuttle turned up and my bike was on that one . 

It was a big mountain e-bike.  It was quite different to ride to my bikes at home and it took me a little while to adapt to the weight, maneuverability and the electric assist.  

The track took us up and around Mt Pureora through a remnant of the original forest that had not been felled for timber.  I remember protests in the 1970s with people sitting in old trees to prevent them being felled which resulted in the ceasing of any further felling of the virgin forest.  Apparently many of the floors of NZ houses that were built in the early part of 20^th century were constructed from trees that were destroyed for building materials. 

Initially the track wound its way through the forest climbing gently all the way.  It was gorgeous, the only sounds being that of the birds in the forest and the occasional voice or the whine of the electric motor powering my bike.  I fell in love with the e-bike as it made the climb that much easier.  Then at about the 7 kilometre mark the track began to rise and the gradient increased quite considerably.  Finally we reached the high point of the track from where it descended.  It was a fast descent and one had to concentrate as in places there were muddy bits, potholes of indeterminate depth, sharp corners and other obstacles.  It was quite hard on the shoulders as the track was quite bumpy so at speed the bumps were going through the shoulders. 

Our group

I realised after a while how unfit I had become, at least on a bike. 

We stopped for lunch at a very busy shelter where others were also stopping for a bite to eat and a rest.  There both cyclists and trampers as the track is part of both the country long Tour Aotearoa cycling route and the Te Araroa Track, both about 3000 kilometres long. 

An old tractor and skid with totara posts

The track continued its downward way, until we came to an amazing swing bridge over a wide chasm.  The engineering of it was great. There was stream below; I could hear it but it was obscured by the bush.  There was a woman who arrived who said to her partner she did not think she could do it.  Later I spoke to one of her party whose view was that she was making far too big an issue of it. 

The first of the swing bridges

A kilometre or so further on we came to another long swing bridge.  Rob made the comment that he wondered why there was always a steep climb out of them, and I said it was all about the width of the valley/chasm that was being bridged and that they were trying to balance distance bridged with convenience to the rider. . 

When we were high  up on the mountain  there were places where the moss seemed to be completely was covering the rather large trees.  It was beautiful. 

Trees covered in moss

Our overnight stay was in a place call Piropiro where we at stayed Camp Epic, a glamping place.  By the time I got to about kilometre 40  I was somewhat tired and sore.  The bike had a so called comfort seat.  It was not so for me. My bum was really sore with chaffing caused by the seat.  We had travelled along an old timber tramway for  the latter part of the ride. Some our group turned off to the posh place and we wondered we had to go.  Finally we arrived at Camp Epic ready for a shower and a beer. 

Our accommodation

The camp was great.  We had a comfortable bed to sleep in.  There is a place to cook and and converse.  .  No traffic, just the sound of the birtds and the odd loud human.

Most of the people on the track seem to be visitors to the country.  Many seem to be doing the Te Araroa walk and are from Germany and England.  

The high point of the track

Lunch stop

Riding the swing bridge

Planning a new cycle adventure

In May 2023 my friend Rob enquired as to whether I would interested in doing the the Timber Trail in November with a group of his friends and family. It is a two day cycle ride from Pureora to Ongarue in the central North Island and a ride I had been contemplating for sometime but had never got around to doing it.  I said yes and paid for accommodation at a glamping place called Camp Epic which is at the halfway point of the ride.

A few years ago the trail had been recommended by another friend of mine who said that I would probably need a mountain bike to do it.  I was not sure at the time but filed it away in my mind.  

Planning for a November ride meant that I did not really think about until I returned from our trip to Canada. 

Initially I had thought I would do the ride on a hired mountain bike but having acquired a arrhythmic heart it seemed that I would be unlikely to climb the hills in the ride.  So I began inquiring  about e-bikes.  They are so expensive to hire but needs must and I found a company that had bikes at reasonably short notice.  

Rob and I drove up the night before the ride in his truck.  He was doing the ride on bike with the assistance of electricity.  I have to say I was a little envious as I would have liked to be able to do that as well.  

The weather forecasts were a bit bleak with rain and hail predicted for at least one of the days. 

One can do the ride in either direction but most do it in the northeast to southwest direction as there is a little less climbing in that direction.  That was the direction we decided upon.  

We stayed in a sixties built motel that was clean and comfortable.  I am sure that with the opening of the trail the businesses must have got a boost from those doing the trail.