How wide is the rail corridor through both Islands? Isnt it something like 15mtrs? And as teh gubbermiint owns it, should be the starting point (IMO). It has numerous pitfalls, but essentially covers the distance at an acceptable gradient and is in state hands already.

Why start from scratch? Using the existing rail corridor we could have this 80% done in 24 months (still have issues around tunnels and major cities etc in that 20%). Any community wanting to take advantage could link to that line, giving people the choice to ride the rail line, or past their community. Given the choice, some will straightline, some would detour for some singletrack and a coffee/accomodation etc.

From the trans canada website:
The Trans Canada Trail is a 21,500-kilometre recreational trail winding its way through every province and territory, from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic Oceans. When completed, it will be the world's longest recreational trail, linking close to 1000 communities and over 33 million Canadians. Today almost 70 percent (14,500 kilometres) is developed. Thousands of people are taking to the Trail to walk, hike, cycle, ski, horseback ride, canoe and snowmobile.

Surely we too can recognise the huge tourism drawcard for our clean green image? So what if it costs more than $50mil, long term benefits will far outweigh that. I just want to know if its done yet?

Give the man some encouragement I reckon: http://johnkey.co.nz/index.php?/archives/624-Opening-Remarks-Job-Summit.html.

Sounds like he's keen and needs to feel some backing from your average Kiwi.

aj- wrote:Give the man some encouragement I reckon: http://johnkey.co.nz/index.php?/archives/624-Opening-Remarks-Job-Summit.html.

Sounds like he's keen and needs to feel some backing from your average Kiwi.

I do encourage the idea, but I suggest a dose of realism. 50 million dollars isn't nearly enough to make a GOOD cycle trail the length of the country.

Well $50m will make a start, and maybe they'll decide to up the funding more. But they won't without encouragement. Give it a shot

I think it's a fantastic idea.

michael wrote:I KNOW I KNOW why doesn't the government pay people to paint every power pylon in New Zealand... oh wait Brownlees already suggested that.

FFS, a cycle way the length of NZ, you'd get better suggestions in the stuff.co.nz comments section.

tourists in europe often dedicate their entire trip to cycling on paths through the country, its a far better idea than you think whinging michael.

Gee - this thread was harder than I thought to find, good idea provided it isn't just something lame for the MTBers only - something sealed would be great. I think the biggest problem is finding Roading Engineers to plan it - the idiots we have thusfar have given us total death traps like the Dowse Bridge in Lower Hutt - it would be better if they got 3 monkeys with brushes and paints to design it, they would do a better job (and wouldn't get stuck when they hit Wellington or South of Blenheim).

chuckie34 wrote:From the trans canada website:
The Trans Canada Trail is a 21,500-kilometre recreational trail winding its way through every province and territory, from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic Oceans. When completed, it will be the world's longest recreational trail, linking close to 1000 communities and over 33 million Canadians. Today almost 70 percent (14,500 kilometres) is developed. Thousands of people are taking to the Trail to walk, hike, cycle, ski, horseback ride, canoe and snowmobile.

Surely we too can recognise the huge tourism drawcard for our clean green image? So what if it costs more than $50mil, long term benefits will far outweigh that. I just want to know if its done yet?

I would love to see people trying to canoe down it! maybe it gets a lot of rain in the winter perhaps they could route the NZ one through the craters of the moon then over Huka falls and on to the redwoods, it coyld take in the 42nd traverse then down to Welly via upper hut and the Karapoti. over the nelson trails and down the inner kaikoras probably twisting through Hamner ond on to the port hills and south. they could save a lot of money by utalising the existing trail network

Another thought (bearing in mind I live in Wellington and have family in Dunedin) - it would be cool to get off the ferry at Picton, jump on my roadbike with just a spare tube, food and levers on my back - and see how long it took to get to Dunedin.

First up, I'd have to admit to being pretty sceptical about the whole scheme at first glance, esp given (imo) NZ's abysmal level of cycle infrastucture, attitude towards cycling (ie cars v bikes), and linking this with job creation / get us out of the recession type of bandwagon.
However,
I think its a great idea ! (but I'd view it more as a general tourisim / wellness initiative).
I've done the GDR in Canada/USA and have rued the lack of an equivalent in an even better country.
Sure there's a myriad of issues (eg land access, maintainance as per prev posts), but nothing that couldn't be worked out.
Heck, for me the hardest part would be deciding where it should go. Such that 'one' track wouldn't suffice. I'd want a loop around the SI, and eastern,central & western routes for the NI (middle bit).
It couldn't and wouldn't be 'sweet singletrack' as much as we'd wish it was so would prob be more like the Rimutaka Incline/ORT/Molesworth/Rainbow rides etc that would provide stepping off options for more adventurous stuff. Some on-road options would be fine, hopefully not too nasty tho, and prob utilise backroads a lot. Lots of bits already exist - join them up some more.
Bring it on !

Did anyone read what the worldy wise Garth George wrote in the Herald about this today?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10560013&pnum=0 that is, if you can be bothered

I'd take particular exception to his statement that bicycles are inefficient...

And he seems proud of the fact that he hasn't ever ridden a bicycle since he got his first car...

Yet, unless he has epic trolling skills, even he seems to think that this thing is a good idea...

RJM wrote:Gee - this thread was harder than I thought to find, good idea provided it isn't just something lame for the MTBers only - something sealed would be great. I think the biggest problem is finding Roading Engineers to plan it - the idiots we have thusfar have given us total death traps like the Dowse Bridge in Lower Hutt - it would be better if they got 3 monkeys with brushes and paints to design it, they would do a better job (and wouldn't get stuck when they hit Wellington or South of Blenheim).

What do you need roading engineers for? Many of the best tracks in this country were made by uneducated miners and foresters back in the 1800's. Just get the chain gang convicts who do the building to figure out where to put it. Stoopid engineers would waste $50mil on a feasibility study then conclude the exercise was impossible because there was nothing left in the budget.

Also, buggered if I know how a project like this will stimulate the economy in any useful manner, but it sounds cool and I'd be keen to ride it so I'm all for it.

j2hyde wrote: Stoopid engineers would waste $50mil on a feasibility study then conclude the exercise was impossible because there was nothing left in the budget.

Terribly true......