Toyota do a pretty good 13 seater 4wd Hiace. Hit up you local rental companies and see whos got them.
Im with punter on the pushing. It would be F-ing frustrating pushing even that wee bit all day when your trying to conserve every bit of energy for the down trip.

ive used utes for terrawhiti in the past but they have removed tow bars off their wagons. Its actually quite hard to find hire vehicles with tow bars these days.

Which got me wondering at terawhiti there is a 8-10 min cross country ride with two uphills to push up from transport to the start. its always been like this and we never really got any complaints.

So im thinking part of the problem with this change could have something to do with the fact that something so so sweet has suddenly turned sower.

I also still agree, i wouldnt be that happy about pushing either but the sortage of downhill events in wellington might just make worth the effort.
So what we are suggesting might be alright for local race but not really done on a high profile event.

Also something else no one has really touched on is that being a nationals event its really the best of the best giving their all and when doing a series. you dont really have the option to miss a round because something about it sucks.

Im guessing it will come down to how desperate MTBNZ get to find a venue.

Has there been anymore about the protection equipment rules? I herd that was just a draft, the one that was in the welly newsletter.

I know a guy who was heavily invloved with one of the Welly 4WD clubs. If you need contacts there let me know and I'll chase him up. I imagine they'd be able to sort out a few 4WDs for shuttling for the weekend (with drivers)?

Conners wrote: I know a guy who was heavily invloved with one of the Welly 4WD clubs. If you need contacts there let me know and I'll chase him up. I imagine they'd be able to sort out a few 4WDs for shuttling for the weekend (with drivers)?

Yea that would be cool , its definatly an avenue we could chase up.
would still need to discuss it with the landowner as some of his suggestions is to limit the frequency of heavy traffic.

TFIM6 wrote: Has there been anymore about the protection equipment rules? I herd that was just a draft, the one that was in the welly newsletter.

Na ive not had a relpy from MTBNZ as to whats going on.
Dont worry post ill it up as soon as i get something.

Mike_the_Hippy wrote: ive used utes for terrawhiti in the past but they have removed tow bars off their wagons. Its actually quite hard to find hire vehicles with tow bars these days.

Which got me wondering at terawhiti there is a 8-10 min cross country ride with two uphills to push up from transport to the start. its always been like this and we never really got any complaints.

So im thinking part of the problem with this change could have something to do with the fact that something so so sweet has suddenly turned sower.

I also still agree, i wouldnt be that happy about pushing either but the sortage of downhill events in wellington might just make worth the effort.
So what we are suggesting might be alright for local race but not really done on a high profile event.

Also something else no one has really touched on is that being a nationals event its really the best of the best giving their all and when doing a series. you dont really have the option to miss a round because something about it sucks.

Im guessing it will come down to how desperate MTBNZ get to find a venue.

But there is a world of difference between a local race and a nationals race. As Banga said, the price being the major one.

Mike_the_Hippy wrote:

Conners wrote: I know a guy who was heavily invloved with one of the Welly 4WD clubs. If you need contacts there let me know and I'll chase him up. I imagine they'd be able to sort out a few 4WDs for shuttling for the weekend (with drivers)?

Yea that would be cool , its definatly an avenue we could chase up.
would still need to discuss it with the landowner as some of his suggestions is to limit the frequency of heavy traffic.

I think thats a good idea, if you said you would get some guys to help out at one of there events they would be much more keen to do it. Some of those guys will have big rigs and trailers to tow there mud pluggers around.

Just my 2c.

OK, just got a reply from my mate:
Jump onto http://www.ccvc.org.nz/ and flick them an email - said it would be highly likely if costs were covered etc.

There is also an 4WD version of Vorb:
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/
He thought posting the question on there may also lead somewhere. Mentioned that his kin my be interested in trading fuel costs etc with access to Long Gully - just a thought he was throwing out there.

Sorry I don't have time to do any chasing on this one for you - please let me know if you don't have any joy with the email and I will extract a phone number from him for you.

Ben

cheers for the support.

I'll memntion it to Vince as he is sorting the transport out.

Oh - and I will be able to make it to the meeting tomorrow. Should I drive or ride down (basically are we going to sit outside and look after our bikes)?

I'll come along to the meeting tonight

I think a push to that corner definitely changes the dynamics of the race, and gives advantages to those who can push/ride up there the fastest. Although that might sound good to mix it up a bit, and that fit riders should be able to get ahead anyway, DH is NOT about pushing up hills, it's about who's fastest down the track. Also, it takes a bit of time as well as effort to get back to that corner, which means less practice runs. So out-of-towners who aren't very fit are going to hate it the most.

I like the LG track, and would really love the race there to go ahead, but it is definitely frustrating that it jus seems to be getting harder and harder to shuttle there.

I know its probably way too short for a nat race but if bike nz are getting desperate, how far away is maidstone from being race ready?

Maidstone is something i was going to drop at the meeting, ive discussed it with jordan and feeling we get is that it will be a short as a race, not really very technical enough.

The course it self really needs a total overhaul too .
The work done up till now on the track has just gotten it up to a basic ridable line.
Its still pretty dodgy from a MTBNZ safty standards point of view.

The up side to it is that it has the best facilities anywhere and we wont have to find thousands of dollars for parking.


Oh and im bringin a lock and an od pair of fox gloves
Street ride after the meeting too