The reason to get excited is that it is a trial in a National Park that will make it easier to have the Heaphy discussion later if it goes well. I'll bet there has been a huge amount of work in the background to get to this point from Guy and the team and it is no secret that one of their stated goals is access to the Heaphy for Mountain Biking.

It's really cool that there are people like Guy around willing to put so much of their own time into the sport

Just one more great reason to head for the coast just need to take an extra day to play on the way there
BIG UPS TO EVERYONE THATS BEEN INVOLVED IN MAKING IT HAPPEN cheers heaps from me

All I have to say is AWESOME

One small step for DOC, one huge pedal stroke in the right direction as far as mtbing in the NPs goes!

Make the most of it guys and be sensible as far as the rules go. I doubt I'll get a chance in the next 3 years so I hope its still open when I get home!

benw wrote:

But on a more serious note....there are river crossings so are DoC making specific recommendations about cleaning of tyres before and after trips to the areas? (to help stop the Didymo spread...)

Hopefully by now bikers should be aware of the issue, but it would certainly be proactive for DOC to make Didymo prevention cleaning part of the information pack for this route. Please take the Didymo cleaning seriously folks - this river is one of my babies (fishing wise).

benw wrote: The reason to get excited is that it is a trial in a National Park that will make it easier to have the Heaphy discussion later if it goes well.:

True, but haven't DOC already raped the fun sections of the Heaphy to death already with their 4 wheel motorbike access "improvements"?

My theory is that DOC intend to "improve" all such tracks so that fat bastards can do them on their segways.

So there is a lovely piece of beech forest single track between the two huts, and they really expect mountain bikers to go and riverbed bash for 2 kilometers? The piece of single track is easily sustainable for bikes, has very slight gradients and so is not going to get wrecked by braking, and does not have many users on it, so there is unlikely to be much conflict between users. I wonder why they decided to keep bikes off it?

This access to NP's is a great start but the powers that be need to catch up with the times. They still think that Mtbiking is 4WD tracks and have not yet caught up with the fact that mtbikers love the same beech forest single track that they like to walk. I have noticed a few DOC initiatives including mtbiking... and all apart from Whirinaki appear to be 4WD tracks.

I think we could do with educating the powers that be at DOC that the technology and skill of mountain bikers has come a long way from the 4wd track users of 10 or 15 years ago. We need to show them that the single track trails are what we really enjoy, and that while 4wd tracks are great for access and less experienced mountain bikers that our ultimate experience is on lovely flowing native forest trails.

Good work all the people that have made this access happen, and keep at it. I may be biking into the Poulter for some fishing sometime soon (in which case I dont mind riding the riverbed a bit )

So i sent an email to DOC a while back regarding Didymo and the Poulter Trail. Below is the reply - good to see they are taking the problem seriously and are being proactive.

"Thank-you for your mail dated the 19th December 2007. My apologies for the delay in responding. I needed to contact the Department's Didymo officer for the correct information.

Your concerns are very valid and issues the Department is addressing in the following actions:

A didymo sign will be placed on the access gate to the Poulter Valley, where the mountain bike trial sign is posted.
Didymo information will soon be added to the Department's web site information on the Poulter Valley mountain bike trial.
An information kiosk is to be erected,at the access gate and here the Department will provide spray bottles and information for all users.
Didymo information is now included in all our brochures published which provide details about locations that are at potential risk from Didymo contamination.
If you have any further suggestions to inform the public and/or mountain bikers of preventing the spread of Didymo please contact me. The Department does have advocacy material if mountain bike clubs can be contacted for distribution.

Thank-you for your comments on the newly publicised mountain biking track in the Poulter Valley."

Dumb question..........

How does one clean his equipment (hur hur) to ensure that he doesn't spread any nasties.

We rode in Central Otago last week and are riding in Canterbury this week, just want to make sure I am not transporting any nasties.

Slim wrote: Dumb question..........

How does one clean his equipment (hur hur) to ensure that he doesn't spread any nasties.

We rode in Central Otago last week and are riding in Canterbury this week, just want to make sure I am not transporting any nasties.

Biosecurity suggest a bunch of options largely using common household cleaners. The less absorbent the material the easier it is - good for us bikers, bad for trampers with boots. Easiest one is to make sure that all your equipment has been COMPLETELY dry for at least 48 hours - then your sweet. Check out this link
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pest-and ... a/cleaning

Cheers, I was having look on the doc site, had to go look at the fishing gear pdf to find any thing other then being told to clean and dry my gear.

awesome track rode it couple months ago and it is really fun but not really sutible for a 10 year old

Wakerider wrote: awesome track rode it couple months ago and it is really fun but not really sutible for a 10 year old

yeh, might be a tad far for a 10 year old. The actual riding would be suitable though I would think?

Looking at going on the 22nd Nov, be my 1st back country ride so should be fun.