Started raining from about the time we hit the bushline on the way to the Hut and most of the way down.

The first couple of k's back to the bushline was riding down a fully flowing stream. Was O for awesome

The side trip up to the old battery is really worth it on the way down the Croesus if you have time. Can't remember the name. Did you do it last weekend Zane. I here they were fixing the bridges, are they rideable now?
The Hilton is all good!

Sickman wrote:The side trip up to the old battery is really worth it on the way down the Croesus if you have time. Can't remember the name. Did you do it last weekend Zane. I here they were fixing the bridges, are they rideable now?
The Hilton is all good!

I think it is Garden Gully where the battery is? We did not do it last weekend as we got down to the turn off and our fingers and toes were almost frozen off from riding through the snow and slush! We kept going down and soon got warm!!

1st bridge on way in was still the old style swingbridge. Lots of digging around it. I would suspect it is not going to be there much longer! Other 2 bridges were completed new style ones, which you can ride a bike across - so much easier than the old ones!!

Doc making it too easy for people these days. Yippie

I saw one of these bridges for the first time at the start of Kirwans and I was really impressed. I love DOC's new attitude towards backcountry riding!

Colin wrote:Started raining from about the time we hit the bushline on the way to the Hut and most of the way down.

The first couple of k's back to the bushline was riding down a fully flowing stream. Was O for awesome

I leave and I want to go back there

Could the nice fellow who got in touch with me from Westport get in touch with some Contact details. I have a name but no other way to get in touch!

what about Big river if your coming over for Labour weekend ? Just outside Reefton and you can ride in and out ? Could do Kirwans in the Morning then BIg River afternoon then Croesus as night ride all in one day Mwhahahahahaha ha ha hahahaha ???

Pukka wrote:what about Big river if your coming over for Labour weekend ? Just outside Reefton and you can ride in and out ? Could do Kirwans in the Morning then BIg River afternoon then Croesus as night ride all in one day Mwhahahahahaha ha ha hahahaha ???

One to think about. Will see how the team is feeling by the third day!

the kirwins

a croesus

*sploooge*

some more info, photos and ride descriptions here

http://bit.ly/fHrEL

We will probably be over sometime over Labour Weekend, if you want to hook up for a ride?

we rode Croesus and Kirwins via chopper at Queens birthday ...Chris from Coast wide only does Croesus...the bloke in Reefton does Kirwins...they stay off each others patches...

Blackball Hilton is the place to stay...it aint flash but has cold beer and heaps of room...we had the room up the front...sleeps eight +...and was cheap as and Chris the publican gave us discount on top of it...also has laundry etc...the food is pretty good too,except the Venison was way over cooked (it should be pink)

(some other info)Blackball is also the Birthplace of the Labour party, Blackball Salami is closed,the owner stabbed his wife to death just after Queens Birthday...
if you stay the night, you have to do the Pubcrawl...well basically a pub wander ......Blackball Hilton,then 20 metres across the road to The Working Mens Club..the up the Road 50 metres to The Top Pub...
the Top Pub, the nite we went out had some of the toughest ,dodgeist blokes i've ever seen in one bar and I used to drink in the Tasman Tavern (RIP) in Nelson which was a Biker/Fisherman drinking hole) ...
it seems there is a 3 tooth,7 tattoos requirement just to get in...as my mate Simon said to me in a whisper at the bar " this isn't the place to start a fight"....my answer "no-shit sherlock"

have fun

also...if you arrange to meet the Chopper pilots at a certain time....make sure your ready to go...nuthing pisses off a chopper pilot quicker, than people who are late..or wanna piss around doing bike maintenance etc ...Avgas cost a fortune and choppers rip thru it...so if you arrange to meet at say 9am....that means 9am they'll load and fly off...not 9.10....

HTH(I'm a twerp)