...on the subject of idiocy, I was thinking that it's about time we did smiths creek again (mainly because I love the piety that I can exude when mad walkers tell me that I'm not supposed to be there (do you remember last time tama? If I recall properly, I offered to walk back up with the walker and point out the sign to him that said "MTBers give way to walkers" )...anyway...

...it's not a particularly long ride (about 30k for the round trip), but it does have nice singletrack, and a spot to have lunch at the end, and the evilness of the climb back up towards the saddle fades with time...

anyone keen?

Yar I would be keen for Smith's Creek though I have a suspicion that the legal situation has changed since we rode it {goes off interwebbing...}

Can't find anything on the DOC site saying we're not allowed to ride there.

Not really Epic or anything - best to be pointed this towards the Welly XC Sifters bunch

Jono wrote:...on the subject of idiocy, I was thinking that it's about time we did smiths creek again ...

anyone keen?

Yep. I Smiths Creek, and try to do it about every 12 months.

Well what about riding north from the top of the akatarawas, down into the valley (which I have forgotten the name of), and out to otaki forks.

Then out over the mangeone saddle...

It was a mission last time I tried it (start a bit late at 10am, run out of light, finish at 10pm because we had no lights on the last bit of the walkway). There is also a bit of walking involved - some significant parts of the track between the initial hut and otaki forks is not exactly rideable (although that might have changed with more skill)...

Another Welly Day Ride on my wishlist:

I've never done the ride over the Rimutaka Pylon Track and then back via the Incline - that would kiss ass on a day like today.

I think there are now access problems at this end of the Pylon track. Farmer got pissed off / abused just one time too many.

Last I heard there was a suggestion on that other mtb site that said do an There and Return ride from Featherston side.

That seemed to me to be a particularly pointless exercise, for although I had intended doinga Pylon / Incline loop one day, I don't believe it to be a piece of track to die for.

Yep - there is a problem with the pylon track, which is a bunch of arse, because climbing up from the featherston side sucks dribble donkey balls (my guess, having ridden down it several times some time back) - steep, long, and quite loose. Mind you, the climb up the pylon track wasn't much better. If I had a choice, I would probably do the rimutaka incline twice before doing the pylon track again

im keen for the smiths creek ride, as long as my epic is going again

If you want a longer ride involving Smith's Creek, try continuing up the valley after the shelter to Tutuwai Hut, then on to Cone Hut and over Cone Saddle to the end of the road at the Waiohine Gorge in the Wairarapa. A surprising amount of this is rideable, but the ability to carry your bike is essential, too.
The Akatarawa loop referred to above starts at the Akatarawa Rd saddle, goes along the (paper) Waiotauru Rd and then by track to the Waiotauru Hut - this section is all rideable and awesome - from there it follows the Waiotauru River to Otaki Forks - a fair portion of which is unrideable due to slips and a bit more is rideable, but you'd be faster walking - from the Forks, its gravel and sealed roads to the Mangaone Walkway - which is great, if illegal, to ride - to Reikorangi and thence back to the saddle. In fact, you'd be better to start and finish at Reikorangi to avoid finishing with the climb up to the saddle.
Both rides are all day affairs for which the times vary according to fitness. Overall duration is also, in my experience, directly proportionate to the number of riders in the group.

billb wrote:illegal, to ride - to Reikorangi and thence back to the saddle. In fact, you'd be better to start and finish at Reikorangi to avoid finishing with the climb up to the saddle.

Plus, it avoids your car getting broken into at the top of the hill (which seems to be a reasonably regular occurance). Besides, the climb to the top isn't that bad (about 30-40 minutes from memory, but it might be less).

And yes - it's only a ride for people with a good level of fitness. And for those that don't mind bashing their shins on their pedals in the walking sections.

The only bit that I'm not sure about is the state of the bridges down by the hut - after the storms, I've got a faint concern that they would have been washed away (this goes for the two wooden bridges (which were always well dodgy anyway - one had large gaps in the planking, and the other had mostly collapsed), and the swing bridge further down the river.

I guess, that weather pending, it shouldn't be too hard to cross the river on foot (it's what we did when I was last in there doing some track work)...

didn't know you could ride Smiths creek, I'm super keen

We'll need to check next time we're out that way, but it was definitely rideable several years ago (the sign said "riders give way to walkers"). It's a fun track...

Don't be concerned about the wooden bridges - they're long gone. In normal conditions, the river is fordable, but care must always be taken. I've never crossed below the swingbridge - that may well be more of a challenge - but I'd expect it to more resilient to storm damage. Only one way to find out - go and see for yourself, but be prepared (always) to return the same way or even stay overnight, so take appropriate gear.

I'll try to attach a photo of the swing bridge over the Wanganui in the recent floods for you to mull over. Eer, I'm no techy, but it doesn't seem to want to be attached?

I may possibly be wrong but if i'm thinking of the same place you guys are talking about, the rivers are forwardable past the hutt but the track is fully blocked by falls and slips. I was in there on dirtbike a few weekends ago and it was impassable, you may be able to clamber over the top of some of it but it would be a mission.

I say again i could very well be talking about totally the wrong place and making an ass of myself in the process.

yep, fully up for some smiths creek and other epics - count me in

with the pylon - incline loop, i've done it a couple of times, it's pretty average - the only thrill is that broken assed feeling you get after a long day riding. pylon's all gravelly and steep. like suggested, incline twice might be an option.