another great single speed track

Rode Hatupatu for first time yesterday, it was very challenging. lots of tripod action trying to stay upright and scooting across some of the off camber sections. Trail is not finished, but can be checked out by the determined (some hike a bike required)

On Friday moved attention to Huckleberry hound (top half of jump track) and started at the bottom end working up, clearing drains and some minor fix ups on the a couple of jumps. With rain forecast for monday wanted to start looking at the drainage on the pedally section.

Had some rain overnight and it is still raining now, it is well needed, so won't be complaining.
Tip for the day.
Would not try and ride Hatupatu in todays conditions!

So where is the start of hatupatu if you don't mind me asking?

I don't mind you asking at all, but it is difficult to describe. It is on Tuhoto Ariki 3/4 of the way into the trail before the last desent. The turning is on the right, there is a line that was going to be part of T.A. that goes under a fallen tree, turn right again before you get to the fallen tree. This sounds incredibly clear to me as I worked on T.A. when it was built. I can imagine those directions being clear as mud to anyone else though.
I will see about putting some kind of marker out there.
Provisional date for official opening is some time Sept. Conservation week maybe, so probably no sign till then. It will likely be Grade 5.

I would say turns right and heads south then west-ish
This is not an accurate representation of the trail, but the start and finish points are correct. Ends up near the bottom of Billy T.

Are there any thought or plans for making another line that comes out near the top of loop rd?
- No idea what the terrain is like, if it's too much of a slog.
Be happy to give you a hand with a spade, if you have a mailing list sign me up.
Haven't actually been up tuhoto ariki since just after Christmas 07.
I remember it being muddy, boggy, tree rooty and not all that fast flowing.
I should get up there again.

I rode TA about 2 months ago, on a nightride, after I heard pbr and musket both saying how good it is on here, it was riding superbly in my opinion. I would think the exit is so close to the start of loop rd now that anpther exit line from there would be unnecessary. Coming down TA, the forest changes markedly from the native stuff, to the Pine forest, for the last descent, is the entry to Hatupatu somehwere near the change of forest?

BTW, there is a rock on the highway between Taupo and Tokoroa, called the Hatupatu rock, its big, and has a hole in it where for many years people stopped and threw coins in there. The locals have many tales of people that stole money then crashed their cars, or had some other bad luck. An entire Thai family was wiped out when their car hit the rock about 15 years ago, it is on a straight section of road. Does the new trail have any connection?

Bob,
There are no plans to extend up to loop rd at the moment, but that's not a bad idea, i'll add it to my list of suggested trails, if the climb remained in native it would be a mongrel, rooty, technical climb, not everyones cup of tea.
I generally only ride T.A. when I know it is going to be fairly dry, like saturday, it was fantastic.

Dented,
legend of Hatupatu http://www.mokoiaisland.co.nz/Mokoia_Island_Wai_Ora_Experiences/Hatu_Patu_and_the_Bird_Woman_IDL=1_IDT=2626_ID=14932_.html
The rock is claimed to be the one Hatupatu hid in

The entrance to the new trail is quite a way before the pines

The Hatupatu trail was developed for a few reasons:
To keep the trail in the native forest (some riders can't get enough of the native trail experience)
To stop people coming out of T.A. and heading down to G-rock at great speeds into oncoming riders heading up to Split enz
DoC are allowing us much more access to the conservation estate and we definitely wish to work with them to make use of it.
Many riders want more variety of trails to ride on.

Thanks Spadewerx, really appreciate you took the time to link the story, I hadnt heard it before and I always like knowing where the inspiration to name trails comes from.

Sidenote: How I got to know about Hatupatu wishing rock (the name I know it by). Turn the clock back to 1986, and a shiny-faced teenager with an Austin 1100. Up to the standard teenage boy behaviour for the day, living in Taupo. On the way back from a trip to Tokoroa late one Friday night, stopped at the rock (at this time it wasnt fenced off nor used as a Rest Area). Knew nothing about it, although my best mate at the time Stephen Tane, a local maori boy, told us all about how bad things happen to people that take money from inside. I had a look and there sure was a lot of coins visible. As it turned out, 1 of the boys took a handful, and Stephen got all dirty on the guy, myself, I didnt think much of it.
The very next Friday night, myself and Stephen out in the car again, up at a party in the hills above Acacia Bay, left there following a car-full of other mates in the rain, Long story short ~ had an accident on the way home and smashed up the car big time, enough to write if off. Dad towed it home with me the next morning, and when I cleaned it out, I found some coins in the rear ashtray. Couldnt think how they could have got there, until Stephen told me they were some of the coins the other guy had taken from Hatupatu. Pretty weird.

no problem.
And you have provided a good story of your own, fair exchange I would say.
I think there are a few rocks claimed to be Hatupatu's hiding place, the one we are refering to (correct me if I am wrong) is at Upper Atiamuri there are some deep scratches in it, legend has it the bird woman was trying to claw her way in, but maybe from cars attempting to park in it, although I would not like to guess.

Thats the one.

I did not get out much last week, as I picked up some kind of cold that left me feeling quite run down.Over it now though after logging some hours on the sofa.
The Bike Culture guys and friends got out and amongst it this weekend on Hatupatu, doing more benching and working on the 2 main dropping switchbacks, there is still some more work to be done on the rock inbetween these 2 switchbacks, but the end is in sight. Good work guys!