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New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.


Wayne Potgieter

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So last week I decided to start planning for a bit of a South Island off-road adventure when summer rolls around.

 

Behold what they call the Three Valley Challenge. It starts only about 1hr out of Christchurch.

 

Approx 260km, over 2-3 days depending on conditions. They recommend that one takes 3 days extra food in case they get snowed/rained in.

 

Funny enough, I had unknowingly done about half of the trail before and it was amazing. I just wasn't aware that some of the rivers were fordable so I never linked up to the other trails. I also never camped, but rather cheated and resorted to a motel in Methven.

 

Anyway, how awesome does this look

 

post-10758-0-27633800-1529266981_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-27700000-1529266990_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-23246400-1529266998_thumb.jpg

 

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post-10758-0-80873800-1529267053_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-86896700-1529267062_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-81943100-1529267072_thumb.jpg

 

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post-10758-0-33277800-1529267087_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-71815400-1529267097_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-32788800-1529267106_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-12060400-1529267117_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-62063800-1529267128_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-11924700-1529267141_thumb.jpg

 

post-10758-0-77327800-1529267147_thumb.jpg

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So last week I decided to start planning for a bit of a South Island off-road adventure when summer rolls around.

 

Behold what they call the Three Valley Challenge. It starts only about 1hr out of Christchurch.

 

Approx 260km, over 2-3 days depending on conditions. They recommend that one takes 3 days extra food in case they get snowed/rained in.

 

Funny enough, I had unknowingly done about half of the trail before and it was amazing. I just wasn't aware that some of the rivers were fordable so I never linked up to the other trails. I also never camped, but rather cheated and resorted to a motel in Methven.

 

Anyway, how awesome does this look

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530687421.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530692013.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530694813.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530697709.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530700493.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530703181.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530706546.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530708942.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530711793.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530714219.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530716393.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530719083.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530721316.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530723518.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530726143.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530728307.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530732079.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530739005.jpg

my word but this country is beautiful.
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my word but this country is beautiful.

 

I know right! and so diverse. Tropical beaches, alpine grandeur, tundra, prehistoric rain forest, desert, rolling green hills, wide open plains. There's a little bit of almost everything.

 

My dream would be to have something quiet and semi-remote in the Queenstown Lakes area. I love the alpine scenery.

 

Just a small little 4 bed, 4 bath unit like this:

 

https://www.trademe.co.nz/property/residential-property-for-sale/auction-1582438141.htm

 

 

Or if that's to pricey I can slum it in this one:

 

https://www.trademe.co.nz/property/residential-property-for-sale/auction-1582439160.htm

 

 

:ph34r: :lol:

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So last week I decided to start planning for a bit of a South Island off-road adventure when summer rolls around.

 

Behold what they call the Three Valley Challenge. It starts only about 1hr out of Christchurch.

 

Approx 260km, over 2-3 days depending on conditions. They recommend that one takes 3 days extra food in case they get snowed/rained in.

 

Funny enough, I had unknowingly done about half of the trail before and it was amazing. I just wasn't aware that some of the rivers were fordable so I never linked up to the other trails. I also never camped, but rather cheated and resorted to a motel in Methven.

 

Anyway, how awesome does this look

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530687421.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530692013.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530694813.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530697709.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530700493.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530703181.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530706546.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530708942.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530711793.jpg

 

attachicon.gifFB_IMG_1528530714219.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530716393.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530719083.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530721316.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530723518.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530726143.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530728307.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530732079.jpg

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/public/style_images/master/attachicon.gif FB_IMG_1528530739005.jpg

Amazing. I wonder how do able this will be in a mtb?

 

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

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Amazing. I wonder how do able this will be in a mtb?

 

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

 

Much of it should be fine. Upon closer inspection of the route, I only rode about one third of the Thre valley route (as seen below)

 

The third that I rode wasn't too extreme and there are in fact shared trails which MTB and dirt bikes ride on (shown in blue). 

 

The braided rivers on the other hand are another story. having ridden a bunch of them on the dirt bike, I would say they're "doable" on an MTB, but will not be fun. There is almost no flow so one would constantly be struggling to just keep rolling.

 

Possibly a use for fat eBike (double taboo), haha!

 

There are loads of people who bicycle trek on the South Island, but I think most stick to roads and the Alps to Ocean route.

 

post-10758-0-41778600-1529284914_thumb.png

 

Brown = Three Valley Route

Highlighted Yellow = Part of the Route I have explored before without knowing

Blue = Explored route where MTB's also ride

Magenta = another awesome valley route I explored

Red = ANOTHER valley route on mu bucket list, and if crossing the Rakaia river is possible I will link red to Magenta in the north western corner

 

Time to start planning for summer! The ride down there from Auckland will be a slog, but the Cook Strait ferry crossing is amazing! And I have back roads routes from Picton to Hanmer Springs.

 

So yeah, if anyone is keen for an offroad bike adventure early next year, let me know! hahaha!

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So last week I decided to start planning for a bit of a South Island off-road adventure when summer rolls around.

 

Behold what they call the Three Valley Challenge. It starts only about 1hr out of Christchurch.

 

Approx 260km, over 2-3 days depending on conditions. They recommend that one takes 3 days extra food in case they get snowed/rained in.

 

Funny enough, I had unknowingly done about half of the trail before and it was amazing. I just wasn't aware that some of the rivers were fordable so I never linked up to the other trails. I also never camped, but rather cheated and resorted to a motel in Methven.

 

Anyway, how awesome does this look

 

Far out!

I will happily and willingly learn how to ride a motorbike and get my open license just to do something like that! Beautiful.

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Far out!

I will happily and willingly learn how to ride a motorbike and get my open license just to do something like that! Beautiful.

 

You won't regret it!

 

I only really started riding when I moved to NZ. It has been one of the best ways to explore.

 

One can rent a KTM 690 Enduro in Christchurch for approx $160/day, just saying  :ph34r:  :whistling:

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Much of it should be fine. Upon closer inspection of the route, I only rode about one third of the Thre valley route (as seen below)

 

The third that I rode wasn't too extreme and there are in fact shared trails which MTB and dirt bikes ride on (shown in blue).

 

The braided rivers on the other hand are another story. having ridden a bunch of them on the dirt bike, I would say they're "doable" on an MTB, but will not be fun. There is almost no flow so one would constantly be struggling to just keep rolling.

 

Possibly a use for fat eBike (double taboo), haha!

 

There are loads of people who bicycle trek on the South Island, but I think most stick to roads and the Alps to Ocean route.

 

Canterbury Trails.PNG

 

Brown = Three Valley Route

Highlighted Yellow = Part of the Route I have explored before without knowing

Blue = Explored route where MTB's also ride

Magenta = another awesome valley route I explored

Red = ANOTHER valley route on mu bucket list, and if crossing the Rakaia river is possible I will link red to Magenta in the north western corner

 

Time to start planning for summer! The ride down there from Auckland will be a slog, but the Cook Strait ferry crossing is amazing! And I have back roads routes from Picton to Hanmer Springs.

 

So yeah, if anyone is keen for an offroad bike adventure early next year, let me know! hahaha!

Why don't you get a trailer for the bikes?

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Why don't you get a trailer for the bikes?

 

That is an option under consideration.

 

If it's just myself going down (to meet up with a buddy on Christchurch), then I will probably just have to ride, as I don't own a car.

 

If I go down with a buddy from Auckland, we may take his car, but then might consider leaving it in Wellington because ferry fees for a car + trailer are about 1.5x the fee for 2x bikes. Also we would have to forgo riding some awesome trails south from Picton to Hanmer Springs.

 

Overall though it is the Wellington to Auckland stretch that's the worst, so using a trailer for that at the very least would be a huge plus!

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That is an option under consideration.

 

If it's just myself going down (to meet up with a buddy on Christchurch), then I will probably just have to ride, as I don't own a car.

 

If I go down with a buddy from Auckland, we may take his car, but then might consider leaving it in Wellington because ferry fees for a car + trailer are about 1.5x the fee for 2x bikes. Also we would have to forgo riding some awesome trails south from Picton to Hanmer Springs.

 

Overall though it is the Wellington to Auckland stretch that's the worst, so using a trailer for that at the very least would be a huge plus!

lol...trailers not much use without a car.Nice riding country

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Saw all the press outside the hospital when I went out to get lunch.

 

The First Baby is on its way!

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Sjoe! Absolute beautiful scenery there! 

 

Edit - fix the HTML  

Edited by Zatopek
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