patches Posted February 19, 2019 Share Rotorua is made up of a couple of biking areas. Skyline is where the downhill tracks are that you use the gondola for. Then Redwoods is the big ass forest just next to it with 150km+ of free trails. Both are Epic and make for an amazing couple of days riding. With Wayne on this, both are epic indeed! @RossW One thing about the Redwoods though... if you want to access more, then the shuttle bus is recommended (at a reasonable cost), but don't be fooled by the term "shuttle". There are still some pretty big climbs from the shuttle drop off to many of the trails, so my fitness levels took a beating There are the private Landy shuttle charter options (as seen in the previous video), but these aren't so cheap. They do however reduce the climbing significantly. RossW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayleyearth Posted February 19, 2019 Share And she got her 1st bike She even 'checked' that the assembly was done correctly before she got on ... Hahaha niterider, Hairy, intern and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern Posted February 19, 2019 Share You mention Redwoods. Is this Rotorua?Some mates and I are looking at arranging a five day holiday in Rotorua around November this year. That or hitting The Pioneer ... Either way, I'm looking forward to it!Yep, that's Redwoods. It's epic in every way. Let me know when you're here and I'll come ride with you. RossW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern Posted February 19, 2019 Share PS Ross, having met you and seeing your Strava, we're riding the uphills, no shuttle required ;-) Wayne Potgieter and RossW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Potgieter Posted February 19, 2019 Share PS Ross, having met you and seeing your Strava, we're riding the uphills, no shuttle required ;-)if a Viking weekend is happening I’m keen to invite myself to this. Rather unashamedly. Could be a good weekend! intern and RossW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Potgieter Posted February 19, 2019 Share if a Viking weekend is happening I’m keen to invite myself to this. Rather unashamedly. Could be a good weekend!I meant to say BIKING weekend, but istead typed Viking. Maybe Viking is still appropriate... intern 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Potgieter Posted February 19, 2019 Share And she got her 1st bike She even 'checked' that the assembly was done correctly before she got on ... HahahaLooks like she already took out her first pedestrian in the second photo... davetapson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern Posted February 25, 2019 Share Rode Redwoods yesterday again and went up to the top without the shuttle to get on to Billy T (some of you will know where that is). It's a maybe 15 minute climb if you're taking it easy, really not too bad at all, you could easily do it 3 or 4 times.The descent though, from Billy T then into G Rock I think it is, takes probably 25 or 35 minutes and it is freakin awesome. Even on a busy Sunday there's no to very little 'traffic', didn't have to wait for anyone not once....the stoke is real, chaps, the stoke is real. hayleyearth, RossW, Hairy and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATTT Posted March 3, 2019 Share Hi, I am new in Howick, Auckland area and wondered if there are any group training or someone looking for a partner or can help me with safe routes and need to get fit. I ride a road bike and came from Durbanville in the Cape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayleyearth Posted March 3, 2019 Share Hi, I am new in Howick, Auckland area and wondered if there are any group training or someone looking for a partner or can help me with safe routes and need to get fit. I ride a road bike and came from Durbanville in the Cape. 1.5 years ago (flip that's so long ago, but went so quick) I would have been more than willing to show you awesome routes all around Auckland (literally), now I'm probably too unfit to ride that distance, nevermind the speed Welcome though! I have noticed an influx of South Africans in this area (I'm close to Howick) in the last month or so. Edited March 3, 2019 by hayleyearth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 3, 2019 Share hahaha Howick and Browns Bay are Saffer central! I can laugh while I live in the CBD, but I am genetically predisposed to live on the shore Lease ends in a couple of months, so I gotta move. Maybe I can fight the Brown's Bay pull and settle for Milford or Takapuna, haha Edited March 3, 2019 by patches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern Posted March 3, 2019 Share hahaha Howick and Browns Bay are Saffer central! I can laugh while I live in the CBD, but I am genetically predisposed to live on the shore Lease ends in a couple of months, so I gotta move. Maybe I can fight the Brown's Bay pull and settle for Milford or Takapuna, hahaIt's destiny brah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippies Posted March 3, 2019 Share If anyone here lives in Auckland with intermediate/high school going kids, the Auckland Schools XCO Series kicked off yesterday at Riverhead, It was an awesome event, even met another Saffa whose son used to race in the Spur Series in KZN. Next event is in Hunua. All the details will be on the Auckland School Mountain Biking FB page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrJacques Posted March 4, 2019 Share Asperatus Clouds Over New Zealand https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160417.html What a beautiful and strange place Middle Earth is! niterider, Vetplant, Help.Me. and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vetplant Posted March 4, 2019 Share Thinking of submitting my Expression of Interest application to NZ and my preliminary score looks really good. However, still need to do an English Language test before I can submit the application online. Does anybody have any advice on which language test out of the list below is the least amount of shlep to pass?(Keep in mind that I feel fairly confident in my Speaking but I remain an Afrikaans boykie and will need to study fairly hard to ensure I use the right tenses etc in a written exam.) IELTS test - overall band score of 6.5 or moreTOEFL iBT overall score of 79 or morePTE Academic overall score of 58Cambridge English First for Schools overall score of 176 or moreOccupational English Test Grade B or higher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrJacques Posted March 4, 2019 Share I did the IELTS because I'm looking at going to Aus. For that application I need 8+ in all four sections. The speaking was relatively easy, the listening as well, the reading is more difficult and tricky and the writing is the most difficult - they mark it very strictly. I scored 8+ in all sections except writing where I scored a 7 and a remark didn't help, so I'll probably go and do the PTE-A next time. From what I've read it's easier to score max points with PTE-A as it seems to get marked more leniently and very few people manage to get 8+ for writing with IELTS. Costs are about the same, if you also buy the PTE practice tests which is recommended. Both have a speaking, listening, reading and writing component, but the format is different. I haven't done the PTE-A yet, but with IELTS there is a clear separation between the 4 parts, wheres the PTE-A seems to mix the components, which may be closer to real life. IELTS: - Hand-written exams- Can take 2+ months to get a booking and 2 weeks to get results- British Council communication can be slow and frustrating PTE: - Entirely computer based- Done with others in the room, which can be distracting- Quicker to get bookings- Quicker to get results Edited March 4, 2019 by Jacquers Vetplant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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