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

[Wayne Potgieter]

My Mrs ran that last year, she said it is very good and 'easy' grade for the most part. We're trying to get Child #2 on his bike so we can go do it at leisure with the whole fam. Somehow, my boys are reluctant to ride bikes before 5 (the 6 year old loves his bike, a machine which came from DawieO...4 yo, no interest yet).

i was contemplating having my kids join but am nervous. Long hours in the saddle for little ones.

 

I reckon I might do it on my own and depending what I see, take the kids the next time.

[patches]

Just saw this now only

 

Out of interest are these rogue trails or official approved (by local community / municipality) ?

 

If official, who builds / maintains and pays for them?

 

Just wondering, as here on my side of the planet we have a plenty of natural terrain like that which is ideal for trail building, but the red tape and paper work to actually build a trail is ridiculous.

 

Rogue trails tend to get closed down / or blocked so riding is not possible

 

The particular trails in the picture are official (but somewhat hidden) trails at a local bike park, which operates on rented forestry land (as far as I am aware). So likley a similar setup to Karkloof.

 

Building, maintenance, signage is all Woodhill's responsibility, in this case.

 

But there is stuff that is just as big, if not bigger on state forests around the country. For the most part the builders don't see too much red tape, from what I understand.

 

Kiwis are very relaxed when it comes to Health & Safety (when compared to other 1st world countries), and whilst they have a nanny-state approach to building houses etc, when it comes to adventure/extreme sports and outdoor activities, they take the approach of "yeah-nah-yeah, she'll be right!"

[intern]

The particular trails in the picture are official (but somewhat hidden) trails at a local bike park, which operates on rented forestry land (as far as I am aware). So likley a similar setup to Karkloof.

 

Building, maintenance, signage is all Woodhill's responsibility, in this case.

 

But there is stuff that is just as big, if not bigger on state forests around the country. For the most part the builders don't see too much red tape, from what I understand.

 

Kiwis are very relaxed when it comes to Health & Safety (when compared to other 1st world countries), and whilst they have a nanny-state approach to building houses etc, when it comes to adventure/extreme sports and outdoor activities, they take the approach of "yeah-nah-yeah, she'll be right!"

Most working folk absolutely hate WorkSafe and the pencilpushers, recognising that it gets in the way of getting the job done!

[intern]

i was contemplating having my kids join but am nervous. Long hours in the saddle for little ones.

 

I reckon I might do it on my own and depending what I see, take the kids the next time.

Yepit is pretty long, 40k per day...could be a big ask for such littlies.

[patches]

Most working folk absolutely hate WorkSafe and the pencilpushers, recognising that it gets in the way of getting the job done!

 

Tell me about it!

 

I work in the construction industry, at a hospital, riddled with asbestos.

 

It's a Worksafe wet dream!

 

We can't hang a picture on a wall without H&S getting all up in our grill.

[intern]

I have a decramastic roof which needs replacing...asbestos in the glue. I'd rip the whole shebang off in a few hours. But....WORKSAFE. Dang! 

 

Hey there's an ugly! And oh boy what a dog, too.

[davetapson]

The particular trails in the picture are official (but somewhat hidden) trails at a local bike park, which operates on rented forestry land (as far as I am aware). So likley a similar setup to Karkloof.

 

Building, maintenance, signage is all Woodhill's responsibility, in this case.

 

But there is stuff that is just as big, if not bigger on state forests around the country. For the most part the builders don't see too much red tape, from what I understand.

 

Kiwis are very relaxed when it comes to Health & Safety (when compared to other 1st world countries), and whilst they have a nanny-state approach to building houses etc, when it comes to adventure/extreme sports and outdoor activities, they take the approach of "yeah-nah-yeah, she'll be right!"

The playgrounds take a bit of getting used to. That net structure on the tower at Takapuna Beach is something else.

[Wayne Potgieter]

I have been doing some reading up on the Hauraki Rail trail and I might take the kids to do that.

 

Will probably only do two days around Karagahaki Gorge.

[Ramrod]

Was anyone here considering Canada as an alternative? What was the main reasons for choosing NZ over Canada?

[Wayne Potgieter]

Was anyone here considering Canada as an alternative? What was the main reasons for choosing NZ over Canada?

we did.

 

We chose Nz because of:

 

Language.

Weather

Similar lifestyle to what we were used to

[Saag]

I have been doing some reading up on the Hauraki Rail trail and I might take the kids to do that.

 

Will probably only do two days around Karagahaki Gorge.

I did this one last year. The full 163km on day 1 and 57km back on day 2. Absolutely amazing.

 

Definitely the best/ easiest one to take kids on.

[Ramrod]

we did.

 

We chose Nz because of:

 

Language.

Weather

Similar lifestyle to what we were used to

Txs Wayne

 

From what i understand Vancouver is very similar to NZ.

[patham]

Txs Wayne

 

From what i understand Vancouver is very similar to NZ.

 

Vancouver would seem similar, yes. Bit more chance of snow in Vancouver than there is in Auckland, but most of the time the weather would be similar. Vancouver has the best winter weather out of the major cities in Canada, which is why it is a magnet for their homeless. I found the  French language to be non-existent there - so another similarity. Property prices are ludicrously sky-high, so another aspect in common with Auckland. People in Van also like their outdoor activities, and are not deterred by a bit of rain.

 

A friend of mine moved to Vancouver  back in the 90's. He found the first few years tough, with their salaries they could only find an ancient basement apartment with a few tiny little slit windows that looked out at pavement level. Things got better after that and they clawed their way up the property ladder. Once he started regular travels for work in the US he realised that just across the border in Seattle was where the real land of milk and honey began, his salary would be more, cost of living and tax rates would be much, much  lower and there was less government control of his life. However, he and his family were just too established to move again.

[eibmoZ]

What are the local trails in Auckland like? And hows the ride?

[patham]

What are the local trails in Auckland like? And hows the ride?

 

 

Patches wrote up a summary for me on this and Rotorua one page back. This link should take you there. 

 

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/155527-new-zealand-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-224?do=findComment&comment=3539662

Patches wrote up a summary for me on this and Rotorua one page back. This link should take you there. 

 

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/155527-new-zealand-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-224?do=findComment&comment=3539662

[davetapson]

Was anyone here considering Canada as an alternative? What was the main reasons for choosing NZ over Canada?

 

Yeah, I did.  Went across a long while ago for a look see.  At the time Nortel had laid off a huge number of their IT staff and the likelihood of getting an IT job at the time was unlikely, so canned it.

 

I don't think there is much in it.  

 

NZ: more similar to what we are used to.  Probably would make more financial sense to live in Aus.

 

Canada: bigger economy.  Probably would make more financial sense to live in the US.

 

Both got sensible people, nice societies.

 

NZ got fewer bugs in summer. 

Canada can be a killer - Africans have no idea of a mosquito,and don't know what Black flies are.