BIKE LIFE
NEWSLETTERSREVIEWSTESTIMONIALSUncategorizedARCHIVES
February 2019December 2018November 2018October 2018September 2018August 2018July 2018August 2017July 2017June 2017May 2017December 2016November 2016September 2016August 2016July 2016June 2016May 2016April 2016March 2016February 2016January 2016December 2015November 2015October 2015September 2015August 2015June 2015May 2015April 2015March 2015February 2015January 2015December 2014November 2014October 2014September 2014August 2014July 2014June 2014May 2014April 2014March 2014February 2014January 2014December 2013November 2013October 2013September 2013August 2013July 2013June 2013May 2013March 2013January 2013November 2012October 2012September 2012August 2012July 2012June 2012March 2012May 2011February 2011July 2010June 2010May 2010February 2010January 2010December 2009November 2009August 2009May 2011
Pureora Forest Tramline trail


Posted on May 23, 2011 by Gary Sullivan
Megan & Alistair's Rotorua Visit Day 4

That was a bit optimistic, but Al swore it was worth the effort of getting up there (a couple of hundred metres above the carpark) and getting back late (I gave him the option, on the way back, of "more singletrack, or quickly back down the road?" He chose singletrack.
We had spent a couple of sessions in Whakarewarewa forest as wisely as I could, and hadn't even scratched the surface really. I think Alistair got tired of having trail heads pointed out "for next time". I am pretty sure they will be back.
We had plenty of time to drop back into town, have a leisurely lunch at Capers, and get everybody where they needed to be by flight time.
Posted on May 13, 2011 by Gary Sullivan
Megan & Alistair's Weekend in Rotorua Day 2

Megan had figured out that there is more to Rotorua than bike riding and was planning a day of R&R, a visit to a spa, and the pampering and hot soaks on offer there.
So it was just me and Al, headed south via the Mihi Cafe at Golden Springs, my new half-way-to-Taupo coffee stop. We met Jonty and headed out to Whakaipo Bay where the W2K trail starts. The sun was shining and the carpark was more or less empty when we rolled out at 10.30. The trail was mostly dry but in places where the sun could not reach there were small mud patches, usually really slippery on top of a hard base, and right in the apex of corners. They were not on every corner, just enough to make barreling into a blind curve inadvisable unless there was clearly a berm to fetch up against should the corner prove to be one of the slippery ones. Good fun.
The Tickled Trout cafe was open in Kinloch, the halfway point for our ride, and the lunch was really good. It would have been easy to kick back there for the afternoon but there was a hill to be climbed and a downhill to be enjoyed so we gave the meal about 10 minutes to integrate with our systems and headed back up the trail.
Day 3 for Megan and Alistair is a day off the bike, and a drive down to Hawkes Bay for some wine tasting. I told Al that is a long way to go for the day, but he reckoned 2.5 hours each way was only a bit further than a trip to the dairy (he actually said milk bar) where he comes from.

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Gary Sullivan
Megan & Alistair's Weekend in Rotorua Day 1

Although it is very simple to bring a bike along for a weekend, we decided to source bikes locally. Bike Culture came to the party with a Santa Cruz Blur for Alistair. Cycle Zone has a great fleet of hire bikes and we selected a Specialized for Megan.
Arrival at 2.40 into Rotorua meant we could transport the visitors to their lodgings at Okareka, get Alistair set up for a ride, and be in the woods by 3.30. That is one the great things about a direct flight into Rotorua and we were keen to make the most of it.
We got in a magic loop of the lower trails, there were a fair amount of puddles and a bit of mud around but Alistair still came out with a huge smile on his dial.
Posted on May 9, 2011 by Gary Sullivan