Dambusters Run, a long tour of the Waikato. Sun 27 Mar 11

[Anonymous]

#3581

BP, Southbound Motorway Service Centre, Papakura 0800 hrsDambusters: a long run with Rob (RIC) Waters, visiting the hydro dams on the Waikato River.  According to Rob's research, we will be spot on time for the release over Aratiatia Rapids, which is REALLY worth a look, even if you have seen it before, and it's a MUST if you haven't.

[Anonymous]

#14809

The following is an update on Dambusters 2011 ver 4Why ver 4 ?  Well I have found the need to review my original plan, several times actually. My original plan had been to start at the beginning, the first hydro lake on the Waikato from the source at Taupo. Aratiatia. As Aratiatia has no storage lake to speak of, they release water 3 or 4 times a day through a side channel creating an impressive rapid. To get there in time to see the midday release would mean a pretty much non-stop run done the main highway, which I thought was not very interesting. So I reshuffled the order to keep things more interesting, and try to coincide our arrival at Aratiatia with the 2pm release. So the plan now is to visit the dams in the following order: Waipapa, Maraetai, Whakamaru, Atiamuri, Ohakuri, Aratiatia, Arapuni and KarapiroThere will be a coffee stop at Wharepapa South and a lunch stop at Taupo with added stretch and toilet stops as required. The total distance from Papakura BP and back as far as Pokeno will be approx 580 kms. Total riding time approx 8 hrs 15 mins. Overall trip time closer to 10 hours. It's going to be a longish ride but we will be stopping frequently enough to avoid it getting uncomfortable.A heavy band of rain is due to cross the North Island on Friday and Saturday ahead of a large high pressure system. Hopefully the high will push the rain through faster than predicted, but Sunday may start a little wet with improvement as the day goes on. If the start time is a little damp with signs of improvement we will start but if things look really wet we will postpone to another date. Ken Ring is predicting heavy rain all day, so that gives me hope that it will be a nice day 🙂

[Richard Kuysten]

#14810

Stopped off at Bryce's Cafe last weekend on our return from Napier Rob.  He was busy and had sold out of pies  >:( but the coffee was drinkable and the toasted sandwhich eatable. Lot of rock climbers as you would expect and I overheard a conversation about a pair of climbing shoes costing over $400 !!!!! so climbing gear is at least as expensive as bike gear.I have offered my time to the Whanau again this weekend to knock the section in to shape.  However I have a pass for sunday should we get enough done on Saturday so if the guru is wrong and we don't get the forecast rain I may be there sans wife.

[Anonymous]

#14811

Weather UpdateWhen I checked on Wed, the weather for Sunday didn't look too promising. When I checked again yesterday it looked worse. When I checked this morning it looked just a little better. The great thing about NZ North Island weather is that it's not easy to predict exactly so whatever they say 2 days ahead is probably not going to happen. I find the best place to check for weather prediction is at: http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nz&noofdays=5From my experience pink shaded areas are often just isolated showers with lots of fine periods, quite OK for riding. Blue is pretty wet, and green you need a snorkle. Red - stay in bed. Sunday morning still shows a lot of green and then blue over the area we plan to ride. If that eventuates I think it will be too wet to have an enjoyable ride. However the clear band west of NZ is close and could move on sooner than current prediction. If you are thinking about coming along on this ride, please check back here for updates early Sunday morning. Remember this is an 8am start so that we can get the whole ride in before it gets too late in the day.

[Anonymous]

#14812

The great thing about NZ North Island weather is that it's not easy to predict exactly so whatever they say 2 days ahead is probably not going to happen.

The Baron's will be up for at least a hot mochaccino at the start weather (sic) it be in a cage or on Enzo - we've been looking forward to this run so fingers crossed for pink or better  8).BTW, thanks for sharing the link Rob.

[Anonymous]

#14813

Thanks for your support Red Barons and Malcolm. I'll also be at the start, regardless of the weather, just to make a final call even if it's looking doubtful. If the weather is really bad, maybe we could make a short run, perhaps to the BP and back to Autobahn for another hot choc 🙂

[Anonymous]

#14814

Thanks for your support Red Barons and Malcolm. I'll also be at the start, regardless of the weather, just to make a final call even if it's looking doubtful. If the weather is really bad, maybe we could make a short run, perhaps to the BP and back to Autobahn for another hot choc 🙂

Noble but silly, if the weather is really fungal, Rob.  Call the local boy (that would be me) and send him to Autobahn to tell Campbell and TonyO to head off in the rain by themselves ;D, then have a quick ring around all the eager starters and decide where you are heading for lunch in your cages.  If it comes to pass, I hope the rag-top on that flash waka of yours doesn't leak, although maybe you have a hardtopped waka like the Rincewinds for rainy days.There is a temporary clearance showing if you want delay the start tomorrow; ten o'clock Sunday night looks good. http://www.metservice.com/national/maps-rain-radar/rain-radar-forecasts/rain-forecast-3-day

[Anonymous]

#14815

Well I feel it's time to make a call on the Dam Busters run for tomorrow, and unfortunately that call must be to postpone to another date, as yet undecided. Even the most optimistic prediction for tomorrow is wet all day. There is no point in making the run an endurance event, with little chance of enjoying the scenery along the way. For those interested in a social gathering for coffee and brunch on Sunday, I suggest we meet at BP Papakura around the Autobahn cafe at the slightly later time of 9am, with a view to a short run to a cafe somewhere west and south, where the best chance of avoiding the rain will be. Coming along on 2 wheels or 4 wheels will be optional. There is no requirement to wear your hi-viz gear if you are traveling by car, but you can if you want to.  It's disappointing to have to postpone at such late notice, and I apologise for any inconvenience. Maybe a spring date, just after the start of day-light saving could be a great alternative. Hey, it's only 6 months away 🙂

[Dave Morris]

#14816

what you guys riding Harleys, or BMW's. I just drained 50mm out of my pool.   

[Anonymous]

#14817

It's disappointing to have to postpone at such late notice, and I apologise for any inconvenience. Maybe a spring date, just after the start of day-light saving could be a great alternative. Hey, it's only 6 months away 🙂

Good call Rob,put the route on one side and we will do it when things are a little more predictable.See you for coffee in the morning

[Anonymous]

#14818

Good call Rob and thanks for the personal touch Bwucie. See you at the Autobahn at 9am.Cheers,Herr and Frau Baron

[Anonymous]

#14819

I feel for Rob: he made what I reckon was a sound decision not to go today, assuming many folk would be put off by the weather. Of course a few stalwarts turned up at 0800 on their bikes, and it actually didn't look too bad then, if all you wanted was a long ride, and you weren't actually concerned about seeing the scenery to its best advantage (or even seeing it at all, at times, I suspect).Then, at 11 minutes to 9 a text dropped into my phone from an unknown number in Hamilton. I'm not sure who it came from, but it looked like it might have come from a Gummint phone paid for by Ewen Mee, and the sender (mis)spelt just like Steve Bell. The message said the sun was shining in "ham il toe" - there can't be two people in Hamilton spell like that, surely?Anyhoo, a small group of us climbed into our cages (and Rincewind threw a leg over Binky) at 0900 and headed to Castaways at Kariotaihi for brekkie: the Librarian and I happily had our second brekkie of the day. We tried to get Rob to put the Jaguar up against Binky the GS on the beach, being as he had the only rear drive cage amongst us, but he wasn't up for the challenge: neither was Rincewind, truth to tell.It wasn't the plan for the day, but it was a good start to a semi-lazy Sunday (too wet for the lawns, but I got another H & S project for work finished and drank excessive coffee at home.) And while Rob was busy formulating the revised activity last night he spotted another cafe we could have, but didn't do this morning, so I have another destination for next month's runs.

[Xan]

#14820

what you guys riding Harleys, or BMW's.

We actually saw two Harleys at Papakura Autobahn. Some Harleys are tougher than BMWs ?  😉But I don't know if their destination was Autobahn or not  ;D

[Anonymous]

#14821

In the end today's weather in the Auck area wasn't too bad and slowly improved through the day. Reports (unconfirmed) from the Waikato claimed good weather there also. I didn't catch the news to see what the weather further south was like. So the decision to call off the ride may not have been the correct one which is very frustrating, however a few people had already decided not to come along and the odds were against good weather all the way. Top marks to the two bikes who turned up ready to start by 8am, especially James who had come all the way from Wellsford. Good effort that man. I'll file away all my planning and do a quick check in November to make sure none of the dams have moved, and we'll try again in spring 🙂

[Anonymous]

#14822

good call Rob. not many would have thanked you for the reportedly worse patchy weather in the morning.mixed bag today. the weather that is. set off from manurewa 1230hrs. clevedon, kaiaua (chippy was too busy, so hatched a hare-brained scheme. taupo was dauntingly far, so i took a short cut I know), miranda, waitakaruru, kopu, paeroa, waihi, tauranga, te puke, rotorua, taupo. all unbelievable, warm air and no rain where my wheels went. to make up for such luck, my favorite thai green curry in taupo had just shut at 1600hrs (no food since breakfast, not good for you or your riding) and the heavens DUMPED on me at wairakei. the bp station was invisible from rain bouncing off the tarmac, but i found their truck bay and was soaked. the roof spouting was not coping, and cars were pulling off the road to shelter til you could see where you were going. bug this! got a home to go to. on with the invincible condom over wet touring textiles and out to do battle. dried up on SH1 in the forest just 10-15km north of wairakei. #1 straight home, except up west of waikato river from ngaruawahia to rangiriri. steady rain for 20km just south of cambridge. rest of ride was dry. tea was on table as i walked in. life ain't bad when you can sneak a ride in despite the weather gods and the old black bus demonstrated what she was designed for, again. comfy non-stop (except to fill the tank) riding .

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