Redwoods Planning

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman go biking in the Redwoods........  I'm not sure why the Kiwi went along but it was lovely to sit in the car and listen to their gorgeous accents!  :)

Clare and Sal, heading out on the trails, doing their best to convert Cat from her skinny wheels to knobbly ones.  Today, I am desperate to get some trigs, so I'm being antisocial and heading off on a mission.  I've scouted out 5 trigs within possible cycling distance of the Waipa car park. 

The North Western trig (3) is a given, it's only a km or so from the car park.  I've seen it before, in the last 12 months.

South West (9) is a remote area of the Redwoods, not often used.  The trail is called NO Brains.... technical grade 4.... but closer inspection of the trig details finds......

1996, beacon destroyed, not replaced.  Pleased I found that and saved myself the trip.

I'm considering covering some long ks on my MTB, heading to the East side of Green and Blue Lakes......  The far East trig (12) is on Private farmland.

  I can trace the track on Googlemaps, from the trigs, right down to the forest... it's only a km from the lookout car park.... but is there a path through the forest????  Even 500m of bush bashing is hard going, and time consuming.  Is there an angry farmer?????

 The trig on the East of Green Lake is a little trickier navigationally...... and Google satellite shows it's in forestry.  The map looks like parts were recently replanted prior to the imaging..... if that area of the forest is currently busy growing, I can race in and out no worries.  But if there's any work going on, they will NOT be impressed by a random MTBer competing for road space with logging trucks or falling pines.  I'd like to say that I'll cross this one off my list, to maintain good relationships between forestry and cyclist, but actually I'm just scared to get a telling off! 

The Trig to the WEST of Blue Lake, A833 is within the Redwoods cycling area.  There are no actual tracks going to it, but I can get within 300m on Moerangi Road, bush bash out to it, then blast down the Split Enz trail which is a new favourite. 

My plan is made.  I'll race out to Pohaturoa, join back up with the girls for a bit as they make their way closer to Moerangi, then ditch them again for the uphill slog to A833 and navigating uncertainties.  Needing to be back in Papamoa for school pickups, the more distant trigs will have to wait until a later date.  My Garmin is inputted with the trig co-ordinates, as today I want to experiment with using it to navigate.  And to make sure I can find my way back to my bike if I'm off trail.  :)

Coming Soon.... Part 2..............