11 December 2011

Awesome opening to the Rameka Six-Pack! 25 people to dig the tracks, 50 people for speeches and a sausage sizzle and hundreds of people riding the tracks over the weekend.

They really are riding well now, and with 16 km to ride, everyone was happy. Here are some pics.

Karyn and Bronnie were our crash test dummies.

The Pack Track is largely on the original Rameka Track. It connects the Rameka Track and Project Rameka.

Great Expectations meets Marie’s expectations.

A happy crowd celebrates the opening of the Rameka Six-Pack.

Big thanks to Ricky Ward – track designer and builder.

Martin and friends pass the guardian of the Tomo! Beware!

The “Rameka Six Pack” in Golden Bay is being officially opened this Sunday. Everyone is welcome to help polish the tracks off between 10am and 12 noon. Meet us at the top entrance to Project Rameka (Rameka Creek Road, 10 km from Takaka).

At 12 noon there will be a relaxed BYO BBQ, followed by a ride of all 6 tracks… or just a couple if you prefer.

The Rameka Six Pack comprises six different tracks, including the Rameka Track, the Pack Track (new) and Great Expectations (new section just finished). The total length is 15.5 km.

This includes the second part to Great Expectations, which has been built over the last two years over some very difficult terrain, and through vicious barberry. A big thanks to Ricky Ward for the design work, and to Martin Langley (Quiet Revolution Cycle Shop) for organising dozens of working bees – not to mention over a hundred other volunteers. The result is absolutely fantastic!

August 2011

What a week! Thanks to the tree planting efforts of Motupipi Primary School, lead by Seamus and Bronnie and Ricky, we managed to get all 600 trees planted. There was also a fine effort put in by a cool bunch of local in the weekend, who were well fed by Fill and Albie’s amazing vegetable soup and home made bread.

There was also quite a bit of bridge building activity going on. The last, and longest boardwalk was completed, so that Great Expectations is now fully rideable down to Rameka Creek. Awesome job.

There will be an official opening of Great Expectations, plus the Pack Track which links it to the old Rameka Track on 11th December.

See you there.

Some renegade trail bikers have been testing out the sweet lines on Great Expectations. In an effort to deter them, waratah barriers have been put up at the top entrance to the track (just before the cattle stop) and at the midway exit to the road. Unfortunately, the barriers seem to be deterring mountain bikers as well. They are hard to get around, it’s true, but you can squeeze a mountain bike past them. We’ll try and amend the situation soon so that bicyclists and push chair pushers can get through and onto the track a bit easier, but until we’ve sorted it out, don’t be put off. The track is not closed.

Saturday 28 May dawned fine and still. The perfect day to push Great Expectations through to the stream and the Mill site on the other side. And what a turn-out to make it happen!

But could he really keep an eye on 31 of us?

Yup, possibly the most impressive turn-out since opening day, and a heck of a lot of work got done. Awesome efforts from everyone (there are too many to name in person without the serious possibility of leaving someone off the list). There are still a few bridges to come in (and thanks also to those people who have started working on those bridges). Now it’s time to ride and tweak and ride and titivate and ultimately ride!

The next major work party will take place in August, and that will focus on repairing winter damage and tired sections of the track in preparation for some fun summer flow.