This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 89, no 3, April 2017
Biking the Ruahine Leatherwood Belt
10th February, 2017
We met at the DOC Pohangina base on the Friday 10th Feb afternoon after biking a few reserves and Christine testing the new electric bike. On the Saturday morning the plan was to bike the Takapari Track to the top of the Ruahines. This 4WD track rises from the park boundary to 1170 metres and is initially very steep with many walking and bike pushing sections and not really suitable for an electric bike. Three of us started the upward grind and cycled into and through the leatherwood belt to the Traverse (A-frame) Hut …. strange experience cycling through New Zealand's largest leatherwood belt. Robin stopped at the A-frame and Janie and Graeme continued south to the end of the 4WD track. (Photo: Graeme and Janie at the hut). The faster return trip saw us back at the cars by mid afternoon.
Meantime Christine, starting from the Park boundary, went for a long cycle around the Manawatu backroads fully testing the endurance of the bike electrics and returning to base well after the Takapari three. On the way home on Sunday we cycled the Manawatu River trail, enjoying a return tail wind and smoother surface than the boulders of the Takapari Track.
- Party members
- Christine Leighs, Janie Cook , Graeme Cook, Robin Chesterfield (leader and scribe)