Saturday, December 26

Teeing up for Summer...



No, they're not the winners of this summer's Mr & Miss Kaiteriteri competition (that local calendar highlight takes place on New Year's Day) but whoever struts their stuff wearing our tees is almost guaranteed to carry off the crown!

Even if the catwalk isn't your scene, you'll still look good and feel even better, knowing that by buying a MTB Park t-shirt you're helping to fund future track building.

To make it easy for you, we've priced them at just $20. If you're visiting the Park, they're available at the Kaiteriteri Store. Otherwise, email morristrainor@slingshot.co.nz to order one (p&p $4.50).

You can even save $5 with a cap and t-shirt combo! $35 for the pair (p&p $5.50) marks you out as a Park supporter who's doing their bit to advance our trail network.

With Kaiteriteri rapidly filling up, it's great to see the tracks getting so much use. Cars with bike racks are becoming more common than cars with boat trailers. Maybe it's our big sign by the Kaiteriteri turn-off that's bringing them in. Maybe it's just that the word is out that there's riding for everyone, from beginner to expert, and that there's no better way to wash off the dust afterwards than a dip in the sea.

Thanks to Craig Skillicorn for this telephoto pic from the Flamin' Nora lookout...

Saturday, December 12

And to cap it all...

While the coolest place to be at Kaiteriteri this summer is up on the mtb tracks, the coolest thing to wear down on the beach is one of our caps.
At just $20, they probably represent about the best xmas present you could gift to someone special this year, unless you'd rather be the one attracting all the attention yourself...




Our Park logo looks terrific on all four colour options: black, royal blue, red & navy blue.


Contact us at info@kaiteriterimtbpark.org.nz to order (p&p $4.50 for 1-2 caps; $5.50 for 3 or more.)
Alternatively, the Kaiteriteri Store has stock, including dinky little bells for just $3. If bike bling is your thing, or you just want to make sure you don't have any unpleasant encounters on the tracks, these are a pretty useful accessory.
All sale proceeds go to funding track development.

Meanwhile, with the Opening behind us and the cessation of weekly working bees for the summer, a few keen trackies have turned their attention to some old favourites.
Before there was a Mountain Bike Park, there was little more than a few firebreaks that dropped down from spurs off the top ridge. Because of the extreme steepness at the top, they are high maintenance tracks and, if neglected for too long, deep ruts form in the soft granite soils.
This weekend, Kaiteriteri veterans Michael Brewer, Craig Skillicorn & Guy Trainor spent several hours carrying out remedial work on Flamin' Nora & Velocity. It was hot work but the reward comes with the fantastic views and riding the freshly-groomed tracks afterwards!
They're by no means finished so, if any locals want to do their bit to keep these tracks open & rideable, don't be shy...

Monday, December 7

eh, that was Grand...

On November 16, 2008, 13 of us gathered for our first working bee at the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board's overflow boat trailer park. It also served as a dumping ground for years of accumulated rubbish (old posts, broken culverts, rusted steel) and did not look a promising site for what we wanted to become the entry point for our track network.

On December 6, 2009, a transformed trailer park provided a superb venue for the Grand Opening of the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park (KMTBP). Gone was the rubbish, replaced instead by a view out over Kaiteriteri's famous estuary. A perfectly sculpted earth bund wall now demarcates the road entrance track, Pump Track & planned skills area and start of Salivater from the area retained by the Board for their parking needs.
It was within this area that we assembled on Sunday morning for the ceremonies. Following the opening karakia, it was into the speeches in which all paid tribute to the many individuals, volunteers & local businesses that had contributed to the project.
The speed at which the Park had come into being was a recurring theme of these speeches - a real testament to what can be achieved when a community gets behind a good cause!

The Park was then officially opened by the cutting of a ribbon by Tasman District Mayor Richard Kempthorne, attended by (from left) KRRB Chairman, Peter King, DOC Nelson Marlborough Conservator Neil Clifton, DOC Motueka Area Manager Martin Rodd, KMTBP Project Manager Guy Trainor, KRRB Manager Rob Guild, and KMTBP Chairman Mike Kirkwood.

Attention then turned to the unveiling of the pou by local iwi members. Carver Tim Wraight explained how the figurehead, representing an ancestor of great mana, both welcomed bikers and provided protection over them while using the Park.
Carved from local totara and sited on a mound, it strikes a commanding pose overlooking our entranceway and skills area.

The planting of a miro then followed, symbolising the birth of our new venture. These proceedings were a reminder to us all of the responsibility we carry in developing this wonderful resource.

This was also the cue for us to don helmets and grab bikes for the mass ride. Richard Kempthorne, Guy Trainor & Neil Clifton led out a large contingent of riders of all ages for a leisurely lap of the benched track circuit. For many it was their first foray onto the tracks and they were clearly impressed with what they discovered! At the Tank intersection, some of the more adventurous spun off to explore the more challenging tracks while the majority of us made our way through to the circuit exit and back along the road to the trailer park.
Immediately following the departure of the mass ride, Martin Rodd led a group on a walk-through of Salivater & Half-Pipe. For these largely less-confident riders, it was a reassuring look at the type of tracks that we hope will see them becoming regular Park users.

Meanwhile, the Pump Track was going off! All of Mike Kirkwood's fine-tuning was paying off as some skillful riders demonstrated perfect pumping technique. The action wasn't limited to them, however, as people of all ages were queueing up to have a crack. It was a new experience for most and a good insight into how their riding skills could be quickly improved with a bit of practice.
Concurrent with the PT show was the Mystery Time Trial where it was revealed that Mayor Kempthorne, an enthusiastic recreational mtber, had set the time to match. Many tried but lucky Robin Thompson snared the $50 Shoreline Cafe & Bar voucher by coming within 20 secs.
Shortly after 12.30 Jane Rose & Jenny Dore led off a posse of women for their bike skills w/shop, which they then split into two groups based on ability. They all eventually arrived back long after most had packed up and left! The big grins and excited looks on the faces of the participants was great to see. With Jane & Jenny's excellent coaching, women who had never been on off-road mtb tracks before were finishing by coming down Half-Pipe's Intermediate-grade switchbacks, while other's had picked up tips that they'll be able to pass onto their 'more-experienced' partners (if they're lucky :-)
The bike shops all chipped in with some great spot prizes which added to the fun & festivity of the occasion. The committee did a fantastic job sizzling the sausages, selling the carrot cake & merchandise and keeping the action rolling. All in all, not a bad way to celebrate our Opening...

A video of the day will shortly be forthcoming. Meanwhile, if anyone has any good photos of some of the action, we'd love to get them up on the blogpsot. Send to morristrainor@slingshot.co.nz.


Wednesday, December 2

A sign of things to come...


This is the sign to look for next time you come to Kaiteriteri. Located on Martin Farm Rd, just 100m from the beach, it's the gateway to the Park's hub at the site of the Recreation Reserve's Trailer Park.

The entrance track leads you onto a wide, flat area where you'll find the Pump Track and the start of our track network.

At Sunday's December 6 Opening, local iwi members will unveil & dedicate a pou especially carved for the occasion by local artisan Tim Wraight. The pou symbolises Maori relationship with the land and will welcome bikers as they enter the Park.

Also to be unveiled is our map & information kiosk. The panel has been prepared by Peter Laufkotter of Signcraft, who has patiently coped with our many revisions. Together with our freely-available (or downloadable) maps, no-one need have any excuse for getting lost!
Above, Patrick Ryan is installing the posts for the kiosk. Patrick and his bike began appearing on the Kaiteriteri tracks about 6 months ago. He soon become a regular at our Sunday morning working bees (see Archives) and it wasn't long before we co-opted him onto the committee. He's one of those people who you can ask to do something and he just gets on and does it. Except that Patrick's a builder and how many can you say that about!

He erected the gateway entrance for us recently and last week came straight to the Park after his day's work and installed the treads for our newest bridge.
The sturdy, steel framework for this 4m long bridge was donated by Doug Sharland of Sharland Engineering. Doug has been riding the old Kaiteriteri Forest tracks for years so we hope he enjoys the new trails being made. Robbie Flowers, NZ Sales Manager of Waimea Sawmilling Ltd., is another who's getting to spend a bit of time on the tracks, whether on his bike or in his running shoes. Robbie has arranged for WaiSaw to meet all of our timber requirements!

It's this sort of support, whether from our weekly volunteers or the local business community, that assures us that the Park is going to have a great future...

Thursday, November 26

Countdown to the Opening...

Sunday, December 6, is looming ever closer amid a last flurry of activity!

Roadside signs are going up, the gateway entrance will be finished this w/e and the supporting posts for our kiosk by the Pump Track installed. Peter Laufkotter of Signcraft has completed the artwork for the gateway and very impressive it is too. Next week he'll be working on the map & information board which will be unveiled on the day. All the timber for these structures has been donated by Waimea Sawmilling.

Also unveiled on the day will be a pou carved from totara which, with the planting of a miro, will signify the birth of the Park and acknowledge local iwi's long association with Kaiteriteri.

The Opening ceremonies will commence at 10.30 a.m. Principal among our speakers are Neil Clifton, DOC Nelson Marlborough Conservator, Peter King, Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board Chairman, and Tasman Mayor, Richard Kempthorne, who will also perform the cutting of the ribbon.

Following a final karakia, Mayor Kempthorne & Guy Trainor will lead off a mass ride of the 5 kms benched circuit and that will be followed shortly after by a mass walk of a shorter circuit, led by DOC Motueka Area Manager, Martin Rodd.

By midday, everyone should be regathering back at the Trailer Park. There'll be some demos on the Pump Track before others are invited to try their skills - or just have a play. Spot prizes will encourage the cautious to give it a crack and no doubt there'll be plenty of admiring on-lookers to cheer them on.

There will also be a "Mystery Time Trial" of Salivater & Half-Pipe where riders can try to match our mystery rider's time (who will be revealed on the day). Closest time wins a $50 Shoreline Cafe voucher but the runners-up won't miss out...

One of the things that less-experienced bikers often struggle with is riding switchbacks - and at Kaiteriteri we have a lot of them ('course, for experienced riders, that's one of the best parts!). We've decided to put on a Women-Only Bike Skills Workshop that will focus on riding switchback which we're sure will be very popular. Jane Rose, Nelson Mountain Bike Club xc racing veteran, will lead this limited-numbers session.

Several Nelson & Tasman bike shops will be there with their tents & toys so it will be an ideal time to try out a new season model. They're all putting up spot prizes and, for one lucky primary school-age rider, Coppins Outdoors are putting up a new bike.

Meanwhile, the music will be rocking, the sausies will be sizzling, the coffee will be percolating and the bouncy castle will be... bouncing.
Plus, we've got your xmas prezzies sorted for this year with our array of caps all freshly printed with our stunning logo!

We hope that you're going to be able to join us in celebrating the achievement of getting our mountain bike park up & running in less than 12 months. And to think, we're only just starting....

Sunday, November 22

Pump Track Progress



Ten of us turned up on Sunday to continue preparations for our December 6 Opening. Ching Contracting donated us a pair of swanky signs to help you find your way to the Park on the day or for whenever you're planning your visit.
Our crew of Patrick Ryan, Carl Thomas, Gary Drummond, Mike Kirkwood, Ross Savile, Martin Rodd, Jay Nelson, Rod Markham & Guy Trainor (camera), joined later by Ross Maley & Michael Noble, quickly dispersed to different tasks. One group went off to help finish the new piece of techie single-track that has been surveyed & largely built by Jay, Josh, Sam & Michael. It's called Remedy, as in Rescue Remedy, apparently a good cure for w/e morning hangovers, and provides a sobering link between Tank & Glade Runner.

Another group erected the framework for our entrance off Martin Farm Rd. in readiness for our gateway sign.

Meanwhile, Mike Kirkwood was happy to toil away by himself on the Pump Track.

Despite recently selling his tofu-making business, handbuilding the carbon-fibre frame for his full suspension mountain bike (see pics on Vorb), doing the post-school childminding duties and spending the last few weeks gib-stopping his new house, Mike has also poured himself into grooming up the Pump Track.


Fine tuning is still going on but that hasn't stopped lots of riders trying it out, with several managing multiple circuits without pedalling. Various tables & ramps provide different options on how to attack it and the high-sided berms, while demanding some commitment, enable speed to be maintained where you need it most.



Speed going into the 'staircase' pumps on the right helps you climb to the elevated end of the track. The right height & distance apart of these pumps is critical for the rider to maintain momentum. Mike has shovelled a lot of dirt getting these right but still welcomes feedback!



There's no doubt the Pump Track will be a hub for many bikers visiting Kaiteriteri this summer. Plans to build a Skills Area beside it will only add to the attraction. We're accumulating the materials - all we need is the time!
All the focus now is on getting ready for our Official Opening.

But that's the next blog...

Monday, November 16

The Big Pine Climb Time

A small band of expert riders know Velocity as a very steep & rutted descent from the top ridge before it eases off onto a wide and fast firebreak.
The point at which the transition happens is marked by a large pine. It's a good place to wait to see if your companions and their bikes are still a going concern.

What not so many people are aware of is that it's possible to ride from the bottom of Velocity up to this point.
"Why would you bother??", you could reasonably ask but there are weekend warriors who live for this type of challenge.
Masochists is another name for them.


So this is for them. The Big Pine Climb Time is a time trial from the bottom track marker post to the pine tree. You and your bike have to be in contact with the trunk before you stop the watch (hanging your bike is optional).

I did consider independent verification but we're mountain bikers, not roadies...

Unfortunately, I didn't conceive this brilliant idea until I was at the tree so don't have a time. I was also handicapped by carrying the camera. Michael Brewer does have a time, however, so has thrown down the gauntlet:
12 mins.33 secs.!

On the way back down, take the right fork, ease up where you see the Slow! sign and drop carefully onto Revelation. It's fun singletrack, you wont meet any masochisits and you get to finish on Revelation's switchbacks.

Post your time here or on Vorb (or email me) and we'll set up a Roll of Honour in the side pane.

Tuesday, November 3

Not only but also...


Great progress at the Park this week. Not only did we have Jamie Nicoll knocking up a couple of bridges on Tuesday but we also had nine staff members from the BNZ office in Nelson come out on Wednesday to do their bit to help get us ready for our December 6 Opening.


Jamie put skills learnt working for DOC in Westland to good use for our bridges. Here, he sets out the bearers for one at the very bottom of Flamin' Nora, replacing the dodgy couple of planks that had demanded extra commitment after a long & challenging descent from the top ridge.





While, here, he surveys finished work on another replaced bridge on Shady Lady, for which ITM, Motueka provided timber. A former NZ MTB XC team member, mountain biking remains a big part of Jamie's life. In a few days time he's off to Mexico to take up a contract with a kiwi trail building outfit instructing others in the mysterious arts of outslope and reverse gradients. Then, maybe, the same thing in Portugal? Chile?

I feel for him - it's hard life....




But back in the corporate world, it's not all suits & silk blouses either. BNZ staffers (from R) Dion, David , Jennifer, Sue, David, Kate, Craig & Tim donned their Closed for Good t-shirts and donated a day's labour as part of the bank's nation-wide initiative to encourage community involvement. Aspiring bank-teller Michael Brewer tried to blend in but his bike attire gave him away as a committed 'Kaiteriteri Trackie'. A great day's effort saw the whole 5 kms benched circuit get a good tidy up and it's now looking in perfect condition for a summer full of riding!

Meanwhile, down on the beach, the first of the visitors are beginning to arrive...



Sunday, October 25

Now with added map...



Map Meister Steve Newport (3rd from right) brought a few riding mates over from Nelson on Sunday to show them round the tracks. They were good enough to give big wraps to those of us who were there for our morning working bee, many of them being dedicated track workers in their own backyard.
Bryan Cohen (4th from right) gave the pump track a crack - which cracked him right back!Hopefully he was still able to man the barbeque at the bach later on...

Despite GPS'ing all of the tracks and spending several hours at his computer detailing them onto a Google Earth map, Steve still didn't sound wholly confident about where he was leading them so we've now uploaded the map onto the Tracks page for his - and your - future forays.

Sunday, October 18

It's hard to believe...

Jonathan Kennett handed out kudos to ten of the busier clubs building great mtb track around the country in the October '09 issue of NZ Endurance mag.

This is what he had to say about us....

KAITERITERI - THE FASTEST CLUB

"The speed of this club is staggering! It's hard to believe that the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park Society was only formed this year, yet they have already built four tracks. When I phoned the project manager for this article he was thrashing about in the bush designing a fifth track that will be ready to ride this summer.
There are also several existing tracks that aren't nearly as good as the new ones but they help expand the network into an area worthy of spending a few hours exploring. And other club members are working on a Pump Track.
Next time you head for a holiday at Kaiteriteri, forget the famous beach. The action is in the forest behind the town. The club has a good website at http: etc....."

Well, that fifth, 1.9kms, track is now finished and being enjoyed as Glade Runner, and since Jonathan phoned we've gone on to add Revelation, Shady Lady and a new entrance track into the Park!

Yep, there's some pretty hot action going on up in the forest... but the beach still holds its own.

Friday, October 16

Track Profile: Salivater


Salivater is where it all begins.



It provides a mouth-watering intro to the Park's growing network of trails. It's only 300m long but when you emerge onto a minor spur at its end, your juices will be already be flowing.







It starts with a gradual climb out of the Trailer Park, to the left of the Pump Track...







before gently gaining some height through two easy, bermed switchbacks.










It then sets off on a little sidle
through some pines












the track flanked by ferns and native grasses
















glinting in the dappled sunlight.


















The undulations disguise the subtle rise in elevation















until another pair of switchbacks reminds you of the height gain











before the final run to the track exit

and junction with SideWinder
and Half-Pipe.






All photos by Steve Newport.

Tuesday, October 13

Glade Runner sorted!


An awkward swampy section in one of this 1.9 kms track's many glades finally got sorted this week.


Andrew brought the Chings digger in and quarried on-site granite soil to create a nice little curvey causeway. It began with a culvert to channel the water..










and 50-odd barrowloads later it was hard-packed and ready to ride.











Mark Van Zoelen and his apprentice, Callum, came along to build a bridge over the deep stream cutting at the end of this section. Mark, of MVZ Builders, donated all of the materials along with his time.


Insider knowledge meant Deborah Morris was first to christen this long-awaited link-up, unexpectedly beating notorious track poacher mb!

Thursday, October 8

Park Logo



Here is our new logo - one that says mountain biking has arrived at Kaiteriteri!

Troll through the archives to see the Motueka High School entry that it's based on. Alan & Liz Eskrick, owners of signz n graphix in Richmond, donated the services of designer Sarah De Cent to smarten it up and we're pretty pleased with the final look so many thanks to the team there.

Big thanks also to Mat Tait for the time he put into helping us get there.

We're in the process of finalising our Park map along with a t-shirt & cap order so expect to see the logo out & about fairly soon.

Tuesday, September 29

Ferns 'n' Flow...





Tracks used were Salivater, Sidewinder, Swamp Monster & Half-Pipe.

Mega thanks to Ian Patterson.

Wednesday, September 23

Kaiteriteri MTB Park Update

An excellent turn-out for our Volunteers picnic last Sunday! It was great to see so many families present and to watch them heading off on their bikes to explore the tracks.
Despite the numerous switchbacks and little grunty sections, the smiles at the end seemed pretty universal, even amongst the little ones with their heavy, single-speed bikes who must have had to do a fair bit of pushing. For some of our most regular volunteers it was their first time riding the complete circuit, starting at the Trailer Park and exiting at Bethany.
Others used the arterial route to link up some of the firebreaks for some more challenging riding.
It's now possible to put together a good couple of hours riding based on the Park's trail network - not bad for less than 12 months work! And, of course, there's the beach & cafes to slope off to afterwards...

The Pump Track also provided a real focus for the morning. The PT team have done a great job in a short time and it's packing down well with the bike traffic. Fine tuning will go on for a while as user feedback refines the berms & pumps but the skilled riders have already demonstrated a full circuit is possible. Here, Mike Kirkwood & josh Fitzgerald consult over the slopes on the staircase pumps....






while, here,Jay Nelson shows how it's done.



We're pretty close to publishing our 3D Google Earth-generated map thanks to Steve Newport. We'll put it up as soon as it's ready (see Tracks) so check in soon if you're planning a ride.

Wednesday, September 9

Pump track update




Kia ora team. The pump track is really moving along from the sitting room table now into reality. We have spent a few days on the diggers firstly clearing the area then getting the basic outline and shape. We are now into the sculpting and creating the "pumps and hopefully after good working bee assistance we will be up and pumping for the summer season. see you out there Mike k

Thursday, August 20

Pump Track Plans

In a photo that doesn't do justice to Mike Kirkwood's sculpturing skills, we have a 3D design model for our planned Pump Track!
It will be located in the Trailer Park, the MTB Park's main entry point. Here, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board has allocated us a substantial area to create a skills playground guaranteed to entertain bikers of all ages & abilities.

Overseeing construction of the Pump Track with Mike are Stephen Hailes & Andy McFarland, at least until their sea kayaking operation swings into season again.
The KRRB are generously providing a 7t digger to start shifting some soil into place next week so we can expect some fairly rapid progress. There'll be plenty of opportunity for a bit of hand-tooling of the berms & kickers once the main design is outlaid so, if you'd like to help out, drop Mike a line: gabmike@clear.net.nz

In other news, Glade Runner is now benched as far as the grassy meadow. There are some stunningly beautiful sections to this track which will only be enhanced as revegetation occurs. Andrew will continue benching the final length to the Bethany Park exit in the first week of September.
You can follow digger progress via the Tracks link.

Monday, August 10

MTB Park Logo


This is the winning entry to our recent competition to find a logo for the Kaiteriteri MTB Park.
It was submitted by Zoe Morris-Trainor and judged best design by the MTB Park committee.

The competition was open to all students at Motueka High School and the local Reliance Retravision store generously put up a handy MP3 player for the winner, as well as some consolation prizes for the runners-up.

Local artist and graphics designer Matt Tait has offered to tweak the design up to professional standard and from there it won't be long until it starts appearing on all of our publications. Caps & t-shirts won't be far behind to kit you out for the summer and maybe a car decal or two to spread the word...

Friday, August 7

Glade Runner

Thanks to all of you who voted on our poll and helped select Glade Runner as the name for our latest track. We hope you now get a special buzz every time you ride it and we anticipate that will be ALOT !

Those of you familiar with director Ridley Scott's 1982 classic, "Blade Runner", (adapted from Philip K Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?') will get the filmic reference for this name. Although after riding it, you won't be dreaming of electric sheep but of sunlight filtering through stands of kanuka, sweeping under the drooping fronds of pungas and meandering alongside streams through dappled glades. Sound tempting...?
The benching of Glade Runner began this week and should be finished by the end of August. It will complete our first arterial route and allow riders to do a complete circuit entirely within the Park boundaries. The added bonus is that Glade Runner intersects with several other existing tracks, allowing those equipped with a map to throw quite a few different route options together depending on their skill level & fitness.

Already, with some helpful input courtesy of the Corrections Dept., the track is groomed up to a point, about 150m in, where it is joined by another track currently being hand-benched. This connection will allow riders to link on to Kimi Ora's old network of walking tracks that are now within the MTB Park. As soon as this work is completed, we'll update our map (under Tracks).

Below, Andrew Spittal works his way past a pair of gateway pines...

Saturday, July 11

The track with no name...


Work has started in earnest on our next section of track and an excellent turn-out of volunteers saw great progress made.

Rearing to go at right are Lenny, Ian, Ross, Andreas, Niclas, Mike K, Robin, Jacob, Mike N, David L, Rod, David Y, Tania & Sebastian (with Guy weilding the camera).

This promises to be a sweetly flowing track that sweeps through kanuka stands, past sentinel pines, visits one or two gullies (always welcome on a hot day) and crosses a couple of small streams. At least, that's what we've surveyed so far...

What we're now looking for is a memorable name for this track. From the wildly eccentric to the eminently prosaic - all suggestions are welcome. Email them to morristrainor@slingshot.co.nz and we'll select the best five to put up in a blogspot poll.

Check out the map under Tracks to get a provisional idea of where it is - it starts just above Kimi Ora and exits at Bethany Camp.

The way this track is shaping up, this could be your chance to name what could become the most iconic track in the Park!

Monday, June 29

Back at the rock face...

Andrew Spittal returned to Swamp Monster this week with the Chings digger fitted with a pneumatic pick. The mission was to shatter a significant amount of rock to enable us to widen a switchback and improve drainage in this attractive gully. The work was slow going but you'll all agree that the end result is a fine outcome.

All of the gullies have presented different challenges and have their own character. This one has a dense grove of suplejack and a small waterfall that emerges from a deep stream cutting. For those who like dropping their bikes and having an explore, many of these gullies have hidden delights.

While we had the digger there, Andrew also made some improvements to another switchback especially for those who like riding high on the berms!

The first of two boardwalks being built by Motueka High School students will be finished this week. Transporting the weighty materials to site has consumed a lot of their time here but the use of DOC's power carrier should save a lot of time & effort for the next boardwalk.

Continuing excellent turn-outs to our working bees have enabled us to make great progress over these wintery weeks. Last Sunday we began clearing vegetation from an old accessway into the Trailer Park. This alternative entrance will mean bikes & cars won't need to share the same road during the busy summer months. Every week we see new faces and make new friends so, if you've been thinking about joining us, come along and become part of the team effort that's building mtb trails you're gonna love riding!

Tuesday, June 23

Kaiteriteri riders excel at 6hr event.

Well what a Sunday at Rabbit Island! Great riding, great track and excellent support from the teams from the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park. Along with Carl Thomas, Ross Maley & Martin Rodd winning spot prizes, there was even some creative riding from myself.
Which brings me to the next part of this note: if one is ever to inadvertently get lost whilst racing in an event, it is best to keep one's trap firmly shut (so I was taught) and let the events proceed where no one else is any the wiser to your navigational transgression. However, if having got away with said transgression without anyone knowing, the last thing you need is for the event organizers to name you "The fastest lap rider of the day". Bugger! is just one of the words that comes to mind...
And it is on this note that I would like to nominate myself for the "BBS" award (Best Bull Shitter - or Best Bad Sport, you can use your own adjectives) and I look forward to anybody relieving me of this accolade at the earliest possible convenience. I would also Like to nominate Carl Thomas for the "BDR"award (Best Dressed Rider) with his longjohns on top of riding shorts a worthy spectacle and very much in the spirit of the day. I believe Andrew Spittal should be nominated for the "BART" award (Best Accident Requiring Treatment) Hope you get well soon, Andrew - great to see you out there doing it.
That's the best I can think of at the moment - any other ideas welcome. It was fantastic to see so many Motueka riders at the event and I look forward to next year where I might be able to follow the arrows a little better (or, if not, at least not get bloody caught)

Regards
Current BBS holder, Mike Kirkwwod

Sunday, June 14

Making mtb tracks at Kaiteriteri

The base soil at Kaiteriteri is Separation Pt. Granite. This presents both our greatest challenge and greatest asset in track making.
When the surface is loose, due to being disturbed or simply drying out over summer, it is extremely vulnerable to being washed away by heavy rain. On some of the older firebreaks that descend steep spurs, there are ruts that can swallow bikes whole.
The over-riding focus for all of our track design is, therefore, to avoid the damaging effects of erosion. The IMBA handbook Trail Solutions (one of two trail building guides donated to us by Ground Effect) has been invaluable in this regard.

It emphasises that the key to building 'sustainable trail' is to ensure that water is continually being shed from the track before it has a chance to gather either volume or momentum.
The best ways of achieving this are with an outslope and by the frequent use of grade reversals.
An outslope (i.e. a slope towards the outer edge of the track) will disperse water where that slope is greater than the gradient of the track. Even on steeper sections, the water will continually flow towards the outer edge, though not as quickly.
To ensure it doesn't gain sufficient volume to start causing a rut, grade (or gradient) reversals are built into the trail design. This is a dip, or 'valley', that arrests the flow of water and sheds it from the track. Done well, these small ups & downs give a nice undulating feel to the track and make it more interesting to ride.
On steeper sections where a gradient reversal may not be possible, water bars (diagonal channels across the track) achieve the same effect but, to maintain track flow, need to be well-rounded.

By applying these principles, we are able to take advantage of the more positive aspect of the granite soil here. Once it is compacted, it becomes very hard.
We've just had a week of consistent rain, often heavy. Those tracks that have now compacted through time & use showed no effects of erosion whatsoever. In several places water could be seen draining on to the track from cut benches but was being harmlessly shed by the outslope.
There was almost no evidence of recent wet-weather bike traffic except for on a couple of berms where the soil is not yet fully compacted.
So we've had the best confirmation we could get that the mtb tracks we're making for the Park are sustainable and suitable for all-weather, all-year-round riding.

On the other hand, biking tracks that are new and/or soft when they're wet is not a good idea. The narrow ruts made by tyres simply create more work for those involved in their maintenance. As Swamp Monster is still a track 'under construction', please don't ride it if it's wet as it just delays the compaction process. Until then, enjoy the others!

Tuesday, June 9

How can I help?

You can offer your support to the MTB Park project in a variety of ways.

As a volunteer...
On alternate Sunday mornings from 9.00-12.00 we have working bees that engage in a variety of work. This can include everything from track building & grooming to building bridges or features for our Skills Area.
These are enjoyable sessions where many new friendships have already been made. We have spare tools available and each week an email-out advises on what to bring, what work we will be doing and where to meet.

We occasionally skive off and take part in fun social events as well!

Working bees are notified by our website calendar and by email.

To be added to the volunteer mailing list, contact us at info@kaiteriterimtbpark.org.nz

As a donor...
Building a world-class MTB Park is an expensive business. Excavator hire, operator expenses, bridges & boardwalks, track signs, map & information panels - all of these costs add up for a volunteer-based management team.

As an individual, you can help us to continue developing the Park by making a donation. Unless specified otherwise, all donations go directly towards building more track and helping us to achieve our target of 10kms of trail by 2010.

Donations can be made freely via our PayPal a/c:







Alternatively, you can contact us direct for our bank a/c no. or cheque mailing address.
All donors are acknowledged under our Supporters link in the side panel.

As a sponsor...
Many local businesses have already contributed to the project by the generous donation of materials, hire costs and funding (see Sponsors).

If you or your business would like to donate in excess of $500, we invite you to contact us directly.

Saturday, June 6

Grooming the Monster...

A turn-out of seven this Sunday saw us finish the grooming as far as 'rock-face gully' (working from the Kimi Ora end). This is about halfway and one more w/bee should see us complete the track. With the installation of two boardwalks scheduled for this week, that only leaves the above gully switchback to sort out.

New 'trackie' recruits Stephen Hailes & Patrick Ryan have already been doing a great job of riding the Monster in and can also attest that it makes a great night ride. They have duly been put on 'glow-worm alert'...

Patrick won this week's Coppins-sponsored spot prize, a fitting reward for cutting the steps for our Swamp Monster Look-out. Like Nessie, our monster can be an unpredictable beast so we want to install a seat here so that bikers can bide-a-while with their cameras. Anyone who would like to donate or sponsor said seat is invited to get in touch.









Stephen, Patrick and w/bee regular David Ryder offer bloggers a 'Spot the Difference' competition.

Thursday, June 4

Swamp Monster tamed!


Three weeks of digger action has recently seen the benching of our latest track addition, 'Swamp Monster'.

This 1.5 kms section links 'SideWinder' with the top of Kimi Ora and is sure to be a Park favourite. It passes through frequently changing flora, delves into several gullies, offers unique views of a hitherto hidden swamp and provides just enough up'n'down to make you appreciate the occasional rest stops.

The benching of SM was made possible by generous hire terms from N S Rogers, Riwaka, and a huge donation of time by Andrew Spittal (taking a break from being CEO of Ching Contracting) in operating the digger over the whole course of the track construction.

Those of you who helped in the clearing of the route know what challenging terrain we had to work in and the high quality of the resultant track is a testament to skills which Andrew largely learnt on the job!

Students from Motueka High School are building us two boardwalks to cross a pair of damp gullies. Timber for these has been donated by Prime Pine, Little Sydney Valley, and ITM Motueka.

One gully, buttressed on one side by rock, still requires some work but, meanwhile, our next two working bees (June 7 & 14) are concentrating on grooming the track to a highly finished standard.

From Kimi Ora, bikers can return to the road via the KO driveway, climb the firebreak to the water tank junction, drop into the network of hand-benched track below KO (look for the 'Fitness Trail' sign on the left 50m down the road or, of course, reverse the route to the Trailer Park.

Welcome to our blogspot

After a couple of weeks in gestation, we're now proud to introduce our new baby to the www.

This is where we'll post regular updates on track progress and other Park developments, invite feedback, post photos & video and acknowledge our many generous supporters & sponsors.

You'll see you can view & download track maps, which will be updated as each section is completed, link to other helpful sites or make a donation.

You can use the blogspot as a source for information only or help the baby grow by feeding it with your own contributions. Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 20

MTB Park Update

Much has been happening in recent weeks so time for an update....

* The Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park Incorporated Society (KMTBPInc) is now up & running. This enables us to operate a charity-status bank a/c, receive donations, apply for funding and affiliate to related organisations, among other things. We have a Constitution which is available for viewing.

* There are several elected 'officers': Anna Ussher is our Secretary, Mike Kirkwood is Treasurer, Ross Maley (assisted by Mike K) is our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Andreas Kaeppler (assisted by Mike Nelson) is our Funding & Sponsorship Co-ordinator, Regan McLaren (assisted by Carl Thomas) is in charge of Track Maintenance & Monitoring, David Ryder & Sam McAuliffe are responsible for Park Signage and Information panels. I am overseeing committee activity in the role of Project Manager.

* The DOC conservation block has been gazetted as Recreation Reserve and will now be administered by the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board (KRRB). KMTBPInc will shortly sign a new management agreement with the Board to cover our track-building programme.

* Under the terms of the management agreement, KMTBPInc is responsible for all track-building in the Park. Please respect the terms of our agreement and refrain from or report any unauthorised track-building activity, including jumps. We are seeking to accommodate the needs of all mtbers in the Park so encourage individuals to attend working bees where we can discuss and, if possible, address their requests.

* The Half-Pipe drop-off was removed at the request of the KRRB who required soil for fill. Vehicle access to the Trailer Park is closed over winter but bike access is possible by the locked gate.

* Benching with a 1.5t digger is currently underway on Swamp Monster. This work is assisted by Ching Contracting and N S Rogers. As this is a 'construction zone', we ask that everyone stay away until the work is complete. There will be a press release when it opens.

* Walkers & runners are welcome in the Mountain Bike Park. Unfortunately, motorbikes and horses cause excessive track damage and cannot be accommodated.

* Useful contact no's are:
Guy Trainor 528 6655 or 021 0304 519 for general Park information.
Regan McLaren 527 8551 or 027 3156 981 for track issues.
Andreas Kaeppler 527 8345 to make a donation or become a sponsor.

A huge thanks from the committee to everyone who's helped get us this far already. A world-class MTB Park in the making!

Guy

Thursday, January 1

Location

Kaiteriteri is situated 60kms from Nelson and 13kms from Motueka. Famous for its safe, golden sand beaches and perfect climate, it is a popular holiday destination for kiwis & tourists alike.

Traditional recreational activities have centered on sunbathing, swimming, kayaking & boating. With the development of the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, visitors now have a whole new reason to visit.

This iconic resort is tipped to become "the jewel in the crown" of the region's planned Nelson-Marborough Cycleway, attracting cyclists from near & far. Soon the name Kaiteriteri will be as synonymous with bikes as it is with beaches.

Visit Map section for detailed track description and map.


View Kaiteriteri MTB Park in a larger map>

About Us

The Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park Incorporated Society was established in 2009 to develop and manage the Park. We are local mountain bike enthusiasts committed to extending the mountain biking opportunities in the region and creating a world class mtb Park.

Many other volunteers who share this vision attend regular Sunday morning 'working bees'. Others show their support by donating money, services or materials to the project.

A committee shares responsibility for many aspects of the Park's development under a Management Agreement with the reserve managers, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board. Our AGM, at which members are elected, is held in Autumn.

Current members are: Guy Trainor, David Ryder, Ross Maley, Craig Skillicorn, Mike Nelson, Ross Savile, Oliver Weber, Shane Lightfoot, Greg Buckett & Graeme Buchanan.

We can be contacted at info@kaiteriterimtbpark.org.nz or phone Guy on 021 0304 519.

Park Profile

The Kaiteriteri Mountain bike Park arose out of a collaboration between the Department of Conservation, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board (KRRB) and local mountain bikers to create a recreational off-road biking venue on public conservation land.

In 2009, the 180ha area of conservation land was gazetted as a recreational reserve under the management of the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board. It is being developed as a mountain bike park in partnership with Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park Inc. (KMBP), a body of enthusiastic volunteers committed to providing a wide range of trails to suit all users.

The track network is being created in a staged process. The first stage, completed in 2009, comprises a series of linked tracks that connect the MTB Park base at the Trailer Park with an exit beside Bethany Park.

The second stage consisted of hand-benching an Intermediate-grade higher elevation track that traverses the Park, linking existing firebreaks . It was completed in 2011.
Also completed in 2011 was an intermediate-grade, 3.5 kms, digger-benched track that climbs to the upper ridge.

Our track building programme is on-going.

Sponsors & Supporters

GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS:



SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS:

N S ROGERS LTD
NORTH WEST PEST MANAGEMENT










A Supportive Community...

The Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board has fully endorsed the MTB Park venture. Their practical support enabled work to commence immediately and they continue to assist us in realising the shared goal of an exciting new recreational asset for Kaiteriteri.

Little of the progress that has been made on the MTB Park would have been possible without the generous support of Ching Contracting, Richmond, and N S Rogers, Riwaka. Their early commitment to the project enabled the use of mini-diggers to create benched trail and considerably shortened the original time-frame for the establishment of the Park.
Andrew Spittal (Ching Contracting) continues to donate many personal hours in benching new track.

Many other local - and not-so-local - businesses and individuals have also provided a great deal in the way of materials & services, demonstrating both the level of community involvement in the venture and support for the vision of the mountain bike park in the region.

A $2,500 donation to the Society from Spittal Development
helped meet our management & volunteer 'start-up' expenses.

In November '09, Waimea Sawmilling undertook to meet all of our timber needs, providing the materials for our entrance gateway, map & info. board shelter, track marker posts & bridge treads.

Sharland Engineering fabricated a 4m long steel bridge for a major stream crossing.

North West Pest Management has undertaken to carry out weed control on our benched track circuit.

SignCraft, Ngatimoti, and signzngraphix, Richmond, have provided generous assistance with our signage & printing requirements.

Coppins Outdoors, Motueka, helps acknowledge and reward our many volunteers by sponsoring working bee vouchers.

Ground Effect, Christchurch, aided our project by donating books on trail-building and a clinometer for accurate track-surveying.

Village Cycles , Richmond, provides sponsorship to the project manager.

Prime Pine, Little Sydney Valley, donated timber for boardwalk construction on Swamp Monster. Posts were donated by ITM, Mouteka and they were constructed by boys from Motueka High School. ITM have also donated materials for a bridge.

Mark Van Zoelen of MVZ Builders donated materials & constructed a bridge on Glade Runner.

Concrete & Metals and C J Industries have both donated conage.

Reliance Retravision donated a prize for our logo competition winner.

Greenwood Health donated a First Aid Kit.

Mat Tait donated design services.

David Konecny donates his time in on-going technical assistance with our blogspot.

Steve Newport annually donates several hours creating our maps.

Quaystone Signs, Motueka, donated the roadside sign at Cook Corner.


Other Park Supporters

With the high numbers of visitors using the Park now, it's very encouraging for us when people follow up their positive comments with a generous donation when they get home! Many thanks go to:

Murray Lapworth "Well done on an incredibly productive year." (2010)
Phil Dewar (2010)
Michael Moss, Riwaka (2011)
Greg Dodds (2011)