Pureora Timber Trail: Gun to a Knife Fight

I was not disappointed that I had chosen my full suspension mountain bike for a ride on a Grade 2 gravel trail. Sometimes taking a gun to a knife fight just has you smiling smugly all day.

Our crew of four consisted of three trail bikes and one hardtail in full brevet kit as Dean went through a final shakedown prior to his big event.

Out on the trail was a myriad of bicycles - commuter bikes with carrier racks and semi-slick tyres, cyclocross bikes, hardtail and full suspension mountain bikes, and even one street fixie shod with 'cross tyres. Anything goes, just ride.

Heading out on the trail at the north end was a complete contrast to my previous ride starting at Piropiro Flat and heading south.  There were more corners, more bush, more flow, more gradient and much more technical aspects than at the southern end (if a Grade 2 trail can be described as technical).

The morning was brisk, but it didn't take us long to feel warm, even when riding through the cool of the forest. A short diversion off the main trail lead us to the relic of an old Caterpillar tractor unit and a traffic jam of riders milling around waiting for their turn for photos.

Our progress along the trail was steady, as we had a goal in mind - the top. We knew there was a bit of a climb to get us up there and we didn't want to draw it out for any longer than necessary. The trail ducked and weaved through the trees, making the most of the terrain and maximising the fun. Some clear-felled areas of private forest provided a preview of mount Pureora and the terrain ahead.

The red hut popped up ahead of us, revealing its position much lower on the mountain than I had thought.  It was a great place to pause and appreciate the view.

We continued on and at the high-point of the track we threw comments around about stashing our bikes in the bush and walking to the summit.  We decided not to, opting to continue along the trail.  Except for Dean - he wanted something a little more testing prior to his Brevet, so he headed off towards the summit for a bit of hike-a-bike and we three continued on down the trail with loose plans of a rendezvous whenever Dean caught up to us.

We three had some of the best riding ahead of us - some long downhill sections, small steady climbs, and a long section of boggy track that was in the middle of being reworked by the trail crew.  The forest was beautiful, native, lush, green, and a-buzz with activity - bees, birds and all sorts of unidentified things shuffling through the undergrowth.

We caught and passed some slower riders who took exception to being passed - not sure what the problem was.  Our lack of hi-vis, carrier racks, or warning bells?  We got to pass them several times; when we paused to regroup, chat and eat, they would come trundling past us again.  I thought it was pretty funny they were upset about it. Ha ha!

The trail was delivering fun by the bucket load.  Sections that were narrow, with tight corners, awash with debris from the last deluge and featuring a severely humpback cross section were a total hoot. I slid across the crown of the track and down the off-camber on the outside of the corner more than once, but it just resulted in more giggles and a bigger grin.

By now we were focused on making steady progress, as we had underestimated the time it would take to reach Piropiro Flat where we would meet our driver.  And we were wondering where Dean was... he hadn't caught us yet.  We had to take into account that he was over and hour behind us - his ascent to the summit and descent back to the Timber Trail was estimated at 40 minutes each way.  There was no need for panic, so we carried on towards our end goal.

The trail mellowed, widened and got less exciting as we neared Piropiro Flat.  We were riding more on graveled and rocky roads and much less singletrack.  High speed descents shrouded in native forest, gave way to open scrub and grassland on sandy trails.  We were baking in the hot afternoon sun - the temperature was well into the upper 20s. Megan was suffering with a headache, which we eventually sorted with a caffeinated gel - ibuprofen had no effect. We were getting tired and a little worried for Dean. He hadn't caught us yet.

We needed to let our driver know that we were okay, and then think about what to do for Dean.  We sought refuge in the tiny square of shade beneath the map board at Piropiro Flat and finished off our food and water while we waited.  I was starting to think I'd have to ride back along the trail when finally Dean emerged, looking a little worn out.

After catching his breath he relayed his story of the hike-a-bike to the summit which took well over an hour, the equally slow and terrible descent, the frustration upon discovery of alternate route down being shorter and more rideable, and then the solo time trial along the Timber Trail all the way to Piropiro Flat.  It turned out that it was a good test and preparation for his adventure the following weekend at the Kiwi Brevet in the South Island.

We loaded bikes, bodies, and backpacks into the car and settled in for the lengthy drive back to the start of the trail.  It was a really good day on the bike for me.  My back handled the riding very well (it was only when finished that it started to hurt!), the trail was super fun, and the company was excellent. The Timber Trail now moves from my Must Do list to my Must Do Again list.