Day 41-42: Takaka and Rameka Track, Also Top Rocks

Today we went for a run.  But since Molly and I never just go for a run, we decided to go running into the mountains.  

See that valley?  That's where we're going.

Takaka is located in a largish valley between two parks that consist mainly of mountain ranges.  Very close to us is the Rameka Creek, which flows from the Rameka Valley, which leads into the Abel Tasman Park.  We know there is a road that goes into the valley, and a mountain bike trail somewhere too, so we decided to check it out.

So a quick 2 mile run, and we find ourselves at that sign, showing that it's 3 miles to the top, and the start of the trail.  We don't think we'll make it there and back in the time we've given ourselves, but we decide to run in and check it out anyway.

What's funny is that the landscape is somewhat Irish; rocky hills, sheep, trees, but with an exception (ignoring how sunny it is, too) .  Look closely at the middle of that last picture.  See the fern tree?  You don't see those in Ireland.

The valley is great.  Steep walls, the dry rock creek.  And we find a couple short downhill bike tracks.  They're called One Click and Two Click, and they run parallel to the road.  You're supposed to bike up the road and take the trails down.  Of course, we just run up and down them.

They're really well groomed, flowly and rocky, with jumps and technical sections.  We are resolved to rent good mountain bikes and give them a try sometime soon.

The view, as we run back to the yurt, just in time for dinner.

Good bye sheep!  Soon we'll see you again.  (And there's the fern tree, again.)

That evening, we head over to Kiwiana to say hi to everyone there, since we haven't seen them since Thanksgiving.  Again, a great sunset.  It turns out that Maddie is a runner herself, so we see if she wants to join us the next day to run up and down in Rameka with us.  She is game, so the next day, at noon, we set out.

I forgot my camera, so take my word that the views were good.  I'll have pictures of it from a later date.

This time, we decide to bike to the start of One Click, that way we're a bit fresher and ready to try more trails.  We discover, to our dismay, that the most direct route, a dirt road that starts right behind the yurt, runs by a farmers house.  Normally, not a problem;  we've been told by Wendy and Carol it's a public road.  But they also warned us that the farmer is protective, and likes to pretend that the road is a private driveway.  So as we bike through, we were stopped by our first rude Kiwi--the farmer's wife.

Instead of a, "Hi!" or even a "Hey, how's it going, just so you know..."  we were told "This is a private drive.  You can't be here."  Rather than call a stranger a liar (I am polite, after all), I tell her that Google Maps told us this is the quickest route to the Rameka.  She repeats, "This is a private road," and drives off in a huff.

Oh well.

We continue to the trail and begin our run.  This is where the fun begins.  We discover a half finished downhill track that switchbacks straight up the side of one of the hills inside the valley, and run almost to the top before deciding that, discretion being the better part of valor and that we have no spare water or food, we should turn around.

Which is good, because when we reach the bottom, and our bikes, we discover that Molly's bike has a flat.  And since we can no longer go straight back to the house (3km), we have to go the long way around (4.5km).  It's a pretty walk, but still long.

The consolation prize, however, is a trip to Top Rocks, a watering hole on the Takaka River.  It requires climbing two fence stiles, but is a well known spot to swim and take in the sun.  (If you go through private property there, the owner must not care.)  Again, I forgot my camera, but sometime soon, I'll get some pictures.

All in all, a fun couple of days.