Grand opening of the Cycleways

On Saturday 21 November, good weather held out for the 35 cyclists that participated in the opening of the Rangitikei Cycleways. Mayor Chalky Leary cut the ribbon and keen mountainbiker Aidan Terpstra led the way.
Very classy Cycle signs have been placed along the trails with a logo of a bike and an arrow confirming which direction cyclists are to be heading...however we have learnt that not all cyclists take note of arrows!
Finishing up with a BBQ and refreshments put on by Rangitikei Tourism and Bike Rangitikei, the event closed with spot prizes kindly donated by Robbies Mechanical Services and Terry Hammond Machinery (both from Marton).

Brian Megaw - despite being an hour late for take-off made a video of his bike ride on the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfpNKN_VsQ

Watch this space to find out when the next Fun Bike Ride takes place.

Gorges to Sea

Did you know that behind the scenes over the last few months, Rangitikei Tourism and Bike Rangitikei have been working together to develop cycle routes throughout the Rangitikei? This is an exciting project which it is hoped will eventually qualify to be part of The National Cycleways Scheme.

In line with its geographical features, we are calling it the

Gorges to Sea (Gorgeous to See....) Cycleway

Four trails that loop out from SH1 between Taihape and Himitangi (Gorges to Sea) have been tried and tested and maps of these trails will soon be on the www.rangitikei.com website.

Experienced cyclists have told us that cycling through the Rangitikei is superior to other regions they have cycled before and even go so far to say that the Rangitikei is far more thrilling than the well known Otago Railway cycle track. With its breath-taking scenery and variety of ascents/descents, the Rangitikei offers something for everyone, from a leisurely family outing to an almighty challenge for even the fittest of cyclists. We would value the public’s feedback on these trails and suggest that keen cyclists get out there and try the trails for themselves.

To officially launch the cycle trails we have planned a Fun Ride Out

On Saturday 21^st November, Rangitikei Tourism and Bike Rangitikei invite you to join them on the Omatane Trail which starts at the Gorge Road (Bungy) turnoff near Utiku. The ride will finish with a BBQ and refreshments at the Mangaweka Domain. The famous, the ‘foolish’ and local personalities will be involved, so come along and be part of this exciting happening!

All cyclists will be asked to donate at least a gold coin which will go to Aidan Terpstra, a 16 year old Marton competitive mountain biker, who is hoping to be selected for the Mountain Bike Championships in Quebec next year. Aidan needs to raise money for tickets, expenses and a new bike so your support would be appreciated.

Meet at Utiku 9:30am

Cycle starts 10:00am

Refreshment stations will be set up along the way, and we plan to have vehicles available for those who may need a little assistance to find the top of some of those hills! This is possibly the most picturesque bike trail, however parts of the trail will be tough – so some practice may be required.

Please see the attached PDF for a detailed description of the trail.

We look forward to your support, whether it be joining in on the bike ride or assisting in the running of this event in some manner.

Please contact Andrea Ph 06 322 1632 or andrea@rangitikei.com for more information and to confirm your participation!!

Presenting Rangitikei DVD Challenge

Rangitikei Tourism invited the public to attend a premier evening for Taihape Area School and Turakina Maori Girls College held at Rangatira Golf Club, Friday 16th October.

These schools accepted the challenge to produce material that is suitable for You-Tube style marketing with a $1000 prize at stake.

Judged by a panel, Hamish Johnson (Flying Saucer Films), Warren Jones (Associate Director ReelEarth.org) and Brian Megaw (River Valley).

Despite a slight technical glitch, it was a fantastic evening with a good turnout from both schools and their supporters. Both films were viewed and after some consideration, Turakina Maori Girls was announced the winner.

Thanks to Rangitikei District Council, Pub Charity, Westpac Marton, Property Brokers Taihape and Bulls McDonalds for their generous support. Thanks also to i5 Gallery and Sugar Plum for catering and Rangatira Golf Club for providing the venue. This will most definately be an event repeated and hopefully the next series will include material from both primary and secondary schools.

Turakina Maori Girls - DVD

Taihape Area School - DVD

BIKE RANGITIKEI - CYCLEWAYS

Bike Rangitikei together with Rangitikei Tourism are in the process of designing maps and brochures which outline cycle routes from Taihape to Himitangi. The Rangitikei has incredible scenery and a group of well travelled cyclists pledge that the Rangitikei offers a much more thrilling experience than the very popular Otago Railway cycleway.

With major focus being on following the Rangitikei River, each cycleway will have a detailed description so cyclists can make an informed decision as to whether they want a leisurely ride through less travelled country roads or whether they want to undertake the ultimate Mountain Bike Challenge.

http://www.rangitikei.com/informationWatch this space as coming soon will be the launch of the Rangitikei Cycleways. The public will be invited to par-take in a funride through the beautiful Rangitikei.