Day
This day was the highlight
for Karen. At the riders’
briefing we had been told
B.O.4, the Pisa Range via
Snow Farm, would be a
very special ride, but if we
wanted to do it we had
to be at the turn off by
2:30pm. If not, we’d be turned back and miss out.
Our group elected to do B.O.1, then head straight
to B.O.4. After skipping B.O.2 we checked the
time, and I suggested that we could include B.O.3
and still get to the turn off in time. Not everyone
was so keen... but the group stuck together and
we turned at the green break out marker.
Well... this turned out to be the most exhilarating
decision of the trip! During the ascent, Karen and
I came round a corner and were confronted with
the steepest, roughest, narrowest twisting goat
track of the whole Rallye! Ahead of us we could
see riders struggling to get up, especially through
one nasty section which was all rocks and ruts; no
real track at all. I had time to think this through;
logic told me to turn back; watching a few riders
get into trouble when they slowed down, I said to
Karen, “You’d better hang on tight! I’m sorry, but I
can’t take this one slow. It’s full throttle – second
gear all the way!” It was the hardest riding I’ve ever
done; not only was it tough to keep the bike on
the track, it was even tougher to stay on the bike!
Karen stood on the pegs as much as she could,
but because the track was so steep we were close
to sliding off the back of the bike. The back wheel
was bouncing all over the place and my arms felt
like they were being stretched! We were probably
only saved by the dry bag strapped to the back.
B.O.3 turned out to be a bigger section than
we had expected, and we had to ride hard to
make up time. After a quick lunch break we
made it to the turn off with only 15 minutes to
spare, where the sweep rider, Joe Forsythe, was
waiting. He shook his head, always concerned
about our capabilities, but let us through. Heading
up Snow Farm Road into B.O.4, I couldn’t help
but think of NZ rally hero Possum Bourne.
Riding along the Pisa Range in December, with
snow drifts around, I was reminded that we were
up high. Along the ridge there is no plant life, just
rocks. It felt like the closest we could come to
4
30 KIWI RIDER