Our final group ride for the year, held mid-December, was well supported by local members (14 bikes & 15 riders). This time I decided we could offer a choice of routes to the destination that gave a gravel option for those interested.

Our end point was the Coleridge Power Station which is sited in the upper reaches of the Rakaia River. The riders who took the sealed roads turned off at Darfield and enjoyed a stiff headwind up to the site. As with much of Canterbury, the first part is just riding long straight roads, but the trip gets much better once into the hills. Plenty of interest and twisties to enjoy.

Those of us who decided the gravel option was preferable carried on up the main road and over Porters Pass to the Lake Lyndon turnoff. This gave us about 25kms of gravel to play on. This road is used by a lot of 4WDs, so there are lots of potholes and deep shingle traps on either side. Six riders took this route with no mishaps. We met up with the rest of the group for a photoshoot at the power-station, and then headed back down the valley to enjoy a late lunch at the Hororata Café & Bakery.

The ride down the valley was enjoyed by all, mainly because we had a strong tail-wind and a downhill run. Thank you to all of those who came along. However, always room for more so just keep an eye on the FB page for notices of our group rides.

Generally held monthly, always treated as a group ride, and all RE’s welcome. I really don’t mind what brand of bike you turn up on (my collection covers 5 marques), you just have to be prepared to adjust your riding to suit the majority.

Hope to see you soon.
Richard Poff
Canterbury Rep