The obvious benefits of this rail trail were among the considerations which convinced John Key to promote New Zealand's National Cycle Trail, which includes the Mountain to Sea. He could see a certain payback for the cost of putting in the trails and the organisation around them.
Wanganui has become part of the trails which will soon stretch from the northernmost tip of the country to the southernmost, with relatively short gaps between.
The "partner programme" encourages businesses to become official partners in this opportunity. This would mean they get their business included in the official website, maps, pamphlets, etc, and become known.
The annual fee seems reasonable and it is open to any business which provides a high-quality, cyclist-friendly service to riders. Apart from the obvious "bike" facilities, the businesses would also need to have some firsthand knowledge of the trail which, at more than 200km and expected duration of three to five days, would ensure the business people would be able to enjoy their own sore bums as part of the initiation into servicing the trail.
The trail begins at the Turoa skifield car park, passes through Ohakune, Horopito, Ruatiti, Mangapurua Landing, Pipiriki and Jerusalem, down the Whanganui River Rd to Upokongaro, then down to the sea at Castlecliff.
To my mind, the riskiest part of the trip will be the ride from Upokongaro to Wanganui city along State Highway 4, where the cyclists will have to mix it with the traffic on a busy piece of road. Although there is no cycle lane yet, the Wanganui council is aware of the need. Believe me, the sound a group of cyclists would make if run over by a truck and trailer would be heard around the world.
Thankfully an excellent map is available at the i-Site which shows all the trails, their lengths, expected durations and indicates how hard the riding will be.
Grade 1 is the easiest - fairly flat, wide, smooth track or gravel road; grade 2 is easy - mostly flat, with some gentle climbs on smooth track that has easily avoidable obstacles such as rocks or pot-holes; grade 3 is intermediate; and the daunting grade 4 is for advanced cyclists and comprises a mix of steep climbs, narrow track and numerous hazards, including dangerous drop-offs, sharp corners and difficult obstacles. Expect walking and possibly bike-carrying.
Hmm ... what colour Lycra matches my eyes?
Chris Northover is a Wanganui-based former corporate lawyer who has worked in the fields of aviation, tourism, health and the environment.
