Offroad-Express

The Auckland and King Country 4WD clubs are working together in association with the Park Travellers Lodge to run two days of four wheeling close to National Park over the weekend of 21/22 March 2009. For insurance reasons, membership of the NZFWDA is required to participate.(http://www.nzfwda.org.nz/clubs/47/)

One route will be the famous 42 Traverse through Tongariro Forest and there will be some time set aside to assist with some trimming of the vegetation as each group drives through.

The other route is through a property that runs from National Park to Raurimu, to which access is rarely given for 4x4 use.

There is a limit of 50 participating vehicles, with half doing one of the routes each day.

A feature of this weekend is that the base is the Park Travellers Lodge and with their wide array of accommodation options there should be something to suit most people. They are offering a 20% discount on rooms for NZFWDA members and a group dinner is planned for the Saturday evening.

The Park are offering breakfast and packed lunch options too so that those who want to have a really relaxing weekend can do so. Check the spa pool and other facilities at http://www.the-park.co.nz

Because there are so many options for accommodation it has been decided to simply set a fee per vehicle for the two trips at $25 per day and leave people to arrange their accommodation directly with the Park Travellers Lodge thepark@xtra.co.nz 07 892 2748

The whole trip fee is to go towards the refurbishing of the National Park Community Hall.

The rates for accommodation (although a tent rate is shown, there is limited site availability) can be found on http://www.nzfwda.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=84

The aim is for a low stress 4x4 weekend that caters for true 4x4 vehicles (low box and at least good AT tyres are needed). Make your bookings early and remember to tell the Park that you are part of the NZFWDA 4x4 National Park weekend.

Hi Peter

I was told the working bee was to be held in Feb , not March

Skid you may be right, I'll check again thanks.

March 15 is the right date for the 42 Traverse maintenance

Peter

This event has had a date change to meet a change that the Kawhia Safari organisers have made since our original discussions!

The 4x4 National Park activities will now be on 21/22 March 2009 and it will be necessary to book quickly to ensure a bed at our base, The Park Travellers Lodge.

A visit on 3 Jan to the National Park land that will be part of the four wheeling, identified some great 4x4 touring among excellent scenery, combined with some interesting technical routes. (All done in a standard Isuzu with Bridgestone AT's)

Check the original posting for more detail.

I thought a photo of one trail might depict the sort of countryside

Bouncing this event up the list again. Entry numbers are building but with a month to go we still have some space. NZFWDA membership needed to conform with insurance requirements.

It should be a fun weekend. Bring the family.

A number of NZFWDA members have tried to book accommodation with the Park Travellers Lodge for this event online but it shows as being full. That's not correct as the Park have 'block booked' a number of rooms for the event and there is space still.
Email them at thepark@xtra.co.nz

On 17 Feb we ran the farm property again to check trails and drove over 40km of options.