Grade 4. Length 2.7 KMs.
To see the satellite view of this trail tracks.org.nz
On a wet Good Friday back in 2004 a bunch of local riders were sitting in Zippy Central wondering what to do.
Instead of getting on their bikes they headed up Direct Road and trail blazed almost all the first section of this trail - the circuit around the crown of the hill.
It was Easter - hence the name.
Dean Watson, Graeme Murray, Carolyn Scherger, Graeme Simpson, Rick Todd and Annika and Rob Smail were all there on day one.
A lot of the hard landscaping work further down the hill was done by Claude Manihera from forest management (now living in Whangarei) and Red McHale and the PD crews.
Starts from the top of Direct. Ends at the water tap on Red Tank.
Fast and flowing and technical in parts. But not as technical as National DH.
Grovel up Direct until it flattens out at the top, and look up the hill to your left. There is a singletrack following the old road bed to the right of the main hill. Follow it and you will be rewarded with an amazing view of Rotorua and a fun trail that loops around the hill to deposit you back where you started.
Various forest elves have been involved in the development and maintenance of this trail including Nick Lambert and Rick Twimane (who built the great seat at the very highest point).
You will be ejected into the clearing where you started at about 30km/hr and a metre off the ground and you can freewheel across the clearing into the Rude.
Normally handles wet weather well if there aren't too many riding it on their brakes. North facing so recovers quickly after rain.
RIDERS COMMENTS:
Predominant Species
Radiata Pine
See what going through three different age classes of pines is like, from 4, to 7, to 15 years old.
John Lavery - www.duffillwatts.com - 19/09/07 02:05pm
a great trail, it has it all, views, easy & technical downs, a few up's. Gotta be done!
Brendyn@Hawkes Bay - 10/11/07 09:34pm
A bit overgrown and rutted at the moment. Which is a shame given all the climbing to get to it.
Private Parts - 04/02/10 02:59pm
Direct Road is a nasty climb, but it's the fastest way to access my favourite track in the forest! I'd love to put 6 stars on this one.
