FreeSpirit : Road closures and Livestock. Not a good day!

Wednesday 8 March 2023

Road closures and Livestock. Not a good day!

March 8th

This has been a day of extreme frustration. Oh, it started well enough, route had been planned first to Dannevirke and then onto Ashhurst. Today's goal was to reach Mangaweta and stop somewhere for the night. I was slightly out with my calculations yesterday. To reach the Aratiatia Dam from Porangahau it was more like 380 km, not the 328 km quoted yesterday. Anyway, there were hold-ups, many due to slippages, some through vegetation cutting and two very long ones because of livestock on the road. Then there were the road closures. Not one but two and neither had been mentioned on that live traffic update for the North Island I looked at yesterday! What was even more frustrating was the lack of signage.We travelled a good 10 km along dirt road from the turn off at Flemington, got to the junction where we wanted to turn left, only to be scuppered by that closure. It was another 50 km to add to that 380 just for the detour. The second closure was at Awahou North on the Manawatu scenic route. (Pohangina Valley East road) Again not a single sign warning of the road closure. We could have found another route through after leaving Ashurst. Ar Raumai junction we could have continued straight on and along another dirt road, but no. we decided to stay on tarmac and turned right instead. It was another 10 km before that stoppage sign was seen. We stopped and pondered and then hoped it would be off a side road. We did come to a slippage, got past that and breathed a sigh of relief that the closure was behind us. Another 5 km and we came to yet another sign. This time we knew it was for real, the road had been washed away, we had no option but to turn back, yet more kilometres to add to the total! We had a bit of a problem now. The campsite we planned on staying at was further along this road. We had passed it, knew it was closed due to the floods. We did have a quick look and saw that below the toilets, nothing but dried deep rutted mud, by the toilets and at the back was the only area that could be suitable for an overnight stay. We decided to go for it anyway.

So now to the photos.

Beware of standing water. Unbeknown to us a pothole hidden beneath the water and yes we went down it!

Uneven surface to catch the unaware. Right in the middle of shade, we could so easily have powered over it. Good job Ian saw it at the last minute.

First slip of many

Parts of the land by the river still flooded

Hmm, I think the Toy is under 3.5 ton.

The power of water. Must have been a very heavy object to bend this.

Land slides

The photo below was on the detour road. I forgot to take a photo of the Tourere Road closure. I have one to show from the opposite end though.

And then came the bullocks and heifers. We were asked to keep going as they would move out of our way in their own time, took over 10 minutes before we got through.

Another washout

Today must have been stock moving day. This cone warned us of just that

Before showing the photos I must just say this was quite a narrow road despite the white line in the middle. When we met the sheep and saw what was behind them, Ian backed the Toy a good 150 yds to a small lay-by. But this was not to the farmer's liking. The sheep refused to move forward, he kept waving at us to come toward the sheep, I nagged Ian to ignore him...didn't the farmer realise what a big beast there was was behind? But Ian being Ian obey the farmer. The Toy's wheels teetered on the edge of a shallow watercourse, I continued to nag, Ian continued to ignore. How that big wagon got past was a miracle. I was not a happy bunny!