After hearing many enthusiastic stories of the Timber Trail cycle ride Rick and I decided we must do the ride through the Pureora Forest. When I read “it is recommended to take a Personal Locator Beacon”, there was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I do remember a friend mentioning pitching over her handlebars. Visions of helicopter rescue spring to mind.
En route to the start of the Timber Trail ride, I quiz Victoria Dawson, our shuttle driver, as to how many people hire a PLB. Apparently, quite a few groups do, and it’s recommended due to the remoteness of the trail, as it has very little cell phone coverage. In an emergency when the beacon is activated a rescue helicopter arrives within 20 minutes. Good to know, but do we need one?
The grade 2–3 Timber Trail is deep in the heartland of the North Island west of
