WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲

Kia ora whānau!!

another week of community legends quietly making the forest better while the rest of us are cosy inside throwing another log on the fire. adopters, volunteers, the No Brains crew doing what the No Brains crew does – showing up when nobody asked them to and leaving trails better than they found them.

let's get into it 👇

🏁 DUAL SLALOM TRACK – GETTING WIDER AND WILDER

the Dual Slalom Track adopter is a legend and the trail got some love this week with work on widening the track and shaping up the berms. if dual slalom is the kind of thing that gets the heart rate going – and it should, it's an absolute blast battling you buddies for bragging rights – keep an eye on this one. it's being shaped into something proper 🤙 Oh and if you dont know where is in, its over on the tarawera rd reserve at the bottom of Tank to Town.

🌿 TAURA – THE NO BRAINS CREW STRIKES AGAIN

okay the No Brains crew are just something else entirely.

they walked the full length of Taura this week clearing debris, sorting drains, fixing up slips, removing stumps, AND added a couple of new features and berms while they were at it.

because of course they did.

Taura is running mint – the adopter confirms it – and it's all because a crew of legends decided to spend their time making it better for everyone else. this is what community actually looks like. not a hashtag. not a vibe. a group of people with tools in their hands making something beautiful 💚

chur to the whole No Brains team. you absolute legends 🙏

💪 CHALLENGE ROADSIDE – WORK IN PROGRESS

Challenge Roadside has been getting some serious feature work done this week – landings rebuilt, takeoffs reshaped, a tabletop surface fixed up. this trail has had consistent adopter love for months and it shows

heads up though – one of the rebuilt landings is still a bit rough while it beds in, so read the conditions before sending it. it'll come right soon enough and when it does it's going to be absolutely mint 🤙

🏃 TE PŪTAKE O TAWA RUNNING TRACK – CLEARED AND SAFER

the running track got cleared of remaining clutter and a bit of pumice put down on some slippery sections. small job, real difference. if heading out for a run this is a much safer and more enjoyable experience now. go enjoy it!

🦁 LION TRAIL – DRAIN SURGERY

the Lion Trail got some serious drain work done this week – drains rescalloped and dug out on the lower third, a gully crossing reformed to stop water tracking down the trail, and a steep rutted section rebenched and drained properly.

this is the kind of work that doesn't look flashy but is absolutely critical for a trail's long term health. get the water off the trail and everything else follows. the Lion Trail is getting plenty of use right now and it's bedding in well 💪

🔧 CORRIDOR REBUILD – WINTER PREP DONE

the Corridor rebuild adopter has been putting in consistent monthly mahi – this month focused on preparing the trail surface for winter wetness across the last three sections. methodical, forward thinking, exactly the kind of work that means the trail holds up when the rain comes.

conditions have been described as unreal for the time of year, which tracks with what everyone has been experiencing out there. the Corridor is in great hands 🙌

🚪 OLD EXIT – LEAFBLOWER THERAPY

the awesome adopter took the big RTT leafblower out for a walk on Old Exit and cleared it top to bottom. that's the whole report. what it doesnt tell you is how hard it is to walk Old Exit with a 10kg blower on your back and just how much positive impact it has on the vegetation, the trail surface and the drains. let me tell ya: it aint easy but the impact is massive. chur adopter, we appreciate the effort 🍃

🔄 CORNERS – THE NO BRAINS CREW AGAIN (YES, AGAIN)

not content with sorting Taura, the No Brains crew also went out IN THE RAIN earlier in the week on Corners – drains sorted, surface cleared, brake bumps fixed, berm refreshes done.

in the rain. voluntarily. because they care.

Corners is flowing beautifully right now. the proof is in every perfectly shaped turn. go ride it and think of the legends who were out there in the wet making it happen 🙏

⚠️ IMPORTANT – PUARENGA TRAIL UPDATE

heads up on this one – Puarenga has been reopened but is now walking only. but whyyyyyy ya big meanies?!!! its too narrow and there are too many close calls with ebikers v walkers. so. thats it. we dont want to make the call AFTER someone gets hurt. no bikes. this is not a suggestion, it's the new designation and it needs to be respected.

additionally, the side of the trail closest to the roadside is closed until further notice. please stop taking down the barriers.

please follow the signage, respect the closures, and look after this trail by sticking to what's allowed. it's a beautiful walk and walkers deserve to enjoy it safely. 🚶

✨ SOMETHING MAGIC IS HAPPENING IN THE FOREST

can you feel it? something is being built out there. new corridors being shaped. diggers running. hand builders crafting. the kind of work that takes time to do properly and will absolutely be worth the wait.

if out on the trails this week and you stumble across a trail with a CLOSED sign on it – that sign means the trail is closed. not "closed unless you're a local". not "closed but someone else was riding it so it's probably fine". closed. full stop.

but whhhhhyyyy?

riding a closed trail while work is in progress destroys the freshly shaped surface, creates ruts that water turns into massive issues that have to be fixed before building can continue, and literally delays the opening. every unauthorised tyre mark is a step backwards.

the trails being built right now are going to be something really special. be patient. let the crew finish. gifts come to those who donate and wait 🙏

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – help make the magic happen, every dollar = dirt

🏫 SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ARE HERE AND THE FOREST IS ABSOLUTELY READY

okay listen. if you are in Rotorua these school holidays – or thinking about coming – this is your sign. literally. come.

🌲 the Kids Loop and all the beginner trails are in pristine condition

🔄 the Forest Loop is prime – one of New Zealand's Great Rides doing what it does best

🚌 shuttles are running on full school holiday schedule so legs can be saved for the fun stuff

🌿 trail adopters have been out across the whole network getting everything dialled in

this is going to be one of the best school holiday periods the Whaka has ever seen. the trails are ready, the weather has been cooperating, and the forest is massive – it can handle huge crowds without ever feeling crowded. if the carpark is full when you arrive? don't stress, don't turn around. park up, walk in, and within five minutes you'll have the trails basically to yourself. the forest is that big.

there is genuinely no better place to spend a week of school holidays in New Zealand. not one. bring the family, bring the friends, bring the neighbours, bring anyone who needs to be reminded that life is pretty good 🤙

🐝 WORKING BEE THIS SUNDAY – TĪTOKORANGI NEEDS YOU!

📍 Where: Planet Bike Carpark

⏰ When: Meet at 8:45am Sunday 7th July

back on Tītokorangi this Sunday! there are berms to build, surfaces to debump, and a trail that is slowly but surely being transformed into something really special. every working bee session gets it closer to the goal of having the whole trail back to brand new by end of winter.

what to bring:

a trail tool if you have one – a McLeod, Pulaski, or similar is ideal

otherwise a shovel and gloves will do perfectly

closed toed shoes – non negotiable

water and a snack

good energy 🌲

kids under 15 are absolutely welcome and encouraged – they just need an adult with them. honestly one of the best things to do with a kid on a Sunday morning. fresh air, hard work, and the satisfaction of making something better.

no experience needed. just show up. we'll sort the rest 🤙

💚 THE BIGGER PICTURE

look at this week's list. dual slalom getting shaped. Taura getting new features. Challenge Roadside being rebuilt. Lion Trail getting proper drain surgery. Corridor prepped for winter. Corners sorted in the rain.

none of this is the RTT crew, we have been hard at work elsewhere. we just want everyone to know this is adopters and volunteers. people who love specific trails and just quietly keep showing up for them. week after week. in sun and in rain. with leafblowers and silky saws and shovels and their bare hands.

this is what keeps the forest world class between the bigger funded projects. and if wanting to see the bigger funded projects happen faster – the rebuild fund is open and every dollar counts.

$50 builds 1 metre of world class trail that'll be there for 15+ years 🤙

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – donate, adopt a trail, share this post.

see you out there whānau. the forest is waiting 🌲

aroha nui,

– the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲