kevin
Race Dog
Wow what a lekka trip, love Queenstown, well worth taking the bike across, so many place to ride, so little time!
New Zealand again, this time with my own bike.
- Thread starter Three Dawg
- Start date
We were sad to leave Queenstown and the apartment, but we had to start heading north at some point. The weather forecast for the west coast wasn't brilliant, but we already had accommodation booked so that was where we went.
Naturally we stopped at the Cardrona Hotel. Some git in a hire car nearly wiped up out just as we were turning into the hotel's car park (always look in the mirror just before you turn eh?). If the women hadn't been with us we would have gone after him. There are many tales of both citizens and police removing the keys from the drivers of hire cars, especially those from the emerging economies. Watch out for white Nissan Tiildas and Mercs driven by children and of course all campervans and you'll stay alive. Probably.
A little further on we dropped in on some friends of Mrs Three Dawg and Jo who own a vast sheep station at the northern end of Lake Hawea. Mrs Three Dawg fed a piglet, as you do on a farm.
The rain held off to Haast, but the following morning it was chucking it down, so not much in the way of pictures. Shame, because the west coast is a bit special.
Franz Josef. There's a huge glacier just up behind the village, but we were more interested in drying out in front of a fire in the cafe. Ann was very wet so came up with a novel solution to the problem.
See the radio mast behind the building? That prevented the Harley from starting - seems to operate on the same wavelength as the bike's immobiliser. Good job the AA bloke knew this. Wheeling it a hundred yards down the road was enough to allow Alan to light the fires again.
After a night in Hokitika in a very fine Edwardian villa we pressed on north. The weather improved dramatically and visiting the unusual rock formations at Punakaiki was pleasant. The coast was pretty wild and our visors got well coated in salt.
Unfortunately we had to go our separate ways in Westport, but while we were there we managed to catch up with our younger daughter who has been travelling around Japan, Australia and New Zealand after graduating in 2017. She's got very keen on surfing, so did a deal with the hostel owner where in exchange for doing a mural (she studied illustration) she got free accommodation and surf board hire. She'll probably want a VW Kombi when she returns...
We were heading north to the remote settlement of Karamea, while the others were making for Picton to catch the ferry to the north island.
Bye, then... :-[
We were down to our last couple of days in the south island, camping in Momorangi Bay about 10km outside of Picton on Queen Charlotte sound. This was proper down home kiwiana, lovely spot, super friendly neighbours and lots of kids mucking about on boats, bicycles and paddle boards. Really refreshing to see that it is possible to go for hours without checking social media... (I am old
)
We decided to go up to Titirangi Bay. I don't think I have ever ridden a route with more corners. I was utterly shagged when we got back. The map doesn't tell the half of it.
Great place to have a boat, the Marlborough Sounds
Corners... lots of corners.
Anyway, that's about it - I won't bore you all with pictures of the rest of it as it was mostly friends and family, although I did enjoy some more gravel riding in the Coramandel. On the way north, Mount Ruapehu near Taupo.
Quick look at the back tyre. 10000km including some here in the UK before we left. Not bad I'd say.
The bike was shipped out of Tauranga some time after we flew home. I tracked it when it was in range.
Happened to get a webcam pic of the ship going through the Panama Canal, which I thought was pretty cool. It's the one in the far lane.
Got the bike back in early May, just in time for a good long spell of nice weather in the Highlands.
Few minor things to correct like the fork seal and a busted speedo cable, but it just keeps on going. Next? South America with Jo and Neal in 2019 if I can save enough. The bike will certainly be up to it! ;D ;D ;D
Naturally we stopped at the Cardrona Hotel. Some git in a hire car nearly wiped up out just as we were turning into the hotel's car park (always look in the mirror just before you turn eh?). If the women hadn't been with us we would have gone after him. There are many tales of both citizens and police removing the keys from the drivers of hire cars, especially those from the emerging economies. Watch out for white Nissan Tiildas and Mercs driven by children and of course all campervans and you'll stay alive. Probably.
A little further on we dropped in on some friends of Mrs Three Dawg and Jo who own a vast sheep station at the northern end of Lake Hawea. Mrs Three Dawg fed a piglet, as you do on a farm.
The rain held off to Haast, but the following morning it was chucking it down, so not much in the way of pictures. Shame, because the west coast is a bit special.
Franz Josef. There's a huge glacier just up behind the village, but we were more interested in drying out in front of a fire in the cafe. Ann was very wet so came up with a novel solution to the problem.
See the radio mast behind the building? That prevented the Harley from starting - seems to operate on the same wavelength as the bike's immobiliser. Good job the AA bloke knew this. Wheeling it a hundred yards down the road was enough to allow Alan to light the fires again.
After a night in Hokitika in a very fine Edwardian villa we pressed on north. The weather improved dramatically and visiting the unusual rock formations at Punakaiki was pleasant. The coast was pretty wild and our visors got well coated in salt.
Unfortunately we had to go our separate ways in Westport, but while we were there we managed to catch up with our younger daughter who has been travelling around Japan, Australia and New Zealand after graduating in 2017. She's got very keen on surfing, so did a deal with the hostel owner where in exchange for doing a mural (she studied illustration) she got free accommodation and surf board hire. She'll probably want a VW Kombi when she returns...
We were heading north to the remote settlement of Karamea, while the others were making for Picton to catch the ferry to the north island.
Bye, then... :-[
We were down to our last couple of days in the south island, camping in Momorangi Bay about 10km outside of Picton on Queen Charlotte sound. This was proper down home kiwiana, lovely spot, super friendly neighbours and lots of kids mucking about on boats, bicycles and paddle boards. Really refreshing to see that it is possible to go for hours without checking social media... (I am old
)
We decided to go up to Titirangi Bay. I don't think I have ever ridden a route with more corners. I was utterly shagged when we got back. The map doesn't tell the half of it.
Great place to have a boat, the Marlborough Sounds
Corners... lots of corners.
Anyway, that's about it - I won't bore you all with pictures of the rest of it as it was mostly friends and family, although I did enjoy some more gravel riding in the Coramandel. On the way north, Mount Ruapehu near Taupo.
Quick look at the back tyre. 10000km including some here in the UK before we left. Not bad I'd say.
The bike was shipped out of Tauranga some time after we flew home. I tracked it when it was in range.
Happened to get a webcam pic of the ship going through the Panama Canal, which I thought was pretty cool. It's the one in the far lane.
Got the bike back in early May, just in time for a good long spell of nice weather in the Highlands.
Few minor things to correct like the fork seal and a busted speedo cable, but it just keeps on going. Next? South America with Jo and Neal in 2019 if I can save enough. The bike will certainly be up to it! ;D ;D ;D
Ama ride ride
Grey Hound
Thanks for the pics and RR. :thumleft:
Glad you enjoyed it! :thumleft:
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2010
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Interesting trip. Didn't know it is so pretty down there.
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2010
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Wow! Great stuff and excellent info for the future ... thanks for sharing.
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