New Zealand Tour 2011/12 Part 11

Heading home. A lot to get organized today in Christchurch, so I hit the road early out of Blenheim.

State Highway 1 carries a lot of traffic and so even though there are mountains to cross (of course, this is New Zealand) this road is mostly sweepers as opposed to the tighter twisties you get elsewhere. Most of the traffic seems to be campervans -no sweat, just flick past them - they don't even see me coming. I really enjoy the exhilaration of the fast curves in the early morning half light.

Pretty soon the road is right up against the coast. There's a high layer of cloud and the sun is still low. The light has a bluish tinge to it as it shrugs off the darkness. The sea is very calm - like a millpond. Dark rocky outcrops dramatize the shoreline. I stop two or three times, switch off and just take it in. Magical.

This is a fun road. A couple of tunnels, good surface, light traffic, nice and windy (that's wine-dee) - just what I love. Cove after cove, beach after beach. Look, a shack: "fresh crayfish" Says the sign y- no, not open yet. Of course not.

At every lookout point there are 4 or 5 campervans parked; doors closed and curtains still drawn. No early risers here. Must be great to find a beautiful spot as the sun is going down. Stop, crack open a nice New Zealand red, make a bit of dinner and just stay there. Waves crashing around you. Hmmmm. Might want to try that one day.

"Ching" - low power alert on the iPhone. I am coming to the end of "Ghost in the Wires" the fascinating story of Kevin Mitnick, the worlds most wanted hacker. I have to finish this audiobook - need to hook up the charger. When I pull over to do this I discover that it's not working. Damn. It was working fine yesterday. And I need enough juice to do a few Google searches when I get into 3G range. Damn. Damn.

A coffee shop in Kaikoura comes to my rescue. 20 minutes plugged in while I enjoy a morning latte does the trick; enough oomph for the 2 hours to Christchurch and more.

Suddenly the wind picks up. Before long I am being blown all over the road. At times the bike seems to be leaned over 10 degrees just to keep going straight! This isn't fun, especially as there is much, much more traffic as I close in on Christchurch.

When you ship a bike you are allowed no more than 1 litre of fuel in your tank. The bike has averaged 19.4 km/l for this type of riding. I put 11 litres in in Blenheim - should be right. As the reserve indicator comes on I mentally check my calcs again. I am not exactly sure how far I need to travel in Christchurch - could be tight. It's always a bit unnerving riding on reserve for 60-70 km. First stop is for bubble wrap to protect my panniers and top box which are accompanying me as checked luggage. Last time I was here this was quite hard to find. Have to circumnavigate the city to get to Officemax. Earthquake damage in the way. I am about 30 minutes behind on my schedule - can't be late.

Got the bubble wrap and packing tape, now off to the hotel at the airport to check in, dump my stuff and remove the top box bracket to get the overall bike length down to 2.4m for shipping. Simple 10 minute job in the parking lot. A car pulls into the parking next to me and this Israeli dude gets out and starts chatting. "Dat's a verrry nice bike you got derrr." "thank you" I reply. "how much costs a bike like dis" comes the question.....don't you just love 'em!

Now to the car wash. The bike has to be thoroughly cleaned to get through Australian quarantine, otherwise you have to pay hundreds of $$$ for them to have it cleaned. The car wash is 10 K's from the airport. How's the fuel situation looking? Hmmm. I have done 80 k's on a reserve of 5l. Its 9 k's to the drop off. Nuh. Not going to risk it. All I heed is to run out of juice. I get a strange look from the guy in the petrol station when I plonk my $2.20 down on the counter. 1 litre exactly.

Off to the shipping depot. It's like going to Laverton (or Booysens). Trucks, cars, traffic everywhere. Finally get there, disconnect the battery and hand it over. Receipt please. I have to explain to the bimbo that 1 x motorcycle is not enough info on a receipt. I can just see the scenario. Another earthquake. Bike gets squashed. I make a claim. My only documentation that they had my property is 1 x motorcycle. I don't think so.

I tell the Samoan taxi driver that his Schmidt taxi meter is made by a good friend of mine in Melbourne. "very expensive" he replies. Back to the airport hotel. Stuff packed and wrapped. So that's it then. Holiday is truly over. 5.15 am check in tomorrow. Good night.

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 part 10

There Is quite a bit to explore along the northern edge of the South Island. I recall from my last trip that the road from Nelson to Picton, where you catch the ferry, was a memorable ride, so I was keen to do more in the area.

Reading up in Peter Mitchell's Great Escapes as well as the New Zealand Motorcycling Atlas, some great rides are described in this area. So with nothing better to do, I plotted a route in my GPS that would take me exploring the northern coastline.

The route clearly outlined in Great Escapes took me to the fruit producing capital of NZ, Motueka via St Arnaud on a fantastic back road. I hardly saw another car all the way. The road twisted and turned up and over the mountain in an almost endless series of switchbacks giving me an ear to ear grin. I must say that I find it really frustrating trying to communicate the experience in writing, and taking pictures that do it any kind of justice is just folly.

Wow! not much could top this.

At Motueka, I decided to do a diversion to a place called Kaiterteri which purports to having a great beach. It was only 15 k's further so what the hell! What I discovered was the South Islands prettiest beach resort, potentially world class.. Nestling on this little bay of calm water, with the mountains in the distance, is a township of the most luxurious homes set on a hillside overlooking the beach. And what's more, the beach has white sand. It reminded me a little of Noosa but without the commercialization. If you like beach holidays, then this is a definitely worth checking out.

I was impressed with what I has discovered so far that morning, so what else was there? Looking at my map and inspired by what the guide books said , I decided to push on to Golden Bay and a place called Takaka Hill. Only another 80 k's!

Turns out that Takaka "hill" is the NZ understatement to end all understatements. It was more like an Alpine Pass. I thought the mountain road I had been on earlier was spectacular, but this was in a different class entirely. The tortuous hill is stunning 5-star riding, climbing 943m (according to my GPS) and down the other side in a series of tight hairpin bends. I was down to 1st gear a number if times. Luckily it was not too busy and I had a sensational ride. I stopped at a few lookout points but the excellence of the view and my very ordinary camera skills was an equation that did not compute. That's the reason one has to keep returning to this place.

It was a long day in the saddle. I got back at 6.30 pm with 501 k's on the clock for the day and pretty pooped. Probably the best riding of the trip today!

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 Part 9

Once again, an internet related issue delayed posting. Note to self: the only mobile carrier to use if travelling in NZ is NZ Telecom.

Hokitika to Blenheim is about 480 K's, so an early start was the go. The road north follows the beautiful coastline and is a really fun and interesting ride with lots of scenic photo op's. Once you've ridden this road, you will laugh very time someone mentions "The Great Ocean Road". They obviously have never been here.

Pulling into a roadside scenic lookout point I discovered 3 cars worth of youngsters emerging from their tents, all bleary eyed, in their pyjamas, oblivious to car after car pulling in to look at the view. A big fry-up was taking place on a gas cooker , the smell of bacon and eggs hitting me as I opened my visor. Can't blame them, it was a magnificent spot on a cliff, surrounded by flowers, with the waves crashing below. Besides, there was no "no camping" sign.

You follow the Buller river from Westport to Nelson. It's big, green and slow flowing, different to most of the other rivers on the South Island. It's a great, scenic ride, 4 stars in my book. In places the road narrows to a single lane and there's a spot where they had to carve the road into the cliff.

I hooked up with a couple of bikers going my way at the cafe in Murchison. I had to leave them behind 30k's later as they got themselves caught behind a line of traffic - slow riders anyway!  I just twisted my right hand and squirted past the whole lot. Love it!

The Marlborough region of the South Island is apparently the sunniest in the country. This is where most of NZ's fruit comes from. The Blenheim area is major wine growing country; mile after mile after mile.

Nice crowd of people at the Grapevine backpackers in Blenheim, stood around chatting for a couple of hours before turning in.

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 part 8

The west coast of the South Island is famous for its pristine scenery, comprising verdant rain forest, clean rivers, numerous lakes, rugged beaches, and one or two glaciers. All that coupled with the great NZ roads makes this one of the 5 star rides of the country.

An unseasonably cold morning of 10 degrees started the day in Wanaka. I mucked around taking pictures and exploring the town before leaving at about 10.30. My overnight stop was at Hotikita, famous for its jade and ruby rock art, about 420 k's away.

The road just north of Wanaka has you twisting and turning right along the west shore of lake Hawea, which in some places is cut into the side of the mountain. The mountains that surround the aquamarine lake are snow capped all year round, making for an incredible vista. This is pretty much par for the course in this part of the world. These lakes are filled by mountain streams which carry ground rock in suspension. This gives the water it's intense blue colour. Once you get to the end of lake Hawea, the road turns to the left for a couple of k's and you are then you are on the east shore of lake Wanaka and the whole process repeats.

There is something very special about riding your bike in such magnificent surroundings. It does things for the spirit.

Immediately after the lakes you go through spectacular Haast pass, with river crossing after waterfall after river crossing, as you wind your way to the coast. With so much rock in them, the rivers are mostly rapids and look icy cold -would be great for a Stolichniya Vodka advert!

The road hugs the coast with few straight stretches then you get to glacier country. The two small towns of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier both owe their existence to the throngs of tourists taking glacial excursions, mostly hiking, but there are other options. I watched at least 5 helicopters coming and going from the heliport at Franz Josef, which is just on the side of the road opposite the supermarket. I did not go out to the glacier this time. I have done it before and you need a couple of hours at least, but it is worth seeing.

So far, the FJR has been faultless. After a bad puncture last time I was here, I check the tires every day. This morning I pulled a shard of glass out of the rear tire. If you leave it in there, eventually it gets pushed all the way through and you are in the dwang.

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 part 7

The South Island on New Zealand has the Southern Alps running almost the entire length of the island, with 223 named peaks higher than 2,300m. The west side has eight times more rainfall than the east and as a result it has magnificent forests, lakes, mountains and glaciers. The west coast coastal road, about 450 k's long, is just fabulous, fabulous riding - provided you have good weather!

Saturday morning in Dunedin was beautiful but by 4 pm it was raining again. Sunday's forecast was rideable but not great. The Otago hinterland was looking better. So My plan was to cut inland to Wanaka, 390 k's, and see what Monday's weather looked like on either side of the divide. From Wanaka, one can go east or west.

The route I took was strictly back roads, not from a quality point of view, but in terms of highways and traffic. For most of the way, I would rate it as a 3 star route but there were a few really nice bits. The inclement weather of the past couple of days had lowered the temperature to 10-15 degrees, so about 20 k's out of town I pulled over to put another layer on, causing one hell of a ruckus amongst the dogs belonging to the farmer right where I stopped.

I headed for Queenstown, the adventure sport capital of NZ (possibly the world) for lunch. Approaching Queenstown, the road gets really fun when you get to Clyde. That's where they have a big dam and from there you are riding through a gorge right alongside the water. Beaut!

Queenstown is a very busy place and surprisingly big, packed with every type of accommodation, from backpackers to 5 star resort accommodation. The town is full of world class shops - all the big brands and an over supply of surf , apparel and bike shops. You can spend your holiday there skiing (water and/or snow) horse riding, mountain biking, jet boating, kayaking, lougeing, quad biking, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, white water rafting, paragliding, parachuting, scuba diving, clay pigeon shooting, jetskiing, gliding, trail riding, hiking, canyoning or if you are boring, you can even go fishing. If all of these are too energetic for you, you can sit on your $300 a night hotel room's verandah and just enjoy the breathtaking views that I could not hope to do justice to with my piddly camera. I cannot imagine that there are too many places in the world that encompass the incredible natural beauty and the sophisticated infrastructure and facilities that Queenstown has to offer. Despite all that I only paid $10 for a very satisfying lunch of fish and chips, or fush 'n chups in the local dialect.

After a couple of hours I headed off to Wanaka, about 70 k's away via the incredible Crown Ridge Road. This is an amazing European style pass with a series of tight, first gear switchbacks followed by a long series of fast sweepers and an incredible view of Queenstown receding into the distance if you look over your shoulder or stop at one of the many lookout points. Wanaka is a gem of a town on the shores of one of many immense azure blue lakes, this one funnily enough bearing the same name.

My accommodation for the night is a super comfy and well appointed place that is all of $49 for a private room for the night!!! (AU$ 37.67) There is nowhere in Australia where you can get this sort of a deal, and one of the reasons I will keep coming back to this fabulous country for my holidays.

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 part 6

It was dark and gloomy when it got light enough to see. Oh well. On with the wets again. But there was not much rain as yet.

Today I was to head south to Dunedin via the exquisite Lake Tekapo. I decided to take the main NS1 rather than the more scenic inland route. As rain was forecast all over the region, I figured the shorter the better. There was a fair bit of traffic but frequently occurring passing lanes kept the fast traffic moving fast, without being unnecessarily slowed by the numerous trucks on the road.

After 2 hours I stopped for a coffee in the quaint little town of Geraldine. I sat sipping quietly watching a tour bus disgorge 40 or so American Tourists into the courtyard like area full of souvenir shops. Jees they are noisy!

Then the rain came. Not quite bucketing down, but almost. I waited for a while - no real let up. OK then. Slight change of plan needed. Straight to Dunedin it would have to be. Riding those scenic twisties in the rain is pointless.

The next 250 k's was rain, rain, rain. Not very heavy, but steady. South Island river beds are generally composed of steel grey rocks and boulders that seem to have been violently strewn down.. Before today, almost every river I crossed was dry - maybe trickle of water. Today they are all raging. Not a pebble to be seen. The paddock's on the way that make up almost all of the roadside scenery, were heavy with standing water, livestock huddled against the wind and rain. Lots of run-off on the road. Watch out for deep puddles - guaranteed to send a jet of spray up your trouser legs.

The traffic was medium, but tourists and old fogey's were down to 70-80 kph, hunched forward as if it would improve the visibility. This and lots of traffic, especially big trucks sucking billowing plumes of turbulent spray in their wake made for a very nerve-wracking ride. I heaved a great sigh of relief when the "Welcome to Dunedin" sign loomed out of the mist.

My rain gear worked adequately in the circumstances. Could be better. All the way I was listening to "South. The story of Shackleton's last Expedition" on my iPhone which tells the story of a super heroic episode in polar exploration history, giving me a real perspective on human endurance in case I had any feelings of self pity!

Dunedin is a bustling little city. Neatly laid out with a marvellous downtown shopping precinct. All the mod cons but the people seem to be in a time warp. Anyone not a teenager is culturally stuck in the '50's it seems. Really charming.

So that's where I am until Sunday morning. I'll see what the weather brings as to where my next stop will be. That's what I love about touring in NZ. No schedule, no bookings. Just see what happens.

Sorry. No pictures today. iPhones in the rain are a no-no.

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 Part 5

Today it was back to Christchurch so that Robyn could catch her 6.45 am flight back Melbourne.

Early morning rains delayed our departure from Greymouth and it was full wets most of the day. The Lewis Pass between Reefton and Hanmer Springs is a little gentler than Arthur's Pass. The dense pine forest was dark and misty, almost eerie. But the road is exceptional and I have to admit to exceeding the speed limit, ever, ever so slightly on the odd occasion. Ahem.

A piece of roadwork along the way was pretty tense. They are building section of road bed on the pass which we had to drive along as there is no other way. The gravel was very,very coarse and deep in parts, I would say 4-5 cm pieces and it was all on a slope. The bike was all over the place, like riding on snotty jelly and it was all I could do just to keep it upright. The grey gravel pieces looked very sharp and jagged; "there goes a set of tyres" was the thought going through my mind. A couple of times I thought I was going to lose it, but in true Dakar style, with a lot of sideways motion we eventually hit terra ferma. I had to pull over and stop, check my tyres and underwear before continuing. I must have sat there for 10 minutes, cooling down and restoring my heartbeat to normal levels. Phew! That little jaunt took all the paint of the bottom-front of the alternator cover - drat!

Lunch at Hanmer Springs was literally a picnic in the park. Very nice too. And then straight to the airport hotel in Christchurch where I am now writing this. 350 k's today and rain forecast for tomorrow. Goodee!

New Zealand Tour 2011/12 part 4

Finally, finally, finally got the call to say that my bike had been delivered to Trevor Pierce Yamaha. So all that was left was to get down there, connect up the battery, get some fuel, get my Warrant Of Fitness (roadworthy) and we would be good to go. That was yesterday.

The original plan was to head north, stopping at Kaikoura to spend a day whale watching then up to Pahia and New Zealand's paradisical and unspoiled Bay of Islands. Then back down to Auckland to drop Robyn (wifey wife) off so she could fly home in time for Sarah, our youngest's, departure for her Mexican holiday. But having had to wait for 10 days for the bike, and with her due to fly back on Friday, we had to restrict our 2-up touring to just a 2 day excursion looping back to Christchurch.

So it was with a great sense of excitement we packed the bike this morning and pulled out of Christchurch at about 9.30, avoiding the rush hour.

Even fully loaded with ~ 35 kilos of stuff, the FJR was a joy! We effortlessly flicked past all the tinboxes, eating up the k's on our way towards the mountains, whilst we chatted about this an that. The intercom set that I originally bought for my first FJR 5 years ago was a great investment! I had downloaded 4 or 5 books onto my iPhone to listen to while we were riding. We'd be lucky to get through one on this trip!

It was about 19 degrees - beautifully fresh after some light showers last night. Once out of the built up area, I marvelled at the quality of the roads, sensible speed restrictions, the lack of traffic and the sheer magnificence of the countryside.

Suddenly in the near distance, we saw a few cars stopped at the side of the road. At the same instant I noticed a helicopter. It was doing doing crop spraying right at the side of the main road and they had pulled over to watch! I immediately pulled up to watch this spectacle. Damn, damn, damn. My camera was in the top box, not round my neck where I should have put it. By the time we had dismounted and got the camera out, it was over and he was speeding off into the distance. What a pity.

Some cheeky Kea's entertained us at our coffee stop at the little town of Arthur's Pass. Despite many warning signs to the contrary, everyone feeds them, so they can be quite a nuisance. Arthur's Pass itself is quite an impressive piece if engineering. The 16% gradient is no joke; particularly if you are in a car and are unlucky enough to get stuck behind one of the many trucks plying their way back and forth between the two sides of the island. But on the bike, it's brilliant.

The road is damp and a tad misty. Temp down to 15. Visor is open - fresh pine forest smell. My favourite type of riding. Fully laden, the FJR is super stable in the twisties, and quickly we flatten that pass.

At 1.30 we pull into Greymouth for lunch where its a humid 28 degrees. Then it's off to Punakaiki, a remarkable rock formation and national park.

At 5pm we drive into the Global Village Back Packers in Greymouth for the night. This is how you tour in unzud. Our host Russell, claims to remember us from our last stay 3 years earlier as he shows us to our comfortable, private double room, which only costs us NZ$68 (AU$52) for the night. What a pleasure! (You could not even get a roach infested lean-to in a garbage dump for that money in Aus.)

All that's left to do is to zip down to the supermarket and buy a few bits and pieces for dinner and were set!

Pictures below are in the wrong order. Haven't figured order and captions out yet. I'm doing the whole thing from my iPhone.