Coming Home

Yesterday ScooterBob and I had to say goodbye to the South Island and make our way back up to Palmy - a shame, but it had to be done at some stage...

We left Christchurch with plenty of time up my sleeves (ScooterBob doesn't have sleeves) and made our way out of the city in pretty overcast conditions with the weather forecasters threatening us with rain.  In the end we only got a very few spits on the motorway and then it fined up.

Our first stop was a quick one in Amberley for fuel and then we were amongst it again.  With so much time up the aforementioned sleeves I decided that we needed a wee diversion to show ScooterBob the inland Kaikoura route - I figured he'd had his fill of SH1...

Almost as soon as we turned off the weather improved and at the turn-off to Rotherham I pulled over to fit my tinted visor and lose the thick gloves.  Soon after we were into the route proper and enjoying far more fun roads than SH1 - plenty of corners and some interesting scenery.

Eventually we ended up back on SH1 just South of Kaikoura and settled into cruise mode for the rest of the trip (still plenty of time up those sleeves).  Or so I thought - unfortunately a nice policeman disagreed with me and printed my up an invoice on the side of the road...

Feeling a little miffed I carried on quietly into Blenheim where I stopped at a cafe for a sandwich to kill some time.  While there it rained a bit and I was glad I'd taken the sheepskin seat cover off and covered my tank bag.  By the time I'd had my sandwich the rain had pretty much stopped so off we went to get our last tank of fuel in the South Island.

Bike fed too, we had just 25km or so to ride to Picton where luck would have it, I managed to ride straight onto an earlier sailing and twenty minutes later we had cast off and started the trip across the Straights.

Landing in Wellington around 4:30 wasn't that much fun as the traffic really starts to build-up from them.  But we were pretty lucky and didn't get held up too much or run foul of the law again.

Home again by 6:30 after 4,299 fun-filled kilometers on the mainland!  Now to see if ScooterBob has had enough adventures yet...

New gallery with all pics at higher resolution here.

TT2000 Update

Just a very quick update after a few fun days' riding some of the magnificent roads that the South Island has to offer.

Today ScooterBob finished his first TT2000 (and I my 5th) by riding just over 2,200km in less than 48 hours. 

ScooterBob somehow remaining cleaner than the Connie...

There will be a decent write-up at some stage but up front I'll apologise for not having ScooterBob in any of the TT pictures - time is of the essence on the TT and ScooterBob stayed napping in his cocoon of bubble-wrap in my top-box.  I am annoyed that I never got him out at Bluff but my excuse is that it was only about 5:30am and I was on TT auto-pilot.

Tomorrow we hit the ferry for the return home and I'll start getting ScooterBob sorted for the next leg of his journey.  He may need to get an adventure ride under his belt too...

More pics here.

Cromwell to Dunedin

With the TT2000 starting tomorrow in Dunedin I thought that I'd better get there at some stage...

I got up a bit later this morning but was still on the road by 8am - with only 200km or so to ride.  First up I filled the bike and then made by way to Alexandra where it was time for a leisurely breakfast.

No not that mini...

From Alex I started to make my way across to SH1 via Roxborough.  The countryside through here is pretty awesome with all the "rocks" sticking out of the hills.  Time for some pics.

While parked up I felt a few spits of rain and with some dampness predicted I decided to rig for wet weather before carrying on.  As it happened I only got a few spits through Roxborough and Lawrence but had wet roads pretty much the rest of the way to Dunedin.

Once in Dunedin I stopped off in town for a few things and then decided to check out Baldwin Street - the world's steepest residential street.  Well, it looked pretty steep to me but the picks probably don't show it.  While there a guy asked which bike I was going to ride up it...

I decided that I didn't like my chances on either bike (turning around would probably be tricky) and made do with the picks and then it was off to find my motel.

So that's it, a pretty small post today but it was just a short ride.  Tomorrow things get busier so I doubt there will be another post until Sunday at the earliest and by that time a couple of thousand kms should have whizzes by - stay tuned...

Riding the West Coast - Part Two

After a below average sleep I was up early and on the road at about 7am.  A quick fuel-up in Hokitika and the Connie was pointed southwards.

The morning was fairly cool and anytime I got near a river or lake I got caught up in fog.  Dropping down off Mount Hercules I spotted a great photo opportunity – hills poking out of the mist and the sun shining down on them.  Unfortunately there was no easy place to stop so I had to carry on until I found an easier place to stop.

 

Back on the road again, I carried on as far Franz Josef where I decided to go and visit the glacier.  Getting to the car park was fine but I didn’t fancy a 20 minute walk up to the glacier for photos so I simply took a few from car park and then headed back to the main road.

 

I skipped the next chance to see a glacier at Fox and instead stopped at the picturesque Bruce Bay and let ScooterBob out to soak up the sunshine.

 

From Bruce Bay I made my way to Haast and even had some two-wheeled company when I caught up to a BMW, two-up and loaded for bear.  At Haast they carried on while I fuelled up and then decided to take ScooterBob down to Jackson Bay.

 

Jackson Bay is pretty much as far South that you can go on the West Coast (a 4WD might get you a bit further but eventually a river gets in the way) and it was well worth the extra miles, although I could have done without all the sand flies…

After feeding the sand flies I returned to Haast and then turned away from the Coast making for the Haast Pass.  I had a great ride through to the Gates of Haast although did have to weave my way around a number of keen cyclists.

 

My next stop was at Makarora where it was time for a quick lunch break before the last leg into Cromwell.  This last leg involved a couple of stops to check out Lakes Wanaka and Hawea:

Wanaka

 

Hawea

 

I eventually got into Cromwell sometime around 2:30 so have had time to do washing and to walk into town for a nice tea (Thai).  A great way to end a fantastic day’s riding (approx 600km).

Tomorrow’s ride is a pretty short one through to Dunedin so I won’t be in a hurry and will have time to have a bit of a look at the city.  Hopefully the forecasted rain stays away…

Still more picks here.