View RSS Feed

STJim

2015 tt2000

Rate this Entry
TT2000 2015
The website with details of this years TT2000 was up and running in July 2014 with the injunction that you should make a coffee and then spend a couple of hours working through.
This years version had a twist, as always, There was both a Northern and a Southern start and never the twain shall meet until the end in Christchurch.. also the starting time was 12 noon on the Friday not 6 pm, with the finish at 12 noon on Sunday in Christchurch. Lake the last year you worked out your own route to cover 2000kms and pre set photo check points worth a total of 50,000 points.
The Northern start was in Whanganui the southern start in Dunedin
My route, which changed a couple of time was to start in Whanganui then visit 3 check points within 100 kms of Whanganui then head up SH4 to Taumaranui then across to finish for Friday night at Turangi having done about 550 kms.
For the Saturday an early start was anticipated and then was down for a tour around Southern Hawkes Bay and out over the Napier Taihape Road then down to Wellington to visit a few check points in that vicinity then catching the Blue bridge ferry which has cabins available on its early morning sailings.
If you arrive for the Blue bridge before 11 pm you can board at just after 11 pm and sleep your way across the strait.
On arriving at Picton it would be off the boat and down to Christchurch to finish before 12 noon on Sunday.

Thursday 19 February 2015
I prepared the bike and semi packed on Wednesday night. I was into work early on Thursday morning to get as much done as possible.
I managed to finish at about 2 pm and home to get packed and away. I travelled straight down State Highways 3 and 4 to Whanganui arriving about 7.30 pm at the Anndion Lodge.
South of Taumaranui I released that I had forgotten my tie downs for on the ferry. My first task was to phone around to see what I could borrow. I was able to get hold of Steve McLardy the Ulysses Coordinator in Turangi and made an arrangement to pick up his tie downs on Friday evening in Turangi.

Friday 20 February 2015
After a cooked breakfast a the Lodge I headed out to file the bike with petrol chatted with Brian Hickson a fellow TT rider and Ulyssian who also turned up to fill up his machine.
I then headed out to see a client and after that headed for the start of the Northern route for TT2000 at Suzuki New Zealand headquarters in Heads Road in Whanganui
At the start along with the others I was surprised to learn of mike Hyde's incident. After a briefing we grabbed our tea shirts and headed out to start collecting points.

Checkpoint 1 Waitotara Valley. Makakaho Junction which was bridge over the Waitotara River about 40 kms up the Valley from Waitotara for 5000 points. This road up the valley is a narrow one lane sealed road. At one stage there were 3 lite beekeepers trucks on the road, one after the other, taking up most of the width of the road

Checkpoint 2 Mangamahu. This is a little township on the Whangaehu River which flows down from Mt Ruapehu. The photo point is the bridge the crosses the river into the village for 3000 points.
From there it was back to Whanganui to fill with fuel.

Checkpoint 3 Fields Track: From Whanganui it was back up SH 4 to Kakatahi and a right turn into Fields Track. I have been through Fields Track twice before, the last time in 2005 on a Rusty Nuts organised Grand Challenge. I had forgotten what a "goat track" this road is. The check point was at the intersection of Fields Track and Whangaehu Road for 3000 points. From there I followed Whangaehu out to SH 49. I had one little incident on this road when my back wheel stepped out on some lose metal.

Checkpoint 4 Ohakune: The checkpoint here was the Big Carrot worth only 500 points. From here I had orginally intended to head up the Mountain to Turoa Ski-field but decided on the basis of time to give that a miss.
Checkpoint 5 Top of the Bruce.From here it was back through to SH 4 and north to National Park, then right onto SH 47 then right again onto SH 48 and up past Whakappa Village to Iwikau Village otherwise known as "Top of the Bruce"

Checkpoint 6 Piriaka Lookout. It was back to SH 4 and heading north towards Taumarunui stopping for the checkpont at the Piriaka lookout for 1000 points.

Checkpoint 7 Ngakonui School. I had previously checked this out. It a small locality 15 kms out from Taumarunui on a backroad consisting of a school and a hall. 3000 points

Checkpoint 8 Tokaanu Hot pools. I followed my GPS from Ngakonui which took me through another small place called Ngapuke and out on to SH 41one of my favourite roads in the North Island across the saddle to Kuratau Junction and then to Tokaanu hot pools for another 1000 points. From there I headed to my Motel at Turangi arriving at just after 8 pm. 560 kms completed and 19500 points collected out of the required 50,000. After checking in i phoned Steve McLardy and arraged to meet him at the Z station where I filled the bike and collected his tie downs. Then on Steves recommendation I headed to the Turangi Tavern to find something to eat. i was just in time to catch the last few minutes of the Super 15 game and to see Aaron Cruden kink the winning Penalty for the Chiefs.

Saturday 21 February.
Saturdays programme was to Travel down to the Hawkes Bay by the Napier Taupo Road, circle around the Hawkes Bay and then exit over the Napier Taihape Road and then travel down to Wellington on State Highway 1,visit two to 3 checkpoints around the Wellington area and then line up to catch the Bluebridge Ferry.

I was out of bed at 5 am and on the road out of Turangi at 5.40 am heading for Taupo.
The sky began to lighten as I began head out of Taupo. It was an uneventful trip down to the bay.

Checkpoint 1 Omarunui reached at 7.52 am. This was a memorial in a vineyard paddock about 2 kms out of Taradale.
for 1000 points. From there it was into Hastings to fill at the Z station in Herataunga street. I took the opportunity for a bacon an egg pie and a coffee.

Checkpoint 2 Te Mata Peak This peak sits up behind Havelock North and offer commanding vies of the Bay. It's a twisting steep and narrow road up for my photo and 3000 points at 8.54 am. at that stage I was right on my schedule.

Checkpoint 3 Elsthorpe. Coming down from Te Mata Peak I expected to turn left and to head down Middle Road and come into Elsthorpe from the west. Instead my GPS took me right and down some lovely flowing roads to approach from the East to photograph St Stephens Church for 1000 points. while there I was joined by 2 BMW riders from Christchurch whome I would cross paths with though out the rest of the morning and in the very early evening.

Checkpoint 4 Omakere. This was an isolated school down a road in the bay that I never expect to travel on ever again for 5000 points photographed at 10.07 am.

Checkpoint 5 Flemington. From Omakere I headed towards Waipawa and then to Waipukurau and then down the Porangahau Road towards the coast. About 10 kms I turned down Nichols Roda to the tiny settlement of Flemington to photograph the school for a further 1000 points.

Checkpoint 6 Taumataw...(New Zealand's Longest Place Name) From Flemington it was bAck out to Porangahau Road which is part of the decommissioned SH 52. and becomes Wimbledon Road to the place which rejoices in New Zealand and probably the world's longest place name. I understand that there is somewhere in Wales that comes close. This was reached at 11.26 am and another 1000 points collected. From here I continued back out to Dannevirke and on to:

Checkpoint 7 Ormondville. This is a little town completely off the main road. Somewhere where I had never passed through before. A photo was taken at the old railway station for another 1000 points at 12.49 pm.

Checkpoint 8 Ongaonga From Ormondville I headed for Takapau another small town just off SH 2. If you pass by on the main highway you completely bypass Takapau. I tuned left onto SH 2 travelled about a km south and then turned right onto SH 50 the alternative route back to Napier.
The next checkpoint was at Ongaonga which proclaims itself to an historic village. The pho stop was certainly an interesting building for 500 points at 1.23 pm. For me to pick up a 500 pointer It has to be almost right on my path requiring little no detour.

Checkpoint 9 Tikokino. i carried on up SH 50 of a photo outside the Pub at Tikokino for another 500 points at 1.35 pm.

Checkpoint 10 Maraekakaho. This was War memorial right on my pathon SH 50 for 1000 points at at 1.57 pm.

Checkpoint 11 Sherenden This and the next 3 checkpoints are on the Napier Taihape Road. First however I needed to return to Hasting for Petrol at the Z Station. I carry a Z card these days and find I get the best performance from Z 95 for the ST.
At 2.53 pm I took my photo at Sherenden for 1000 points and I was on my way throught the rest of the "Gentle Annie" road.

Checkpoint 12 Kuripapango
This was the doc sign just before the bridge across the Ngarurora river. This was the only time the GPS coordinates I had entered into the Tom Tom weren't extremely accurate. I ended up having to turn around and come back and stop in what I as an ST rider regard as thick gravel. This picture was taken at 3.27 pm for 500 points.

Checkpoint 13 Ngamatea Station
This was a few kms down the road 500 points at 3.53 pm.

Checkpoint 14 the Mystery The Old Bridge over the Rangitikei River.
This check point was described as a mystery one of two on the Northern route. This was fairly easy to locate. My photo was taken at 4.07 pm for 4000 points.

Checkpoint 15 Mangaweka International Airport.
After the mystery it was out to Taihape then down SH I towards Wellington. It would have been rude not to stop for this checkpoint at Mangaweka at 5.pm exactly. for another 1000 points.

Checkpoint 16 Battle Hill
SH I is never what I regard as an exciting ride. especially from Sanson through to Levin.
I stopped for fuel at Z in Levin and then at Paekakariki headed over the Paekakariki Hill Road.to stop at the entrance to Battle hill farm park at 7.19 pm for another 1000 points.

Checkpoint 17 Turakirae Head
From Battle hill I crossed over Haywoods hill to the Hutt Valley and then across and over the Wainuiomata Hill Road. From 1979 through to January 1990 we lived in Wainuomata. I had to go past our old home which was only a very short divergence from my intended path down to the end of the Wainuomata Coast Road to the Turakirae scientific reserve DOC sign. It was over 25 years since I had been down the Coast Road. I had forgotten the distance and how tight the road was.
My photo was taken at 8.13 pm for 5000 points.
Checkpoint 18 Eastbourne.
This was another checkpoint that I had been looking forward to. I headed back over the Wainuomata hill road and down the coast around the Eastside of the Wellington Harbour through Days bay and then Eastbourne right almost to the end of the road to the Wahine Mast. My poor excuse for a photo was taken at 8.57 pm in the dark. I should have thought to have used my flash. Another 3000 points.was collected. From there I headed for the Bluebridge Ferry. I was booked on the 2.20 am sailing on Sunday morning. I had booked a cabin. The arrangement is that if you have a cabin and checkin before 11 pm you can board after 11.30 and head straight to your cabin.
I finished my day with with about 1060 kms completed( a total of 1620 ) and 31,000 points a total of 50,500 points
For an extra $30 the cabin on the ferry was very good value. Note to self take your own towel next time. they are not supplied. I woke once when the ship sailed then with the wake up call at about 5.30 am.

Sunday 22 February.
I rolled off the ferry at 6.30 am and headed into Picton and then south. I topped the tank at Blenheim and rolled towards the Kaikoura Coast. I only planned to stop for 3 checkpoints on the Sunday

Checkpoint I Conway River
As we headed towards Kaikoura it began to rain. I stopped at the BP service station and changed my gloves which were soaked and put my rain off over-gloves on.
A short distance south of Kaikoura it was right turn and onto the Inland Road with my first checkpoint at the Conway River bridge on the Inland Road. I would have enjoyed this road in dry conditions. Unfortunate it was wet and parts looked very slippery. I treated the road with respect and caution. my photo was taken at 9.00am for 5000 points.

Checkpoint 2 Mystery The sheep statue at Waikari.
I found this the more difficult of the two mystery checkpoints to locate. i narrowed it down by a process of elimination and then looked on street view and there it was. I was also down in Canterbury in August last year and was able to take a look and check it out. My photo was taken at 10.14 am.

Checkpoint 3 Scargill
From the sheep it was a left turn along the Scargill valley road to find a bridge. Unfortunately I photographed the wrong bridge. It was meant to be the second bridge at the end of the seal anout 500 meters down the road, My photo was taken at 10.36 pm. I wasn't sure if I would be awarded any points for this. From looking at my official result I think I was awarded 2000 instead of 3000. My official result was 61500 points. From Scargill I was on my way into the finish at Christchurch. arriving at 11.48 according to my photo of my finishing odometer.

From the finish I headed for my sister in laws home in Belfast. where my wife who had come down to Christchurch was also waiting, correction she and rae had been lunching with and Aunt and uncle and I arrived before them.

Monday 23 February
I left Christchurch at about 7.30 am heading for Picton. I filled the bike at Amberley and from there trundled all the way through to Ward were I stopped for a late morning tea. From there it was onto the ferry and then all the way home back to Hamilton arriving just on midnight.

Submit "2015 tt2000" to Digg Submit "2015 tt2000" to del.icio.us Submit "2015 tt2000" to StumbleUpon Submit "2015 tt2000" to Google Submit "2015 tt2000" to reddit Submit "2015 tt2000" to Facebook

Categories
Uncategorized

Comments

  1. insomnia01's Avatar
    I see you finished 1 spot ahead of me with 500pts difference Jim I was in Wgtn by 8pm & decided to go visiting family & friends so dropped the Makara CP, I got my wires crossed for the early check in on the Bluebridge arriving @ 1145pm so went up the Rimutakas to gain more km's which was good as I dropped the Conway CP due to the rain & went through to the mystery CP etc before heading to CHC. Great ride had by all I noticed even with all the rain......
  2. awa355's Avatar
    Thanks for the write up Jim. I'd love to do a ride like this one day.