So the hardened amongst the Jandal Club, Nhuan and Gah(Ninjaboy) set off last Saturday March 10, bound for the other end of the country. Soft arse Jandallers need not apply.
Day 1 Auckland to Wellington. 710kms
The day began with a giggle when picking up some final supplies from Motomail:
Motomail dude:"nice day for a ride, where you off to?"
N: "Bluff"
Generally incident free day, with low ambitions and expectations. We took the western line of Te Kuiti, Taumaranui, National Park hitting SH1 at Waiouru, then SH54 from Vinegar Hill through Feilding, P North, chopping across to Masterton to hit the Hutt via Rimutaka. Sounds easy eh?
Mild amusements from Day 1:
The Bruce Bar (TM) Pannier Separator MkII lasting a mere 2km, flying off the Ti Ninja just moments after leaving the Autobahn. It rests somewhere on the median strip just after the Drury off ramp...
N almost having a sissy cry at Te Kuiti lunch thinking his precious sunglasses were at home in Auckland. Thankfully, they were just "carefully packed" in the panniers.
The first of the fuel economy challenges on tour: Getting over 16L in a Tauramanui. 636's have a 17L tank.
G making friends by passing some old folks in a yank tank on a gravel strip just after Mangatainoka. This old codger (apologies to resident KB old codgers) yelled obscenties at me for ages. I just pointed at my ear saying "can't hear ya big fella".
Finally riding the Rimutakas. Albeit in sunstrike, with a bit of Saturday evening traffic, including having to cut up some Harleys
G's constant adjusting of his lopsided right pannier. A common feature of the tour, especially missing the benefits of the Bruce Bar.
The day ended with a mini tour of the Hutt to end up in Seaview at the holiday park. Which had Sky Sport 2 in the TV room. Well, after we found the elusive remote control to change the channel! By then, we had taken over with another GP fan visiting from Oz and had a blissful 4 hours of MotoGP, even on tour at budget accom!
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
A super early start at 6:45, after watching the GP until 2am, to get to the 8:30 ferry sailing.
Well, an earlier start than that, with G rummaging around at 5am, looking for his bike key! Again, carefully packed within the black hole of the duvet.
At the ferry, the 2 ninjas were the only sportsbikes. Only sportsbike riders stupid enough? Perhaps. The Goldwing trike sure looked more comfy. There was talk of some custom packaway coffee cup holder too.
The bike tying down had 2 very different approaches:
G: 4 ties, ratcheted down, forks loaded etc.
N: found a spare rope hanging up, looped that round the back wheel. Plus wheel chocks.
But the sailing was super smooth. Except for the entertaining West Coaster going home to Fox Glacier. His foul language makes me sound like a choir boy! Had to show the ferry patrons the meaning of WHYQ when disembarking at Picton.
Rode Queen Charlotte Dr towards Nelson. A good twisty road, made more challenging by a bit of works at the Picton end. Upon stopping at the first lookout, we spotted a lone jandal! A sign, surely...
Brilliant twisty roads uphill and downhill into Nelson, under a nice sun. The beginning of a blissful week?
G managed to direct us to the only traffic jam possible in Nelson, on a Sunday. Again, a bit of WHYQ practiced technique saw us through.
After checking in, we had the most brilliant ride over Takaka Hill. But on the return ride, from about Motueka, the early start took it's toll and energy levels were fading.
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
Great ride from the Motueka side, a long ascent with beautiful switchbacks, all corners in perfect state.
Then the other side (Golden Bay), the road engineers seemed to have lost inspiration/funding etc. A couple of steep drops and that's about it. Well, that's this Aucklander's experience anyhoos
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
Sunny Nelson was raining on Monday. I began to curse all you bastards that have toured these fine South Island roads and used up our fine weather allocation
The itinerary was re-shuffled, moving the West Coast run until later in the week.
"wait for this weather to pass".
So we were going to speculate anyways (being optimists), first at Murchison and then Greymouth.
It was a wettish run into Murchison, through the Kahurangi National Park. Another great series of nicely formed sweepers, where we encountered another set of sportsbike fools on tour: 2x R1 and a ZX10R 2-up. We also came across a sobering car smash in Kahurangi, rescue chopper and fire appliances in attendance.
Again, G's great instinct had us stop at a wasp infested rest area. This is where he picked up a hitch hiker wasp, who would reveal its sting right at the end of the day on Banks Peninsula!
From Murchison we entered the Buller Gorge, in damp conditions, but still clinging onto faint hope that the West Coast could still be do-able. G's radar helped him, but prepped an HP to be ready with his pointy finger at me in the gorge.
After lunch at Greymouth, there was a final optimistic set of hand gestures approaching Kumara Junction as to Arthurs Pass or the coast. The pragmatist inside won the debate and concluded that we had enjoyed enough luck and that Canterbury was beckoning.
Arthurs Pass was a moist run, surprising this newb at the actual Arthur's Pass village, remarking "is this it?", not realising that the fantastic climbs and Viaduct of the Otira Gorge were the money shots. G did, and stopped at the Viaduct Lookout, taking the time to join together a tourist car that wouldnt start and a tourist car with jumper leads, but who both did not know how to use the leads! We thought building up karma would pay off.
The contrast on the eastern side of the pass is stark. Wet, lush, green forest is replaced with brown dry tussock, hills and lakes. And fast flat straights leading into ChCh. Still, amazing scenery and riding. Oh yeah, dry skies too.
Checked into my ChCh office for a chat with the local yokels, prompting one to suggest, would we ride back up to Akl? She thought we might fly back up after we got to the bottom! Hmmm...
A more sensible ChCh office local pointed us towards the Summit Rd past Sugarloaf to get to Akaroa. Some challenging descents for me leaving ChCh amongst "rush hour traffic". Then some super fast runs along Banks Peninsula until the pointy Akaroa end. Loved the Akaroa GP! You Cantabs are very blessed.
Rolling into Le Rues of Le Akaroa le late, meant that we wanted to stop at the pub for food and accom. Got a cool upstairs flat on property adjacent to the pub, all for $75. Very cool. Separate rooms! Wow. And opposite the police station. That didn't keep the local rastas jammin their reggae mon though, even all through Monday night!
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
The superb Akaroa GP had transformed into the slippy slidey coldey twisty run thanks to a constant rain. Then a nice cross wind across the flats of Banks Peninsula made riding quite funky. I basically had the bike on a permanent left counter steer. To lean right, I just left the bars alone.
After rejoining SH1 at Burnham, we continued south in constant pelting conditions and were stopped just north of Ashburton. Some more WHYQing past the cars got us to another sobering scene. The fire appliances trying to put out a crumpled car. Wheels and other bits were on the other side of the road, same as the truck that said car had collided with. RIP fellow motorist.
After being advised to turn around and work around the block to get to Ashburton, I discovered that wet hands into glubs is quite a challenge. As bad as electing to ride the 10kms into Ashburton sans glubs at highway speeds though. Brrr.
A defrost sess at an Ashburton gasser was followed by G's shopping spree (first of a few on tour) at Ashburton Honda. Getting another thermal riding top (first of a few on tour). We also spotted Brendan's 2 RC45s at Ashburton Honda. Verra cool.
Leaving Ashburton we tacked (prolly the right expression, given the wind!) inland from Geraldine to Tekapo. The first of a miserable set of rides in constant wet and wind that would reduce both sets of digits (fingers and toes) to frozen state. Couldn't even see the lake approaching Tekapo.
Another defrost sess at Tekapo, and I rung out a decent amount of rain from my socks! Another thermal top for G (just ask him about Merino next time you see him!). I got silk liner gloves (blardy work well - better than old fashioned wet skin into riding gloves) and Icebreaker Merino socks (brilliant!).
Then the skies dried up for a lightning fast run into Omarama. An XR8 started emerging in our mirrors worringly on this run, so we let him past and ended up using him as cop bait into Omarama. I noted the "funny blue" of some of the next lakes/salmon farms/bits of watery things.
Of course leaving Omarama for Wanaka took in the Lindis Pass. The only pass on tour done in the dry. Beautiful curved roads, where sweepers would continue but never surprise you in change of direction. Noice.
Another pointy HP finger on the way into Wanaka, but I had just exited a curve, so how fast could I have been going orificer??
Lake Wanaka was a bit misty, but the sky looked promising for the next day...
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
[QUOTE=NhuanH;979584]...aka Tour of Duty
bound for the other end of the country. Soft arse Jandallers need not apply.
Motomail dude:"nice day for a ride, where you off to?"
N: "Bluff"
Sorry guys got a photo before you got there (too big to upload ). I thought it was difficult enough riding a naked MV, but riding those things, I think you have a more uncomfortable journey, but worth it when you come across those awesome Sth Island twisties. Heres is a pic of the highest public road in NZ (Tarsealed anyway) my favourite. Everyone else will tell you of the roads to take. Listen to the locals. If you can understand them when you get further south.
G: "I know the shortcut to Q-Town over the Crown Range Rd bro"
N: "Now wait a goddam minute, it's March...this can't be snow...oh feck, it is"
Lessons of southern touring, day 5: exhaust pipe/engine covers for reheat hands, shopping bags in the boots.
After passing up a photo op at the Cardona pub because of the bitter cold, we continued up to the top of the Crown Range Rd, where the above quote was uttered in my helmet. The descent was kinda funky, cars were even passing WHYQ.
G: "so why not WHYQ still?"
N: "'cos I'm thinking more about, WHY DIE?"
Another de-thaw in Q-Town, watching weather ('cos we is experts eh bro - not!) and G had to do some more shopping. Don't worry:
1. The panniers were expandable
2. He was wearing everything he bought!
Another punishing run south of Q-Town towards Lumsden seemed to take forever, especially along Lake Wakatipu, where a decent breeze was blowing, and where the southbound side of SH6 had a chunky stoney build up in the centre, leaving only the edges of the road preferrable to ride on. The rain continued, but you probably have worked that one out by now. My tyres seemed slippy, but more on that later...
We finally arrived in Lumsden, the soup was top seller for lunch at the local tearooms. Most locals just stared at these mad bassa AZNs who came in carrying half of the island's rain on them. The straight run from Lumsden into Inver-vegas didn't encourage high speed as the cold had again taken over our digits. That and the hail that peppered us as we approached Winton. The road was literally covered in hailstones. And the bastards hurt on the way down too!
Straight through Inver onto the Bluff and we felt the first glimpses of those southern winds. But it dried up thankfully, for good photo ops at Stirling Point.
So we got to the bottom of the country (apologies Stewart Islanders) partway through Day 5, a mental step completed. But legging it to Te Anau would mean not being able to visit Tim Shadbolt, or Burt's bike in Invervegas.
N: "hey bro, let's try this rugged southern coast along SH99 to Te Anau eh?"
- what a dumbass!
This amateur sailor estimates ~30 to 40knot winds coming off the southern coast, pushing my slippy slidey bike towards the other side of the road, for 90kms in the westerly direction until we were able to head north towards Manapouri/Te Anau through Tuatapere. Again, it dried up a bit on this tack and so we picked up a bit of speed. Until G hauled me over at Manapouri. That slippy slidey rear tyre was running at about ~10psi. Those who know me, know that this is not the most unusual status for my tyres A solid inflation to 40+psi and a "let's check it in the morning" statement took us into Te Anau for the night.
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
Day 6 Te Anau to Wanaka (via Invercargill !) 416kms
So leaving the tyre overnight left a very softy tyre to wheel around the gravel lot of the holiday park and then into Te Anau town to the gasser for some air to try the dog turd plug. G first successful plug done.
Both: "I've SEEN it been done before"
The plug was probably 97% good, just a *tiny* bit of air coming out.
The tyre conundrum left some possibilities from Te Anau:
Dunedin for a replacement tyre (204kms)
Invercargill for replacement tyre (160kms).
Continue and ride on to Milford Sound and beyond up west coast, checking tyre at every stop and inflating as necessary.
Thanks for answering the distress call Aklers. Even if I gave you the run around with the Dunedin thing Ablin. Obviously the Return to Inver-vegas won out. Milford Sound was abandoned. Next time, fellow Jandallers, next time. Although I reckon from Te Anau, first time jandal tourists should take SH99 to Bluff, while the already proven hard men get to do the Milford Sound.
After a few phone calls to several shops, Nathan at MotoSouth had Pirellis and could fit them.
We were not going to be returning via SH99, instead from Te Anau through to Lumsden and then back down the straight SH6. Persistent cold southern rain remained our riding companions. A very fast leg, despite the cold and the tyre losing pressure - well, had to get there before it deflated eh?
Nathan was top man, even returning from his lunch early to fit my tyres when we hit Inver, at most reasonable prices too. He pointed out that my chain and sprockets were close to end of life also (my 2005 has 36000kms), but I elected to limp it home to Auckers living with some chain slap, as Nathan suggested that it was a place in Cromwell had the bits!
During my tyre fitting G heard heavy rain on the workshop tin roof, so had to rush out for some more ride gear shopping.
New tyres fitted at the pit stop, we returned to Wanaka up SH6 (again!). The skies started to dry up as we approached Lumsden from the south, making for a very fast run past Q-Town and back up the Crown Range Rd, sans snow this time (see pic). Much better.
A quick photo op at Cardona pub this time, not needing to heat hands off exhausts. Disappointed that at 5pm, we weren't able to enjoy a Speights at the Cardrona.
"it's a hard road finding the perfect pub son..."
- well, finding the legendary one open!
A dry and enjoyable ride for the next sweeping 40kms into Wanaka again. Where we had to settle for the Wanaka Speights Ale House. I ate until I nearly burst. Again, not unusual.
Had a young kid on packing duty at the New World all excited seeing our helmuts and asking if we "rode superbikes". Quite cool.
Tha Jandal: Adding another dimension to "rubber side down"
Jandal [jan-duhl] noun: a mythical entity presiding over bikers Jandal [jan-duhl] verb: "to jandal" is to involuntarily separate from one's boik. Jandalled [jan-duhlled] past tense - usage: "bro, I've just gone and jandalled it"
Pity you didn't have the actual dates of your rides rather than your postings as we probably passed you at some stage of your rides. (Going the other way of course)
Mrs O/R and self are enjoying your travels through our neck of the woods.
Try not to think about your cold hands and the pain will pass quietly.
At least at this time of year the snow doesn't hang about for long.
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