Planning an Epic Adventure - Will trade beer for use of couches

**Highlander** · 5th July 2009, 18:11

Originally Posted by motorbyclist

We made it

:

Post Number 1 indicates the plan was to be back in Auckland tonight.
What is the revised plan looking like?

**PirateJafa** · 5th July 2009, 18:23

Originally Posted by Danae

So they have stopped at a pub at Castle Point. :slap:

Tbh the pub at Porangahau was better. Fooking good food thar!

Originally Posted by GOONR

Or is that just bad map reading?

WHAT map reading?

Originally Posted by Squiggles

Depends if they're using the 30yo map book again

That map of mine got us to Dannevirke remember? It's ALL good.

Originally Posted by Danae

Right, I has contact from Jafa but he just demanded beers

Better ante up too, biatch.

1 - Nelson! Zomg.
2 - We set off!
3 - Honda in pieces outside Repco.
4 - Suzuki in pieces outside Nelson.
5 - Is my warranty still good?

**PirateJafa** · 5th July 2009, 18:41

Originally Posted by Highlander

Post Number 1 indicates the plan was to be back in Auckland tonight.
What is the revised plan looking like?

Plan? What?

1 - Queen Charlotte Sound, to the tune of blue smoke and ringading.
2 - We made it to Picton, and *just* missed the FOURTH ferry we'd booked on. So we changed our booking and caught the fifth ferry we'd booked.
3 - The first traffic jam we've encountered in the South Island!

**motorbyclist** · 5th July 2009, 18:54

Originally Posted by Highlander

Post Number 1 indicates the plan was to be back in Auckland tonight.
What is the revised plan looking like?

Finish posting day3 pics, post day4 write up, day4 pics, dinner, day5 write up etc

tomorrow we get up early and ride as far as we can, day7 we hit the cape and head for tauranga, studylink should inject us with more funds, day8 we hit coromandel and stay with blackbird up the top end, and day9 (thursday) we head back own to kopu, across the plains and up to kaiauia, and then victory climb up one tree hill

**motorbyclist** · 5th July 2009, 18:59

So we finally had a sleep in as Hastings/Napier was only five hours away - provided we left at noon and stuck to route 52 without incident we'd be sweet.

We left the caltex in masterton at 1:30.

We got onto SH2 and promptly turned around, having completely forgotten the directions given to us, and headed back to the last gas station we had seen. There, a local gave us instructions to head fr castle point and the turn off for bideford, but not to go through bideford.

When It came to turning off for bideford, we for some reason headed for castlepoint. From there on I think we confused castlepoint for castlehill (which we were not meant to be headed for anyway), and proceeded to absolutely thrash the clutch on Brown Fury to get through the beautiful scenery as fast as possible. We stopped at a confusing intersection and spent some time weighing the benefits of consulting a map against the hassle of pulling out on of the laptops. laziness won the day. We next stopped to admire a large mountain/rock at tinui before heading for castlepoint, and herded some stubborn sheep that clearly weren't as scared of the ring-a-ding-ding as the ones back home are as scared of my motox bike..... By this time we had reached the east coast and could see the surf. We had made a Big mistake, and it was now 2:30.

We headed back to the castlepoint hotel (awesome pub, btw) to consult the map, where we amused the patrons by learning the hard way about low-slung race pipes, pillions and speed bumps. Suffice to say we actually came to a stop on the expansion chamber, leaving a considerable dent.
The maps showed that we were meant to turn LEFT at tinui, instead of admiring the large rock, and that were were going to have to consider abandoning route 52 to sh2 near dannevirke. We talked to Dr Paul about the lean plug and he suggested either running a colder plug or losing a clip on the needle. To save the inevitable disaster that opening the carb would be, and for lack of a place to buy plugs, we decided to cease thrashing Brown Fury and let it sit at half throttle, despite the lower pace.

Either way we were now doing the gravel road through castlehill, do donned our helmets and headed for tinui for lunch. At 3pm we headed off along what is apparently a dangerous road, or so the large warning signs said...

When we finally reached the gravel we had to stop - it was loose, round stones deep on a hard base: a nightmare for a small overloaded bike with road tyres and near zero weight on the front wheel. We moved 3L of gas from the rear to the front and had a chat with local farmers passing through on their quad bikes. Why don't aucklanders drive around on quads? these guys were great! Anyway, seeing we had lost out oil bottle, we set off.

"when in doubt, power out" - the culmination of a decade offroad riding experience - was basically what got us through the next hour of front sliding, mild tankslappers, and general lack of control. At least with all the weight on the rear it never really slid out... popped a few more wheelies though....

The road eventually gave up on gravel, and turned to smooth dirt. Perfect. We checked the plug and it was nice and brown, so clearly not holding her with wide open throttle was the way to go. We took off again and around the next corner the road turned to mud. Shit. It then went back to smooth with the occasional random stretch of seal until we finally got back on the road. After more of my favourite sort of rural sealed road on the perfect bike we finally got onto route 52. At dusk....

The next hour out so of fading sunlight was spend on what is quite possibly one of the best roads in the country for riding - consistent surface, very low traffic volume, awesome sights, and only two rouge sheep! (methinks the were-sheep were out to get us SMC riders again). Eventually, we were again riding by moonlight with a less-than-sufficient headlight that would dim whenever we hit the brakes, and no reflectors or painted lines to guide us. The road was still good, but if there was a bad patch we weren't going to see it until too late, and any manuvuers were being made essentially blind.

Some hours later we skidded to a halt - I had just caught a glance of a sign bearing the word "Backpackers". We then overshot the driveway a few times and then found the driveway to be a bit dangerous, but got there safe and sound.

Now, the first thing we said was that we didn't have cash. It didn't matter

The old couple running the place were generous enough to have us stay (and even feed us!) in exchange or only our gratitude and our story. we got on the phone and looked at the map to find we were barely even half way to hastings, and decided to call it a night and stay there.

So we've got the whole mini-complex to ourselves, with warm fire and a range of DVDs to let us relax, Roast pork(!) and breakfast sorted too, while it begins to rain outside. With this fire our boots can finally dry out! they've been wet since arriving in christchurch

Honestly, this place is only $25per person for made up bed and everything, so we would've paid it if we could - It's right in the middle of route 52, so considering how nice this road is, I can see a return trip in the future

- It's called the Glenross Lodge.

Considering we're only in Rakaunui, we aim to get to Conquiztators in the afternoon. Yet another planned day taking twice as long as it should.... Not to worry; it hasn't cost us much and if we can keep riding through to tuesday, studylink might come through and support us to the end of the week

**junkmanjoe** · 5th July 2009, 18:59

where did you stay last night.
how did you end up out at castlepoint.

**motorbyclist** · 5th July 2009, 19:01

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

where did you stay last night.
how did you end up out at castlepoint.

scroll up

**Danae** · 5th July 2009, 19:07

You guys are epic

**junkmanjoe** · 5th July 2009, 19:15

oh didnt read the road signs.

oh well least you made it through castle hill ok.

with all the good food you guys are getting, you be fat by the time you get to auckland.

**h_tron** · 5th July 2009, 19:16

so you guys going to confirm your eta later on so we can all join you on your victory lap up to none tree hill

**PirateJafa** · 5th July 2009, 19:33

1 - Castlepoint? Oh shit, we were meant to be looking for Castlehill!
2 - Awesome little general store - talk about odle worlde!
3 - What a combination, lol.
4 - And the gravel starts! While filling the gas tank from our "reserve" tank on the side of the road before hitting the metal, two farmers on quaddies turned up from each direction and starting chatting to us, not worried in the least that they were completely blocking the road.
5 - More offroad than your DR, Squiggles!

**PirateJafa** · 5th July 2009, 19:48

1 - Don't need to go to Track'n Trail for Motorcycle Adventures!
2 - Our sweet overnight pad at Glenross Lodge!
3 - The good ol' days.
4 - Plenty of high-brow entertainment here, as you can see.