gijoe1313's piccies from his invasion of the mainland!

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 22:23

Well as I am now finally completing my magnum opus of the trip to the South Island, I have finagled and finally finished my photo processing.

Residing in the small plastic chip is a brief acquisition of my few shots I did. In truth, I keep the memories firmly shuttered in my mind's eye, able to recall the splendor and vivacity of the events within. I'm sure as I get more feeble minded I will be appreciative of the shots I have taken!

So in the usual vein of my reporting I will be glib, I will be not serious, I will pisstake and be irreverent of my material! So come with me my salubrious friends and walk in the footsteps of the red camo ninja.

I'm sure you will find that it is agreeable in its entirety and the surfeit of emotion you feel will be that of a resonance with the craft of our life's pursuit.

Motorcycling and all the wondrous and wacky and weird moments that accompany it!

Welcome to my world.

I hope you will stay a while, and perhaps pursue it with your own innocuous contributions!

Let's begin. Sitting comfortably? Excellent.

This is the original ride report with a blow by blow account http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=89265

And this is a tribute thread to the KBer I rode with for two long weeks http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=90405

**McJim** · 15th January 2009, 22:24

Errr....Pics or it didn't happen!

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 22:35

So gentle readers, as we stroll through the beginning of these pictures, I hope in some small way that Gremlin's journey with me across the lower half of our fair nation has sparked some pang of wanderlust inside your hearts.

The biking heart that needs to go explore new vistas and ride new roads. To meet new people and breath and live in land unknowns. It is most invigorating and ascends the senses and feelings to another plane of metaphysical existence!

So anyhow read on my fellow purveyors of fine mechanical contraptions of transportation!

Pic 1 : We had a stowaway in my luggage! A little raccoon dressed in his wetsuit was snugly tucked away in a corner of my bag. He popped out to make himself known!

Pic 2 : Picolo was his name and he surveyed all around him, master of his little corner of the universe! He intimated he would be around for a while and would not be a bother to anyone!

Pic 3 : This is the cheaparse chinese comm units I purchased a year ago or so. Finally got to use them with Gremlin's blingbling units and they did come in handy!

Pic 4 : Mmmm lasagne from the ferry cafe. Was delicious. I did stress to Gremlin to go get some, but he hates queues and was adamant he would go get some later. Hours later he was hungry and had to wait for the gallery to cook more food. Lasagne no longer available and he had to make do with chicken.

Pic 5 : At Nelson, got a shot of Gremlin's bars of Katoom gadgetry. Decked out with the usual addition of GPS and radar detector.

Pic 6 : For those eagle eyed readers of other threads, this is a backwards shot of the Nelson room we stayed in.

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 22:50

Still with me gentle reader? I take it as an encouraging sign as you trip-trap over the internet to purvey more of the pictures I had occasion to take.

I do so hope you are enjoying your time in this thread so far. Feel free to go put on a cuppa. I shall be here patiently waiting for you to continue the journey through the progression of an alternative viewpoint of the trip.

Through my eyes and Picolo's so to speak. Tarry not longer with my musings and continue on with your visual tour.

Pic 1 : In Nelson, there was opportunity to use the computer to have a wee game of CounterStrike. Highly appropriate when I was garbed as I am. I think Gremlin had trouble holding camera steady and was fixated on the German cutie next to me ...

Pic 2 : Gliding through on vulcanised dinosaur goop, we landed in Hokitika. Very nice little town, plenty to see on our 10 minute walk through the entire township. A shot of the room we were allocated. I did tell Gremlin not to break anything. I did move a delicate glass vase earlier. Gremlin still managed to bang door quite hard into wall

Pic 3 : Our gear stashed higgle-de-piggedy about the place. Tch. Typical filthy biker scum!

Pic 4 : A view of the lounge of Mountain Jade Backpackers. If you find yourself this way and needing of lodgings for the close of night, this may be a suitable accommodation for your needs.

Pic 5 : The long corridor leading to our room, to the left is the shower and kitchen and toilets, to the right is a mixed dorm and a males only dorm. Place was remarkably empty of residents.

Pic 6 : Picolo was quick to scout out his lodgings and bedding for the night, quite cunning is our little Picolo!

**Kaptain Banzai** · 15th January 2009, 22:58

So Justin you got down South. Thats why I couldn't find you! Anyway going North tomorrow. Cape Reniga.

Kaptain Henry Banzi

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 23:02

Well my esteemed and treasured reader, I see you are still biding a while in this little corner of our fine virtual establishment. Picolo has taken a shine to this hostel and bustled himself about the place.

Follow his little adventures and I have translated his Raccoon speak into English using the Tanuki-Eigo dictionary. (It transpires he is a japanese Raccoon and thus is known as a Tanuki)

Pic 1 : "Chuweet-hweet-heet-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "It's cold in here, reminds me of Japan in winter! Good nosh though!"

Pic 2 : "Kuphweet-chee-chee-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "I think this is where you can return keys for your room"

Pic 3 : "Khweep-phee-mee-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "good show, good view of buttocks too!"

Pic 4 : "Mwheep-phweep-peep-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "Your move!"

Pic 5 : "Juweep-jeep-meep-phwee-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "I like easy listening channel please!"

Pic 6 : "Deeep-bweep-hwee-hee" <-- Tanuki speak for "I seem to have fallen down the stairs and in need of some assistance please!"

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 23:11

I am currently eating a resplendent dish of vittals prepared by mama. Please bear with me as I savor this repast and give it the due attention it deserves.

Normal service shall resume shortly.

Righto it is now back to the trip down memory lane again! Gremlin and I touched down in Franz Josef and checked in our gear so we could go riding to see the roads and the glaciers.

Pic 1 : Our little room in the lovely Chateau Franz : Sir Cedrics backpackers.

Pic 2 : View looking out to the entrance of the hostel.

Pic 3 : View looking into the entrance of the hostel.

Pic 4 : The spa pool building, rustic it is. No nubile young lasses lounging in it though

Pic 5 : Front of door parking, what more could a biker want - apart from being able to part the bike inside!

Pic 6 : Picolo doing his little bit and going through the equipment inventory. Quite the little rummager is he.

**gijoe1313** · 15th January 2009, 23:12

Originally Posted by Kaptain Banzai

So Justin you got down South. Thats why I couldn't find you! Anyway going North tomorrow. Cape Reniga.

Kaptain Henry Banzi

May your weather be fair, roads be clear and cagers absent! Enjoy the ride for you are doing it before it is tarsealed over completely and it will be the end of an era.

Ride safe and enjoy!

**gijoe1313** · 16th January 2009, 07:48

This region is certainly breath-taking. The rugged nature of the mountainous region and the coastal regions is primordial and the schisms of tectonic movements is evident in the violent upheaval of the Alps.

Gremlin and I pulled into the area just left of the bridge which accesses the Franz Josef glacier. A short ride on metal roads (where Gremlin on his katoom o'doom ripped ahead, creating showers of rocks and dust meant I dallied at a safer distance behind him)

The carpark was filled with trippers eager to walk the trails to get to the glacier. Gremlin declined to walk since his riding boots had previously crippled him walking short distances. I tramped the route quickly and took a comm unit to keep in contact. It took me five minutes to quickly view the spectacle.

A moment to reflect how it had changed so much from my visit four years ago, the face receding from the last point. I banged out some photos and quickly tramped back.

Somehow I don't think people were prepared for a biker in red camo pants and bulldozing ahead at military walking pace!

**gijoe1313** · 16th January 2009, 08:00

Well Picolo told me when we were gallavanting about to see the glaciers, he remained behind to get some rest and poke about the place!

**gijoe1313** · 16th January 2009, 08:08

Well in the same day we also visited Fox Glacier. A large beautiful glacier which resonates the power of nature's ways. The vestibule upon which we took pictures from was most gratifying. Away from the nebulous crowds and we had a clear view of the face.

Gremlin also purported that it would be great to ride down on the lower plains, strewn with rocks and pitfalls :slap:

Also, proving how small NZ is, we encountered Danny from Botany Motorcycles, one of the people who sold me the Big Ol'Hornet was there! He was without bike and was traveling with his family.

Also Karla from KB was visiting the glacier as well. Noticed the red camo ninja with the KB patch and she wandered over to have a wee chat.

She thought us mad! Good to see that she managed to catch up with the other ride report thread and put some semblance of sanity on the pair of us!

**NZsarge** · 16th January 2009, 08:22

Again, outstanding.

**gijoe1313** · 16th January 2009, 08:33

I shall take a brief break from my natterings, mama has required my assistance in her every day business of gathering produce and supplies for our family business.

Being asian has it's own unique tweaks to one's life experiences. I will post further pictures anon!

Be patient dear readers and as the saying goes, good things comes to those who wait! Normal service shall resume shortly.

**madbikeboy** · 16th January 2009, 09:26

Originally Posted by gijoe1313

I shall take a brief break from my natterings, mama has required my assistance in her every day business of gathering produce and supplies for our family business.

Being asian has it's own unique tweaks to one's life experiences. I will post further pictures anon!

Be patient dear readers and as the saying goes, good things comes to those who wait! Normal service shall resume shortly.

You're Asian???? WTF? Why do you pick on me so much for me being Asian???