Potentially the best Christmas ever

[release_the_bees]

This Christmas, I have a couple of weeks of work, so my father and I have a bit of a journey planned, taking on some of the more motorcycle friendly roads that the North Island has to offer.

Here (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=auckland&daddr=-37.87979,175.89208+to:-37.57855,178.13135+to:Napier+to:Taihape+to:Mastert on,+Wellington+to:-40.84049,175.08686+to:-39.93663,175.56879+to:Stratford,+Taranaki+to:-38.786358,175.121926+to:Te+Kuiti,+Waikato+to:-38.2231,174.82777+to:-37.94997,174.90386+to:Raglan,+Waikato+to:Pukekohe, +Auckland+to:Auckland&hl=en&geocode=FbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFRIAvv0dcOZ7Cik5J77e4rRtbTEwBp gGYe8AEw%3BFcqYwv0dlhGeCinlNFkQBiFlbTFx2pMGYe8AEw% 3BFRRjpf0dknaLCimZyrFP1slpbTFQ6KJDYe8ABQ%3BFduQov0 dFnp6CinvCth-LmRqbTGAB6NDYe8ABQ%3BFbgij_0dhlF4CimTnsfYwj5BbTEWm aJDYe8ABQ%3BFdbSkP0dDJ1vCinVJYOqcphAbTFwxQYHYe8AEw %3BFYqdnv0dlvd2CikZ7bJ8AitAbTFA6hsHYe8AEw%3BFYrDp_ 0dMFxjCikhtlt3duEUbTFEmaNDYe8ABQ%3BFcoqsP0dBiZwCil XkvuIu0VrbTGgtRkHYe8AEw%3BFcgVt_0dQMhwCikbDWZHArps bTGwC6NDYe8ABQ%3BFQTDuP0d-qhrCik9CKEzsUkTbTEhWpsGYe8AEw%3BFe7tvP0dNNJsCil1My EHfCsTbTHBXRUHYe8AEw%3BFUIyv_0d8lRsCiltiPYZoSoTbTF Q_KJDYe8ABQ%3BFS5XyP0d2dBsCil7MzMlj6oSbTHg-qJDYe8ABQ%3BFbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ&mra=dpe&mrcr=5&mrsp=12&sz=12&via=1,2,6,7,9,11,12&sll=-37.897072,174.931183&sspn=0.210235,0.440483&ie=UTF8&ll=-38.062689,175.148163&spn=0.417359,0.880966&z=11)is a map of the planned route, which works out at 2200 KM plus riding.

My office closes on the 23rd of December, and reopens on the 5th of January, so time isn't really an issue. The plan is to camp out along the way, and just do as much riding as we feel like each day. So far the only date penciled in is being in Tauranga for the night of the 23rd and setting off from there early on the morning of the 24th.

Having not been around the East Cape before, but knowing that it is pretty isolated, do you think that any of the limited number of petrol stations in that area will actually be open on Christmas day? I think I will be struggling to get around there on a single 17 litre tank.

[MSTRS]

Fill up in Opotiki. I doubt that any gas will be available beyond there on Xmas Day.

[Slyer]

Yep you'll need to be taking a 5L jerry can with you at least. You may very well need it.

[Gibbo89]

Looks like you'll be having one hell of a good time. What bike will your old man be on?


Here's hoping the weather will be kind to you.

[release_the_bees]

Thanks for the replies. I have a 10 litre petrol can, so I will make sure I take it with me. The plan was to gas up in Opotiki, so I will definitely be doing that now, and filling up the can there too.

Dad has a KLR650. It has a massive tank, so I guess I can steal some of his fuel as a last resort.

[firefighter]

More importantly, you will be needing a shotgun. Learn to sleep with an eye open. Thieving erm...... 'so and sos' :innocent: around 'them parts.

[SMOKEU]

Too many traffic cops out at this time of year.

[Morepower]

Phone ahead but Gas should not be a problem at Te Aroha , Tokomaru bay and Tolaga Bay .

[Gremlin]

About 350km round the cape (not going to the lighthouse) from Opotiki to Gisborne from memory... :scratch:

[2wheeldrifter]

It may interest you...............

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/126083-East-Cape-ride-report

[MSTRS]

Phone ahead but Gas should not be a problem at Te Aroha , Tokomaru bay and Tolaga Bay .

Te Araroa?
Maybe you're right, but something tells me that in between Opotiki and Gisborne will not be friendly re gas on Xmas day...

[dogsnbikes]

Thanks for the replies. I have a 10 litre petrol can, so I will make sure I take it with me. The plan was to gas up in Opotiki, so I will definitely be doing that now, and filling up the can there too.

Dad has a KLR650. It has a massive tank, so I guess I can steal some of his fuel as a last resort.

Ring the easten store at Te Araroa (06) 864 4874 too find out if they open as they operate the gas pumps,and it was 329k's from Gisborne too Opokiti at labour weekend

[release_the_bees]

Cheers. I will look into it. Thanks for all the information everybody.

[release_the_bees]

Well, I am back. I ended up riding 3200 kilometres in total!

Here (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Auckland&daddr=-37.81011,175.77459+to:-37.68646,176.21352+to:-37.70941,178.34958+to:-38.80529,177.53776+to:Napier,+Hawke's+Bay+to:Castl epoint,+Wellington+to:-40.6596441,176.0307081+to:Waipukurau,+Hawke's+Bay+ to:-41.10977,175.25196+to:-39.59206,174.2729+to:-39.36177,174.29707+to:-39.19514,174.01122+to:Tongariro+National+Park,+Man awatu-Wanganui+to:Turangi,+Waikato+to:-38.88308,175.26288+to:-38.215,174.82462+to:-38.02395,174.87686+to:-37.8764209,174.8673226+to:-37.80008,174.86984+to:-37.7872702,174.9729081+to:-37.662081,174.96752+to:-37.23706,174.91849+to:-38.06667,174.96838+to:Auckland&geocode=FbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFUIQv_0dfht6CikD85oG-7FtbTFgeZcGYe8AEw%3BFUTzwP0dEM6ACinLYr_nGtltbTFRtB oHYe8AEw%3BFZ6ZwP0dDGahCimLoTd40uhkbTGwoJUGYe8AEw% 3BFdbgr_0d4AKVCinz33FW-adobTFBXfMGYe8AEw%3BFRRjpf0dknaLCimZyrFP1slpbTFQ6K JDYe8ABQ%3BFdTzj_0diOWACimfhgUYnWBBbTHwuqJDYe8ABQ% 3BFUSVk_0d9AN-CilD44JC6HNBbTHwVgQHYe8AEw%3BFTS3nf0dxgqGCikfGc8Hv wxCbTGAFaNDYe8ABQ%3BFfa2jP0d-CFyCin1c_dr57VAbTFx7RkHYe8AEw%3BFYTfo_0dhDFjCikv1D ZI_nUVbTHwWqMGYe8AEw%3BFRZjp_0d7o9jCilt9Cp1QggVbTF B2eUGYe8AEw%3BFfztqf0dVDNfCinVwS9QYLMVbTGhlNcGYe8A Ew%3BFWTvqf0d-tl2CiFQVp0kYu8ADw%3BFdEPrf0d7KB6Cikv9kFID5ZrbTGwEK NDYe8ABQ%3BFfiwrv0doExyCikj30oZBUBrbTERf54GYe8AEw% 3BFajiuP0drJxrCik9CKEzsUkTbTEhWpsGYe8AEw%3BFfLMu_0 dvGhsCinfKg_OwC0TbTHAV5kGYe8AEw%3BFTwNvv0dekNsCikn 4n38DyoTbTERBpgGYe8AEw%3BFXA3v_0dUE1sCim5scnkFtQSb THANpcGYe8AEw%3BFXppv_0d7N9tCimfqgt4eittbTHQs5cGYe 8AEw%3BFX9Swf0d4MptCikRSIWq5TJtbTFwtpQGYe8AEw%3BFb zOx_0dWgttCinPFkFVGKsSbTExSZIGYe8AEw%3BFRImu_0dPM5 tCilRJZ2WB81sbTFAxw4HYe8AEw%3BFbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ&hl=en&mra=dvme&mrcr=5&mrsp=22&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,7,9,10,11,12,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,2 3&sll=-37.313656,174.875221&sspn=0.210798,0.440483&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.129021,172.814941&spn=12.770544,28.190918&z=6)is a map of the route that I took. If I have time this weekend I might go up to the Cape and back, just so I can say that I have basically done the whole Island!

To sum up the trip in a few lines:

I didn't realise how many great twisties there are in the North Island! The route I took from Masterton to Auckland took 2 full days riding, but wow what roads and views!
Basically blue sky all the way, with only one gray day, and no rain at all!
There are gas stations open around the East Cape on Christmas day, but only in the morning. In the end it didn't matter, as we had cleared the cape by the night of Christmas Eve.
The Gentle Annie is almost totally sealed now, but there is one section that I wouldn't call gravel - pebbles and rocks would be a better description! Great fun on the GT650 as the bars were moving around like a mini tankslapper. Dad's KLR650 was perfectly at home of course.
I couldn't have had a better view of the mountains on the way back. It was so clear that I doubled back to Tongariro National Park for a better look.
The GT650R was surprisingly comfortable considering the distance that I travelled. The only issue I had during the trip was having to replace the rear tyre halfway round. In fact the bike is working better than when I left, now that the gearbox has loosened up a bit.


I'll upload a few pics soon.

[release_the_bees]

Some more pictures...

[release_the_bees]

And some more...

[release_the_bees]

And even more...

[release_the_bees]

Final lot of pics...

[NZsarge]

Some nice pics there, looks like the weather treated you well.