Bluff and back

[BadSarah]

I'm getting on the ferry south on February 15 aiming for Bluff. Any pointers, must dos, places to stay and see? NO gravel roads please!!! Camping spots appreciated, especially if I can have a wee fire to drink and smoke by... :doobey::drinknsin

Can't wait:soon:

[unstuck]

Catlins.:2thumbsup

[Banditbandit]

Just have fun .. go down one way come back the other ... try to pick the driest day (if possible) to be on the West Coast.

[unstuck]

try to pick the driest day (if possible) to be on the West Coast.

I think that day has been and gone this year. We may as well be on the coast at the moment, we seem to be getting all their rain.

[Big Dave]

West is best, but not if it's pizzeling. Check the forecast the day before and go to the dry side.

[Jjgres]

Steam-punk museum at Oamaru.

[BadSarah]

I'll have to try this: http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9619330/New-breed-of-orca-takes-to-the-water

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[BadSarah]

I think that day has been and gone this year. We may as well be on the coast at the moment, we seem to be getting all their rain.

I'm hoping it will be awesome weather because everyone is back at work :p

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[FJRider]

I'll have to try this: http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9619330/New-breed-of-orca-takes-to-the-water

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I haven't done it yet ... but will at some stage. I have seen it operating ... awesome to watch ..

[Trade_nancy]

+1 on taking the Catlins route - fabulous.
Check out the Invercargill brewery if you like a brew- very good craft beers - sampling available.
Gas is ultra expensive on west coast from Haast to Greymouth - well the bits in between. Esp. Fox Glacier...Franz Joseph..
From Invergiggle - it is lovely ride out to Riverton - port with nice boatie bits etc..about an hour ride from memory.

[The Reibz]

Seafood sampling in bluff is a must. After that get as far away as you can from the place, it looks like it might have been a nice place 20 years ago but its a total shithole now

[FJRider]

Google the "Southern Scenic Route" ... and include Milford Sound. Queenstown/Glenorchy road is good.

The entire West Coast from Wanaka to Karamea is really good.

The Buller Gorge is a definite MUST do ... (watch out for U-turning cop cars)

Lake Rotoiti (St Arnaud) and Rotoroa are nice .. sealed roads to both)

The "Marble mountain" between Motueka and Takaka is worth the effort.

AVOID the Canterbury Plains bit of Highway one (South of Christchurch) ... Darfield / Geraldine (highway 77) is a good alternative ...

[FJRider]

Seafood sampling in bluff is a must. After that get as far away as you can from the place, it looks like it might have been a nice place 20 years ago but its a total shithole now

It was a total shithole 20 years ago too ... The ferry to Stewart Island leaves from there though ... and that IS a nice place to visit.

[FJRider]

Gas is ultra expensive on west coast from Haast to Greymouth - well the bits in between. Esp. Fox Glacier...Franz Joseph..


An ST1300 should be able to avoid them ... if she fuels up in Wanaka/Hokitika ...

[Gremlin]

An ST1300 should be able to avoid them ... if she fuels up in Wanaka/Hokitika ...
Not always... there some cursed imps in a few places in NZ... they steal your gas, so you can't quite travel as far as you usually would on a tank ;)

[The Reibz]

Not always... there some cursed imps in a few places in NZ... they steal your gas, so you can't quite travel as far as you usually would on a tank ;)

I know what you mean. I once burnt 3/4 of a tank between matamata and cambridge. To many nice straights...

[FJRider]

Not always... there some cursed imps in a few places in NZ... they steal your gas, so you can't quite travel as far as you usually would on a tank ;)

True :yes: ... and the side trip into Jacksons Bay won't help either :no: ...

But fuel stations abound on the West Coast. If you NEED it ... price is irrelevant ...

Pukekura which is just north of Lake Ianthe .. which is just north of Harihari ... is worth a stop for the Bushmans center and pub opposite. (Its in a small clearing amid native bush)

[merv]

Catlins route has a lot of gravel and she has said no gravel.

My favourites in no particular order on the road bike are:

Yes go by the West Coast - Upper Buller Gorge road is good coming down from Nelson - if you have time go over the Takaka Hill to Collingwood and back. Then you choose whether to go to Westport through the Buller Gorge and then down to Grey Hokitika etc or whether to go South at Inangahua and go through Reefton. Either way is nice. Road South of Hokitika is magic and so is the Haast pass on to Wanaka and Queenstown.

Then go to Cromwell, Alexandra and through central Otago to Dunedin via Ranfurly, Middlemarch or go East at Ranfurly to Palmerston, Oamaru and then to Dunedin. Work your way South to Invercargill and Bluff and then come back up to Queenstown then to Cromwell and North via Lindis Pass, Omarama, Twizel, Tekapo, Fairlie, Geraldine and then take the inland route through Canterbury via Rakaia Gorge Bridge and onto Christchurch.

Make sure you do the trip to Akaroa and back from Christchurch, then head North and go to Hanmer if you have time and then inland route to Kaikoura and on to Picton.

[FJRider]

I know what you mean. I once burnt 3/4 of a tank between matamata and cambridge. To many nice straights...

Not many long straights on the South Island west coast ... but the need for constant gear changing (hills and tight corners) plays havoc on fuel economy.

[FJRider]

Catlins route has a lot of gravel and she has said no gravel.





The Catlins route IS sealed ... the only gravel on that road is due to trucks cutting corners ... nothing an ST1300 can't handle.

[MIXONE]

Hang a right off the ferry at Queen Charlotte Drive and follow your front wheel from there.
You will have a ball.

[Gremlin]

My favourite ride in NZ (and there is a lot of good ones) starts in Milford Sound. From there head via Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka (Crown Range but all options are nice), Haast, Westport (via coast) and finishing in Nelson.

Fine, it's not a 100km awesome stretch of riding, but that's my best ride. Do it in as many days as you want, but if there's one ride that showcases NZ, that's it.

edit: actually, tack on Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton, there's a bit more :D

[merv]

The Catlins route IS sealed ... the only gravel on that road is due to trucks cutting corners ... nothing an ST1300 can't handle.

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.

[Gremlin]

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.
Which is probably why FJRider didn't mention them...

[FJRider]

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.

You can see most of all there is to see at Kaka point ... and the road back out to the Catlins highway south of Kaka point is now sealed.

Slope point is a good place to avoid if a southerly is blowing ... or raining ... or if tar-seal is preferred.

[unstuck]

You can see most of all there is to see at Kaka point ... and the road back out to the Catlins highway south of Kaka point is now sealed.

Slope point is a good place to avoid if a southerly is blowing ... or raining ... or if tar-seal is preferred.

Slope point is a good place to avoid in any weather, at anytime of the year. Unless of course you want the real southernmost point of the mainland, and not the tourist one at bluff. :yes:

[FJRider]

Slope point is a good place to avoid in any weather, at anytime of the year. Unless of course you want the real southernmost point of the mainland, and not the tourist one at bluff. :yes:

My opinion also ... but I was being polite .. :rockon:

[Berries]

I'll have to try this: http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9619330/New-breed-of-orca-takes-to-the-water
I was offered a freebie on it last week, $150 otherwise. You sit in the back behind the driver and because there are no clues whatsoever, like you would get on a track, you can't ready yourself for a left turn/right turn etc. In the end I figured you might as well stick yourself in a spin dryer because you will just be banging your head off the side. Driving it would be excellent fun, not so sure about being in the back though.

If you aren't in a rush and are passing through Dunedin you should head out to the Peninsula. Otherwise give the Crown Range a go if you are over that way.

[BadSarah]

Seafood sampling in bluff is a must. After that get as far away as you can from the place, it looks like it might have been a nice place 20 years ago but its a total shithole now

Mmmm, seafood sampling. I'm betting the famous Bluff oysters will be out of season when I'm there :(
Actually any food will do...

[BadSarah]

I was offered a freebie on it last week, $150 otherwise. You sit in the back behind the driver and because there are no clues whatsoever, like you would get on a track, you can't ready yourself for a left turn/right turn etc. In the end I figured you might as well stick yourself in a spin dryer because you will just be banging your head off the side. Driving it would be excellent fun, not so sure about being in the back though.

If you aren't in a rush and are passing through Dunedin you should head out to the Peninsula. Otherwise give the Crown Range a go if you are over that way.

Poose, not spending $150 to go in a tumble drier- I thought I'd get to drive.

In no hurry, I have two weeks to complete the trip and I have an uncle somewhere in Dunedin- must find out where...

[unstuck]

Poose, not spending $150 to go in a tumble drier- I thought I'd get to drive.

In no hurry, I have two weeks to complete the trip and I have an uncle somewhere in Dunedin- must find out where...

If his names Livingston, your shit out of luck there.:devil2:

[BadSarah]

...she has said no gravel

I only said that because when I went from Auckland to Kaitaia via a suggested route, it took me through a stretch of road with really thick gravel (the bike slewing around like a drunken whore) that sloped in severely the opposite direction of the corners and was out in the middle of nowhere without anybody to help it I dropped it. I can get the bike back up on it's wheels on a solid surface with plenty of traction, but I'd never be able to on my own on gravel. It took me two hours in first and second gear to negotiate it, and Google said it'd take 30 minutes! Well compacted gravel is no problem, it's the slidy shit that scares me.
So, the roads to Slope Point and Nugget Point are in what condition?

[Gremlin]

So, the roads to Slope Point and Nugget Point are in what condition?
Gravel roads vary constantly. Sometimes some very nice wheel tracks, easy to ride. Then the grader comes through, and it's diabolical until some compaction is done by vehicles.

[unstuck]

Nugget point not too bad apart from the potholes made by the buses, slope point varies, sometimes swept fairly clean, sometime the grader driver makes a mess you wouldn't want to drive a car down, let alone a road bike. You should be alright this time of year though, because they usually dont start grading until around april/ may, and there has been quite a bit of tourist traffic over there recently.:2thumbsup

[FJRider]

.... Nugget point not too bad apart from the potholes made by the buses,

Nugget and Slope point(s) are ok if you just take your time. Distance (in Km's) isn't great ... but the views at the end ARE ...

NO risk of ankle deep loose shingle ... just packed gravel ...

I've done it on MY FJ1200 .. no issues ..

[Shadowjack]

If you're going past Lake Tekapo, take a side-trip up to the Mt John Observatory and be prepared to be blown away by: a) any breeze that may be blowing, and b) the 360 degree view of the McKenzie Basin.
It is a sealed, steep, twisty, narrow road, but on the plus side, there's a coffee shop, too, as I recall.

[BadSarah]

Have I done this right?
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202484244906705325255.0004f270f322aa fdda163&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=h&amp;ll=-43.593434,171.173358&amp;spn=6.137329,5.655299&amp;output= embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="https://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202484244906705325255.0004f270f322aa fdda163&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=h&amp;ll=-43.593434,171.173358&amp;spn=6.137329,5.655299&amp;source= embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Driving directions to Picton, Marlborough</a> in a larger map</small>

No

Try this...
https://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?msid=202484244906705325255.0004f270f322aafdda16 3&msa=0

Woohoo
Each marker being where I plan on stopping for the night. 8am ferry here I come

[BadSarah]

First leg about to begin
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[nadroj]

First leg about to begin


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Get yourself one of these: Road Bike Motorcycle Tiedowns - MCRB37K
Much easier to tie down & more secure.

[BadSarah]

Camped at a nice spot near Kakoura last night, even got to have a campfire. Lots of foreign freedom campers, one of which was having a birthday party. Excellent first night.

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[insomnia01]

one of which was having a birthday party. Excellent first night.

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OHH!!! first dent in the "Supplies " :drinkup:

[BadSarah]

Not a big dent, I oversupplied because I don't want to run out. Managed to bugger up my route because my phone won't show the one I saved. Tried to print it at the library in Kakoura, but it would only print the map, not the turns I needed to take. Wound up going through all these stupid 60 and 70 zones on SH1 south of Christchurch. In Rakaia having food and giving my butt a break.

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[BadSarah]

Made it to Lake Tekapo, just. Bloody wind tried to blow me off the road
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[nadroj]

Made it to Lake Tekapo, just. Bloody wind tried to blow me off the road


Too many onions?

[Grashopper]

Awesome! I love Lake Tekapo. :)

Where are you off to next? A friend of mine is just touring the SI on a GN125. Young tall guy, lots of luggage. Say hello to him if you see him :)

There is a ship graveyard pretty close to Bluff. Good point to stop and have a look: http://www.newzealandphoto.info/keywords/ship-graveyard-greenpoint-bluff-harbour-new-zealand-266.html

[BadSarah]

Lake Tekapo from Mount John
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[BadSarah]

Dunedin next

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[BadSarah]

Via Oamaru...
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[Grashopper]

If you have time to go a bit inland from Oamaru, then you should check out the Elephant Rocks http://sandalroad.com/destinations/new-zealand/on-the-road-in-otago-elephant-rocks/

And 30 minutes south of Oamaru are the Moeraki Boulders. Really worth a stop: http://www.moerakiboulders.co.nz/

[BadSarah]

If you have time to go a bit inland from Oamaru, then you should check out the Elephant Rocks http://sandalroad.com/destinations/new-zealand/on-the-road-in-otago-elephant-rocks/

And 30 minutes south of Oamaru are the Moeraki Boulders. Really worth a stop: http://www.moerakiboulders.co.nz/

Too late! In Dunedin now...

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[BadSarah]

About to turn off at Balclutha onto the Southern Scenic Route

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[BadSarah]

Catlins was the greenest part of the South I've seen. There is no bunks left anywhere in Invercargill, in the tent again tonight. 293890
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[BadSarah]

Bluff. Next Queenstown. Or Wanaka.
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[BadSarah]

Changed my mind, Milford Sound today, Queenstown tomorrow

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[Grashopper]

If the weather is good, stop at the Chasm and the Mirror Lakes on the road to Milford Sound

[BadSarah]

Was going to, but didn't want to leave my gear with the Keas
293930
That's my self - inflating mattress the beggar is chewing on.

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[BadSarah]

Queenstown. Woopeedoo, cars and people everywhere.
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[merv]

Catlins was the greenest part of the South I've seen. There is no bunks left anywhere in Invercargill, in the tent again tonight.

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Cool, so no problems down the gravel road to Slope Point?

[BadSarah]

Cool, so no problems down the gravel road to Slope Point?

Too easy, doing 50 to 60 along most of it

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[BadSarah]

Wound up staying in Wanaka, loved the ride over the Crown Ranges
293981
Was going to camp at a DOC site tonight, but after riding in the rain for the last hour I want to dry out. In Franz Josef at Glow Worm. Nice place, free wifi, hot tub and hot vege soup at 6

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[BadSarah]

Oh, forgot the free popcorn...
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[Bald Eagle]

Go well with butterscotch schnapps.

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[BadSarah]

Cunning plan... might have to go get some of each now I have finished my two bowls of free soup

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[unstuck]

Nice little side trip out to Okarito in the morning would be great if the weather is right. Not far out of Franz heading north. :Punk::Punk:

[FJRider]

Wound up staying in Wanaka, loved the ride over the Crown Ranges


Was going to camp at a DOC site tonight, but after riding in the rain for the last hour I want to dry out. In Franz Josef at Glow Worm. Nice place, free wifi, hot tub and hot vege soup at 6

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The Crown range is one of our secret rides ... please don't tell too many people how great it is ... :innocent:

Only an hour in the rain ... the weather gods were NICE to you then ... :shifty:

There is a small Bushmans center at Pukekura ... just past Lake Ianthe (North of Hari Hari) in a clearing in the native bush. Worth a stop.

[BadSarah]

The Crown range is one of our secret rides ... please don't tell too many people how great it is ... :innocent:

Only an hour in the rain ... the weather gods were NICE to you then ...

Took 45 minutes, got hung up behind a cop the last 15 or 20 kms- wasn't going quite slow enough to get away with passing

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[FJRider]

Took 45 minutes, got hung up behind a cop the last 15 or 20 kms- wasn't going quite slow enough to get away with passing

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They do that a lot ....

Did you stop at Knights point .. ??

[BadSarah]

Didn't notice much other than the four wheeled obstacles

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[BMWST?]

if you into that sort of thing go to the aviation museum in blenheim on the way back

[BadSarah]

Sometimes there is nothing but the road and my bike. Brilliant weather, little traffic, all refreshed from lunch and a wee break off the bike. Perfect.

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[NighthawkNZ]

Catlins route has a lot of gravel and she has said no gravel.


The Catlins has been fully sealed for years... ???? Done it many of times...me other half has done in many times (as a learner) as well now...

If my Ducati ST4s can handle it I am sure the OP can as well...

It is an awesome road...

[BadSarah]

West Coast is cold and windy, and keeps threatening to rain. I do not like it Sam I am. Skipped the tree - top walk, kinda regretting that, must stop at Punakaiki

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[BadSarah]

Staying at Wayne's World in Westport. Am now extremely annoyed with myself for not stopping at the treetop walk
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[FJRider]

Staying at Wayne's World in Westport. Am now extremely annoyed with myself for not stopping at the treetop walk


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Next trip ... It'll still be there ...

[BadSarah]

Still at the spit, no cellphone coverage but had to get more food. Quick update while in range...
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[pritch]

Somebody suggested the aviation museum at Blenheim, the Omaka museum I think. Small but special. It may be more a male thing, but there is some amazing stuff that we wouldn't expect to see in this country; personal and family effects of WW1 fighter aces from either side. Apparently Peter Jackson takes a close interest in the museum which could explain a lot.

[insomnia01]

Sounds like your having fun Sarah :niceone: I Hope the supplies are holding out for you :msn-wink: new tyres & service done on scooter :eek: cant wait for my departcher date to come around <_< looking forward to touching the end of both islands....

[BadSarah]

Found I don't have sunscreen, got wickedly sunburned yesterday so this is as close to Farewell Spit as I went
294212
Out to a DOC campsite today until Saturday, probably no cellphone coverage there. Supplies are lasting well, might have an extra week's worth!

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[BadSarah]

Where did the picture go?
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[BadSarah]

Was a good trip, but nobody told me that the roads down there eat tyres, six month's worth in two weeks! Now I need new ones for my next WOF

Pictures from Totaranui DOC camp. Absolutely gorgeous, but 10kms of gravel to get there