Hitcher
26th January 2004, 11:18
As Saturday was a welcome change weatherwise to what transpired earlier in the week, Mrs Hitcher and I decided to hop on the Marauder and Zrex respectively and go for a wee ride.
Over the 'takas was fun, and we met some of the dudes out exercising their vintage bikes and otherwise having a blast in the sun. Those numbered yellow vests are way cool!
We escaped the main highway at Waipawa and headed coastwards to Patangata, prior to carving the Elsthorpe road northwards. Not another vehicle in sight. We then carved down to Waimarama and back because it was a nice day, prior to blatting up Marine Parade to stay the night in Napier. The twilight run up the Whirinaki coast is now becoming something of a "must do" when in Napier, and Saturday night was no exception.
Sunday, after a leisurely brunch, it was home via Taupo. It must be at least 15 years since I was last up the Napier-Taupo road and I had trouble remembering parts of it, such have been the mods over that time. But what a glorious day, great scenery and a great stretch of motorcycling road. Shame about the caravans and campervans though...
Taupo was in full cry for Auckland Anniversary weekend, so we didn't loiter. The run down the lake to Turangi was breathtaking as Taupo turned on a stunner. Shame about the caravans and campervans though...
We burned off the slower traffic through the switchbacks at the top of the Desert Road (man, the road surface through here needs considerable attention) and had an uncluttered run to Taihape. After a compulsory stop for a coffee and world's best chocolate brownie at The Exchange cafe, we headed south, turning off at Vinegar Hill.
This stretch of road through to Cheltenham has to be some of the best bike riding road anywhere. Great carving corners to start and then great straights with some neat high-speed knee-downers (not yesterday as I had my Draggins on) to finish. Every time I do this road, I want to go back and do it again!
We returned home via Feilding, Awahuri, Opiki and Shannon, keeping off the main roads "just in case".
920km in two days. Brilliant!
:banana: :banana: :banana:
Over the 'takas was fun, and we met some of the dudes out exercising their vintage bikes and otherwise having a blast in the sun. Those numbered yellow vests are way cool!
We escaped the main highway at Waipawa and headed coastwards to Patangata, prior to carving the Elsthorpe road northwards. Not another vehicle in sight. We then carved down to Waimarama and back because it was a nice day, prior to blatting up Marine Parade to stay the night in Napier. The twilight run up the Whirinaki coast is now becoming something of a "must do" when in Napier, and Saturday night was no exception.
Sunday, after a leisurely brunch, it was home via Taupo. It must be at least 15 years since I was last up the Napier-Taupo road and I had trouble remembering parts of it, such have been the mods over that time. But what a glorious day, great scenery and a great stretch of motorcycling road. Shame about the caravans and campervans though...
Taupo was in full cry for Auckland Anniversary weekend, so we didn't loiter. The run down the lake to Turangi was breathtaking as Taupo turned on a stunner. Shame about the caravans and campervans though...
We burned off the slower traffic through the switchbacks at the top of the Desert Road (man, the road surface through here needs considerable attention) and had an uncluttered run to Taihape. After a compulsory stop for a coffee and world's best chocolate brownie at The Exchange cafe, we headed south, turning off at Vinegar Hill.
This stretch of road through to Cheltenham has to be some of the best bike riding road anywhere. Great carving corners to start and then great straights with some neat high-speed knee-downers (not yesterday as I had my Draggins on) to finish. Every time I do this road, I want to go back and do it again!
We returned home via Feilding, Awahuri, Opiki and Shannon, keeping off the main roads "just in case".
920km in two days. Brilliant!
:banana: :banana: :banana: