Jantar
3rd December 2005, 17:04
Tuesday 1st November: We caught the Bluebridge Ferry, Santa Regina, at 8:00 am en route for the North Island. This was the first time I’d been on the Bluebridge line as I normally travel on the InterIslander. However The Bluebridge appears to have a more convenient timetable and it was slightly cheaper than the InterIslander.
We disembarked at Wellington shortly after 11:20 am and immediately headed north through the Hutt valley. For my wife, it was her first time on a major city motorway, and the first time ever on a motorway while being pillion on a motorbike. She wasn’t looking forward to the experience, but when we stopped at the lookout at the top of the Rimutakas she did comment that it wasn’t as bad as she had expected. We carried on in brilliant sunshine to Masterton where we stopped for lunch. Even though it was a Tuesday, and hence a normal working day, I did notice a lack of other bikes on the road.
On to Ekatahuna for fuel, and where we left the main highway and headed for Alfredton, then the less travelled eastern route to Waipukarau. I can see why this route made the New Zealand Motorcycle Atlas as one of the great rides. :ride: It is one continuous chicane, narrow windy, never flat and with great scenery. However, DO NOT DO THIS SECTION WITH A PILLION. This is where my wife did start to ask for more frequent stops. The road is in a bad state of repair following the east coast floods, and there are many washouts, slips and sections of road under repair. This means lots of sudden use of brakes where you wouldn’t normally expect, and is not a smooth ride. It would be a great section solo, but terrible with a pillion.
We arrived at Waipukarau at 5:00 p.m. where we stayed with friends. We spent the next day looking around the Waipukarau area by car and from the air, and took the opportunity to check the bike, our gear etc.
Thursday 3rd November: We left Waipukarau shortly before 9:00 am and headed north once again. This time though we stuck to the main road. Just north of Waipawa another cop blasted us with his radar, but we were in a line of traffic, and even if we had have been speeding it would have been difficult for him to state which vehicle was in his beam. I don’t know why he even bothered. It was boring riding through Hastings, but became more interesting as we hit the coast highway. The weather was still perfect as we stopped for coffee at the beach at Napier and imagined what the Statue of Pania would have looked like if it had have been there.
Napier was also a fuel stop, but just north of Napier we struck the wind. It was coming across from the west, and just about strong enough to blow us off the road. We rode very carefully until we got into the hills to the north and shelter from the gusty conditions.
On to Wairoa for lunch and a comfort stop. The café we chose for lunch is not one I’d recommend for future stops. It had a poor selection of food, but was the best one we could find at 12:45. It appears that in Wairoa lunch is served at midday and if you are 10 minutes later then its only scraps left. The memorable thing in this town was to watch a dude in a suit and rather loud tie selling something from the boot of his car in the public car park. Whatever it was it came in very small packets and seemed to cost $50 or multiples of $50. He was doing quite a roaring trade, but also tried not to let anyone see just what he was selling. I always thought the best salesmen advertised their wares. :innocent:
On to Gisborne and a break for afternoon tea, then a tour of Kaiiti hill before heading north along the coast. This is another great road for motorcycling with nice sweeping bends and lots of ever changing scenery. We stopped at Tolaga Bay for an ice-cream and a short break before continuing to Tokomaru bay for fuel (at $1.70 per litre) :gob: and our nights stay.
More to come.....
We disembarked at Wellington shortly after 11:20 am and immediately headed north through the Hutt valley. For my wife, it was her first time on a major city motorway, and the first time ever on a motorway while being pillion on a motorbike. She wasn’t looking forward to the experience, but when we stopped at the lookout at the top of the Rimutakas she did comment that it wasn’t as bad as she had expected. We carried on in brilliant sunshine to Masterton where we stopped for lunch. Even though it was a Tuesday, and hence a normal working day, I did notice a lack of other bikes on the road.
On to Ekatahuna for fuel, and where we left the main highway and headed for Alfredton, then the less travelled eastern route to Waipukarau. I can see why this route made the New Zealand Motorcycle Atlas as one of the great rides. :ride: It is one continuous chicane, narrow windy, never flat and with great scenery. However, DO NOT DO THIS SECTION WITH A PILLION. This is where my wife did start to ask for more frequent stops. The road is in a bad state of repair following the east coast floods, and there are many washouts, slips and sections of road under repair. This means lots of sudden use of brakes where you wouldn’t normally expect, and is not a smooth ride. It would be a great section solo, but terrible with a pillion.
We arrived at Waipukarau at 5:00 p.m. where we stayed with friends. We spent the next day looking around the Waipukarau area by car and from the air, and took the opportunity to check the bike, our gear etc.
Thursday 3rd November: We left Waipukarau shortly before 9:00 am and headed north once again. This time though we stuck to the main road. Just north of Waipawa another cop blasted us with his radar, but we were in a line of traffic, and even if we had have been speeding it would have been difficult for him to state which vehicle was in his beam. I don’t know why he even bothered. It was boring riding through Hastings, but became more interesting as we hit the coast highway. The weather was still perfect as we stopped for coffee at the beach at Napier and imagined what the Statue of Pania would have looked like if it had have been there.
Napier was also a fuel stop, but just north of Napier we struck the wind. It was coming across from the west, and just about strong enough to blow us off the road. We rode very carefully until we got into the hills to the north and shelter from the gusty conditions.
On to Wairoa for lunch and a comfort stop. The café we chose for lunch is not one I’d recommend for future stops. It had a poor selection of food, but was the best one we could find at 12:45. It appears that in Wairoa lunch is served at midday and if you are 10 minutes later then its only scraps left. The memorable thing in this town was to watch a dude in a suit and rather loud tie selling something from the boot of his car in the public car park. Whatever it was it came in very small packets and seemed to cost $50 or multiples of $50. He was doing quite a roaring trade, but also tried not to let anyone see just what he was selling. I always thought the best salesmen advertised their wares. :innocent:
On to Gisborne and a break for afternoon tea, then a tour of Kaiiti hill before heading north along the coast. This is another great road for motorcycling with nice sweeping bends and lots of ever changing scenery. We stopped at Tolaga Bay for an ice-cream and a short break before continuing to Tokomaru bay for fuel (at $1.70 per litre) :gob: and our nights stay.
More to come.....