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View Full Version : 4500 kms in 18 days with pillion. Part 7



Jantar
6th December 2005, 00:11
Sunday 13th November: We woke up to the sound of rain spattering on the window, and a short glance outside confirmed it. Low cloud and rain. Oh well, the weather gods had been kind to us almost the entire time in the North Island, so a bit of rain now shouldn't be anything to complain about.

We delayed the start a bit in case there was any improvement, but shortly after 9:00 we loaded up and headed west. It rained all the way to Murchison where we stopped for coffee and thought about where we would go next. We decided to head for "Formerly The Blackball Hilton", but whether it be via the coast road, or the inland route, well we could decide that at Inangahua. I remembered to refuel this time. Last time I passed through here I didn't think about fuel until my warning light came on some distance down the road, and I had to try and stretch the ride to Westport. As we left Murchison, the rain suddenly stopped, the clouds parted and there was a small patch of blue sky in the distance. Maybe this wasn't going to be so wet after all. Well maybe I just shouldn't be so optimistic, it wasn't long before the next shower started, and it was heavy.

At Inangahua Junction we could see very dark clouds and rain to the south, but looking west the clouds seemed to have a lighter shade to them that suggested the rain may not be so heavy. We were wrong. Each shower just got heavier than the one before it, and in between the showers was steady drizzle. We stopped at a lookout in the Buller Gorge despite the fact that we couldn't see much through the rain, but it was a chance to nip into the bushes for a much needed comfort stop.

As we came out to the junction just south of Westport the rain eased of to a light drizzle and the weather to the south definitely looked better. It wasn't bad riding down the coast to Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks) as there were short intervals of fine weather between the showers, although at no stage was the road surface dry. We stopped for lunch alongside another group of riders who were heading north and just getting ready to depart as we arrived.

At this stage we had been over 3 hours in westcoast rain, and the leathers were still keeping us dry, but we did appreciate the chance to sit in shelter while we had lunch and give them a chance to dry, even if it was only to get the surface water off them.

South of Punakaiki and the breaks in the weather got longer. When we turned off the main road just north of Greymouth, the road surface was actually dry, but a few kms along the road towards Blackball and down it came again. We arrived at "Formerly The Blackball Hilton" and parked under a tree for some shelter for the bike. Naturally we had to try a pint of the local beer and have a look at the historic memorabilia that the owner had collected. It is an amazing old pub, and we were given the grand tour of the building. Every single room is decorated differently, and at the time of our visit there was an art exhibition by alocal artist in the main gallery. Well, it was called art, but I certainly wouldn't chose to hang any of the exhibits in my house. This is another location that is rated in the New Zealand Motorcyle Atlas, and well worth the visit. It was still quite early in the afternoon, sowe decided to press on to Hokitika for the night.

We headed back via Stillwater to Greymouth, and back into heavy showers. But the fine periods were definitely getting longer. South of Greymouth and the sky actually cleared, so that when we arrived in Hokitika it was actually on dry roads. We booked into our accommadation and then headed into town for a beer and dinner. As it was only 5 kms from where we were staying to town, and the weather had picked up, we left our leather trousers hanging up to dry and just wore our jackets. Wouldn't you know it, just as we were heading back out to the bike after dinner, down came the rain again. Denim jeans are NOT waterproof.

Monday 14th November: This was only going to be a short day on the bike, so we took the opportunity to be tourists in Hokitika, and visited places like the Jade factory, the Sheep Station and the Aquarium. We had lunch at Preston's Cafe another place I'd reccommend. They have whitebait patties that fill your plate right up, and they are full of whitebait, not batter or filling.

We refueled and carried on south after lunch, with clouds in the sky, but not raining, and with light traffic were making a good speed. Just out of Ross the Radar detector started picking up a signal, and this is possibly the only time on the whole trip that I can say it definitely saved me a ticket. A glance at the speedo showed I'd allowed the speed to creep up to 125 kmh, but had plenty of time to slow down before the cop came into view. He had been following another vehicle, and although he obviously saw us before I saw him, he activated his radar too soon. We stopped at Ross for a coffee, then carried on towards the glaciers. The clouds started to get heavier once again, and soon it was back into the rain. Real rain, where it bounces up off the roadalmost as high as the bike seat. The heaviest was between Franz Joseph and Fox where the water was running across the road like a river. We arrived in Fox Glacier and booked in for the night, parked the bike and walked into town with no sign of any rain anywhere.

As we were sitting at the hotel having our pre dinner beer, two HP cops on bikes rode past. Now this revenue gathering is getting rediculous. Cop bikes at Fox Glacier? Maybe I'd had one beer too many. :wacko: But no, a few minutes later they went past again, two cops on BMWs.

After we finished our beer and started walking back to the restaurant for dinner I saw the two Bike cops stopped outside the hotel, so approached one of them and commented about how unexpected it is to find bike cops in a place like Fox Glacier. It turns out that they are from Christchurch, and evaluating the bikes for highway duties outside the main centers.

Tuesday 15th November: Typical, brilliant South Island sunshine for our last day on the trip. We fuelled up here at $1.55 per litre rather than wait till Haast and $1.63 per litre, and headed south on a clear road. We made a short stop at Knight's Point lookout, and another at the Gates of Haast. The roads we were on now are like home to us as we know them so well, but they are still great riding. Last time we had been through here was only 8 weeks earlier in September. At that time there was still a lot of snow on the mountains, but now they were mainly bare rock. It doesn't look good for Hydro storage for next winter.

At Makarora we stopped again for coffee. We were now only 2 hours away from home, and seemed to stopping every chance we could get rather than end the ride too soon. However press on we must, so from Makarora we headed to Lake Hawea and our lunch stop. The Hawea Hotel always put on a good lunch at a reasonable price, and tou can park motorbikes right next to the outdoor beer garden. Very handy indeed.

From Hawea I toyed with the idea of taking the back road through Hawea Flat and Tarras, but as I hadn't fueled since Fox, I figured I'd play it safe and stick to the main road. As it turned out though we reached Cromwell and only took 16 litres so we could have easily taken the back road.

We arrived home at 4:00 pm having completed 4503 km in 18 days. Our house sitter had looked after our place magnificently, and all the animals looked too well fed.

It was a fabulous trip, but great to be home again.... to lawns that are least 40 cm high, paddocks that need mown, trees that need irrigation and.... I think I need to go for a :ride:

Highlander
6th December 2005, 00:43
Well done mate. Sounds like a good look around and a great time.

No what you mean about needing to go for a ride. When I get my days off I make sure one of the jobs on my list is go for a blat. :yes:

LB
6th December 2005, 03:43
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A great read Jantar (I've missed a couple of instalments that I'll catch up on as I go through the "new posts".)

Many thanks for sharing this with us.
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James Deuce
6th December 2005, 06:51
Mate! Flipping brilliant read.

All 7 parts should be compulsory reading for the motorcycling immigrants from the Northern Hemisphere.

Thank you very much for going to the effort of writing that up and posting for us to share.

DemonWolf
6th December 2005, 07:00
Indeed.. very good read.. Cheers! =)

Lou Girardin
6th December 2005, 15:14
Superb story. Brings back memories with every line.

RiderInBlack
8th December 2005, 07:25
We arrived at "Formerly The Blackball Hilton" and parked under a tree for some shelter for the bike. Naturally we had to try a pint of the local beer and have a look at the historic memorabilia that the owner had collected. It is an amazing old pub, and we were given the grand tour of the building.
Yep, to's an awesome Pub that (thank Felix AKA Zapf for taking us there on the HRCNZ ride in March). Loved their BlackBall Beer. Now that's a Dark Beer (you can even taste a hint of Westcoast Coal in it):drinkup:

After we finished our beer and started walking back to the restaurant for dinner I saw the two Bike cops stopped outside the hotel, so approached one of them and commented about how unexpected it is to find bike cops in a place like Fox Glacier. It turns out that they are from Christchurch, and evaluating the bikes for highway duties outside the main centers.
Yer right:rolleyes: Sounds like an excuse to go on a Helen Paid Tour (good on them:2thumbsup ). Mmm, do they have Community Cops on Bikes? You know, ones covering the Rural areas:blip:

Skyryder
10th December 2005, 18:54
Good to read a story well written and interesting. If they haven't got me in the first para I'm gone.

Skyryder