Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)
1st January 2007, 22:06
Napier - Tolaga Bay Wed 27 Dec
The day dawned overcast, got up 6am packed my things, then went back to sleep for an hour and a half!! I didn't have good vibes about leaving/riding today. Had to go the the bank and get a new atm card, Banks are on par with IRD and Telecom - can't stand them - however at least I had access to my money now! Was not in a good mood so went and had a coffee - husband and wife on a bike turned up - they were from Te Anau going down south - that started perking me up and I began to get enthusiastic!! Told myself it wouldn't rain! - my tent is not waterproof - whattya expect from a $30 warehouse job!!
Finally left around 1pm. Side paniers on,a bag on the seat that had my laptop, airbed, sleeping bag and tent in. I was a little paranoid about weight until eventually an intelligent thought came out of nowhere and said people ride 2 up and have luggage!! I was very well behaved speedwise! Stopped at Wairoa, lovely and sunny there. Wairoa to Gisborne - the road is atrocious - actually right up past Hicks Bay - "Uneven surface" - the first one I thought - oh yeah probably a couple of patches where they have filled in holes. Hell No - meters of gravel road, after hittin the first one a bit too quickly - when the next sign came up (they weren't very far apart!!) brain was engaged and knew what to expect. Apparently it has been like that for ages. Gassed up in Gisborne.
Stayed at Tolaga Bay at "Freedom Camping Ground" well I took the dom off and stayed for Free. It said I had to have a permit from GDC - what the fk was GDC?? Duh Gisborne City Council - however some campers told me the authorities had already been through.
Erected tent, pumped up airbed - yeeha a) the new pump worked, b) the cig lighter attachment thing on my bike worked. 1st problem - needed a piece of wood for bike so I could park it beside my tent - thank god for friendly campers. While setting up camp an older guy came and looked at my bike - then he brought me back some fresh smoked fish - it was nectar of the gods!! He invited me to join them. He took the role of father figure!! They had had prowlers the nite before and he'd caught them!! But he would be there as fast as and protect me he told me!! Had dinner with them - about 3 families camping together - they had literally brought the kitchen sink!!! Lovely people. Fantastic sunset. Got torch out someone had lent me - no fkn batteries!! Ok so I should have bloody checked - what good is it giving me a torch with no batteries!! Usually I carry a candle but I am a known pyromaniac and I wouldn't trust myself in my small tent!! so didn't pack one.
Day 2 Tolaga Bay - Ohope
Slept comfortably, woke and thought I was in Wellington - windy as!! My little gas cooker wouldn't start - disaster - needed coffee - back to my new-found friends - jug just boiled - phew. Packed up - and went into "town". Chatted to another bandit owner and his mate - they were off to Gizzy. A great place to eat in Tolaga Bay is "Maria's Cafe" - cheap and good value for money.
Txted Barbender and said I was leaving Tolaga Bay - he was gonna meet me along the way and we'd ride to Ohope, didn't receive a reply. Got to Hicks Bay, (checked ph no service) and thought - great I can fill up there - 2 signs indicated a petrol pump. Get there - and they have GONE!! not been here for a while luv!! I knew there was a petrol pump that was situated on a corner much further up (Te Aroha I think!) but knew I wouldn't get that far!! Anyway I found one in Waihau? It just advertised a Lion Red pub down a side ride!! I turned back - I was in luck. Had a drink there and this guy comes up to me and said - we keep meeting up - I thought we do?? He said he'd seen me at Wairoa, Hicks Bay and now here!! He was a NZer over from Japan showing his wife NZ, his brother was driving them. Obviously I was totally focussed on riding and the scenery - cos in the Coromandel a woman said she'd seen me at different places along the way! don't remember her either. No cellph service here either or at Te Kaha.
Got to Opotoki around 4.15pm - yeeha cellphone service -= 2 txts from Bartender at around 12.30pm - "Leaving Opotiki now" - "on blue bike and brown t-shirt" shite I never saw a biker fitting that description - anyway my ph went Bartender was at Te Kaha!! he hadn't got my msgs at this stage - so I waited for him!! We reckoned we had missed each other when I had my stop in Hicks Bay - a matter of 15 mins!! Meantime I bought a $3 lead light torch - complete with batteries - bloody fantastic little torch!!
Met his lovely family, and I was invited for dinner and to stay the nite. Then I had the luxury of a shower - sheer bliss! Don't ever think camping is romantic, while I wear my lace nitie and satin dressing gown even when camping - the lovely aroma of insect repellant would in no way be described as an aphrodisiac!! It was good to feel clean and smell nice!! Bartender and I stayed up until midnite - discussing various routes to Auckland - he convinced me to do the Coro Loop!!! Thank God he rode with me to a certain point so I couldn't possibly get lost!! lol.
more to follow
The day dawned overcast, got up 6am packed my things, then went back to sleep for an hour and a half!! I didn't have good vibes about leaving/riding today. Had to go the the bank and get a new atm card, Banks are on par with IRD and Telecom - can't stand them - however at least I had access to my money now! Was not in a good mood so went and had a coffee - husband and wife on a bike turned up - they were from Te Anau going down south - that started perking me up and I began to get enthusiastic!! Told myself it wouldn't rain! - my tent is not waterproof - whattya expect from a $30 warehouse job!!
Finally left around 1pm. Side paniers on,a bag on the seat that had my laptop, airbed, sleeping bag and tent in. I was a little paranoid about weight until eventually an intelligent thought came out of nowhere and said people ride 2 up and have luggage!! I was very well behaved speedwise! Stopped at Wairoa, lovely and sunny there. Wairoa to Gisborne - the road is atrocious - actually right up past Hicks Bay - "Uneven surface" - the first one I thought - oh yeah probably a couple of patches where they have filled in holes. Hell No - meters of gravel road, after hittin the first one a bit too quickly - when the next sign came up (they weren't very far apart!!) brain was engaged and knew what to expect. Apparently it has been like that for ages. Gassed up in Gisborne.
Stayed at Tolaga Bay at "Freedom Camping Ground" well I took the dom off and stayed for Free. It said I had to have a permit from GDC - what the fk was GDC?? Duh Gisborne City Council - however some campers told me the authorities had already been through.
Erected tent, pumped up airbed - yeeha a) the new pump worked, b) the cig lighter attachment thing on my bike worked. 1st problem - needed a piece of wood for bike so I could park it beside my tent - thank god for friendly campers. While setting up camp an older guy came and looked at my bike - then he brought me back some fresh smoked fish - it was nectar of the gods!! He invited me to join them. He took the role of father figure!! They had had prowlers the nite before and he'd caught them!! But he would be there as fast as and protect me he told me!! Had dinner with them - about 3 families camping together - they had literally brought the kitchen sink!!! Lovely people. Fantastic sunset. Got torch out someone had lent me - no fkn batteries!! Ok so I should have bloody checked - what good is it giving me a torch with no batteries!! Usually I carry a candle but I am a known pyromaniac and I wouldn't trust myself in my small tent!! so didn't pack one.
Day 2 Tolaga Bay - Ohope
Slept comfortably, woke and thought I was in Wellington - windy as!! My little gas cooker wouldn't start - disaster - needed coffee - back to my new-found friends - jug just boiled - phew. Packed up - and went into "town". Chatted to another bandit owner and his mate - they were off to Gizzy. A great place to eat in Tolaga Bay is "Maria's Cafe" - cheap and good value for money.
Txted Barbender and said I was leaving Tolaga Bay - he was gonna meet me along the way and we'd ride to Ohope, didn't receive a reply. Got to Hicks Bay, (checked ph no service) and thought - great I can fill up there - 2 signs indicated a petrol pump. Get there - and they have GONE!! not been here for a while luv!! I knew there was a petrol pump that was situated on a corner much further up (Te Aroha I think!) but knew I wouldn't get that far!! Anyway I found one in Waihau? It just advertised a Lion Red pub down a side ride!! I turned back - I was in luck. Had a drink there and this guy comes up to me and said - we keep meeting up - I thought we do?? He said he'd seen me at Wairoa, Hicks Bay and now here!! He was a NZer over from Japan showing his wife NZ, his brother was driving them. Obviously I was totally focussed on riding and the scenery - cos in the Coromandel a woman said she'd seen me at different places along the way! don't remember her either. No cellph service here either or at Te Kaha.
Got to Opotoki around 4.15pm - yeeha cellphone service -= 2 txts from Bartender at around 12.30pm - "Leaving Opotiki now" - "on blue bike and brown t-shirt" shite I never saw a biker fitting that description - anyway my ph went Bartender was at Te Kaha!! he hadn't got my msgs at this stage - so I waited for him!! We reckoned we had missed each other when I had my stop in Hicks Bay - a matter of 15 mins!! Meantime I bought a $3 lead light torch - complete with batteries - bloody fantastic little torch!!
Met his lovely family, and I was invited for dinner and to stay the nite. Then I had the luxury of a shower - sheer bliss! Don't ever think camping is romantic, while I wear my lace nitie and satin dressing gown even when camping - the lovely aroma of insect repellant would in no way be described as an aphrodisiac!! It was good to feel clean and smell nice!! Bartender and I stayed up until midnite - discussing various routes to Auckland - he convinced me to do the Coro Loop!!! Thank God he rode with me to a certain point so I couldn't possibly get lost!! lol.
more to follow