Dazza
17th March 2008, 10:51
Got away from NP nice & early, swung by my mates place & where off, him on his 950SM & me on the trusty SD.This being my first decent ride since a wee incident between Christmas & new years on the same peice of road that we where about to transverse.Stopped into Stratford for gas (it's a 151k's fm Straty to Taumaranui) as my bike has a wee tank & running out sucks.Drop into Toko & it's bloody low fog, nice I'm thinking, new tyres not yet scrubbed in,wearing leathers & sunnies. No incidents but 76k's of fog on possibly one of the nicest stretch of Road in the land sucks. Get to the top of the Tahora Saddle & stop @ the Cafe for a coffee & watch the fog lift within 20mins, Nice ! All charged up on Caffine & nicotine (that's another story) & where off, tunnel in excellent condition & the furtherest I'd been on a bike out this way. Hit the gravel & she's in awesome condition so get along @ a good clip, not too much time for site seeing. Mate on the SM is pissed off as I disappear in the distance. Nice big long straight before a bridge & there's a couple of Dudes fm. Auckalnd chilling out & the side of the road on their rental XT's enjoying our wonderful gravel Rd's, one mentions my approaching speed & there's no-way he'd even do it on his dirt bike (he's only just getting into riding) which I reply sheepishly "it's ok I'm a local" :niceone:.Stop again further in for a smoke break & it's an awesome day & not in too much of a hurry as days like this is what living is all about & a bush robbin comes bob bob bobin along which is quite a buzz as there's not too many of these around.By the time we pull up in Taumaranui I'm thinking to myself, shit I need to do this again really soon, what an awesome stretch of road. Catch up with my mate from Rotovegas that were going to stay with @ Taumaranui.Swing over the Pungapunga, stop of @ the rest area @ the top which is compulsory & check out the wicked view, the surface was awesome & had a wicked ride over. Of to Wakamaru (sp) to catch up with another mate who owns a Dairy farm there & feck it's dry. Next stop @ the Pizza place in Whakamru, awesome place,awesome feed !
Finally make it to Rotovegas thinking shit this should be illegal,oh hangon it is. Not that we exceeded the speed limit, but thanks to the boys in blue for staying home that day.So time for a couple of well earned :apint: & tomorrow is a new day.Cannot say enough about Steinlarger Pure & the new Monteiths Lager, certainly all good in the morning. Head home with 2 more bikes than what we started with, Mate had swapped his previous day's 1200 Sport (read Guzzi) for his 1100 Sport for Sunday's ride. Hook up with John on his K1 GSXR that he's had fm new (John is in his 60's & rides f'n well), they escort us through to Bennydale then PioPio, they're off to do the back Roads around Aria.So we bid them farewell in PioPio & where off to Awakino for lunch & a wee dram & reflect on what an awesome couple of days riding through some varied roads. Get home for the debrief & talk about all of the above, thinking taking 8hrs for a 4hr ride on such a wicked spell of weather through some wicked country is what it's all about. Covered around 700k's & saw just one highway patrol hiding out 20mins from home.
It's bloody great to be alive :niceone:
Finally make it to Rotovegas thinking shit this should be illegal,oh hangon it is. Not that we exceeded the speed limit, but thanks to the boys in blue for staying home that day.So time for a couple of well earned :apint: & tomorrow is a new day.Cannot say enough about Steinlarger Pure & the new Monteiths Lager, certainly all good in the morning. Head home with 2 more bikes than what we started with, Mate had swapped his previous day's 1200 Sport (read Guzzi) for his 1100 Sport for Sunday's ride. Hook up with John on his K1 GSXR that he's had fm new (John is in his 60's & rides f'n well), they escort us through to Bennydale then PioPio, they're off to do the back Roads around Aria.So we bid them farewell in PioPio & where off to Awakino for lunch & a wee dram & reflect on what an awesome couple of days riding through some varied roads. Get home for the debrief & talk about all of the above, thinking taking 8hrs for a 4hr ride on such a wicked spell of weather through some wicked country is what it's all about. Covered around 700k's & saw just one highway patrol hiding out 20mins from home.
It's bloody great to be alive :niceone: