Otago: Paturoa does the Brass Monkey Part III [Archive]

paturoa

8th May 2008, 17:52

xgnr

8th May 2008, 21:30

Howdy

I have permission to attend :rolleyes:

Just gotta ask work now eh :pinch:

Cheers

Stu

Will PM contact details

paturoa

9th May 2008, 18:53

Well looks like its 2 dorklanders doing the brassy!

(pressure has been applied on T.I.E too)

Rashika

9th May 2008, 20:16

I hope you got that comphy seat on the bike... picton to haastish, ferking long way boyo! :devil2:

Transalper

9th May 2008, 22:12

......

Thurs 29/5 Paridise to Picton
Fri 30/5 Picton to Haast-ish
Sat 31/5 There to Site - stand around an drink.
Sun 1/2 Site to Blenheim (leave early this time)
Mon 2/2 Blenheim to Paradise....

No no, I think you've gotton a bit confused. Paradise is down near Queenstown, a bit past Glenorchy.
See them google map here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=paradise+nz&sll=-43.531637,172.636645&sspn=0.056129,0.158615&ie=UTF8&ll=-44.724006,168.364449&spn=0.055007,0.158615&z=13) for it's actual location.

Have a good run anyway
Cheers
TA.

oldrider

9th May 2008, 22:27

Well looks like its 2 dorklanders doing the brassy!

(pressure has been applied on T.I.E too)

Does T.I.E still take his bloody eiderdown? :eek5:

Maybe he bought a new one while over in the States! :whistle:

I like to take Mrs o/r for a day ride over to the brass, we will keep an eye out for you. :shifty: Cheers John.

paturoa

10th May 2008, 09:56

I hope you got that comphy seat on the bike... picton to haastish, ferking long way boyo! :devil2:

Nice sheepskin should do the trick.

I just did the wises.co.nz thing and it is 80 ks shorter than Paradise to Picton?? go figure??

You lot doing the brassy this year?

paturoa

10th May 2008, 09:57

No no, I think you've gotton a bit confused. Paradise is down near Queenstown, a bit past Glenorchy.

Them southern folk had a good sense of humour!

paturoa

10th May 2008, 09:59

Does T.I.E still take his bloody eiderdown? :eek5:

Maybe he bought a new one while over in the States! :whistle:

I like to take Mrs o/r for a day ride over to the brass, we will keep an eye out for you. :shifty: Cheers John.

He seems interested in the trip but hasn't said yes yet. Maybe he doesn't want to take his blankie out in the cold .... them norfland folk ......are a bit strange that way.

Yeah, it would be good to catch up - see you there.

xgnr

10th May 2008, 18:35

Thurs 29/5 Paridise to Picton (750km)
Fri 30/5 Picton to Haast-ish (670 km)
Sat 31/5 There to Site - stand around an drink. (274km)
Sun 1/2 Site to Blenheim (leave early this time) (711km)
Mon 2/2 Blenheim to Paradise (769 km)
Tues 3/2 Back to Porridge

hmmm new tyres and an oil change required beforehand methinks :2thumbsup

paturoa

10th May 2008, 18:40

And do you think we should also take Tuesday off. Site to Auck, including a ferry ride is a lot in less than 2 days!

paturoa

10th May 2008, 18:41

hmmm new tyres and an oil change required beforehand methinks :2thumbsup

Just got new storms front and rear and did an oil and filter change less than 1000s ks ago - so I'll be OK.

xgnr

10th May 2008, 20:03

And do you think we should also take Tuesday off. Site to Auck, including a ferry ride is a lot in less than 2 days!

yeah Tuesday off is a good idea. gets very tight and allows no time for any contingencies eh.

timg

11th May 2008, 17:09

Well seems like its that time of year again!

The current plan is...

Awesome. See ya there. Are you bringing the KB banner again this year? Or was that T.I.E who brought it? It made a great meeting point for the KB'ers :niceone:

paturoa

11th May 2008, 18:16

Awesome. See ya there. Are you bringing the KB banner again this year? Or was that T.I.E who brought it? It made a great meeting point for the KB'ers :niceone:

T.I.E took it the first year and me last year, I'll email Spank tonight to organise it again.

doc

16th May 2008, 19:55

Well seems like its that time of year again!

The current plan is...

Thurs 29/5 Paridise to Picton (750km) Prolly the 8pm sailing so some opportunity to meet some of the Welly KBers.
Fri 30/5 Picton to Haast-ish (670 km)
Sat 31/5 There to Site - stand around an drink. (274km)
Sun 1/2 Site to CHCH (407km) (XNGR parents live there)
Mon 2/2 CHCH to Welly (434 km)
Tues 3/2 Welly to Paradise (647 km)
Wed 4/2 Back to Porridge

Doing 2pm sailing. Getting a good sleep to do Picton to Palmerston on friday. Want to soak up the atmosphere, sat morning stoppin at the pubs on the way to the site. Then do a cruisy ride across and up the coast sailing on thurs.

First time I went, left Bombay 4pm thursday arrived Palmerston 5pm friday. Never again. Have done Haast to Piction in one day couple of times, not much fun, but easy enough. With the price of gas might as well take longer and enjoy it.

paturoa

17th May 2008, 20:27

Getting a good sleep to do Picton to Palmerston on friday.

Where are you staying in Picton? I did the back packers 2 years ago and that was OK.

doc

17th May 2008, 20:34

Where are you staying in Picton? I did the back packers 2 years ago and that was OK.

Prefer the one closest to the terminal next to the pub.

paturoa

19th May 2008, 18:56

We have our ferry bookings sorted, but are on different times for the return.

I've now got my "to do" list sorted .....

Ghost_Bullet

19th May 2008, 21:56

The days are sure flippin on by mighty quick. Looking forward to this gig again this year. No doubt will see ya people's down in the chilly cauldron.

Nothing like a freakin hot blazin bon fire, and freezin frost. :niceone:

Yea.

geoffc

20th May 2008, 16:49

Will have my winter woollies on. Thinking about buying heated handgrips for my bike, (getting a bit soft in my old age.) Reckon this could a good cold one! Look forward to seeing a few KBers. Cheers.

paturoa

20th May 2008, 19:04

Will have my winter woollies on. Thinking about buying heated handgrips for my bike, (getting a bit soft in my old age.) Reckon this could a good cold one! Look forward to seeing a few KBers. Cheers.

Us soft dorklanders already have our heated grips sorted - been using mine for a couple of weeks already!

xgnr

20th May 2008, 20:02

Us soft dorklanders already have our heated grips sorted - been using mine for a couple of weeks already!

Now that I am a Jaffa and officially soft as muck according to the southern whanau. Might as well go the whole hog and enjoy the true luxury of heated grips.

Anyone can be cold and miserable... it takes real brains to be warm(er) :2thumbsup

$100 well spent.

yay ya gotta love the cold :cold:

paturoa

23rd May 2008, 20:33

I've now got myself a monster list of stuff to do to get ready! It's also Mrs P's birthday this coming week so the to do list is even bigger!

...the other years I've been fully ready by now, but all I've done so far this year is write a list of thing to do.....

paturoa

24th May 2008, 17:38

Well about half of the bike things got done today and I should have everthing sorted by tomorrow.

I've started working on some hand guards but I'm not sure yet. I've cut out the patterns in cardboard and I have some 4mm ali sheet that I'll fabricate up tomorrow.

I'll get the KB flag off Spank on Monday / Tuesday.

doc

26th May 2008, 10:22

Coldrider

26th May 2008, 12:45

Just left Auckland for the Monkey. Auck to Cambridge stopped for gas. 117km 24 bucks for BP Ultimate 2.15 a litre. Ferk this trip is going to hurt. Whats it going to cost at Haast for a litre of premium.
Ive gone from Fox to Hawea on a tank of gas, 1 litre from emptyyyyyyyyyyy, but i wouldnt recommend it.

paturoa

26th May 2008, 13:47

Just left Auckland for the Monkey. Auck to Cambridge stopped for gas. 117km 24 bucks for BP Ultimate 2.15 a litre. Ferk this trip is going to hurt. Whats it going to cost at Haast for a litre of premium.

Ride safe - c u there.

Have you seen the long range forecast for Saturday night - :cold:

TimeOut

27th May 2008, 06:42

Looks like Northwest winds so should be mild and keep the ice/frost:cold: away.
Ride safe everyone.

xgnr

27th May 2008, 22:40

Looks like ok weather on the way down then wet on Saturday night eh.

front Master cylinder parts turned up today and just finished the rebuild. Hopefully that the last f'king thing to sort before Thursday sheesh what a drama.

paturoa

28th May 2008, 13:11

And rain for the trip home too.

I just picked up the KB flag off Spank this morning so that was the last "thing" on my to do list.

Now all I have to do is try to focus on work for the rest of the arvo .......

Kinje

28th May 2008, 16:29

Getting pretty amped now. Nearly got my to do list finished now. Gota get thru work tomorrow then on the ferry Thur night and away I go. Can't wait

paturoa

28th May 2008, 20:39

Getting pretty amped now. Nearly got my to do list finished now. Gota get thru work tomorrow then on the ferry Thur night and away I go. Can't wait

We are on the 8pm interislander Thursday - c u there!

paturoa

28th May 2008, 20:40

Got everything packed - now just need to pack the mule and get some shut eye!

Meeting Stu at the Papakura autobahn at 7am and then woo hoo!

xgnr

28th May 2008, 22:18

Righto Brian

We are good to go. Accom and weather booked.

Jock is sorted.

Forget work for 6 days yay:apint:

oldrider

29th May 2008, 13:51

Biggles2000

29th May 2008, 16:40

Well see u's all there. I'm off work in half an hour so no turning back now.
I drove a truck over the Lindus Tuesday at lunch time and it was quite icy in places.

timg

29th May 2008, 21:19

oldrider

29th May 2008, 21:46

Are we going to see you at the Brass John? If not you'd better keep the kettle on :)

I was plotting a day ride over and back but might go to Wanaka tomorrow night and watch my wee grandson play rugby on Sat morning then ride to the Brass then back home across the Dansy Pass but who knows at this stage. :confused:

It's the little guy's first year at tackle and according to his coach he is a demon tackler, I gotta see this for my self!

Will be good to catch up somewhere Tim, after all that's what it is all about. :yes: Cheers John.

paturoa

30th May 2008, 18:08

We just supping a pint of canty draft at Tekapo pub.

Saw more cops today than I though there were people down here. No tax paid though.

Weather is a stunner!

xgnr is reverting - he is now starting calling me a Fucking jafa.

There are millions of signs saying Ice / grit, but there wasn't any, except for a blind s bend with grit between Fairlie & Tekapo that had NO sign !!

paturoa

30th May 2008, 18:13

..... and Stu said "don't forget to mention the cowshit! " The roads down here are green, we are talking bus lane green

paturoa

30th May 2008, 21:23

For those of you traveling to the Brass!

There is a lot of hoar frost starting to build up in the Mackenzie and the Waitaki Lindis areas, so it might be cold getting through here. :cold:

Otherwise the weather has been brilliant. :sunny: Enjoy your weekend. :ride: Cheers John.

Well see u's all there. I'm off work in half an hour so no turning back now.
I drove a truck over the Lindus Tuesday at lunch time and it was quite icy in places.

Guess where we are going tomorrow morning?

Well only after a good old dorkland sleep in, a couple of latte's, and where is the panini?.

Catch you there.

Cheers Brian.

k14

30th May 2008, 21:41

For those of you traveling to the Brass!

There is a lot of hoar frost starting to build up in the Mackenzie and the Waitaki Lindis areas, so it might be cold getting through here. :cold:

Otherwise the weather has been brilliant. :sunny: Enjoy your weekend. :ride: Cheers John.
Yes, may indeed be brisk up the valley. Although we haven't had a frost here in Alex for nearly a week, maybe last weekend? Looks like there will be one tonight though.

Hope the sun shines for ya, have a good time :eek:

Biggles2000

2nd June 2008, 11:34

Just a couple of photos from the night.....

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 16:30

All preperations this year were last minute and rushed. I made some "fancy" hand guards to keep the wind off - worked a treat!

Got up about 5 after broken sleep - isn't it that always the go before a big trip?

I reset the trip meter and left cheateau Paturoa about 6am and cruised to the meet with xgnr at Papakura autobahn. I got there plenty early and topped up the tank with liquid gold.

Xgnr arrived 5 minutes after the meet time and I was starting to think "did we agree to meet at the Bombay or Papakura....."

Anyway, first stop Mercer to pick up Jock (not a KBer). Fog and farking cold over the other side of the bombays (yes I cam confirm there is something south of there!).

Met up with Jock and we set off from there, about 3 minutes further south I could hear this tapping noise on my helmit - WTF?? - penny dropped - my helmit strap was flapping around. Quick stop to do that up.

This was the coldest part of the whole trip with 0 degrees showing on both Jocks and xgnrs temp readings. Back roads around the west of Hamihole and lunch & gas at Te Kuiti. The fog had cleared by Pirongia.

Next stop Waiouru - yawn.

Jock had had hatched a plan to go east at Vinegar hill on route 54 and then over the Pahiatua track, down vai Masterton and over the takas. So we did. I had the lead and the lads were most as impressed with my navigational skills (but I wasn't going to let on that I had no idea where I was several times). Just over the hill there was a sign that said Masterton, so we went down that road - what a hoot, tight twisty, narrow, fun. I was just about expecting the gravel to appear when there was another big sign pointing to the left saying "Main Route". I'd hate to have seen the not main route!!. If anyone is looking for a good route - look this one up it goes through Nikau and Mangamaire.

More gas at Masterton (sprots bike tank) and over damp takas just on dusk.

We set up at One Red Dog in welly for a couple of cold ones as we were on the 8pm ferry.

Ferry trip was ho hum and went kipped at a place called Parklands Marina Holiday park just out of Picton. Cheap cabin $40 and very clean. www.parktostay.co.nz.

pic 1 - Mule with the fancy hand guards
pic 2 - Meet with Jock & xgnr at Mercer
pic 3 - Masterton servo with the mighty flying brick

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 17:21

Got up not so early and did the shower thing etc.

Slap up breaky in Picton and headed off a bit too late at 9:30 down the East coast. Lots of green shite all over the roads, noticably more this year than before.

Nice trip down the coast and gas up at Cheviot with scones and coffee.

Right turn at amberly and then the inland route through to Geraldine for gas.

Well there were lots of signs saying "Grit / Ice" all over the place and there was none anywhere. So somewhere near Glentunnel there was however a shit load of grit just over a blind on a blind crest into a tight left / right sweeper. Well fuck me they hire some retards in the councils down there.

We then went inland again and stopped at the camp ground at lake Tekapo for the night. xgnr recommends the Tekapo burger at the pub.

pic1 - packing the bikes before leaving Picton
pic2 - at Lake Tekapo camp ground
pic3 - ditto
pic4 - ditto
pic5 - ditto
pic6 - ditto

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 20:29

and some more day 2 pickies. All at Lake Tekapo

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 20:45

We dragged our sorry selves out of bed (I had the good cabin with an excellent heater and electric blanket).

Jock turns up with a loaf of bread and coffee stuff and makes up a storm of toast and coffee for us.

xgnr tells how he locked himself out of his cabin and had to break in.

After sun up we headed off via to site and it was a nice morning ride through to lake Pukaki for some photos.

A quick chat to a friendly local saw us of towards the Lindis pass. Just as we got to the first sign saying "Ice / Grit" Jock had a testosterone bust and went flying past at an expensive pace. We didn't see him again till we got to Cromwell.

Lunch at Cromwell after giving the bikes a drink was good. Jock almost had a low speed drop when parking his bike at the cafe which had xgnr and myself in stiches at the panicked movements. Just visualise someone doing the quick lean / leg hop as a bike starts going off balance and rolling backwards.

Well off to the site and the excitement was building until about 5 k short when light rain started.

Set up the tent and flag and looked for the fire drum and wood. Well bugger me, someone had taken ours and there was no wood anywhere to be had.

An excellent night socailising at the large fire and around several others.

I met up with an old friend Dr Bob, and had a good yak.

All pics before kick off at Lake Tekapo

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 20:49

more pics

1 - look at the gap from the shore to the water edge
2 - Lake T
3 - where is all of the water?
4, 5, 6 - lake P photo stop

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 20:54

and more

I have no idea who the people were in pic 4 but it was another brick so I thought xgnr would like that.

mmmm lunch and an old neat bridge near Ophir.

pete376403

3rd June 2008, 21:00

I saw the KB flag on the fence not far from where I was camped but every time I went over there was no-one to be seen. So where the bloody hell were ya?

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 21:12

xgnra and Jock were on the Tuesday ferry and I was booked on Monday's 10am so I went home by myself.

I set off just before 9am and hit fog just east of Idaburn. Took the last photos of the trip near some snow somewhere along the Pig Route.

Gassed up in Omaru and took the inland route again (past Mt Hutt). The weather was good and I spotted the no sign grit corner with plenty of time to spare.

Not much else happend and I woke up again at Oxford when the bike desparately needed and drink and I desperately needed a pee. Quiet trip though to Kaikoura for another fuel stop as I couldn't make picton without another stop and my rs was getting sore.

I thought I'd go right through to Picton so I did. I called in at the Interislander ferry to see if I could get on an earlier sailing but just missed the 6pm. Still not bad 750ish km in 9 hours with 3 stops. (Wises says the direct route through CHCH is 738 km).

There was an 11pm sailing so I booked on that and sat out a few hours in Picton waiting.

I met up with 3 other bikers and had a good chat with Tony on a replica Dakar BMW (the one with the twin headlights and Playboy stickers).

Got to welly just after 2am and found a crap motel in Otaki to kip for a few hours.

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 21:15

I left Otaki about 10 am and got home just after 5pm.

I had an arsehole cager tailgate me on the Desert road through the twisties when it was pissing with rain - they are everywhere.

Very boring return leg, nothing of note.

Home to a roast dinner and cold beers - ahh heaven.

paturoa

3rd June 2008, 21:18

I saw the KB flag on the fence not far from where I was camped but every time I went over there was no-one to be seen. So where the bloody hell were ya?

Walking around yaking, drinking etc etc. We didn't have a fire so there was no congregation point like other years.

I'll have to fix that for next year.

mbazza

3rd June 2008, 21:49

Glad to hear you got back safe and sound Paturoa. great to meet you again. :msn-wink:

Check out my Brass photos @ http://picasaweb.google.com/munro.barry :cool:

I did grab a drum for the fire (twice) when I arrived just after noon. Each time I went off to secure firewood some &%@##* biker knicked it! :Oi:

You'll have to bring one down on the brick next year! Cheers.

xgnr

4th June 2008, 21:37

Well what a journey.

The Jock and I headed away from the Brass a coupla hours after Mr "I have an early sailing" Paturoa.

Entertainment provided by a number of bikes going horizontal trying to get up the very slight but very slippery hill on the way out of the site. The older and wiser amongst us waited a while and rolled thru the empty camp sites. Both feet down and a determined focus on staying upright helped.

Decided to head back to Cromwell for Gas.Thick fog a bit cool.
.
Noticed the flashing red and blues in the distance and sure enough here was Mr Plod pulling over all bikes for a "Good Morning... speak your name and address please" into the breath thingy.. Jock and I had not "blown the bag" for 20 years plus so was a bit of a novelty.

One wonders if there should have been some effort put into preventing riders hitting the road (i.e. a pre-road test option) rather than waiting down the road to nail them the next morning.

Gassed up at Cromwell and decided that back via inland route was for Pussies. We would go via Haast.

Of course this was a very wet trip but you just cant deny the beauty of the we(s)t Coast.

Lunch and a thaw out at the Haast pub (just around the corner from the first cafe guys... it has an open fire... take the tip).

Nice cruise up the coast to Hokitika where we stayed at a posh motel and went to the Speights pub for some Kai.

NEVER go to this place for food. No whitebait patties, the roast had one serving left. The kebabs Jock had were stunning for how bad they were and my Stuffed chicken was as freezer burned as you could get eeeeeewww.

Auckland prices and food so bad I am sure Ramsay would be speechless. Jock was told off for upsetting the cook. I just refused to pay (and didn't eat BTW). Back to the motel for an early night and Le-Snack for Dinner. Jock's sherry took the pain away tho'.

Cruised up the coast and turned off just before Westport as the whanau were working so no point stopping in, cool and a bit foggy but great views, gotta enjoy those road/rail bridges.

Zoomed through the Buller gorge, weather fine now, damp roads and only a few camper vans.

By passed Nelson city and stopped at Happy Valley for lunch and a beer. nice...

xgnr

4th June 2008, 22:16

Ok so fully Lunched up and with a run to Picton to be completed we toddled off over the fine roads. A couple of hair raising (not that we have many left of course) moments with grit and shiny black bits.

I had to make a few calls and needed to stop at Havelock so Jock continued on to Picton. Little did I know that would be the last time I would see him.

Got to Picton around 4.30pm on the Monday and after checking if there was an earlier sailing (nothing available until Tuesday 1.45pm according to the signage) I resigned myself to the 10.00am on Tuesday and found a nice cabin to spend the night.

Jock rang a bit later and advised that he had wandered into the Bluebridge ferry and scored an 8.00 am sailing for 10 bucks more than my pre-booked special Brass rate. Hmmm bugger... but good for him.

So, an early night and then onto the ferry next morning... chocka it was. Fulla bikes (all from the BM) filled the slots.

Got across to Wellington at about 1.15pm then headed north as fast as legal to get over Desert rd and somewhere sort of warm before dark set in.

Reminder of the GC, ride, gas up, eat , climb on ride, rain, headlights on full where possible, avoid the grit...

Turned off towards Taurmaranui, Pirongia route, got used to the dark and zipped along with the Mp3 player going.

Arrived back back home at around 9.00pm. Tired but happy. Will work out the gas cost one day but hey... Its the journey that counts.

As dearest partner sez... "mad bastards ...all that way for a wet night in the middle of nowhere" but thats not the point right.

Thanks to Jock and Brian. Great travel companions. Lets do the Cold Kiwi :soon:

Some stats... Total K 3,200km. Moving Average 84Kmh, Moving Time 38 hrs

Till next year

Stu