Fush & chups at Kawhia (Wed 14 Jan)

[Crisis management]

Wednesday the 14th (January, and yes, it is 2009) I'm heading south to annoy the middle earth dwellers of the Waikato, any one want to play?

The comprehensive plan is as follows:

Leave Auckland early, get too the Autobahn on the southern motorway (just after papakura) around 7.00am, have a coffee and bugger off from there 7.30 ish.
Port Waikato then Raglan via as many back roads as I can find.
10ish at Raglan....more coffee.
Round Mount Karioi and off to Kawhia for the aforementioned lunch at the beach. Wildly excited yet, drooling in anticipation? :woohoo:
Coast roads down to Taharoa (I've never been there) and Marokopa then inland on Pomerangi road, Waipuna road, Hauturu road and back to Raglan for a late afternoon beer at the pub.

Then home by whatever means / route seems to make the least sense at the time.

Two bloody conditions!:Pokey:

1. You're prepared for, and are going to fix your own flat tyres.
2. You've got a map ($3.50 from the AA) so if you get lost / seperated you can get unlost again.
3. Anyone living in fear of "that corner" has to go first. Promise I won't laugh (much).


Anyone is welcome to join in either at the start, middle or end as long as you have a sense of humour and money for beer. If you're coming it would help if I actually knew about it so I can stick to my meticulous timetable and not lose you. Can you lose someone you haven't actually met, another chicken and egg conundrum?

Iain

[tri boy]

You lucky,lucky bars stidge:crybaby:
If I can swing Wens off, i'll join you.
Go out to the coast at Taharoa. Iron sands ship loading. If it's a nice day, the view down the coast towards N.P is stunning.:yes:

Practising my "sickly cough" in anticipation.:sick:

[Str8 Jacket]

A few of us spent 3-4 nights on Kawhia for New Years. Stunning place, unfortunately we went in a van but the road to Kawhia is awesome! :yes:

[Maha]

we wee in a van awesome! :yes:

When a toilet would be suffice.....:rockon:

[Motu]

I was too early - I went to Awakino and back yesterday.I did a bit of a loop - turned left at Te Anga and then down Waipuna Rd to Piopio.Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.I refueled the bike and rider....then headed back up on the Marakopa side.Around 500km trip with about 120km of gravel....9 hours on the road,and a bit pissing in bushes.

The world's only R65 streettracker is fucking awesome on such roads....who needs a silly top heavy adv bike? In 500km I counted 4,000 corners.

[thehovel]

Please do a ride report. I did a ride Awakino to the Waitomo Rd (great 10km gravel) Waitomo Rd to Kawhia Rd a bridge is unpassable,Kawhia Rd to Raglan 30km gravel not good :shit:, skills improve though. Raglan Rd to Waingaru all sealed. Most interested if the bridge is still out. Regards Richard :rockon:

[tri boy]

Bridge is all fixed.

[Motu]

The roads were perfect yesterday,and all road users safe - apart from a stock truck on the wrong side of the road....but it was an easy miss,although I wouldn't of been so happy in a car or if it was on a gravel section.Hardly saw any bikes at all.

Lots of stock movements....shearing time,so beware.Also hay making time - look out for equipment on the road.A Case CX on duals with a hay rake won't leave you much room.

[Eddieb]

I've just finished Kawhia to Raglan tonight via all the back roads. Left Te Awamutu at 5, got back to Hamilton about 10:45.

Must have covered close to if not over 100km of gravel betwen the 2. Will post a ride report shortly, and have a gps tracklog if anyone's interested

[Crisis management]

If I can swing Wens off, i'll join you.


C'mon you wus, you know you need to get fatty out for a run / trot....


Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.
....who needs a silly top heavy adv bike? In 500km I counted 4,000 corners.

Taumatamarie is a neat bit of road isn't it, I hadn't expected it to be so winding and, as I met half the stock of the local farm on it, so slow...anyone want lamb?
Who you calling top heavy eh, you haven't seen me skillfully leap out of the way of a toppling 990, an act of grace and beauty I calls it!
Now, any of these 4000 corners "the" corner....just so I can put a sign up to annoy skiddie.
Wot you doing next wednesday then?


and have a gps tracklog if anyone's interested

Heathen, don't use that GPS word, we can barely spell our own names without introducing foreign wotsits to the conversation.
Unfortunately the bit around Raglan and Kawhia is a bit sealed / boring but either north or south of there is fun, a short ride (4 hours) is up to Port Waikato and that is all gravel.

[Motu]

Taumatamarie is a neat bit of road isn't it, I hadn't expected it to be so winding and, as I met half the stock of the local farm on it,
Now, any of these 4000 corners "the" corner....just so I can put a sign up to annoy skiddie.
Wot you doing next wednesday then?


You come across a lot of wildlife on that road - sheep,cattle,goats,hares...and there were horses the other day too.Last time I was up there some cattle had possession,and no way were they going to let me though!

The R65 is so damn good I had no butt clenches at all,a rare event for me.I only overshot a couple of sealed corners - but with the mega front tyre I was able to sort them out without a drama.No issues at all on gravel,no out of control brake slides into corners anymore,no ''holy shit!'' moments on the dreaded OCDRH either - I can ride right out there in that shit no worries.

Today I meet my biggest challenge for a few years....Auckland on a bike!

[dino3310]

Shit Iain a friggin Wednesday:argh:, will try to swing a day off - oh no wait i'm still on holiday - yee farkin haa just got to find a baby sitter and i'll be there. i've got some irons,patches, pump just dont know how to use them yet so you'l have to show me if i get a flat:sweatdrop;).
should know by monday in regards to baby sitter.

[warewolf]

I was too early - I went to Awakino and back yesterday.I did a bit of a loop - turned left at Te Anga and then down Waipuna Rd to Piopio.Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.I refueled the bike and rider....then headed back up on the Marakopa side.Around 500km trip with about 120km of gravel....9 hours on the road,and a bit pissing in bushes.:crybaby: I gotta get back up norf some time. Spent lots of time on those roads, fabulous country.

On a good clear winter's day, from the airstrip at the top of Taumatamaire Rd (where the comms tower is) you can see the snow-covered tops of Mt Egmont, Mt Ruapehu & Mt Ngauruhoe. Just mint.

[Bass]

Wednesday the 14th (January, and yes, it is 2009) I'm heading south to annoy the middle earth dwellers of the Waikato, any one want to play?



Midweek!!!!!
You unmitigated barstool - I could do that whole day on a tankful as well. :angry:

Still, having spent a couple of months last year doing just this sort of thing, I guess I can't complain. :mellow:

Just spent 10 days touring on the Trumpy too. :Punk:

I won't mention that DJ, me and associated wives are trying to work out if we can spend a weekend doing Rainbow and Molesworth mid Feb on a couple of 990's. :innocent:
I shall also say nothing about a group of us spending 3 days on the road bikes the last weekend in February, taking in Coromandel and Cape Reinga. :shutup:

Actually, I guess I have no cause for complaint at all. :rockon:

Even so........ midweek!!!!:2guns:

[Crisis management]

Shit Iain a friggin Wednesday:argh:, .....should know by monday in regards to baby sitter.


Midweek!!!!!

Even so........ midweek!!!!:2guns:

Well it wasn't my first pick but thats the day I've got to play with...



Ungrateful sods, all the effort I've gone to arrange this too! :bleh:

Bass, are you including the wellington coast ride on your way to the Rainbow? I'm hoping to get at least that far south!

[johannvr]

If I cud, I wud. Sitting in Whangarei of all places on Wed, having to mollycoddle a slightly itchy customer ... wonder if I can send my alter ego instead & rather go play :innocent:

[young1]

Sorry buddy would have liked to have fish and chips with you. However next week is first week back at work, and I am already planning on taking 1/2 a day on Friday to get across to Rotovegas for a stock car meet.

[Bass]

Bass, are you including the wellington coast ride on your way to the Rainbow? I'm hoping to get at least that far south!

Sadly no.
As you can see, I have been working pretty hard at revising my adolescence and spending the kids inheritance. The issue now, is available day's leave and I basically don't have any and this is actually pretty cool.
I used to be one of those engineers with weeks (and even months) of leave in credit. I have even cashed in whole months of it because I was never going to take it.
I have basically abandoned any thought of a career and life is just so much more fun! :sunny:

[dino3310]

The Mighty DR and its not so mighty nana will be there :Punk:
not sure where i'll meet you yet

[dino3310]

already planning on taking 1/2 a day on Friday to get across to Rotovegas for a stock car meet.

i wondered what those panniers were for :laugh:

[young1]

i wondered what those panniers were for :laugh:

You would be surprised what I can get into them!

[Crisis management]

The Mighty DR and its not so mighty nana will be there :Punk:
not sure where i'll meet you yet

Great, maybe at Raglan at 10?


You would be surprised what I can get into them!

We're more worried about what you can take out with them...it's like watching the radiator of a Mack approaching! :shit:

[dino3310]

i might shit the bed and have to get out a little earlier, what time are you looking at the Tuakau bridge?

[Crisis management]

i might shit the bed and have to get out a little earlier, what time are you looking at the Tuakau bridge?

Probably 8.00am ish or a little earlier, be good if you can get to there as we can do the Port Waikato to Raglan roads together, it's a nice ride thru there. What time does milking finish so we can avoid the herds?

[tri boy]

Hoping to meet you guys in Raglan. Probably won't do all the gravel, as fatty is now shod with pirreli scorpians, but would like to do the old raglan rd to Kawhia for a feed au.:drool:
That feeling of nausea should kick in about 7am wens morning.:rolleyes:

[scracha]

Bwahha. 748r probably wasn't the best choice for the gravelly waitomo road......yes I gave up. Superb day for riding though.

[dino3310]

Probably 8.00am ish or a little earlier, be good if you can get to there as we can do the Port Waikato to Raglan roads together, it's a nice ride thru there. What time does milking finish so we can avoid the herds?

sweet as mate,will meet you buy the bridge northern side(i think theres a boat ramp and reserve there).
the milkers should be cleaning up or haveing brekky buy the time we cruize through.

[dino3310]

Hoping to meet you guys in Raglan. Probably won't do all the gravel, as fatty is now shod with pirreli scorpians, but would like to do the old raglan rd to Kawhia for a feed au.:drool:
That feeling of nausea should kick in about 7am wens morning.:rolleyes:

come on mate give the Volty one last spin you can bring a siphon hose and i'll top you up at the port:laugh:

[Kaituna]

Hi, Ill try and get along as well. I can be at Raglan at 10.00am I think. Ciao :yes:

[Crisis management]

Hoping to meet you guys in Raglan.

Cafe opposite the Tonque & Groove 10ish then? Will you be well enough by then? Hey, I've still got a scorpion on the rear, you'll be fine.......ish


sweet as mate,will meet you buy the bridge northern side(i think theres a boat ramp and reserve there).


Great, sometime between 7.30 & 8, wait in the car park?


Hi, Ill try and get along as well. I can be at Raglan at 10.00am I think. Ciao :yes:

Same as for Tri-boy? Be good to put a face to a name, hope you can make it. Look out for a scrambler, DR bloody huge and a 990.

[tri boy]

Yup. Cafe will be the go.
If work becomes a cluster fuck, I'll let you know in this thread Tues night, but all should be sweet.

[dino3310]

Yup. Cafe will be the go.
If work becomes a cluster fuck, I'll let you know in this thread Tues night, but all should be sweet.

cant work when your sick bro;)

[agricon]

If nobody minds a Yamaha with an identity crisis coming along I wouldn't mind joining you all!

[Kaituna]

If nobody minds a Yamaha with an identity crisis coming along I'd wouldn't mind joining you all!

I would not be offended. More the merrier I think. C U Then.

[Crisis management]

Sounds good, a comfortable sized group!
My understanding is I'm meeting Dino at Tuakau and the rest of you at Raglan....any changes?

Iain

[agricon]

Sounds good, a comfortable sized group!
My understanding is I'm meeting Dino at Tuakau and the rest of you at Raglan....any changes?

Iain

Raglan about 10.00ish, which cafe?

[Crisis management]

Raglan about 10.00ish, which cafe?

At the tee intersection opposite the pub, not the Tongue & Groove, the other one....if that makes sense. There is bike parking outside it.

Failing all else, stop in the middle of the road and we will find you....eventually!

[Oscar]

At the tee intersection opposite the pub, not the Tongue & Groove, the other one....if that makes sense. There is bike parking outside it.

Failing all else, stop in the middle of the road and we will find you....eventually!

Would you like a local guide?

[Crisis management]

Would you like a local guide? To the Tongue &Groove?



yes, yes, yes, yes, the more the merrier, or is that more mayhem?

PS. What is that other cafe called, we always go there and no one knows the bloody name!

[Oscar]

To the Tongue &Groove?



yes, yes, yes, yes, the more the merrier, or is that more mayhem?

PS. What is that other cafe called, we always go there and no one knows the bloody name!

Aqua Velvet?

I figured you know where the T&G is though, I was thinking more of a lap around Whaanga Road or Te Hutewai through to Aotea and Kawhia...

[Crisis management]

Aqua Velvet?

I figured you know where the T&G is though, I was thinking more of a lap around Whaanga Road or Te Hutewai through to Aotea and Kawhia...

Thats the one, thanks, and yes I thought you meant a guide to the roads / sights rather than the town. My thoughts had been Whaanga road to Kawhia then Marokopa etc looping inland and ending up back at raglan later...as per my first post here.

Be great to meet you, see you in Raglan then?

[Oscar]

Thats the one, thanks, and yes I thought you meant a guide to the roads / sights rather than the town. My thoughts had been Whaanga road to Kawhia then Marokopa etc looping inland and ending up back at raglan later...as per my first post here.

Be great to meet you, see you in Raglan then?

What about the Te Anga - Pomarangi bit?

A neat road...

[Crisis management]

What about the Te Anga - Pomarangi bit?

A neat road...

The current cunning plan is:
Marokopa, Pomerangi road to Ngapaenga to Waipuna road then Hauturu road, Kawhia road to Raglan.

All a bit time dependant as usual but as long as we don't stuff around too much it should work out-ish...

Open to all suggestions tho, I suggest we sit down at Raglan (at the start) and have a brief discussion / arquement to sort it out.

[dino3310]

For those worried about the passing thunderstorms tonight, well thats all they are PASSING, weather is looking primo for tomorrow:woohoo:

[Kaituna]

Thats not thunder........it's my mighty DR650!:rolleyes:

[Crisis management]

Thats not thunder........it's my mighty DR650!:rolleyes:

You're going to be bloody early then.......

Catch you all at various times in the morning.

[tri boy]

Chunder Birds are go!
F.A.B. Virgel.

[NordieBoy]

Chunder Birds are go!
F.A.B. Virgel.

Farting and Burping?

[dino3310]

home safe.
sorry this nana had to bail early my gammy right knee had had enough.

Thanks Iain was a pleasure riding with you, look forward to doing it again:niceone:.
Great meeting and putting names to faces, top blokes.:first:
thanks for watching my arse those last couple of hours Tri Boy:drool:

cheers guys hopefully have the DRBIG set up good and proper for the next ride.

:headbang::headbang::headbang::headbang::headbang:

[Kaituna]

Great to meet you all today, awsome ride. My stream washing / river survey was perfect timing to keep me nice and cool for the rest of the hot ride. Thanks guys for sacrificing your dry boots for me!

[tri boy]

Woot, woot!:Punk::wari:
Awesome day guys.
Gravel dust, and sea air was exactly what i needed to get rid of the belly ache.:innocent:
Some pics

Pic1. It's a tough life this mid week sciving off.

Pic2. Best way to get rid of the dust.

Pic3. Slippery Creek is even worse than last season. I've up graded it from "slippery as snot", to "greasier than a butcher's prick".

Pic4. Mild trepidation.

[tri boy]

Few more......

Pic 1,2,3
Team Katoom showed great brotherhood. Oscar did a stirling job on mine sweeping detail, as yet another behemoth took on the slime and won.

Pic4. Doing it easy.

[NordieBoy]

"No it's more Suzuki Blue than Yamaha Blue and TM Blue is a lot lighter. More an Azure."

[agricon]

Thanks all for a great day. Blue skies, ocean views and covered in dust!!
I got the side stand fixed last night after Yamaha's quote was $250.00 for the stand and switch. ouch! It was good to put faces to names and look forward to the next time.

[tri boy]

"No it's more Suzuki Blue than Yamaha Blue and TM Blue is a lot lighter. More an Azure."

"Although the stench from the loose bowel movement was over powering, none of geriatrics dared to comment for fear shame and blame would be bestowed on him".

[NordieBoy]

"Although the stench from the loose bowel movement was over powering, none of geriatrics dared to comment for fear shame and blame would be bestowed on him".

So they're either gay or senile...

[tri boy]

Have to be senile. They are all to ugly to root.:lol:

[Crisis management]

Have to be senile. They are all to ugly to root.:lol:

Thats rich, coming from a sheep shagger, Baaaabara!

We were actually discussing the fishing and whether fatty would bounce once or twice if thrown off the platform....For those interested it's the lookout at Te Toro gorge on Whanga road, well worth a stop and be impressed! Clearish view of Taranki / Egmont in the distance, impressive!

Anyway, a brief report, the truth now, none of Tri-boys hallucinations in this epistle.

A bright and early start saw me at the Waikato river at Tuakau by 8 with Dino turning up 5 minutes later and after the usual friendly greetings and grumblings we wandered off in search of Raglan. A touch chilly and refreshing in the morning but at least the cows were back in their fields after milking, the cockies were all having breakfast and the sheep hadn't broken out yet so the roads were reasonably safe to ride on. Except for pheasants, turkeys and bloody bunnies. As a point of interest, rabbits can zig zag incredibly quickly and it's never in the direction you want them to go....

We took the central route south down Ponganui road then down Baker road to the coast following the Te Akau coast road then Ruakiwi towards Raglan. Great country with tight roads and (bloody council) lots of new gravel of varying size dependant on which truck it came off, bastards! The varying conditions were a bit challenging at times with Dino getting a great work out trying to steer the trail wing front on the DR, impressive it was, I had my camera ready but he refused to fall off, something about not damaging the vintage paintwork.

Got to Raglan at 10ish to meet the other distinguished gentlemen, Tri-boy, Kaituna, Agricon, Oscar & his mate, a brief round of introductions and chest puffing followed before we launched off towards Kawhia on the Whanga road (coastal route). This road is a bit tight, rutted, corrugated and with varying coverage of gravel, a perfect road to get familiar with. Agricon got the most familiar with it and has the scars to prove it (on the bike) but again we all failed to record this momentous occasion so you'll just have to believe me, we really must mount a camera somewhere you can get at while still rolling around laughing.

The Te Toro lookout was awesome, great views of the coast and well worth a stop to enjoy.

We puttered our way on, following the coast towards Kawhia avoiding graders, council trucks stopped in the middle of the road, trailers (closely by Kaituna) and the usual mobile chicanes to get to Kawhia at 1ish...the tide was in, the fish & chip shop was open, the shopkeeper was not quite brain dead (still responsive but needed some urging) and eventually we had lunch. Very nice it was too.

Pics:
1. Tuakau bridge over the Waikato river
2. Somewhere near Waimarama.
3. Ponganui road, more lovely waikato country...
4. DR bloody huge terrifying the other road users..

[Crisis management]

Part 2

As Oscar was the tour guide we did a loop up the side of Mount Pirongia on Pirongia west road before heading back north towards Raglan. Dino & Agricon headed off around now nursing minor injuries (excuses, excuses) so were saved the embarassment of the stream crossing....this is a short cut to avoid a slip on Kawhia road.

That bloody stream gets slipperier every time we cross it and I have to confess to a moment of complete wussiness were I started whimpering about "lets not do this I'm going to drown the 990" Tri-boy, in his usual caring manner, pointed out the error of my ways. :mellow:

The stream is crossed twice, the first crossing being wider and with large slime encrusted boulders and is the difficult bit, the second crossing is straightforward. Oscar demonstrated how to do (bastard), Kaituna demonstrated how not to do it (nice drowning, I would have rushed to your assistance but didn't want to get my boots wet) and the other three of us assisted each other over...
Kaituna got his DR going again with an impressive display of steam & water production from the exhaust and we all safely waddled over the second crossing.
Oscar, in his wisdom, took us on a short cut through Te Hutawai road (part of his tour of rally stages around Raglan) which proved the undoing of Murray on the 990, luckily I had already scuffed up the same panels on my bike so he couldn't flog any replacements. Apart from that scenic detour it was a great road again, great views, lots of corners and bits sliding everywhere, what more could you want!
Back at Raglan, Kaituna retired to get dry and the remaining 4 retired to the pub. The garden bar was treated to the sight of boots draining on the ground and socks draped eloquently over benches as we all told lies about how fast we had ridden and how many death defying feats we had survived, all true I'm sure!


Pics (completely out of order now...incompetent!):
1. Towards Kawhia harbour from Pirongia West.
2. looking towards Raglan (the mountain) from the north.
3. Oscar explaining to Kaituna that he has to go first as he doesn't want any stone chips on the 950 and that the plastic on the DR wont show the damage.

[tri boy]

Noice.;)

"Gently persuaded you to cross?????
Would of thrown cow pats at ya if you hadn't:nya:
Damn, those big katoom's get up, and feck off.
Shame theyre not cool, otherwise i'd have one in a heart beat.:whistle:

[dino3310]

cool write up Iain.:2thumbsup:2thumbsup

suspention adjusted, took her out to Te Akau today and the bike handled like a dream:2thumbsup, unfortanately the rider didnt improve so i'm still a nana:whistle: