vonstringer
24th February 2009, 15:39
Today I took my little Yamaha Scorpio 225 for a ride in the countryside. Starting in Nelson, I headed to Renwick, then along Highway 63 until turning at Tophouse Road, and home again. This was a fairly good ride with only a few boring bits.
I left home after 9:00am hoping to avoid traffic over the Whangamoa hills, but alas there was the usual truck crawling up the hill with a line of cars behind. This is a shame because it's quite a wiggley bit of road and fun to ride. Luckily I had mentally prepared myself for this and just relaxed taking in the view.
After passing Rai Valley all traffic disappeared and I had the road mostly to myself. This begs the question of where does the traffic go to? Do all the cars and trucks just hang around the Whangamoa hills just to annoy motorcyclists?
I stopped at Pelorus Bridge for a look around. This is a very pretty area with bush walks, camping grounds, and a tearoom.
Arriving in Renwick I took the time to find sustenance at the On The Spot dairy. They have a selection of hot and cold food available. I settled on hot chips and a sausage roll. Mmmmm.
Heading onto Highway 63 toward the West Coast, there are lots of vineyards for the first 12km, then it gets a bit sparse. It's a bit like a narrow strip of Desert Road stuck between hills. The road is very straight for many kilometres. This might provide some amusement on a large capacity bike, but on a commuter, it gets old pretty quickly.
As I got closer to the St Arnaud the road got a few bends again and the scenery started to hint at the West Coast. My bum was getting pretty sore by this stage so I decided to take the shortcut home by heading onto Tophouse Road. This turned out to be a great idea as this road is made for motorcycles with lovely bends all the way to Belgrove. Do keep an eye out for crossing logging trucks though, as this area is full of pine forest.
Back on Highway 6 it wasn't long before I was back in Nelson. Thanks to all the riders who gave me a cheery wave. The trip was 265km in distance and my bum started hurting some time after Renwick. Next time I head out for a ride in the country, I'll dig out my old sheepskin. Still, I guess that's why my bike is advertised as a commuter and not a tourer :blink:
I left home after 9:00am hoping to avoid traffic over the Whangamoa hills, but alas there was the usual truck crawling up the hill with a line of cars behind. This is a shame because it's quite a wiggley bit of road and fun to ride. Luckily I had mentally prepared myself for this and just relaxed taking in the view.
After passing Rai Valley all traffic disappeared and I had the road mostly to myself. This begs the question of where does the traffic go to? Do all the cars and trucks just hang around the Whangamoa hills just to annoy motorcyclists?
I stopped at Pelorus Bridge for a look around. This is a very pretty area with bush walks, camping grounds, and a tearoom.
Arriving in Renwick I took the time to find sustenance at the On The Spot dairy. They have a selection of hot and cold food available. I settled on hot chips and a sausage roll. Mmmmm.
Heading onto Highway 63 toward the West Coast, there are lots of vineyards for the first 12km, then it gets a bit sparse. It's a bit like a narrow strip of Desert Road stuck between hills. The road is very straight for many kilometres. This might provide some amusement on a large capacity bike, but on a commuter, it gets old pretty quickly.
As I got closer to the St Arnaud the road got a few bends again and the scenery started to hint at the West Coast. My bum was getting pretty sore by this stage so I decided to take the shortcut home by heading onto Tophouse Road. This turned out to be a great idea as this road is made for motorcycles with lovely bends all the way to Belgrove. Do keep an eye out for crossing logging trucks though, as this area is full of pine forest.
Back on Highway 6 it wasn't long before I was back in Nelson. Thanks to all the riders who gave me a cheery wave. The trip was 265km in distance and my bum started hurting some time after Renwick. Next time I head out for a ride in the country, I'll dig out my old sheepskin. Still, I guess that's why my bike is advertised as a commuter and not a tourer :blink: