Kiwi Biker forums - Blogs - Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/blog.php/12442-Scottie Kiwi Biker - New Zealand motorcycle community en Tue, 05 May 2026 17:48:24 GMT vBulletin 20 https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/images/BP-Brown/misc/rss.jpg Kiwi Biker forums - Blogs - Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/blog.php/12442-Scottie Touring in Victoria - Australia https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1830-Touring-in-Victoria-Australia Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:30:27 GMT In mid November we attended a family wedding in Melbourne and decided to do a four day tour of Victoria with my sister Annie and her husband Trev on their cruisers. We hired a Harley through Eagle Rider. It was meant to be an Ultra Classic (repleat with comfy seats, passenger footboards -... In mid November we attended a family wedding in Melbourne and decided to do a four day tour of Victoria with my sister Annie and her husband Trev on their cruisers. We hired a Harley through Eagle Rider. It was meant to be an Ultra Classic (repleat with comfy seats, passenger footboards - especially for Helen (the wife) and (for a change) a stereo) but the dickhead who hired before us failed to return it and we ended up having to "settle" with a Heritage Softail. Not a bad substitute I have to say.

I'd never ridden a softail before and after riding the Triumph Rocket III for 10,000km it immediately felt small and it was nice to have both my heals on the ground for a change. It was grunty enough (although sluggish) but the wonderful exhaust note made up for it as we barked our way through the inner city streets of Melbourne. On the motorway out of Melbourne the bike settled into a steady beat and we enjoyed riding FREE on a toll road (hear that Stephen Joyce!!!).

The plan was to ride south west to Anglesea where we started the Great Ocean Road along the Southern coast of Victoria. This road hugs the coast for over 200kms until it hits the Princes Highway near Warrnambool (our stop for the night).

The Great Ocean Road road is amazing and has more corners than the rest of Australia’s roads put together – or it seemed that way. I was constantly reminded that I was on a low riding cruiser with repeated floorboard scrapes (followed by digs in the ribs from Helen). As we hugged the cliffs on this section of road the awesome sound of the Softail came into its own as it echoed its way around the many tight corners. If I was to try to compare it to a road in NZ I would say it was a mix of the Kaikoura coast road and West Coast Road (between Punakaiki and Westport) – but I wont try.

In the late afternoon we stopped at the famous 12 Apostles which are now down to 11 as one fell into the sea recently (see photos).

That night we stayed in a great little lodge in Warrnambool overlooking the sea and by a lighthouse and had dinner in a great little seafood restaurant where several Aussie reds got a real hammering.

Day 2 saw a slap up breakfast in town and a beautiful sunny day with a high of around 28 degrees – perfect for riding in our summer gear. The route took us along the coast to Port Fairy, which is a small fishing village with lots of historic buildings and houses (see photos of us by some fishing boats). We travelled further south along the coast past a massive wind farm (you’d never get consent for one of those here!!!) and we had a big break at Portland, a nice coastal town which features a deep sea harbour and is one of many staging posts for Australia’s numerous minerals exports. The weather was fantastic and the sea views enjoyable as we watch huge ships manoeuvre in and out of the port.

The afternoon saw us heading northwards inland, where our guide Trev took us on some minor roads through rural Victoria. This is where we got our first real glimpse of the massive expanse of the rural heartland of Victoria and the roads were in great nick and virtually empty. We stopped at a tiny town comprising a pub, gas station and store (all in one) and supped on a few VB’s to re-hydrate and have a chat with the locals, who were friendly enough.

The ride took us to the rural town of Casterton where we munched on some pasties and other home cooking in a little bakery run by some hard case Aussie ladies. Following that, we headed back east through Coleraine and Hamilton to Dunkeld – our next nights lodging. This road was pretty rough in places and this slowed us down a bit. As we headed east, the Grampian Ranges came into sight and stood beacon-like in the otherwise wide and broad expanse of rural flatness – Crikey Australia is big!

Dunkeld is a small rural town – like many others in Victoria but it sits right at the footsteps of the Grampian Ranges – the only really hilly bit in Victoria. We stayed at the Royal Mail Hotel – an old converted post office with a fantastic restaurant and accommodation. This was really quality accommodation and was very reasonably priced.

Day Three involved a swing north through the Grampians National Park. Trev took as via a fantastic single lane rural road where Helen got to see a kangaroo hopping beside us (rather than immediately in front of us) and some incredible scenery (see photos of incredible scenery). We had a break at Halls Gap – a tourist town in the Grampians and headed eastwards again towards Daylesford. The Gampians was a real highlight of the trip and, to my surprise, rivalled the Great Ocean Road the day before. We were informed that the nine year drought that has plagued Australia for the last ... well, nine years ... had just broken and as a result the Grampians were at their most lush for a decade. Any trip around Victoria should include this national park, we reckon, and we hope to ride it again some day.

The rest of the day saw us ride through rural Victoria to Daylesford where we indulged ourselves a massage and some high quality accommodation overlooking a lake. The food, again, was of a very high standard. There is some really good local accommodation and food in rural Victoria.

Day 4 was a lazy ride back to Melbourne which we did via Woodend where we stopped at a local brewery (Holgate Brewhouse) and sampled all eight beers which ranged from pilsner to stout. All too soon we were back on the interstate cheek-by-jowl with semi-trucks heading into Melbourne.

It was a fantastic trip and the Softail was a great bike to do it on. Thanks to Annie and Trev for organising such great accommodation and food and taking us down some the best roads we have been on riding a bike. November is a good time to ride in Aussie as temperatures are not to hot and the spring rains usually captures the scenery at its best. This is the first real bike trip we have done outside New Zealand and it was great to ride new roads and experience new scenery. We will plan another Aussie trip soon we think.

The complete album is here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/al...p?albumid=3821
Attached Thumbnails
]]> Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1830-Touring-in-Victoria-Australia Cape Reinga Cruise - 12 June 2010 https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1587-Cape-Reinga-Cruise-12-June-2010 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:10:03 GMT It had been quite a stressful week. I had been checking the Metservice weather reports regularly, hoping for some good news in the 7 and 3 day forecasts – hoping that somehow, the weather reports were wrong. By Friday, I had resigned myself to a wet weekend hoping that we would get a few breaks... It had been quite a stressful week. I had been checking the Metservice weather reports regularly, hoping for some good news in the 7 and 3 day forecasts – hoping that somehow, the weather reports were wrong. By Friday, I had resigned myself to a wet weekend hoping that we would get a few breaks in the weather when we really needed it.

As we woke on Saturday morning the day promised a lot and we hoped for the best. We met at the Caltex at Fanshawe Street and huddled under the canopy has a very heavy shower came down. We steeled ourselves for a wet ride – changeable, at best. We reminded ourselves that this was a winter ride and that riding in the wet was part of it. As Chopper says: Harden the F@$k UP!!!

The plan was to ride to Cape Reinga and back to Kaitaia on Saturday (via SH1) and back via Sh10 on Sunday. The challenge was to do the 550-odd kms on Saturday during before dark (approximately 5.30pm). None of us particularly liked the idea of riding remote Northland rural roads after dark.

As we rode along the motorway, the skies cleared, and although the roads were wet, there was no more sign of rain. We picked up a few more riders at Orewa and took the free route. If NZTA thinks I will pay the same rate as a car to use the toll road, then they can kiss the pink fleshy bits of my ample posterior!

The weather held, and although the roads were still wet, we made really good progress northwards. The Brynderwyn Hills stand as an imposing barrier between the Auckland Region and Northland. On this ride it also represented the difference between shit weather and the fabulous climate of the winterless north. As we reached the summit and took in the spectacular views, clear blue sky and dry roads stretched out before us. No sign of the thunder storms and rain at all.
We hooked up with Nonie at Whangarei (and a couple of her friends who rode to Kawakawa with us) and Rick and Julie joined us a bit further north – 10 bikes in all on our ride to the Cape. We stopped for lunch at Kawakawa and lapped up the northland sun.

I have to admit that each time I have travelled to Kaitaia, I have gone via SH10 and had never done journey on SH1. This route is pretty bland and does not match up to the coastal views along SH10. However, the twisty route between Mangamuka and Mangatiore was challenging and scenic enough.

We had a good break at Kaitaia, gassed up and headed north at about 1.30pm. That allowed us 1.5 hours to the top – a good 30-45 minutes there and enough time to get home in fading light. The weather was still fantastic, the road was in pretty good nick and the views were spectacular. The last few kms to the Cape were awesome, with exposed sandy beaches coming into view on the left and right and the wonderful feeling of splendid isolation and independence that you get in Northland, especially on a bike.

The Cape had changed quite a bit since the wife and I had last been there with the construction of a large landscaped carpark, eco-toilets, new walking tracks and plenty of interpretation. While this is fitting for an iconic cultural tourism site, I miss the dinky little post office that used be there, where you could send a post card, buy an ice cream and digest a mince pie. Ah nostalgia – it’s not what it used to be …

The ride back to Kaitaia was sweet. The wind and the sun was on our backs and this allowed us to ride with our visors up for the most part. Kevin lead the ride back and in typical fashion he insisted that we stop for a quick beer at the Waipapakauri pub where we were made very welcome by the locals. I’ve never enjoyed a beer more. Back at the motel, we reflected on the ride over a few more beers feeling that we had had a pretty special day. This ride will definitely become an annual pilgrimage – albeit, at a time of year with a bit more light.

On Sunday, we realised that the weather was going to catch up with us and we caught some pretty ferocious squalls between Whangarei and Puhoi, where we stopped for one last refresher and bid farewell to each other.
This was a great ride. We took a chance with the weather and it paid off. Thanks to everyone who was able to make this trip, we enjoyed the company and the relaxed riding style and hope to do more rides like this in the future.

Attending were (in no particular order):

Scottie (Rob and Helen)
9Rider (Kevin and Kathy)
Possum1 (Alan and Liz)
TC (Terry)
Rolobiker (Elmer)
Nest4U (Nick)
Nonie (Fiona)
R&J (Rick and Julie)
Traken (Colin)
Rosso (John)
Attached Thumbnails
]]> Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1587-Cape-Reinga-Cruise-12-June-2010 Scotties (Trotsky) South Island Ride Blog Part II https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1388-Scotties-(Trotsky)-South-Island-Ride-Blog-Part-II Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:40:12 GMT *Day 9 – Te Anau to Wanaka* By Day 9 the good weather seemed here to stay and the thermals were stowed away and the mesh jackets and gloves came out. We stopped at Kingston for coffee and then it was a easy cruise along the banks of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown. This is a breath-taking lakeside... Day 9 – Te Anau to Wanaka

By Day 9 the good weather seemed here to stay and the thermals were stowed away and the mesh jackets and gloves came out. We stopped at Kingston for coffee and then it was a easy cruise along the banks of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown. This is a breath-taking lakeside ride and one we would love to do again - nice views and good twisty corners. We stopped at the wharf in Queenstown just in tine to see the Ernslaw steamship berth – cameras got a good hammering here.

From Queentown it was a short ride to Arrowtown where we stopped for lunch and a drink prior to taking on the Crown Range. There has been so much written about this section of road that I probably can’t add much more here except to say it is always a joy to ride, and on such a fine hot day, the views were fantastic. We stopped for a few more drinks at the Cardrona pub and sat outside and enjoyed the glorious Central Otago sun some more. From there it was a short ride to Wanaka where we relaxed at our motel with a few beers and reflected on a great days ride.

Day 10 – Wanaka to Franz Josef

We left Wanaka just after 9.00am, stopped for a few photos at the lakeside and settled in for a nice cruise along the shores of Lake Hawea. We had a bit of a mishap when Terry hit a rock lying the middle of the road and it sheared the bolt from his engine guard. Fortunately, it did not affect his riding and he was able to continue and sort it out on his return to Auckland. The highlight of this ride was definitely the Haast Pass which turned on a fantastic day and we got to see right up to the snow line from the river floor in several places. We had a little altercation with a dickhead in a Holden who refused to give way on a one way bridge and I got pretty testy with him (and his snooty wife) – then again you afford to get a bit agro when you know you have Terry riding with you.

The ride northwards from Haast gave us more awesome coastal views and we all stopped at Bruce Bay to look at the hundreds of rock sculptures along the foreshore. Helen added a few more.

Day 11 – Franz Josef Layover

At Franz, we said goodbye to John and Janine who decided to ride through Arthurs Pass to Christchurch to stay with a friend. Kevin and Kathy and Terry and Sue decided ditch one of two planned nights at Westport for a night at Hokitika (where Kathy’s cousin lives). Helen and I decided that we wanted to take a ride in a helicopter and land on a glacier, just in case Climate Change is not just a clever global conspiracy and they do actually disappear over the next few years.

This was a fantastic experience and well worth the effort. The amazing thing was that the glacier had a thin layer of red dust over it, which the pilot assures us is from the Sydney dust storms earlier last year. Like the boat cruise on Milford Sound, sometimes it is not always about the riding.

Day 12 – Franz Josef to Westport

We headed off on yet another beautiful day north to Westport. Our first stop was at the Montieths Brewery for a very enjoyable tour and a spot of lunch in Greymouth. We decided to make a detour to Blackball, the location of the famous “Blackball Hilton” hotel who were sued by the hotel chain of the same name. With a population of about 20 and catering for only the most intrepid backpacker, I really think The Hilton hotel dynasty was under no real threat of losing any customers! We stopped at a local bee-keeper and got a 1kg pot of manuka honey for next to nothing and stowed in the already overfull saddle bag.

Next stop was Punakaiki for walk around the famous pancake rocks. Believe it or not this was also a first time for us as the weather has usually been too inclement to justify a stop. I am glad we finally did this on this trip. The costal road to Westport from here is a real delight to ride – beautiful coastal views on one side and spectacular native forest on the other. Before riding into Westport we stopped at Cape Foulwind for a look at the seal colony. This too is a nice place to stop on this section of road.

Day 13 – Westport to Picton

The previous night, Kevin and Kathy, Terry and Sue and Helen and I decided that we would rather go direct to Picton and miss out Nelson – mainly because we had all been to Nelson often previously. This allowed us to travel through the fabulous Buller Gorge, over the range to St Arnoud and down through the Wairau Valley. What a glorious road.

The major incident was Terry’s C90 cutting out midway through the Buller Gorge – no lights or power – nothing. We jiggled things and switched things on and off again and – ta da! It worked! but then we could not switch it off again. We let Terry take the lead and gingerly rode through to Murchison for a closer inspection. After much cursing and sweating Terry reckoned it had to the ignition - we agreed – even I knew where the ignition was. Terry used his considerable finesse and skill and started banging the ignition switch with a wrench – that allowed the power to go on and off again – one tap for “power on” – one heavier tap for “power off”. Not really a cause for confidence for the remainder of the trip. Enter: Kevin “MacGyver” Finnerty!

Kev got the top off the ignition switch (although he did not have a security ‘star drive’ tool) and found that the ignition power lead had come loose. He secured the connection with duct tape and a popsicle stick (no shit!) and we were good to go again. In the mean time, Sue had called the AA and the guy turned up just in time to help fasten the bolts back on the bike. Kev - you are a legend and deserving recipient of this month’s MacGyver award.

The ride into Blenhiem was a dream, through the vineyards along the Wairau Valley, the temperature rising with every km riden. We booked accommodation along the Picton water front 2 x 2 bedroom apartment units and they were, without doubt the most luxurious accommodation we had stayed in on this trip. I highly recommend these apartments for groups of two or more.

[B]Day 13 and 14 - Piction to Wellington

The sailing was pleasant if uneventful and we bid John and Janine, Kev and Kathy and Terry and Sue goodbye as we had decided to head straight back to Auckland so that I could attend to a few work matters. Kev and Kath and Terry and Sue decided to take the long way home via Napier with a night in Taupo – I wish we could have joined you guys for that.

A quick word about the bike. The Honda VTX 1300 performed admirably throughout the whole trip. We managed to stay upright throughout and had no hiccups. The much maligned VTX 1300 engine did its job more than adequately given that it is smaller than many cruisers and does not have fuel injection. It has so much torque that you can put a pillion and (in our case) an oversized bag on the back, stick it in 5th gear and it will go up any hill at almost any speed. It is a very easy bike to ride on a long journey.

In many ways it was shame that the ride split into two groups and by now most will have heard or read much various stories about this aspect. We have chosen to focus on the positives and these, in my view, far outweigh the negatives. This ride was a big commitment for each and every rider (both financially and time commitments) and everyone deserved to get the most out of it. In that sense, it was appropriate that each rider ended up doing the ride their own way. And with that, I will leave it there.

Thanks to Kevin and Kathy, Terry and Sue and John and Janine for your company, fantastic sense of humour and the wonderful shared memories that we will always have. Thanks to Johnny for his considerable work to put this ride together. Thanks also to Dave and Kirsty, although we did not end up riding a huge distance with you guys, we really appreciated the efforts you made to touch base at the end of each day and swap stories and have a cold drink together.

I’m Scottie (Trotsky) and this is my story.

END ]]> Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1388-Scotties-(Trotsky)-South-Island-Ride-Blog-Part-II Scotties (Trotsky) South Island Trip Blog Part I https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1387-Scotties-(Trotsky)-South-Island-Trip-Blog-Part-I Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:38:48 GMT *Scotties South Island Blog* This is my blog of our trip around the South Island. In all 6 cruisers from Auckland when on the trip: Scottie (Trostsky) and Helen, Kevin and Kathy, Terry and Sue, John and Janine, Dave and Kirsty and Johnny and Lo. Day 1 – Auckland to Wellington Are we there... Scotties South Island Blog

This is my blog of our trip around the South Island. In all 6 cruisers from Auckland when on the trip: Scottie (Trostsky) and Helen, Kevin and Kathy, Terry and Sue, John and Janine, Dave and Kirsty and Johnny and Lo.

Day 1 – Auckland to Wellington

Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet.

Hey what happened to Cliff? Oh dear there is smoke coming out the back of his Harley

Bugger my GPS broke.

Why are Dave’s brakes making that funny noise? Oh dear no brake pads.

Yay – Wellington.


Day 2 – Picton to Methven

After a blustery crossing of the Cook Strait, we headed south for gas at Blenhiem. After an aborted lunch stop at Subway we headed south. It was a shame to fly right past the seals at Kaikoura and an travesty to fly right past the crays for sale on the roadside – oh well, it’s about the riding after all – maybe next time. The coastline was a real joy to ride along and certainly justifies more attention for a later trip.

After a nice lunch at Kaikoura we headed off again. When we gassed up there were a few guys from the lower North Island doing their own trip around the South Island, several of whom were actually members of the Group – something I did not learn till later that day. Sorry I missed the opportunity to meet you guys.

After Kaikoura the pace got a bit too hot for us and we let Johnny/Lo and Dave/Kirsty go ahead and instead rode at a steady pace with Kevin/Kathy, and Shooter/Sue (Lovejoy having already gone ahead to pick up Janine from Christchurch). We got in about 7.00pm, with the weather having turned a bit chilly. After a long day we opted for pizzas and beers at the Lodge, met Trevor and Rob I (and his lovely wife) and turned in early(ish) after a splosh in the spa pool.

Day 3 – Lewis Pass and Arthurs Pass

This was an early start, due to the large distance to be covered (about 670 kms) and it was cold (North Island cold). After some hiccups along the way to Amberly and some interesting, if not dubious, GPS navigation we arrived at Amberly for coffee and a chance to warm up. Helen was starting to ask questions about the weather and whether it would be this cold for the whole trip. “Erm, I hope not” I replied scuffing the dirt with my boots and looking worryingly at the clouds.

The ride was long and very scenic. The beech forest through the Lewis Pass was spectacular and the interplay between the forest canopy and the dappled light onto the road was a real delight. The road was in great condition and the VTX simply purred along the road.

We had lunch at Reefton, a beautiful little town with most of its Gold Rush heritage and character still intact. We would certainly love to explore this place more one day. The real highlight for me (and I expect for Shooter, Sue and Kath as well), was the awesome whitebait fritter sandwich: A massive fritter between two hunks of white bread. Simply scrumptious!

The ride through Lake Brunner was fantastic, a new experience for us, and the scale of the southern alps kept us constantly impressed and interested. The Otira Gorge was a fun ride and having lost contact with the main bunch, we stopped just above the viaduct and enjoyed some banter with three local kea’s. One jumped on my saddle bag and was eying all parts made of rubber greedily so we appeased him with a small bag of pretzels and got snapping with the camera. Lovejoy (John) and Janine joined us and we rode together to catch up with the rest. The ride down the eastern side of Arthurs Pass was simply awesome: wide river valleys, majestic mountains and a beautiful road winding endlessly before us. John and I took this section at a steady pace, enjoying the scenery all way, not wanting it to end. We got back to the Lodge after 7.00pm again, having been on the road for almost 11 hours.

This was a long ride to do – but definitely well worth it. We were definitely looking forward to the rest of the trip which involved shorter riding distances and more opportunities to enjoy the sights.


Day 4 – Methven to Omarama

The day started off cold and drizzly. The distance to travel was only about half of the previous day so we opted to take our time with the goal of getting into Omarama no earlier than 4.00pm. Johnny and Dave we keen to get through to Tekapo in one go so we left them at Geraldine. We were delighted to be joined by Kevin/Kath and Shooter/Sue, where we stopped for a drink and a warm up. At Fairly we hooked up with John and Janine and headed off to Tekapo in one group. At Burkes Pass, the cloud and rain lifted and we emerged into the McKenzie Country to find a beautiful day and the sun shining. At Tekapo, we stopped at the Church of the Good Sheppard: a beautiful little stone building right on the edge of Lake Tekapo. We stopped for many group photos and ditched the wet weather gear – This was more like it!

We had a brief meeting and agreed that we should stop at a salmon farm and taste the local fare and then ride beside Lake Pukaki up to Mt Cook. These were two very good decisions! The salmon farm was down a long private road beside a water canal and was a great wee ride in its own right. At the salmon farm we purchased both hot and cold smoked salmon and what can only be described as a “shark feeding frenzy” ensued. I have never tasted salmon so tasty and delicious!

The ride to Mt Cook could not have been better. The sun was shining and the turquoise colour of Lake Pukaki was on full show. We stopped often to take in the spectacular view and take a few snaps. Once there, we sat under a large umbrella at the hotel and enjoyed a few cold ones, admired the view and watched the flood of tourists going in and out of the visitor centre. That night, Helen and I, Terry and Sue, John and Janine and Dave and Kirsty all booked private outdoor hot tubs. These were fantastic! They were heated by a wood burner and you sat in the open air and watched the sunset and the star rise. Watching the Southern Alps turn orange as the sun set and then counting the stars as darkness descended was a very special moment. For us this was the best day so far.
Day 5 – Omarama to Dunedin (Portabello)

We awake to a beautiful – if not chilly – morning. After a short briefing we agreed to ride via the Lindis Pass, through Alexandra and Roxburgh down to Milton and then up to the Otago Penninsula. The Lindis Pass was spectacular but very cold – we were starting to wary of these early morning starts, especially when the warm afternoons and long twilights were so enticing for riding.

Once at Cromwell the day had warmed and we all enjoyed a coffee and a stroll through Old Cromwell. The ride to Alex along Lake Dunstan was very scenic, where we stopped at Clyde to look at the dam and ride through the remaining township. At Roxburgh, we stopped for lunch and a little down the road the we picked up some fresh plums and apricots for later. The riding through this section was blissful. Great roads, warm sun on our backs and little traffic.

The ride into Portabello was very pleasant in the afternoon sun and Helen and I decided to take a detour to Larnach Castle, is it was just 5 km from our lodgings. We arrived half an hour before it closed and all we wanted to do was get a picture of the bike in front of the Castle. “$10 dollars each” said the guy eyeing us up suspiciously at the gate. “Screw you Jimmy!” I said in my best Glaswegian ascent, “I’m not gunna pay that for a wee photo!”. And with that, we left. We passed Johnny and Dave on the way down – little did we know that Dave had just had an incident on a sharp corner on the way up – but I will let him tell you that story.


Day 6 – Dunedin to Invercargill
We awoke to yet another cold but sunny morning and Helen had developed a cold and as she ground her finger into my breast bone, I knew that this would be the last early start we would be making on this trip. And to be fair, I agreed with her. The hot afternoons and long twilights offered the best riding in our view and we saw not point getting to our destination early just to sit outside the motel.

We rode as a group through to Balclutha where we met up with John and Janine (who spent that night in Roxburgh) and we rode through the Catlins National Park along the southern coast of the South Island. This ride offered some spectacular views of the coast and native forest and we were glad to have added this to our trip. After a few mix-ups on the GPS navigation front (involving dirt roads that we refused to ride on, a detour down a dead end and another “bike incident”), Helen and I made our own way to Invercargill along with John and Janine. The others visited Bluff and the Burt Munroe museum that afternoon whereas we decided to that the next morning.

We met up with DV and his wife, who I meet for the first time, and they joined us for takeaways at the motel. Nice meeting you guys.


Day 7 – Invercargill to Te Anau

On this day we had a sleep in – it was a holiday after all. We rose to hear that Johnny/Lo and Dave/Kirsty had left at about 8.00am and that Kevin/Kathy, Terry/Sue and John/Janine were all planning to leave late too. Kevin and Terry headed straight to Riverton for Breakfast and John/Janine and us did the trip to Bluff and a look at the Burt Munro bike. The weather Gods were with us and we did this without any rain, despite the gathering storm clouds about us. We would surely get wet this day and we had the wet weather gear at the ready for this. We did not get out of Invercargill till about 11.00am and by the time we got to Riverton we heard that Kev and Terry were in Tautapere and getting a drenching and that Johnny and Dave were about an hour ahead of them. Fortunately for us, the weather cleared from the south and despite a few showers we rode in generally dry conditions. However, it was cold and the wind was as strong as we had ever experienced – thank God it was summer!

We stopped in Tautapere for lunch at a café run by three hard case Southland women. Without a doubt, they had the best bacon and egg pie, chicken filo and lamb pies I have ever seen. This was Southland hospitality and fare at its best. Sights along the way included the Clifden swing bridge and the majestic Fiordland National Park on our left. We got into Te Anau at about 4.30pm with the sun on our backs to hear that the others had copped the worst of the bad weather. Hmmmm, it seemed our decision to leave later was paying off. We booked a Milford Sound cruise the next day and the weather forecast was very encouraging.

Day 8 – Milford Sound

We awoke to a glorious sunny day and rode with John/Janine and Kevin/Kathy to Milford Sound. It was about 5 degrees so we needed to stop a few times to warm up. The most eventful being at Lake Gunn where we watched several backpackers dive into the lake – at 5 degrees! John nearly fell off his bike when one girl undressed and changed into her bikini in front of him – definitely a highlight for him. So much so, he kept seeing her at other destinations along the trip!

We had never done the road to Milford before (an embarrassing admission, I know) and we were simply blown away with its scale, beauty and splendid isolation. The Homer tunnel was fun (will post video of this on YouTube soon) and we arrived at the Sound to a sunny and still day – perfect for a boat cruise.

On the ride back we stopped at all the sights including the Chasm and Mirror Lakes. Why did we wait so long to do this? Definitely our best day on the trip! ]]> Scottie https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1387-Scotties-(Trotsky)-South-Island-Trip-Blog-Part-I