DingoZ's Blog

Day One from Grubs point of view

Sorry it took so long, people to see, places to go, things to do ... and all that. Once I got home, I realised that I'd hardly taken any pics because I have a new phone and hadn't worked out the taking pics bit. Then when I did take them, they're the same as what the others did ... oh well

We had a good group leaving Rimutex myself CBR600, Dingoz (he made this happen) with the two-tone GT250R, Diego (he caused it to happen) on his Yammy Virago 250, Nivram (he took the plunge to go on his first ever roadtrip) on a Hyo Comet 250 and Dino (photographer all the way to Danniverke) on the mighty VTR1000. We left on time too at 0900.

The idea fo the trip was to find some really good riding roads where you can just get into a flow and sweep through the scenery. We weren't looking to go fast but to maintain a reasonable cruising speed. No violent accelerations with the subsequent heavy braking into corners, just the kind of smooth zone you get into which puts a huge grin on your face. We also had a fair distance to cover in the day so we couldn't get too far from the rhumb line. Well from the SH2 one anyway because going to Taupo via Napier is anything but direct It just meant that we found and explored roads just off the highway. We managed to stay off the highway as much as possible until Napier. Anyway, I digress....

We had a really strange experience (for me anyway) over the takas as you can tell from Dino's pic. We had misty foggy cloud stuff just after the summit. It only existed for about half a k but was interesting while it lasted. The run to Masterton is just plain boring isn't it. I guess the best that can be said is that it settles you down .


From Masterton, I was very keen to explore with the group a road I found which goes from the Masterton bypass to Eketahuna (map). Everyone should know about this road! How many time have you just cruised past Mt Bruce on that long straight boring road and wondered if there's anything better. There is and the Mauriceville road is it. Check out the google map link and go find it one day. Dino was fizzing about it. The road is wide, smooth, clean and with beautiful sweeping corners. My suspicion is that it might have once upon a time been SH2 before they did the Mt Bruce deviation - it's that good. As you leave Masterton on the bypass road, there's that humungeous straight with the winery(?) on it. Well just past the winery going north is Loop Line which goes right onto SH2. You go up SH2 for about 500metres and turn right onto the Mauriceville road. Ingore signs to Mauriceville West, just keep going and you'll find the name Mangaoranga. I can't actually remember anything being there but the name will be on a signpost or two. If you get it right, you will end up back on SH2 1.5km from Eketahuna township. If you got sucked into the "Eketahuna" signposts somewhere, you'll end up on SH2 via Coach Rd about 3km from Eketahuna - all good.

That is a road you have to do and makes a really good day ride. The funny looking cafe/shop on the right as you go into town is much much better than it looks. The owner is a baker and she makes all her own pies and tasty treats. I would happily incorporate that as a lunch destination with a ride through the back of Martinborough, Longbush, Ponatahi, Gladstone and Homebush. These roads give the rural 'fix' without the narrowness and debris of the Alfredton, Pongaroa, Weber one.

We had to gas the Virago at Eketahuna and then head for our next diversion which was to get to Woodville via Mangamaire, Nikau and Ballance (map). I would really like to explore that route via Nirea and Hukanui (map), has anyone done this? I couldn't determine from the aerial shots if some of that is dirt road or not. Anyways, there's a shot of Dino's as we road the Ballance road. That would have been the narrowest on the trip. That road actually comes out at the very end of the Manawatu Gorge, you may remember seeing a very long one lane bridge across the river there, that's the road. Oh and guess what - there's a damn fine cafe there too.

The run up to Dannevirke was predictable, I would like to spend some time exploring the side roads out that way. On Chanceyy's Manawatu Waitangi Day ride we seemed to find some but I didn't really know where we were. Alas we had to say goodbye to Dino at this point as he had to return home - via Weber, Pongaroa and Alfredton of course! Then we were 4.

It's only 9km out of Dannevirke before you can get off onto yet another classic bike road from Matamau through Maktoku to Ormondville, Kopua, Takapau and onto SH50 (map). This is great riding. It's not narrow with debris, the roads are good sweeping ones and the distance is just about the same as goin up SH2 - but way more interesting. SH50 (the only way to the HB).

We headed for the waterfront and happened to bump inot the HB crew. Well actually, they'd been waiting for 45mins for us! Legends all of them. Our thanks for your patience and great hospitality as always to Robertydog, MSTRS, Yungatart, Frying Finn and there's someone else whose handle I didn't catch. We were holding the HB crew up as they were due at Team Cudby's 'surprise' party so after lunch and a natter it was orf to do the Napier Taupo road ... that is a way cool piece of tarmac. We'd stayed together as a group in sight of each other all day so this time we had a bit of a play and Nivram got the Learn from Yungatart When we pulled into the Tarawera Tavern a few cobwebs had been blown and the grins were almost as big as the stories. It was sad to part and be on our way, especially as they'd left us on our own for that corner. You know, the one 500metres west of the pub which is downhill, left, steep and has judder bars all through the braking zone - thanks guys. Then we were 4.

We arrived Taupo at 5:30 and said goodbye to Diego who was off to meet some mates for 4 days of drink and debauchery. It was all his fault we came in the first place, we had such a great time I nearly kissed him - nearly. Just 3 left, Dingoz, Nivram and I, we checked into the cabins at Great Lakes Holiday Park ... great value at $31 each, perfect for this kind of trip. Perhaps hearing the guy next door writing his name in the bowl with his 4am pee did take the edge off it a bit.

Since the finest dining establishments of Taupo were bidding for our business we snobbed them all and camped out at Cafe Max on the waterfront. Damn good food, not flash, fun staff and a meal (full flounder for me) and extras for about $18 - can't beat that. Day Two laterz


Day two from Grubs Point of view

The Ride report - Day Two (part 1)

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Well, how remiss of me, I didn't post up the day two report and since then we've been to Levin, Mangaweka, Apiti and back to Welly and then two days later back up to the Manawatu, over to Hawera and then back to Welly the long way via Turakina and Shannon - another 1,200km. But I digress ....

Day Two, Sunday, dawned with a typical NZ fine and still day - motorcycler's heaven. We were all pretty much awake by 7:30 and looking forward to the day ahead which promised to be a little more leisurely than Saturday since the distance was a little less and we didn't have the pressure of a timetable. That's nice in a way because it allows you to stop and smell the flowers when the urge takes you. Saturday had some timelines so that we could meet and pick up any onther riders on the way who might like to come along. We did that and valued our time enourmously with the HB crowd.

Diego had left us in Taupo so it was just Dingoz, Nivram and I who shook off the cobwebs. Dingoz's cobwebs were a little stickier than ours as he alleges that I snored and kept him awake all night. Clearly that's not true as I heard no such thing. No photographic nor audio evidence has been presented to verify the allegation. I believe that the excitement was just too much for him. Thinking about it now, I don't recall Nivram voting either for the Ayes or the Noes - fence sitter! So since no offence was disclosed, we set about for breakfast.

We settled on the tried and true Cafe Max. They did us proud for the evening meal and they're really geared up for this eat n go stuff. Besides, how could I pass up Lambs Fry & Bacon for a sunday brunch - huh? We were pretty well organised and got away at 9:07 which was pretty much to plan.

We had options for our route home and so over breakfast debated which to take ...
- 1) Around the Lake to Taumaranui/National Park, Taihape for lunch, back roads behind Taihape to Feilding and Pahiatua Track (530km, 9hrs 48mins)
- 2) Around the Lake to Taumaranui/National Park and then the Paraparas to Wanganui (468km, 6hrs 24mins)
- 3) Around the Lake to Taumaranui/National Park to Taihape for lunch and SH1 home (474km, 6hrs 40mins)
- 4) Straight down SH1 to Taihape, back roads behind Taihape to Feilding for lunch and Pahiatua Track (418km, 8hrs 25mins)

Last time Dingoz and I did this area we had the most fun on the road around the lake through Taumaranui and onto National Park. This was all new to Nivram so he was happy to follow us (fool!). So our choice over breakfast was 3). We thought the Paraparas as being very technical and Nivram was still finding his wings on the nice open winding roads so were best to carry on like that. The around Lake Taupo inclusion was never an issue, it's just too sweeping and too empty to be left out of any ride in that area but it does add 111.1km (true) and 2hrs to the leg from Taupo to Taihape so that had to be considered - albeit briefly. The best laid plans and all that - but more of that later (no, I didn't get a puncture!).

We were all talking about riding styles and the value of a road trip to get your confidence and abilities up so we suggested to Nivram that he trusts us (fool!) using MSTRS's mantra of "... if I don't brake, you don't, if I do brake, do it too ...". We set off from Taupo and as soon as we hit Poihipi Rd around the north side of the lake, you could see it was working. We were like a big bad snake winding it's way through some great scenery on a great road that has no surprises. This is one of those roads where you never notice the distance and you just wish it could go on forever. We finally stopped for a chat and grin-reset at the Kuratau Junction. We were only there for less that 10mins and countless bikes came around from the Turangi way heading north. The guy on the gixxer thou tried to impress us by winding to the red line all the way into the northern sun but we were much too cool to be impressed.

From Kuratau Junction it was off towards Taumaranui, well Manunui actually which is about 6km south of Taumaranui and is the junction of SH4 and SH41 (which we were on). As is the beauty of motorcycle touring, about halfway along this route, we happened upon a hidden treasure in the form of a lookout. We had stopped for a regroup where the road was a bit wider and allowed a safe stop. Where we stopped had been preceded by a lookout sign. I'm sorry that I can't remember the name of it but it started with W - it didn't seem important at the time and as the sign was behind us we didn't later see the name. A couple of cars came out of the bush road from the lookout so curiosity got the better of us and we went to have a looksee. Well! This lookout was the highest point for what seemed like hundreds of kms. The platform and carpark are in the top right of this image where the regional boundary takes a sharp turn, you can see the wee sealed road up through the bush. There's a large platform and from the top you have a 360deg view of the whole south Waikato and northen Manawatu-Wanganui regions. Brilliant, just brilliant.
I should have done a panorama but I didn't so this will have to do for now.

It's not far from there to SH4, which just happens to be Dingoz favourite piece of road. Dingoz? Where's Dingoz? Oh that might be him, that speck disappearing over the horizon! He got 'slightly' ahead of us. By the time we'd reached the National Park gas station he'd gassed the bike and deflowered two virgins.
As you can see, the day was a stunner - and now we were hungry. So onto the beasts for a run down the west side of the mountain, a quick wave to the camera van in the rest area just before the Ohakune turnoff and on to Taihape to put the nosebag on.

Day Two part 2

The Ride Report - Day Two (part 2)

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The trouble with expectaions is that you can get disappointed - badly. The Taihape cafe behind he old bank/post office has been one of Nasty and my favourites. There's a courtyard out the back and the bikes can be parked beside the trellis where you can keep an eye on them (nice if they're loaded with gear that you can't be fagged taking off). When we arrived it wasn't hugely busy. I was second in line Dingoz was third. I placed my order and went outside to sit in the sun. Dingoz got there before me and had steam coming out of his ears - the young serving whench had ignored him and served the next person in the queue! To say he was pissed off is being mild. Just as he told me, this other young table-serving whench (both about 14) came past so I told her what had happened and suggested that she speak to her boss so that they could quietly solve the problem - she never did. she served both Nivram and my orders but never said a word to Dingoz - nor did anyone else. Piss poor all round - total f-up. Dingoz refused to be consoled and wouldn't eat anything in that place and I don't blame him. But I did feel a shit for eating mine! So for future reference, it's the cafe across the side road from the cenotaph behind what I believe was either the Bank or Post Office (can't remember its name). And so we grumpily left Taihape. What they though was an inconsequential single pissed-off customer has just been broadcast to 70,000 KBers ... bad move on the cafe's part.

This was going to be the boring part because the plan was to do SH1 all the way to Welly ... until that is, we got to Ohakea ... WTF???? Oh, ok, it's the Ohakea Open Day. Bloody hell, look all the cars! This was at about 3:30ish I think as we pulled off the road at the weighstation to see what the fuss was all about and why SH1 was lined with cars both sides and had cones turning it into 3 lanes. Well we got our answer as the F1-11 made its high speed pass with wings swept and just under Mach1 ... yummy! By the time we got our helmets off it was back doing the low-speed run with the tongue of fire out the back, you've all seen the photos - awesome. We soon realised that all 30,000 people there knew this was the day's finale and were trying to leave. OMG, time to get out of there quick-smart. Too late. The stream all the way to Sanson and turning up SH1 said it all .... no way we were going up there.

A quick roadside chat in Sanson confirmed we all felt the same and so it was off over the Pahiatua Track after all. Even at the end of a long day, it is a lovely road. We did the whole up-journey in reverse Track-Ballance-Mangamaire-Eketahuna. Awesome ride follwed by the Masterton bypass and over the hill uneventfully to Rimutex. From Memory it was 9:13pm so we'd been on the road 12hrs this day, we'd done Rimutex to Rimutex via 987.3 km and for me home to home of 1,040.5km. What a blast. Good people, great roads, brilliant weather and no dramas. My thanks to everyone who shared.

Can't wait to do it again.