The MAPMEA ride

[Cary]

pic 1 - A shot of my Friday ride down thru Waipuna Road, SW of Waitomo Caves. Great road, crap weather.
.....2 - Mike & Leanne
.....3 - The Lead Queen waves
.....4 - Rosie
.....5 - Colin
.....6 - Roger, Freewinding

[Cary]

pic 1 - Brent
.....2 - Stephen
.....3 - Niki
.....4 - Struan & Paul
.....5 - Mark
.....6 - 990

[Dawn Patrol]

Hi guys, Great to see all the familiar faces, and some new especially the females joining in. Had a great couple of nights after the rides talking about anything and everything with great food and drinkies. It was good to talk to Rosie about their Aussie adventure; hopefully we'll get back over there on a ride one day. Shame about Sunday's rain and cold but that's all part of the adventure riding, I guess!! At least everyone made it home in one piece. Sorry I didn't take very many pics but here's what I did take:
#1 If it's not sheep, it's bloody cows!!
#2 Rest stop after the Taumatemare Rd
#3 Rosie coming up towards the Last Samarai set
#4 Brian Hill (one of the Taranaki Guys) at the same spot
#5 Colin (That Looks Like Fun)
#6 Triboy on his new toy

[Cary]

Pic 1 - Mike & Leanne
.....2 - Colin
.....3 - KTM's
.....4 - KTM's 2
.....5 - Rosie
.....6 - Brent

[Dawn Patrol]

Thanks for another great weekend Mike and Phill.

It rained the whole way home and i am sure that i will stop shivering sometime soon.




ps.. that Naki rain is a feck sight colderthan the Waikato rain. It may even be weterer too

I think that Naki rain might actually be Ashburton rain, courtesy of our Southern Guest !!!!!!

[Cary]

Pic 1 - XR
.....2 - Stephen
.....3 - Mike & Leanne
.....4 - Wanga Pub on a sunny Sat arvo
.....5 - Paul doing a wheelie out of the tunnel, shame it's not in focus......
.....6 - Gotta get yourself a Wanga burger

[Cary]

Pic 1 & 2 - Wanga Pub for lunch on Sat
.....3 - XR on the Wanga Road
.....4, 5 & 6 - Stratford regroup

[Cary]

Started raining about 9 on Sat night and didn't stop.

Was cold and very wet Sunday, without hotgrips my hands were the coldest they have been in YEARS!

Pic 1&2 is around Purangi where the locals headed home and the rest of us headed north.

Last pic we're back at the Wanga Pub, not for beer like yesterday but 1 coffee & several hot chocolates

Thanks for leading us on the way home Mark. Quite glad I only had to ride to Otorohanga

[Phreaky Phil]

Pic 1 & 2 - Wanga Pub for lunch on Sat
.....3 - XR on the Wanga Road
.....4, 5 & 6 - Stratford regroup

PIC 4.Post 97 Is that our new HQ !!! (check out the name on the building)

[NordieBoy]

.....4 - Freewind

XF650 - Struan (with the tiddly 19" wheel)...

[Aslan]

XF650 - Struan (with the tiddly 19" wheel)...

Fran - he's vowing to fit a 21" after riding Rogson's Freewind with a 21" front end.

[NordieBoy]

Fran - he's vowing to fit a 21" after riding Rogson's Freewind with a 21" front end.

I've already had a phone call from him trying to get me to part with my "spare"

[tri boy]

Great pic's Cary.
A special mention for some of our hosts over the weekend.
As always, the Awakino Hotel welcomes m/cyclists with a good feed and freindly atmosphere. And the owner is ready with a yarn or three, and nothing is a problem for him. If your cold/tired, or looking for a bed north of Mokau, this is the place.
Forrestal Lodge in Inglewood is probably my new favourite doss down point.
www.forrestal.co.nz
Derek n Kathy are very biker friendly, and the old nunnery has ample showers and loo's to handle a swarm of riders. Only a short walk to pubs, and restaurants, and the thought of staying in a building that housed many "brides of christ" has a certain perverted charm for this deviant
And last, but certainly not least, was the charming and funny Kathleen, owner manager of Fern Lodge and Bar in down town Inglewood www.fernlodgeinglewood.co.nz
I highly recommend the Thai Red Curry with an Irish twist.
Great people/food/booze(Port Taranaki Port, big thumbs up)/roads/adventures. We lucky few.

[Rosie]

We managed to get home safely

Steady rain and gusty wind all the way home Luckily the really strong winds and torrential rain started after we'd got home. Got a text from Paul last night, saying it was snowing in Rerewhakaaitu.

The Flax Cafe in Taumarunui gets the ADV seal of approval. They didn't mind us dripping water everywhere, drying things on the fireplace, and taking over the couches while we tried to warm up for the rest of the trip home.

Otherwise, it was an excellent weekend. Great people, awesome roads, blackberry port

All in all, a most excellent adventure, thank you Phil and Mike

[kanny]

Great pictures.Sounds like all had a great time.Just bet Brent home by half an hour.Bloody .I was lucky i got through.Snowing in Waioruru.Just made it through Nat Park. Im sure i passed a few coming down Nat Park way. Sorry i missed out on meeting some new faces and old ones but will catch up again.Had a total blast where i went.Cary i hear there were ear plugs needed in the bedroom hahaha