Forgotten Highway

[cs363]

came back to auckland two weeks ago and the gravel is no worries at all , watch the tunnel as was a little slippery . Second part of ride to tau'nui was bloody choice , got behind a guy in a toyota flat deck and he knew those roads , lots of fun till he pulled over into a farm . Found most of the "experts" have only done the stratford to whangamona pub section of road anyway , all the fun is the other end .

Yeah, I agree that the whole road is fun. Not that Stratford to Whangamomona isn't, but it's a bloody good ride right through - whichever direction you're headed.

[Goblin]

Yeah, I agree that the whole road is fun. Not that Stratford to Whangamomona isn't, but it's a bloody good ride right through - whichever direction you're headed.

Hell yes. A good ride all the way!

[Jogger]

Nice video, Eddie B - great to see scoots out touring forgotten highways

[Deemster]

Thanks for posting that Eddie

[Naki Rat]

Enjoy,call the Whanga pub or Kaito(sp)Cafe for road conditions they may know if work has been done.Stratford District Council might know as well,although not sure if gravel is part of their juresdiction.

The Whanga Pub publican is a biker so is up on the importance of road conditions. Phone number for the pub is 06 7625 823 but be prepared for him to take this piss, he usually does.

Even in wet weather that area is very scenic with low cloud draped on the ridges. Enjoy

[nadroj]

The Whanga Pub publican is a biker but be prepared for him to take this piss, he usually does.

To the extent he has pissed the locals off somewhat. He's usually banished to the kitchen nowadays.

[Eddieb]

If you turn left at the pub instead of right (coming from Taumaranui) you end up here:

[CookMySock]

If you turn left at the pub instead of right (coming from Taumaranui) you end up here:

Where the hell does that go?

Steve

[Eddieb]

Where the hell does that go?

Steve

The Bridge to Somewhere, and from there you can loop round and join back up with SH43 halfway between Whangamomona and Stratford, or go back the way you came and enjoy it all over again.

[caseye]

Hey there Princess Bandit you and ol Balu will have heaps of fun, specially if you turn left at the thingamy whatsit and go for that tunnel and the bridge to Somewhere.
No, seriously, skill levels are more than adaquete, just take it easy and enjoy the view.

[oldrider]

Balu and I are travelling to NP this weekend and have had it suggested to us that we do the Forgotten highway. I know about 12 km of it is unsealed and was wondering how people here would grade it for 2 relatively new riders, one of whom rides a 650 burgman scoot.

By 'new' riders, we've both been riding for about 3 years so we're not completely inexperienced, but neither have we done any off roading either. Is the unsealed part really pot-holey, have deep ruts of gravel that you have to dance your way through , or is it still a relatively good riding surface?

Any replies before Friday morning would be good (as we won't be around to read them by then!!)

Cheers

The last time I went through that road was by car in the late 1950's and very little (if any) of it was sealed then.

The weather was atrocious, flooding slips and detours everywhere.

I owned and rode bikes at that time but was on a mission to transport my mother by car in order to visit my older and eldest brothers at Taupo and Stratford.

Somehow the Naki and North of NP is the one area in NZ that has managed to avoid my visits on a motorcycle.

My first ever "long"? trip was when I rode from Petone to New Plymouth and back, to visit my eldest brother in 1958.

Ticketed (speeding) on departure and ticketed on return! (Sigh) See, they were just as enthusiastic in those days!

I am determined to visit Taranaki and beyond NP ASAP, before I find "we have left it too late", so hopefully this summer! (without the tickets)

I look forward to riding through the forgotten (well, I haven't forgotten it) highway as one of the pinnacles of our visit!

I can't wait but Mrs oldrider's enthusiasm needs a bit of a rocket, she is four years my junior and thinks we have "plenty" of time! Yeah right! (familiar?)

PS: I just informed Mrs o/r that I am going and there is an empty seat on the back, if she wants it, it's hers!

Dangerous stuff but sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do!

[ynot slow]

The Bridge to Somewhere, and from there you can loop round and join back up with SH43 halfway between Whangamomona and Stratford, or go back the way you came and enjoy it all over again.

Eddie those pics bring back good times as a teenager,used to hunt and tramp around the area.Those days the track was only suitable for farmbikes,nowdays mountain bikers traverse it.And the way out to Strathmore is beaut.

[caseye]

The last time I went through that road was by car in the late 1950's and very little (if any) of it was sealed then.

The weather was atrocious, flooding slips and detours everywhere.

I owned and rode bikes at that time but was on a mission to transport my mother by car in order to visit my older and eldest brothers at Taupo and Stratford.

Somehow the Naki and North of NP is the one area in NZ that has managed to avoid my visits on a motorcycle.

My first ever "long"? trip was when I rode from Petone to New Plymouth and back, to visit my eldest brother in 1958.

Ticketed (speeding) on departure and ticketed on return! (Sigh) See, they were just as enthusiastic in those days!

I am determined to visit Taranaki and beyond NP ASAP, before I find "we have left it too late", so hopefully this summer! (without the tickets)

I look forward to riding through the forgotten (well, I haven't forgotten it) highway as one of the pinnacles of our visit!

I can't wait but Mrs oldrider's enthusiasm needs a bit of a rocket, she is four years my junior and thinks we have "plenty" of time! Yeah right! (familiar?)

PS: I just informed Mrs o/r that I am going and there is an empty seat on the back, if she wants it, it's hers!

Dangerous stuff but sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do!

LOL nicely put, hope she wasn't hovering over the shoulder as you typed it though, Hate to think of the bruise your'e gunna get!.

[boman]

The ride from Stratford through to Te Kuiti, up the coast road, is a fantastic ride. Beautiful flowing corners, all sealed, even a short tunnel to go through. I would recommend if you ar eheading north after doing the Forgotten Highway, go home this way. It IS worth the effort.

[PrincessBandit]

]The weather was pretty atrocious that weekend and we had heavy steady rain from Whangamomona all the way to Pussy Palace, including the dreadful road works at Tariki.

The highway itself was lovely and even the unsealed bit was enjoyable. Took a lot of concentration and we even had a few seconds riding through squelchy bog!

After lunch at the Whanga pub (thanks Naphazoline, we did enjoy the Whanga burgers immensely!) we were warned by the bar manager that the real twisties were still to come. Yep. And we not only had slips, rock fall and tree debris to contend with but also a cow which decided the middle of our lane was where it wanted to be right at that moment in time.

But we were very pleased we rode it and would love to do it again in better weather. We didn't turn left at the pub (I thought the road sign said it was a no exit) to check out the bridge. The weather really wasn't the best to go exploring too far off track.

Woo hoo on that 15 kph corner.....

And of course the wonderful hospitality of Pussy and Gassit Girl at the end of the ride was outstanding. Plus the bonus of meeting a few other kbers as well; it was nice to meet you too.

p.s. Pussy does an awesome roast lambie, and Gassit Girl makes superb marinated scallops.