Many Australians and Kiwi's flew with the RAF in Bomber Command during WW2. My father's best friend who I am named after was one of those, killed over Hamburg in Feb 45. Consequently, I have joined his squadron association (the 49th). They put out a quarterly newsletter and I volunteered to ride down to Masterton to where Peter Jackson’s mob are filming part of the remake of the classic Dambusters. The photos of the Lancasters there were meant for the magazine.
I decided on a 2 day trip from Auckland with some site-seeing along the way. As I have only done one longish trip since returning to NZ on the LT (here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=92980 ), I was looking forward to new country....I was not disappointed.
Day 1: Auckland/Omaha-Taupo-Napier, then inland on the 50, backtrack to Waipukurau, down the 52 thru to Masterton for the night. This took 10 hours.
Day 2: Masterton-Pahiatua Track-Palmie-Wanganui-National Park-Te Kuiti-Otorohanga-Auckland. This took 8 hours.
The highlights were:
1. After the straights on the Taupo-Napier road. There wasn’t a cop in sight, little traffic (Sunday after lunch), and the ride was whatever you wanted it. This road was much better than my 20 year old memory had of it. Perfect sweepers for the LT, road in top condition.
2. The 52 between Waipukurau and Masterton....this is some great, remotish, back-country riding. It was just what I had hoped for. 5 cars in the entire time (either direction) between Waipuk and Alfedton. Recommended. LT loved it. Sun strike was a problem so would recommend not late in the afternoon north to south.
3. The 4 from Wanganui thru to National Park. I had never even been on this road in a car, so was very taken with the excellent extended ride it was. Loved those corners and the road was in excellent condition. The LT just ate it up, sat in 3rd a lot of the way.
4. Loved my cruise control...passed 5+ cops, no problem with sitting just under 110. Even took the radar detector off on the Sunday, no real need.
I have been saying that the LT is too big for NZ, but this ride proved to me it works OK and there is enough road to go around. With the trip at the start up to Omaha it was 1550km round trip.
And the photo opportunity? Disappointment....the situation as related to me by the people at Masterton airfield is that one of the 12 full size models made in China for the movie was assembled in Masterton and 2 days of filming for a separate documentary for a museum in Australia was undertaken. Then the plane was packed up and shipped back to Wellington. They understand the movie is on hold at the moment. So, that was all a bit of a downer. I could have rung the airfield from Auckland I guess, but I’m not that stupid.
Here are some pics from the excellent collection at Masterton of mainly WW1 military planes. Worth a visit as they are in beautiful condition.
http://picasaweb.google.com/rmg08057...K-W_v3f3YHXCQ#
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