I thought the South Island had the best riding roads ever, but I have to reconsider. With a few lads we rode from Welly to Cape Reinga over the Labour Weekend.
Paraparas north from Wanganui are always a highlight. North from Taumaranui the same. Hammy to Dorkland the pits! Nuf said.
We had a buddy with a beach house at Ngunguru so that was our base and saved on accommodation costs. Yeah I had no bloody idea where Ngunguru was either. Above Whangarei and way out to the east.
So Saturday we did the exploring up to Russell, ferry to Pahia and late in the afternoon the stupid random decision was made to take one of our group to the Cape because he had never been there. Great plan, silly timing.
From breathtakingly beautiful bay to bay, sweepers galore, tight twisties that never end and good quality seal, it just goes on, and on, and on until you are exhausted from over dosing on cornering highs.
Must email a picture of a straight road to the local Mayors with the caption- build one of these bastards so we can catch our breath!
But seriously the road conditions for riding are mind blowingly good. It was 7.15pm as the sun was setting at Cape Reinga when we realised we were facing 4 hours of cornering in darkness on unknown roads to get home. We had left in light riding gear, expecting Saturday to be a gentle local ride only. It might be called the winterless north but I can tell you this labour weekend it was sunny but a cold wind blew. Once the sun dropped temps plummeted. When we got to the beach house I ran in, poured a Drambuie into a wine glass and took it with me into a hot shower to get my blood flowing from the inside and outside. Worked a treat.
Monday return trip was a bugger though. Holiday traffic, ten thousand cops on the roads, ever man and his dog who owned a boat or caravan took them out on the roads just to piss us off. And the rain. Lots of rain. Close on 11 hours of riding to get home soaking wet and miserable. Worth it for the three earlier days of motorcycling bliss under sunny skies.
Oh yeah and what's with making us pay $2.20 to ride a 5 minute section of boring motorway? Weirdos up north.
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