An Update, and my Easter Travels

[LB]

For those who’ve wondered where I’ve been, I am still very much here. Haven’t been onsite much - my sleep pattern seems to have changed, and I’m sleeping almost until my alarm goes. And I don’t really have any other time to log onto KB other than when I wake an hour or two before the alarm.

One more quick update before my story - as some of you know, Hamish recently traded his GS1200SS on an Anniversary R1. He’s really happy with it (he's kept his Beemer).

Anyway, onto our Easter travels.

We left Wgtn 6.15am Good Friday. The moon was still up, it was a lovely sight as we headed over Haywards to Shell Mana for gas. I took the 800, and Hamish took his BMW R1100S with the hard luggage. It was quite chilly and I was wishing I’d put my handlebar warmers on (I’ve got the Oxford wrap-around cordura ones, but they were sitting at home in the bike gear room…..). However by the time we got to Bulls the sun was shining and there was nary a cloud in the sky. There was a lot of traffic, even though we’d left very early.

We were heading for Morrinsville via the Paraparas/Nat Park/Taumarunui/Te Kuiti to stay the night with my elderly Dad. Just after Bulls we could see Mt Egmont very clearly - a magnificent sight with a third of it covered in snow - I’ve not often seen it from that far away. I stopped before Wanganui and suggested to Hamish that since it was such good weather, that we go via Taranaki.

So it was gas at Wanganui and on to Waverley for a nice breakfast at a café whose name escapes me. Then up to Hawera, and through Stratford for more gas at Inglewood. What a magnificent sight the mountain was.

On through Mt Messenger and the wonderful Awakino Gorge. Stopped at Te Kuiti for lunch at the BP/café at the intersection. Met up with Torque from KB. Nice to meet you.

On to Morrinsville - the whole day was perfect riding weather, no wind at all, and once it warmed up it was about 18 degrees. A very enjoyable ride.

Saturday morning we left Morrinsville around 7.15am and went through to Rotorua where we gassed up. Great weather again today - blue sky and about 18 degrees once it warmed up.

We went on to Opotiki where we stopped at The Diner for brunch. Met up with Skelstar, Motobob, Keystone19, and MV Senna . Small world eh. Nice to meet you all. We headed away before the others as we were meandering and stopping to take photos every now and then. We stopped at a lookout about 30kms from Opotiki, and took pics of you all coming around the corner. I’ll be in touch to get you a copy (I’m not technological enough to post a pic on the site).

If the couple on the Triumph Tiger with a blue Oxford tailbag read this, PM me as I also have some pics of you! (We’d seen you pull in for gas at Caltex Opotiki just as we were getting ready to leave The Diner next door.)

I had an interesting moment with a dog eating roadkill - I saw it from a short distance away as it came into sight and thought it was a hawk. But no, it was a dog. It zig-zagged over the place and luckily zigged in the right direction (ie away from me) when I came upon it. I had slowed down considerably but was still doing about 30kms when I passed it.

We called into Waihau Bay for gas and a drink. It was very pleasant weather, sitting on the edge of the harbour with a drink. Got to Gisborne about 4.30pm and got to our motel (which we’d booked a couple of days earlier - a few years ago I’d learnt the hard way about not booking accommodation in Gizzy!)

We left Gizzy around 8am Easter Sunday and headed home via Napier-Hawkes Bay. It was good weather, though it was raining in the mountains behind Ekatahuna and we got a few spits from the edge of the cloud. We got home around 3.30pm on Easter Sunday, still dry but the cloud was rolling in.

All in all we had a great trip - 1800kms over three days in very good weather. There were heaps of bikes out and about - we waved to them all and only one or two didn’t return the wave. My 800 went perfectly, as did Hamish’s Beemer. Life could be far worse……..

One query that someone might be able enlighten me about....on Good Friday, from Inglewood through Mt Messenger and Awakino Gorge right up to about Te Kuiti, there were literally hundreds of VW's of all shapes/sizes/ages heading south. There must have been a VW rally or get-together I presume? Just curious.

[crashe]

Great write up LB....
Good to see you back on KB again...



Jill = Keystone19

[LB]

Jill = Keystone19

Thanks Crashe - edit made.

[Pickle]

Hi Linda - all the VW's were staying in New Plymouth for an owners get together. Mt Egmont did look good, we went to New Plymouth on Friday & rode around the base of the mountain after visiting Dawson Falls.
Did you see all the Motorhomes in Wanganui there were thousands of them.

[LB]

Yeah, saw all the motorhomes in Wanganui. There'd been an article about them on "Close Up" a night or two before, so it was interesting to see them there.

Thanks for the VW info.

[Keystone19]

Hey Linda

Great to meet you guys too. Look forward to seeing those photos. Thought we would have seen you later in the day to catch up. We stopped in Te Araroa for lunch but you must have kept on going.

Full trip report to follow soon.

Jill

[zadok]

Great write-up Linda. Sounds like you had a blast. My wife and I went for a smaller 600km return trip down W.A's south (Busselton, Gracetown).

[skelstar]

Was cool meeting up with you and Hamish. Pity I was next to a Honda Jazz (literally) through that photo sess. Tried my best to look good through the corner but failed miserably .

[Kendog]

Nice write up.

We followed you round the cape the following day, it really is a great ride.

Glad you enjoyed your trip.