Mmmmm What An Adventure!!
Friday 16 June 2006
1:30pm
Left Waiuku and headed to Caltex Bombay to meet up with Cary. We then hit the highway and headed to hamilhole. Was raining steadily by the time we got to Hamilton. Made it through then set off for Rotorua. The rain eased a bit south of Hamilton and looked to be clearing as we headed down the Mamaku’s. Entering Rotorua the light began fading real fast and the rain started coming down in earnest. Gassed up in Rotorua then set off down S.H.5 to Clint’s family’s hunting hut just north of Reporoa. The track up to the hut was an adventure in itself as it was still raining and the light had almost faded fully. We slithered our way up the steep winding track to the top of the ridge where the hut was built in the early eighties.
We were met at the hut by Clint and we set about getting the fire started and getting out of our wet gear. Clint’s sister Claire joined us a little later on an XT225. Clint made an awesome spag bolog for dinner and a friend delivered a couple of frozen pizza’s in a 4WD. A few beers and a bit of a chinwag and it was time to hit the sack. I awoke a couple of times in the night to the sound of the wind roaring past the hut and the rain coming down in bucketfuls. I was sure we’d emerge in the morning to find the bikes laying on their sides or worse at the bottom of the gully but they were still standing when we ventured out from our bunks. Morning dawned clear and blue-ish as we lookedout over the surrounding mist. All dressed and packed we set off for pauls place in rotomahana. On the way down the hut track my XT spluttered and died…. Managed to get it fired up again but would not run above idle. Suspected a fuel starvation problem so switched from the auxiliary tank to the main tank. Managed to get it sorted but the problem returned when I switched back to the auxiliary again. Long story short… Got to Pauls place and drained the water out of the auxiliary tank and all was well again. At Pauls we were met by Ben (XR650R), Vaughn (KLR650), and Roger (XF650 Freewind). We then headed along S.H.38 before turning off onto the Ngamotu road.
Then up the Pokairoa road onto Galatea Road and then onto Te Teko and Awakeri for a fuel stop.
From Awakeri we headed out to Opotiki for lunch at a café on the main street.
Eleven km’s on from Opotiki is the start of the Motu road. Once onto the gravel on the Motu the race began with Cary, Ben and myself leading the charge! There was only one slip on the motu which is surprising considering the weather of late.
At the end of the Motu is Matawai. We had a quick stop for a brew at the Matawai pub then set off for our nights accommodation at Journey’s End Station at Koranga. At Journey’s end we stayed in the shearer’s shack. More of a palace than a shack. Sorted some minor maintenance issues stashed our gear then Clint and Claire took us for a trip on the quad and Polaris Ranger to the Sunny Face Lodge. This is a Lodge for hunting or relaxing high in the hills behind the station homestead. Built on a ridge called sunny face of course. Solar power and gas, no phone or TV means you can really get away from it all. For access to this a 4wd or quad is a must.
For more info see www.journeys-end-stn.co.nz
At 6:30 we headed up to the homestead for a beautiful meal put on by station owners Rob and Anne. After dinner we watched the All black kick the Irish’s butt. An excellent night and great food. Thanks Rob and Anne.
Photo 1 - The hut
Photo 2 - Ngamotu
Photo 3 - Opotiki
Photo 4 - Motu
Photo 5 - Journey's end
To be continued….
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Originally Posted by Cary
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