24-26/11 Coro-Loop and East Cape Loop

[Tonka]

I have been up in Auckland on business which just worked out fine for me as I managed to jump in on a ride organised by barbender and some friends which involved doing the Coro-Loop and down to Whakatane on Friday. Pitch up at my pad that night and then up bright and early and do the East-Cape Loop and back to my pad Saturday and then ride back to Auckland Sunday. Well we did it and of course both the Coro and the East Cape just turned on the weather for us and it couldnt have been better!! Really got to ride and experience some awesome roads but not only that see some (when I could trying to keep up with a ZX14, ZX12R and 50th Anniv R1) of our beautiful countryside!!!

Absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to do a marathon weekend ride - this double has it all. There is no better way to round off that back tire and reduce the ware of that ever prideful bit rubber "the chicken strip" that many of us sports bike owners frequently gaze at.

Here were some of my highlights:
- Not working Friday, instead riding my bike with 3 good mates
- Not assing off on Twilight Rd or the whole ride for that fact!
- Had a support car follow around the Cape to take all our gear - and he just happened to be a Doctor
- The steak burgers at Tokomaru Bay Pub and its awesome view
- Having all these beautiful sports bikes in my garage thinking they were mine
- Talking bike stuff with the boys for 2-3 hours in my garage after each days ride

Some Lowpoints:
- I ate way too much fast food
- Almost assed off just before Tairua because my right hand went numb
- Thought no one saw almost ass off but my mate behind me did!
- Rode back to Auckland by myself because of an appointment early Sunday morning and leaving my mates to clean up my house before me and my misses get home Wednesday
- Get home on Wednesday to find my house has been For Sale since Sunday afternoon
- Getting messages on our home phone about a possible sale of our house by freggin strangers


All in all though it was agreat weekend. Hope to do it again sometime, perhaps with the unexpected Sale of the House I might be able to upgrade to a bigger bike!!

Stay smooth
T

[Tonka]

Sorry for the double posting...new to this...operator error!!

[SPman]

OK - cleared

[ceebie13]

Absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to do a marathon weekend ride -

Good to feed off some enthusiasm, Tonk. Mrs Ceebie and I will be doing the same route in January (only anticlockwise) as part of our annual fix.

[skelstar]

Sounds awesome mate. I did same trip in a similar time frame, but from Welly (via Auckland). Great peice of road huh?

[Bytor]

man, I'm sooooo jealous, sounded like an awesome weekend. Now if I can farm off the kids for a few days.............

[Tonka]

Sounds awesome mate. I did same trip in a similar time frame, but from Welly (via Auckland). Great peice of road huh?

Yeah mate, absolutely brilliant roads. I'm fortunate the Cape is in my backyard because riding it on the bike just made it a whole new experience compared to when I drove so many years ago!! I see the road works from cyclone Bola are still there between Te Araroa and Tikitiki. I laughed when I saw the "30" and "100" speed signs on permantly mounted posts before and after the works.

[Tonka]

man, I'm sooooo jealous, sounded like an awesome weekend. Now if I can farm off the kids for a few days.............

Hey Bytor you should do it some stage mate, thoroughly recommend it. I personally think that Feb/Mar is a good time because the weather normally settle out around then (good days). You might have to start scouting around for a good baby sitter!