Touring the South Island, Nov 24th-29th

[jumma]

It's official - A mate and I are headed to the South Island with the intention of clocking up a few thousand k's. Booked the ferry Tuesday, arranged the time of work and am now in the process of planning our route.

My mate was going down anyway for a wedding in Christchurch on the Saturday, plus taking a few extra days off to see a bit more of the countryside, so when I realised I could do with a bit of a break I though i'd join him.

Planned route so far will take us to Christchurch via Kaikoura on the Friday. Not going to muck about there as we need to be in Christchurch that night.

He'll be off at the wedding on Saturday so I thought I might cruise out to Akaroa (from reports on here that sounds like a great ride). Any other suggestions, Summit Road looks alright on the map?

Sunday, depending on the gravity of our hangovers we'll attempt to get to Queenstown via Fairlie, Twizel etc.

From there we'll be shooting up the west coast on Monday and Tuesday, dropping in on a mate at Franz Josef and probably staying at Greymouth or Westport.

Wednesday we plan to head through the Buller Gorge, up to Motueka and have a play on the Takaka Hill, before jetting back to Picton via Queen Charlotte Drive for a 10pm ferry.

Actual route is far from confirmed, looking at a map I'd prefer to have 2 or 3 extra days so I could see the deep south, but I'm sure this will keep me grinning for a while anyway.

Would be cool to meet some fellow KB'ers along the way, maybe in Chch for the ride to Akaroa if anyones keen? Roll on next Friday!

[Alice]

Lucky barstard, oops I mean person.

[SDU]

Akaroa is a must when in town. Don't forget you can also ride around the bays. The Summit is a busy place (cyclists) but watch out for the gusty winds.
There is often someone riding to Akkas so watch the meeting thread or start one for a ride & / drinks while you're here.
Hope you enjoy your trip.

[jumma]

Akaroa is a must when in town. Don't forget you can also ride around the bays. The Summit is a busy place (cyclists) but watch out for the gusty winds.

Cheers for the warning. Being from Wellington I don't mind contending with the wind, but cyclists, they're a different story. Always two abreast on my entry into blind corners

May start a 'meeting' post for that ride once my plans are confirmed.

[MyGSXF:Me]

Got a place to crash here if ya need one on the way through..

if not.. have a bloody fantastic trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen

[limbimtimwim]

I don't see a Milford sound run there! Great road, great scenery.

If you can, do it. There is fuel at the end if you have EFTPOS. Or is that a credit card.. Hmm.. Take both.

[jumma]

I don't see a Milford sound run there! Great road, great scenery.

If you can, do it. There is fuel at the end if you have EFTPOS. Or is that a credit card.. Hmm.. Take both.

Would love to get there, and depending on how quickly we cover ground we may make it. Don't quite have the time i'd like to spend down there as this was a rather impromptu trip.

Cheers for the pointer though, will keep ya updated on the schedule - it's sure to change.

[jumma]

Got a place to crash here if ya need one on the way through..

if not.. have a bloody fantastic trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen

Thanks for the offer

At the moment it looks as though we'll be passing through Nelson on Wednesday on our way back to Picton, but if plans change will keep your offer in mind. Cheers

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Enjoy the ride, the views... ride safely :-)

[jumma]

Enjoy the ride, the views... ride safely :-)

Cheers. Will need to make sure I'm not focussing on the scenery too much!

[bell]

From there we'll be shooting up the west coast on Monday and Tuesday, dropping in on a mate at Franz Josef and probably staying at Greymouth or Westport.

Wednesday we plan to head through the Buller Gorge, up to Motueka and have a play on the Takaka Hill, before jetting back to Picton via Queen Charlotte Drive for a 10pm ferry.

Sounds like a few long-ish days in there - hope you have great weather to make it even more enjoyable.

Consider heading inland at Greymouth toward Blackball - the best salami you'll ever eat some say - I'd agree! Out of Blackball toward Reefton for a coffee and wander up the main street. Leaving reefton you'd have the Buller (Lower section) another 35kms up the road. You'd miss the last 40kms of the Gorge but depending on the weather you might prefer to avoid the gorge to some extent. Don't worry, plenty of twisties between Inangahua Junction and the turnoff north near Murchison. Great fast sweepers along the next section to Kawatiri Junction, past the Owen River. Good coffee at Murchison but don't bother at Owen River. Hey, life is too bloody short to drink crap coffee!

Definitely do the back road into Motueka via Tapawera. Watch for the last of the grit though. Some of these roads on the northern side of Stanley Brook still had heaps of grit on them a couple of weeks back.

Takaka Hill very much worth the detour. More good coffee in Takaka township...

You'll love the run over the Whangamoa saddle into Havelock (small section of roadworks between Nelson and the top of the saddle - make sure you split up to the front of the queue otherwise you'll be stuck behind 30 slow moving vehicles on some roads that no motorcyclist in their right mind wants to miss!) before turning left onto Queen Charlotte Drive and some truly blissful riding. Remember: if there could be a campervan parked on the side of one of those 67 blind corners then there probably bloody will be! Take care on this section too guys - too much local traffic as it's a fairly populated area (lots of people commute into Picton from Havelock and all points along QCD. Local traffic for me means lazy, inattentive drivers.

Then you're back to that other place across the strait - what a letdown after seeing so much of this great southern land (biased? me? Nah.) Ok, it is pissing it down outside right now but...

PM me if you want any other details of things to see/routes. Cheers, bell

[Joni]

Make sure you let us know when exactly and where you are in Chch.... maybe we can catch up for a quick hello

[jumma]

Sounds like a few long-ish days in there - hope you have great weather to make it even more enjoyable.

Thanks for all the advice Bell, will print it out and confer with map when I get home

Fingers crossed for the weather. Mind you, it can't get much worse than Wellington at the moment.

[bell]

Yeah, days like today I think "cars sometimes do have their benefits". Hope you're not on the bike today?

[jumma]

Make sure you let us know when exactly and where you are in Chch.... maybe we can catch up for a quick hello

Will do. Hoping the weathers good, would love to get out to Akaroa and drag a few others along for the ride.

Cheers.