Part III BMW

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Day 3 Ohope - Thames

Fantastic day for riding - I had planned to stay at Waihi but I was so enjoying riding the bike I just kept on going!! Great roads/corners. Couldn't get into any motorcamps in the Coromandel!! Yes I totally loved the Coro loop, would have been much better if there weren't so many damned cages on the road - however at least it did slow me down and I got to admire the scenery as well! (so far the the East Coast scenery beats it!!) but all those beautiful twists and turns and I would loved to have let loose on!! Instead I got to practice heaps of engine braking!! I also practiced the many different ways of cornering - near the end I was shifting my butt alot!!

I stopped in Thames at 7.45pm and had fish and chips - had plans of getting to Miranda and I would have just enough time to pitch the tent and collapse - well be buggered if I could find the correct exit - I thought I must be too tired went back to Thames and stayed at Dickson's motorcamp - up in the bush - arrived there around 8.45pm!! Pitching tent was down to a fine art now!! The shower was good - and that was when I realised I'd left my shampoo and stuff in Ohope!! Mad dash out of shower to liquid soap containers!!

Day 4 Thames - Miranda
Didn't sleep too well - it was bloody cold - and I was superorganised and left my panniers out under my little porch - tarp from tent - over bike!! I had lycra trousers and a sweatshirt in the tent - put those on - couldn't find me socks - my supercheap sleeping bag just wasn't cuttin the mustard - I actually zipped it all up - cos the bloody thing is too short, so it was phoetal position. Anyway finally I woke at 7.30am the guy in the office said I should go to the Thames market - there would be food stalls so I could have brekkie! Got there and the only food stall was mussell fritters YUK. Then it pissed down - every other day I have packed my tent up first!!! Guess where wet weather gear was!! Fk it I thought - gotta have coffee - waited for 20 mins and it still hadn't been made so I said hey I have to rush back and pack up my tent - well they made mine immediately!! The rain eased and I got back to camp - well my el cheapo tent had held up well!! Then the sun came out.

I left for Miranda and found the exit no problem - the bloody map have all these flamin no.s on them and in my "tired" state I was looking for Highway 24 - doesn't fkn exist - it was explained to me that that was the number of k's!! I was warned about the famous Kopu bridge - I couldn't miss it - well I'd gone over several bridges before that one then I came across "the bridge" well firstly a long line of cages - I vaguely remember Bartender saying something about that!! Anyway not a problem for a biker!

Went to Ngatea and some chrystal place, huge place. Nothing really caught my eye tho! Found Miranda and the campsite - complete with a hotpool. This is a beautiful motorcamp - very new facilities. Showers are absolutely amazing!!! Very few sites left! Set up my tent. Then had to go back to Ngatea to fill up with gas, had a great hamburger at this cafe there. On the way back I opened the bike up a bit. Just passed a vehicle (along road to Miranda - off the beaten track) and bugger me a bloody cop is coming the other way! Hand and foot went into action real fast. Thank god for narrow country roads cos he could have got me big time - I thought - I have travelled 1400 ks main highways the lot and no cops (only leaving Welly but not on my side). Lazed in the hotpools - bliss. Did some reading - my first blob day - hell I have enjoyed riding the bike. I have called this my "Rediscovering Freedom" trip. Let go of the horrific year, enjoy the moment and hopefully soon will work on where to from here.

I have written this on 30 Dec but don't think they have internet access here. Next stage is Auckland - check bank account which will decide if I go further!!

[Dadpole]

Great to hear you are having a good time (and that those camping experiences don't just happen to me).
Hope you have a great holiday. Ride safe.

[Ruralman]

Sounds like you're having a ball - the great thing about Motor camps/camping grounds is how easy it is to meet and talk to people aye. Being a chick on a bike you will have even less trouble getting talked to!!!!
Next step - the South Island!!
Ride safe

[mstriumph]

my life is sooooooooooo meaningless

[James Deuce]

Really good to see you having some fun after the last few months mate!

Now don't lose your license during this big rush of blood to the brain OK?

[Colapop]

Has it snowed anywhere on your journey yet? I hear Whangaparoa gets chilly at 4am...

How is the bike with that adjustment we made? It shouldn't be so rattly (at least for ahwile) keep it well lubed too - usual story clean/adjust/lube/clean/adjust/lube/clean...

Enjoy the rest of your trip, Shirls.

[Zukin]

Hi there

Great write up
Looking forward to the next episode

I agree with your comments about the scenery on the East Coast - Magic

Safe travels

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Thx colapop - tomorrow I am doing another adjustment to the chain - I rather think a new one will be in order soon.

But tyres first!! Ouch.

A retired friend of mine who I call Sir Richard (ex aircraft engineer) and I fixed my indicators tonite - once and for all!!

Had to take the pannier rack off and the back facing - he made up a relay?? anyway we put an extra wire in so the indicators didn't need the frame of the bike to "make them go" - I did have the proper words earlier but I'm tired now and brain gone dead!! Took us a couple of hours but I learnt alot.

Thanks for all the positive comments - Part IV is in the making!!