Southern Cross Report from MaxB

[MaxB]

Part 1

Sunday 22nd – South Auckland - New Plymouth (343kms)

I had to pack and get ready early in the morning. The bike (a ZZR 1100) had been prepared the week before. Unfortunately I had to attend a Counties rugby course on the Sunday. It was hard to concentrate since all I could think about was getting on the road. I rushed home shoveled some tea down said goodbye to my family and I was on my way. It was a quick trip down the Expressway, due to no traffic and a cop free situation. I skipped down the western side of Hamilton and picked up SH3 at Ohaupo. On through Te Awamutu and Otorohanga and down to Te Kuiti for a pie and gas. It was 6.30pm and fairly dark I put on my thermals since it gets chilly through the Awakino Gorge at this time of year. My better half is from out this way and I know the roads pretty well. The gorge came and went pretty quickly but I was trying hard to put myself into touring mode and was concentrating on getting into some sort of rhythm as opposed to outright top speed. Apart from a few cager idiots aggressively overtaking me in the 30km/h zone on deep gravel roadworks the trip was fairly routine. I got to the hotel in New Plymouth and “My Name is Earl” was on TV. I met Kiwi Biker Jon Bauer and his mate in the hotel reception. He is from the USA and has come down especially for the rally. I also saw a Ducati Monster parked up. Desmo Johnny was that you?

[MaxB]

Part 2

Monday 23rd – New Plymouth via Cape Egmont to Cable Bay (785kms)

Next morning I was up in plenty of time to head out to the rally start and Okato for a coffee. What fantastic weather. I met Jantar and Highlander briefly for the first time and ended up having my photo taken by a guy with a Busa. My coffee took ages so I was held up a bit. I got away in plenty of time for the start not least because the local cops put on a show of strength for us.

RALLY START
The trip out to Cape Egmont was very simple, out to Pungarehu on the coast road then turn right to the lighthouse. I parked at the start of the gravel hoping for a quick getaway. Then off to sign in. There were three booklets that split surnames into alphabetical bands. This made the signing in process straightforward. Soaking up the atmosphere I felt a quiet buzz was in the air. This was it, the start of an adventure.

The quick getaway was soon stuffed after we got permission to go not long after 11am and everyone headed out on the single track road at once. I retraced my steps up to New Plymouth and called into a Caltex station near the roadworks on the north side of town around midday. I kept it really slow almost all the way back to Otorohanga stopping at Te Kuiti at the Liberty Café for some lunch. I love this place, it has a bottomless coffee cup policy and freshly baked pies with real filings. Then off to the Pirongia road that bypasses Hamilton and up to Ngaruawahia. Did anyone see the speed camera van nestled in the s-bend at Te Kowhai? There was a mufti cop at Pirongia too.

I got back home in time for tea. I took the time to reload my pack and jettison some stuff I was never going to need like extra clothing. After fuelling up I discovered a problem with the nights accommodation. Not only had the cabin been double booked but the price had gone up to $48 plus $22 for breakfast and $12 for bedding. Grr! I smelled gouging. I was preparing to stay in Auckland and ride up early next morning when my Dad rang. Family friends had moved up north and opened a B&B in Cable Bay. Even though it was closed for the season they would open just for me. Bingo! I quickly repacked and was off at a fairly quick pace. The Orewa, Brynderwyn & Waipu sections came and went and I stopped in Whangarei for a coffee and petrol. By now it was 9.45 ish and I had to press on.

Almost without warning around Kawakawa the fog came down like a big white blanket. It took 25 minutes to do 10 kms. FFS. It is a bit swampy there so I guess I should have known better. I’d be interested to know what riders coming along after me thought of it. In some places I had about 3 bike lengths visibility but I knew as I rose up and away from the rivers the fog should clear. On the other side of Moerewa I came across a truck parked on the highway with no lights. I made it to the SH10 turn off doing about 70km/h in the fog. At Puketona the mist began to lift and I could press on. It was quite a fast trip from there and the 80kms or so seemed to go by in a flash. Within 2 minutes I collected a rabbit and a possum as roadkill. The rabbit just ran across my path and into the side of the bike but the possum just froze in the headlight. At the last minute he tried to escape by running under my bike. I was at speed and on a straight so I just carried on. It’s a bit like hitting a small pothole. The rest of trip was fast but uneventful under a moonlit sky. I got to Cable Bay before midnight and got a great welcome.

[MaxB]

Part 3

Tuesday 24th – Cable Bay Northland via Cape Reinga to Opotoki (942.2kms)

Had to spend some time catching up with the family friends over a leisurely breakfast and I cleaned the mixture of chain lube and possum fur from under the bike as best as I could. Then I was off in brilliant sunshine. It was only 130 odd km to the Cape from here so I took it really easy. I’d managed to work out that they might let us go early so my aim was to arrive around 11. I got there about 11.30 after taking it easy on the gravel. There were bikes everywhere! I got lucky and took a camper van spot in a prime position. I signed the register and was preparing to set off when at random I decided to have lunch in the sun and let the bikes thin out a bit. The problem with this road is the number of tourists who are inexperienced with gravel. On my last trip to CR in January a bus and a rental car both ran off the road on the lower section near Te Paki.

After my nice lunch I left the Cape at around 12.30. Although and some bikes were still arriving most had left for the East Cape checkpoint. I headed off down SH 10 to Kerikeri for a coffee and what a shock. Crowded, busy and full of Aucklanders. Parnell by the sea. Stuff that, so I headed to Kawakawa for gas and snack food. I did 336.6 kms on a tank today and still had 3 litres of reserve left. I had a yak to some fellow SC riders on BMWs at the Mobil. A guy on a 1990s R100 and a gut on a modern RT(?). They were off to Opotiki for the night. Hmm, sounds like a plan.

It was about now that things started to go wrong. I got down to Puhoi in good time but to cut a long story short it took 2 hours to get to the other side of Auckland. A combo of a truck breakdown/accident and rush hour traffic and me not taking the Helensville turn off. To add to that the bike was getting hot and on the open road the temp just would not go back to the normal cool position.

When I got home I got a lovely cooked tea and I took off my luggage to take a look at the bike. Nothing wrong with the fan, no leaks, coolant levels OK. WTF? All this was wasting time, plus I had a few issues with my business and the family to sort out. I bounced a few ideas off a mechanic mate and he came up with the answer. Let the bike cool and carefully hose out the back of the fan and bellypan. In short I got about 2 cupfulls of Cape Reinga sludge out of the fairing and fan housing. Bingo, job done and Speights left for the mate. I repacked the luggage for the South Island leg and had a shower.

It is amazing how a short break can refresh you. Even though I did not leave until 9.30 pm and still had to gas up I made very good time to Tauranga. The Kaimai road (SH29) being a highlight. Stopped at Te Puke after for fuel where the lady on duty warned me of black ice that the truckies were reporting and how I should go to Rotorua and stay there. Eh? If anything Rotorua would be worse, wouldn’t it? So ignoring her advice I set off for Opotiki. In short I got to Opotiki about 1.30 in the morning in a blanket of fog. 100 kms of fog. This was the lowest point of the rally for me. I was damp, very cold and fog-blind and my head was full of the problems from home. I was about 10k past Matata when I almost ran straight into a black cow stood in the middle of the road. We just waited there staring at each other. I don’t why but I burst out laughing and it broke my mood. After that I felt better and knew I could make it. When I got to my motel in Opotiki the heater was on and the kettle was bolied, sheer luxury! As soon as I warmed up I slept very well.

[MaxB]

Part 4

Wednesday 25th – Opotiki to East Cape to Wellington (City) (889.1kms)

I managed about 5 hours sleep and felt OK but very tired. What a beautiful day. I got to the Caltex in Bridge Street after 8.00 and got petrol and ate breakfast outside. I also got a few things for the trip this being ANZAC day and most things were closed. I know the cape road well, especially sections where you can and cannot go fast. I was on a reasonable pace or so I thought given that the ZZR can be a bit of a pig in the twisties. I still got passed by a selection of bikes. One guy had no luggage on his bike and seemed to be acting as guide for 4 SCRR riders. Fair enough, they were pretty tidy riders and I waved them through. However I had a really close call with a GSXR rider trying to pass on a blind left hander. When you are riding on the white stripe on the right side of the road and are wrestling a tank slapper you only get past because other riders give you room. This rider earned his nickname ‘Deathwish’ for the rest of the rally. Other riders filled me in on his exploits just about every time I stopped. On the way up to the Cape I was sure I was going to find him splattered on the road but Lady Luck was smiling on him that day.

IMHO for those that don’t know the East Cape road (SH35) is one of the biking highlights of New Zealand. Hairpins, single lane roads, old time bridges, steep climbs around bluffs, tiny settlements. It has it all. Plus the road is lightly policed and only traveled by tourists and locals. The downside is that petrol is hard to come by and the road can catch you out if you drop your concentration for a second. I got out to Te Araroa, the start of the East Cape lighthouse road before midday only to find that the organizers had moved the checkpoint to the township. They rightly decided that 130 bikes on the 20 km of gravel to the lighthouse posed too great a risk both with safety and fuel availability on ANZAC day. I signed up ASAP.

The time saved went towards brunch, a yarn with Highlander who pulled in next to me and a catch up nap. When I left people were still queuing for fuel at the one pump in Te Araroa. There seemed to be a problem with fuel supply. I saw at least one bike (a Buell) with a fuel can so with Ruatoria only 40 km away a shuttle service was looking likely for some. I doubt any one would have been stranded.

To be fair to the Eastland council, a lot of the unsealed roadworks on the Gisborne section I slagged off on KB in February were now sealed. There were still a few gravel sections around Letter Box Hill and Tikitiki. I watched an accident unfold in front of me. A guy went in far too hot for a left hand uphill section. Just round the corner the road went to gravel and the lady following had nowhere to go when he bailed and down she went. No point in laying blame, I just stopped, checked everyone was OK and rode on at the request of one the party. Plenty of help was there. The rest of the trip was routine enough especially as I was nursing the fuel range. I went on to reserve after Whangara at 310 km and when I got fuel in Gisborne I had done 323 kms since the last fill. To extend the fuel range I threw in a tank of 98 Ultimate. Then I found me a Burger King and had my first takeaway meal of the trip. Shafty and Highlander were on their way out when I got there.

I took the back roads out of Gisborne past my fathers old house and rejoined SH2 at the SH36 turn off. The road down to Nuhaka was uneventful and I made a quick stop in Wairoa to put on my thermals and on to the twisty bit to Napier. I made a stop in Bay View for petrol and coffee and another chat with more SC entrants. Then I did a stupid thing. When I was moving the bike at the garage I set the bike on its sidestand straight down on my right boot. It did not hurt straight away but after a few minutes, ouch! I had a couple of Panadeine that I skulled with more coffee. By now that and the late nights were catching up with me and I slowed down a bit. Then off to the wonderful SH 50 by pass to hook up with SH 2. The next stop for me was Masterton about 8.30 mainly to warm up before the Rimutakas. It was so cold going through the Wairarapa, my little tank bag temperature gauge read 4degC near Carterton, the coldest point of my trip.

The road over the Rimutakas was magical in the moon light especially since I followed a BMW M3 through the tricky bits. The driver did a great job for me and took a lot of pressure off in the twisties. I got to my city centre hotel in a very good time.

[MaxB]

Part 5

Thursday 26th - Bluebridge Ferry to Picton then Dunedin (702.5km)

My crossing was the 8.00am Bluebridge. The only problem is that one of my tie downs was corroded and had seized. It took a lot of messing about to get it to work (mental note: check everything works before packing it). I used antiseptic cream to free up the mechanism since my tools were packed away.

We escaped from the ferry before midday so then my target became lunch in Kaikoura. I have to say I am unashamed fan of the South Island. I love it here. The roads, the people, the scenery, hell even the cops smile at you. It felt good just to be on the road down here. I made it to Kaikoura about 1pm and had an awesome all day breakfast at the Why Not café. Even the portions on the mainland are bigger.

After more fuel I headed out to Christchurch. There was a police presence up in Cheviot and at various points along the way. It was about now that I regretted not bringing my radar detector. My next best idea was to tag along with groups that did. So I did. Next up was Christchurch. I toyed with the idea of breaking off at Amberley and going through Rangiora and Oxford then back on to SH1 but the western by pass seemed like a better idea. Wrong! It was locked solid at 4 in the arvo. I zig-zagged across the city until I got to Fendalton then I took the airport signs. I picked up SH1 and was on my way. At least I kept moving in the right direction and was soon on SH1 heading south.

Then it started to rain heavily. I stopped in Rakaia for food and fuel and for the rain to ease. It didn’t. So further south I went. I got as far as Timaru where I stopped again for a coffee and pie (and to warm up and dry out).
I sent my wife a text to get her to book a hotel for me. She got me a great deal on a city centre hotel in Dunedin for not much more than a unit. Once confirmed Dunedin became my target.

Oamaru was next but I wonder who saw the mufti cop in a ute near the Kurow turn off. It was a 100-70-100 sort of road with the 70 bit being only a few metres long. What I’d like to know was what was he doing there at 8 o’ clock at night in the pissing rain on empty roads? The only things on the road of course were the rally riders. Hmm.

I got fuel in Oamaru and was quickly on my way. Only 100km or so to go but by now the rain was really bad and visibility was very low. I got to Dunedin by following a Mainfreight truck lit up like a Christmas tree. He lit the way and set a good pace in the conditions. I stayed back so as not to be blinded by his spray and got to Dunedin before 10 pm. I spent a while in the hotel drying out all my gear and then I was set for a good night’s sleep.

[MaxB]

Part 6

Friday 27th – Dunedin to Bluff (247kms) then Bluff to Wanaka (254.1kms)

After a fantastic breakfast I left the hotel and picked my way past the light Dunedin traffic. I wanted to stop in Gore for a coffee and fuel instead of the Clinton-Mataura road so I did. Whilst in Gore I witnessed a take down of some “crim scum”. Two police cars swooped on a red van as it pulled into its driveway on the main street. One cop car blocked the driveway and the other pulled up along side and 4 guys piled out. I pulled over to watch and to keep out of the way. I soon realized as other units turned up that if they were there they couldn’t be out patrolling the road. I made some good time down to the outskirts of Invercargill when I got stuck behind a HP car who even did 30 km/h through the long roadworks when the contractors had long since pissed off. I took a side road through the suburbs, crossed the road to the Catlins and then picked up SH1 south of the city. On the last bit to Bluff I must admit to feeling a bit excited as I got closer to the finish. I arrived at Stirling Point about 11.30.

There were bikes everywhere. I parked up, signed off and got my badge. I did it! Heaps of people arrived after me but the point was only to arrive before 1pm so nothing else really mattered. I shook a few hands and congratulated people especially some who had a tough time of it. Then off to the Eagle Tavern for a well deserved beer and a feed. The food was superb and I stocked up for my trip home. A had a great time but had to leave after 3 pm to get up to Wanaka where I was staying the night and meeting friends. Next time I’m staying in Bluff and partying.

RALLY FINISH

I’d just like to thank Lee and everyone who was connected with this event. It was a very well run affair and I’ll be back if I can.

I heard a saying once that has stuck with me over the years. “After a certain distance it becomes about the rider and not the ride” After 3500 kms I can say that I was honoured to spend some time on the road with some special riders. Thanks.

[Jantar]

Another great write up. It almost seems as though I was there.

[nadroj]

Pretty Boy

[KoroJ]

Good one Max but what about the trip home. Any little anecdotes to share there.

After all, Bluff to Counties is more k's than most would do in a month.

[shafty]

Great report Mate, cool to read. Have you kept in touch with that cow? lol

[DesmoJohnny]

Hey mate,good write up - bloody awesome. Yep that was me parked up in the corner in New Plymouth.
Catch you in a couple of years ?

[STDavid]

Max
Nice write up. Enjoyed it. Thanks, david

[MaxB]

Sorry KoroJ for being slack. I have been trying to catch up with work stuff. Hope this fills in the missing pieces.

HOMEWARD BOUND
I left the Eagle to get up to Wanaka before dark. After refueling at Invercargill it started to rain again. Once out on the highway I regretted not stopping for a coffee since the settlements got fewer and farther apart. As I started to climb the rain started to ease until it stopped altogether. The plains gradually gave way to rolling hills and I could see the high country in the distance. I stopped at Lumsden to only change my wets for thermals and then began the climb into the mountains. I stopped on shores of Lake Wakatipu but didn’t get off the bike. I just wanted to take in the scenery and to get a blast of hot air from the inside the fairing. Next up was Frankton and over to the Arrowtown turn off to pick up the superb Crown Range road past Cardrona (SH 89) into Wanaka. It starts with a single lane climb up the side of the Crown Range and then flattens out to a plateau. It is like riding in a scenic postcard, with mountains either side but they are really close in. Then the road more or less follows the course of the Cardrona river apart from a few high passes. I got off the road just in time to avoid the frost. The hotel was very hard to find being down a right of way but it was very nice once I’d found it (mental note: most of the people you ask for directions in Wanaka will be tourists and some will not speak English). My friends were due to come up from central but couldn’t get away from work in time so I phoned and called it off. I’m seeing them for my sister’s wedding soon so no harm done. After a feed I turned my attention to the other guests. I met an American who had a thing for single malts and had an encyclopedic knowledge of Scottish distilleries and I talked bikes with an Aussie who wanted to get back into bikes after last riding in the 70s. That was an awkward conversation because his wife was at our table making it clear that she did not want him riding again. At least I got to toast the SCRR riders with some good scotch.

That night I reflected on the rally for the first time. I thought I’d be more pleased with myself but instead I felt only a quiet satisfaction of a job reasonably well done. Maybe it will sink in later.

Saturday 28th – Wanaka to Westport (578.5 kms)

This was going to be my day. All the little aches and pains had gone and I felt great (apart from my mangled right foot). I wanted to travel up the West Coast with no particular plan other than to get to the ferry on Sunday. If you want to know about Westland roads then come down and ride them. Basically you get alpine passes, river valleys, rainforest and sweeping coast roads all in one magnificent hit. I love the Haast Pass and the ZZR will suck up roads like these like a giant vacuum cleaner. I had a lot of fun. After a coffee and cake at Haast I set off for the glaciers. I picked up a stray rider on the way. I was quick on the straights but this bike was hard to shake with his headlight always being somewhere behind in the distance. I let him catch up and we pulled into Franz Josef for fuel. It turns out he is a pom on a rental BMW F650GS. Back home he rides a Firestorm. I offered to show him the road as far as Hokitika where he was headed back to Christchurch. We had a good ride with hardly any traffic and the time just flew by. I let the BM lead for some of it but blasted past for the moss covered rainforest road section and the flats past Mahinapua. I reckon I saved this guy a ticket from the 2 HP cars near Hokitika. I stopped in town and asked him what he thought of the place. He was so impressed by the roads that I had to give him all the details of how to apply for permanent residence in NZ! I gave him my contact details in case he got into strife and bid him goodbye. Another convert to NZ perhaps?

I carried on to Westport via McDonald's in Greymouth. I put this up for the worst Maccas in NZ. While I was being served some kids let off a stink bomb in the queue. They tried to keep serving through the smell but eventually evacuated us outside. Like it was a bomb scare. They could have cleaned it up then and there but that was too much for them. My coffee and fries were going cold, I knew that because I could see them through the window as I sat in the playground. It took an about an hour in that place to get my food. The hot apple pie was still frozen in the middle and it arrived before the BLT roll. Fast food? (Tui ad). At least it gave me a chance to get SWMBO to book a modest motel for me in Westport. McDonald's I’m NOT loving it.

I was pleased to leave McDs behind as I headed north. I dealt to the traffic within a few ks of leaving Greymouth and had a twilight run at the coast road. As I went up the coast the sun was setting on the sea. Pure magic. Memories like this are why I ride bikes. Even the wildlife was behaving itself. Lets just say I arrived in Westport with a big grin on my face. Motel found quickly. Job done.


Sunday 29th – Westport to Wellington (303km)

The shortest day of my trip still added up to 8 hours with the ferry trip thrown in. In short I gassed up in sunny Westport and rode to Picton without stopping (except for roadworks). I went via the Buller Gorge and the Wairau Vally road to Blenheim. What can I say? These roads can take your breath away and at that time on a Sunday I think I passed all of 6 cars until the SH6 junction at Renwick. Sheer bliss. The gorge was a bit damp in places but it did not slow me down too much. The Wairau valley road seemed to be a set of long straights connected by one lane bridges. In theory it would be possible to run a large bike to the redline here if you wanted to.

Got to the ferry in good time and had a leisurely crossing. I have to say that I was pretty sad at leaving the Mainland. Yet more SCRR entrants were on this crossing. It only took a few minutes to tie the bike down this time. We were put in with the stock trucks so when I got back to the deck the bike stank of disinfectant and cattle piss. Got to my hotel (the same as on the outward leg) about 6.00 and settled in for the night.


Monday 30th – Wellington to Auckland (674.4 km)

This was a pretty routine trip to Auckland. I have done this trip a fair few times since the head office of the company I contract to is in Lower Hutt. In those glorious days before cheap plane tickets they used to give me the full fare in cash and I could get there any way I wanted (eg by bike) and pocket the rest. I used to go down on the Sunday and stay overnight. Now they throw me cheapo off peak tickets that are non-refundable. End of fun.

Anyway in short I went via SH1 and took it easy. The traffic was amazingly light out of the capital. There were some road works but I decided to go round them and the cars so no hold up there. When I got to Bulls I realised that I had been or was going to go through every province in New Zealand except Wanganui. However then I saw a roadsign that said Wanganui-Manawatu district, so thanks to whoever thought to combine the regions. I didn’t have to take a detour. Back in Murchison I used the opposite argument knowing that Tasman has replaced Nelson district but I used the old regions by asking myself which comp is Murchison RFC part of? Nelson Bays thats who).

At Taihape the rain started and did not let up until home. I’d like to tell you about what I saw on the way back but to be honest I was lucky to see anything but the car in front for 200km. About all I can tell you is the grip from Pirelli Diablo Stradas is astonishing in the wet on this bike. Very stable. Almost idiot proof. I had lunch in Taupo in a McDonald's that does work properly. My bike became a magnet. Soon a couple on 900 Triumph showed up and this student type who was riding his old ZX-7 to Dunedin stopped by for a chat. In truth no one was that keen to move off in the rain so we all hung around in the McCafe drinking coffee and chatting.

After Taupo I changed my plans and took SH27 at Tirau because the main highway was full of idiots and cops. To cap it all SH1 was shut at the SH6/SH1 turn near Wairaki. We took the back roads detour and rejoined the main highway a few ks up. I witnessed plenty of examples of poor policing in the atrocious conditions. My last fuel stop was in Matamata more to get out of the rain than any empty tank. Putting on cold, wet gloves is not the greatest feeling in the world. Then it was a slow plod back up to the smoke. Gradually the rain changed to a fine mist. When I cleared the Bombays the lights of Auckland spread out before me in the distance and I felt good. Anyway I got in about 7.00 pm exhausted but glad to be to be home. Great to see the family, dry out and get some food. I was safely home. I had the next day off so I left the bike in the garage. In the following week I kept having the feeling that I should be on the road riding somewhere. Oh well only 2 years till the next one. I’ll do my best to be there. See you then.

Rally distance: 3525.1 kms

Total distance: 5718.8 kms




Ride safe.

[shafty]

Another great write up MaxB, - real cool reading about other peoples rides and impressions - very cool also to see how much you appreciate the scenery - must hook up for a Rally somewhere sometime, Cheers, Shafty

[RichardC]

Excellent report MaxB,
Its surprising how reading it brings back the memories immediately
Thanks Richard