Come in Ngawi, your time is up!

[Colapop]

Presumably the "shop" at Ngawi is on a "back street"?

The "back street" used to be the "main road". I haven't been out there in 20 years so I can only assume it's still there. Sounds like a tour of my own is in order.

[Zukin]

Hi ya Merv

Yes I was a fisherman and was on the rescue boat too, it used to get to rough for the rescue chopper it would land at Ngawi and we would take them out in the boat

When you go up to the shop, our little house is right in front of you just before you go up the drive.

Small world aye Colapop, did your old man build that for the Sinclairs?

Cheers Scott

[Korea]

Last Sunday's ride to Ngawi was a nice spur-of-the-moment diversion into previously uncharted territory (for myself on two wheels).

Long winding roads stretching across the countryside and then around the coast make this an excellent excursion. It will be even better come summertime when the icy washed-out sections dry out.
Paving those gravelly bits would be a bonus too (that or get out of the way of the V-twin thou flicking up loose stones in front).

For anyone heading out that way in the immediate future, watch out for the slippery muddy sections marked out with 30KMPH signs. I spun it up exiting the curve - brown trouser moment.

Highlights of the ride included slips, scenery, sheep, and Jimbo600 showing the finer points of monos on the way back.

Pics too...

[MD]

Those sheep look nervous with a couple of perverts tailing them on bikes.

Bugger I didn't follow you out there Jimbo. The call of my stomach was louder than the call of the wild.

So is the road really sealed well? Like sportsbike well, not quasi adventure bike well.
On second thoughts, I can't risk dust settling on my clean bike or sheep shit on the underside of the motor. Mind you some of those sheep did look attractive..

[Colapop]

Hi ya Merv

Yes I was a fisherman and was on the rescue boat too, it used to get to rough for the rescue chopper it would land at Ngawi and we would take them out in the boat

When you go up to the shop, our little house is right in front of you just before you go up the drive.

Small world aye Colapop, did your old man build that for the Sinclairs?

Cheers Scott

No, I think it for the Nix's. Murray Nix (sp?) He had a daughter and twin sons from memory....
My sisters and me would pick up agar from the beach... a good little earner...

[Hitcher]

So is the road really sealed well? Like sportsbike well, not quasi adventure bike well.

The road meets the usual Wairarapa standards for sportsbikes. Any "trouble" is well signposted. Sounds like weekend patronage at the Ngawi store is about to rocket!

[limbimtimwim]

So is the road really sealed well? Like sportsbike well, not quasi adventure bike well.

It's sealed F800S well.

[MD]

Well I rode out this afternoon and it was well worth the effort. Ngawi is where old tractors and bulldozers go to die. Sort of like the elephants graveyard.
Good bit of seal though. Even better scenery as the road follows close to the beach with waves crashing beside you. Then that weird looking steep cliff with the amusing sign - extreme care active slip. Active slip? Does it have a gym membership to show off to those other inactive type slips?
Having never ridden that road before the blind corners can bite.
It adds another twist to the Wairarapa bikers road menu.

I went out too late in the day. As I was riding back towards Lake Ferry I could see this wall of fog coming in ahead of me. The first few minutes with 100m visibility were fun but then the novelty quickly wore off as the road kept vanishing in front of me and the fog got thicker.

[wayne708]

Also did this ride today with some some work mates I ride with, funny thing was they wern't aware of this renewed interest in the caost road on this site and it was the first time I have ridden it on a road bike.

Have travelled it may times over the years from trail bikes and 4x4s doing the complete loop around White rock. And early attemps at rally driving in my teenage years driving a 105E Ford Angia while looking for new hunting areas and fishing spots.

Today we set out at 09:30 from Wellington and headed to Martinbrough for the frist coffee and to pick up a friend on this bike. The weather was brilliant and the Rimutaka Hill at that time mid week is a treat, only came up behind one vehicle on the way up which was quickly dispatched. After a quick break at the top it was of to Martinbrough . (Noted green van in Featherston with camara mounted in rear facing toward open road, made mental note to check hair and make up in case photo taken on return.)

After Martinbrough we headed out to Ngawi stopping several times along the way to take it all in. Also passed a lone rider going the other which looked like Buck Buck on the V storm.

At Ngawi we decided to check the gravel section to Cape Palliser out, this is fine apart from the ford were the constrution of a new bridge is underway, complete with construction workers who all stopped to watch a SV 1000, VTR 1000 Multi Strada 1100 and XT 600 negoiate foot deep water and a loose gravel bottom. Needless to say my conti road attacks handled surpurbly and the I believe the surfies in the Suburu had to follow after waiting to see our progress firist. Yes we encounted the sheep at the golf corse but they now seem to run when bikers approach....hmmmm... nervous maybe?
The return trip was a bit quicker as lunch at Lake Ferry was beckoning, and then the return blat back over the hill, once again with very light traffic.
Yes, this is another great variation to riding in the Rapa and makes a good day trip.All up we covered 300km.
Wayne.

[merv]

Went to Ngawi this arvo to check it out coz we hadn't been there in a wee while and right the only gravel was at the big unstable slip part of the road.

Bugger though the Top House store and Cafe was closed - WTF on a Saturday. So after cruising onto the Cape and checking out the snoozing seals as we went, it had to be back to lake Ferry for about a 3pm lunch.

[jeff]

We went out there last Sunday on the Transalp. We went as far as the lighthouse - heaps of seals past Ngawi.

We took lunch with us and sat at the picnic table at the start of the road up to the pinnacles.

We then went across to Ocean Beach, another really good ride, but not for a road bike - couple of creeks to cross - but definitely worth going. We are going back there for a bit of fishing when the weather warms up.

Chrissie and Jeff

[Hitcher]

We excurted there this afternoon. Fantastic. No real wind to speak of, in fact quite balmy. This road has become a firm favorite of the Hitcher clan.

[merv]

Was the cafe open today Hitcher?

[Hitcher]

Was the cafe open today Hitcher?

We didn't ride round the block to find out.

[MD]

We didn't ride round the block to find out.

Fair enough. It is all the across town and no gas stations in between.

I would like to go all the way (funny, that's what I've been saying to the wife since our wedding...) but need one of those ugly adventure/offroad bikes. Would it be passable in summer on a road bike? Or does anyone who is into ugly bikes hire them over there?