Fast tour of NI and top of SI: Need some route ideas

[puddytat]

There's a Garage in Porangahau...mightnt be open w/ends though.

[Gremlin]

from welly to bulls has to be the most boring, tiresome trip out, just the congestion sucks & not exactly saving time either,

right... can't beat the local knowledge... me thinks I will do that

And he's got some great lights!

Picton, Blenheim, St Arnaud, Murchison, Springs Junction, Lewis Pass, Mouse Point, turn north onto the Inland Scenic Route (SH72?) and then cut through to SH1 via Leader Rd... that'd be a stunning day's ride!

On the return trip, Arthurs Pass, Greymouth, Westport, Murchison, Nelson, Havelock, Queen Charlotte Drive, Picton.

heh... his mounts for the extra spots fell apart... but he has got me hooked on HID. They're awesome

The two suggestions you've made are pretty much what I was thinking... so good to know. I haven't got the SI Drivers Atlas yet, so is Leader Rd the one at Waiau?

Mr SlowHand... you're sooo slow... I ain't going that far south no more. Can't be losing my NI permit More'n likely they'll investigate you for looking like an overstayer As for the kwaka... yeh... I suspect it will outlive my ass by the end of the trip

don't forget to stay under the speed limit of 100km/h

Now Mr Fruit... its not a target don't cha know. (more like a very small hurdle)

[Gremlin]

Found it rather hard to get hold of an AA or Jason's book that isn't almost 10 years out of date and it seems you have to pay for one direct (websites didn't even seem to list the books) or get one free from motels etc (of course, I have to get to one first - catch 22). Ideally I'll grab a book in one of the first places I stay in tho.

So can anyone recommend value for money places (pref bike friendly) in:

• gissy - anywhere, so long as I can find it
• welly (ideally closeish to featherston street (lambton) - and I presume closeish to ferry)
• picton (getting in late, so close to ferry is goooood),
• chch (def bike friendly, as I will leave some gear ideally, between 2 nights)
• nelson

mucho appreciated... tis good fun making it up as you go along, but I am used to planning, so see too many risks with completely non-planned

edit: while learning about welly (via wises) I see the interislander (what I am booking) is further along up aotea quay, so something in between is fine...

[Zapf]

As for the kwaka... yeh... I suspect it will outlive my ass by the end of the trip

Now Mr Fruit... its not a target don't cha know. (more like a very small hurdle)

You sure about that kwaka fruit?

[Gremlin]

You had to chip into this... didn't you...

Fine, so the black kwaka whore took exception to being turned into a fast tourer - basically broke down on me, and by some miracle I limped it back to Auckland. So I had to borrow a HONDA. You happy? To make things worse, its run really well, and without issues...

Terrible, just terrible... ooooh, no, I had to fix a puncture on the (second) first day... I think something/one is trying to tell me I am not supposed to tour

[Zapf]

thanks for coughing it up. I didn't ask for it... but thanks anyway :P

[pritch]

Found it rather hard to get hold of an AA or Jason's book that isn't almost 10 years out of date and it seems you have to pay for one direct (websites didn't even seem to list the books) or get one free from motels etc (of course, I have to get to one first - catch 22). Ideally I'll grab a book in one of the first places I stay in tho.

So can anyone recommend value for money places

www.wotif.com

[Gremlin]

www.wotif.com

impressive site for sure, but actually lacking on the smaller places me thinks (mind you, I don't even know the section of the country I was staying in, in some places). I ended up booking through the old books for the first few nights, then obtained brand new copies as I went

[Okey Dokey]

Picton, Blenheim, St Arnaud, Murchison, Springs Junction, Lewis Pass, Mouse Point, turn north onto the Inland Scenic Route (SH72?) and then cut through to SH1 via Leader Rd... that'd be a stunning day's ride!

On the return trip, Arthurs Pass, Greymouth, Westport, Murchison, Nelson, Havelock, Queen Charlotte Drive, Picton.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly what I would recommend, too. There are too many vehicles on SH 1 between Blenheim & Kaikoura. Going via Lewis Pass is a much better road, and Culverden to Kaikoura is huge fun if you like bendy-spaghetti roads!