Visiting NZ (from USA) in April

[timk]

Back home now and basking in the afterglow of the best vacation ever, I just wanted to say thanks to the entire kb crowd who helped make this trip even better than my most optimistic hopes. And especially to Karla, who took me in as family and loaned me her motorbikes (yes, both of them! no, not at the same time ) even though she had no idea who the heck I was when I was just some traveller sending messages across the internet. Also Jen, Wayne, Phil, Rick, Sally, and all the others I met and rode with and talked with but whose names I didn't retain. There were also several more who offered couch space & visiting, but riding without a plan made it harder to hook up with people so I didn't contact nearly as many as I probably should have. Basically I didn't know where I was going to be until I got there, so I had very little opportunity to warn people ahead of my arrival.

I know it's a bit of a long shot, but if any of you kiwibikers (whether I met you or not) find yourselves near Coeur d'Alene Idaho USA, I will do my best to return the hospitality. I don't know if I can succeed, considering how high the bar has been set, but I'll give it a go. Send me a pm any time.

I've attached a map showing where I rode on the south island. I rode so little of the north island I won't bother with a map, but what I did ride there was very good: across the Rimutakas and back again on hwy 2, Akatarawa Road, Paekakariki Hill Road, and maybe a couple others around there I didn't note (I was basically lost the whole time, just following where I was led). I obviously have to get back there to ride more.

I came home with a digital camera full of pictures, but I'm definitely not a photographer or even a photo hobbiest so 90% of them are just crappy versions of the beautiful pictures on all the scenic postcards and calendars of NZ. So I won't waste the server space to put them up here -- you can go look at some postcards and calendars instead. But I will include a couple shots more specific to my own trip -- you definitely won't find these two on postcards. The first one is me reaching the pitcher (and therefore setting the temporary high mark, which lasted not very long at all) in the horizontal bungee at the Sundown Retreat on my first day in NZ. Rally games which don't involve the bike were a new concept to me. Weird fun on the other side of the world. The last pic is my hired Vstrom 650 stuck in the mud on the side of the road near Blackmount where I stopped to take a picture of it in the snow (the snow was deeper at the top of the hill but there was nowhere to pull off for the pic). I eventually got it unstuck after removing the givi cases to lighten it up a bit, but I guess maybe I should have checked the conditions to avoid getting stuck in the first place, eh?

Until next time,
-tim

[sincity]

I am looking at coming over next year for skiing in Queenstown as I heard its great up there. Does anyone know of any other great ski fields and roads to travel on for sight seeing and places to go? Looking at doing all of New Zealand or at least the points of interest. Oh and when is it your winter over there?

[chanceyy]

I am looking at coming over next year for skiing in Queenstown as I heard its great up there. Does anyone know of any other great ski fields and roads to travel on for sight seeing and places to go? Looking at doing all of New Zealand or at least the points of interest. Oh and when is it your winter over there?

winter here is june july & aug .. generally the ski season goes to about oct (although the skiers can correct me on that) however it may pay to talk to Dan he is over here touring at the mo & is doing the ski thing .. his thread is here as for great roads I will leave that to the locals with the knowledge to give you the best advice

[karla]

Haven't been skiing for a while now, but there is a great skifield (off the beaten track and less commercial) at Lake Ohio, and the rode up there is pretty spectacular. If you're going to do a bit of site-seeing on your trip you can do that on the way from Queenstown to Chch, past Mt Cook and the Lakes, which are also breathtaking. Milford Sound is well worth a trip to as well, a day away from Queenstown. There are two good skifields in Wanaka - one is more learner-oriented, the other is more challenging. Lake Ohio is steep and has a magnificent view over the lake, but isn't really a good learners skifield (although I learned to ski there many years ago).

I have a reasonably comfortable couch if you're in Christchurch (Tim would probably verify that). But only one bike now. Keep in touch ~

I am looking at coming over next year for skiing in Queenstown as I heard its great up there. Does anyone know of any other great ski fields and roads to travel on for sight seeing and places to go? Looking at doing all of New Zealand or at least the points of interest. Oh and when is it your winter over there?

[sincity]

winter here is june july & aug .. generally the ski season goes to about oct (although the skiers can correct me on that) however it may pay to talk to Dan he is over here touring at the mo & is doing the ski thing .. his thread is here as for great roads I will leave that to the locals with the knowledge to give you the best advice

Haven't been skiing for a while now, but there is a great skifield (off the beaten track and less commercial) at Lake Ohio, and the rode up there is pretty spectacular. If you're going to do a bit of site-seeing on your trip you can do that on the way from Queenstown to Chch, past Mt Cook and the Lakes, which are also breathtaking. Milford Sound is well worth a trip to as well, a day away from Queenstown. There are two good skifields in Wanaka - one is more learner-oriented, the other is more challenging. Lake Ohio is steep and has a magnificent view over the lake, but isn't really a good learners skifield (although I learned to ski there many years ago).

I have a reasonably comfortable couch if you're in Christchurch (Tim would probably verify that). But only one bike now. Keep in touch ~

Cool many thanks for you helps there people. I will keep in touch when the time gets closer. Whats the fuel prices like over there at the moment? Its getting high here, so places charge between $4 and $4.50 a gallon. Glad I have a good paying job and a company fuel card. lol

[sincity]

Back home now and basking in the afterglow of the best vacation ever, I just wanted to say thanks to the entire kb crowd who helped make this trip even better than my most optimistic hopes. And especially to Karla, who took me in as family and loaned me her motorbikes (yes, both of them! no, not at the same time ) even though she had no idea who the heck I was when I was just some traveller sending messages across the internet. Also Jen, Wayne, Phil, Rick, Sally, and all the others I met and rode with and talked with but whose names I didn't retain. There were also several more who offered couch space & visiting, but riding without a plan made it harder to hook up with people so I didn't contact nearly as many as I probably should have. Basically I didn't know where I was going to be until I got there, so I had very little opportunity to warn people ahead of my arrival.

I know it's a bit of a long shot, but if any of you kiwibikers (whether I met you or not) find yourselves near Coeur d'Alene Idaho USA, I will do my best to return the hospitality. I don't know if I can succeed, considering how high the bar has been set, but I'll give it a go. Send me a pm any time.

I've attached a map showing where I rode on the south island. I rode so little of the north island I won't bother with a map, but what I did ride there was very good: across the Rimutakas and back again on hwy 2, Akatarawa Road, Paekakariki Hill Road, and maybe a couple others around there I didn't note (I was basically lost the whole time, just following where I was led). I obviously have to get back there to ride more.

I came home with a digital camera full of pictures, but I'm definitely not a photographer or even a photo hobbiest so 90% of them are just crappy versions of the beautiful pictures on all the scenic postcards and calendars of NZ. So I won't waste the server space to put them up here -- you can go look at some postcards and calendars instead. But I will include a couple shots more specific to my own trip -- you definitely won't find these two on postcards. The first one is me reaching the pitcher (and therefore setting the temporary high mark, which lasted not very long at all) in the horizontal bungee at the Sundown Retreat on my first day in NZ. Rally games which don't involve the bike were a new concept to me. Weird fun on the other side of the world. The last pic is my hired Vstrom 650 stuck in the mud on the side of the road near Blackmount where I stopped to take a picture of it in the snow (the snow was deeper at the top of the hill but there was nowhere to pull off for the pic). I eventually got it unstuck after removing the givi cases to lighten it up a bit, but I guess maybe I should have checked the conditions to avoid getting stuck in the first place, eh?

Until next time,
-tim

Umm, I was looking at the photos, thanks for the map as I have a rough outline of where I want to go in the south, anyone got a good one for the north? I hope I don't run into much of that snow on the roads when I come over. lol

[CookMySock]

anyone got a good one for the north? I hope I don't run into much of that snow on the roads when I come over. lol

As locals, we go hunting for great roads, but I think you will discover, that compared to what you are used to, EVERY road here will be an adventure - the whole place is just one twisty race track.

So do put your itinerary together, but talk to the biker locals about this when you are able, as they will show you, or take you, on their favourite backroads. I know I have a bunch of alternate ways to travel any direction - all of them are grrreat entertainment - all vastly superior to the state highway for grin factor,

There are VERY few roads that will be closed by snow. Don't worry about this.

Hint: the more pictures and cool stories visitors post on KB, the more KB members will invite you along on their antics.

Do look us up when you are in the Bay of Plenty, and have a great trip.

Steve