Forgotten Highway!!

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Rode the Forgotten Highway (43) yesterday. Sunshine and rain all the way from Te Pahu (Hamilton) to Whangamomona via Taumarunui, and back to Te Pahu via Stratford.

Beautiful scenery. Road surface excellent.

Hazards... goats, and lots of rock falls from recent rain. Road surface good even when wet. Unsealed road had no metal, so easy riding; not slippery even when it was pouring!

Would be a perfect ride on a sunny, no frost day!!

I used to blast that road through to Tamranui have lunch and back to New Pymouth regularly on my DRZ400. Awesome road and scenery, not that I really got to see much scenery as I was usually abusing the shit out of the bike and rear tyre. Stratford to Whanga and back on my sportsbike was a fecking awesome ride. Might have to go out there at some stage with the Mrs and give the turbo/tyres a good working. Well on 2nd thoughts, maybe I should leave the Mrs at home...

[Marmoot]

worth while spending a Friday and/or Saturday night at the Whangamomona Hotel. The owner is a biker. Cost is about 90 bucks and includes a roast dinner and cooked breakfast. I think it is cheaper for the rest of the week. you may have to book.

Any hope for a contact details?

[sinfull]

They have their republic day celebrations every year, last week of january sometime ! Well worth riding out there for any reason though or for no particular reason at all for that matter !

[nadroj]

Any hope for a contact details?

http://www.whangamomonahotel.co.nz/

Yes he is a biker & may have been a police officer in the past.

We had a ride with Pritch to the republic on sunday & the hospitality and meals is tops.

[young1]

It changed hands last year, is that the current owner you are talking about? Ive spoken with him many times & he never mentioned anything about being a biker himself?

May not be a current biker but knows what is required. When we stayed their last year with a Kiwi Biker ride it was raining and he raced out to open the gate for us so we could get all the bikes off the road. Then his wife had it sorted for us to hang wet gear while they gave keys out etc etc Price was good value to.

That might have been June last year, it was their first weekend with the hotel.

[dutchman49]

It changed hands last year, is that the current owner you are talking about? Ive spoken with him many times & he never mentioned anything about being a biker himself?

We were there in September last year. A new bloke and his wife had just taken over. He told me he had a Honda "something or t'other" touring bike. I have stayed there 7 times now and have always been made to feel very welcome, whomever the owner was. That's Taranaki hospitality for you. And I aint from there, but will vouch for it.

[rygsx]

im keen to rde that loop anytime im between te kuiti and taumranui used to live near whanga

[ynot slow]

Yep a definate biker,was there last labour weekend and he was pissed off he had to work,said something about 45 riders or so over the weekend had passed by in either directions,and he couldn't enjoy the ride,or the weather.

Be warned though the weekends need to be booked,but bloody good value for $$$.

[86GSXR]

Bloody brilliant road that! The owner rides a Blackbird

[Pedrostt500]

Nah its not a forgotten highway its still known and on my map.

[Boob Johnson]

We were there in September last year. A new bloke and his wife had just taken over. He told me he had a Honda "something or t'other" touring bike. I have stayed there 7 times now and have always been made to feel very welcome, whomever the owner was. That's Taranaki hospitality for you. And I aint from there, but will vouch for it.

Well that's just dandy then. Im in the industry myself in the district so that's just dandy once again

[ynot slow]

Well that's just dandy then. Im in the industry myself in the district so that's just dandy once again

Plug the bisso for free,go on.

[glice]

yup that is one awsome stretch of road, we did it on the weekend. It was 180k from taumaranui to stratford, and probly the best 180km stretch of road I have riden so far.
I wish I lived closer to it, but I dont think that will stop me from taking a trip down just to ride it!

[Dazza]

yup that is one awsome stretch of road, we did it on the weekend. It was 180k from taumaranui to stratford, and probly the best 180km stretch of road I have riden so far.
I wish I lived closer to it, but I dont think that will stop me from taking a trip down just to ride it!

You'll find it's only 150k's maybe 154 as if it was any further I'd be pushing to Taumaranui, you'd be hard pressed to find a better road IMO. Done it twice in the past couple of months & the gravel was like a well prepared speedway track

[HRH]

If anyone's interested, Kerry Turner (Omapu Station, Tahora) is planning a rally to coincide with Whangamomona Republic Day on/around 26-27th January. Thousands of people turn up for Republic Day, many of them bikers - an awesome opportunity to join in and then camp over in one of the most amazing spots in the country.

Kerry also does a rally over Anzac weekend, which is the best I've been to so far.