Road Trip

[Bonez]

Can't wait to do proper journeys like that. Stuck doin 70kph now

There are a LOT of back roads where 70kph can be fun .

[Bonez]

Great road trip. Aren't we priviledged to live and ride in such a great country?

Yip Hitcher. A riders paradise.

[Slingshot]

I can't place the 55k corner with Mt Ruapehu in the background....whereabouts is it?

It's on State Highway 4, before you get to Raetihi. There's a nice big rest area on the left.

[LB]

It's on State Highway 4, before you get to Raetihi. There's a nice big rest area on the left.

Ah yes, now I remember. Great piccie.

[inlinefour]

The details of my adventures over the Xmas/New Years Break:

Monday 27th - Pearler day in Wellington so we decided to hit the road (after previously deciding not to). Up state highway 1 to Waitarere Beach, stayed with the in-laws at their beach house.

Tuesday 28th - Another great day, took off from the beach around lunch, went up to Wanganui then up state highway 4 to Ohakune, what a wicked road. Quite a few washouts along the way but all well sign posted and no real dramas. Also there were some patches of sticky tar. This road was great fun though. Stopped at Ohakune for a coffee (had to pay the dam 15% public holiday surcharge). Headed up the National Park road to Tarmaruni where we camped the night.
It's quite funny how people watch in amazement as you unpack the tent, sleeping bags, air bed (and blow it up with an electric pump) along with the clothes etc.
Wednesday 29th - Headed across to Rotorua via the Western Access Road (around the back of Lake Taupo), the road between Tarmaruni and the Western Access Road was a little disappointing, well sealed and lots of twisties but it's got some massive bumpy bits.
Came across a crash that must have just happened on the Western Access Rd, looked fairly minor and quite a few people around so we didn't stop. 15 minutes on saw an ambulance then 5 minutes later saw a cop (luckily he was heading to the accident cause I might have been going a bit fast).
Started raining just before Rotorua, stopped there for a rest then decided to head to Whakatane. Another wicked road but a little damp.
Managed to find a cabin in Whakatane, just as well, cause it pissed down throughout the night.

Thursday 30th - Left Whakatane, still pissing down, headed off the Opotiki where we stopped for a bit to eat, by this stage we were wet through. Continued on through the gorge to Gisborne, it pissed down until half way through the gorge, we stopped at a pub for a smoke where we meet another couple of bikers that had stopped to put their wet weathers on. They had left from Gizzy so it was starting to look up for us. By the time we got to Gisborne it was beautiful, got some booze...bumped into Linda Blair (of all people) then headed on to Tolaga Bay where we stayed with some friends for a couple of nights.
Saturday 1st - Left Tolaga Bay about midday, through Gizzy and onto Napier (that road is cool), we were going to stay in Napier but decided to head onto Masterton (free meal & board at the old ladies place)...In hindsight, this was probably to far to go in one day, I'm still sore!

Sunday 2nd - Over the Takas and home.

We did about 1500ks over the trip, I wore out the back tyre, didn't get caught speeding (but passed lots of cops at speeds between 110 & 130ks) and didn't fall off!

All n all, a great trip discovering new roads!

Sounds like a pretty good time was had.