Just booked the Ferry .... now the looooong countdown

[Tank]

Last night finally managed to find a gap in time that didnt coincide with work issues, wifes birthdays, kids school holidays, or other commitment allowing me and my mate to head off on out first big ride !!!! Its not until end of Feb but we are really looking forward to it. The Ferry was booked last night !!!

Any recommendations are welcome (and I have picked up a lot here already).

Starting at Auckland we are taking a couple of days to get to Wellington.
Then we go:
Picton - Westport - Hamner Springs - Christchurch - Dunners - Bluff - Te Anau - Wanaka - One of the Glaciers - Blackbull - Picton - Home to Auckland.

Google Maps puts it at just over 4000km - we expect that we will end up with about 5000km after side trips etc.

We wanted to do more passes (We get to do Lewis and Hasst) but time was against us.

Either way - we think we have some awesome roads ahead of us - it's probably not much for some of you guys - but for us two - this is one hell of an adventure.

[Winston001]

Great fun Tank. I'm not sure why you are going to Westport then back across to Christchurch because it looks like a lot of travel through similar terrain.

Might I suggest you go Picton -> Nelson -> Lewis Pass -> Hanmer -> Chch -> Fairlie -> then maybe the Dansey's Pass through the Maniototo to Dunedin -> Bluff etc, or alternatively Queenstown -> south and onward.

Basically a circuit of the SI but including the Mckenzie Country and Central Otago which you'll enjoy. Your current route keeps you near the coast most of the way and includes two West Coast elements.

Just my 2 cents.

[Tank]

Might I suggest you go Picton -> Nelson -> Lewis Pass -> Hanmer -> Chch

OK - you can tell Ive never been to the S/I (hangs head in shame).

Starting with the first suggestion - The Lewis pass was the objective - I thought it ran from Westpost -> ChCh (with the stop in Hanmer)??

EDIT - Ignore that I just google mapped it. I will go home tonight and reroute and save a map. Cheers Winston001

[cooneyr]

What sort of riding do you want to do? If your a gravel hunter or even just give it ago occasionally have a look at my website www.advroutes.org.nz Lots of options to grab a couple of gravel legs if you are interested.

Few suggestions that would be do able on the Strom, are interesting (scenic and not to challenging) and are roughly on your route include
Maruia Saddle (south of Murchison)
Jacks and Jollies Pass (immediately north of Hanmer Springs)
Ram Paddock Road (roughly between Waikari and Amberly)
Mackenzie Pass/Hakatamea Pass but you dont get to see the Mackenzie lakes (Albury (east of Fairly) to Kurow)
You already have Danseys Pass
The Nevis Valley is awesome but has 20ish fords at the southern end and a couple of rough creek crossing so not sure if you would be keen for this between Cromwell and Garston)
Lake Hochsetter and Gows Creek (man made mining tunnel) (directly inland from Greymouth/Stillwater)

I'm hoping to do some more work on the web site in the next month (got a few routes from earlier in the year) so keep and eye on it.

Cheers R

[clint640]

OK - you can tell Ive never been to the S/I

Mate! Are you in for a treat!

Is your riding buddy on a gravel capable bike too? If so have a look at some of the cruisy dirt routes while down there: The Molesworth, Hakataramea Track & Dansey's as above are all good. The NZ Motorcycle Atlas has all the good gravel & road routes highlighted & makes a good resource.

Cheers
Clint

[martybabe]

Hey tank, Dunno if youve seen this thread but there's loads of good advice on here. I'm south bound in November, can't wait! I think we're both in for a treet kida.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=81659

[portokiwi]

Are you not going to see the Franz Josph and Fox glasceses (BAD SPELL)

[Tank]

What sort of riding do you want to do? If your a gravel hunter or even just give it ago occasionally have a look at my website www.advroutes.org.nz Lots of options to grab a couple of gravel legs if you are interested.

Few suggestions that would be do able on the Strom, are interesting (scenic and not to challenging) and are roughly on your route include
Maruia Saddle (south of Murchison)
Jacks and Jollies Pass (immediately north of Hanmer Springs)
Ram Paddock Road (roughly between Waikari and Amberly)
Mackenzie Pass/Hakatamea Pass but you dont get to see the Mackenzie lakes (Albury (east of Fairly) to Kurow)
You already have Danseys Pass
The Nevis Valley is awesome but has 20ish fords at the southern end and a couple of rough creek crossing so not sure if you would be keen for this between Cromwell and Garston)
Lake Hochsetter and Gows Creek (man made mining tunnel) (directly inland from Greymouth/Stillwater)

I'm hoping to do some more work on the web site in the next month (got a few routes from earlier in the year) so keep and eye on it.

Cheers R

Thats awesome - thanks. My friend isnt on a gravel friendly bike at the moment but he is looking to buy one hopefully soon.

Personally Ive only done a very, very little gravel riding but hope to change that a lot by the end of summer.

[Tank]

Are you not going to see the Franz Josph and Fox glasceses (BAD SPELL)

We hope to see them both. We will enter at the bottom of the Haast pass and go all the way up the west coast.

[nodrog:Me]

We hope to see them both. We will enter at the bottom of the Haast pass and go all the way up the west coast.

Tip of the day - Franz Joseph Glacier looks closer than it really is, you will generally find this out when you decide "fuck it its not that far, we will just walk", then your second mistake might go somthing along the lines of "we are past half way, be rude to stop now". then 60 mins later you are bribing the DOC guys to give you a lift back on their quad, or at least take your leathers and helmets while you scare the japenese tourists by walking back in your sweat ridden undies.

[cooneyr]

Tip of the day - Franz Joseph Glacier looks closer than it really is, you will generally find this out when you decide "fuck it its not that far, we will just walk", then your second mistake might go somthing along the lines of "we are past half way, be rude to stop now". then 60 mins later you are bribing the DOC guys to give you a lift back on their quad, or at least take your leathers and helmets while you scare the japenese tourists by walking back in your sweat ridden undies.

From memory Fox is a shorter walk than Franz. The terminal face of Fox was more interesting too - much more broken up and rugged. Things may have changed heaps since I was there though.

Cheers R

[richyrich]

and what about nipping down the nenthorn from dundack to the old cherryfarm mental hospital(gravel and VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC) just south of waikouiti,then head to dunners.
nip down the penisular and have a look as on a good day its magic.

[Tank]

Tip of the day - Franz Joseph Glacier looks closer than it really is, you will generally find this out when you decide "fuck it its not that far, we will just walk", then your second mistake might go somthing along the lines of "we are past half way, be rude to stop now". then 60 mins later you are bribing the DOC guys to give you a lift back on their quad, or at least take your leathers and helmets while you scare the japenese tourists by walking back in your sweat ridden undies.

Thats a top, top tip! Thanks for that.

Note to self wear undies on the day I head to the glacier.

[Rosie]

Banks Peninsular and the Marlborough Sounds have some cool/scenic roads to explore. Marlborough is mainly gravel, and Banks Peninsular has a mixture of gravel and seal, depending on where you go.

We did an Adventure-n00b trip to the south island earlier this year, which may give you some ideas of places to go.

Sigh, I miss living in the South Island

[sunhuntin]

if possible, id really recommend arthurs pass over lewis. lewis is really quite boring and the scenery isnt that much different than anywhere else. arthurs is very nice to ride, and you get to watch kea at the rest stop as well. its got a lot of twisties, but if i can handle them [and im a lover of straight roads!] then anyone can. you can easily do hokitika to chch in a day, with a stop for petrol at arthurs. and if you want souviners, DONT buy from the petrol place. they have shit all. go 5 mins down the road the info centre.