My Motorcycle Diary

[Ms Piggy]

Did the whole family farewell thing and headed off from Cashmere at around 3. I decided to go for a bit of an explore. So I headed up the hill a bit further – ooopsss – wrong turn into a car park. Ok lets try that again! So I turned around and rode up the hill and ended up on the Summit Road – cool!!!! (see pics of view) What a great twisty little road! Plagued with a little bit of traffic but not too much drama. I got to the end of the road and I was 90% sure I could’ve made a LH turn and do a loop back through Lyttleton to Christchurch but I didn’t want to risk it so I rode back up Summit Rd – more fun! I made my way back through the flatness & streets and stopped in to visit Dangerous on my way through to stay at Kickaha’s. 1 Speights later I was on my way again.
Arriving in Rangiora I was treated to a horrible coffee, no dinner and a hot bath, I guess 1 out of 3 aint bad Thanks Kickaha, you sure know how to treat a lady goooooooooood.

[Mongoose]

Great stuff, what a ride you just took us all on.

[Ms Piggy]

Happy Valentines Day to meeeeeeeee! I was going to treat myself to a ride on the final road on my list I hadn’t ridden – Queen Charlotte Drive – it weren’t gonna happen though. *siiiiiigh*

After a slap up breakfast of marmite on toast & another equally bad coffee and farewelling Kickaha I was on the last leg of my journey. Feeling sad b/c today was the end of my journey and knowing reality would be waiting.

However in the eloquent words of Jrandom: “Meh.”

I had a text from Dangerous telling me I’d be getting a wet butt, which turned out to be wrong. Phew! There were a few spots but that was it. I rode out through Amberley – much nicer than that boring SHW 1! Not a lot of traffic on the road, although there were a couple of scary tailgaters, they weren’t tailgating me but vehicles in front. Their driving made me a little nervous…an accident waiting (maybe wanting) to happen!

I really enjoyed riding a long the Kaikoura Coast and seeing (not smelling though) the seals. The sea was looking magick, like a sparkling blanket of azure. I stopped at a delicious café called Hislops, it’s on SHW 1, you don’t have to go into the Kaikoura township to go there. Even though I suspected my HUGE (previously mentioned) breakie may have sustained me I thought that a brunch of eggs Benedict & home made hash browns was in order – I was not disappointed! Yaaaaaaaauuuuuuum!! As I had been riding along I had passed a group of 3 riders stopped at Cheviot, they all waved enthusiastically to me (how nice!) and then they rode past when I was stopped at Kaikoura and I returned the enthusiastic wave! They looked like a friendly lot so it was a pity I didn’t get to chat to them.

So onward to Blenhiem, unfortunately I could see BIG BLACK clouds ahead! Eeeeeekkkk! When I stopped in Blenhiem it was stinkin’ hot! But those BIG BLACK clouds were coming in fast from the North! I met up with my mate Craig again and we headed off to Picton – I rode, he drove. Twas a little windy! It wasn’t until we got to Picton he pointed out my headlight wasn’t on, he was being smart b/c he knows how much I go on about being safe on motorbikes and was going to tease me. Of course, b/c I am ALWAYS soooooooo safe and responsible I was mortified and we spent the afternoon trying to find the bulbs in Picton. There are 2 bulbs in my headlight and we could get a little one but, had to go back to Blenhiem for the bigger one and we had to buy a Phillips screw driver as well. I tell ya what, you know you have a good mate when without hesitation they are helping you and not complaining or rushing to get the job done. I’m a lucky woman to have good mates like that!

So that out of the way we went to have a few beers at a little Irish Pub in Picton, it’s a good little place actually. So after talking a bit of shite and drinking a little it was time to get that gosh darn Ferry back to reality. *sob*

While Betty & I waited at the front of the queue a whole lot of men on BMW’s rode up. Friendly blokes who had been riding together, a group of friends (I found out later). Also F5_Dave showed up to say ‘gidday’. When we got on the Lynx I ended up having to use some of their stoopid tie downs b/c the place that I’d be directed top park the bike had no little metal loops on the tie down links on the floor – very frustrating! I enjoyed the fine company of F5_Dave and his CYT for the crossing, it got a bit up and down in the middle and I was glad I’d taken my sea sickness ginger tablets. Arrived home and my flatmates had tidied the place! Bless them! My cat was all smoochie & cuddly and I was exhausted and a little sad to be back. I didn’t get to see my dog until the next day and that was great cos her welcome made it worth coming home!

Final reading on my odo: 68013.

Total kilometres: 3541

Lessons Learnt: Riding alone can be great but it’s nice to have someone to share the evenings with; take wet weather gear; check where the petrol stops are; check how much your tank holds in reserve; those shiny bits of seal on the road really are slippery in the wet; grit is more dangerous than those shiny bits of seal and I love riding my motorbike and would do that ride again tomorrow!

Number of bikers that waved: almost all of them but all bar 1 were going in the opposite direction!

Fav road: Buller Gorge.

Least fav bit: None of it!!! Even the rain couldn’t make it bad, after all it’s just water!

[Fordy]

Arrr, now its finished Did you learn to carry spare bulbs :?:
Brilliant write up

[LB]

A really good story CSL, brings back wonderful memories of those great roads (and what's even better for me is that in a couple of weeks time we'll be down there for three weeks!!)

[Riff Raff]

Thanks for putting your diary up, Cathy. I've sat here engrossed with my map book sharing your journey as I read. Can't wait to do the South Island now!

[Ms Piggy]

I'm going to try & put a map up showing my route at some stage soon.

Fordy - if I had to carry every spare bit for Betty that might break I'd have no room for anything else It's just 1 of those things.

Interesting to note that I had no problems with the clutch cable that had, had to be replaced 2 times by 1 bike shop and then was taken to another bike shop to be fixed upon the 3rd break! Throttle cable great too thanks to the able bodied assistance form Paul in NZ & Stone Chucker 2 nights before I left!

[Kickaha]

Arriving in Rangiora I was treated to a horrible coffee, no dinner and a hot bath, I guess 1 out of 3 aint bad Thanks Kickaha, you sure know how to treat a lady goooooooooood.

After a slap up breakfast of marmite on toast & another equally bad coffee and farewelling Kickaha

Complains about the coffee but doesn't even thank me for her valentines present,have some of this lol

[dangerous]

I made my way back through the flatness & streets and stopped in to visit Dangerous 1 Speights later I was on my way again.
Arriving in Rangiora I was treated to a horrible coffee, no dinner and a hot bath, I guess 1 out of 3 aint bad Thanks Kickaha, you sure know how to treat a lady goooooooooood.

Well you were welcome to have another theres a fridge full ya know I wont drink the shit.... but dont touch the Stienie or Stella or else
That prick... I mean Mr Kickaha took some cash of me earlyer that day for the Sound of Thunder and said that will buy tea for you's...... WTF did he do with it? next time ya welcome to stay here I have more than marmite in the pantry................... I have peanut butter aswell


ps: awesome effort with this thread CSL

[Biff]

You should have walked a couple of hundred yards up the road mate and come to mine for tea.

Next time eh!?

[Kickaha]

That prick... I mean Mr Kickaha took some cash of me earlyer that day for the Sound of Thunder and said that will buy tea for you's...... WTF did he do with it?

Spent it on mind altering drugs,not that you'd notice the difference

You should have walked a couple of hundred yards up the road mate and come to mine for tea.

Next time eh!?

great idea,it would have saved me not cooking tea

[dangerous]

Spent it on mind altering drugs,not that you'd notice the difference




great idea,it would have saved me not cooking tea

Coke............... a cola huh

he wasent inviting u around for tea ya noddy

[Ms Piggy]

You should have walked a couple of hundred yards up the road mate and come to mine for tea.

Next time eh!?

Yeah thanks mate - I might just do that!

[Ms Piggy]

Here's a rough map of my SI travels, each colour is a different day.

[Skunk]

Great write up CSL. Thanks for taking the time to do it.