Southward Bound (Auck to Wellywood) 3-7 Jan

[alane]

[QUOTE=That looks like fun;1129582388]Upuk is on the Eastern Bank of the river If you come out there you will have gotten very wet at some stage or you will have been across a bridge. The nearest one of those being in Fongaknewey.
YEh!!!! Of course ,your right, Thought I must,ve had ANOTHER senior moment ,but then looking @ my AA map (latest version) It shows the Kauarapaoa/Kaiwhiaki Rd merging with hiway 4 & no river inbetween.
the old AA maps are better.

not enough time to do it when i go to the ferry on the way to the Dusty Butt.---Oh! well ---some other time.
CHEERS AL.

[That looks like fun]

jeez howd you get a leave pass to the DB? or are you sneaking out before daybreak

[junkmanjoe]

Sounds good, no problem for it to be "sort out on the day jobbie"

JMJ, could be keen to take you up on that offer, but do you have a bed or a couch as I am riding tentless. And where is your place, I googled craparapa results were not obvious

yep we got a sleepy thing....some where...

pm for details closer to your travel date..

KB Lodge, movies on the big screen all night long.....

JMJ

[alane]

jeez howd you get a leave pass to the DB? or are you sneaking out before daybreak

Spose your talking to me???

SHE-- HOO-- RULES don,t know yet!

Naa! ------ Just kidding

Will pay the price,the rest of the year I spose.

[.chris]

I think I am all ready, just packed up the gear and attached to the bike, need to do a dry run around the local to ensure nothing falls off.

Plan is
Day 1 - Auck to Whangamomona, west coast roads (420km)
Day 2 - Whangamomona Rd, Up Mt Taranaki, down to Whanganui/Bulls (350km)
Day 3 - Whanganui/Bulls to via Ashurst/Woodville up Whariti Road for look at the wind farms, down to Masterton to possibly stay with JMJ (280km)
Day 4 - Masterton to Martinboro for a look at Cnut hill with MarkS, evening Ferry to Picton

Day 5 - Maybe chill out around the Picton area, go find some fun roads up in the sounds, or duck down to CHCH, possibly via Rainbow
Day 6 - Wherever day 5 takes me to Fairlie.

[alane]

If you wanted a change from the Waitonga road from Awakino to Ohura & you had the time,you could go back up through the Awakino gorge (best road --2Wheels magazine ? 1982).Near the top of Mahoenui hill turn R onto Totoro rd --go to Aria & then down to Ohura via Waitewhena Rd.
Another option ---instead of going right to Awakino,----turn L about 47km befor hand @ Moeatoa (onto Pomerangi Rd,which is bloody narrow.) & go east from there to piopio.
Decisions!!! Decisions!! Happy travels
Al.

[.chris]

If you wanted a change from the Waitonga road from Awakino to Ohura & you had the time,you could go back up through the Awakino gorge (best road --2Wheels magazine ? 1982).Near the top of Mahoenui hill turn R onto Totoro rd --go to Aria & then down to Ohura via Waitewhena Rd.
Another option ---instead of going right to Awakino,----turn L about 47km befor hand @ Moeatoa (onto Pomerangi Rd,which is bloody narrow.) & go east from there to piopio.
Decisions!!! Decisions!! Happy travels
Al.

I have done the Awakino Gorge Road before, so I am going to skip that one. And have done the run from Oparau down into PioPio a few times before (and loved it)
The trip I have planned is a little over 400km which is about as far as I am prepared to go in a day I reckon. Which combines a nice mix of road and gravel.
But cheers for the suggestions they are both great roads.

[.chris]

All packed up, bike ready to go.
Leaving sometime in the AM, rain is scheduled, which is just great news

If no-one hears from me in the next week please come looking for me, I will probably be sitting on the side of the road somewhere wishing I had purchased a more reliable bike
.

My mobile/gps setup does a location upload kinda like the spot system (but requires cellphone reception to upload) you can check my progress here if you feel the inclination.

Bart, looking forward to seeing you in Ashhurst on wed, and Marks on thursday (where are we going to meet again?)
JMJ, will touch base with you on tues night/wed to let you know if I make it through to take you up on the bed offer.

My trip has been officially renamed the NZDakar in honor of the fellow 690 racers doing the real Dakar, I will be doing a few pretend race sections to use the full power of the 690 since they can't

[alane]

I wonder how the JAFFA boys makein out??? If he did Whanga. Rd ,it,d be a bit greasy as we had over 30mm of rain Sun. night.-------Zippiddy -do -da--------

[marks]

Cnut Hill

I will be at Toppy's (now Tui's?) in Martinborough tomorrow morning at 10am supping a latte.
lunch at Sutherland's Hut followed by an run at Cnut

all welcome - even adventure cruisers should be able to make it to the hut......
bring me lots of birthday presents

[Box'a'bits]

Waiting.....2-3 wks on parts...

[marks]

Waiting.....2-3 wks on parts...

you can just post me a present then

[Waihou Thumper]

For what Steve? A new KTM branded washer mate?

Waiting.....2-3 wks on parts...

[bart]

Cnut Hill

I will be at Toppy's (now Tui's?) in Martinborough tomorrow morning at 10am supping a latte.
lunch at Sutherland's Hut followed by an run at Cnut

all welcome - even adventure cruisers should be able to make it to the hut......
bring me lots of birthday presents

I'll be there. I'll pick Chris up from JMJ's on the way.

We went for a nice little ride up Takapari today. Locked gate is gone and track has been maintained. We made it right to the end of the track. Awesome. Hardly any wind, so it was a rare day up there.

Oh, and Happy Birthday. Here's ya present..........................

[Box'a'bits]

you can just post me a present then

After you send me one. Mine was first, on the first....