Fush & chups at Kawhia (Wed 14 Jan)

**Crisis management** · 7th January 2009, 19:22

Wednesday the 14th (January, and yes, it is 2009) I'm heading south to annoy the middle earth dwellers of the Waikato, any one want to play?

The comprehensive plan is as follows:

Leave Auckland early, get too the Autobahn on the southern motorway (just after papakura) around 7.00am, have a coffee and bugger off from there 7.30 ish.
Port Waikato then Raglan via as many back roads as I can find.
10ish at Raglan....more coffee.
Round Mount Karioi and off to Kawhia for the aforementioned lunch at the beach. Wildly excited yet, drooling in anticipation?

Coast roads down to Taharoa (I've never been there) and Marokopa then inland on Pomerangi road, Waipuna road, Hauturu road and back to Raglan for a late afternoon beer at the pub.

Then home by whatever means / route seems to make the least sense at the time.

Two bloody conditions!

1. You're prepared for, and are going to fix your own flat tyres.
2. You've got a map ($3.50 from the AA) so if you get lost / seperated you can get unlost again.
3. Anyone living in fear of "that corner" has to go first. Promise I won't laugh (much).

Anyone is welcome to join in either at the start, middle or end as long as you have a sense of humour and money for beer. If you're coming it would help if I actually knew about it so I can stick to my meticulous timetable and not lose you. Can you lose someone you haven't actually met, another chicken and egg conundrum?

Iain

**tri boy** · 7th January 2009, 19:44

You lucky,lucky bars stidge

If I can swing Wens off, i'll join you.
Go out to the coast at Taharoa. Iron sands ship loading. If it's a nice day, the view down the coast towards N.P is stunning.

Practising my "sickly cough" in anticipation.

**Str8 Jacket** · 7th January 2009, 19:54

A few of us spent 3-4 nights on Kawhia for New Years. Stunning place, unfortunately we went in a van but the road to Kawhia is awesome!

**Maha** · 7th January 2009, 20:00

Originally Posted by Str8 Jacket

we wee in a van awesome!

When a toilet would be suffice.....

**Motu** · 7th January 2009, 20:02

I was too early - I went to Awakino and back yesterday.I did a bit of a loop - turned left at Te Anga and then down Waipuna Rd to Piopio.Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.I refueled the bike and rider....then headed back up on the Marakopa side.Around 500km trip with about 120km of gravel....9 hours on the road,and a bit pissing in bushes.

The world's only R65 streettracker is fucking awesome on such roads....who needs a silly top heavy adv bike? In 500km I counted 4,000 corners.

**thehovel** · 7th January 2009, 20:10

Please do a ride report. I did a ride Awakino to the Waitomo Rd (great 10km gravel) Waitomo Rd to Kawhia Rd a bridge is unpassable,Kawhia Rd to Raglan 30km gravel not good

, skills improve though. Raglan Rd to Waingaru all sealed. Most interested if the bridge is still out. Regards Richard

**tri boy** · 7th January 2009, 20:12

Bridge is all fixed.

**Motu** · 7th January 2009, 20:22

The roads were perfect yesterday,and all road users safe - apart from a stock truck on the wrong side of the road....but it was an easy miss,although I wouldn't of been so happy in a car or if it was on a gravel section.Hardly saw any bikes at all.

Lots of stock movements....shearing time,so beware.Also hay making time - look out for equipment on the road.A Case CX on duals with a hay rake won't leave you much room.

**Eddieb** · 7th January 2009, 22:03

I've just finished Kawhia to Raglan tonight via all the back roads. Left Te Awamutu at 5, got back to Hamilton about 10:45.

Must have covered close to if not over 100km of gravel betwen the 2. Will post a ride report shortly, and have a gps tracklog if anyone's interested

**Crisis management** · 8th January 2009, 06:49

Originally Posted by tri boy

If I can swing Wens off, i'll join you.

C'mon you wus, you know you need to get fatty out for a run / trot....

Originally Posted by Motu

Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.
....who needs a silly top heavy adv bike? In 500km I counted 4,000 corners.

Taumatamarie is a neat bit of road isn't it, I hadn't expected it to be so winding and, as I met half the stock of the local farm on it, so slow...anyone want lamb?
Who you calling top heavy eh, you haven't seen me skillfully leap out of the way of a toppling 990, an act of grace and beauty I calls it!
Now, any of these 4000 corners "the" corner....just so I can put a sign up to annoy skiddie.
Wot you doing next wednesday then?

Originally Posted by Eddieb

and have a gps tracklog if anyone's interested

Heathen, don't use that GPS word, we can barely spell our own names without introducing foreign wotsits to the conversation.
Unfortunately the bit around Raglan and Kawhia is a bit sealed / boring but either north or south of there is fun, a short ride (4 hours) is up to Port Waikato and that is all gravel.

**Motu** · 8th January 2009, 07:54

Originally Posted by Crisis management

Taumatamarie is a neat bit of road isn't it, I hadn't expected it to be so winding and, as I met half the stock of the local farm on it,
Now, any of these 4000 corners "the" corner....just so I can put a sign up to annoy skiddie.
Wot you doing next wednesday then?

You come across a lot of wildlife on that road - sheep,cattle,goats,hares...and there were horses the other day too.Last time I was up there some cattle had possession,and no way were they going to let me though!

The R65 is so damn good I had no butt clenches at all,a rare event for me.I only overshot a couple of sealed corners - but with the mega front tyre I was able to sort them out without a drama.No issues at all on gravel,no out of control brake slides into corners anymore,no ''holy shit!'' moments on the dreaded OCDRH either - I can ride right out there in that shit no worries.

Today I meet my biggest challenge for a few years....Auckland on a bike!

**dino3310** · 8th January 2009, 09:54

Shit Iain a friggin Wednesday

, will try to swing a day off - oh no wait i'm still on holiday - yee farkin haa just got to find a baby sitter and i'll be there. i've got some irons,patches, pump just dont know how to use them yet so you'l have to show me if i get a flat

.
should know by monday in regards to baby sitter.

**warewolf** · 8th January 2009, 10:14

Originally Posted by Motu

I was too early - I went to Awakino and back yesterday.I did a bit of a loop - turned left at Te Anga and then down Waipuna Rd to Piopio.Down SH3 for a bit then turned up Taumatamaire Rd which goes over the gorge to Awakino.I refueled the bike and rider....then headed back up on the Marakopa side.Around 500km trip with about 120km of gravel....9 hours on the road,and a bit pissing in bushes.

I gotta get back up norf some time. Spent lots of time on those roads, fabulous country.

On a good clear winter's day, from the airstrip at the top of Taumatamaire Rd (where the comms tower is) you can see the snow-covered tops of Mt Egmont, Mt Ruapehu & Mt Ngauruhoe. Just mint.

**Bass** · 8th January 2009, 11:49

Originally Posted by Crisis management

Wednesday the 14th (January, and yes, it is 2009) I'm heading south to annoy the middle earth dwellers of the Waikato, any one want to play?

Midweek!!!!!
You unmitigated barstool - I could do that whole day on a tankful as well.

Still, having spent a couple of months last year doing just this sort of thing, I guess I can't complain.

Just spent 10 days touring on the Trumpy too.

I won't mention that DJ, me and associated wives are trying to work out if we can spend a weekend doing Rainbow and Molesworth mid Feb on a couple of 990's.

I shall also say nothing about a group of us spending 3 days on the road bikes the last weekend in February, taking in Coromandel and Cape Reinga.

Actually, I guess I have no cause for complaint at all.

Even so........ midweek!!!!