South Island passes adventure ride

[Transalper]

Don't give up to easily RWH. JAntar tells me we might have a one armed fella in a sidecar coming!!

those oldish VT250F's are quite good in the shingle too... for a road bike. Just watch the belly clearance.
Miss Transalper used to ride one and followed me into some places i didn't really expect her to go (she knew where we were going so I thought she'd just meet me at the other end where shingle rejoined seal, thought she'd go via the seal but then i see her still in my mirrors when the dust cleared)

[Jantar]

.... But you can always get the locals out for a beer to meet with you the night you're staying.

We'll be counting on that.

[far queue]

.... But you can always get the locals out for a beer to meet with you the night you're staying.

We'll be counting on that.

Oh OK, twist my arm then

[Ruralman]

Oh OK, twist my arm then

We'll be asking for some recommendations for a backpackers thats handy to a good pub to meet at - bit early for that yet tho.

[Jantar]

Weld Pass, where the Unimog crashed, is one of the passes we'll be taking. I've always treated this as just an insignificant piece of road, but maybe we'll look at it with a bit more respect on this trip.

[Blairos]

Sounds like a great adventure!

My guess is there are going to be a whole heap of KB'ers in the South in late Feb/Early March - the trip I am on (with about 6 others at this point) will be there from 20th to the 4th or slightly longer

there seems to be extreme potential for a catch-up dont ya think?

[far queue]

My guess is there are going to be a whole heap of KB'ers in the South in late Feb/Early March - the trip I am on (with about 6 others at this point) will be there from 20th to the 4th or slightly longer

there seems to be extreme potential for a catch-up dont ya think?

Make your trip slightly longer and go to the March Hare rally at Waimate on 1, 2, & 3 March. A big rally with a bunch of KB'ers in attendance.

[Ruralman]

Sounds like a great adventure!

My guess is there are going to be a whole heap of KB'ers in the South in late Feb/Early March - the trip I am on (with about 6 others at this point) will be there from 20th to the 4th or slightly longer

there seems to be extreme potential for a catch-up dont ya think?

If you check our dates you'll see we'll be all finished by then (by 16th or 17th)
The idea of going to the March hare sounds like a good one. looks like you'll have to either shift your trip earlier or later or extend it one way or the other.
You're right tho - it will be a great adventure and it would be great if you can join us for all or part of it

[Ruralman]

Hi all. There's a few new names appearing on this adventure riders section so I thought I refresh this planed trip posting - as you can see its planned for the week starting 11th Feb and for 5-6 days and will cover all the raod Passes of the South island
Theres about 26 on our list plus a few insignificant ones we'll go over anyway. Will be about 2500km with the first day being the biggie for most of us starting down here. The first pass we plan on hitting is Myers inland from Oamaru.
potentially we could do it in reverse if extreme weather suggested that would be a better option - ie up the West Coast to start with.
Planning on staying at backpackers mostly.
We need a recommendation from the Canterbury KB'rs about a Backpackers handy to a good pub for a meet up. This is probably the only one we will book and hopefully there's one with reasonably secure bike parking? Any ideas?
Anyone else interested in the trip?

[PLUG]

We need a recommendation from the Canterbury KB'rs about a Backpackers handy to a good pub for a meet up. This is probably the only one we will book and hopefully there's one with reasonably secure bike parking? Any ideas?

... hmmm ... can't think of anything off the top of me head ... will have a bit of a sniff around & let you know ... there is a heap inside the 4 ave's, both BP's & pubs ... even a few that are both !!! ... not sure about secure parking, which i suppose is the main need you have ...

[Ruralman]

... hmmm ... can't think of anything off the top of me head ... will have a bit of a sniff around & let you know ... there is a heap inside the 4 ave's, both BP's & pubs ... even a few that are both !!! ... not sure about secure parking, which i suppose is the main need you have ...

Thanks, some local knowledge will be really useful for this bit - in theory I have relations (inlaws- becoming outlaws) that I could stay with, but, turning up with a bunch of other bikers when all we want to do is catch up with you guys over a few beers probably isn't the done thing.
There are also a few camping grounds in ChCh which might have some security - we could just taxi or walk to a pub from there??

[miSTa]

We'll be asking for some recommendations for a backpackers thats handy to a good pub to meet at - bit early for that yet tho.

There's a backpackers right in the middle of town (Hereford St, adjacent to Latimer Sq). Don't know what the name of the place is - I'll call past on my way to work and have a look. They have a lot of foreign tourists, shouldn' be to hard for you guys to hitch with a couple of swedish birds while you're there....

[far queue]

Planning on staying at backpackers mostly.
We need a recommendation from the Canterbury KB'rs about a Backpackers handy to a good pub for a meet up. This is probably the only one we will book and hopefully there's one with reasonably secure bike parking? Any ideas?

I go past this place twice a day, so I took some pics for you today …

"Base backpackers" In Cathedral Square, visit their website here for prices and booking.
Tandoori Palace Indian restaurant, in the same building
Saints and Sinners Bar in the same building
Warners pub right next door, with outside beer garden, and good bar meals.
Camelot Hotel restaurant and bar also next door on the other side.
Parking - either in the Square right at the door, or in a parking building 2-3 minutes walk away.

Oh, and as Mr S so tastefully pointed out also lots of nice chicky babe back packers

You're not going to get more central than the square, plus parking, pubs, food, and eye candy.

I've attached a pic of their business card and premises.

1. NE corner of the Square, where these establishments are.
2. I've marked left to right - Camelot Hotel, Backpackers, Beer Garden, Warners.
3. Another view of the corner where everything is.
4. View from the door of the backpackers – Camelot Hotel to the right.
5. View from the door of the backpackers to the beer garden and pub.
6. Base Backpackers business card

[far queue]

A slight diversion on the way home and here’s few pics of the place Mr S was talking about. There’s a hotel/pub/function centre just down the road, but I think the bars are only available to residents and those attending functions.

1. “Charlie B’s” backpackers on the corner of Madras and Gloucester next to Latimer Square.
2. Charlie B’s and the closest pub.
3. Charlie B’s showing motorbike park outside and Latimer Square in the background.
4. Charlie B’s business Card
5. Charlie B’s brochure
6. Charlie B’s brochure, flipside

[Ruralman]

Thanks heaps for that FQ - that Base backpackers + the parking building are probably the best option from the look of it. Hopefully Jantar will take a peak at this as well.
Sounds like we might need a swedish phrase book as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!