South Island road trip - any suggestions???

[mazz1972]

When are you planning to do this, and are you wanting to stay on the seal or take in some gravel as well?

29 March-3 April. Don't mind a bit of gravel, just not huge long stretches of it as I am notoriously slow on gravel and would hold everyone else up BIG TIME!!

[mazz1972]

Your day from Greymouth-Nelson is longer than you think. Admittedly it was our 7th day of 400km/day trips....but not much of that road is straight. Its all quite twisty, you'll be hot too. Takaka Hill was unbelieveable but very hard at the end of that day.

Having said that, its quite do-able on a more relaxed trip (than ours).

Thanks skels....do you have any suggestions for alternatives? What is the hardest bit? Really don't want to bite off more than I can chew here!!

[imdying]

Central Otago kicks arse! The highways are quite wide, and the surface isn't dicked... the back roads (say the Crown Range for example) are a little tighter, but worth hunting out for that reason alone!

I wouldn't go as far as to say all the best roads are south of Christchurch, but they're the equal of anything north, and many are just plain fanstastic. Do the whole damn island, you owe it to yourself.

[mazz1972]

Central Otago kicks arse! The highways are quite wide, and the surface isn't dicked... the back roads (say the Crown Range for example) are a little tighter, but worth hunting out for that reason alone!

I wouldn't go as far as to say all the best roads are south of Christchurch, but they're the equal of anything north, and many are just plain fanstastic. Do the whole damn island, you owe it to yourself.

Will definatley do the rest of the island....but not on this trip....would need to spend more time to do it justice....and I don't think my posterier is up to 6 days of full on riding right the way round the island!!

[Grub]

Will definatley do the rest of the island....but not on this trip....would need to spend more time to do it justice

Mazz, have you PM'ed ZUKIN? Scott an Carissa have just done the entire SI coastline on Suzuki DTZ250's

They'd certainly have some up to date pointers. And are you up for the 160km gravel run through the Moleswort? they raved about it

[mazz1972]

Mazz, have you PM'ed ZUKIN? Scott an Carissa have just done the entire SI coastline on Suzuki DTZ250's

They'd certainly have some up to date pointers. And are you up for the 160km gravel run through the Moleswort? they raved about it

It would take me ALL DAY to do 160 kms of gravel LOL....I've heard Molesworth is pretty cool. Thanks for the thought tho!

[skelstar]

Thanks skels....do you have any suggestions for alternatives? What is the hardest bit? Really don't want to bite off more than I can chew here!!

You'll be fine. Its all just twisty thats all. You might be tired, but you'll be fine. I did it 12months ago on a Hyosung 250...after 6months of riding...

[mazz1972]

You'll be fine. Its all just twisty thats all. You might be tired, but you'll be fine. I did it 12months ago on a Hyosung 250...after 6months of riding...

Cheers again skels....I've only been riding for 7 months....you mentioned in your earlier post that Takaka Hill was hard at the end of that day....I am assuming the Greymouth-Murchison-Motueka route does not go over the Takaka Hill...am I right? If I'm wrong then can someone please explain just where the Takaka Hill is? I assumed it is between Motueka and Takaka (and we aren't going to Takaka this trip)

Cheers

[scumdog]

Cheers again skels....I've only been riding for 7 months....you mentioned in your earlier post that Takaka Hill was hard at the end of that day....I am assuming the Greymouth-Murchison-Motueka route does not go over the Takaka Hill...am I right? If I'm wrong then can someone please explain just where the Takaka Hill is? I assumed it is between Motueka and Takaka (and we aren't going to Takaka this trip)

Cheers

It's between Mot and Takaka - it's a dead-end road.

i.e. it is not on a through-route to anywhere.

[Deviant Esq]

What Scummy said. See below.
Google Maps useful!

[skelstar]

Yeah we only went as far as Upper Takaka.

Its just that the whole day/route is full on. If youre riding at 90% you don't get many breaks. The cafe in Murchison just past the Mobil servo (heading Northward) is recommended.

[mazz1972]

Yeah we only went as far as Upper Takaka.

Its just that the whole day/route is full on. If youre riding at 90% you don't get many breaks. The cafe in Murchison just past the Mobil servo (heading Northward) is recommended.

Thanks skels...we will go Greymouth-Punakaiki-Westport-Murchison-Motueka or Nelson. So wont be venturing onto the Takaka Hill this time - looking at that map posted I can see why you wouldn't want to tackle it at the end of the day! Will have to pop down for a weekend in the future to do more of the Marlborough/Nelson area - up to Collingwood and beyond, the Sounds, maybe explore some back gravel routes etc.

Thanks for the tip on the Murchison cafe

[mazz1972]

What Scummy said. See below.
Google Maps useful!

Cheers....I have now found a few places I couldn't find before!

[skelstar]

Wait!...do what you have to, but you must do the Takaka Hill.

[mazz1972]

Wait!...do what you have to, but you must do the Takaka Hill.

I know....I keeping hearing about this hill of all hills! I’ll put it to the rest of the group….but I’m only one voice so majority rules here!

The only way I can fit it in is to reroute the whole trip and do Picton-Takaka-Collingwood-back to Motueka on day one. I’m thinking it will be a bit much given we will are catching the 2am ferry from Welly that day, and we’d have to do the hill twice in one day.

Trying to be on the conservative side here just in case the weather turns to absolute poop (quite likely, usually happens when we plan something!). We can always do some side trips and extra stops along the way.

I’d like to spend a bit more time in that area and go all the way Port Puponga (if it’s worth it – have to investigate yet) and go out to a couple of the bays along the way. So that’s why I’m thinking another trip is needed here to spend a couple of days exploring.

I appreciate your helpful comments skels!