Waking early to the sounds of bikes puddling their way past the tents it was psych yourself into get moving mode, a wee while later I managed to stick my head out the tent (see the pics below), Oh well wait a little bit longer in doors ( having my mate inform us that he was off & would catch-up on the road), finally around the 10ish mark it was time to get up and rolling. Surprisingly the last couple of bikes to leave the sitethough all the packing up was done in the sunshine
and the ride back through to Westport for brekkie was clear also.
A quick fuel top-up & it was time to find food (recommend Gebbie's Cafe', great feed). Then off into the threatening looking hills & up the Buller gorge, with damp roads and finally the odd shower of rain further up towards Murchison ( bloody great piece of road even in the damp) about the only let-down through there were the cars. Stopping at Murchison for Lunch and seeing MyGSXF off on her homeward leg to Nelson. I set off back towards Springs Junction watching the clouds as I went, only to be greeted by a grey wall not far from Maruia, so a quick stop & on with the wets.
A Km down the road & I was into genuine westcoast rain, with it only stopping at Springs. stopped for a quick checkover and then off into the pass which wasn't looking flash. Road through heavy fog (cloud) through Maruia Springs & over the actual pass only to have it clear to some of the best views I've seen up through there
and fresh drying roads
so after a quick piccy stop I was into fast cruise mode to get home only for it to almost all come unstuck 10mins down the road![]()
Just through by where the NZDA have their hut the road is a continuous series of 65-75-55kmh corners of rolling ground, I came barrelling into a slight up-hill 65kmh right hander at somehwere near 120 & had both wheels let go mid cornermanaged to hold onto the slide for it to grab again into a good headshake and finally got back into line (could have been a good minties moment, and definitely would have looked good from behind).
Regained my composure and rolled into Culverden a wee while later with Southwest winds & showers cheerfully guiding me into Christchurch, The last leg into town with roads wet but no rain was a bastard with road spray on the visor & darkness setting in![]()
The homeward run from ChCh to Chertsey was almost on auto pilot setting but I'd do it all again tomorrow![]()
great weekend
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