First big adventure for 2102. 6 of us left Katikati in fine conditions for a change. First stop was Taupo for a cuppa with good friend Maree who was blobbing out at with her parents at their Time share Apartment. It was then onto Napier, stopping at the Rangataiki Pub for lunch. You just have to have try their "Bugger Burger". It is enormous and Sasha loved it.
Tim and Marty sped off after lunch leaving Beate and I to keep Sasha and Kirsten (friends from Germany on their world tour aboard a Honda Africa) company. We caught up with the boys at a layby about 10km out of Napier and all had a laugh over the fact that we had all probably been zapped by a hidden speed camera on a downhill just before Te Pohue. Just another example of revenue collecting by the Government!
We stayed the night at a motorcamp in Clive owned by friends we know through the bikes. We walked into town, bought fish and chips which we ate by the river then went for a walk along the riverbank walkway.
We left Clive about 10am after saying goodbye to Sasha and Kirsten who had to make their way back to Auckland to get ready for the next part of their trip - Thailand and beyond.
We had a lovely ride through Tukituki Valley then Kahuranaki and Kairakau Roads which took us to Kairakau Beach. A lovely little spot with quite a few people camping there. Onwards from there over some more gravel backroads which bought us to Pourere Beach. It was midday and very hot. we rode onto the beach to check out the access to Aramoana. Despite the tide being a bit high we decided we could do it. But Tim was in dire need of food so he and Beate headed back to Waipawa to get something to eat and we were to meet them at Aramoana.
Getting my bike off the centre stand was the first tricky job. It toppled over with me on it so Marty had to come and get us upright. Good start!! Next was a 10 metre obstacle course through seaweed, rocks and a slippery muddy channel. I watched where Marty went and followed only I got stuck in the seaweed so had to have a push or two to get unstuck. As the tide wasn't quite low enough we had to negotiate another rocky area and I managed to wedge myself on a rock. I think Marty was beginning to wish he had gone for food to as we were only 10 minutes into the ride.
Marty's bike watches as I check out the first obstacle
It was all plain sailing after that. We passed a seal who wasn't too pleased to see us. Didn't appreciate us disturbing his siesta. We made it to Aramoana (only I didn't realize that was where we were). The tide was too high to cross the river so we decided to head up a dry creek bed which we thought would lead us to the road. Wrong, but worse than that after Marty telling me to watch out for soft sand his bike disappeared into river mud and became firmly stuck. It was not the time to get the camera out. After several attempts at getting it out we had to give up. Have a rest , a think and some water. It was then off with the panniers and excess clothing and then between us we were able to drag it sideways and lift it out. well Marty did the lifting and I did the pulling. We spent the next half hour trying to get all the mud out of the back wheel.
A very muddy wheel
The tide had receeded a bit more and with the help of a very nice lady who walked through the river and found the shallowest point for us we crossed and headed on up the beach to Blackhead.
Marty riding the beach
Off the beach and onto the road again I discover that we have already passed Aramoana so tell Marty we will have to go back as Tim and Beate were meeting us there. No probs but just before we re-enter the beach he discovers a boat wash down area so he stops and spends the next 30 mins cleaning his bike. Just as he finishes Tim and Beate appear off the beach. Tim had done a bit of detective work on the beach when they arrived at Aramoana and spotted our tyre tracks. They had also bought us a couple of sandwiches which were very much appreciated.
We spent a bit of time yakking to some "holiday makers" then headed off towards Wimbledon via more backroads of course. We ended up on Ireland Road which was a road to nowhere and extremely windy at its summit. The views were pretty good though.
Beate at the end of the road.
We backtracked and eventually arrived at the Wimbledon pub about 4.30. We had only ridden 200km but it was a hard days work. We had a fun night in the pub getting thrashed on the round pool table by Tim and Beate. We had to concede they were King and Queen of the Round Table.
The infamous round table
A flock of sheep wandered down the road while we were having breakfast. A nice reminder of rural NZ.
After breaky of toast and jam we headed off to Herbertville. This can be a windy place.
Notice the trees?
We checked out the pub as a possible future rally Head quarters. We do like old pubs strange really as Marty is a non drinker these days.
We stopped at the Wimbledon Tennis Courts for a quick game of BMW doubles
Marty and I on Centre Court Wimbledon
Lots of roly poly gravel roads to Pongaroa where we stopped for lunch and refuelled. Both Tim and I had gone onto reserve. I was surprised that I had and discovered the reason later in the day. My choke was partly on! Life is pretty laid back in this little town.
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| Locals come to collect their mail |
This part of the beach is unaccessible at high tide. There used to be a bridge here years ago so that the lighthouse keeper wasn't stranded.
The lighthouse
Beate ventured down the cliff but go shaky knees on the way back up
Our trusty steeds wait patiently on the beach below the lighthouse.
Castle Point in all its glory
Marty and I regained our pool title that night - playing on a normal table!
Next day was fairly leisurely just checking out more of the coastline and gravel roads before ending up in Martinborough for the night where we booked into a couple of cabins at the local campground. You need to have a very large wallet to stay in the pubs here!
The campground manager let us leave all our luggage in his lock up for the day and we headed off to Cape Palliser. We have all wanted to ride from here to White Rock but getting permission from the local farmer whose Station you have to pass through has become almost impossible as he has become more and more frustrated by people who have abused his property, but Marty sweet talked him and he gave us the green light and even some very valuable advise on which way we should tackle the ride.
It was a fairly challenging ride for me (and Beate) and at times the boys. Beate and I had horizontal bikes a couple of times but all at very low speed and caused more by stopping in the wrong place than anything else
Tim and Beate at Cape Palliser
The start of the track and first obstacles!
Tim, Beate and Marty take a break before tackling the scree slope
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| The dreaded scree slope with lots of traps for the novice |
Great scenery when you had time to look at it!
Tim rides up the last hill
The last downhill section was very very nasty! Not only was it steep, rutted and slippery but it had a tight 90degree turn half way down. Not for the faint hearted I can tell you. Marty and Tim went down first and even they were tested. They came back up and rode our bikes down. I started but was so tired by that point I felt I couldn't hold my bike up if it all went pear shaped, so poor old Marty had to struggle down with it and likewise Tim once he had recovered from his run up the hill as he was petrified Beate would attempt it and come to grief.
It took us one and a half hours to ride 10kms. Bloody hard work but worth every bit of blood sweat and tears. Actually there was no blood or tears.
We arrived back in Martinborough about 2pm and as our accomodation plans for that night had fallen through we decided after much discussion to ride to Wellington and catch the ferry to the South Island and spend the next two days riding through the Molesworth and Rainbow Stattions. We called our friends in Blenheim and hastily arranged beds for the night. Arrived there just after 10pm.
We were on the road by 9am. We rode to the start of the Molesworth via Taylors Pass and Awatere Valley.
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| Nosey Cattle |
Tim and Beate rode ahead while we just tickered along taking in the spectacular scenery. we met up with them again at the start of the Molelsworth Station.
We were so lucky to ride this road when we did as due to our wet summer the normally brown and dry Molesworth was alive with colour.
We stopped for lunch on a grassy bank across a river - accessed by riding across the swing bridge.
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| Hanmer Springs from Jollies Pass |
I had a couple of exciting moments coming down Jollies Pass, the dreaded 3pm tiredness had set in and the last couple of corners were exciting to say the least. We discussed carrying on and doing the Rainbow as one of the DOC Officers had told us the weather was going to change for the worst but Beate and I dug our toes in as we were both buggered so we booked into the Hanmer Forestry Camp for the night. This is a great little camp and one we highly recommend. The boys cooked a yummy tea for us all much to the amusement of some of the other campers. We had a discussion and an inspection on my brake and gear levers and it was decided they both could do with a bit of bending and straightening to make them more accessible for me, but that would have to wait till we got home. Early night we were all pretty tired.
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| Marty, Beate and I ready for the day's adventure |
The DOC Officer got it wrong and the weather was perfect. We headed up Jacks Pass and back onto the Molesworth Station. First detour was to Lake Tennyson.
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| Marty and I at Lake Tennyson - looking a little dusty |
There were a few river crossings and more stunning scenery as we travelled through the Rainbow Station.
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| You have to pay to go through the Rainbow! |
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| The start of the Rainbow |
Beate tests the water as Marty and I wait our turn.
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| More magnificent scenery |
Riding through the Beech Forest I hit a large pothole which caused one of my panniers to spring open and all my clothes fell out onto the track. Reloaded with Marty's help and carried on.
The last water obstacle was quite a good one. Beate had a couple of problems getting out the other side but she managed it eventually without getting wet. Once we were all across we sat under the trees and had our lunch. Jam and cheese sandwiches again!!
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| It looks shallow and easy but don't let the clear water fool you. Me making the crossing. |
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| Marty was the last to cross |
We had a lazy start to the day and eventually headed off about 11am and caught the ferry back to Wellington. We spent a couple of days with friends, Lynn and Dean at Makora and had a a great time. We went up to the wind farm and had a walk around the turbine reserve. It was windy and cold just as you would expect from a wind farm.
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| Marty, Dean and Tim stride it out |
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| Love them or hate them they are an impressive sight |
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| The rugged Wellington Coastline |
Of course there was a little shed time had by the boys.
Then it was time to head home.A 7.5hr ride home. More things ticked off the bucket list and a great time had by all. Time to plan the next trip.............................
