October 31 Wairoa to Opotiki

It was the Motu gravel road to Opotiki the next day and what a great ride it was. The weather was fine, the road a bit narrow in place's but overall it was a good ride and one I would repeat.

Into Opotiki, a stop for fish & chips, and the nearest campsite.

October 30 Napier to Wairoa

Next leg was to head to Opotiki via the Motu gravel road. I must have pissed off someone some where because just about halfway between Napier and Wairoa the chain
comes off the bike. As I brought my own tools for this trip it was a no-brainer getting the chain back on, except for having to down load all of your gear off the bike. As I had the bike up on the center stand it would be prudent to check out the chain before getting underway. You know where I am going with this story don't you?!!!!! Well as I am watching the tyre spin don't I just notice a large bubble...... It seems that the tyre has delaminated to a degree. After calling the rental company I have no other option but to continue to Wairoa and find a tyre shop. Getting into Wairoa, stopping at the Goodyear dealer, and the dealer is talking to the bike rental company as I pull in. Any how they had to bring another tyre in from Gisborne, arriving that afternoon and I had the tyre back on the bike by 1700 hrs and into a holiday camp sight for the night.

October 29 Eketahuna to Napier

Finally I made the trip to Cape Palliser and as I suspected it was raining, raining, raining and would remain as such for another couple of days. So it was to north to Napier for the night and 6 hours of riding with wet clothes.

October 27 -28 Hastings to Eketahuna

Next day it was Route 2 to Waipukurau then the Porangahau Road to Wimbledon. Got to the hotel and what do we find but the road from Wimbledon to Weber was closed
to a five day car rally. Welllllll, I never! So it was a cup of coffee and sandwich and listening to a couple of the local lads so full of smoke and mirrors.... I even moved a couple of times and they would just follow and tell me about their biking days. Finally one of the race officials told me of a gravel road that would get me to Weber (20km) Birch road). Now normally going on a gravel road would be a walk in the park. Unfortunately I just so happen to pass a turkey along the fence line, do I really need to go on with this, anyhow I hear this noise behind me and if it isn't the turkey with an attitude chasing me down the road. I stopped and he was just having an attitude check with me and the bike....... reminded me of wife number 5..!

Got into Eketahuna and they had a cabin with heater for $12.00 a day......... it was like the parting the of seas, A HEATER...!!!!! for $12.00. Somebody up there was finally smiling down on me. Weather forecast for Cape Palliser was not good and it was going to get worse so it was another day stay with the heater on...

October 26 Rotorua to Hastings

Next day it was off to Route 1 to Waiouru looking for the Taihape Napier Road. Before I get too far, I spotted another electronic Loo on the east side of Lake Taupo. There were about fifty people in a large circle around the loo and every time the lights would flash, they would all hold their hands in the air and hum ......

Getting back to the Napier road; it was probably one of the most scenic rides that I've done since being here. I could go back and forth on that road a dozen times and never get bored with it. I had estimate about 30km of gravel. Talking to one of the sheep farmer's, he mentioned that the week before the weather was right nasty and the roads were closed.

Spent the night in Hastings at a holiday camp where at 2400 hrs had a
bunch of locals come into the camp and just made all kinds of noise and of course management was not to be found.

October 25 Gisborne to Rotorua

Mahia Peninsula was on the agenda for the AM. Rain and wind was my constant companion all of the way from Gisborne. From Mahia it was Route 2 to Wairoa where it was fuel and a stop at the local bakery. It was north on the Waikaremoana gravel road from Wairoa.

Getting to the lake, midway, me thinking was just a bit more to go (of course never thought to read the blurb in the motorcycle atlas) and after asking around come to find out it was another 88 km to go...am I having fun at this point! And the funny part about this trip is I had stopped at a hardware store in Wairoa and asked about the road earlier. One of the Senior members of the store crowd had told me that it was 90% paved........ the Grey beard must be still laughing!

Got into Murupara looking for a camp site; come to find out that the place had closed down. Next stop was the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park and managing to get there on petrol fumes only.

October 24 Gisborne and Weather

Intensions were to head north to Opotiki via the gravel at Matawai. Got as far as Otoko on Route 2 when I got hit with a wall of rain, wind and the horizon north looked if it was going to get worst. Back to Gisborne with a stop at Tatapouri Point for surf pictures with the rest of the day spent feeding thy self on chips, sausage and fine wine.

October 23 Te Araroa to Gisborne

It rained from midnight until 0700hrs but with the prevailing wind, the tent and gear was dry within an hour. Thoughts were to head for the East Cape Lighthouse, gravel road, but Mother Nature had other ideas with heavy cloud cover, rain and wind. And the question to yourself at this juncture, do I really need to go through this BS for a picture of the lighthouse? It was back to the sealed road and follow the coast to Gisborne. The ride and scenery down to Gisborne was worth every bit of it. I just wish the weather had been a bit on the sunny side as the East Cape is worth a longer stay. Gisborne and another caravan site for the night.

October 22 Tauranga to Te Araroa

Left Tauranga and picked up Route 2, Te Puke, Whakatane, Opotiki, Te Kaha and over the top of the East Cape to Te Araroa. Coming down the hill out of Hicks Bay I hit a swam of bee’s that covered both sides of the road. I’ve never see a mass of bee’s like this and believe me you are not stopping on this one. Got to the bottom of the hill and I spent 10 minutes just scraping the bees off me. What an experience! The first caravan site was nice but the locals just took too much interest in my gear. Knowing that something was going to be missing by morning it was out and further down the road to another site. Again I was the only one out there with a tent. After everything was up, it was into town and a stop at the RSA, Retired Services Assoc (military), for a proper pint and a bag of chips.

October 21 Auckland to Tauranga

It was to Alan’s brother’s house in Tauranga that was the next journey of sorts. Following Alan and wife on scooter of sorts, we did not miss one fat pill bakery all of the way down. What should have taken 3 hours took 6. Me thinks the scooter gained another 10 kilos and was just about maxed out by the time we got to Tauranga. Once there it was to the council’s hot pools, what a great way to finish off the day.

October 20 Raglan to Auckland

It started raining just around midnight and continued right through the night. Thankfully next morning, there was a huge under cover area where everything was packed away wet and I mean wet, tent, sleeping bag, clothes… you name it.

Rain and fog all of the way to Hamilton then a light drizzle to Auckland. Once in Auckland everything was hanging out to dry. Caught up on email, travel log, power bars and sleep.

October 19 New Plymouth to Raglan

So it was on the road again but as I wanted to follow the coast, so it was to Awakino. From there it’s the Manganui River Road to Te Anga, continuing up the Kawhia Harbour Road via Kawhia then the Raglan Road to Te Mata. Taking the gravel road along the coast, washed out in some areas but passable, to Raglan. Dinner at the caravan site was cheese/beer/salted nuts and believe it or not but it fills every bit of the proper food pyramid. Met a couple from the South Island who were Ulysses members and the invite was in hand for my future travels to the South Island.

October 18 Rotorua to New Plymouth

Next morning, 5 degrees Celsius, it was on the road again to New Plymouth. Would someone like to figure out what the chill factor was at 5 degrees and
traveling on a bike doing 100km............... I was not only cold, I was freezing and the hand warmer on the Beamer was a joke .... Next we hit fog that cuts the vis down to 100 meters or less. After 7 hours on the bike, the sun finally appeared off New Plymouth. As I type this log the core temperature is back up to normal and let’s just guess what the weather is for the next week...... anyone, just because the isobars coming out of Australia are a bit tight and they are heading our way.....
I am re-learning the tune to the Battle Hymn of the Republic so I can survive the next 2 weeks of weather.

Anyway it was over to Route 32 on the west side of Taupo turning on Route 41 to Taumarunui. From here it is Route 43 (Heritage Trail) through the Moki Tunnel and finally Strafford. I kick myself for not taking enough pictures on this road as it was just a great ride through all of the gorges. From Strafford it is Route 3 into New Plymouth staying with another mate of Alan’s.

Inclement weather was forecasted for New Plymouth the next day so as how much I just love to ride in the rain, it was decided that I best get out of town come morning.

October 17 Napier to Rotorua

Couldn’t get the stove to work so my morning cuppa was out. Why I even carry the stove is another question as I don’t cook and the stove is only for coffee. Lets do the numbers here, its Route 5 to Taupo, stopping at Wairakei Park for a proper cuppa, then Route 1/30 into Rototua. It was a god awful cold ride all of the way, all day. That sun can be sitting on you directly and you are still cold. It’s even worst when you hit the forest area, the temp must drop another 5-10 degrees. Once in Rotorua it was another night with a biker. They had 3 dogs, 2 cats, five birds and, and , and. The evening meal was sausages and salad which went well with the bottle of VB beer.

October 16 Castlepoint to Napier

Left with clear skies, dry roads and the whatever’s. Took a right for Tinui and was immediately in loose, very loose gravel. It seems that the county was up there with loads of gravel the week before and they depend on local traffic to compact the gravel down. It was like driving on marbles for miles until I got far enough along the road where the logging trucks finally made an impact. Into Alfredton and turning for Weber, next northwest to Dannevirke then catching Route 2 into Napier. Overall it was a great ride and coming into Napier everything warmed up. Caravan site was right on the bay and again I was the only one there with a tent.

October 15 Wellington to Castlepoint Lighthouse

Route 2 out of Wellington and back over the Rimutaka Pass (sunny) but unfortunately the fire department was recovering a car that went over the guard rail, don’t believe they survived. Next catching Route 53 out of Featherston to Martinborough, beautiful wine country. From Martinborough we follow the Masterton Road to Masterton next Castlepoint Road to…….. I am going to let you guess on this one?

Pretty much farm land throughout and an easy ride to Castlepoint. Into Castlepoint caravan site where it was dry, warm and I was the only one there with a tent. Castlepoint must be quite the spot to be during the summer months as it has everything you need in this very small community that sits right on the beach.

October 13-14 Wellington

Wellington, now here is a city where the sun shines all year round, where the wind is not but a murmur on the tip of the grass...

The 13th found me out at the Seal Colony, Sinclair Head, where the weather was clear and a very strong wind off shore. The beach was a mixture of stone and sand, neither was agreeable but doable. Got as far as I could go on the beach road before it was washed out. No seals but on the return along the beach came across a patch of wild flowers. Stopped, kick stand down, grabbed my camera and if the wind didn’t knock the bike over on top of me. The kick stand pinned my right foot under the bike. Trying to lift the bike off you in the prone position is not happening. I must of struggled for 15 minutes before a vehicle came by and helped get the bike off me. My right foot was in bad shape with possible fractured toe. Did I get this looked at………guess. It took months before the swelling went down.

The 14th was a trip over the Rimutaka Pass where I lost the bike’s front wind screen from a very strong gust of wind.

And did I mention the weather; wet, fog, rain and wind gusting up to..??? Once you got into Featherston, it was sunny and windy but ohhhhhhhhh so much better. To Waiohine Gorge and a walk across the wire bridge. It was back to Wellington via the Rimutaka Pass again and the fog was the pits.

October 12 Taupo to Wellington

It was 2 cups of coffee, which was a very bad move on my part, heading south on Route 1 across the Dessert Road. Beautiful scenery with the mountains covered with snow and the open plain. That’s until you get really out in the open where the wind will walk your bike smartly across the road. Winds of 30 knots and dust from military vehicles up wind of you does not make a very nice day. But after traveling in a 45 degree tilt for many of miles and finally getting to Bulls. We stop for a coffee and the question is, “Christ, does it blow like this all of the time?” Yes, and this is a mild day. After getting my cuppa and a 10,000 calorie sweet roll it was out the door for Wellington. The only thing nice about heading south to Wellington was that the wind was now nose on. Into Wellington and being that it was wet and raining, it was good to get inside with another mate of Alan’s.

October 11 Port Jackson to Taupo

By 0730hrs I was underway stopping for coffee in Coromandel. Next it was following the road to the east coast through Whitianga, Whangamata,Waihi, Katikati and finally stopping in Tauranga for fuel and coffee. From there we follow Route 2 to Te Puke and right after catch Route 33 to Rotorua. By this time my backside is just about paralyzed but Taupo was on the horizon. Just outside of Taupo found a caravan site next to the geothermal springs. And whether you believe it or not they actually had coffee in a 12 cup pot and not that espresso crap that everyone feeds on. The site had sun, you actually felt the warmth of the rays and the ground was dry. I layed everything out to dry and walked around with just my shorts on, it just felt so good to be dry and have the sun out for once.

October 10 Coromandel to Fletcher Bay/Port Jackson

It rained all night but by 0800hrs it was over with. With everything packed and being the typical male, never ever ask directions, it was out the wrong road and 20km later I realized that I was heading in the wrong direction. Back to Coromandel, we next follow the beach road which again is wrong. So back to town and finally, finally we follow the only other road out of town which of course has us on the right track. Followed the road to Fletcher Bay, sealed/gravel, little or no traffic with the weather right behind me. No place to camp, so back down the road to Port Jackson where you had the beach to yourself. Up with the tent and while doing this a very dark cloud came over the mountain accompanied with hail, wind and rain. Just barely got the tent up before the weather hit. So from 1400 to 0700hrs it was rain, wind, rain all night long. Looking back over the whole trip, this had to be the worst weather night of all.

October 9 Auckland to Coromandel Peninsula

The motorcycle agency at this time trades out the bikes and I am back to riding the F650GS which suites me fine as I can get both feet on the ground where the 1200GS it was touch and go every time you stopped because you were sitting just a bit too high.

Unfortunately I asked Alan’s wife for directions south and after spending an hour of going around every round about within 20km I finally found a sign pointing me in the right direction. It was Whitford coast road through Clevedon and Waitakaruru. Route 25 takes over and we follow it to Coromandel proper for the night at a caravan sight. The proprietor did mention that the weather forecast for the next 3 days was rain. And being the weather guru that I was, the horizon turning a very dark grey, I had no doubts that it going to be “A Bit Fresh”. The evening meal for that night was 2 bags of chips and a proper bottle of VB beer. Where is Martha Stewart when you need her?

October 8 Marsden Bay to Auckland

Well after a great breakfast of toast and coffee, packing up the very wet tent it was time to move on. Back to Kaikone, ferry landing, then heading south through the Waipoua Forest Range. The road had all of the curves that you could want but being that it was wet and covered with debris, it was very slow going. Once out of the forest, the road straightens out to Dargaville. Stopped for a bit of coffee in Dagaville, nice clean town with the proper bakery in place of course. From there we follow the road to Brynderwyn (and it means what?), Wellsford then finally to Alan’s in Auckland. Of course not having any mishaps with the bike this whole time, when I am pushing the bike into the garage it falls over…… me thinks it’s time for a beer.

October 7-8 Kaimaumau to Marsden Bay

From Kaimaumau it’s back down to Ahipara, the start of the Ninety Mile Beach. From there it was to Kohukohu catching the ferry to Rawene. The thinking was that I would continue through the Waipoua Forest to Dargaville then across to Marsden. But as I got a late start and not really knowing where I was going, it was to Kaikone then south on the Mangakahia Road. South of Whangarei and catching the Whangarei Heads Road to Marsden Bay. Once into Marsden and the Ulysses camp site, the tent was up and it was party time. At this juncture I became a member of the Ulysses Club minus mucho dollars to support their drinking habits over the next 5 years

October 4-6 Maungakaramea to Kaimaumau

Since I still had sunlight and being that I was thrown out of the house by the evil couple.... I headed north to another Ulysses couple. Followed Rt 1 through to Awanui and Waiharara. Taking a right turn to Kaimaumau and stopping at Rosco’s Ostrich and Emu farm.

Spent the next few days traveling in the local area; Cape Reinga with its beautiful beaches, Spirits Bay, Ninety Mile Beach (where I almost buried the bike in sand), Cape Karikari and points in between. Even had the chance to partake of Ostrich meat, more grizzle then anything else.

Did get into a promotion with Mrs. Mac’s Beef Pot Pies at the local petrol station just outside Awanui with a great looking shelia. Whether or not they used my picture with bike and gear is anyone’s guess.

October 3 Auckland to Maungakaramea

Ahhhh it was a wet and windy day that I decided to head north to the land of little sun and few humans.

Getting out of Auckland is always a pain but once you are clear of the city and get onto Rt 16 to Wellsford, the open road is yours. Through Wellsford and back onto Rt 1 until I got to Oakleigh. At Oakleigh I called Ann/Nick, Ulysses members, for directions to their place.

Next stop was at the small town of (believe me on this!)Maungakaramea, which means in Maori, "40 year old virgin's tip toeing through the tulips" this on good advice from the evil couple………!

Any way here I was again sponging off another groupie from the Ulysses Motorcycle club for the night. If I had only realized how Ann could talk......to make me feel at home with the wet weather in Auckland, my tent was placed out on the front yard where they had the water hose wet down the tent every 30 minutes all through the night.

Had motorcycle problems once there and with me going north it was prudent to exchange the bike out for another. The rental agency had another one up to me on the same day with a bit of guidance from Nick the local preacher...

October 2 South Head

Believing that Mother Nature was in a better state of mine and that there is a possibility of sun on the horizon. Out the door for me first trip and South Head it was for the day. With the GPS in hand, it was Route 1 to Rt 16 through Massey where I got properly lost and ran around in circles for a bit and almost became a permanent fixture at the round about. South Head was spotted on a road sign and the rest of the trip was great. The road was in good nick and I actually saw the sun. It is a very picturesque run up to South Head with little or no traffic. Well the return trip proved to me that Mother Nature has a very short memory for fair weather. On the return about 15km out of Auckland I noticed a very dark grey horizon and it was getting blacker by the minute. You are now on Rt 1 going through Auckland at the evening rush hour, its raining buckets, you can not see for both your glasses and helmet visor is fogged to the max, you are soaked and your boots are full of water and last of all you can’t read the GPS getting you back to Alan’s. Pulled off the road into a petrol station and waited until the weather cleared up a bit. Found out that I was only a kilometer from Alan’s.

September 29 – October 1 2006 Honolulu to Auckland

At the stroke of Midnight on this warm and quite night I bordered New Zealand Flight NZ9 to Auckland. Someone some where had mentioned to me that touring NZ in the month of October was going to be a bit fresh but tolerable for the hearty types that venture forth on said 2 wheel vehicles.

It was a quite flight into Auckland and as I was renting a BMW 650GS from a rental agency in Auckland proper, the vendor was there to pick me up. At the shop I called Alan Sciascia, Ulysses Club member, who I had contacted a month earlier via email. Alan had, prior to my arrival, got a number of Ulysses members to open their homes to me during my travels throughout the North Island. Alan showed up and between the 2 of us managed to load my gear on both bikes. Alan house was going to be my home base during my travels and was able to leave a good part of my non-essential (Power Bars) gear there.

The weather was over cast, temps in the low single digits and rain was on the horizon. Well to make me feel right at home Alan decided that I should see all 4 points of Auckland. I did mention earlier about rain didn’t I. Well by the time we hit point 2 the rain was coming down and I did not have a clue as to where we were at all. But as we were having fun, I emphasize the word fun, we continued to point 3 & 4. By the time we got back to Alan’s home the only thing I wanted to do was take a hot shower and get warm. It should be noted here that people in NZ do not and I mean do not believe in heaters. There could be ice on the roads, winds off the coast at 25 knots, snot hanging from your nose, icicles hanging from the light fixtures and all of the windows are open and they are walking around in tee shirts!