Mid Week Sydney Ride Tallawong Dam 17/2/2011

As usual the route was uphill, down dale, round corners and everything in between. Vic up the front, Lyn as roving sweep and yours truly bringing up the rear sort of kept things together although I’m not sure where Ray M decided to leave us. I do know that Greg, Kauri and Reg decided not to go to the Dam, instead opting for the delights of one of the Valley establishments. After lunch we scattered in all directions. I and three others rode through to Berry and up the Highway.  A BIG thanks to Vic & Lyn for a great ride through new country. Please enjoy the report:


After the briefing of some 25 riders and two lady pillions, Linda and Kowrie (hope the spelling is correct) the latter a new starter riding with Greg, (I was not sure whether I should use the traditional V word, Greg did say I would have been correct, but we gave her the clap anyway,) we headed from Maccas at Eastern Creek, then down Wallgrove Rd and through the backblocks of Horsley Park, Mt Vernon and Kemps Creek with Rob again as TEC.

From reports I nearly lost more than half the group within the first 10kms. What corner marking????

Ten riders made it through Camden onto the old Razorback road but the rest took a wrong turn, not seeing the ghost of a corner marker, luckily Lyn was able to gather them up and meet up where we had stopped for a regroup.

Everyone made it to the morning tea stop at Picton, where it started to spit with rain but not enough to put on our wet weather gear. Kim left us here to go home and get some brownie points.

Down through Bargo and onto Remembrance Drive where it started to rain heavily and wet weather gear was put on for the ride up into the Southern Highlands where it was a bit cooler. It was planned to go through Kangaloon, Robertson and past Burrawang but with the frequent stops I thought it best to cut it short and take the main road past Fitzroy Falls and down into Kangaroo Valley.

There were road works just before going down to the valley and an electronic sign saying there could be a hold up because of bridgeworks on the Hampton Bridge. There was a delay for about ten minutes, this gave the back markers time to catch up before turning onto the Tallawong Dam road. The sun came out again whilst we waited and made it a bit uncomfortable in the wet weather gear so everyone stripped it off believing the rain had stopped.

Greg and Kowrie went looking for a place to get something to eat in the town and were not seen again, probably still there.

After getting over the bridge and onto the Dam road it started to rain again which cooled us down, it stopped, but the road was wet and slippery in places.

Not sure but I think there were a few missing when we arrived at the picnic area.

Lunch was had in brilliant sunshine but a heavy shower came through and the lunch stop was shorter than planned. It was here that Keith realised that the thump he heard when following a truck earlier was not something off the truck but one of his Goldwing’s chromed front wheel covers that had come loose and dropped off. He was hoping to find it on the way back.

Ken seems to have a jinx with Spyders, (no not speeding again) but the new yellow Spyder kept stopping and he had to wait 30 seconds every time before it would start again. He should have bought a red one.

Except for the poor corner marking which stopped the flow of the ride, Lyn and I hope everyone enjoyed seeing a little bit of the countryside outside their normal area, and that everyone got home safe.

 

Waihi Beach to Auckland Thursday 10th Feb

Waihi to Auckland Thursday 10^th Feb 2011





Large Coffee



As we wave goodbye to this sleepy village by the sea side, we head north to Coromandel further along the coast, the day is overcast with a little drizzle.  We meander through high mountain roads to the valleys by the sea as the road twist and turns. “Karen “our trusty GPS again takes us on a scenic route and says that we should turn onto the Forest Road, so being obedient to her we head off the main road and pass several one way road signs as there has been frequent land slip, trees and soil are spewed all over the road. We manage to get our little Daihatsu through these sections and then the road turns to gravel (we should have known) until we come to a locked gate, again we do a u turn and start to head back to the highway. We are stopped by a local woman who advises us that the road is only used by mountain bike riders, and no way could we get through, she directs us back the way we came again passing the land slips mud and heavy rain now falling.

Back on the highway we head for the Coromandel Peninsula and the weather has changed again and is now getting quite warm and the rain stopping. We pass many road works as there had been massive rain storms in the past fortnight and many land slips had occurred, trees uprooted, half the mountain seems to be on the road, big bull dozers were trying to clean up the carnage of the storms, timber trucks RV’s, 4X4s, utes of all sorts are held up along this road, which makes overtaking difficult, but our little racer seems to make it o.k.

Making our lunch stop in Coromandel we walked the street to see how much it had changed since the last time we visited. It was noticeable there were a lot of British tourists roaming the street who all seem to have come by camperwaggons or tourist buses.



Quite Roads



Back on the road again we pass through Thames and onto Highway 1, and back to Jucy Car Rental in Manu Tapu Drive Auckland. The little car did us proud, we did not have an ounce of trouble and we will (if we have to) rent another car from this company. A quick change of clothes and a lift back to the airport check in and then spent time in the Emirates Lounge before we head back to Australia.

This has been a most enjoyable trip, we saw a lot and we did a lot, it is a wonderful place to visit. Next time we will do it on a motorcycle



The roads we travelled



Whakatane to Waihi Beach

Whakatane to Waihi Beach 8/2/2011



 





Leaving our little private house at Whakatane we drove along the inland road towards Rotorua, the tourist town with all the geysers and steam baths, and then around beautiful Lake Rotorua, the weather is a little cooler but the lake is glistening with the sun and just catching the many black swans as they glide across the water. Heading north we passed Te Puke and “Karen“ on the GPS had us turning in circles in Tauranga as a new highway has been built since our GPS was updated. We saw Mt Mauganui in the distance twice. Also was a surprise for us to see the Kiwi fruit growing on wooden pyramids.



Kiwi Fruit



After getting out of Tauranga we skirt along the bays and estuaries and find ourselves in Waihi Beach, a beautiful spot that overlooks Mayor Island. We arrived at our motel where the proprietor was having plumbing problems with a water pipe bursting.





Beach Bum





Do not eat the shellfish



Sightseeing through this beautiful seaside town we have lunch on the beach and watch the waves roll in. Then we set off on a long walk contemplating whether to have a swim but getting a little damp to our knees we decided not to as the water was a little chilly and we then find a sign that states not to eat the shell fish found in this area as it was contaminated with toxins. So we don’t know if the water was safe to swim in.



We walked to a small restaurant in town for dinner where I had, my first New Zealand lamb and it was delicious, Vic had the seafood chowder which was very good also.

Just a funny sign



Gisborne to Whakatane /White Island Tour

Gisborne to Whakatane 383 klm

Monday 7^th Feb 7/2/2011

Leaving Gisborne as the sun rises over the bay we head out towards the East Cape.

Driving along the seaside and watching the small waves break on the sand; the Pacific Coast Highway passes through many small towns Tolaga Bay,Ruatoria,Te Araoa just to name a few ,as it climbs up and down the Raukumara Mountain Range. The road is a great motorcycle road, as it twists and turns and the scenery is just simply breathtaking.

 It is a quiet highway except for the log trucks that use it transporting logs from the pine forest to Whakatane .We pass the East Cape and head into Hicks Bay and have a cuppa at the local post office.

Following the coast we spot Whale Island, and then we see White Island on the horizon. Driving into the Bay of Plenty region the road again hugs the coast, though the up market town of Ohope then into Whakatane.

Our stopping place for the next two nights is the White Island Rendezvous. As we are staying for the two nights we are allocated a wonderful little cottage fully equip with all mod cons, even air con.(just what we deserve  ) 

A wonderful sea food platter for dinner at the local Wharf Shed 

Restaurant finished off a great day.

Tuesday rest day at Whakatane 8/2/2011 White Island Tour

Boarding the launch at 10am to White Island 80klm off shore to see a active category 1 volcano. The sea is calm and a slight sea breeze making the voyage pleasant (Vic has his anti sea sickness bands on, just in case) We pass the statue of “Wairaka “on a rocky out crop, the town of Whakatane got its name from this very brave young girl when in a time of crisis cried out “Kia Whakatane au I ahaul” which means literally, “I will become a man”

After one and half hours we arrive at White Island where we were given gas masks and hard hats, we climbed from the launch into a rubber dingy to take us to shore where we had to clamber over great boulders and to the pungent smell of sulphur.

Kate and Kent were our guides for the day, and then Kent had to leave us as there was an accident in another group, where a woman had slipped and dislocated her hip and had to be air lifted back to the mainland by helicopter.

We progressed with our tour up over steaming vents through smelly valleys where the yellow sulphur was different coloured depending on the heat that came from the vents.

 Hissing fumaroles, lava bombs and unusual rock formations Steaming mud pools were squirting hot mud and the path was very slippery, some places the sulphur mounds had collapsed with hot water bubbled from the small streams and it tasted metallic, you could put a NZ copper 10cent piece in the water and the acid wiped it clean and made it bright and shiny.

The island used to be a working sulphur mine which became unprofitable and ended when all the workers were killed by a massive landslide around 1926. It was purchased by a solicitor who was a director of the mining company and now it is a major tourist attraction still owned by the family in a family trust which receives a levee for every tourist that visits it

On the journey back to Whakatane the captain spots a pod of dolphins, we circle theses mammals as they frolic in the water a wonderful sight.

The tour was very good and very informative, when the tour company first started out it was a two man show but now there are over 30 people employed.

It was a very enjoyable and interesting day 

Hastings to Gisborne NZ

The Land of the Long White Cloud

Saturday 5/2/2011

We explored the town of Hastings and found it to be a very clean and very friendly place .It seemed to be a place where a lot of indigenous New Zealand’s work, as it has the seasonal apple and stone fruit picking area. The streets are lined with hanging baskets all with flowers blooming very pretty.

Our Motel was next to a rail line that had two or three trains running at all funny hours, it was comfortable but not 4 star.. maybe 1 star.

The White Cloud has lifted as we set out on our journey from Hastings to Gisborne on the East Coast.230klm

Following the Highway along the East Coast pass many little villages hidden in the valleys of great mounds we meandered through some very picturesque places and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time glistening in the sunlight. Though a gorge where Vic thought he was on a bike as the road just had so many twists and turns and no traffic, the scenery was just beautiful, it’s funny how the sunshine puts a different slant on holidays.

Arriving in Gisborne in time for lunch we head to the fish markets and have our first taste of New Zealand Greenlip mussels and a small bowl of sea food salad, and watched a speed boat race on Poverty Bay with all the action with Helicopters and all.

We went to the Fisherman's Club for Dinner and watched the Sevens on the TV and back to our Motel, no air conditioning as the Kiwis seem to lean towards the cold weather; it is quite warm about 26deg c.

Sunday is a rest day and Sunday in Gisborne is dead stop. Not too many places open but free parking. Gisborne also boasts about having the first light in the world, as the sun hits this place at sunrise.

 We park our little rental under a huge fig tree, and we stroll along the shortest river in New Zealand, we watched a twin hulled canoe loaded with women; it was quite comical to watch then out to  Poverty Bay , passing a great statue of Captain Cook then onto the beach where family’s were enjoying the sunshine and beach. We sat on a park beach in the cool breeze.

Lunch at a beaut cafe on the waterfront and watched the kids playing in the mud flats of the river and jumping off a disused rail line.

Petrol is quite expensive $2.00 a litre and main food dishes about $25-38 but it all good

I could live here as it seems that clothes only come in X Large..

Off to Whakatane tomorrow for 2 days as we are going to White Island to see a volcano that is still active..

New Zealand Long White Cloud Country 2011

Friday 4/2/2011

Long White Cloud Country

We even had a seniors Dinner last night.3 course for NZD $27.00

From New Plymouth to Hastings 428klm

After a hearty breakfast of muesli and full cream milk we set off on the day’s adventure. The fog has not lifted as we head out from the motel.

Vic again in his wisdom sets the GPS to a different route than the highway, as we wanted to see Mt Taranaki but with fog and the rain it was just impossible, so we drove around the mountain in the National Park only seeing the bubbling springs on a very narrow road, We drove for over an hour and “Karen “said to head for Opunke so we took this road as it follows the South Taranaki Bight down the coast. We did not see the ocean as the rain was constant and the sea fog so thick.

We drove through Wanganui and stopped at Bulls for a NZ Pie for lunch where everything is like no udder.

Passing the Ruahine Range which we could not see in the distance, through to Dannevirke a Viking heritage town and onto Hastings which the apple country of NZ and of course we are staying in the Apple Motel (Vic takes me to all the best places ..not) and now the sun is filtering through the clouds  yeah

The Home of the Long White Cloud New Zealand Feb 2011

Home of the Long White Cloud New Zealand North Island 2/2/2011

Different sort of holiday. We are touring in a car

Leaving home at 5-15am hoping to beat the early morning traffic on the (M5 which we did) we arrived at the Fly and Park Station at 5-45am .A driver took us to the Sydney airport and we checked in to Emirate Airlines we were the only ones at the check in, too early I guess at 6am. The Sydney temp was 29deg c.

Flying Business class we were accepted into the Emirate Lounge, boarded the plane at 8-45am and we had seats 20F and J with silver service. Freshly made salmon and cheese omelette and steaming coffee, tis the only way to fly. The service was excellent.

Arrived at Auckland at 2pm and whizzed through customs and immigration, Jucy car rental picked us up and took us to their office where we picked up a little Daihatsu.(Like rent a rent a wreck the little car has so many bumps and scratches but it goes well, what do you expect for NZ $38.00 A Day) Set our Garmin and headed off to Pukekohe (pukky something) about 45klm South of Auckland, Stayed in a beaut little Motor lodge called Touchwood, where we were upgraded to a Executive Studio Unit. Very clean very nice.

The scenery is very beautiful with rolling green hills and the temperature is a cool 21c.  Did our breakfast shopping at Woollies and had a beaut dinner at Bazzas steak and seafood restaurant.

Thursday to New Plymouth ,390 klm or thereabouts.

Leaving Pukekohe at about 9ish to head for New Plymouth, Vic put in some  different roads in the GPS which were off the main highway and we headed for Raglan on the East coast on the Tasman Sea. We saw some wild Peacocks, a couple of flocks of wild Turkeys and a lot of goats, not to many sheep yet, and then we did not see much at all as the sea mist rolled in. We did some rally driving along the coast on rocky roads to Kawhia, then stopped to see the Bridal Veil Waterfall and had a walk in the rain forest.

 It started to drizzle with rain as we drove through Otorohanga and the mist lasted as we drove over the mountains could only see about 20 metres ahead. Then more drizzle as we pulled into New Plymouth it is just so lovely and cool.

The roads are really good (the tarred ones that is) and would be great on a bike – next time perhaps.