YAYYY...the more, the merrier.
Not via China Air again?
Thanks! Should've looked closer, the beak gives it away, really.
The rest looks pretty much the same....until they get up and walk, I guess.
They've also got a different bodyshape?
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The Long-White-Cloud Spectacular__NZ South Island 2012
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YAYYY...the more, the merrier.
Not via China Air again?
Thanks! Should've looked closer, the beak gives it away, really.
The rest looks pretty much the same....until they get up and walk, I guess.
They've also got a different bodyshape?
asphalt
Tassie...where tyres are flat and nights are long
Not via China Air again?
No matter how ......
China South Airlines is very good! Newest aircraft, sufficient seating capacity,
movies, games, own monitors, good onboard service, friendly staff .:tu
Unfortunately the way via Beijing and Guangzhou takes time.
Great write up & pics... That area top of the south Islandis my back yard... the Moleworth/Rainbow hydro road is
a 400km loop from my gate...
I see yer done the the Braeburn did you also do the Porika
goes from St Arnads to lake Rotoroa and then on to the
Braeburn..
Here's a good site for anyone planing ADV ride's
with GPS files in NZ
http://www.advroutes.org.nz/mapsi.html
No to the Porika...were warned off that it might be too steep coming down with fully packed bikes.
Next time...at least we'll go and have a look. This time it most probably worked out to the best, anyway.
The problem really is what to expect when you don't know the area....and how it relates to other factors like weather, heat, wildlife etc as well as one's own level of riding. While the Braeburn turned out a fizzer, it might've been a bastard in the past, for some reason or another...the Porika really could've been way over our heads, or it might've proven just another track.
There is one 100m section on the way down thats a bit
shalely but other than that the rest down has good brakeing..
I went over it 2 weeks ago with a group from the North Island
they were packed up for a 3 day trip.. no probs..
Pics are of the Porika
Nothing blue up there this morning
....but the cloud-ceiling’s still high enough for a good start.
That looks like the mother of all Monteith Black bottles!!
Uh-ohhh...Dave’s fishing in the ominous brown paper bag...on the breakfast table!!
FOUND IT!! Groooaaannn...at least he doesn’t mind the piss-takes.
There’s another “36er” road on the menu this morning...the Maruia Saddle.
First it’s up the Matakitaki Valley, a beautiful, little spot.
Ohhh, Rob!! Not in public!!
The cold lamb-shank must’ve had some dope in it...Tassie-Dave is up and gone... THAT WAY!!....
...into a 20km dead-end, as the farmer tells us. That’s 40 return and will even take Dave a minute or 5.... that’ll cost him another round.
That looks like the mother of all Monteith Black bottles!!
Uh-ohhh...Dave’s fishing in the ominous brown paper bag...on the breakfast table!!
FOUND IT!! Groooaaannn...at least he doesn’t mind the piss-takes.
There’s another “36er” road on the menu this morning...the Maruia Saddle.
First it’s up the Matakitaki Valley, a beautiful, little spot.
Ohhh, Rob!! Not in public!!
The cold lamb-shank must’ve had some dope in it...Tassie-Dave is up and gone... THAT WAY!!....
...into a 20km dead-end, as the farmer tells us. That’s 40 return and will even take Dave a minute or 5.... that’ll cost him another round.
Maruia Saddle, here we come.
And it’s a magic little road!!!
What a cracker, the bush thick and green, the riding’s easy. Easy enough to get a roadie through without too much hassle....at least at the moment.
It’s all over way too soon....barely 20k’s of paradise just isn’t enough!!
There’s a German couple in a biiig Camper on the other end, just about to get into it, as we’re emerging into daylight again.
No guys...don’t even think about it. A little Fiesta or something, perhaps...but not this thing!
We tack south for a few minutes, then take the West Bank Rd....
...that runs parallel to Hwy65 from Maruia south to just before Springs Junction.
There isn’t really much choice from here....with the weatherfront supposedly coming up from the south, we’ll run right into it, regardless if we take the eastern route via Lewis Pass and Hanmer or western option via Greymouth and Arthurs Pass. Perhaps it’s better to be bold and head straight for the Westcoast, then hide behind the coastal range for a run into the Southern Canterbury Plains.
West wins....and Hwy7 into Reefton only brings some heavy drizzle for the 15 minutes through the saddle.
The Pub and Roadhouse at Totara Flat prove a weird and whacky enough place for lunch....but I’ll NEVER forget that totally disgusting “hot beef roll with gravy”, if it wouldn’t have been for the slowly clearing skies, the mood was dark enough to set the pub on fire. I even envied Dave his remains of the doggy-bag!!
And it’s a magic little road!!!
What a cracker, the bush thick and green, the riding’s easy. Easy enough to get a roadie through without too much hassle....at least at the moment.
It’s all over way too soon....barely 20k’s of paradise just isn’t enough!!
There’s a German couple in a biiig Camper on the other end, just about to get into it, as we’re emerging into daylight again.
No guys...don’t even think about it. A little Fiesta or something, perhaps...but not this thing!
We tack south for a few minutes, then take the West Bank Rd....
...that runs parallel to Hwy65 from Maruia south to just before Springs Junction.
There isn’t really much choice from here....with the weatherfront supposedly coming up from the south, we’ll run right into it, regardless if we take the eastern route via Lewis Pass and Hanmer or western option via Greymouth and Arthurs Pass. Perhaps it’s better to be bold and head straight for the Westcoast, then hide behind the coastal range for a run into the Southern Canterbury Plains.
West wins....and Hwy7 into Reefton only brings some heavy drizzle for the 15 minutes through the saddle.
The Pub and Roadhouse at Totara Flat prove a weird and whacky enough place for lunch....but I’ll NEVER forget that totally disgusting “hot beef roll with gravy”, if it wouldn’t have been for the slowly clearing skies, the mood was dark enough to set the pub on fire. I even envied Dave his remains of the doggy-bag!!
Yup...Tatora Flat houses some of the prize-winning arm wrestling crews in the country who regularly train at the pub here.
Looks like an old station building
Someone’s got it right!!
No wonder they've got a lock on that!
Back on the hwy, heading south towards Greymouth....and heading back into the muck.
We turn off at Ngahere... Nelson Creek Road proves to be sealed for the first part of a shortcut around Lake Brunner and onto Route 73, Arthurs Pass.
If it wouldn’t be for the fine, heavy drizzle clogging up the visors, Bells Hill Rd. would be even faster, the dirt is as smooth as tarseal and the views should be nice, too, on a clear day.
Surprisingly the rain stops,...
...the road dries out within a couple of kilometers...
...and it’s a ripper of a run into Arthurs Pass, the township. Some twisties, some campers and other vehicles to chase down and overtake....and in the end the sun even pokes through, yeeha!
Time to thaw out those frozen fingers...
Cutting east through the High Country
Into the low-hanging muck again at Lake Lyndon.
Looks like an old station building
Someone’s got it right!!
No wonder they've got a lock on that!
Back on the hwy, heading south towards Greymouth....and heading back into the muck.
We turn off at Ngahere... Nelson Creek Road proves to be sealed for the first part of a shortcut around Lake Brunner and onto Route 73, Arthurs Pass.
If it wouldn’t be for the fine, heavy drizzle clogging up the visors, Bells Hill Rd. would be even faster, the dirt is as smooth as tarseal and the views should be nice, too, on a clear day.
Surprisingly the rain stops,...
...the road dries out within a couple of kilometers...
...and it’s a ripper of a run into Arthurs Pass, the township. Some twisties, some campers and other vehicles to chase down and overtake....and in the end the sun even pokes through, yeeha!
Time to thaw out those frozen fingers...
Cutting east through the High Country
Into the low-hanging muck again at Lake Lyndon.
The Lyndon Road doglegs south to Lake Coleridge and on to Methven and Hwy77, the Scenic Hwy (aka Christchurch Bypass or Canterbury Plains backroad).
It sure isn’t a road to go out of your way to get to...but it’s a nice, handy connector linking the Plains with Arthurs Pass in a different, low traffic way compared to the usual main routes.
The rain buckets down at Rakaia Gorge, the “Scenic Hwy” is becoming a waterfall....and the little XT finally runs dry despite all hope to get it into Methven for a much needed dollop of 91octane.
Luckily Jo and the BMW are around...and the jiggler-hose!!...and things are rolling again 15 mins later.
The rain stops dead just at the outskirts of town...and while the search-party is out looking for a stay for a bunch of soaked riders, some local comes walking down the footpath, pushing an apparently dead “Lifan200” along.
While we listen to the story...
.... the laughs are never far away...
...but we can’t really help with the limited tools we’ve got. It’s electrical and it sounds like a buggered stator...but who knows. It’s one of those Chinese things and the engine looks like a copy of a 200 Yammie Ag-bike from the outside.
At least she’s a local and just lives around the corner.
Dave and Nev come up with the Koromiko Lodge and, apart from the landlady, we’ve got the place to ourselves.
Thankfully they’re geared for the Mt. Hutt skiers in winter and even offer a drying-cabinet for most of our soaked gear...and there’s sure plenty of that!
Dave...waterproofing the jacket with, what else, but duct tape.
Trust me, I’ve done this before!!
The local Café has a sad story to tell...there isn't much business going around, as is.
Another BIG ONE tomorrow....the Haka Pass (Hakataramea Pass)...let’s hope, the weather comes good!!
Cause if it does, there’s a whole bag full of pearlers coming up.
The Mackenzie Pass, the Haka and the little known, Meyers Pass.
Then find a spot to stay somewhere, then the Danseys Pass the day after and then we’re in the general southern area which holds another bagfull of goodies.... yeah, let the sun shine!!
It sure isn’t a road to go out of your way to get to...but it’s a nice, handy connector linking the Plains with Arthurs Pass in a different, low traffic way compared to the usual main routes.
The rain buckets down at Rakaia Gorge, the “Scenic Hwy” is becoming a waterfall....and the little XT finally runs dry despite all hope to get it into Methven for a much needed dollop of 91octane.
Luckily Jo and the BMW are around...and the jiggler-hose!!...and things are rolling again 15 mins later.
The rain stops dead just at the outskirts of town...and while the search-party is out looking for a stay for a bunch of soaked riders, some local comes walking down the footpath, pushing an apparently dead “Lifan200” along.
While we listen to the story...
.... the laughs are never far away...
...but we can’t really help with the limited tools we’ve got. It’s electrical and it sounds like a buggered stator...but who knows. It’s one of those Chinese things and the engine looks like a copy of a 200 Yammie Ag-bike from the outside.
At least she’s a local and just lives around the corner.
Dave and Nev come up with the Koromiko Lodge and, apart from the landlady, we’ve got the place to ourselves.
Thankfully they’re geared for the Mt. Hutt skiers in winter and even offer a drying-cabinet for most of our soaked gear...and there’s sure plenty of that!
Dave...waterproofing the jacket with, what else, but duct tape.
Trust me, I’ve done this before!!
The local Café has a sad story to tell...there isn't much business going around, as is.
Another BIG ONE tomorrow....the Haka Pass (Hakataramea Pass)...let’s hope, the weather comes good!!
Cause if it does, there’s a whole bag full of pearlers coming up.
The Mackenzie Pass, the Haka and the little known, Meyers Pass.
Then find a spot to stay somewhere, then the Danseys Pass the day after and then we’re in the general southern area which holds another bagfull of goodies.... yeah, let the sun shine!!
Doesn't look too bad...but pics can be deceptive.
Was that EddieB and the mob?
Man, it's a small world....or did he put you up to sign in here?
ok ok....just found you on KB + XT660R
Whoohoo...sticking a chair on an XT....got a pic around of one of the locals here having done it with on old XT (500/550?)