NZ ROXX

If it ain't right or left it sure as hell is up and down !!!
And most times it's both at the same time.
Jeezaz, what a place... )))))))))))
You hate bends? Blind crests mid-corner? Scenerey that tries soooo hard to
make you run off the road every 5 minutes?
You hate near-perfectly cambered twisties where the right-left swap makes
the stomach lurch as the frontend sucks air as it jumps the "crest" between
the 2 cambers?
Stiff sh*t, stay at home then ))

(Physically only) back after 5 weeks in NZ ride, it's a major effort to
show any interest of what went on and still is going on around home/ work/
all that.
What an incredible ride !!!!
Bike shipping went well (at least so far, bikes are on their return leg
until mid-April) thanks to Dave Milligan.
All bikes went well, no breakdowns, only one flat tyre and some minor
scrapes. Everyone back safe and sound.
Near 8000km of mega-bliss, NZ really rocks.
Little traffic, cops who are refreshingly normal compared to the usual
"enslaved Victorian tax-collectors", good roads and scenerey to gawk
speechlessly...
Great folks, too...hardly a stop without someone coming along for a chat.

The biggest curse is gravel which slows down any exuberant forays into
"serious fang-mode".
It can be absolutely anywhere.

NZ is a wet-dream on a bike (and quite regularly a "brown" dream,
too...check jocks)
Definitely on a par with the Euro-Alps (done in 2001 and on again
for 2007), but way different.
We were lucky too, with little rain and temps around the 20C and above, more
later once I've collected the pics from everyone and have
time to set up a webpage to carry the ride-report/ diary/ pics.
If you've ever even dreamed about it.... quit fugging around and get across
there....PRONTO.

Hope, everyone had a good Easter.


cheers
pete
(dreaming....while cleaning the cow-shit off the leathers, that last
cattle-crossing was a bitch and it went up to mid-thigh ))


NB: Shipping your own bike is worth it for rides 14 days (on road) and
longer, otherwise good hire bikes are available out of any of the major
cities (and some other places).

 

Good to have you all back safe-n-sound, catch up soon.
damige

 

Geez that about 4 times up and down the entire county

 

One of my WA clients on his FJR1300 went over in the first shipment
from Melbourne in December and came back in my second shipment back to
Sydney (end of Feb), meaning he spent 2 months in NZ.

He did 16,500 kms in that time and reckons he missed a couple of
roads.

Really enjoyed himself and wants to go back next Summer.

I have made a decision to do 5 shipments ex Sydney and 5 shipments ex
Melbourne next Summer. The dates for each shipment will coincide with
the similar shipment from the other port(s) so that I can unload both
at the same time when I am in Christchurch.

I may also do a couple of shipments ex Brisbane - had a lot of
enquiries at the Ulysses AGM in Canberra and if they turn into
bookings I will ship them ex Brisbane instead of Sydney. At present
Brisbane (or other QLD) bikes will be shipped ex Sydney but if the
numbers warrant it I will take cradles to Brisbane and load there.

If anyone is interested in more info on NZ Bike Shipping next Summer
give me a shout on 03 9331 0947.

Kind regards
Dave Milligan

 

Awesome roads indeed.

The wife and I spent 2 weeks holidaying on the south island 2 years
ago, though were touring in a cage rather than a bike. We too had
superb weather. The trip convinced us we will be back one day on the
bikes instead.

Favourite runs were across Arthurs Pass and the Alps to Greymouth on
the west coast, the west coast highway down around the glaciers and
through the Hasst Pass and lakes area on route Queenstown.

Had a sore neck from all the gawking at scenery

Chris

 

Pleased it went well for you and your team in NZ Pete.

I'm still trying to get the smell outa my gear from the cattle truck that
dumped it's load on us in the SI.

Glad you missed him!

Cheers,

Cam

 

And then there's (going for air...)
Takaka Hill between Nelson/ Collingwood,
Queen Charlotte Drive outta Picton
Karamea Hwy for 30km south of Little Wanganui and the Deniston Road
Buller Gorge into Westport
Murchison to Springs Junction for a nice, quickish one
Motueka Valley Rd south of Motueka
SH6 after the first 20km south of Westport
Lewis Pass
Lindis Pass
Leader Rd from Waiau
Inland Rd. Waiau to Kaikoura
Milford Sound Rd
Across the Crown Range Wanaka to Queenstown
Q'town-Glenorchy along the lake
Hyde-McReas Rd 30km north of Middlemarch (past huge open-cut goldmine)
Eastern half of the Southern Scenic Route to Balclutha
Balclutha north via the backroads to Etrick, then south via Moa Flat to
Tapanui (for a GREAT feed at Cafe_1)

....and then another 2 dozen or so off-the-bat on the North Island

Getting goosebumps thinking of it...

Yeah, it's magic

cheers
pete

 

"Dave Milligan"

And if anyone is interested in a discounted place for next years shipping,
email me off-list.
There's still Nigel's ticket he wants to sell.

cheers
pete

 

----- Original Message -----

Bloody awesome place.

Not too sure about that one, followed a sheep-truck for about 3km before a
decent chance for a quick overtake, still got that smell etched up the
nose... gawd it was foul.

Also saw quite a few farmers spreading some whitish flourlike stuff onto
some paddocks, the clouds of dust could be seen from miles away. What is
this stuff?

cheers
pete

 

Lime? Dolomite?

---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]
'81 Suzuki GS450-s (gone on to better and brighter things - I hope)
'87 BMW K100RT
'81 Yamaha Virago (XV) 750H (work in progress)

www.dmcsc.org.au
http://eladesom.com.au/ulysses/
# 37181

 

When the soil becomes too acid for optimum plant happiness, you
can spread it on to drag the pH back up to a decent level.

GB

 

Flouride mate. Unlike us, they prefer 'em a bit long in the tooth!

 

<vivianvoice>you utter, utter, fuckin' bastard!</vivianvoice>

 

"Pisshead Pete" <

bwahahaha

 

Oh, forgot that one, via the Summit Road, bends overload )

OOps, missed that one one more reason to plan the next trip

Awesome road that, as is SH2 between Hastings and Wairoa/ the East Cape,
Wairoa-Gizzy via Tiniroto (inland route),
Raetihi-Wanganui SH4, (and Kairoi-Kakatahi around the same area,
Featherston-Martinborough-Masterton-Castlepoint-AlfredtonWeber-Wimbledon-Wai
pukurau is an absolute hoot, SH2 Opotiki-Gizzy is a beauty.....way too much
good stuff around for a lousy 5 weeks )))

The "shouldn't" is one thing....the "is" another heehe...
All part of the fun

cheers
pete

 

But it's a good sport for a trucky.. lining up bikers to dump your tanks on.

...maybe someone told him I was a Jaffa?