WET WET WET

Well the weather was crap. We departed Wanaka and headed down to Arrowtown, I wanted to cross over the Crown Ranges before it started to rain as the road is not the best and very twisty,
even in a car it can be a bit daunting you know it can't be good when it has signs 'CHECK YOUR BRAKES' from half way down. Cattle stops and switchbacks all sorts of fun things.
Stopped in Arrowtown even in the rain, a must see if your down this way. we had a bite to eat and the rain started to really fall. Wanted to walk to the Chinese part but decided to move on as we spent a lot of time there the last time we were in Arrowtown, the history is fascinating and not all packaged up like a lot of places.
Bypassed Queenstown we have been up the gondola and other than that not much there to interest us.
The road out of Queenstown south is a nightmare what they call slumps basically the road surface has worn away where the tires of traffic are and leave a hump in the middle with loose gravel in the center and sides and shiny bits to drive on, in the rain it was a real challenge to make matters worse we struck some road works and the flagman flipped the sign to go then changed his mind and waved up to a stop because the other side started to let cars through, What he didn't know Mr Angry was on a motorcycle this day. enough said !
the rain kept up till we reached Te Anau and stopped as soon as we did. Kym is out doing her run and then off to dinner, so will finish this later.
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We had Chinese for dinner and a few drinks and that was the night over.

West Coast chopping

We headed out of Westport down the coast towards Greymouth the ride was good except the wind was coming off the sea and covered our visors and made it a bit hard to see. We stopped at 'Shantytown' it was the third time I have been there but the first time I went in and that was only because Kym made me, we had a look around and rode the steam train it was not that exciting but at least we been there and done that now, I reckon MOTAT has a better version of the same sort of thing.
We gave 'Pancake Rocks' a miss as there was a tour bus there and the food is overpriced. and the rocks haven't changed. Stopped for breakfast in Greymouth at Robert Harris Real coffee.
Headed to Franz Josef Glacier for the night, had a look around the township and went to dinner had a bit to much Black Beer with my venison pie.
We didn't walk out to the glacier this time the last time we were there we crossed the ropes and was mucking about in the ice cave that collapsed and killed those two Indian boys from Australia.
We headed down to Wanaka the accommodation we thought we were going to get fell through so we will spend one night here we spent a week here for an airshow in '06' so we seen it all before, We will stop at the warbird museum on our way out of town.
The weather is not looking to flash for the next few days ,but never mind, its not like we can quit and go home.

Lewis Pass

When we got up it had been raining during the night and was just a slight drizzle, I had not brought my riding boots in from the porch so the right one was a bit wet, o well never mind.
We set off from Hanmer Springs to the west coast town of Westport through the 'Lewis Pass'
being that the ground was wet I took it easy and you really can't see anything going to fast anyway. It is a very nice road and runs along parts of the 'Buller Gorge' with the Buller River at the bottom. It was cold riding through the forest as I don't have the inserts for my riding pants because SOMEONE biffed them out. I didn't bring the one for my jacket or my spare over pants because I am a dumbass and forgot them and if I had my leg inserts they would be at home as well!
We stopped at Reefton for a coffee a very quaint town a little bigger then Helensville. The weather cleared and became fine. A lot of straight roads after Reefton and little wind .
Got to Westport had a ride through town found the motor camp and checked in.
Kym wanted to see the fur seal colony so we headed over to 'Cape Foul Wind ' to see the seals there were not as many as last time we were there.

people soup

We left Kaikoura and went along the Alpine Highway route 70 heading west to Hanmer Springs. We stopped for my daily 'big breakfast' at the Rotherham Hotel, had a huge feed of bacon, eggs, sausage, tomato's,potato's for $15 and Kymbo had beans on toast the coffee was instant but I did ask for a gourmet one so....
The ride was great, I would have enjoyed it more with out the luggage and Kym on the back, a real motorcycling road the wind was up a bit but not to bad.another great day weather wise.

Got to Hanmer Springs and bought a real coffee. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ! After we finished the coffee's we checked into the holiday park . Kym wanted to go to the animal park to see the caged animal but I still don't like to see anything locked up, so I found a pub one that is that owned by the company that Kym works for so it was a self supporting venture, it my own mind anyway. Had a few ciders on ice in the garden bar.

We went shopping for some vegetables for dinner and then to the mineral springs for a big mix of people soup. I hate spas and such things, but not much point of coming here and not
having a look, some nice new season bikini's. I'm old but not blind.

A Whale of a time.

We looked at the weather and decided to go down the east coast as the weather on the west side was not that flash. What a great plan that turned out to be, the weather was magnificent, sun and not a cloud in the sky. One of the things Kym wanted to do while we were here was to go whale watching in Kaikoura so that is where we went. We booked in to the camp ground and walked down to the Whale watch HQ, booked that and then walked back to get some drinks and stuff. Went out to see some whales we saw ONE! A sperm Whale, and it was asleep and not moving. I had my suspicious that it was a bit like the shark in 'Jaws' a bit on the rubbery side. But Kym enjoyed it even though I reckon she thought it was not that great. Oh well good thing for the dosey whale we weren't there on a Japanese science research vessel.

PHOTO
a very expensive photo of a sleeping whale

On the Mainland

After we left Wanganui we stopped at Stanson for some breakfast and coffee, we then headed down to Hutt Valley and stayed at the camp ground at Upper Hutt it was the same one I stayed at in ‘08’,we had a walk along the river front and then went to the Chinese take-away and the booze shop and that was pretty much the end of day two.
We headed down to ‘Upper Hutt ‘ for some breakfast and down to the ferry only to find it was delayed for an hour, we met a nice fella named Laurie and talked to him till we reached Picton had a few beers on the boat and then found the ‘Kiwi Camp Ground’ and settled in for the night and now we are about to go down to Picton to experience the night life, I’ll let ya know how that pans out.
Well just went to the Indian restaurant the café’s all look a bit upmarket and I really could’t be bothered but the Indian food was of an acceptable level of hotness and Kymbo’s green purée of spinach and potatoes looked… well acutely like a pile of sick , but she enjoyed it.
Decided to buy a mobile broadband stick while we were in Upper Hutt , since the Telecom XT network went down overnight again I bought a Vodafone one . I did plan to use hotspot wireless but soon found that I would have to join multiple networks and sign up every night. The Vodafone stick has $40 dollar credit on it and the cheapest top up plan, using hot spot wireless cost around $8 per hour and that’s only 50mb.
So we shall see how impressed I am with this Vodafone coverage as it is pretty marginal in Helensville at the best of times.
Time for a wee dram of Jack.
So in the morning we shall see which way the wind is blowing and decide where to go from here.

photos taken with Kym's cell phone
a silver dollar type plant along the Hutt River
Waikawa Bay, Picton

day one

Well we made Wanganui, it was a beautiful day for a ride had a few rest stops along the way but the bike felt good and the road works weren't to bad. I still think investing in the company that makes those orange road cones would be a winner !
Got to National Park and thought right for a bit of a rest saw a couple of bikes and some people sitting at a table outside of a pub/bistro turned around and pulled in, took off our riding gear said hi to the people and all the normal things bike people say. 'good day for it ' and all that. Decided to have a beer only to learn that they were the owners and their cousin and the place didn't open till four. But in true kiwi hospitably style the owners made kym a sandwich and we had a beer with them.
So if you are traveling down State Highway 4 stop in at Eivins Cafe in National Park village and see Bryce and Marie, good folks , great view, Kymbo reckons great sandwich. And they even took a photo of us with our camera.
We met up with a friend and went to dinner in the great metropolis of Wanganui. She took us up to the top of the 'elevator' and had a really cool view of the city. After having our suspicions confirmed that the rates were a bit cheaper because of the location of the campground, I put the cable lock on my bike.

Last minute

Well we are all set. Have packed the bike and know where every thing is going to be situated, we have a little room left over in the top box and tank bag for souvenirs -Yeah right. The sleeping bags are the real pain i guess because they are good ones they are a bit thick and bulky. Kym did buy a water proof bag but they are to big for it. So they will get strapped to the top box in a cheap carry bag with a rubbish bag as a liner.
The pannier's have worked out to 9.5 kg each and should not be over 10 kg each so weight will not be an issue but wind will always be an issue but not like it was on the BMW i hope, at least i have time on my side we will not be riding in bad weather at all, I expect we will get caught out at some point but we will head for shelter ASAP.
Delayed by a day. We had a nephew's 21st and had to go to that, but just as well we are ready to go first thing in the morning i think we have it really sorted, we will have to give Paeroa a miss this year and head south to Wanganui, because we won't want to be getting to Wellington too late on Monday. We might go to the national museum ' Te Papa ' or take a tour of Parliament there is actually a lot to do in Wellington. well thats all for now

get set

So we will have a trail run of packing the bike for two up touring in the morning after i scrub in the new tires. and bed in the new rear brakes i put on while I had the bike apart.

One Week to go.

New tires arranged and will be fitted tomorrow, have chosen to go with the pirelli diablo as the Michelin pilot's were $145 more expensive, I am not being cheep the reasoning being that the South Island roads are a lot courser and chew through the tires a lot quicker, and the turn around on buying new tires will be fairly quick. And I really don't have a handle on the whole tire compound thing yet. four types of rubber hard to cruise in the middle soft at the outer wall to go round corners....and so on.
Well I got the rims off and took them to Cycletreads for the new tires, and we both bought new helmets and a set of rear brake pads, the staff were helpful as always and by far the best shop to deal with. 1100 bucks later we are almost there. The tires were so bad I could not even ride it to the shop.
-click on pix-
all back together and seems to be working fine , filled the self oilier system for the chain. all system are go. Also bought summer gloves !

Get Ready

Getting ready, new tires OUCH that is going to HURT ! Have bought a puncture repair kit, did oil and filter change. I hope to cover most things and not leave it till the last minute like I did last time,and of course setting this blog site up.
Have to watch how much riding I do as i have burned up 965 km of the oil change and a few weeks of going to work will run up the kilometres before I even start the tour. ( i love me bike ! and take care of it like it was the most important thing in life, after my family of course. )

THE PLAN

Well being my first attempt I will try to make this as straight forward as possible.
The wife Kym and I are going to the South Island to tour around two-up on the Mighty Suzuki GSX 1400. We leave on the 21 February. We head down to Wanganui for a night and then cross on Bluebridge ferry to Picton, going through the sounds never gets old.
We have no real plans but to stay a few days in Wanaka ( yes airplanes be there )
I will endeavor to keep the posting as current as I can.
I hope you find this interesting and amusing and maybe informative.