The days to departure finally ticked down, bags packed and repacked, puss dropped out to the cat hotel and off to the airport. Keen travellers had arrived and checked in several hours before us, perhaps enjoying a few pre flight liquid tranquillisers.
I’ve travelled a lot over the years and like it less with the passing of each year. I have experienced the best and worst of most major airlines and have to say that Air NZ lag a long way behind most that I have experienced- the crew were fabulous but the equipment and specification very disappointing. One upside though - our previous Air NZ flight (to Nadi) could have been mistaken for that of a third world native airline (rather than representing those 85%of Kiwis who don’t identify as Māori). If they want to be worthy of our respect, our loyalty and our discretionary dollar, Air NZ should stop trying to be so “Woke”. Anyway, we all arrived over the space of a couple of days and appear to have overcome the worst of the jet lag that can be part and parcel of these long trips. We’ve all spent these days in our own way, the energetic spending dawn to dusk ticking boxes, others more relaxed. Since arriving a couple of days ago I have been reminded that Vancouver has a huge Asian population, certainly very dominant in some areas. Like most cities there are some very beautiful spots, gardens, parks and harbour, but unfortunately tempered by the desolate, desperate and downtrodden. Granville Island Markets are quite extraordinary with food and produce that is very impressive- including the biggest (and very nice) strawberries I have ever seen. There is an outlet market a few minutes drive from our hotel - shoppers get a very close up view of aircraft, engines screaming as the come into land. I suspect there may be one or two shoppers who will have difficulty closing their bag tomorrow. Almost everyone hast made the 45 minute journey across town to Trev Neerly Harley Davidson, with T Shirts, Jackets, Helmets and other branded paraphernalia being almost a right of passage We picked up our Harleys this morning- a very painless exercise, made all the better by fairly new bikes (all 2023). With our departure scheduled for tomorrow morning, some have made minor adjustments and most have begun loading wet weather gear and the like, Time for an afternoon nana nap before drinks and briefing! With the Inter-Islander being a non viable option due to delays and lack of any sort of reliability, rather than risk waiting in Picton for several days (with no accommodation available) the decision had been made to fly home, with bikes following by truck as and when Bike Tranz can get space. Incredible ineptitude of bureaucrats and successive Governments at it’s best. We had close to 500kms and a deadline to meet, and early start was required with a 7:30 departure announced - despite having to dress for the cold we left at 715!). Traffic cops either side of the Cromwell turn off with very cynical revenue gathering intentions were disappointed to see us cruise by, forewarned by radar detectors and the flashing slights of oncoming motorists. We cracked on, with breakfast at Omarama our first stop. The Asian ladies running the place were a laugh - not enough eggs for Nev’s Big Breakfast, but plenty, covered in buckets of Bernaise sauce for eggs Benedict, go figure. We transitioned from the winding roads of the high country to the long straights of the flats. Sheep with long and grubby fleece, unwashed for months since the last rains, each had a passenger, a bird that I guess was proving and insect removal service. Green paddocks were a reminder that water makes all the difference - adjacent unirrigated land just across the road can only grow rocks and dust. We managed to hook up with a few fairly fast moving “rabbits” , mainly ute’s travelling at about 10km over the speed limit, who would protect us from any bored traffic cops who’d otherwise spoil our day, a bonus. Gas in Tekapo then off to Fairlie for a long lusted after meat pie & cronut - unfortunately (perhaps fortunately) the queue was over half an hour long, so onwards. Adele from BikeTranz had really pushed the boat out to accommodate those of us who’d changed our plans at the last moment. She had roped sister in law Kym in to meeting us at a Store King unit (there is a huge backlog of bikes awaiting Kiwi Rail getting their shit together). Kym was great, even giving us a ride to the airport - ever tried stuffing a sleeping bag into a case that is just a wee bit too small? Getting everyone through the airport was a comedy of errors, silly old buggers making what should be an easy process harder that it should be.
The relief in sitting down with a beer with time to spare was palpable, time to reflect and relax, knowing that the 2024 tour is only 12 moths away. A great time, with great guys The state of the back of my bike is a good indication of 9 days on the road - others have been far more diligent than me, out with a hose and cloth while I’ve putting the days notes together. We were all up early and rugged up against the cold (1.5C). We gassed up in Te Anau before heading back to Lumsden and Route 6 Cafe for breakfast. After yesterday we all had high expectations, but as is so often the case the return visit is not quite as good, so half were happy and half were disappointed… Perhaps more disappointing were the couple of dozen “Freedom Camper” vans across the road using the towns resources, how a pokey little van can be “self contained “ with a toilet is beyond me. These people spend nothing and have high expectations that resources will be made available for their convenience.. The stream of buses heading towards Milford was quite incredible - you’d have to say that tourism is very much back in vogue - these people do spend money within the communities they pass through - lots of money.. Grasshopper led us at a very respectable clip from Lumsden to Gore with Nev close at hand to reign him in if necessary - we know a very good pie and donut shop there, but no good to us so soon after breakfast. We decided to head to St Bathans, the venerable and very historic Vulcan Hotel a favourite overnight spot in the past. My GPS took us via a shortcut, awesome back country roads that saw us climb to some of the the highest ridge lines and some fairly technical riding before begging the steep descent downwards. This eventually brought us to Roxburgh, fruit bowl of the South Island and what were universally agreed as the very best peaches ever. Like most places we visit, people are keen to chat, some to offer employment (seriously), other to suss out what we’re up to. Seems that our previous Prime Minister and her racist policies are not popular in Otago or Southland! An early night is on the cards for me - we plan on leaving Clyde at 7:30 with a quick trip to Christchurch in the offing.
Very nice and hopefully healthy granola, fresh strawberries, apricots, mandarins, apples and mint for breakfast - a good start to the day before leaving Wānaka bound for Te Anau. We were all dressed for the cold, with Craig’s heated gloves getting called into action. We know it is all about layers and a couple who’d spent time shopping at Kathmandu enjoying showing off new gear. Some included a final layer of wet weather gear, others later having reason to regret doing so. Rather than chance encountering ice crossing the Crown Range, we took the longer route via Cromwell, and other than a bit of rain here and there were happy with the choice. We picked Jeff up at the impressive Five Mile shopping centre then headed out of Queenstown enjoying a fairly fast trip along the lake - great scenery, great roads, not too much traffic. Nev led us into Lumsden for coffee and cheese rolls, that delicacy fairly unique to this part of the country - the skill of a cook in Southland is apparently based on their cheese rolls, and we know from long experience that there definitely is a great variation, today’s at Route 6 Diner, an American style cafe, complete with a Dodge being part of the decor-being near the top end of the scale. With the rain becoming more of an issue the decision was made to defer heading all the way to Milford Sound, instead settling on Te Anau. Mike has his son’s stag party to with an early morning flight on Saturday to get to - rather than one big 650km ride on Friday, he made the wise choice to leave us and do it in two bites - sad to see him disappear into the distance. Every motel in Te Anau was fully booked - quite remarkable given there don’t seem to be that many people about. The sun reappeared and our afternoon drinks soon turned into a veritable smorgasbord of cheeses, dips and diced vegetables - thanks Jeff! During his walk around town, Craig booked us into an Italian restaurant, authentic down to pizza oven and gingham table cloths- pretty much pizza’s s only, but a big and busy place that did the trick - a pleasant change from the pub food we often encounter.
Today in Wānaka was always planned as a lay day, with several ride options under consideration. That said, we woke to very persistent rain and decided to defer any decision until after a fairly late breakfast , then until after the rain stopped. We each enjoyed a quiet morning before heading back to town for what seems to be a staple lunch of a couple of pints and a bowl of fries - from that point any riding for the day was off. Grasshopper (Craig) made a booking at the nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner and between 5pm and leaving my room became a bar…. Margaritas of all sorts very the order of the evening - a very popular choice for a change, then back to Don’s Bar for a few more drinks as plans for the morning were made. Our main concern with overnight temperatures predicted at around freezing is the possibility of ice on the road, something that motorcyclists don’t enjoy at all. In deference to this and perhaps with some thoughts of one too many drinks, an 8am breakfast and 9am departure was agreed upon. Unfortunately Jeff has a business commitment in Queenstown and has a7:15 departure planned…
The rain that had accompanied us back from last nights pub dinner got heavier overnight and whilst relatively clear in the morning we knew to prepare for more, so it was a troupe of Teletubbies (some of us anyway), dressed up in new wet weather gear who departed from Hokitika at 8am. That said, it was not too long before the sun came out and the world became a better place. Our breakfast stop was one of these tiny little blips on the landscape that were once part thriving towns that have all but disappeared. Run by a bunch of very cheerful ladies, (and very friendly puss) we were soon sorted, even those wanting “Americano coffee” (whatever that is, but I suspect a fairly clear Indication that we were not from the West Coast). Craig had been delayed with the sort of news that chills us all - his 4 month old grandson had been rushed to hospital- fortunately as the morning progressed, the indications were that he had received the best of care and the required procedure a success. The scenery continued to impress, more rugged coastline (in places build up with a mastery of massive rocks, individually placed by a maestro digger operator), wide braided rivers, some devoid of water, others fast and fat, bush, mountains, you name it, exquisite. Unfortunately gorse and blackberry also seem to really thrive- I noticed what was once someone’s home, long since abandoned, suffocated to the roofline by blackberry. The road kill evident also indicated that there are plenty of possums about. A bit more rain here and there but jackets came off at the Hard Antler Bar just out of Haast where we stopped for lunch - a pint and a few very nice hot chips being just the ticket With wet and windy mountain roads morphing into dry, flat and fairly straight, Nev set a fairly cracking pace through to Wanaka with everyone taking the ride at their own pace. Tour buses and camper vans were no match for our mighty Harleys, passed at full roar - this is what we live for.
With the arrival at our lakeside accommodation just a very short walk to the main drag, the bikes were parked up - coffee, a shower and plans for dinner The first half dozen restaurants we tried were fully booked, several were closed due to “staff shortages “ but eventually the Monteiths Alehouse took us in, with our waitress providing excellent service and receiving the appropriate and traditional “Rusty Nut’s” tip (the deposit on a modest home). We have a “lay day” to look forward to - with the rain continuing to fall, perhaps just as well. From conversations we had, it seems the locals are very appreciative of this long awaited rain, slow and steady each to soak the parched earth… we’re not quite so sure. Hanmer Springs is always a favourite stop, a lovely little town devoid of all the things people hate about big cities. There are plenty of bars and restaurants particularly as our visits tend to be at a quiet time. Unfortunately I was asleep when the “laundry call” went out, but “you snooze, you lose”, and woke to a message that the guys were ensconced in a garden bar up the road. Good stuff, nice dinner then back to our motel (via the local dairy where Mike shouted ice creams) for more drinks around a bbq table - the sandflies were vicious! We woke to a lovely crisp morning, wandered up the road for breakfast and once Chris had couriered his dirty laundry home, we were off, a fairly short day ahead. Again, the scenery was magnificent, with a bit of everything thrown in Tony told us about a pie shop that he recommended in Reefton, an irresistible stopping point, and the resultant consensus was about 8/10, not too bad.
Next stop, the famous old mining town of Backball for a beer and whitebait fritters courtesy of Jeff, these rated at 9/10, very nice.A sign across the road took our fancy - funnily enough no one went past it during our time there. Another great leg though to Hokitika although the ride had changed from technical twistiest to long straight highway - ok for a while. Dinner was at The Pioneer Hotel, off the beaten track but with cold beer and great meals - the shrimp cocktails were very popular. Unfortunately the rain started just as we were leaving , so shoulders braced we accepted the inevitable and got wet - the rain stopped as we arrived back at the motel… Next stop, down the West Coast and across to Wānaka As mentioned previously, we arrived at our slightly less than salubrious accommodation later than anticipated due to ferry delays, succumbed to an “almost all fried” dinner, (great at the time, later regretted), then an early night. Breakfast was at a delightful and very efficient cafe just across the road, with 3 girls doing a great job - like everywhere else, “staff wanted” signs in the window- grrrr. Craig asked the group to call into the elderly parents of a friend - they were really chuffed to have the Rusty Nuts lined up outside their home for a chat. A reminder how a few minutes and not a lot of effort can really make a difference. From there we headed for Kaikoura for a crayfish roll, something that proved quite elusive. The ride from Blenheim was delightful, a fabulous morning, plenty of great scenery ( including a magnificent black stallion roaring around his paddock just because he could). Passing from wine country to the coast is visceral, with the smell of sea and kelp almost a slap in the face, with no discernible transition between the two. Whilst Our first stop was unsuccessful in that crayfish rolls were not on the menu (although whole crays were), the coconut slice and coffee proved very popular. We found the seal colony a few kms further along - pups of various sizes enjoying what seal pups do, quite special. Still on the hunt for what was proving to be more difficult than anticipated, we forged onwards with a couple more false stops before we eventually arrived at a very cool roadside food truck selling fabulous fresh seafood at remarkably low prices. Crayfish sandwiches and scallops were very popular, with the roadside bar ( beers sold from a van and a roped off bar”) providing the finishing touches. The last leg of the day was a blast through to Hanmer Springs, more great roads though exquisite scenery, everything from rocky coastline, a bit of flat pasture and perhaps our favourite, windy technical roads through the high country, bridges over wide braided rivers - at one point we were cruising along at 110km and were passed by 4 country kids in a Corolla, probably doing 160-180km. Unfortunately there is probably going to be an unhappy outcome sooner or later.
A litre of cold water was first priority on arrival followed by a shower then a wee nana nap (apparently just me) with the others finding a bar … great dinner followed by ice creams shouted by Mike C on the way back to the motel and a session with drinks and sandflies in the garden as the sunset. We left Martinborough in sunshine, with plenty of time to meet our ferry check in at noon. Unlike our previous trip over the spectacular Rimatuka Ranges, this one was in the daylight and without rain, the only obstacle being cyclists who in my humble opinion show more grit and determination than common sense. They really put themselves (and others) at real risk. The vintage Bentleys that roared up toward us from the other side were a treat, drivers and passengers in googles and flying helmets, goodness only knows where they all came from, but history in motion. In deference to Craig’s sore bum, we swung by the Harley dealership in Lower Hutt so he could find a more comfortable seat - mission accomplished. By the angry blasting of his horn and fist shaking, we apparently managed to upset one of the locals big time when leaving. Road rage really is very passé. The Inter-Islander is proof that this Govt (and probably previous Govts) have really ignored infrastructure in favour of political dogma. Of 3 ferries, one was out of service, one was freight only (due to unreliability) with the sole remaining available for passengers, and even then with reduced service due to staff shortages. By all accounts there are new ferries due in the next 2-3 years.. Apparently there are 368,000 people on benefits (unemployment or “ready for work” - joke), and all the while virtually every cafe, restaurant and most businesses are screaming for staff. Our ferry eventually left 2 hours late and I guess that in itself is something to be grateful for. To add insult to injury, we were advised that the lounge that we always pay extra for was not available due to staff shortages - fortunately this proved to be only half right - it was open, but not staffed so we settled in and relaxed.
By common consensus (by those who fortunate enough to be in the know before they sold out) the best thing about the ferry crossing were the meat pies… Chris managing to wake those who were sleeping during the process of opening his. The run from Picton to Blenheim was probably a bit quicker than it should have been - put it down to the shear joy of being set free and not enough riding! As usual whilst in this neck of the woods, we enjoyed a pub dinner at the Speights Ale House - almost empty on a Saturday night. Today, Hanmer Springs As I write the sun is rising across the square - we are in Martinborough and I am rugged up against the early morning chill, sitting out on my deck with a coffee amongst the remnants of late night drinks. Back to Whangamomona and the hotel with more character and stories than could ever be told. We enjoyed a coffee (and one of the previous days left over scones) with the proprietors, incredibly down to earth people, open, honest and direct. Apparently the bulk of their clientle are bikers or cyclists, the former being their preference, the later demanding and self righteous- on the money in my humble opinion. Jacinda and he Labour loves are not at all popular down here, with very unladylike descriptions being sprinkled in the conversation… In deference to the cold we were rugged up for a pre 8am departure with breakfast in Stratford an hour away to look forward to. I was pleased to have Nev lead us through this leg of very windy but spectacular landscape Gas and breakfast set us up nicely for the run to Wanganui then on to Fielding Harley Davidson for obligatory T shirts and to meet up with Craig. We arrived slightly earlier than anticipated and when to find that Craig had stopped for a Thai massage - to his disappointment, rather than the tender touch of a young Thai girl, he got a bloke….
Our collective radar detectors again saved a young copper the aggravation of having to deal with us - he appeared to be hiding and ready to pounce but I suspect he may have been having a snooze. We’ll call that a win. The run from Fielding to Martinborough was initially quite busy with traffic but once we hit the backroads we were able to pick up the pace and enjoy touring at it’s best. We passed some of the ecological disasters some call “wind generators”,massive plastic eyesores that are universally becoming recognised as a scam foistered on us the dreamy greenies… Arrival a Martinborough, checkin to another classic historic hotel, this one considerably more luxurious than the last, but with the same creaky stairs and floors extremely undeveloped due to age - delightful. A busy wee town, full of bars and restaurants, very pleasant. We settled in to the bar, with a table booked for 7pm - a bunch of women and kids took the table over and that was that. Not to worry, our (mostly) wagu beef burgers were top notch, as was the Pinot noir. With decision making process fogged, a few drinks on aforementioned deck seemed like a good idea… time for breakfast now (a couple of layers to come off now the sun is up) then off to catch the ferry. We are hoping that Cook Strait has run out of 5-10 metre waves - we’d be pleased to enjoy a boring crossing |
Don MalcolmA perfect day involves being on my Harley with a long ride ahead.
|