> Google Maps told us that we had 680km to cover from Whitianga to Martinborough - somehow this turned into 720, but other than a few sore bums, no one was complaining. > We ticked off Te Arora, breakfast in Matakana, lunch at a road side cafe fruit shop on the outskirts of Napier, passing through small towns and hamlets in our relentless determination to cover the distance before dark. > What a treat - because Nev was a local (we gave him the responsibility and the mantle whether he wanted it or not), he led this part of the ride, revelling in the tight and windy stuff, particularly as our destination drew near. > The Margrain Villas provided a tranquil setting - just what we needed after nearly 10 hours on the road, and after getting cleaned up, we 7 happy hard arses enjoyed a few bottles of their finest Pinot on the deck as the sun began to settle. > What a magnificent spot to unwind, and incredibly peaceful after a day, long, hard, fast and rowdy. > Unfortunately no amount of money or persuasion could motivate either of the local shuttle operators to take us the 3km into town for dinner, so back on the bikes and into the pub, Neville choosing to risk his life as my pillion. > Platters, beer, burgers and steaks were just the ticket, and a fairly early night in deference to our 6:30am departure - the Interislander waits for no one! Although Morning rolled around all too soon, everyone was ready to go 15 minutes early - even the earliest of risers would have been surprised to hear one of our number (Mike C) manoeuvring his Harley into the light so he could load up (and no, this was not a quiet process). > Our thoughtful hosts had left a continental breakfast in each of our rooms, so a slice of toast and bowl of muesli was much appreciated. > Into the dark, firstly on country roads, then into the challenges of the Rimatakas, steep and windy going up, and even more so coming down, the predawn slowly giving way to a fine Wellington day. Slightly over cooking the occasional corner was a reminder that the tolerance for error was not great, but another opportunity to hone skills. > Although We’d anticipated Monday morning traffic would be a bugger, the benefit of our early start soon evaporated, and we finally arrived at the ferry right on time - another 10 minutes and we’d have been embarrassed. > As seasoned ferry travellers we know the benefits of paying a little extra for the Premium Lounge, so after lashing the bikes down, we settled in and enjoyed a second and well earned breakfast as the South Island drew ever nearer. Comments are closed.
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Don MalcolmA perfect day involves being on my Harley with a long ride ahead.
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