Changes to blog site and Dora's story

Hi all,

Due to some limitations I have encountered with this blog site I have shifted the GS Blog to the following new address - www.gsridersnz.wordpress.com

If you visit the new site you will find a wonderful story from Dora about her thoughts on the GS Anniversary Ride..  well worth a read. 

All future posts will now appear on the other site and this one will be removed in due course.

Looking for some soft luggage?

If you are looking for some soft luggage for your next GS ride then you should check out the range from Bags-Connection. They are made in Germany and they have a great range of tank, tail and seat bags.

Jim at Bavarian Motorcycle Services has samples available for view and he has been appointed a local agent. Catalogue HERE.

A little known gem - Port Underwood Road

Last week Julia told me to 'piss off' so I took this to get on my bike and go for a ride (could I have understood her sentiment?).  Anyway, my planned destination was to go and visit Stuart who was on holiday up in Golden Bay with his family.

I had the bike packed to set off last Wednesday but it was raining so I stayed in Christchurch and used the time to get some new maps and to find a product called Rain off that Garry Williams had told me about to stop water beading on my visor, "every bike shop will have it" NOT, so still haven't been able to find any.

On Thursday about 1000 I headed off to Hanmer to head through Molesworth Station.  Stopped briefly to pump up my front tyre as I have a slow puncture and for a coffee then up Jollies Pass.  It's such a shame they have graded this to near car quality as I can remember when I thought it was wee bit rough even for the Landcruiser.  Molesworth is our largest farm and connects Hanmer to Blenheim.

 It was a perfect day and a great ride through Molesworth with virtually no traffic and lupins in full bloom.

I came across this car which had failed to take a corner, and a bridge and ended up in the river.  Went down to have a look and could see no heads rolling in the back seat so I assume nobody was hurt, apart from their ego I guess.

 

The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful apart from my top box falling off, again.  Why does BMW make off road bikes and then proceed to add 'bling' to them and not proper off-road gear.  Quite a bit of the road along the Awatere Valley is now sealed so I headed up Taylor's Pass Road to Blenheim.  This is a metal road with tight corners but great riding.  By the time I got to Blenheim it was looking like rain and the ride to Picton did result in me getting wet.  I stayed with Peter Unger and his partner Elizabeth in Ngakuta Bay on Queen Charlotte Drive.

I had planned on doing the Port Underwood Road before getting to Picton but due to the weather I was glad I didn't as the next day was warm and sunny so perfect for this road so I headed back to Picton and out along Waikawa Bay Road.  This is a narrow, tight, windy road but with stunning views.

 

Its a 40k ride from Picton to Rarangi and then about another 10k from Rarangi to Tuamarina on the Blenheim - Picton Road.  At least half of the road to Rurangi is metal and there was signs of logging activity but luckily not the day I was riding it.  There was also some fairly major slips on the road as it was not long before that they had some heavy rain.

If you plan to ride this road I suggest you do it from Picton in order to maximize the views and minimize the slips.

From Tuamarina I took a shortcut through to the Blenheim - Nelson road and carried on through to Motueka (where I tried to get Rain Off again!!!).  I caught up with the local Bike Cop there who confirmed that the Takaka Hill was in the best condition ever and I should enjoy it, and he was right.  Better still there was no traffic, bliss...

I finished the day in true GS style with a wine sitting on the lawn with Stuart in Pakawau.

GS Ride - Day 4 (Mt Maunganui to Napier)

Garry and I waited in Te Puke for the riders to arrive under the guidance of Ian Sowden.

This was going to be a big day, or so we thought, as in fact it was only the third longest day.  We had to get all the way to Napier and Garry was taking us by way of Lake Waikaremoana through Urewera National Park.

Now being a South Islander I knew nothing about either of these places but the ride in store for us was truly amazing.  We first headed towards Murapara where we refuled both bikes and bodies.

Stuart wondering if the coffee should go through him first before ending up in the rubbish bin!

We then headed South through to Lake Waikaremoana which was just a stunning ride with fantastic views.  It was also a blistering hot day so a number of riders took the opportunity for a refreshing dip in the Lake when we stopped at the Information Centre.

 Wild horses on the road

GS swimming spot

Thomas was obviously enjoying himself.

Someone can't read and why so anti motorbikes?

The road just got better and better.

Dora practicing her Mexican Wave.

Lake Waikaremoana, just stunning.

Making sure I can see around the corner.

Quick chat with Garry thanking him for bringing us this way.

Nigel, who had contemplated selling his bike, found a new reason why he should keep it.

Ian, posing AGAIN!

Rosco taking delight in being able to show Dora many NZ sights that many New Zealanders never get to see.

From here we headed to Wairoa along the peaks of the hills encountering a number of locals along the way. 

It was then a 112k ride down the main road to Napier passing the Mohaka Viaduct (the highest (95m) railway bridge in NZ) where we were staying at the Kennedy Park Top 10 and meeting up with a large group of GS Riders from Wellington who were joining for the Napier to Wellington leg the next day. Total distance 455 km.

GS Ride - Day 3 (Leigh to Mt Maunganui)

The prospect of another beach ride was high on many riders list today, except those from Auckland who knew what Muriwai beach was actually like.  Anyway, on leaving Leigh we headed through the Kaipara Flats along stunning gravel roads to Glorit.  We then headed through Helensville to Woodhill Forest and the entrance to Muriwai Beach, well some of us did.  Others headed straight to Cycletreads in Auckland which on hindsight was a better move.

Getting onto Muriwai you had to get over a dune of very soft sand where the majority of bikes promptly got stuck.  Even large 4wd vehicles were having trouble getting over the dune by Garry, Peter Rogers and Peter Zink all managed it (must have something to do with light bikes).

Justin was the first to park his bike, and walk away....

 

Ian wondering if he should just give up now or later!

The dune we had to get over.

Ian 'calling a friend' to get a second opinion.

Once your bike is buried in sand, you tip it over and fill in the hole rather than trying to push it out of the hole.  Sand Riding Lesson 1

Then just pull it up, jump on it and off you go, Yeah Right!

So Ian, how many bikes have you pushed out?

Only five, but I reckon we won't have to buy drinks for the rest of the trip.

If we don't look at Thomas he is sure to get through...

Hmmm, maybe not then.

Five more beers coming my way..

The BMW GS parking lot at Muriwai Beach.

I'm not moving, are you pushing?

Hmm, the term ' a beached whale' springs to mind.

Sorry Ian, someone smaller will have to ride it.

Smaller, I'm the smallest rider here #$^&(^O&RTLB&ITO<L

Well who is a pretty boy then!!

We left only tyre prints in the sand.




















Getting off the beach at the other end was just as difficult with some very smelly clutches around.  Luckily we had Peter Rogers with us who could jump on any bike and ride it through or over anything, very impressive.

From here we had a scheduled stop at Cycletreads in Takapuna and then another stop at BMW Headquarters in Mt Wellington.  By the time we got to Cycletreads there was only really time to take my helmet off, say hi to Craig Stephens, point out some new riding gear to Nigel (all in pink) then round up the gang and head to BMW Headquarters.

We managed to keep together on the ride to BMW and luckily there was not too much traffic on the motorway.  At HQ we were greeted by John Glaswell from BMW and Steve (a Rescue Helicopter pilot) who gave us a talk about how important fundraising vents like ours were.

John had organised a fantastic lunch for us all which was much appreciated.

 

On leaving BMW HQ I realised I had forgotten my backpack and thinking it was at HQ I did a u-turn to head back to pick it up.  Once back there it turned out I had left it at Cycletreads so a quick call to Craig saw it on a courier down to Motomart in Wellington.

By now everyone had gone so I made my own way to Clevedon and along the Miranda coastline to Thames.  I must say it was quite nice riding by myself and I didn't loose too much time as I caught the others in Thames.  Some riders were going to head straight over to the east Coast whereas I headed North in order to ride the infamous 309 Road, and was so glad I did.  It was great, however on reaching the end I noticed I had lost the medical bag off the back of my bike so turned round to do the 309 the opposite way.  It wasn't long before I was flagged down by Ian & Kelly who had picked up the bag, phew, what a relief.

From there it was  along ride South down the peninsula through Tairua, Hikuai, Whangamata, Waihi, Katikati and onto Mt Maunganui where we stayed at the Beachside Holiday Park.

Local BMW Dealer, Mt Motorcycles, put on a fantastic bbq for us and it was also where we had to bid farewell to Kelly as she had to fly back to Auckland the next day.  I ended up heading off with Garry to go and stay at his mum's place just outside Te Puke.  Total distance traveled 503 km.

GS Ride - Day 2 (Russell to Leigh)

Day two started with much anticipation, and empty stomachs, as I had totally forgot about organising breakfast for the troops.  But, as luck would have it on our route was Helena Bay Hill Gallery & Cafe which turned out to be a stunning stop with fantastic food and an amazing view.  The Gallery, owned by Peter Brown, specialises in contemporary Maori and Pacific art.  David Caesar took a particular fancy to a coffee table till he realised it would not fit on his bike.

Parked at the cafe.

The view from the cafe

Thomas contemplating what he had got himself into...

Nigel pondering why everyone was laughing about his boots.

Stuart, just being Stuart....

Darren, Rosco and Dora posing.

Thomas and Mike enjoying a joke together.

Rosco saluting us on a fine cup of coffee...I think!










On leaving the Cafe we headed off to find a shingle road skirting Opuawhanga Forest to Whananaki and around the Tutukaka Coast before heading to Whangarei.  On entering Whangarei our corner-man system worked perfectly ensuring we all reached the harbour.

On leaving Whangarei we headed south on the main road to Mangapai where we hit gravel again.  From there it was onto Waipu and a quick stop at the Waipu Caves.

Dora doing her Dora pose

Keith decides to take a shortcut

Dora and a mystery man???

What on earth is hanging off the back of Rosco's bike???






Moving from there we head to Maungaturoto, through Kaiwaka at the mouth of the Otamatea River and then east to Mangawhai.  It was around here that Garry got us slightly lost but he recovered well before leading to Paikari Beach and through to Leigh for our overnight stop.

The owners of Leigh Sawmill Cafe (the Guinnesses) are old family friends and agreed to open the cafe specially for us as they are normally closed on a Monday night.  In addition, Graeme Crosby would join us that night to talk about his racing career and his new book.

Ben and Edward Guinness put on a magnificent bbq for us and between the food, beer and Crosby it was a great night.  Total distance traveled 278 km.

Dora would jump on every red bike that she could find

Ian dreaming about what it would be like to pull a wheelie on this..

Garry with Graeme Crosby in front of the Leigh Sawmill Cafe.

The bikes parked at Matakana the next day as someone filled up with fuel.