Sunday on the bike.

[Kiwifruit]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

[Rynglieder]

Glad you got though unscathed and enjoyed part of the ride. I suppose it is better to be seeing that stuff than being involved in it!

I'm just envious that you can get out on a bike. I'm still under house arrest by the government and in truth even if the Covid rules allowed me out it's been a bit too cold up here over the last month.

Better times can't be far away surely...

[Globalrider]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

Just so you know KF - I reported you to the Moderator as this is abuse when WE are knee deep in snow and extremely envious of what you are doing - its not fair as I know those roads you're talking about!

[KiwiCol]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

Just so you know KF - I reported you to the Moderator as this is abuse when WE are knee deep in snow and extremely envious of what you are doing - its not fair as I know those roads you're talking about!

I shall take him to task Stan, he could of at least added pictures . . .

[Kiwifruit]

Didn't want to be smug Col. Many of the other blokes on here are either snowed in or locked down 

But here's a photo from the paper of the truck crash near Ngongotaha.

[gsxbarmy]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

Just so you know KF - I reported you to the Moderator as this is abuse when WE are knee deep in snow and extremely envious of what you are doing - its not fair as I know those roads you're talking about!

And @Globalrider this particular Administrator was actually driving those roads as well 2 years ago when we toured NZ!

[KiwiCol]

@GSXKING  how do you get a truck upside down in a ditch & still leave the trailer on it's wheels?   Now that's clever, or not.

[Globalrider]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

Just so you know KF - I reported you to the Moderator as this is abuse when WE are knee deep in snow and extremely envious of what you are doing - its not fair as I know those roads you're talking about!

And @Globalrider this particular Administrator was actually driving those roads as well 2 years ago when we toured NZ!

All tongue in cheek Dave! - I guess WE are lucky enough to know those roads - I have to put the ride video together at some point! Cheers! Stan

[gsxbarmy]

Thought we needed to get out on the bike. The bride put some lunch together, l cleaned the visors and glasses then off we went. We had a great ride, covered 220kms in lovely sunshine before getting home around 3pm.
During the course of the day we were treated to some amazingly stupid riding and driving.
Guys on big sports bikes doing some crazy overtaking on no passing lines in traffic already doing 100kph only to stop at the next Cafe.
Patched gang members on their super loud chrome compressors that don't give a toss about other road users. Worse were their henchmen in a station wagon. I thought we were going to see a head on with a ute towing a big boat. Total disregard for anyone else, maybe methamphetamine makes you somewhat invincible. Judging by the bikes and cars selling it must be profitable.
Saw a fully loaded log truck and trailer laying on its side off the road. A ute and trailer in a ditch on a straight road.
All in all quite an eventful day.
Back roads aroud Lake Karapiro were not busy and saw some lovely countryside but the main roads were super busy.
Pleased to get home, put the feet up and relax.

Just so you know KF - I reported you to the Moderator as this is abuse when WE are knee deep in snow and extremely envious of what you are doing - its not fair as I know those roads you're talking about!

And @Globalrider this particular Administrator was actually driving those roads as well 2 years ago when we toured NZ!

All tongue in cheek Dave! - I guess WE are lucky enough to know those roads - I have to put the ride video together at some point! Cheers! Stan

Absolutely Stan - some great scenery and roads in NZ, we loved our month touring both the South and North Island - and meeting both KiwiCol and Kiwifruit and their respective good ladies.

[Kiwifruit]

Dave you had better make it at least 6 weeks next time you visit.
If Stan toes the line we could invite him too   

[KiwiCol]

They're both retired, so it could be on the cards . . .

[gsxbarmy]

Would love to return, so much more to see and do, lovely country to tour around.

@Globalrider when you go next time, you really do need to visit a place called Kaikoura Jackson's Bay (thanks @KiwiCol for the correction  ). You drive ages down this road off the highway on South Island and when you get there wonder what the heck is there - well really nothing! But make sure you get there for lunch as there is a converted container made into a cafe called the cray pot. Absolutely the best fish and chips in the world, trust me! And actually it's quite pleasant just to wander around for a while.

[KiwiCol]

You're right Dave, Kaikoura is great, that's my playground.
But the pic of the Cray Pot (above) is from Jacksons Bay. I said it was a good drive down there, the end of the road on the coast & you guys went down for a look.  You turned off at Haast.  Some nice straights heading towards Jacksons Bay where the bike can stretch her legs a bit, no side roads & bugger all else. You have to come back the same way, to Haast & carry on again.  Then the next day or so the coast road closed & you had to drive all the way back where you'd just been & some, how many hours detour? 10 or 12 wasn't it?

[GSXKING]

@KiwiCol I'll assume he was towing with a Ringfeder not a fifth wheel turntable. The later would turn the trailer over too. Not a lot of skill involved me thinks, might have been the loose nut behind the steering wheel LOL 

[gsxbarmy]

You're right Dave, Kaikoura is great, that's my playground.
But the pic of the Cray Pot (above) is from Jacksons Bay. I said it was a good drive down there, the end of the road on the coast & you guys went down for a look.  You turned off at Haast.  Some nice straights heading towards Jacksons Bay where the bike can stretch her legs a bit, no side roads & bugger all else. You have to come back the same way, to Haast & carry on again.  Then the next day or so the coast road closed & you had to drive all the way back where you'd just been & some, how many hours detour? 10 or 12 wasn't it?

That was it Jacksons Bay - I couldn't remember so looked up the website and obviously made a fist of it. As you say some nice straights, great little drive. We then carried on to Franz Josef Glacier where we stayed overnight and couldn't continue onwards in the morning due to a road slippage - so had to drive all the way back, 10 hours and 300km just to get to Christchurch. I can remember the date - 22nd Feb - as it was the day before my birthday, I also remember breaking a tooth on a mint 2 hours out of Christchurch and having to find an emergency dentist the same night - yep one heck of a drive that day, but some cracking scenery!