The Rakaia Gorge. Leon is a geologist so he finds these photos where you can see all the strata layers quite interesting. Go figure.



Accommodation for the last night was back at the Hamner Springs Motor Camp. Cheap and cheerful, and only a very short walk to the local.


A big nights sleep, and the second attack at the Lewis Pass on this trip. On a good day even the broom can look pretty.



Lining up that pass again; concentrate, concentrate.



Maruia Falls on a little used part of road called the Shenandoah Highway.



Page 37 of the New Zealand Road Code.

"When any motorcyclist approaches Murchison from either a southerly or northerly direction, during daylight hours, you are required to stop at the Rivers Cafe and purchase a whitebait sandwich."



The Hope Saddle on the approach to Nelson (you can see it's definitely broom season in New Zealand at that time of the year)



Heading into Nelson from the south, has to be one of the nicest entries to any city in NZ. If any of you guys ever get to NZ, Nelson is a compulsory visit.



A quick blast through Queen Charlotte Sound brings the guys back to Picton. Get in the queue for the ferry back to Wellington and back to reality - sigh.



So there you have it : eight days, 3 700km, one or two bottles of Tui Blonde and eight alpine crossings. I know two guys that are already starting to plan for November 2012.

Is it any wonder that Henry Cole rated New Zealand as one of the truly great motorcycle rides in the world?

 

TK you have done a much better job of our S.I. trip than I could ever have done. To all of you guys who would like to come n visit our awesome lil country all I can say is that we will make you welcome and I'm sure I speak for all the Kiwis on this forum as this has to be one of the world's motorcycling Meccas.Please come n visit us and we can show you some of the world's best roads n scenery.

Awesome job TK I am indebted to you for this
JK

 

Very nice countryside, parts look similar to Tas, especially the rain clouded skies!

 

Lovely scenery over there...

the film with Anthony Hopkins as Burt is pretty good.
does adding nitroglycerine make any difference???

and there's a book 'Rebuilding the Indian' by Fred Haefele ISBN -13: 978-0-8032-7358-0 which is an entertaining account following a regular Joe rebuilding his impulse buy basket-case Chief.

but is there more of this trip?
your 'awesome lil country' does look bloody awesome.

 

Marvellous scenery, absolutely stunning! Would have loved
riding those roads.

 

Thanks for your positive comments Baron, no more photos from that trip just at the mo; I got given a memory stick with 300+ photos and just went thru and tried to pick the ones that would have broader appeal and made some sense in the chronology of the trip.

And right at the minute the snow is falling outside and I'm sitting in front of a blazing log-burner. So, my old girl ain't going anywhere, anytime soon.

But again, thanks for the comments from you and others, it reminds me how lucky I am to live where I do, and also encourages me to be a bit more religious about making sure I throw the camera in the tank bag and taking the time to stop, get off and take a couple of pics.

Cheers
TK

 

Fantastic trip report Kiwi TK. Just found this thread and looked dribblingly at all of the pictures,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I love NZ, I have done quite a few trips across the Tasman to visit your beautiful country. I have a very good mate at Dunedin with whom I have travelled through many countries in the world on bike. Himalayas (x2), Turkey, Morocco, South America, and North/Eastern Europe in 2010.

Still have yet to do a motorcycle tour of NZ though.

You wouldn't have to talk too hard to get me over there on a bike!

Cheers, SB

 

Just get yourself over here Seb, you or any of the other regulars here are more than welcome to borrow my old girl.

Late Jan/Feb is probably the best time to do the South Island, the summer hol's are over for the majority of people so the roads are back to normal, and the weather is much more settled with little wind and a reliable 25C just about every day.

Peeeerfect.

 

That Looks one awsome trip!!! Be proud) Me jelaous