Kiwi Places

[SpinFx]

Infront of the big L&P bottle, On the Harbour Bridge, At the Mount, In the snow, At the beach eating a trumpet, Desert Road, K Road............

Show us where you and your bike have been seen.

[SpinFx]

Heres one infront of Marsden Point Oil Refinery
( one of NZ's main ports for crude oil / fuel etc. )
This is also the entrance to Whangarei Harbour &
Whangarei Heads.
Normally the first thing you see entering NORTHLAND
as you come over the Brenderwyn Hills.

[SpinFx]

No bike in this one but a worthy place nonetheless.
This fish is 196.1 Kgs and was caught on 37 kg tackle.

Bay of Islands ( Russell / Paihia Warf )
( said to be one of the worlds best spots
for catching Marlin & Diving at the marine reserve )

[Baldy]

winter time an no bike shots , but, i went on a road trip in me surf.. wellington
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/baldynz/P1070285.jpg
top of kaikoura heading south
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/baldynz/P1070289.jpg
the view lookin down to kaikoura
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/baldynz/P1070288.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/baldynz/P1070286.jpg
an i wasnt hangin round, twas a fine day , but about 4 deg. that kaikoura to blenheim road is prolly the most beautiful in the whole country...

[SpinFx]

Tane Mahuta
(Lord of the Forest) is New Zealand’s largest known living kauri tree.
North of Dargaville, on the west coast of Northland

Measurements

Trunk Girth 13.77 m
Trunk Height 17.68 m
Total Height 51.2 m
Trunk Volume 244.5 m3

According to Maori mythology Tane is the son of Ranginui the sky father and Papatuanuku the earth mother. Tane was the child that tore his parent’s parental embrace and once done set about clothing his mother in the forest we have here today. All living creatures of the forest are regarded as Tane’s children.

[SpinFx]

A recent trip we had to Rotorua
nz's thermal wonderland.
Also known as Rotovegas due to high tourism area & activities.
Catch a ride up the hill overlooking Lake Rotorua in the Gondela,
Then Ride the Luge down a choice of 1km approx tracks,
then back to the top on the chairlifts.
The Zorb ( Hop in, add water ( optional) and roll down a big hill )
Bathe in the numerous hot springs & mud pools.

[hitchedheifer]

nice ride to Matapouri bay. No bike tho

[mick]

Geeze, gotta get over there one day, bloody beautiful :Thumbsup:

[lindsaymac]

Looks fecken' awesome Spin. I'm with mick, gotta get there, one day.

[CHAOSHUMOUR]

Love NZ... would happily move there... nearly did after split from the ex... But had just bought first bike and was picking up soon as I got back to OZ....

The energy of NZ is COMPLETELY different... it feels more... alive... fresher.

Though I'm a Southy fan... Christchurch a lot of beautiful architecture, and then you scoot out through the mountains...

*dreams*

CHAOS OUT!:shades:

[PaulNZ]

I love that Kaikoura Coast road to Blenheim Baldy. Bloody marvel arse. Another goody Chaos (sounds like your aquainted) is Arthurs Pass between Christchurch and the West Coast....a cracker...

[Crabman]

Looks fecken' awesome Spin. I'm with mick, gotta get there, one day.


Hey what about a fricken muster over there at some time?...or am I just to fricken pissed ta know what the fricken hell I'm fricken talk'n about? Eg: cost/bikes on boat etc?

[PaulNZ]

We went to the Moeraki Boulders today....wow thats some crazy shit!

Well, err, they're boulders. Yep. We'll visit any old shit ay.

Anyway they are just about spherical and are slowly being revealed by the sea as it erodes the shoreline. They are a wee bit freaky.

They are located about 100m from the highway on state highway 1, between Oamaru and Dunedin.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6319/img0412cn9.th.jpg (http://img27.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0412cn9.jpg)

:grin:

[lindsaymac]

Hey what about a fricken muster over there at some time?...or am I just to fricken pissed ta know what the fricken hell I'm fricken talk'n about? Eg: cost/bikes on boat etc?

It has been suggested.....



:hehe:

[PaulNZ]

I will make some enquiries and post said results re costs fer any such interested parties, pissed or not.

I'm picking a 3 to 5 day jaunt and hiring bikes whence here might be the only economical way to do it fromst there in Aussie.

Maybes fly in to Orkland, start with a quick 2 day whizz around the Norf, travel south fer west coast n' alpine delights - Lakes, Mt Cook, Queenstown, Milford etc.

Fly back to Aussie from Christchurch???

I can organise accomodation nay worries once an eye tinnery has been nutted out.

Would need to know when, numbers, cost limits all that shit.

Happy to sort this end out though. I think Spin has mentioned it before as well.



:shades::grin:

[lindsaymac]

Always knew you was more than just a pretty face, Paul.

Seriously, Muster '10 is in Tassie and with travel costs from Qld/Nthrn NSW,WA, the UnZud jaunt may not be ridiculous, in '11, or '12. With a large enough group, significant savings can be made on airfares, accommodation, etc. Dunno about bike hire, but ya never know.

[yool]

ive heard mention of some kind of gathering already bein an annual event over there???

[lindsaymac]

yep, Spin was planning to attend the last one, but some over-exuberance saw him on Shank's pony, for a few months and thereby unable.

[PaulNZ]

Yep I think its the NZ Buell Riders Club, meant to have had a meet up at St Arnaud at the top of the South Island.

I couldn't get there either because of work.

Anyhoo, here are some bike hire prices, just as a guide. I'm picking any tour would have to be starting in Auckland, cross the ditch at some point and then return on the ferry after a few days in the South. 6 to 8 days maybe?

http://www.aussierider.com/BikesRatesNZ.html

I checked the cost of ferry crossings and if you book in advance on the intrawebbie, one rider and bike return trip is $214 (NZ).

Flights across the Tassy are always cheap enough with the right carrier.

Accomodation would be a peice of wees and I could sort that out with a few months notice.

Food for thought I suppose.

:grin:

[PaulNZ]

Had a gret ride today. Took one of my girls out for about 4 hours, Lake Tekapo and the Mount John Observatory.

Great riding.

SNOW!!!

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1213/img0440p.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0440p.jpg)
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2498/img0441f.th.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0441f.jpg)
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9351/img0439d.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0439d.jpg)
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2728/img0442j.th.jpg (http://img10.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0442j.jpg)

:shades:

[Captain Nartman]

SNOW!!!

Still 31C ere Bro.


N x

[PaulNZ]

Yar.

Summer seems to have moved on here Nart. A couple of weeks ago it was shorts and t's, then it all changed, it was like flicking a switch! Temp's have gone from 25 to like 13 each day, close to zero when a southerly blows through.

Last week I had to scrape the ice off my windscreen for the first time this year. Bugger.

The leaves are all turning and dropping off the trees, down here in the south anyhoo.

Still, you get lots of cold clear dry days in winter so you can still get out on the bike....this was Oxford last winter...

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2431/img0258c.th.jpg (http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0258c.jpg)

:grin:

[SpinFx]

bbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrr......

Too f^%$#* cold south of Taupo for me.
Good ta see ya taking the youngen out for a ride.
Me and my boy went for a weekend trip too. Riding around Northland, Fishing and Camping. Finished off by a blast at laser tag.

[Captain Nartman]

33c ere All this Week.


N x

[PaulNZ]

Tav been on a road trip...in the car unfortunately but cracking roads.

Over Arthurs Pass from Christchurch to Greymouth ta see friends. Went up the coastal road between Greymouth and Wesport (shown). Big sea, bloody spectacular.

Came back to the east coast via the Lewis Pass and Hanmer Springs....

MUST return on mi bike.

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/7983/img0462s.th.jpg (http://img2.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0462s.jpg)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1519/img0496j.th.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0496j.jpg)

:cocktail:

[mick]

some stunning coastlines there Paul, gotta get over there one day.

[Bueller]

Last year I went from Dunedin across to the west coast up to Picton and took the ferry across to Wellington. Same area you're talking about Paul. roads were fantastic. Shame about the cage and the family. I got to do that on a Buell sometime.

[PaulNZ]

Today was a quick blat to Kurow, which is 80km inland of state highway 1 on state highway 82 (Waimate turn off)

Great ride, lots of curves...managed to hit 180km at one point deep in the Waimate Gorge, cranked right over...love it.

Shit piccy really but this is down town Kurow on a Sunday arvo....

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9598/dsc00219hgd.th.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00219hgd.jpg)

Staright down this road to Lake Benmore, Mount Cook and a few other bits n' bobs

:grin:

[PaulNZ]

http://sn107w.snt107.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=1e60bb07-c8e0-49cc-8dd5-7f25ac8ec5d1&Aux=4|0|8CBB4661E69CA00|

Patiti Point this arvo' (South Island East Coast). Blowing hard from the south....farkin' freezing.

Big with surfies....but not today!!
http://sn107w.snt107.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=f729df4b-a78a-416e-a356-8913f5b9d7b5&Aux=4|0|8CBB473120B8430|

:cocktail:

[Captain Nartman]

No Pics??


N x

[PaulNZ]

Off ta Queenstown, Cromwell and Wanaka come the weekend (fer a week).

Seen hairy is quite something down there so hope ta gets some piccy's fer ya.

Tas been a while since my bohemoth lard arse has graced the ski slopes. Lookin' forward to it. Cardrona is where we'll be doing the skiing.


....piccys will follow..


:cocktail:

[PaulNZ]

I'm back.

Great week in the snow doing all the usual winter stuff you do down there. Incredible scenary in places where the mind struggles to take it all in...if you know what I mean...

Queenstown - Gondala up the hill, ski lift from there up to the start of the Luge run (a must!), a half day on the Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu and shopping

Wanaka - Up the hill to the ski resort at Cardrona, Puzzling World which is full of freaky stuff to trick your mind and walking.

Cromwell - Walking and vineyards (tasting). Also the Kawarau Gorge for Roaring Meg, gold mining and other stuff....

Some photos..

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7630/img0617a.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8058/img0617v.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/2317/img0618u.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4461/img0620.th.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/i/img0620.jpg/)

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/4719/img0652y.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/8123/img0649.jpg

The most amazing thing that I experienced on this trip was the most powerful earth quake in NZ for 78 years!!

At 9.22pm on 15 July I was sat on my arse watching TV and drinking after a day on the slopes, and the couch started moving in waves from side to side. It didn't make any sense to me and I thought the wife was tipping it or something.

Then I realised the doors of the house were swinging backward and forward on their hinges and the lamp shades were swinging. It just felt wrong, as though everything you ever believed in and felt sure about was shit = just plain wrong.

Concrete floors that feel like rubber?

Very unsettling. We are sooooooo insignificant and temporary in the grand scheme of things ay.

I stood up and ran to the kids bedroom to get them out of their bunk beds and under a door frame, I could feel the floor moving under my feet as I ran down the hall!!!

It felt like I was back on the submarine, like it felt when there was a nearby underwater explosion, except the shaking was slower and there was no noise.

It went on for about 30 or 40 seconds and then stopped.

There were several after shocks but nothing like the main one.

Magnitude 7.8, which left a large crack in the ceiling of the holiday home that we were staying in.

:cocktail:

[mick]

Schuss'd down a few piste's meself, excellent fun, apart from the sudden stop at the end bit .:hehe:

heard all about the earthquake , would have been a scary experience, glad you and yours are OK.

Sure you didn't just fart?:hehe:

[PaulNZ]

Mesopotamia!

Went there today for some work shit. Amazing scenary (Lord of The Rongs Country).

I thought on the drive in, this would be fu#king amazing as part of your tour in NZ! Its 40km on sealed road to Mount Peel from Geraldine and then another 50km on gravel, through fords etc.

Maybe if you tour you can hire an Ugly or similar.

Ride in, stay over, hunt, ride out. Nice.

Unfortunately I didn't have time to ooh and ahh coz I was working. Managed a couple of snaps from the drivers window and found a wee link on U toob.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6200/mesopotamia.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/782/mesopotamia1.jpg

YouTube - Working with the deer on Mesopotamia Station, NZ

:cocktail:

[PaulNZ]

Twas here wi' mi' kiddie winkies t'day, Little Mount Peel at the back of Geraldine. 1,300m, so a bit of a hike for old tubby here (mind, I was carrying all the gear) - but the kids loved it!

Cracking views right up until the last 200m, then we were in the cloud and it was a bit cool with it! Got a phot of the hut at the summit off the intrawebby for that.

Had a shit out of the long drop - the drop from that shitter is about 300m!

5 hours all up, 3 to get up there, so not bad. On all fours in places but still do-able.

Noice.

[PaulNZ]

Yar. Cupple more....

[PaulNZ]

Mount Nimrod in the Hunter Hills, Canterbury....nice water fall if you don't mind riding on a few km's of gravel roads...

Notice the sweaty smelly farked middle aged dude and his fit young healthy daughter....gettin' old...

[Captain Nartman]

Cheers Paul!

Twas Splashin Under some Waterfalls Meself Coupla days back.. I'll Post pics.


N x

[PaulNZ]

This weekend I rode with my eldest to Waihi Gorge, at the foot of the Four Peak range in Canterbury. Long windy tarmac ribbon with a few km's of gravel at the end. Photos...probably don't do the area justice. I am the fat hairy one.
:grin:

[Captain Nartman]

Ya Handsome Bitch.


N x

[PaulNZ]

Lake Tekapo, South Island, by night. Found this in the news this week. Bit of a light show over Enzud.

YouTube- Church of the Good Shepherd - Tekapo - (with Aurora and Headlights!)

:shades:

[PaulNZ]

Went for a quick 300km fang today and did a few of the local lakes in the Waitaki Valley.

We rode down SHW1 to Waimate then off through the Waimate Gorge through to Kurow. From there (after a feed) we rode up to the Waitaki Dam on Lake Aviemore. We rode over the dam and then onto the road which encircles it (about 30km of winding sealed road with stunning scenary all around).

The autumn has done its thing and added incredible colours to the trees around the shore and that against the bright blue glacial water in the lake looks amazing.

At the other end of Aviemore you get to the Lake Benmore Dam, which is set against the backdrop of the HIgh Country. Once your over the dam, the road circles back to the main highway. Hang a right for Mount Cook, Tekapo etc or hang a left to head back to the East Coast - Timaru, Dunedin etc.

A four hour trip from Timaru and a bloody great ride. No traffic on the road and only one rozzer sighted the whole time. Photos below...

:shades:

[SpinFx]

Another Great Post PaulNZ,

The missus and kids got back yesturday from a week and half in the south island, She drove.....Hamilton - Wellington - Picton - Nelson - Westport - Christchurch - Nelson - Back to Hamilton. 2000 odd k's.
She took heaps of photos for me to post and druel over.

OMG. :love::love:

I have to take the donkey down for a ride down there asap !!!!!!
( might wait till summer though :hehe: )

I just rode Hamilton to Taupo and back over the weekend
( missed the V8s but hey..... riding was more fun anyway ).:shades:

I'll post some pics in the next few days for ya's.

[PaulNZ]

Roundhill Ski Field today looking out toward Tekapo. Mount Cook just poking over the top of the mountain range to the west.

Cracking day.

:shades:

[PaulNZ]

...a couple more....

[XT]

STUNNING !

Hardly a ripple on the lake with clear skies overhead.
Nice brief write up, makes you wanna be there.

We know Queenhadaland has some great green variety
for a multi digit 'fang' but these rides in thread would be
right up there for two Michelin Stars.

[PaulNZ]

Greymouth, sun setting over the mouth of the river on Tuesday night.....

Looks pretty shitty by day but thought this was nice.

I like the town personally. Always wet and smells like fish.

Yar.

[M1]

Nice country Paul looks too cold for me though lol:sick:

[Captain Nartman]

Great Imagery Sir Paul.

Cheers fer the Share.


N x

[SpinFx]

Rotorua & Taupo Tourist places