Short trip to Arthur's Pass.

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G

Geotraveller

Guest
So I have been in NZ for just short of a month. Located and bought a decent KLR and added some heated grips. A must over here. Warm days have a habit of lulling you into a false sense of security. Just because a Kiwi chick can run with a lycra top and tights in the sheeting rain, at 5 degrees, does not mean a Saffa can do it  :ricky:



My Boet's oldest mucking about on the Teedub in the background.

Yesterday I took the bike on it's first real run since I got here. Arthur's Pass is about 160 or sop km to the west of Christchurch. It is named after the surveyor who first explored and "discovered" the pass after chatting to the Maori in the area.

Time constraints meant I did not stop as often as I would have liked or explored the gravel roads. It was slab there and back.

Some pics.

I stopped here for a leak



and some cow informed me


that Homebush road led to Sheffield. Thanks.


hit the main road to the West Coast just outside Sheffield.


The other issue I found was that you could truly stop and take photo's every 500 meters.











I stopped in Arthur's at this spot:



for this:


and headed back:



Castle Rocks, where a bit of Lord of the Rings were filmed. Also a Maori heritage site.

View of the Southern Alps, next to the Waimakariri River:







The trip took about 5 hours. Lots of stops but also the speed limits are tough. 50 kmin built up areas and 100 km on the open road. The cops are friendly but strickt.  Being a visitor or pleaseding ignorance will not help.

Fuel is costly at around R 20 a litre (NZ$ 2.10 or so).

Taking warm kit is not optional but mandatory.

But the roads are magical and if you have an eye for photography, be prepared to bring heaps of film or sd cards.
 
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