G
glitch_oz
Guest
Previous part7:
https://wilddogtours.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?p=34998#34998
Gisborne showed itself in bright sunshine, the surrounding orchards and vineyards giving the place a certain feel.
Time to ring ahead for the next few night's accommodation and also to find a bike-shop in Rotorua that can help out with 4 oil-changes and a new rear-hoop for the Guzzi, the OEM Pirelli is certainly "quitting the game " unexpectedly early. We're in luck with Bike Force in Rotorua, they'll order a tyre for us and will also re-arrange their Monday morning schedule to do the oil/ filter changes.
Grey skies lifting,
it's up the coast to round the East Cape of the North Island, only a shortish ride to Tokomaru Bay,
then we'll try to find the thermal pool at Te Puia Springs a few minutes up the road.
As luck has it, the booked cabins at the Holiday Park threaten to "beat" those of Karamea?
( the "Blue Marlin" Motels opposite offer themselves and we're glad to be at the right spot at the right time.
Incongruously a biiig, old, double-storey pub resides next to a handful of old weatherboard houses...welcome to Te Puia Springs...where are the springs?
Asking around, it turns out to be a small shed at the back of the pub with a sort-of-a-huge, tiled bathtub
in the floor?we get the key from the publican and go for a dip.
30 mins later it's either get-out-quick or burst like a ripe tomato...the sulphur-fumes are overpowering and the rest of the foul smelling "juice" drives rivers of sweat.
We get out with shaky knees and slowly wobble back the 14km of twisties...time for a snooze!
It's a damp, drizzly morning for the 300km around the East Cape.
A sharp, blind lefthander followed by a right which climbs a blind crest, the Strom's in the middle of the road positioned to go any which way after the crest...and the asphalt stops suddenly, juuust after the top of the crest. Being in the lead, I drop both feet as a warning to Sasha who follows?then hit the anchors hard before letting go again as the front gets onto the dirt...and there's a loud bang as the front-end of the Guzzi rams the V-Strom from behind. Feet still down I roll downhill, the mirror shows the Guzzi down on its crash bars and panniers. Thankfully the next one was a bit further back and realized what happened, rather than ploughing into it. Sash's fine, the Guzzi's headlight and indicator were busted when they hit the V-Stroms Staintunes? 20km further on the skies crack open into bright-blues...
The Road cuts inland then joins the coast, before it's inland and across yet another mountain range or saddle, small towns,
an incredibly white church against the green of the paddocks and the emerald-aqua of the sea, it all seems like a daydream. 1000s of twists and turns, from Oruaiti Beach it's along the beach only, nearly 100km to Opotiki.
The Holiday Park near Ohiwa sits on a spit crowded by a cliff, very picturesque and great cabins.
Yet another sunny morning, we're off early, down south on the SH2 for about 70km through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve and what a ride it is)
We turn around back to Opotiki for fuel and the run into Rotorua, skies now solid blue as we get into the 40km of twisties past the cluster of lakes on the right, Nigel and Jimbo would go spastic here and whittle some fishing rods on the spot
The volcanic area of Hells Gates is only one of many similar spots around here, most of them long since commercialised.
Trying to escape the sulphur-stink that wafts around Rotorua we're lucky by picking a place at Blue Lake, about 12km out of town and hidden by a small range of hills.
Apart from being very pretty, it's way quieter and the air is clean.
Not really wanting to front up at the workshop with the bikes the way they look, we find some degreaser and a carwash, the bikes are getting their first clean after about 6000km.
As agreed, we fronted up early with oil filters in hand (recommendable to bring them along), the tyre for the Guzzi was still at the local courier's office.
No fuss here with customers entering the workshop, the guys were friendly, quick and happy to listen, a real refreshing change compared to the usual workshops in AUS.
The rear Metzeler for the Guzzi appeared ...and changing that proved to be the biggest job of all, the swing arm opening being so narrow that it's next to impossible to get the wheel in and out.
Things were made even harder due to the Metzelers slightly wider sidewall profile. The battle lasted an hour but the mechanic won!!)
We take a stroll through Rotorua
and find a great street-caf�© still serving late bacon 'n eggs, Sash's off to the medical centre to see a doc for her asthma-related coughing-attacks. The park in the city is yet another thermal area,
steam crawling out of gutters and inspection-shafts everywhere, looks like the place is about to blow any second. WEIRD!!
The afternoon is spent around the place, a very scenic ride through the twisties to Lake Tarawera,
some re-packing, some calls and SMS, contact with home, Vodafone NZ showing that it actually can work?IF everything comes together?
Another chance meeting with some other guys on bikes, last time we saw each other was around Queenstown and it's great to swap stories.
Next: Into the caves....Blackwater rafting...and more
https://wilddogtours.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?p=34998#34998
Gisborne showed itself in bright sunshine, the surrounding orchards and vineyards giving the place a certain feel.
Time to ring ahead for the next few night's accommodation and also to find a bike-shop in Rotorua that can help out with 4 oil-changes and a new rear-hoop for the Guzzi, the OEM Pirelli is certainly "quitting the game " unexpectedly early. We're in luck with Bike Force in Rotorua, they'll order a tyre for us and will also re-arrange their Monday morning schedule to do the oil/ filter changes.
Grey skies lifting,
it's up the coast to round the East Cape of the North Island, only a shortish ride to Tokomaru Bay,
then we'll try to find the thermal pool at Te Puia Springs a few minutes up the road.
As luck has it, the booked cabins at the Holiday Park threaten to "beat" those of Karamea?
( the "Blue Marlin" Motels opposite offer themselves and we're glad to be at the right spot at the right time.
Incongruously a biiig, old, double-storey pub resides next to a handful of old weatherboard houses...welcome to Te Puia Springs...where are the springs?
Asking around, it turns out to be a small shed at the back of the pub with a sort-of-a-huge, tiled bathtub
in the floor?we get the key from the publican and go for a dip.
30 mins later it's either get-out-quick or burst like a ripe tomato...the sulphur-fumes are overpowering and the rest of the foul smelling "juice" drives rivers of sweat.
We get out with shaky knees and slowly wobble back the 14km of twisties...time for a snooze!
It's a damp, drizzly morning for the 300km around the East Cape.
A sharp, blind lefthander followed by a right which climbs a blind crest, the Strom's in the middle of the road positioned to go any which way after the crest...and the asphalt stops suddenly, juuust after the top of the crest. Being in the lead, I drop both feet as a warning to Sasha who follows?then hit the anchors hard before letting go again as the front gets onto the dirt...and there's a loud bang as the front-end of the Guzzi rams the V-Strom from behind. Feet still down I roll downhill, the mirror shows the Guzzi down on its crash bars and panniers. Thankfully the next one was a bit further back and realized what happened, rather than ploughing into it. Sash's fine, the Guzzi's headlight and indicator were busted when they hit the V-Stroms Staintunes? 20km further on the skies crack open into bright-blues...
The Road cuts inland then joins the coast, before it's inland and across yet another mountain range or saddle, small towns,
an incredibly white church against the green of the paddocks and the emerald-aqua of the sea, it all seems like a daydream. 1000s of twists and turns, from Oruaiti Beach it's along the beach only, nearly 100km to Opotiki.
The Holiday Park near Ohiwa sits on a spit crowded by a cliff, very picturesque and great cabins.
Yet another sunny morning, we're off early, down south on the SH2 for about 70km through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve and what a ride it is
)
We turn around back to Opotiki for fuel and the run into Rotorua, skies now solid blue as we get into the 40km of twisties past the cluster of lakes on the right, Nigel and Jimbo would go spastic here and whittle some fishing rods on the spot
The volcanic area of Hells Gates is only one of many similar spots around here, most of them long since commercialised.
Trying to escape the sulphur-stink that wafts around Rotorua we're lucky by picking a place at Blue Lake, about 12km out of town and hidden by a small range of hills.
Apart from being very pretty, it's way quieter and the air is clean.
Not really wanting to front up at the workshop with the bikes the way they look, we find some degreaser and a carwash, the bikes are getting their first clean after about 6000km.
As agreed, we fronted up early with oil filters in hand (recommendable to bring them along), the tyre for the Guzzi was still at the local courier's office.
No fuss here with customers entering the workshop, the guys were friendly, quick and happy to listen, a real refreshing change compared to the usual workshops in AUS.
The rear Metzeler for the Guzzi appeared ...and changing that proved to be the biggest job of all, the swing arm opening being so narrow that it's next to impossible to get the wheel in and out.
Things were made even harder due to the Metzelers slightly wider sidewall profile. The battle lasted an hour but the mechanic won!!
)We take a stroll through Rotorua
and find a great street-caf�© still serving late bacon 'n eggs, Sash's off to the medical centre to see a doc for her asthma-related coughing-attacks. The park in the city is yet another thermal area,
steam crawling out of gutters and inspection-shafts everywhere, looks like the place is about to blow any second. WEIRD!!
The afternoon is spent around the place, a very scenic ride through the twisties to Lake Tarawera,
some re-packing, some calls and SMS, contact with home, Vodafone NZ showing that it actually can work?IF everything comes together?
Another chance meeting with some other guys on bikes, last time we saw each other was around Queenstown and it's great to swap stories.
Next: Into the caves....Blackwater rafting...and more
