April 24th, Auckland

I returned the bandit to Coleman motors and am heading to the gym for a workout before my 3:00 airport departure. It certainly has been an exciting trip.

New Zealand is like a miniature Canada, with the best parts of Canadian scenery compressed into a smaller land mass. (In some cases the scenery is superior to Canada’s) Over 50 % of the land is agricultural, over 25% is forested, and 13% is alpine terrain The Marlborough region is similar to the Okanogan Valley, the Southern Alps similar to the Rockies, the coasts of the south island similar to the remote BC coast, the Cantaberry plain similar to agricultural areas in Southern Ontario and the Maritimes etc. However, due to its lower latitude, the North Island is sub tropical. Also in New Zealand, you are never far from farms or mountains or the coast, an exquisite combination.

The people are incredibly friendly and unassuming. They also are well traveled and many of earlier generations made the pilgrimage to the motherland, the United Kingdom. As a consequence they are well exposed to other cultures and tolerant. The daily newspapers have a large amount of international coverage. The Maoris are 14% of the population but their influence is extensive with over 98% of the place names non English.
The country also gets a huge exposure through international visitors. When I think about John Brittain’s motorcycle developments, he typifies the creativity that seems an inherent country trait. It likely has its’ basis from the strong farming heritage, where problems with equipment needed to be solved with minimal resources, the number 8 wire syndrome (a la McGiver)! Certainly farmers in Canada have a similar trait.

The country is sports mad, with a large % of the population very athletic. There are sports facilities in even the smallest villages. Following the All Blacks is a religion, but all sports are followed avidly. The % of over weight people is much less than in North America. People are very out door activity focused.

The tourism base in the economy is well developed and can cater to all budgets. But the unforgettable, pristine landscapes combining soaring mountains, beautiful beaches and forested valleys are its key to success. Economically the country is booming and their recent free trade agreement with China will only assist in their growth as the emerging middle class in China continues to demand more expensive food products. Their agriculture and lumber industries should all be long term sustainable as long as that wind sweeping across the Tasman Sea from Australia continues to drop precipitation on their mountain ranges and in spite of major hydro electric developments they are heavily investing in wind farms. The population definitely has bought into the green approach.

In summation, a country everyone should visit!

1. Returning Bandit to Coleman's Suzuki 2. Total Trip Mileage - 5934 kilometers

April 23rd, Wellington to Auckland – 586 kilometers

It was a pleasure to set off in sunny blue skies north along the Cook Strait with the wind gusting to 50 knots. At Waikanae I turned inland through farming country. There is a small town called Bulls where every second business uses the word bull in their advertising! (i.e. – rent a bull) I started getting small showers as I headed north toward Lake Tapo through some hilly country with great motorcycle roads. Fortunately Mount Rupapeho, which erupted as recently as 1996, was holding back a weather system advancing from the northwest so I didn’t get wet. Only occasionally could I see its’ snow capped top through the swirling clouds.

Lake Taupo and its history are amazing. In 186 AD the mountain erupted and was completely destroyed, throwing 110 cubic kilometer of earth into the air, while the more recent Krakatoa, that resulted in in summer in Canada and Europe after its explosion only moved 8 cubic kilometers. The blast was heard in China! A huge lake fills the void left by the explosion. From Taupo through Hamilton it was driving through flat agricultural land. I arrived at Auckland at rush hour and drove the last 18 kilometers at 25 kph. Thank god for the 328 meter Auckland tower; it made it easy to find the best exit to the downtown core when one doesn’t have a map!

I went out for a tour of the downtown area, and to my surprise it was very active on a Wednesday night. When I was in Auckland in 2000 and 2003 for the America’s Cup, the viaduct was bustling and I was pleased to see it is still busy. Queen Street was really active with an International Comedy Fest on.






1. Portable Coffee Shop North of Palmerston 2. Farm in Sunken Valley



3. Flying Restaurant 4. Ackland Tower

April 21st, Invercargill to Christchurch – 585 kilometers

After a quick breakfast, I started my sprint to Auckland to catch my flight while Dave and Howard will proceed along the Catlins Coast to Dunedin. For the first 40 kilometers, the countryside was flat but then it became hilly and was much more enjoyable. Unfortunately I was driving directly into the sun on a blue cloudless day until I reached
Gore and then fortunately turned a little bit to the northeast toward the coast at Balclutha.

I passed through Dunedin, a major university town and then on to Palmerston. I had worried Route 1 (the major road heading to the North Island and heading along the east coast) would be boring to drive but that is not the case. The land is quite hilly with lots of sweeping curves and traveling through pristine green fields (there are at least 10 sheep for every New Zealander). There are stretches where the highway has a glimpse of endless sand beaches stretching along the coast. I stopped to see the Moeriki Rocks, round boulders on the beach that are about three feet in diameter. They are formed in mudstone in a manner similar to a pearl where the rock is grown through calcification around a small piece of shell over thousands of years! After Oamaru and Timaru it was inland again towards Christchurch.

I always wondered what range my bandit had and since I got 240 kilometers using 4 of the 5 bands on the fuel gauge, I assumed it would go 300 kilometers. Wrong!!! I ran out of gas with only 270 kilometers traveled and 30 kilometers from the nearest service station. I started to try and hitch hike and a guy stopped with a truck with a cherry picker and I explained the problem. He offered to load the bike on his truck and take me down the road to the service station. How cool would that have been? He then remembered he had a two gallon gas can for a chain saw that he hadn’t added oil to yet so he gave it to me, refused payment and wished me a great trip!

I arrived in Christchurch just at 5.00 and went to the centennial pool for a mile swim.



1. Coast Above Shag Harbour 2. Moeriki Beach



3. Moeriki Rocks 4. My Gas Emergency "Savior"

April 20th, 2008, Milford Sound to Invercargill – 317 kilometers

We were up for breakfast before sunrise, and then went for a tour of the Sound and a sail to the open ocean. Captain Cook sailed by the opening without notice, since the narrowness of the opening and the vertical height of Dale Point makes the opening almost impossible to see from more than two miles away. The reason it was called a Sound was when it was named the word fjord had not been introduced to the English language. A Fjord is a glacier formed valley with steep sides that is filled with salt water after the glacier retreats.

There were dolphins and tuna spotted on the cruise. We stopped at Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. The Milford Sound receives between 6 and 8 meters of rainfall per year! At times there can be 12 feet of fresh water floating on top of the salt water and logs float at the salt fresh water boundary and are a hazard to propellers. We are quite lucky that it is a day with clear blue skies. At 9:30 we are retracing the road to Te Anau, arguably one of the finest motorcycle rides in the world. We stopped at the Homer Tunnel and Mirror Lakes. The road winds between the Livingston and Earl mountain ranges and the view of the snow topped peaks was spectacular. The only problem was it was cold, just above zero.

After lunch at Te Anau, we followed the Southern Scenic Route which combines fast straight sections, with sweeping corners and incredible scenery. Fiorland National Park has snow covered peaks to the right while Tamitumu Mountains are on the left with shee0p grazing in green fields on each side of the road. The temperature has warmed so we don’t have cold hands anymore.

Past Tuatapere we reach the south coast where the wind is blowing a gale from the south. We stopped at Riverton for a coffee and idiot me left the bike lights on and we had to have AA come to the rescue (they are in New Zealand!) We stopped at Invercargill for the night




1. Bow 30 Feet from Waterfall 2. Homer Tunnel Entrance Near Milford Sound




3. Mirror Lake Reflection 4. Eglington Valley



5. Sheep Grazing in Front of Tamitumu Mountains

April 19th, Queenstown to Milford Sound – 294 kilometers

What an incredible adventure! We left Queenstown at 9:00 and you could see the frost line on the mountains 100 meters above road level. It was very cold with a small amount of rain in the air. When we passed Kingston heading down to Te Aneu we were driving above the frost line and the rain turned into snow. We went back to Kingston to decide what to do, and perhaps head back to Queenstown. Fortunately we asked a fellow who stopped at the café who had driven up from Invercargill how the road was and he said they were bare. We decided to press on. We passed through Kingston where we saw the Kingston Flyer with a full head of steam about to depart. About 40 kilometers from Te Aneu the hills and fields were completely covered with snow and we felt it would not be possible to get to Milford Sound by 4:10 when the vessel we had booked accommodation on, the “Milford Wanderer” was due to sail. We continued toward Te Aneu through a mild blizzard with snow freezing on my visor. However, after 15 kilometers we dropped in altitude and the road started to clear up.

We stopped for gas at Te Aneu, bordering the Fiord National Park and a fellow customer told us he just came from Milford Sound and weather was better there. We continued on and the scenery was superb. Initially it is rolling farmland atop a terminal moraine and then through alpine meadows and beautiful forests on the lower slopes of jagged snow covered mountains. Near here we passed through the 45th parallel, the same latitude as Milford between Truro and Halifax in the northern hemisphere. The vegetation changes at the Divide, the lowest east/ west pass in the Southern Alps. From here you enter a beach forest where the road rises to the Homer tunnel, where the approaches are surrounded by high walled, iced covered mountains. The Homer tunnel is 1306 meters long with a slope to the west. It was started in 1935 and was not completed in 1953. The Homer town site used during construction never saw sunshine from May to September. You emerge in the Cleddau Canyon where there is a tremendous series of switchbacks down to the ocean. Milford Sound only has a population of 170 and is located in a unique wilderness area with seals, dolphins, and pristine wilderness generated with a copious annual rainfall, complete with ever present waterfalls and mists.

We are staying on the Milford Wander, a 1992 build based on a 1900 flat bottomed design used for the costal trade in New Zealand waters.. It is a gorgeous vessel, and we sailed through the Milford Fjord and then anchored in a cove where kayaking, swimming were available (but the water is only 45 degrees F). This is one of 14 fjords in New Zealand and the scenery is absolutely pristine. We had a great meal and will stay on board overnight in Ferguson’s Cove.


1. Frost Line on Mountains Near Queensport 2. Snow Before Te Aneu




3. Nearing Homer Tunnel 4. Milford Wanderer, Our Home for Tonight




5. Dave and Howard in Lounge with Stewart Tartan

April 18th B, Queenstown

In the afternoon I opted to go on the Shotover Canyon Swing. There were 10 of us jumping from a platform high on the canyon wall down into the gorge carved by the Shotover River. You go through a 60 meter free fall and drop an 49 meters while
swinging through at 200 meter arc at a peak speed of 150 kilometers per hour. The staff is extremely professional and they have a perfect safety record but it still requires a trip outside your comfort zone to hurl yourself off that platform. I opted for a back dive since they claimed it was one of the scariest take offs to do. IT WAS A RUSH.

Just before it was my turn it started to rain and the there was a little freezing rain. My biggest concern was over the jerk you would receive as you reached bottom, but it was minimal as the swing motion translated vertical motion into a horizontal and vertical component. The interesting thing was I was not nervous at all being hoisted back up to the platform 360 feet overhead, in large part because my mind was still dealing with the decent and that I ad come through OK! An incredible experience!!!






1. Jumping Platform 2. Pre Jump Instruction


3. Just After Point of No Return 4. Near End of 60 Meter Free Fall



5. The Smile of a Survivor

April 18th, Queenstown

Today is adrenalin day! We were off by 8:15 to go jet boating with Skippers Canyon Jet in Skippers Canyon. Two shepherds found gold in Skippers Canyon in 1862 and within two months there were 4000 gold miners there. There has been more gold discovered there than in any other canyon in the world.

We traveled by bus on a road carved by the gold miners in the 1880’s. It is a one lane, twisting and curving dirt road over the mountains and into Skippers Canyon with no guard rails and with near vertical drops of up to 3000 feet! At times the bus wheels must be less than one foot from the edge. The driver told us he has driven this route in snow with chains. It is without a doubt the scariest ride I’ve ever taken as a passenger. The scenery is fantastic with grass covered mountains but few trees and the Shotover River winding between the steep rock walls of the canyon. The same company also owns a bungee jump bridge there.

There were eight of us plus a driver in the aluminum jet boat. The engine produces 450 HP driving a water jet pumping 25,000 liters per minute. The boat blasts up the shallow curving river through tight canyon walls at over 80 kilometers per hour through rapids and over rock beds just inches below the surface. We were often less than two feet from vertical rock faces. Skipper Canyon is the narrowest canyon that allows a jet boat operation. In addition the boats can do 360 degree turns in just over their own length.
A fantastic adventure!

1. Narrow Road in Skippers Canyon 2. Jet Boat Launch Site

3. Shotover River in Skippers Canyon Gorge 4. Bungee Bridge in Skippers Canyon

Film Clip of Jet Boat In Gorge

April 17th, Franz Joseph Glacier to Queenstown – 382 kilometers

We awoke to clear blue skies and started heading south towards Haast. We drove up a dirt road for 5 kilometers to view the fox glacier and then went over a twisty mountain and down the coast. The Hast region has wetlands alongside large stands of rain forest flanked by beautiful beaches and is labeled a World Heritage site in large part due to the variety of birds and marine life living in a pristine native state.

At Haast we headed inland up the Haast Valley which was carved out by an ancient glacier we are traveling between completely forested hills but as you get nearer the pass where golden brown grass becomes much more predominant. There are many waterfalls along this section of road. This route is a major entryway to Aspiring National Park and Mount Aspiring is the highest peak outside the Mount Cook region of New Zealand.

Eventually we are traveling along the shores of Lake Wanaka . This is a fairly arid area and it is very reminiscent of Lake Okanogan in the B.C. interior with a long mountain lake about a kilometer and a half flanked by grass covered hills rising steeply on each side. We then crossed over a range of hills to travel along the shores of Lake Hawea until just shortly before we arrived at Wanaka, a pleasant laid back town that many New Zealanders prefer to Queenstown.

We then headed over the Crown Range Road via Cardrona, a magnificent stretch of road that crosses the Crown Mountains and has a dizzying decent into Arrowtown, a half hour drive to Queenstown.

Queenstown is known as the Aspen of New Zealand with its’ skiing and outdoor orientation, a former mining town from the 1860’s, its’ 8600 population and huge tourism business. It certainly is very upscale but it also has something that Aspen doesn’t, water frontage with Lake Wakatigu. It also is New Zealand’s adrenalin capital, with sky diving, bungee jumping, jet boats, whitewater rafting, skiing, hand gliding etc. It also has excellent shopping, top rate accommodation and restaurants and an active party scene.




1. Fox Glacier 2. Knights Point


3. Lake Hawea 4. TSS Earnslaw on Queenstown Waterfront


5. Dave and Howard on Queenstown Waterfront

April 16th, Franz Joseph Glacier

The Franz Joseph glacier and the neighbouring Fox glacier are formed due to winds from the west picking up moisture across the Tasman sea and then when this air rises over the mountains it falls as rain and snow on a very continuous basis. The snow compresses in the glaciers broad accumulation zones and then grinds down the valleys towards the sea. These are two of the five glaciers that pass through temperate forest. The glacier advances on average 1 meter per day. One of the guides told us that in one 24 hour period they had 1 meter of rain!

We were at the guide office by 8:00 to be fitted out with boots, crampons, socks, toque, water proof pants and jacket. We were then bused for ten minutes where we had a 4 kilometer walk to the face of the glacier. Then we put on crampons and started up the rock of the moraine and finally onto ice. The guides cut steps in the ice and on some near vertical slopes ropes and pinions were used. There is a continuous flow of water out the glacier. One of the hazards to be avoided are the numerous crevasse. The roughness of the ice terrain is unbelievable with steep slopes, drops, tunnels, ravines and crevasses in all directions. We climbed upward for about three hours and then had lunch.

We were incredibly fortunate, there was no rain. In addition, instead of 60 people on tour, there were only two groups of 10 people.We scaled near vertical faces, crawled through tight ice tunnels, saw the “blue ice” up close, experienced incredible views and had a marvelous day of adventure. By the time we finished our decent at 4:00 knee joints needed ib profin and all muscles throbbed. It was a fantastic experience!


1. Approaching the Glacier 2. Howard in a cravasse



3. Dave in an Ice Tunnel


4. Ian Climbing the Face 5. Lunch Break on the Glacier

April 15th, Greymouth to Franz Joseph – 192 kilometers

There was thunder and lightening, and torrential downpours all night. In the morning it was still raining but we headed down the coast. One of the interesting things they have in rural New Zealand is one way bridges. There is a sign at both ends of the bridge that indicates who has right of way. Most of the time you can just drive across, since there is no traffic coming the other way. Below Greymouth we came across a bridge type I’ve never seen before. It was one lane and also had a train track down the middle. On the second one we came to, I stopped since there were two bikes stopped after crossing. There were two Germans and one had dumped his bike when he hit a rail entering the bridge. Dave came driving up, went to cross the rail line at an angle and down he went! There was a turn signal and mirror broken off and scratches in the faring and on the
motor casing, and Dave only sprained and cut a finger, so minimal damage.

We stopped at Hokitika for lunch and Dave located a shop where they could weld his mirror bracket. At the shop, apparently the previous week, three guys traveling together all went down on the same bridge. Apparently it has been happening for years but there are no warning signs. From then on the sky started clear up and we arrived in Franz Joseph in sunshine. We immediately signed up for a full tour on the glacier tomorrow so
we hope the weather stays clear!


1. Leaving Greymouth in the Rain 2. Jade Capital of New Zealand


3. Daves Injured Thumb 4. First Glimse of Franz Joseph Glacier

April 14th, Nelson to Greymouth April 14th – 318 kilometers

While I went to the gym and had a haircut, and Howard was doing banking, Dave was off getting his tire repaired. It was another beautiful sunny day as we headed off at 10:00 towards Murchison and even though we had driven this road before it was still a fantastic. After the obligatory latte in Murchison, we charged down the Lower Buller highway.

Rain clouds loomed off the coast and as we pulled into Westport, it started to spit. Howard put on his rain gear and we headed down the coast. We had intervals of rain, mist and fog and we couldn’t push it through the corners. There was a swell in the ocean, but despite endless miles of beaches, no surfers were taking advantage of the breaks. The west coast of New Zealand is known for a lot of rain, but as a consequence it is incredibly green. Little of the vegetation looks similar to Canada however, other than the occasional pine.
By the time we got to Greymouth it was raining quite hard. Our accommodation had kitchen facilities and off we went shopping. Howard, a former chef and restaurant owner, cooked the meal and it was a delight to watch him prepare food. He cleans all utensils as he finishes with then and he is constantly bobbing and weaving as he is preparing the food. When I get back to Cattales 2, I will try the same body language in the galley!



1. Rock Overhang on Buller Highway 2. Howard Filming Bike on Buller


3. Surf Break Below Westport 4. Howard Performing in Kitchen



5. A Fantastic Meal

April 13th, Nelson to Picton Return - 240 kilometers

We were at the gym early and then it was off to Picton. It is another beautiful day for driving, sunny with blue skies and a temperature approaching 20 C. The lady at the gym was originally from Zimbabwe and when they first immigrated here, she and her husband were terrified the winters would be too cold for them. Fortunately they located in Nelson, the warmest and sunniest location on the South Island, a micro environment that they quite enjoy!

Dave unfortunately had a rear tire with only 7 psi so he has a slow leak. After filling the tire we headed off but after half an hour it was leaking air so he headed back to Nelson, to arrange repair first thing in the morning, since nothing is open today. I headed on to meet Howard, who is arriving on the 4:30 ferry. At Havlock, I took the Queen Charlotte Islands Drive to Picton; 34 kilometers of twisty road along the coast where you cannot go faster than 55 kph and successfully negotiate the bends!

I met Howard outside the ferry dock and his first question was “Feel like a cappuccino mate?” We headed off through the twisties of Queen Charlotte Drive and got fuel in Havlock. A tanker truck driver warned us about a speed trap 25 kilometers up the road and it saved us a ticket! We arrived at Nelson at dusk.


1. Queen Charlotte Sound 2. Howards Ferry Landing

3. Havlock, Green Mussel Capital of World 4. Bandit on Queen Charlotte Drive

April 12th, Christchurch to Nelson – 448 kilometers

It was overcast with just a hint of drizzle as we left Christchurch and Dave was not pleased with Wells Fargo when he went to a cash machine and they had frozen his account, and no way to deal with it until Monday night! We headed up the coast to Waipara (the Waipara valley is the fastest expanding wine region in New Zealand) and then through fertile farming country past Culverden and then on towards Lewis Pass. Near Culverden, the sun broke through for the rest of the day!

Lewis Pass is only 907 meters high but the road down towards Mauia Hot Springs was spectacular as it twisted its way in tight turns between kawhai trees that blotted out the sun overhead. At Spring Junction we took the Shenandoah Highway to Murchison, a road with little traffic, long sweeping turns in a beautiful agricultural valley. We turned off at Howard Junction and came across a hand gliding club where they used a car to launch the gliders. Then we went to St. Arnault in the Nelson Lakes National Park and then on to Nelson along a twisty rural road.

We decided to go out at 10:00 to sample the local bar scene; but it was deserted; apparently no one goes out until after midnight!


1. The Rocking Frog Near Waikari 2. The Hope River Valley


3. Glider Landing Below St. Arnault

April 11th, Christchurch

We had a great workout at the gym and then walked around the downtown. It is great to see a downtown area that hasn’t been decimated by shopping malls. They also have old street cars riding on tracks through the down town area. In addition, New Zealanders must be the biggest coffee consumers in the world; they are even more coffee mad than Italians, Spaniards and Australians! There are coffee shops everywhere.

We stopped in a Triumph motor cycle dealership and the proprietors had set a world land speed record for a 1000 cc motorcycle with side car of 276 kph! He recently sold the bike to a double amputee from California who was a ski lift technician who lost both legs when a cable came off. The bike has only hand controls so he is going to try and set a new record at Daytona and the proprietor, Phil Garrett is flying over to help prep the bike.

We then went to the Brittan motorcycle museum which commemorates the Brittan motorcycle, the fastest motorcycle in the world in the early 90’s. He built everything himself, including casting all the motor parts. Everything was built out of carbon fiber. The bike was lighter, more powerful, better performing than all the best efforts of Ducatti, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki with their major factory teams. Today the fastest vehicles developed by these teams strongly resemble the early 90’s Brittans. It won at Daytona and held world records in top running speed, and quickest in the quarter mile! Unfortunately John Brittan died from a melanoma at 42 years of age; an engineering and inventive genius who had only begun to show his vision and creativity.


1. Trolly in Christchurch 2. Ian and Brittan that won at Daytona



3. Dave in Race Mode 4. Brittan Memorabilia

April 10th, Westport to Christchurch 358 - kilometers

There is a high over New Zealand that should result in sunny skies right through the weekend! The 104 kilometer journey down to Greymouth follows the coast with tight turns and constant changes in elevation and with beautiful surf breaks on deserted grey sand beaches with jagged rock outcrops. At 17 mile bluff there is a stunning view down the coast as well as many “cribs” or “batches” (cottages) hanging close to the shore. The views of the Tasman Sea and the lush hills are breath taking swells bringing in surf breaks. Greymouth, although it only has a population of 13,500 is the largest town on the west coast of the South Island.

After coffee in Greymouth, we followed the Grey River up to Stillwell and then on to Lake Brunner. This is lush dairy and farming country until Otira when the climb to Arthur’s Pass begins. The road spirals up to approximately 1000 meters through lush hills with bare rugged tops. The decent on the other side is equally dramatic until you end up in the valley of the Waimakariri River where they is lush farmland crossed by long straight stretches of road with sweeping turns. After rising to go through Porter’s Pass we descended to the Canterbury Plain and on to Christchurch through farming and horse country. We saw hundreds of race horses, all grazing and covered with blankets although the temperature was about 18C!

Christchurch is a modern city of 350,000 and a vast array of cafes, restaurants and bars. It is pristine and lush with homes having immaculate lawns and gardens. We got in early enough to go to the gym. Then it was off to the local watering hole to see the Miss Bakini Christchurch selected.


1. Sheep in Field 2. Beach Belowc Westport


3. Coast above Greymouth 4. Mountains With Snow Near Adams Pass

April 9th, Nelson to Westport – 250 kilometers

We awoke to crystal blue skies coupled with bright sunshine and went to a small coffee shop where the owner roasts his own beans; great coffee! The drive down to Motueka was fairly bland but the town is a major base for excursions to Abel Tasman and Kahurangi national parks. We had a coffee at a stand that also was a tour office that had posters for ultra light flights. As we headed out of town we watched some skydivers land at the airport and also an ultra light landing so we drove in to inquire. Shortly after we were aloft, flying over Motueka and down the coast to Abel Tasman Park. It is mainly composed of completely forested marble and limestone hills right to the seawater’s edge. The park is accessed from the water and there are water taxis, sailboats and kayaks all along the coast. The ultra light I was in had a top speed of 84 mph and was incredibly agile. Dave was in the trainer so the pilot let him take the controls for 60% of his trip! The view was incredible and it gives an entirely different impression of the area than from ground level, huge expanses of wilderness as well as numerous vineyards, and orchards in the non hilly areas. There are million dollar homes along the coast outside the park, in large part due to the sunny climate and beautiful scenery.

After a quick lunch we headed off towards Murchison through the Motueka river valley on a twisting route through sheep and fruit farms and then through forests on over Mount Saddle into Kahurangi park. After Murchison the road hugs the Buller River which rushes through a long spectacular gorge on its’ way to the Tasman Sea. The road is continuously turning and falling and with minimal traffic is a dream ride. When Buller explored this gorge it took him 6 weeks in constant rain; we did it in two hours and sunshine! The river gorge itself is a water sports Mecca with white water rafting, jet boating and kayaking. We stayed at the Black and White, a bar/ hotel/ betting room combination in the British pub tradition.


1. Dave and Coffee Grinder in Nelson 2. Coffee Van in Motueka



3. Just Before Going Aloft 4. Abel Tasman Park Coast Line




5. Film Clip of Take Off 6. Hedges Protecting Kiwi Fruit Orchard

April 8th Wellington to Nelson – 125 kilometers

Wellington is aptly named the “Windy Wellington” since it was blustery the whole time we were there! When we showed up at the Interislander Dock there were seven other bikes waiting to board. One biking couple had a man on a Boulevard and his wife on a Honda CB1300. They were both large people and had just gotten married the previous weekend. She has always been into bikes and was a “tracker” – a racer. When she met him, she asked if he rode a bike and when he said “no”, she said “well you’d better buy a bike if this is going to work!”

The three hour ride on the ferry was great. There was an elderly woman who had lunch with us who is from New Zealand and had been in Newfoundland and traveled across Canada with three girlfriends in the sixties. We arrived in Picton at the head of Queen Charlotte sound after a three hour ferry ride.

After leaving Picton, we were very quickly in wine country, passing over 20 wineries in the space of 10 minutes, including ones I recognized like Nautilus, Cloudy Bay, Forest Estate and Matua Marlborough. The scope of New Zealand’s wine industry is truly amazing, with 530 licensed wineries and 873 registered grape growers. Since 1996 the amount of land used for growing grapes has tripled. Gisborne specializes in Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay is best known for its’ Cabernet Sauvignons while Marlborough is the home of Sauvignon Blanc. Talking to people, Pinot Noir appears to be the next major success.

We stopped at Havelock, the green lipped mussel capital of the world. I had visited the Sanford plant and their grow-out sites in 2003 when I went to the America’s Cup. Havelock has a huge marina for a village of only 500 people. From there it is only 75 kilometers to Nelson with a nice section of twisties when climbing over the Richmond Range. Nelson is a city of about 45,000 people with a major fishing industry, as well as a major jumping off point to three of the most popular nation parks (Kahurangi, Nelson Lakes and Abel Tasman). It is one of the sunniest areas in New Zealand and although it was cloudy all day, when we neared Nelson the sun came out! Due to our early arrival we washed the bikes and made it to the gym.



1. Ferry at Wellington 2. Going Between Islands Off South Island



3. Heading Into Picton 4. Marina at Havlock

April 7th, Masterton to Wellington – 115 kilometers

After a “flat white” (cappuccino with minimal foam) we were on the road in pouring rain. Unfortunately there is a 45 kilometer stretch of twisties over the Rimutaka mountain range from Featherston to Upper Hutt that is a fantastic motorcycle ride but we drove through at low speed due to rain and minimal visibility due to cloud. However, just as we arrived across the harbour from Wellington, the sun came out and the city looked gorgeous. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and has a regional population of about 416,000.It is a seaport, business and center of government with steep hills, spectacular views, an active arts and entertainment scene, great shopping and beautiful parks and buildings.

After settling in at our downtown lodgings, we went on a walking tour and went up the cable car. It was first installed in the 1880’s to allow access for housing development above the city. It was an incredibly successful venture with over 2 million passengers in 1912. We then toured a museum and the botanical gardens. Later we went for a workout at the aquatic center. We have tickets booked on the ferry to South Island at 10:30 tomorrow morning.



1. Cattle Country Near Masterson 2. Main Street in Typical Small New Zealand Town



3. Wellington From Top of Cable Car 4. Dave in Front of National Museum



5. Dave in Front of Cable Car

April 6th – Gisborne to Masterton – 506 kilometers

After the obligatory stop for a cappuccino we were on our way to Wairoa for a refill on a road that runs a few miles inland from the coast. It has a tremendous number of sheep ranches and also an active timber industry. The road twists, climbs, falls with few straight stretches. It is a beautiful sunny day with a blue cloudless sky.

We then enter the Hawke Bay agricultural region, a fertile area specializing in wine production with over 15 wineries. We stopped for lunch in Napier, a trendy vibrant costal city with long grey sand beaches. The town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and was completely rebuilt in the art deco style. Across from the café where we had lunch, a vintage Porsche car rally with over 50 cars was on display.

As you drive through rural New Zealand, you certainly have a strong sense of isolation. It must contribute significantly to the friendliness of everyone as well as inspire a strong desire to travel to areas with more people around. Reportedly there are over 1,000,000 kiwis living abroad.

We then followed route 2 through Hastings on to Waipukurau where we headed down the old Wellington coach road towards Porangahau. Initially the road had long sweeping turns through green hills dotted with sheep and some cattle but south of here the road narrows and there are continuous tight turns as it rises and falls beside river valleys and over ranges of hills. Just outside of Porangahau, we pass the place with the longest name in the world;
Taumatawhakatangihanakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhe
nuakitanatahu!

The last 120 kilometers of driving were in drizzle and rain, which reduced our speed on the twisties considerably. Masterton is an innocuous town of 16,000 people and we stayed at the Empire Lodge in the center of town. We had dinner at an Indian restaurant served by a waiter who was light in his loafers.





1. Coffee at Wairoa 2. Art Deco Building in Napier



3. Porche Rally in Napier 4. Countryside near Porangahou



5. Longest Place Name in World

April 5th – Gisborne

We had an early wakeup call and went to the Y for a workout. It is amazing how athletically inclined the New Zealanders are. Within a couple of blocks there are two soccer stadiums, an indoor archery club, two outdoor bowling clubs, an indoor badminton club, 10 net ball courts and a large number of tennis courts,. As we left the Y all net ball courts had games going on. This country, with a population of 4.1 million also has over 400 golf clubs!

Dave has unfortunately woken up with a sore back so we will stay in Gisborne one more day to allow him the chance to recover. After 8 hours of lying flat on his back, Dave recovered enough to go out for a local tour on the bikes. We then stopped off at Woolies to buy green lipped mussels, fresh fish fillets and salad to prepare a delicious meal at the hotel kitchen.





1. Captain Cook Statue in Gisborne 2. Classic in Gisborne Harbour



3. Gisborne Beach 4. Gisborne Mail Box

April 4th – Tauranga to Gisborne – 480 kilometers

April 4th – Tauranga to Gisborne – 480 kilometers

As we headed down towards Opotiki, we traveled through Te Puke, the center of the kiwi fruit industry. They are grown about six feet above the ground similar to grapes but the orchards are surrounded by 30 foot high dense cedar hedges that protect them from wind damage. Near here we got stopped by the police for going too slow; we were doing 85 in a 100km zone and delaying traffic. This won’t happen again! Along this road there are magnificent beaches at Katitaki. We went inland to go around a bay to get to Opotiki and then started around the East Cape. East Cape has fantastic moto riding, with minimal traffic, one lane bridges, large forested mountains, deserted beaches, superb views and a road that twists and turns along the coast. It is a beautiful sunny day and the sea is turquoise. As you head along the coast you can see White Island, a recently active volcanic island in the distance.

There is a series of bays you pass by, some with gravel beaches and rugged rocks in the water. The road goes inland at Whangaparaoa and winds through the mountains until Hicks Bay and then across country to Te Araroa. From here south it is farming country, with green field with grazing sheep and cattle. The road now has longer sweeping turns that allow a high speed; a major difference from the tight twisties earlier in the day. There are beautiful beaches all the way to Gisborne and there is an active group of surfers taking advantage of the many surf breaks. We stopped in Gisborne, a trendy town of 33,000 located right on the ocean. Tomorrow morning it will be off to the gym for a workout!


1.Dave Checking Out Beach On Bay of Plenty 2. Bay of Plenty



3. A Rugged Harbour on the East Cape 4. Fern

April 3rd – Auckland to Tauranga – 220 kilometers

After a quick trip through customs, it was off to the cash machine and then to the expresso bar. It was amazing to see the number of foreigners going through customs versus the Kiwi and Auzzi, but not surprising on reflection since they have over 2.5 million visitors with a base population of only 4.1 million. However it was raining!

A shuttle bus delivered us to Coleman motors and we met Allaister and staff. Two Suzuki Bandits were available but Dave’s needed new shoes. I got a helmet and suit (waterproof) plus insurance included in the rental price. I also bought new boots and gloves. We headed off to a book store for a copy of New Zealand Motorcycle Atlas and then out of town on the M1 towards Hamilton in the drizzle. By the time we turned off on route 2 towards Paerna the road was dry. The bikes drive beautifully but having a red line at 11000 takes a little getting used to. It is beautiful green rolling countryside with numerous dairy farms. We are passing through lovely small towns with nice pubs in the hotels and many cafes. After the language challenges in South America, this is a breeze!

As we reach Katikati, we start to drive along the Bay of Plenty. This area of beautiful beaches is a popular vacation area with New Zealanders and has the highest number of sunny days in New Zealand. The area got it’s name because Captain Cook labeled it “plentiful”. We stopped at Tauranga, one of the busiest ports in New Zealand. Restaurants and bars line the Strand which runs alongside the harbour. The city is definitely upscale, in large part due to vacationers.

Dave and Ian Leaving Auckland

Dave's 1250 Bandit

April 1st/ 2nd - ANU/ SJA/ MIA/ LAX/ ACK

It was an early departure from Antigua and a quick flight hour and a half flight to San Juan. After an hours wait there was a two hour fifty minute flight to Miami. It was great flying in to Miami, all of South Beach in view with Star Island on the port side. It brought back memories of winning the SORC in 1999 with Numbers and staying in a rented house next to Gloria Estevan.

The layover at Miami was only 40 minutes; I wonder what the odds are of my bag making the connection; hope I don’t have to hang out in Auckland for 24 hours for it to catch up.

The flight to LA is a mere 5.8 hours and an hour later it was time for the 13.3 hour “enduro test” on Qantas to Auckland. The cabin staff was absolutely fantastic; humourous, helpful and enthusiastic; I have not seen that attitude for a North American based carrier since the last century! Both meals were great and the movie and documentary selection were extensive. I watched documentaries about the Galapagos, the Ganges, “The Man from Snowy River” and a new movie “The Kite Runner”.

My seat mate was an 18 year old girl from a small town on the North Island who was working as wait staff at a country club north of Fort Lauderdale since October. She is really excited to be coming home a month early, and only her mother knows (and is sworn to secrecy) so she can surprise her dad, grandparents, brothers and sisters when she arrives unannounced.