Day # 1 Christchurch Get Bikes. Off to Oamaru. Joined by gregarious Costaricans.
Great additions to trip. I begin to experience unusual morning headaches 290 miles
New Zealand Day 1
Day # 2 Oamaru to Queenstown through gorges. Darren and Jurgen Bungy-jump at first opportunity. 190 miles
New Zealand Day 2Day # 3 Rest in Queenstown - Like hell ! Raining and off to Skipper's canyon on 4wheel drive. Chuck may be conservative in Omaha but humbles the Pipeline. Great jet boat ride.
New Zealand Day 3Day # 4 Weather clears. Beautiful flight and cruise of Mumford Sound - Lillian shows her stuff as inveterate flyer. Easy trip to beautiful Wanaka. 63 miles.
New Zealand Day 4Day # 5 Wanaka to Fox Glacier Over the mountains and through amazing rain forests not surprisingly making the ride in the rain again. Would the Keas really nibble on your seat? Dave's vivid Aerostich displays well in rain. 190 miles.
New Zealand Day 5Day # 6 Fox Glacier to Greymouth. Nice walk to Fox glacier. Darren and Lillian off on cross country in ballistic suits (must be a first of some kind). Very pretty ride in not too much rain. Town properly named but Greygrey might be more apt. 125 miles
New Zealand Day 6Day # 7 Greymouth to the farm stay in Nelson area. Caught Gunter napping in pub backyard and saw a Harley nailed by motorist. Where were Russ and Chuck when they were needed? Beautiful trip, great people. Joel charms farm folks. Husband and wife develop thick Maine accent by departure. Dave and I nice stay. Martha and group watching cow dogs. Russ, Chuck, and the Flores on vineyard depletion tour and who knows. 240 miles
New Zealand Day 7Day # 8 Nelson to Picton Via the Queen Charlotte Drive challenges all except Christian who had to stand to ride lest the rest of us lose sight of him. Bob is featured giving ferry lessons then on to Wellington for a rest day. Notice Indian lady wearing LL Bean jacket on ferry as Bob pointed out. 80 miles
New Zealand Day 8Day # 9 Rest day in Wellington. Managed to squeeze in the museum and botanical gardens after obligatory trek to the BMW dealer, accompanied by the ever helpful Martha and Bob and with encouragement from Lillian and Darren, my return luggage stressed beyond repair. Bob finds that his amazing wealth of knowledge cannot be crammed into helmet of choice while lesser mind finds compatibility.
New Zealand Day 9Day # 10 Wellington to Napier. Another boring spectacular ride. Elegant cuisine at posh Wimbledon tavern, past amazing monument, and on to Beachside motel and the unforgettable Bagpipe serenade. Juan Jose's favorite. Wonderful dinner. Morning headaches return. 230 miles
New Zealand Day 10Day # 11 Napier to Rotorua. The other Bob who doesn't bungy either will try the gravel route with Jurgen and Dave. Jurgen fixes Joel's windshield arrives for lunch. Dave who waited the longest, skips repast and is never seen again until late that night. If it was your dust that I was eating all day, thanks a lot Dave. Spectacular trip and worth all the dust I told my pulmonalogist. 220 miles by dust 140 by day.
New Zealand Day 11Day # 12 Rotorua to Auckland. Christian led on outstanding tour, Auckland main roads and highways excepted. Amazing sights, gorgeous scenery, unexpected vistas ( banker in buff ) and back to reality and civilization. Damn 200-310 miles?
New Zealand Day 12Day # 13 Auckland and departure but first a lesson from Roxana and Juan Jose on the art of the 3 hour lunch at Devonport.
New Zealand Day 13
LASTING IMPRESSIONS
Lillian - If she's representative who needs a southern border.
Martha - Smart fun heads up lady- I never saw a cuter 60 year old
Roxana - Fine polished lady who taught me to never believe "I no speak English"
Christian - Consummate rider consummate guide I'm ready to go any time any place
Jurgen - "Too tall guide" great presence and personality count me in
Darren - I like a man of forty who is already trying to balance his retirement goals against his toys
Russ - Regret not spending enough time with this gracious and fascinating guy. Would love to do another tour with you.
Chuck - A man of pipeline and vistas. There's more here than meets the eye and I hope the bank customers appreciate quality when they see it. Standard bearer for Harley Davidson
Gunter - A genuinely fine but shy man who makes me wish my German wasn't so horrible even though it is a totally incomprehensible language
Dave - Good time in the museum. Where were you that other day?
Juan Jose - A truly gracious and fun gentleman who never met a grape he didn't like.
Joel - A quiet guy who traveled in another pack I liked our discussion on the Mumford cruise and am ready to resume at any time.
Bob - A smart knowledgeable rider who presents a fascinating dichotomy as a "bent for hell road rider" {But with a margin of safety} with an apparently lay back personality. I appreciate all the constructive suggestions I bet Martha has a crop back there.
Best to you all. This has been fun