Coromandel Peninsula loop.. On our doorstep.

I'm a fair weather rider which means that I take the weather conditions into account before riding. I don't mind weather changing but if there are 2 or 3 of the elements of rain, wind or icy chill likely then it's likely I won't set out to ride unplanned on a spontaneous ride.  If I've not ridden for a while I may brave going out but I do look forward to the warmer days where suiting up to keep warm isn't a drag that somehow detracts from the spontaneity of grabbing a quick opportunity.

I rode 2 Saturdays back in howling Auckland wind accompanied by the odd light rain patch and although I look back at the ride as exhilarating,  it was still only enjoyable as a group experience and I only ventured out because I'd arranged a group of us to ride down to an event at Hampton Downs and to back out would look girlie. I value the experience of riding in all conditions but wouldn't set out by choice next time in similar conditions.

So this last Saturday I was really excited to see Sunshine and my good wife and I decided to take a quick run out through the pretty waitakere forest range to Paihia and then for breakfast at Titirangi township. Auckland weather is a bit bipolar and changes fast but we got a clean ride all the way in stunning conditions on dry roads.

Then I had the day off work on Monday and,  on checking the skies,  made a snap decision to zip out to the Coromandel peninsula. I left early enough to have to navigate morning traffic but it was light and flowing and I enjoyed that part knowing I was heading to a freedom ride while others were headed to their daily grind. Looking out at the peninsula I saw cloud and wondered if I'd made a mistake but as I approached along the beautiful road turning in off the freeway that for some crazy reason has been designated a high crash road so has a 10km lower speed limit,  I realised I was committed and so pushed on.

I decided to travel through Thames and onward towards the point along a gently winding road that runs right along the sea with emerald green bays at every turn and all I can say is that the view is breathtakingly beautiful. The sea was as calm as a lake as I looked back on East Auckland I really had to allow my senses to grasp the experience. Not only is the Hayabusa a perfect bike for this type of trip but I can honestly say that I felt truly spoilt and,  based on my endless youtube searches for great bike rides,  felt that I envied very few in comparison to what I was enjoying.

What added to my sense of overwhelming satisfaction was that I was riding on my Hayabusa.  Forget what you read about it just being a fast bike in a straight line. It is intuitive around the bend,  forgiving in corners and has the most amazing front suspension over rough bumps. All this makes for the perfect blend of power and comfort and when the serious twisties present themselves it is not as difficult to lean as some blogs make out. 

At the end of the peninsula the road turns inward from the sea line and runs through carpets of forest that stretch out in every direction to the sea shores on every side.

Here there are more serious corners that can be taken slowly and carefully or quicker and more daringly. I was cruising until an adventure bike zipped past me and the rider obviously knew the road as he cornered with the most clinical lines. This was a great challenge to me and I put my bike through its paces keeping up while carefully watching and learning from him. I don't know if he enjoyed me on his tail but I enjoyed having a marker all the way into the quaint Coromandel Town.

All I kept wishing was that my wife and riding buddies were with me but I figured that I would simply use this as a good recce of the route and I have already begun to plan the day trip with them. I can't wait to enjoy this ride with friends and,  while the average speed will be somewhat slower as a group than my solo run, the fun of riding together and seeing others share this great ride is what biking is all about.

I am still surprised by the bikers I meet who've not yet done the coromandel loop and I can't fathom why. I recently watched Henry Cole's World's Greatest Motorcycle Rides on the Discovery Channel and he was travelling along desert roads in the Australian outback for hours. Well,  here I was wondering why Australian bikers are not queuing up to experience what I just have. It certainly must rival any ride in the world.

Queenstown - a great destination

Many travel and expat forums will tell the entrepid traveller that if they visit only one place in New Zealand, make sure it's Queenstown. 

There is so much material on the internet - tourism,  activity marketing and personal travel stories - that it would be like throwing a match on a bonfire to make an inadequate attempt to add to the mass of excellent material available. There are also so many pictures of the unbelievably endless majestic beauty that surrounds the whole area and which will simply engulf any visitor so I have just added a few personal snaps of my experience.

What I can say is that from personal experience,  it is an absolute "must do" on anyone's travel agenda -  for both tourists and kiwis alike.  It has a magical air and at once conjures up a sense of being in the company of the great travel destinations such as Zurich,  Vancouver or the Alps but likewise a surreal sense of being on an epic movie set.

I am here at the end of winter and the snow still blankets the ski fields and,  while I love the experience of snow, soft drizzle and misty mountains, my senses are attuned to imagine this beauty in dryer weather that can be enjoyed and consumed on my motorbike with my wife and other close riding buddies. The roads snaking through mountains and valleys beside rivers and lakes seems a dream for any biker and I'm planning to make this the pinnacle point of a South Island trip which is fast becoming more exciting to me than most other holiday options. Apart from the surrounding scenic options,  Queenstown city itself is pretty with all the quaint picturesque options that make this a premier holiday spot.

Many kiwis say Queenstown is too expensive and has become a playground only the wealthy can afford and would sooner head off from Auckland International Airport to  the Gold Coast in Australia,  Thailand,  Fiji or one of the many other foreign destinations available through travel packages offered so cheaply. I'm guessing that with so many foreigners flooding Queenstown the locals don't mind that kiwis feel that way.

We've had $10 all day breakfast special offers with $2.50 coffee in Arrowtown and a $15 all day steak special in central Queenstown.  Yes,  every adventure activity is pretty costly but then I'm easy to please.  I'm quite happy driving around and admiring the scenes and sites. Call me old but I just don't need my thrills arranged for me as I would being a foreign visitor.  I get my adrenalin fix from opening the throttle on my Hayabusa - and it's why I can't wait to be here on my "baby" combining my passion for riding and soaking in the most amazing scenery on offer which arguably would rank as some of the finest rugged,  unspoilt available anywhere today.

Queenstown

First year as a Biker in Auckland

It is nearing the end of August in this, the first year I have owned a motorbike for many years.  So as each season unfolds I am relating the process to my newfound biking experience,  much like a pioneer in a strange new land would begin gauging the rhythm and tempo of the weather to understand what the years ahead will unfold in his new home. 

Although I have lived in Auckland for10 years, until now I have not really been attuned to the weather and took it as it came,  accepting all the old cliches and living a life largely unconcerned about whether tomorrow held rain or shine. But now, as a bike owner,  I am somehow highly observant and in tune with the weather, probably a bit like a cyclist or angler,  whose reward from their passion is either enhanced or reduced by the weather and directly or indirectly affects their plans.

Since getting,  and sharing,  my wife's cruiser in October last year until getting my own Bandit 600 in December,  I finally got my Hayabusa in February this year.  Since October,  I have had endless ideal riding weather around Auckland with one long trip up to Paihia over Easter just after getting my Haya.

Riding has been slowed occasionally by some rainy or gusty spells but then cloudy skies will suddenly part and reveal glorious riding days. This has happened throughout the winter and now we stand at the brink of Spring and despite an icy chill which reminds us that there is still snow on mountains both North and South,  the days are good for riding again. 

Does this mean more frequent commuting (I am a fair weather commuter)?  Well,  I imagine that as soon as Spring daylight savings kicks in there will be incentive to set off for work confident in the fact that if the weather is suitable after work it will yield a good few hours to enjoy the sites and sounds of vibrant,  beautiful Auckland.

Coromandel twisties take their toll..!!

The weather app said that Auckland was going to be fine and dandy on Saturday so my mate and myself made plans to hit the Coromandel loop. We got away from the North Shore at about 10am and headed out to Clevedon but took an early exit off the motorway and headed out via Howick in a bit too much traffic for our liking. After a quick fuel stop we headed out from Clevedon and, via an unplanned detour down the aptly named Tourist Road, we reached the coast hugging East Coast Road off to the State Highway 2 that heads out to Thames. From Thames we headed through the twisties of the Coramandel Forest Park ranges to Tairua for a coffee stop. 

We had intended to do the whole loop so headed out from Tairua to Whitianga but before Whitianga I took a left turn along a stunning road that unfortunately became a dirt mud road so once we turned back we decided to head back to Tairua and back to Thames instead of doing the whole loop. 

From there we headed along the State Highway 2 all the way to SH1 and back to the North Shore. 

For a rough guide of the trip on Google Maps..

Clevedon -it's a blip you may pass through easily but it's also a series of quaint shops kept in small town character and if you stop and smell the roses you discover a nice choice of eateries and cool trinket shops. 
Tourist Road - wow, I rode along here with flashbacks to places I'd seen on YouTube. I felt I'd travelled the outback Smokey Mountains down small town USA. A breathtaking meandering detour.  (About here I remember thinking that somebody had spiked me with big dose of Happy!)

To Kawakawa Bay - lovely sweeping bends with a few nice tight twisties but the scenery is so vivid you won't be using any app that enahances colour for fear of making the photos look too fake. Some parts of the road are so tree-lined there is moss so obviously not sun soaked.
East Coast Road - equal parts beach holiday feel, rural local fishing spot feel, you simply soak in the lake like ocean, the islands and the view of the Coromandel Peninsula with it's looming mountain ranges. The road is a nice mix of twisty stretches for leaning and straight for letting the machine loose. 
Coromandel Forest Park Road - A great road to teach anyone about kiwi road surfaces. You will be winding through moist road surfaces along tree lined stretches beside ravines then around a bend into dry stretches under bright sunlight with sweeping views of the mountain ranges. A warning sign for a mudslide hazard will be followed by a beautiful long, straight piece of tempting tarmac.
Tairua to Whitianga - As I said, we didn't go all the way to Whitianga but while this stretch of road has some challenging hairpins, it also has some great sweeping bends and some amazing straight stretches. You will need to decide whether you are going to cruise and take in the scenery which on one side is endless hills and mountains and on the other side the ocean, or you are going to keep your eyes on the road and floor it. We took it hard there but enjoyed the cruise back, stopping for a few photo ops with the sea as backdrop.     It is along here that my riding buddy had to stop and pop a few ginger tablets for the motion sickness he started to feel! So rider beware, if you are prone to this then remember that this road has its share of side to side that will likely result in a bit of nausea.

Thames to MW1 - we left Thames (actually just the Mobil on the outskirts) for home with the sun a few inches above the horizon and travelled half the MW2 in darkness. A stunning sunset sealed the day as a truly memorable one for us both. Our only regret that our wives hadn't made it but we now had the anticipation of sharing this world famous ride with a much better first hand knowledge to plan for next time.    

Summary - the road surface conditions were amazing. Very few potholes; The road weather conditions were excellent - wet and dry but all safe; the view and scenery is almost too much beauty for such a short distance. Explaining it in words would sound corny, but it is continual, diverse (tropical, rugged, coastal) and sensually overwhelming.

A stunning winter ride after work

I had to shoot out today during work and was amazed at how beautiful the weather was so I resolved to leave work dead on time and head straight home to hop on the Busa and grab the opportunity to enjoy the Auckland twilight by the handlebars. 

Even a spontaneous decision to ride involves some pre-ride mental preparation during which I run through the weather and time available and possible routes.  I have put off quite a few riding opportunities as winter has hit but I could see no downside tonight other than the fact that once the sun starts setting in winter darkness arrives quickly. But there was little wind and the air was crisp but not icy.

So onto my steed I leapt and off I went in my newly acquired toasty warm kevlar camo pants and into the sunset (quite literally) I rode, heading off from Albany and arriving at Helensville to see a low, dark pink skyline. From Hellensville I headed back through Kaukapakapa in darkness to Silverdale and through evening traffic on the Whangaparaoa peninsula where I had coffee with my daughter and son in law.

My ride on Google maps...

From there I texted my riding mate to see if he wanted to go across the bridge which he was thankfully keen to do else I would probably have just headed back home. He had commuted to the City across the bridge and had himself decided not to miss the stunning evening weather. So I zoomed back along Highway 1 to our rendezvous point at a Northcote gas station and from there we headed out over the bridge to a stunning, calm Mission Bay, along to St Helliers and back to Starbucks for a coffee, then back through the city to Ponsonby and back across the bridge to the North Shore.

The Auckland skyline is a postcard view from the bridge and the drive along Tamaki Drive looking back at the city is magnificent, passing yacht basins and people out strolling or running. The City, Mission Bay and Ponsonby were all alive to the sound of Aucklanders enjoying what their mother city has to offer - great vibes, good cuisine, stunning scenery and tonight - excellent weather.

I have to say that, for a mid winter's night ride, there was barely any wind and the air was warm enough to sit outdoors. 

I arrived home and am sitting writing this so hugely thankful for this amazing city I find myself in, for the fantastic bike I am so enjoying and for a great riding mate to enjoy it with, especially when my wife can't ride with me. 

Auckland in Autumn - still a joy for bikers...

The orange leaves shout that it's autumn in Auckland but I am on one of Auckland and New Zealand's many golf courses and the late afternoon is still. I return home after the game and jump on my motorbike with my wife on hers and we meet friends and all ride through to Ponsonby "international" food court for one of the numerous inexpensive Asian dishes on offer. 

After dinner we ride from the vibrant night life of Ponsonby in a convoy of four motorbikes through the pretty suburbs of Auckland into the upmarket beach suburb of Mission Bay where we have Danish ice cream and coffee before heading home along the waterfront road to the Harbour bridge that leads us back to the North Shore of Auckland where our little Saturday night jaunt began.

Every weekend for weeks now we have gotten out on our bikes because "pretty soon now the weather will change".  And every week we are blessed with yet another weekend of stunning weather.

Well,  the rain will set in and newcomers and visitors will swear that Auckland is a wet city.  And they will be correct,  it is indeed.  But life goes on,  including outdoor activities.  And in the midst of winter I have no doubt we will wake up to moments of clear, crisp skies and text our fellow bikers to meet for a spontaneous rides and golf games.  And then one day the clouds will part and more glorious sunny days will be beckoning us bikers to rediscover the breathtaking scenic routes that are Auckland in all her splendour.

A love of biking born in Cape Town and rekindled in Auckland

I have, for years and years, gazed longingly at the open roads of the grand old US of A; the breathtaking views of Canadian outdoors and the magical winding roads of Europe - all set against a backdrop of stunning snow capped peaks or lush green pines. They all have all beckoned me and wooed me for years and years and I want to go there and see them from a motorcycle and bombard my senses.

Growing up in stunning Cape Town, I am used to the “in your face” beauty, both refined and rugged.  Although the climate is Mediterranean so no snow falls except on the surrounding peaks occasionally, Cape Town still has four distinct seasons and except for a very wet mid winter, each season presents a unique experience for riders – the crisp spring mornings and evenings, the never ending dry summer days or the colourful autumn backdrops.

For a short time in Cape Town my wife and I rode motorcycles. I had a Suzuki Intruder 800cc until my wife, who started out as pillion, got her licence and claimed it and so I acquired a 750cc Suzuki GSXR and 750 Suzuki Katana. Together we learnt to ride with a group of about 6 guys and their gals who were pillion, my wife being the only brave lass to ride. Most were already bike commuters and some even raced but they never pressurised us to ride beyond our ability.

We would spontaneously arrange early morning or late evening rides so we, the only ones with kids, could set off with the kids either still fast asleep or just having been put to bed. Fortunately we had my mom living with us so we could zap out early and be home before they woke or leave after they were nicely snuggled up in bed.

Our lives were fun and exciting – an adventure of the senses! The kids enjoyed our biker friends who were mostly single, young and without kids so they doted on ours as a novelty. Our kids enjoyed being taken to and from activities on the back of dad’s bike. We did rallies with our mates and saw Cape Town as only a biker knows it – the smell of the sea or vineyards or dust as the rain starts. The overpowering beauty of Cape Town seeped into my pores as I rode along Misty Cliffs without my helmet and soaking in the misty air of the wild sea bashing off the waves, or along the most breathtaking sea views one could imagine past vibrant, white sanded beaches full of tourists.

I decided to sell my bikes after taking the longer, winding “scenic” route to work one morning and realising I had grown too comfortable with riding recklessly which is not a wise place to be with four young kids and a wife depending on me – and so began my motorbike drought and a yearning that has finally ended.

In 2003 I left Cape Town for Auckland, New Zealand and my wife and I had the sense to convert both our car and motorbike licenses. So, after 10 years here I once again bought a Suzuki 800cc Boulevard which I knew was again for my wife. After a few practice runs in car parks and a few pillion trips behind me she was confident to start riding again, so I bought a cheap ‘n nasty Suzuki Bandit 600cc which was heaps of fun to get my  confidence back and to enjoy some amazing twisties Auckland has to offer. But I wanted a newer, more reliable bike with a bit of oomph that would be comfortable out of Auckland so I have now bought my dream bike – a 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa.

Much to my delight, my closest friend in Auckland who also emigrated from Cape Town with his motorbike license, decided to take the mid-life plunge along with me and has bought himself a 2007 Suzuki C109R 1800cc Boulevard and for good measure, his wife is getting her license.

We have decided to embark on a journey of adventure as we plan to enjoy the immense and overpowering beauty that Auckland and New Zealand has become world renown for and why so many people from every corner of the globe decide to make the long trek over and then rave about it and recommend others follow suit.

Whether you simply intend to enjoy the experience from your living room or are convinced to make the journey yourself to experience what we plan to first hand, we invite you to come along for the ride! Good bikes and stunning scenery make for an eventful , hopefully memorable trip but it takes good company to create a kinship that makes every memory more special.

Thanks, and enjoy the ride…