Southern Rider Escapade - Part 2

J

Jantar

Guest
A day off work and a resonable weather forecast gave me the perfect opportunity for part 2 of the escapde. There was a front due to hit the area around 7:00 pm tonight, but I figured I could easily be finished by then. This section starts in my own town of Alexandra.

Alexandra is a rural town the supports the local summerfruit industry. It is at the confluence of the Clutha and the Manuherikia Rivers. In the early gold rush days the Clutha River could only be crossed by barge. that was replaced by a suspension bridge which has since been replaced by a steel girder bridge.

The remains of the old bridge alongside the new one:


Above the township is a good lookout allowing a view across the town and the surrounding fruitgrowing areas.:



From Alexandra I headed 26 km east to Omakau for the next question in the Escapade. However when I got to Omakau I realised that I had my camera, my GPS, my fuel cards, but I did not have the route or the list of questions. From Omakau I headed 26 km west back to Alexandra and passed a group of bikes going in the opposite direction (the direction I should have been going). With the route sheet and questions in my jacket pocket I headed 26 km east to Omakau for the next question in the Escapade. It was a lovely day to park right next to the Dead Center of Omakau.



To go further east from Omakau there are two possible routes. They are within 2 km of each other in length and take a similar length of time. The escapade route required me to take the northern of the two routes through Becks then into the region know as the Maniototo and onto Naseby.

This area is 2000 feet above sea level but very flat. Those hills in the distance is where I'm headed:


There was a bonus question in Ranfurly and although I could have just bypassed that one, it only added on a few km extra. From here it was up to the Pig Route, one of the best road rides in Otago. Plenty of up hill and down hill with sweeping bends and glorious scenery. I was having too much fun just enjoying the ride to stop and take any photos.

One of the questions was in a rest area at the bottom of a hill, and it was here I learned something about myself. I must be a scary looking buggar in black leathers when on my bike. While I was stopped to get the answer to a question a car came down the hill and indicated to turn into the rest area. As it started to turn in, the driver saw me, stopped then turned back onto the road and continued east. Futher down the road a bit later I saw the same car parked in another area that wasn't as nice and the two occupants were eating their lunch.

I stopped at Duntroon at this historic bridge. I would be reluctant to walk over it let alone take a vehicle over it:
 
Last edited:
J

Jantar

Guest
I carried on into Palmerston and stopped for a bite of lunch. While there I ended up sitting in a cafe next to same group of riders I saw earlier in the day. We got talking, as riders do, and asked where from? where to? etc. It turned out that they had the same set of questions that I did, and we were on the same task. There were six in their group, all the way from Nelson. They had had come from Lawrence this morning and were going as far as Omarama:



SH1 is generally one of the most boring roads in New Zealand. It is heavily policed and has some of the slowest traffic in the country. However, in most places there are alternatives, and it takes a motorcyclist to find them. This alternative route is via Horse Range Rd, or Trotters Gorge to the locals. It is narrow, unmarked in most places, sealed (well sort of), and a brillant road to ride. Today, apart from six other motorcycles going the same way that I was, there was not a single vehicle the whole way.

Looking down Trotters Gorge from Horse range Summit:


The other bikes passed me while I was taking some photos, so I followed them out of Trotters Gorge and up to Moeraki. At this point they pulled off to the Moeraki Boulder cafe. I stopped at the side of the road and checked the question sheet to see if I had missed an instruction. No instructions missed, so I carried on to Wainakarua, then east to coast road. I stopped just short of All Day Bay for this beautiful view looking back the way I'd come. And along the road comes a group of six bikes.





Looking North to All Day Bay:


I travelled on through Kakanui and followed the coast into Oamaru for fuel. This is another historic town, and still has many buildings over 150 years old.


Time to start heading west, and once again the route generally kept us off the main roads. There was a question to be answered at Weston, and although I passed through, back tracked, went around the block, and passed through the area again I could not find out how many bags were shipped. I stopped to talk to the other riders, and they couldn't find that one either. Maybe Mr Google can help. On through the amazing North Otago Hinterland and through the vanished world. This is limestone country and full of many types of fossils. (including one 60 year old motorcyclist).

 
Last edited:
J

Jantar

Guest
From the Vanished World I continued through the valleys to Dunback then up the Waitaki Valley to Kurow. Looking up into the mountains I coukd see the rain developing. That stuff wasn't due for hours yet, but if it kept building like that then I was going to get wet.


However, I was heading northwest at this stage so keeping ahead of the weather. The Waitaki Dam was one of the first large dams in the South Island. It is a weir type dam, so that means no spillgates.



There was an interesting boat crash at this dam in 2004. A jet boat hit the top of the dam doing around 25kt and went clean over the top. The papers reported it as "A 32-year-old Oamaru man suffered minor injuries and a 33-year-old Dunedin woman was seriously injured." What the paper didn't report was that the man's penis was nearly bitten off. His 30 year old wife, also from Oamaru, was not amused.

Next stop up the river was at the Aviemore dam. Rain was still chasing me from the south:


But it still looked clear to the north west. Looking up Lake Aviemore:


Benmore is one of the largest earth dams in the southern Hemisphere. It was the largest until Brazil decidiced to put an earth dam on a tributary to the Amazon, and poor little New Zealand could no longer compete. Adv riders will recognise the Black Forest Road winding up the hills in the distance behind the dam.



Onwards to Omarama, the gliding capital of New Zealand. But no gliders visible at the moment. I continued on throught he Lindis Pass. This is another famous motorcycling route with only five straight sections of road, more than a km long, in 80 kms of riding. Most sweepers are marked with advisory signs that can generally be ignored. There is one bend marked at 45 km/h, and that one you do need to slow down for. Looking back down the road from Lindis Pass.



Normally I continue straight ahead at Tarras, but today's route required a bit of a detour towards Wanaka, then into Luggate for the final question of the escapade.

With all questions answered (except one) it was time to head home. Home for me is exactly on the other side of that mountain, and through the rain.



Sure enough, it started. Those big heavy rain drops that seem to hold about a teaspoon of water each came falling and aimed right at me. Within seconds, the road was wet, cars had ther wipers on full, and I was pleased that leathers had been recently waxed. As I arrived home the rain stopped. Perfect timing and another escapade completed.
 
Last edited:

twowheeler

two wheels are best
Good report :clap:.

....... The papers reported it as "A 32-year-old Oamaru man suffered minor injuries ..............." What the paper didn't report was that the man's penis was nearly bitten off.........
What reporter would describe an old-boy near-amputation as "minor injuries" ?? :wot:
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
However, in most places there are alternatives, and it takes a motorcyclist to find them. This alternative route is via Horse Range Rd, or Trotters Gorge to the locals. It is narrow, unmarked in most places, sealed (well sort of), and a brillant road to ride. Today, apart from six other motorcycles going the same way that I was, there was not a single vehicle the whole way.


Exactly the way I remember that road. Bare of traffic, superb scenery and a true joy to ride.

From the "Rockin' The Soul" yarns:
Horse Range Rd. is a squiggle on the map and gets us to Moeraki via the “inland-alternative”.
Jaaaackpot!!
kicking.gif


Ducking and weaving like a balloon in a gale, this single-laner is a ripper. Sealed yes....but knarly, dirty and entirly unpredictable.
The dip through the narrow valley with its bare, pockmarked sandstone walls is too exciting to stop and get the camera out....you just HAVE to see what’s behind that next blind corner...NOW. And the next one...and....
drool.gif



Finally getting around to having a read of this, sweet story and great pics.
Knowing most of the roads makes it yet more interesting again.
Thanks for the post, this is enjoyable reading. :so:clap:
 
Top Bottom