C'moooonn, we've gotta go, man!
"You know, I've got a mate over there, does some work for a local bike-mag and has a sort-of beach-shack we might be able to stay at...maybe"
Things started to come together after digging out the old maps from previous trips.
Ditching the common belief of the Northland consisting of the Bay of Islands, Cape Reinga and a patch of Kauri-trees, there's
a hell of a lot of stuff to be seen, superb roads to ride, endless gravel and beaches to be explored, outstanding vistas to be had.
The coffees are good everywhere, the tucker still mainly deep-fried, the folks are friendly and generally helpful, always up for a yack with a traveler.
That should keep us happy for a week or so...
The bikes came through Hakan again, even though he doesn't own the fleet anymore.
Things are beyond the normal rental-formalities after all those previous trips and I'm glad for it.... apart from the personal relationship that has built along the way. Hell of a nice guy, too.
4am near Melbourne Airport, and Crusty is going all out to squash 11days-worth-of-gear into the carry-all.
That Northland brew gave me the shakes....
Doug and his old mate (with family). We had no idea what was to come...
The BackYard Steaks+Ribs next door to the first-night digs in North Auckland came as a total surprise...and set some pretty lofty standards!
I'M INVINCIBLE!! POWW