Author Topic: New Zealand (Read 8686 times)

giusto · « **on:** March 15, 2015, 04:58:11 PM »

Hello... Kia ora

I am headed to New Zealand on Tuesday for work :) I will be in Hamilton for a week with a pretty full agenda, followed by a week on the South Island out of Christchurch. I have a camper van rented and will be headed for rivers to fish and interested in spectacular hikes. I was hoping for some local information...what's the best places for me to go? I'd also love to ride a Guzzi somewhere for a day...any ideas? Rentals...best ride? Burts hometown :)

Thanks for any info you can provide

wrbix · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:05:14 PM »

The most beautiful trout stream in the world - the Eglinton. Can't find pics on this device but it is spectacular. Common wisdom holds that a guide is needed to catch those wary Kiwi salmonids, but we caught some unassisted.
Teresa and I spent a week on the South Island motorcycling and fishing in 2005 or thereabouts. No reservations, no agenda, stayed in little hotels/hostels where ever we ended up for the night. Toughest issue was riding on Left side of the road.
Have a great time! I'm envious.

wrbix · « **Reply #2 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:06:37 PM »

Post pics upon your return please.
Tight lines!

giusto · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:28:02 PM »

Thanks for the info and well wishes.

I'll pop your suggestion into my NZ app and give it a go... and say hi for you. Kia ora

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:28:02 PM »

wrbix · « **Reply #4 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:38:54 PM »

NZ app?

giusto · « **Reply #5 on:** March 15, 2015, 07:49:17 PM »

Bill,

There's an IPhone application called Mighty NZ...it's basically an advanced travel app I can input the eglinton and it'll give me directions access areas, places to stay...camp eat fish and so on.

I am hoping to find something Italian to ride

Muzz · « **Reply #6 on:** March 15, 2015, 11:32:21 PM »

Distances here do not usually equate with US distances. Our roads are Guzzi friendly, ie. lotsa corners etc. 500kms/300miles can be a biggish sort of day.

Going around the South Island had me on the road for about 12 days. Quite a few photo stops but not really any sight seeing. I am a bit biased towards the S.I. scenery over the N.I.

If you want an unbiased view ;) Daniel Kalal has been out here a couple of times touring on a Guzzi supplied by Guzzi Gander who I think is based in Auckland. You could try to pm him and get his views. He has a brilliant eye for scenery etc.

Kiwi_Roy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2015, 11:57:56 PM »

Here you go
Glenfield is a suburb of Auckland

http://www.guzzigander.com/

Greenman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2015, 02:21:56 AM »

Hey I live in Hamilton, what are you doing here?

giusto · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2015, 01:47:25 PM »

Thanks for the info Roy...and hey Greeman

I will be working with the Waikato Raupatu River Trust Maori Natural Resource folks in conference related to river restoration and resource protection. I have a pretty full agenda during the days until the 24th...then heading out of Christchurch for a week of fly fishing and mountain fun.

Greenman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2015, 03:23:59 PM »

That sounds like you have turned your pastime (fly fishing) into a career.

wrbix · « **Reply #11 on:** March 16, 2015, 04:45:47 PM »

Quote from: giusto on March 16, 2015, 01:47:25 PM

I will be working with the Waikato Raupatu River Trust Maori Natural Resource folks in conference related to river restoration and resource protection.

Good on ya!

malik · « **Reply #12 on:** March 16, 2015, 05:51:40 PM »

A word of warning - a week is not going to be long enough!

Your work contacts could advise you better on places to fish at that particular time of year. The kiwis are really keen on fishing, so no problem collecting advice. There's a great free campsite 10k west of Reefton at Slab Hut Creek, with a pizza oven beside a stream that you might enjoy.

I hope you manage to borrow/hire a bike (my 1100 Sport there is currently in bits, otherwise ...) - fantastic (& empty) roads, spectacular scenery. There's some great riding out of Christchurch, once you leave the Canterbury Plain - north: the Inland Rd to Kaikoura, via Lyford, west: Arthur's Pass, north-west: the Lewis Pass, south-west: to Tekapo & Mt Cook, let alone the little day ride out to Akaroa. It depends how much time you have & how it works out for you. There's a couple of books on rides in NZ - Peter Mitchell's "Great Escapes" is noteworthy & I recommend it highly.

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You will have a great time & meet lots of great people. And you will vow to return, I can see it now.

Enjoy,

Mal

malik · « **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2015, 05:52:47 PM »

The photo didn't take.

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malik · « **Reply #14 on:** March 16, 2015, 05:55:11 PM »

try again

malik · « **Reply #15 on:** March 16, 2015, 05:56:17 PM »

giusto · « **Reply #16 on:** March 16, 2015, 06:13:08 PM »

Thanks for all the great information. Beautiful photo! I am really looking forward to it!!!

as a wise man once said...

"Find yourself a career and a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life!"

Muzz · « **Reply #17 on:** March 16, 2015, 11:31:43 PM »

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=24667.0

May help. My trip around the South Island from a few years ago.

guzzibob · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2015, 12:39:39 AM »

For Guzzi rentals in NZ, see Dave Gale at:

http://guzzigander.com/index.html

Dave is known by quite a few of us SoCal Guzzisti as many summers he comes to work in the movie/TV industry in LA. Great guy.

frans belgium · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2015, 02:09:00 AM »

Quote from: giusto on March 15, 2015, 04:58:11 PM

Hello... Kia ora

I am headed to New Zealand on Tuesday for work :) I will be in Hamilton for a week with a pretty full agenda, followed by a week on the South Island out of Christchurch. I have a camper van rented and will be headed for rivers to fish and interested in spectacular hikes. I was hoping for some local information...what's the best places for me to go? I'd also love to ride a Guzzi somewhere for a day...any ideas? Rentals...best ride? Burts hometown :)

Thanks for any info you can provide

We have exactly the same plans for next year, so I will follow this thread with the greatest attention. Keep the info and pictures coming, people ;-T

Daniel Kalal · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2015, 08:19:45 PM »

I've done two rides (at two weeks each) using a rental Guzzi from Dave Gale in Auckland.

reference links to photo reports:

red
blue

If you want to be entertained, ask your waitress if you should stay on (whichever) island you are on at the moment or if you should take the ferry to see what the other one looks like. Great fun.

The answer, of course, is that both islands are tremendously good, and each has things that the other doesn't. The people are wonderful no matter where you go (and that includes Auckland).

If you only have the time for one island, that's fine; but, don't think you've seen the best. Nobody would suggest to a New Zealand tourist that he should only ride New Mexico and ignore Montana... Both are good; do what you can.

Two important notes on traffic (besides the obvious one):

1) There is no turning on a red light. Wait for the green.

2) Be on guard for cars turning in front of you. It used to be legal. This rule has only recently changed (March, 2012), so many drivers will still be following the old rule they grew up with. In the U.S., it is the law in all states that a car turning across your lane must give way to the cars proceeding straight ahead. The opposite was true in New Zealand. The law now reflects the more International norm, but I'd be extra careful just the same. I was alert on my trips (when the old law was still in play), and I would still be extra alert today.

Cam Lay · « **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2015, 09:17:15 PM »

Middle Child has an opportunity to work for a few months on a dairy farm and sheep ranch near Patea, on the North Island. He is fired up about it. :-) Anybody have any advice? Anybody want to hire a reasonably adept 19-year old? He can weld, knows about keeping bees, and has brought a couple of old Yamahas back to life.

Thanks,
C

malik · « **Reply #22 on:** March 17, 2015, 09:32:30 PM »

He knows old bikes, eh. He'll be right at home over there. The Kiwis tend to keep their old stuff on the road, significantly more than most places.

Good luck to him, he'll have a great time.

Kiwi Dave · « **Reply #23 on:** March 17, 2015, 10:36:52 PM »

Quote from: Daniel Kalal on March 17, 2015, 08:19:45 PM

Be on guard for cars turning in front of you. It used to be legal. This rule has only recently changed (March, 2012), so many drivers will still be following the old rule they grew up with. In the U.S., it is the law in all states that a car turning across your lane must give way to the cars proceeding straight ahead. The opposite was true in New Zealand. The law now reflects the more International norm, but I'd be extra careful just the same. I was alert on my trips (when the old law was still in play), and I would still be extra alert today.

Actually, that's not quite right Daniel. The car turning across your lane only had the right of way if you were turning left, not if you were proceeding straight ahead. The rule was introduced to allow right turning vehicles more opportunities to proceed through the intersection by giving them preference over the left turning vehicle, which could always proceed if there was another vehicle going in the same direction proceeding straight ahead. Complicated? Yes, that's why we dropped it, as nobody else understood it.

The real danger for a motorcycle was if you forgot to cancel your left hand turn indicator and proceeded straight through an intersection, you would be inviting a right turning vehicle to turn in front of you. I removed the front indicators of my '79 Bonnie back in the late seventies when this rule was first introduced.

Motu · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2015, 05:15:46 AM »

Quote from: malik on March 17, 2015, 09:32:30 PM

The Kiwis tend to keep their old stuff on the road, significantly more than most places.

New farm bikes are '70's and '80's technolgy - the Yamaha AG100 has the same engine as the old AT1. And it'll be kept on the farm way beyond the life of a road bike. I live and work in the Waikato dairy farming area and get to keep these old wrecks running. Plenty of jobs on dairy farms if he wants to work....work hard for low pay.

giusto · « **Reply #25 on:** March 19, 2015, 12:18:08 PM »

Hello again,

Thanks for all the great information it is much appreciated. Having a fantastic time on the north island and was wondering if there are any specific relatively remote mountain streams that are good for fishing in the Canterbury district. I would love to hime in and catch a few fish.
Slab Creek sounds Great and so does the pizza oven. We will have a camper van and can access campground again all your insight is greatly appreciated.
Giusto

giusto · « **Reply #26 on:** March 19, 2015, 12:25:20 PM »

Hello again,

Thanks for all the great information it is much appreciated. Having a fantastic time on the north island and was wondering if there are any specific relatively remote mountain streams that are good for fishing in the Canterbury district. I would love to hime in and catch a few fish.
Slab Creek sounds Great and so does the pizza oven. We will have a camper van and can access campground again all your insight is greatly appreciated.
Giusto

Matteo · « **Reply #27 on:** March 19, 2015, 02:21:58 PM »

Hime in? is that a Kiwi term? ;)

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Author Topic: New Zealand (Read 8686 times)

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