New Zealand's East Cape - an aborted trip.

[injundave]

I have lived in New Zealand all my life, except for 2 years in Australia, and had never been around the East Cape of the North Island. Having some annual leave to take, I decided that I would go. My intended route was:
Day 1. Havelock North to Tolaga Bay.
Day 2. Tolaga Bay to Waihau Bay
Day 3. Waihau Bay to Morere Hot Springs.
Day 4. Home. I duly set off from home on Thursday morning.


Two hours later I was in Wairoa, having covered roughly 160km (100 miles). This view looks down over the town from the top of a hill immediately to the north.



Another 100km (60mls) and I had passed through Gisborne, the last city on the coast before the cape. I came out of the suburb of Kaiti, around a bend and found this.



That's the Pacific Ocean there with nothing between here and Chile, except perhaps for Pitcairn Island. A little further on and there was another beach, this one with surfers heading out into the water....



Another 60km (35 mls) . I set up camp and went off exploring.



Tolaga used to be a very busy sheep farming area, sitting at the mouth of the Kaimomona Stream and right on the coast. A few metres from the camp site I found this...





The wharf was built by the locals and was finished in 1929. It was used to get the wool to market, a job previously done by rowboats and lighters, loading the wool from wagons waiting in the surf, a few bales at a time. Of course this was very much weather-dependent and the completion of the wharf, with built in railway tracks along it's length (660metres or 2165 feet) was a great improvement. Coastal steamers used the wharf into the 60's after which transporting the wool by road became cheaper than by ship.



The wharf is of concrete construction, with steel reinforcing. Initially the plies were precast and lowered into place from a scaffolding built off the end of the finished part of the wharf. It must have been a hell of a job and took a few years to complete, with some setbacks when weather destroyed or damaged recently completed sections. In 2000 the wharf was in such a poor state that it was almost closed as dangerous. The sea had taken it's toll and some of the concrete was so rotten that at least one of the piles was no longer bearing any weight and the wharf was in danger of collapsing. Another local group fundraised, repaired the piles and much of the concrete railings and the wharf remains open. Unfortunately the battery in my ipod gave out just at the wrong time and I have no more photos of the wharf.

The next morning, after a recharge of the battery...... sunrise.



I broke camp, loaded the bike, put on my gear and tried to start the bike. Although the battery was fully charged, the starter motor would not turn the engine over fast enough to start it. Two other riders came to my assistance and, with jumper leads and much crossing of fingers, the bike finally started. We rode together into the bustling metropolis of Tolaga Bay for coffee and breakfast.



Here I had a decision to make. Continue on and risk getting stuck somewhere with a bike that wouldn't start, or head for home and overhaul the starter. I chose the latter because the bike would start OK when warm. I can always go again.

[oldbike54]

 BEAUTIFUL ! Dang New Zealand looks like a great place to ride and camp .

                                                                      Thunder UP

  Dusty

[Moto]

That's a beautiful set of pictures! Thanks for posting.

I also like your T3. The Italian tricolor striping is a nice relief for the big black tank, but not too showy. I like it. Is it tape, decals, or paint?

Moto

[injundave]

It was done with tape, three separate pieces, expertly applied, not by me. There was then clear coat over the top. Thanks for your comment, I really wanted it to be subtle.

[normzone]

Thank you very much for your post. I'm sorry the run had to be aborted, but the images are wonderful, the telling of the tale is well done, and you and your bike look great.

I'm about to take a short jaunt and only hope I can do so well. Thank you.

[Waterbottle]

Very nice Dave, sorry your trip was cut short. thanks for the photos  ;-T
cheers Ron

[Jeeron]

Looking good! NZ definitely has some awesome roads and sceneries! Really need to get my ass out of Auckland :P

[azguzzirep]

Why not just park on a hill???  ;D    Bump starting a Guzzi is very easy!!

[dilligaf]

We had a rider from NZ work for us one summer.   Very good mechanic and outstanding with Ducati and MG.  I often think of John when someone from NZ post.  :BEER:
Matt 

[malik]

Good on you, Dave. Great photos. Pity about the other 300 odd kilometers, but as you say, you'll be going back. Let me know & I'll join you on the 1100 Sport. Love to do that road again, but from the south - should be over again in October, at least.

How did you go with the starter? Was it the solenoid? I now carry a jump start box, basically a small lithium battery, for just such occasions. It also charges phones & tablets. $140 well spent.

Mal

[Moto]

It was done with tape, three separate pieces, expertly applied, not by me. There was then clear coat over the top. Thanks for your comment, I really wanted it to be subtle.

Mission accomplished! I may emulate you some day.

[injundave]

Good on you, Dave. Great photos. Pity about the other 300 odd kilometers, but as you say, you'll be going back. Let me know & I'll join you on the 1100 Sport. Love to do that road again, but from the south - should be over again in October, at least.
Mal

As it happens, azguzzirep is here around October/November. There's a possibility maybe and Jeeron might be persuaded to come along too.

Why not just park on a hill???  ;D    Bump starting a Guzzi is very easy!!

Sometimes camping grounds, especially those right on the sea, are very, very flat. The only slope where I camped was almost vertical and about 1 metre high! Try getting a bike up there for starters.

Looking good! NZ definitely has some awesome roads and sceneries! Really need to get my ass out of Auckland :P

The answer to that is...... get your ass out of Auckland. Any time you get down this way there's a bed, beer, meal, workshop, whatever you need. Oh, and another V50!

 

[Muzz]

I have a hankering when I am retired to take the Breva to the North island sometime Dave.

Shots like that may just push me over the edge! ;D