After an early rise and a quick walk for the dog I played around with a different GoPro mount (yeah, again) and got sorted for the ride. By 9:30 the three of us were on our way out of town with the sun shining but some clouds further off in the distance - we decided to make for the clouds...
The track was a little damp in places but it's in great nick and we got to Pahiatua in pretty reasonable time. Just a quick stop for me to top up the Connie and turn the camera on and we were off. Instead of riding towards Magatainoka and then turning for Pongaroa, I led the guys out the back of Pahiatua and onto Mangaramarama (what a mouthful) Road which then took us onto Pahiatua-Pongaroa road.
The road was quite damp in places and it wasn't very long until we eventually caught up with the rain. From here on we were in and out of short drizzly showers which given the warm temperature were more of a nuisance than anything. They did also help to make the road more than a little slippery in places though.
In Pongaroa we had a brief stop to check out our now filthy bikes and I swapped the camera around the other way for the trip into Danniverke.
We were still plagued with the troublesome showers and Route 52 has plenty of shiny tarmac to avoid so we just cruised our way to the turn-off onto Weber road. From here it was just a quiet cruise on into Danniverke where a thirsty VTR had a drink and we did likewise.
The trip home was just a pootle down SH2, but I did ride a piece of road I haven't ridden for over a year! Yes, the gorge is now open with the giant slip finally gone and the road repaired. There is still a set of lights in one place and there were even guys still working on the slip face but it's open! Yay, less cars on the Saddle from now on...
Crappy weather but still good to get out on my baby!
Go Holden!
Nice looking ride, I think I prefered the rearward facing camera angle. You sure live in a pretty peice of NZ.
ReplyDeleteYeah, a bit too much Connie when the camera was facing the front. Sorry Connie, I still loves ya!
DeleteEverything is so lush and green. One day our rains will return and everything will green up again. I am getting tired of drab brown dormant grass.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting how the rain on the GoPro lens softened the second video. It was almost like you'd used a filter. Nature's filter that is.
Are most of the roads/towns pronounced like they are spelled? Because I think I'd butcher them if I tried to pronounce them?
Nature's filter fairly quickly filtered out everything. The camera was covered in muck at Pongaroa and then again at Danniverke (after it's clean at Pongaroa). I have a lot of very blurry video if you'd like to see it?
DeleteI'd say you mostly pronouce the place names like they look but when you here some foreign attempts, maybe not...