Coming Home - Tuesday

After our rest day (only around 385km) we had slightly bigger plans for Tuesday.  We had to be in Richmond/Motueka by the end of the day but we couldn't just ride straight there now, could we?

Colin was dead keen to ride out to Karamea and then walk the Heaphy Track so that's how we kicked off the morning...

The lady at the motel was good enough to allow us to leave our panniers at the motel so here's a picture of us getting organised.  I think Colin just pressed a button on his dash to get his arranged like that - I think they're bluetooth or something like that...

Geared and Fuelled up we pointed the bikes North on another beautiful West Coast day.  Our first little break was at the one lane bridge at Mokihinui where they were working on the bridge.  The guy on the sign was great, he waved us to the front of the line and then said that they were closing the bridge for 30 minute intervals to do the work.  Luckily, we'd arrived just as they were getting ready to open it again.  He warned us that it would be closed again at around 12:30 but we worked out that we'd be well back by then...

Over the bridge and it was into the good stuff...

Not long after the good stuff you pop out at Little Wanganui and then Karamea.  We didn't stop at Karamea but carried on up the coast until we finally ran out of road.

Photo evidence of Colin walking the Heaphy Track

What's good for the goose...

Extreme off-roading

North

North-Eastish...

South

Having run out of road we were forced to turn around and retrace our steps:

There's some pretty long straight roads on the way back to Karamea so the mobile photographer got in some more practice again.  This was his first (and best) attempt at catching me in his mirror - top marks I say!

Great subject matter though...

Back at the bridge early, we discovered that they had just started one of the 30 minute maintenance periods so took the sign operator's advice and rode out to the cafe at the beach for a coffee and snack.

Soccer players on the Coast can be a bit rough...

We timed our arrival back at the bridge just right, they let us through just a couple of minutes after we rolled up.  A bit further South we made another stop - I'd ridden past this old garage a number of times and wanted a pic of the bikes getting a WOF.

Perhaps they were open?

Back in Westport, we picked up our panniers and then hightailed it for the Buller Gorge.  Twice in two days - it's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

My personal, BMW mounted paparazzi swung into action again too...

We turned off at the Iron Bridge as I wanted to get some photos down on the river bed to match some I have of the Connie from another trip.

However, Colin misunderstood me and disappeared off into the middle of nowhere...

This road is the start of what eventually becomes quite a gnarly track back through to Denniston on the West Coast.  After a few trickier, rough corners Colin stopped to wait for me and ask if I was keen to go further - explaining what was to come.  I wasn't that keen and was also going to need fuel fairly soon so we turned around - phew!

Eventually we got back to the bridge and I pottered down to the river bed for my photos.

Mucking around finished, we hit the Upper Buller and then topped off the bikes in Murchison before our next little adventure - the Braeburn Track.  This was my second trip through here and it was just as much fun as the first time - a really neat little excursion.  I even managed to get Colin to tone it down a bit so I could film him riding the track - he did a great job and I love the video!

The track spits you out at Lake Rotorua and it's pretty hard not to take a decent picture there.

Ok, so this one does have a BMW in it...

Back out on the seal we had a pretty good run through to the Tapawera turn-off where Colin went one way (to Motueka to stay with a friend) while I carried onto Richmond to stay with my sister.

I'm bluetoothed up the Wazoo!

Man, that was a tough day out riding great roads in perfect weather...