Franz Joseph Glacier

Hwy 89 is awesome. Climb the mountain and take photos of Qtown and surrounding from kilometers away. C=9,R=7,T=3,V=9. Sweeps all the way to Wanaka and then heaps of lakes and mountains and then Fox Glacier and Franz (saw Franz last year).

Finally a Spa (hot tub) at Sir Cedric’s.

Queenstown (NZ Banff with a lake)

Raining during my ride to Qtown, too bad because some good and views that would have been better on a nice sunny day. Especially hwy 6 to Qtown; C=8,R=7,T=2,V=9.

Hippo lodge is one of the best locations I have stayed in situated high above the center. Including free pears off the pear trees in the yard. Had a good night of drinking and was going for a second when I got the call to come back to Wellington to shoot a commercial.

Arrowtown pies are way over priced for what you get!!!($4.20)

Te Anau and Milford Sound

Beautiful ride through the Catlins to Invecargill. C=9,R=7,T=2,V=7. Had a couple of Jimmy’s pies along the way and they are good. Too bad I couldn’t have made it to the factory in Roxborough to shake hands with Jimmy! Avoid mutton pies.
Invercargil to Te anau was smooth and fast (fast for NZ roads is 110kph, which have no shoulders at all). C=7,R=7,T=1,V=8.
Out to Milford sound which started as a good day, but sat in rain for the majority which you do in Milford sound. Road was outstanding. C=8, R=8(for NZ standards),T=2,V=8. The Homer tunnel was a highlight which has a major decline in a poorly lit one lane through a mountain pass. Could only get a photo on the out side of the tunnel. Managed to pay $2/liter for gas and met Bruce from the Faroe Islands (only 50,000 people, like meeting someone from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in South America).

Lake front backpackers wanted $3 flipping dollars for a spa!!!

Dunedin 1 April 5,07

Continue to the end of Dunedin 2 for write up. Great town.

Dunedin 2

A Southern university town that was on Easter break. Nice town that reminds me of a smaller version of Wellington. Steepest street in NZ (in the world) and some great wild life only 20 minutes away. Albatross, seals, and penguins (an Albatross’ 3m wing span requires a good wind in order for them to fly, check it out). Stayed at the Chalet Backpackers owned by a Swiss guy named Heinz. Very nice place. First time staying in a backpackers dorm in about one year, I managed nicely.

Highlight!!! Played goalie for one of the Dunedin Ice hockey teams in the Easton Cup. It was great to put the skates on in the Southern Hemi and I think this clinched New Zealand over Australia as the place to live! We lost 4-3 in the last minute of the game even with an All-star performance, 28 to 10 in shots for the other team. I was happy just to have a cup. The team would love it if I would come back and be their goalie. It’s good to feel wanted even if my glove hand was the reason for all for goals!

ChristChurch

Good tourist drive at Gore Bay. Not very well marked road, but good views at Gore Bay. C=8, R=6, T=2, V=8. NICE PIE!!!
State Highway 1 from Kaikoura to CC; Curves=8, Roads=8, Traffic=3, View =6.
Stayed in CC for two nights with my friend Pip (kiwi that I met in Denmark) and her partner Duncan. Great place, view, dog and food and more!!!
Rode above CC on Summit road to see it all. Good photos. C=8, R=3, T=1, V=8.
Hard to stop on side of the road for good photos as there is no shoulder on almost all roads.

Off to the South Island

Took the amazing ferry ride to the south and met a couple of bikers while strapping down our bikes. Great photos from the ferry.

Kirsten, one of the riders who is from Germany rode with me to Kiakoura where we stayed at Dusky’s Lodge. This place is great, we chilled out in the spa(hot tub) and got a free bbq dinner from the cook who had some shell fish leftovers (normally $15 a plate). Very cool having someone to ride with for a day. Kirsten’s Bike is a very old Honda which I don’t think will make it much further. Safe travels Kirsten!

St. Patrick’s Day and side story

Quick note from Paddy’s day, had a good afternoon of drinking in the Cambridge and then moved to James J. Murphy’s for the majority of the evening where I was on the look for Irish in order to buy them drinks. Here are the only two I found, Dave and Jo (I think?). Apparently St. Paddy’s is not nearly as celebrated in the homeland as it is in North America and the Southern Hemi. The Irish love being away on Paddy’s day.

Check out the photo of the BMW that looks like it has been everywhere under the sun. The owner is a deaf mute from Belarus who has been riding since 1965 or so. He has been traveling since May 2000 on this journey and … well see the photo and map.