Out and about in the local area

The Ride Stuff - 4 Jan 21



 
Thanks to Xmas being the main holiday period here in NZ the normal amount of time off is between 3 and 4 weeks.  Hence just about everyone we know, including us, is still on holiday this week. This is good as the weather has finally come to the party after something of a shaky start in late Dec.

Blenheim, some 10Km from where we live, is known as being NZ's sunniest place and usually Dec through to Feb is properly warm with lots of sunny weather and temperatures above 20 degrees Celcius most days. 

Ideal weather for getting out and about on the bikes and, since late 2020, in the little MGTF that I bought from a chap in Gisborne. It turns out that this chap retired to NZ after working for MG Rover for 20+ years, a lot of those being as a test driver, and he needed to sell as age was catching up with him. I've always fancied an MGF/TF as they were launched when I was at University and as an impoverished student they represented something to aspire to when I could afford.

Pictured above is my lovely wife Emma with the car on Queen Charlotte Drive which runs from Picton to Havelock at the top of the South Island and is only some 40km from where we live.  This scene is typical all along the road and not surprisingly it gets busy during holiday times.


  
This scene shows you Port Underwood with the larger bay in the background being Cloudy Bay, that of the wine label fame. The small bay at the bottom of the water part of the shot is Oyster Bay and you can normally see a number of fishing vessels anchored in there when they aren't out doing their thing.

This spot is about 10Km outside Picton though you can also get to it via the Port Underwood road which follows the coastline from Tuamarina (Where we live) North through to Picton. Via the main road (State Highway 1) it's a distance of about 18Km versus 40+Km if you follow the coast road.  However you're rewarded with views like this one and it's off the beaten track too - Watch out for the logging trucks though!

Here's hoping that the nice start we've had to 2021 is a sign of things to come.

Happy 2021 everyone!


Comments

  1. Steve31 January 2021 at 01:56

    Hi Lee
    Welcome to the blogosphere. You sure do live in a nice part of the world. Some great roads around there for riding. We visited that area a few years ago on hire bikes out of Christchurch. One of the best trips ever.

    I found your blog through a mutual friend, Geoff James.

    Cheers
    Steve

    ReplyDelete

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