The 5 intrepid Ulybods assembled at the Bombay Autobahn bright and early – destination: Awakino Saturday night and Whangamomona Hotel Sunday night.
After a fortifying breakfast the group dispersed to their respective sealed and unsealed routes to RV at Raglan for coffee. Beautiful weather and fantastic scenary from Port Waikato through Limestone Downs.
Lynn had secured us a nice table in the sun at Raglan where we could inpsect the growing dust on (some of) the bikes with glee.
The group dispersed again via seal and gravel with three heading down the coast to Awakino and 2 heading via SH3. The trip round the mountain from Raglan afforded great views, a small ford and gave Simon a chance to test his back brakes in some sliding fun on the gravel.
At Waikawau Beach we rode through the tunnel to the beach (despite Richards warnings not to – he sensibly had gone another route). What-ho there’s nowhere to turn and nothing for it but to ride the bikes onto the beach to turn them around. Simon on his cruiser first, Rex on the good ship Valdez (22-litre V-Strom) and then Rhondda on the Honda, who not content to get onto the beach, proceeded to ride off along it.
Once we all assembled at Awakino with our tales of daring-do we were momentarily distressed to find not a whitebait in sight and consoled ourselves with lashing platefuls of hog, lamb, steak and seafood washed down by cooling bevies.
Sunday saw us head to Taumaranui and then attack the Forgotten Highway from the North, stopping at the touristy photo stops on the way. A sidetrip up to Damper Falls where we split off to reconverge at the Hotel in Whangamomona that night.
3 visited the Falls then down SH43 to Stratford and back to the Hotel. Simon set up camp at Whanga and did a run to the pointy mountain and back, and Rhondda went in search of a gravel route to Whangamomona and found it, er, after trespassing on a farm at some point.
Soon we all converged on the verandah of the Hotel and greeted our returning expedition members with such cheers the locals feared a biker on-slaught was imminent.
Monday and blessed with another stunning day we rode up through Ohura and followed all sealed backroads, wending our way Auckland-wards.
This ride is perfect for bikes and riders of all types, offering an all sealed option, just a little bit of gravel or the ‘works’ with as much gravel and off-roading adventure as you can handle. Tents, or a snug bed, side trips or solo jaunts – we hop scotched along taking photos and videos with the end result being a great array photos to record the event.
We can’t wait for LWJ 2011 where there’ll be another shiny badge to collect and more gravel roads or scenic twisty sealed roads to discover.
Rex, Lynn, Rhondda, Simon and Richard.
