This has to be hands down my
favourite, I could have ridden
just this for all three days
DAY TWO
This has to be hands down my favourite, I
could have ridden just this for all three days.
Fewer miles meant we had a little sleep in
too. The road ride south of Alex showed
some pretty big clouds up in the hills where
we were heading. I hooked up with Steven
Croad from Northern Accessories on his
Africa Twin and we took off up the bulldozed
but rocky track into the clouds. Once up top
it felt like winter. There was white stuff on
the ground and ice forming on the gates and
fences. Just needed to turn up the heated
grips and let it rip.
Visibility wasn’t great but riding Piano
Flats is too much fun to slow down. Slightly
muddy, slick and with plenty of big rock
slabs to navigate, it was so much fun riding
a big adventure bike. Once you’re down
the bottom it’s like a gravel roller coaster
following the Waikaia river, just ace.
Into Lumsden for fuel then off to the Nevis
Valley. Another moto section for Steven
and I. Fast open tracks with the odd water
crossing, some which came up on us quicker
than expected! The sound of two big twins
on the gas is something else.
Old Man Range was next, sweeping up on
winding 4x4 tracks with deep ruts and rocks
aplenty to keep us concentrating. The thing
I love about the South Island is the vastness
of land. In the Nevis you’re in this massive
valley, then next thing you’re up top looking
down on it. It’s just so big. In the Nevis we
had 30°C followed by 2°C and snow up top.
We even passed a snow man. Gotta love
NZ summers!
KIWI RIDER 103