KIWI RIDER JANUARY 2021 VOL1 | Page 53

THE FINAL PUSH Misty and silent , a cup of tea for the lads , and as the fog lifts , I sit and watch the world come into focus in bright sunlight . Out front , in Orongo Bay , the tide is in , the oyster farms are hidden , and the birds are working back and forth , darting and diving on mirrored waters . The balcony of our house is a superb place to do nothing for a while . Thoughts turn to the road ahead and the trip home . The Old Russell Road remains my favourite piece of coastline , and today , in brilliant early morning sunshine , it is sparkling . The rain has rinsed the place clean , and the road runs beside dewy , cobwebbed bushes , glinting and beaming countless tiny winks of light and prisms of colour . What a country to live in , now , at the time of global unrest , upheavals , Covid 19 , conspiracies , the madness of Trump and the US election . Paradise and peace , not bad on a spring morning ride . Over the preceding three days the Vespas have not missed a beat , or given a moment of trouble , and today is no exception , they were faultless fun throughout the journey . Vespa touring may not be for everyone , but there is no reason why not ; they are capable , swift , comfortable , well built , smile-inducing scooters , with a miserly need for fuel . We travelled over 1200 kilometres , and filled up when we were generally at the half-tank stage ; running out of gas never even came close . In total , my fuel bill was almost exactly $ 100 , and that is truly excellent value for money . Cruising past the extraordinary inky waters of Jacks , Dicks , Waipiro and Te Uenga Bays , we come to Elliot Bay , and Wayne regales us with stories of camping nearby in younger days . On we roll , but every glimpse is enough to melt your resolve to get home . It is all I can do to tear myself away from it and causes me to ponder the maddening attraction I feel for this coastline . I could live here . Moulder away quietly , watching the days pass , gathering in fish , and friends , and looking at the stars at night . An old , old hippie dream from 50 years ago ; hard to let go . But roll on we must , we scoot past Taupiri , Whangaruru Harbour , Mokau and Helena Bays , with countless islets dotting the sea . Atop Helena Bay we are heading for Treetops café . Cam ’ s past has brought him here , and he is keen to share it with us . We arrive at 9:02am , eager for coffee and comestibles . No . Shut till 10 . There is , seemingly , no rush in life for those north of Whangarei . We ramble on through leafy hamlets , and discover the ‘ Wandering Stock ’
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