Jan 24

Written by:
1/24/2011 10:41 PM 

Needles.  I need riding gloves, but they are too expensive.  I’ll find an old pair of leather work gloves at a hardware store.  I left Whangarei despite the rain and stormy skies.  The forecast was calling for the weather to worsen, not improve so if I didn’t go now I might not for another week.  Geared up in second hand motorcycle clothes I was barreling down Highway 1 in New Zealand towards Auckland.  My breathable armor was more water resistant than waterproof and it was a long wet run.  My hands were red with the pelting rain hitting me at 85 kilometers an hour.  My ride is a second hand Yamaha FJ 1200 with a full kit of Givi touring luggage.  She’s had 12 owners and seems to have been well loved by all of them.  The bike is fast and extremely well balanced and I can’t help but smile inside my helmet as soon as I lay on the throttle through the twisting kiwi roads.

My boys from s/v Liquid Courage are in town and we need to share few beers and catch up on the rest of the fleet.  Most of my mates in the Pacific chose the northern route while I went South.  it’s good to see them again.  I am trying to avoid shelling out my precious cruising kitty dollars for the backpackers hotels and am instead CouchSurfing and hitting up sailing friends.  In Auckland I am crashing on a behemoth 122 foot ferrocement yacht known around the world as Infinity.  The crew pay 700 euro a month and travel around the world in style.  If you are interested in jumping on a boat that covers some real miles check out their site at Infinity Expeditions. 

Tomorrow or the day after I’ll pack up my luggage once again, climb on the FJ, and point the bike South.  I’ve thrown all plans and schedules out the window once again as is my habit.  I tend to make

plans and stress only to realize that letting go of the schedule and moving when it feels right is the only way to go.  The South island of New Zealand is calling and I’ll cover as many miles as I can in the next ~ 4 weeks.  When I am tired of being in the saddle of the FJ I’ll sell it to another traveller looking for a touring bike and start phase 2 of my NZ travels.  Picture a 1989 mini camper van, a mini mal surfboard, and the 12 – 15 of the best beach breaks in New Zealand.  Until then, stay tuned for pictures and stories from the road in Kiwiland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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