23rd March 2017
A good night's sleep. I call my girlfriend and she tells me to check the news. I cut the call short when I see details of a terrorist attack in Westminster. My team's office is about 200 yards from the site, but I am relieved to find, after a quick text exchange with a friend, that no one from the team was involved...
It has rained overnight and there's a bright, high overcast, with bumbling groups of low-level cumulus being blown by a strong breeze out to sea. I get booted and suited and have the bike packed and running at 0930. I'm going to be retracing my steps for a while today, as I try to stay in good weather for the remainder of the trip. With this in mind, I'm staying in New Plymouth, some 100 miles northwest of here tonight...
I'm reasonably optimistic about the weather to begin with - the sky looks blue the way I'm headed and there is no precipitation forecast...
I follow this dyslexic rider and her ride partner (who has apparently forgotten to pack deodorant) for a while, until I reach Viv's Kitchen in Sanson...
...home of Dorri the Morrie - and they're open! (I find later that they close at 1500)
Now, what could they have on their menu that might do the trick...
Well, how about that...
Reinvigorated, I head back northwest on Highway 3 "The Surf Highway" - although you rarely get a glimpse of the sea from it...
The low level cloud is increasing in volume - I think I'm going to get a little damp...
Sure enough, I run into a misty drizzle - like yesterday it isn't worth getting kitted up for...
...and it clears after 15 minutes or so...
I keep up a steady 105-109kph. Traffic is fairly light and it's a good road with very few roadworks...
Very smart clock tower in the town of Waverly...
...and a nicely designed Public Library in Patea...
Looks like the forecast might be making good after all. It has warmed by five degrees to 70°F and the offshore wind has dropped a little. The low cumulus is still wandering about, but doesn't look like it has the energy to rain any more...
Spotted this old gent parked outside a dairy...
No prizes, but can anyone give me make/model/year?
Onward!
I turned around to speak to the owner of this beauty as he pulled in to buy fuel. Dave has owned it 20 years and it hasn't been restored - just cared for...
As luck would have it, his local mechanic started his working life as an apprentice at a British Leyland main dealer in the UK and cut his teeth servicing these. Dave says it runs like a sewing machine and he drives it daily...
Bettie wants me to head inland and continue to retrace my steps, but I decide to stay on the coastal road - now designated Highway 45. As usual, she takes a bit of getting used to the idea, but eventually comes around to my way of thinking...
The farmer here was burning off a load of roots and stumps by the look of it. I don't know what wood it was, but the smoke was very aromatic and pleasant...
Went through Manaia - didn't see a single bakery...
It starts to look threatening again, but it's all bluster - I've seen the last of rain for today...
Manaia Post Office - would make a good bakery...
Look at this old girl...
Not looking very loved, but what a classic shape...
I love the indicators...
Having a peer down the side of the (locked and empty) building...
...I'm guessing the owner is a Mercedes fan. Can anyone identify both/either?
Moving on...
I noticed these murals at Openake - very nicely done...
...and this old gangster parked outside a bar a few kilometres up the road...
...any guesses?
The sky is beginning to clear inland, giving me my first view today of Mount Taranaki...
Not far to go now - I'm finishing early as I have some admin to do and don't want to take a whole day off - plus I'm meeting up with Mike (young1 from ADVrider) and his good lady this evening, to have a beer...
I enter New Plymouth just after 1300 - it's a bustling, modern town...
...and an easy winner of the 'Who has the biggest clock tower?' competition I have been mentally running for the last 24 hours...
I pull up outside the Quest Apartments and I'm quickly checked in, and directed to secure parking at the rear of the premises by the back door...
As expected, my room is excellent. I unpack, get a coffee from the Starbucks across the road (stop it - I can feel you judging me...), log onto the (moderately fast) Wi-Fi and start to upload today's pics...
Good day, if a short one...
A good night's sleep. I call my girlfriend and she tells me to check the news. I cut the call short when I see details of a terrorist attack in Westminster. My team's office is about 200 yards from the site, but I am relieved to find, after a quick text exchange with a friend, that no one from the team was involved...
It has rained overnight and there's a bright, high overcast, with bumbling groups of low-level cumulus being blown by a strong breeze out to sea. I get booted and suited and have the bike packed and running at 0930. I'm going to be retracing my steps for a while today, as I try to stay in good weather for the remainder of the trip. With this in mind, I'm staying in New Plymouth, some 100 miles northwest of here tonight...
I'm reasonably optimistic about the weather to begin with - the sky looks blue the way I'm headed and there is no precipitation forecast...
I follow this dyslexic rider and her ride partner (who has apparently forgotten to pack deodorant) for a while, until I reach Viv's Kitchen in Sanson...
...home of Dorri the Morrie - and they're open! (I find later that they close at 1500)
Now, what could they have on their menu that might do the trick...
Well, how about that...
Reinvigorated, I head back northwest on Highway 3 "The Surf Highway" - although you rarely get a glimpse of the sea from it...
The low level cloud is increasing in volume - I think I'm going to get a little damp...
Sure enough, I run into a misty drizzle - like yesterday it isn't worth getting kitted up for...
...and it clears after 15 minutes or so...
I keep up a steady 105-109kph. Traffic is fairly light and it's a good road with very few roadworks...
Very smart clock tower in the town of Waverly...
...and a nicely designed Public Library in Patea...
Looks like the forecast might be making good after all. It has warmed by five degrees to 70°F and the offshore wind has dropped a little. The low cumulus is still wandering about, but doesn't look like it has the energy to rain any more...
Spotted this old gent parked outside a dairy...
No prizes, but can anyone give me make/model/year?
Onward!
I turned around to speak to the owner of this beauty as he pulled in to buy fuel. Dave has owned it 20 years and it hasn't been restored - just cared for...
As luck would have it, his local mechanic started his working life as an apprentice at a British Leyland main dealer in the UK and cut his teeth servicing these. Dave says it runs like a sewing machine and he drives it daily...
Bettie wants me to head inland and continue to retrace my steps, but I decide to stay on the coastal road - now designated Highway 45. As usual, she takes a bit of getting used to the idea, but eventually comes around to my way of thinking...
The farmer here was burning off a load of roots and stumps by the look of it. I don't know what wood it was, but the smoke was very aromatic and pleasant...
Went through Manaia - didn't see a single bakery...
It starts to look threatening again, but it's all bluster - I've seen the last of rain for today...
Manaia Post Office - would make a good bakery...
Look at this old girl...
Not looking very loved, but what a classic shape...
I love the indicators...
Having a peer down the side of the (locked and empty) building...
...I'm guessing the owner is a Mercedes fan. Can anyone identify both/either?
Moving on...
I noticed these murals at Openake - very nicely done...
...and this old gangster parked outside a bar a few kilometres up the road...
...any guesses?
The sky is beginning to clear inland, giving me my first view today of Mount Taranaki...
Not far to go now - I'm finishing early as I have some admin to do and don't want to take a whole day off - plus I'm meeting up with Mike (young1 from ADVrider) and his good lady this evening, to have a beer...
I enter New Plymouth just after 1300 - it's a bustling, modern town...
...and an easy winner of the 'Who has the biggest clock tower?' competition I have been mentally running for the last 24 hours...
I pull up outside the Quest Apartments and I'm quickly checked in, and directed to secure parking at the rear of the premises by the back door...
As expected, my room is excellent. I unpack, get a coffee from the Starbucks across the road (stop it - I can feel you judging me...), log onto the (moderately fast) Wi-Fi and start to upload today's pics...
Good day, if a short one...
Lovely old Triumph that. How on earth did we feck up the UK motor industry when we could produce cars as good looking as that? Anyway ... great report young man. 
