Kaikoura (again)

One of the guys from the KB site was going to Blenheim for the weekend to see some friends before Christmas. He'd posted a message saying he was travelling on the Friday and would anyone like to join him. Well, I'd almost completed the project I was working on, so I thought why not!

I'd seen Sniper before, he was on the Arthur's Pass outing, but as it was such a large group that day I didn't get to say hi to everyone. He was also due to go to the Magpie rally that I joined for the day, but he didn't know the way and was directed to follow SH1 'and keep going'. Which he did unwaveringly, overshooting the site by 300 kms, turning round and going home again!

Anyway, I was due to meet Sniper at the servo in Kaiapoi, except I received a call saying he had missed the turnoff and was in Woodend, ho ho. So I travel to Woodend and meet at the servo there. Sniper (Stu) is originally from South Africa, he came over with his parents who have now moved on to Aus. He's about mid 20's and runs a car rentals, handy to know. He rides a Hodna CBR250RR, there's quite a few 250 and 400 cc bikes here and to be honest there plenty quick at legal speeds.

SH1 is the main north-south route and frequently patrolled by CHiPs, the Canterbury Highway Patrol. No really, I just made that up. If you don't think it's funny then...

Its straight and flat for about half an hour, then we get into the wine making regions around the Waipara valley. There's fields and fields laid out with their vines, but obviously this time of year not a lot to see. SH1 starts to get really interesting around Cheviot, where the Canterbury plains start to turn into the foothills that lead over the coastal ranges to Kaikoura.

Roadworks ahead. None of your 10 mm gravel here like the UK, they've got massive lumps about 40mm, and they've been laying it on thick, some deep ruts where they've yet to roll it. Down to a walking space and gingerly traverse the 400m, not the best surface on a sports bike.

We stop in Cheviot for a splash and clean the bugs off the visors. The final leg of the outward journey is what I've been waiting for. Between Parnassus and Oara the long and fast sweeping bends swoop through the hills, through limestone cuttings, over moorland viaducts until it gets hillier and it twists and weaves through bush clad passes, hugging the hillside, Armco between you and the gorge below. Then at Oaro the road leaves the hills and hugs the coast. The smell of the sea hits your nostrils, the crashing waves momentarily distract you. Its an awesome piece of coast road; this is it going north, Kaikoura is on the headland off the right of the pic.

In Kaikoura Sniper takes me to his favoured eating hole, its a fish & chip place, we order and sit outside. The lady brings out our fish and chips, wrapped in brown paper bags. Before I say 'what about forks' Sniper has ripped his bag open. I fold my bag up again and we head in to get forks. Within 5 seconds of going through the door our table is covered in a flock of seagulls eagerly devouring Snipers fish, so we rush outside flapping our arms and yelling...and then fall about laughing. They've only eaten a quarter of his fish, so no real harm. The lady comes to aid bearing forks and a big cheesy grin. The rest of our meal is taken with an audience, twice as many as here...

We fill up with petrol, say our goodbyes and Sniper continues north on the coast road. I head south alone, and decide to wind it on a bit. There's a few campers to get past, a few tunnels cutting through the headland and a couple of corners where it really tightens up but otherwise its sweeping road from one bay to another before climbing up into the hills again; going south again (V took these last time we we're here)

I was planning on returning via the Leader Valley and avoid the roadworks but as I approached the turn for Waiau there was an awful storm raging over those with lightning flashes and thick black clouds, so I kept on SH1. I caught the edge of the storm and rode for 15 minutes through rain, but it then cleared and was sunny when I got back home.