Journey to and from the Burt Munro Challenge - Invercargill, New Zealand 24 November - 4 December 2013 The Burt Munro Challenge is celebration of one of New Zealand motorcyclings most famous sons - the late Burt Munro. The event is organised by the Southland Motorcycle Club and is held at Invercargill in Southland in late November each year. The Clubs Website for the event is here http://www.burtmunrochallenge.com There are Motorcycle racing events a plenty over the event which runs from Thursday to Sunday. Events this year included a Hill Climb at Bluff on Thursday morning, SuperCross at Winton on Thursday evening. Friday was the Beach Racing on Oreti Beach - a location where the late Burt developed his record breaking Indian Scout and Velocette machines. More on Burt here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Munro Satrudays programme included Sprints at Teretonga Raceway during the day and Speedway in the evening. Travelling from Wellington in New Zealands North Island to Invercargill some 1000km to the South, this was my first Burt Munro Challenge and an event on my bucket list Following are some images I captured on my 11 days in New Zealands beautiful South Island travelling to and from the Burt
Day 1 saw me aboard the Strait Shipping ferry from Wellington to Picton reaching Picton around the middle of Sunday 24 November 2013. I intended to meet up with some fellow riders at Hanmer Springs that evening. After a quick lunch in Blenheim and fuelling up my trusty Bimmer I headed toward the Molesworth Station via Taylor's Pass Road which has some nice gravel and drops into the Awatere Valley - entrance to the Molesworth. More to follow when I remind myself how to link to photos
I found this interesting monument at Cow Creek in the Awatere Valley to folk who had pioneered the road through the Molesworth
classic shot - for those like myself who 'do' the Molesworth whenever we can - looking back from whence I've come in the Awatere - much has been sealed in recent years
DOC Ranger Station is adjacent to this little cottage and the actual current Farm Manager's homestead is nearby Commentary about the cottage to be continued............ :)
I met up with 2 of my fellow travellers in the Molseworth - they were on a later ferry and I had waited for them in the Molesworth rather than kill time in Blenheim. Journey's end on day 1 was the Hanmer Springs Top Ten camp where we shared a well appointed tourist flat with 2 other who'd taken the State Highway from Picton to Hanmer Springs choosing to avoid the Molesworth in deference to one of them being on a road oriented Suzuki Gladius. As events transpired our Gladius rider Ron, is a retired farmer and very competent at riding on gravel. On Day 2 we fuelled up at Hanmer before setting off over the Lewis Pass and on to Reefton. However, not before taking a little nosey into Palmer Road (an out and back route) near Springs Junction that I had been introduced to on the Dusty Butt in 2009. This was where our riding buddy Ron showed his riding prowess at tackling stream crossings and negotiating scree fans with aplomb!! Following are pics of Palmer Road Fiddling with luggage on the Gladius as we struck the first of the rain en route to Reefton - whose claim to fame is that the were the first town in NZ to receive electric light A shot of the crystal clear Little Grey river - gotta love New Zealand and Westland especially - see the riverbed the water is so clear and dust of approaching pal on his GS - well actually it could have been a Strom as our party now comprised two WeeStroms, a Gladius and two GS's
why the change of handle some of you may ask - most won't even notice or care I realise Aslan was always - aspirational - and more about my being an adherent of the values that Lion demonstrates in the Narnia Chronicles - certainly as those who've ridden with me will attest I'm no roaring Lion On reflection - Aslan just seemed too pretentious. Oaters is what I'm called by my grandkids and friends - so :) Oh and by the way Happy Christmas!
Awesome pics mate, thanks for sharing. I'm hoping to shoot through the Molesworth or Rainbow in the coming weeks, the shots have got me real keen to get the bike sorted now.
Kia ora Te Hopo - as I rode back through the Molesworth on my way home I realised no matter how many times I go through there or the Rainbow I never tire of the awesome scenery. I especially the top end of the Rainbow - the section from the gatehouse to Coldwater Creek. Enjoy your upcoming ridng in both these Stations - cheers Oaters
Cheers Josh - kind words indeed given your site content - looking forward to its relaunch. Used your site in planning my journey. Best wishes for 2014 - Stephen O
Looks like a great ride, now that we'll live a little closer to it, I can see myself riding it again.......and again.. Thanks for the report Oaters .
Thanks Night Falcon & Koko - thread to be continued after Christmas - about to go 'off the grid' - cheers Oaters
Great stuff my Lil lionic friend. You welly riders seem to be out doing heaps. Hopefully ill get a few dusty miles under mmy belt after the Christmas dinner has settled. Ride safe.
From Palmer Road and on to Reefton, where there were many others heading down to Invercargill and the Burt Munro Challenge - many Harley riders and an equal number of Dual Sport riders converged on Reefton at the same time as us. As we left Reefton the rain set in. This was a shame as I had hoped to show the guys great scenery around Moana and Lake Brunswick. With the weather being so unpleasant - one of our number was really suffering the cold by the time we reached Methven - there were few photo stops. A view of the Otira Viaduct: Stopping for a welcome respite at the public shelter in Arthur's Pass village: Our vey welcome - be it ever so humble abode, in the Methven Motor Camp: We took the 'Summer Road' from Lake Lyndon to Windwhistle - a great piece of gravel road - unfortunately very corrugated when we traversed it. Ron our intrepid Gladius rider took this all in stride - years of riding farm bikes meaning anything we threw at him he handled with aplomb. No pics of this great piece of road due to the inclement weather. I guess you'll have gathered by now from the pics - we're very much a bunch of 'seniors' - all but one of our number being grateful 'Gold Card' users.
