There and back again - Not a Hobbit's Tale.

[shadowjack]

The Shadowjack TDM has been out and about - this time down to the Catlins area of the South Island for a rally, and then over to Lake Te Anau (Fiordland) for a look. 1,500kms for the four days away, and a couple of piccies (WARNING-gratuitous cake shot included). Here we go, then - ran down the South Island East Coast to the rally site at Tautuku:

With a tailwind (and that we have a 100 kmh open road speed limit), the bike got an astounding 67 mpg (and that's one of those Imperial gallon thingies). Managed to get a photo of a kereru (wood pigeon) at the rally site. I couldn't get the TDM in the shot - no commitment at all, really:

The Yurrupians who settled here (some were my forebears) weren't without a sense of humour - I give you the Niagara Falls, NZ:

Finished with the rally, I headed to Te Anau, via Slope Point, the southernmost piece of land in NZ: not much between here and Antarctica. Not much? Nothing, nothing at all...

On to Lake Te Anau, where I caught up with a cousin not seen for years, and got these shots:



From Te Anau, I spent the next 9 hours bashing northwards to Christchurch into a nor'west gale, which bashed onto my port quarter all the way to the coffee place at Staveley, about an hour from home, and which has apricot and white chocolate slice, and chocolate and ginger slice. Which one to order? - OK, both'll do me. You'll notice only one slice lasted until piccie time. Sorry. It was about 30 degrees (C) by this time - I'd earned the coffee.




The TDM ran like a train, and is now due an oil change (as soon as the shop calls to say the O-Ring is here) and clean-up.

[AdvRich]

[QUOTE=shadowjack;14700613]The Yurrupians who settled here (some were my forebears) weren't without a sense of humour - I give you the Niagara Falls, NZ:

QUOTE]

Too funny mate!

Great pics and looks like a great ride with the TDM pouring it on with ease and style.

[masterbrewer]

Great photos, looks like fabulous touring country, bit lonely looking though, is everyone in Australia now

[advNZer?]

Originally Posted by masterbrewer

Great photos, looks like fabulous touring country, bit lonely looking though, is everyone in Australia now

nope thats the SI for ya

[ADVwannabe]

Thank you, breathtaking shots.

It is a matter of some confusion that many of us live across the ditch from you unzudders, but ride all over the world and never visit you. ( I'm sure it's no reflection on your countrymen living here in Oz)

I'm going to try and fix that in 2011

[shadowjack]

Originally Posted by ADVwannabe

Thank you, breathtaking shots.

It is a matter of some confusion that many of us live across the ditch from you unzudders, but ride all over the world and never visit you. ( I'm sure it's no reflection on your countrymen living here in Oz)

I'm going to try and fix that in 2011

Yeah, there's a bunch of us over there, including Shadowjack-daughter.
S'OK, though, more room for me here...
Likewise, a lap of The West Island is a seed firmly planted in the back of the mind.

2011? It's almost here