..... After departing Auckland, headed east to visit Coromandal Peninsular riding The Heritage Trail north along the Firth of Thames on a clear pleasant day, down the Pacific Coast to Waihi, Bay of Plenty, Tauranga (an oil change), Whakatane, East Cape, Ormond and Vineyards of Chardonnay,Gisborne, and to upper Hawke's Bay at Wairoa.

Turned west (will re-visit Hawke's Bay in about a week's time) crossing the North Island on the Thermal Explorer Highway to Taupo, and visiting Tongariro National Park located on a large plain south with is three great volcanoes: Mt Tongariro (1,968 meters/6,455 feet), Mt Nganruhoe (2,291 meters/7,514 feet), and Mt Ruapehu (2,797 meters/9,174 feet) and the remarkable Grand Chateau at its
base.

Arrived at the west coast (Cape Egmont and New Plymouth), on east to NZ active thermal community, Rotorua, with geysers, hot springs and trout fishing.

Returned to the Bay of Plenty and Whakatane, a pleasant visit with Tom and Elizabeth Bayliss - Tom has just completed his first of several summer months' hike along the full the coast line of the North Island.

White Island - approximately 50 km off shore from Whakatane - with an active volcano and easily visible on a clear day, a second ride on East Cape, and a "farm stay" with Ken and Helen McDonald at Hangaroa.

Napier (destroyed 1931 by a 7.9 earthquake and fire and rebuilt 1931-1933) with its downtown buildings in a wonderful Art Deco motif - geometric shapes, zigzags,
light pastel colors, lighting flashes, ziggurates, and perhaps the most common of all, the rising sun or sunbursts. Spanish Mission architecture with its stucco sides and tile roofs was also included in the re-build.

The Hawke's Bay vineyards are well known. Started in 1851 by the Catholic Society of Mary (the first in NZ) and still under the same management.

The region is fortunate to have warm, dry summers and mild winters except this year there has been an exceptional amount of rainfall bringing with it high humidity. The sheep and cattle farmers think, of course, it is a bumper
crop for them - normally this time of the year, it is dry with brown grass in the pastures.

There is a broad spectrum of wines produced in the region: early varieties of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay - later Cabernet Saurignon and Merlot.

On south to nearby Hastings, also destroyed by the same earthquake, and much of its rebuilt effort was influenced by the Art Deco movement but more so by the Spanish Mission design.

Returned to Hawera for "Motorcycle Maintenance" being fitted out with "Swedish Suspenders" by Ohlins (Robert Taylor and Crew), and a nice stay with Gavin and Viv Gray.

Returned to Wellington in a most pleasant afternoon for a return to the South Island and to start the passage process for returning home via San Francisco to North Carolina.

Bumping into Nick on the side of the road Same bikes, panniers, and riding gear....

SOUTH ISLAND:

Marbourough wine region located along the Wairau River between Blenheim and Renwick is now NZ largest wine growing region. The predominant varieties are sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot with "The Jewel in the Marlbourough Wine Crown - the sauvignon blanc". Harvest will begin in early April.

Farther south along the coast to Kaikoura with early morning whale and seal watching.

Returned to Christchurch and had a pleasant visit with Chris and Erin Ratay and parents, Jim and Linda Doherty of Wilmington, N.C. Chris and Erin are from New York and are friends that I met in Broome late November on the Australian west coast.

A re-visit to Swannanoa and the Swannanoa Homestead with a Friday evening dinner with Derick and Catherine Petrie the third generation of Petries to live there starting in 1915.

Traveled west for eight miles passing under the Port Hills by tunnel, the first railroad tunnel completed in 1864, to the port community of Christchurch at Lyttelton. A fine harbor but with this mountain barrier called "hills", it was the first obstacle for the early settlers "to cross" as they disembarked from their boats for a new beginning. Most in the "first years" would travel over these hills to Christchurch on the bridal path.

Along the summit of the Port Hills is a roadway that looks out over the magnificent Canterbury Plains and Christchurch. The Summit Road as it is called was started in 1900 by Henry Ell and at the time of his death in 1934, the great road was completed.

In Lyttelton one can find the Timeball Station built in 1876 which was observed by the ship's master to set the correct local time. With this information and the use the ship's chronometer, longitude could be determined.

In 1870 J T Peacock proposed a timeball station and H R Webb, the Provincial Secretary, commissioned the project. These two Australians both with long term interest in shipping had seen the same type of station in Sydney, their earlier home.

Once again a fine visit to the Parkin/Tennant Homestead of Ian, Amenda, and James. James is in his first year of school and doing very well while Ian is busy working a forest of young chestnut trees when not teaching the six and seventh forms physics. Amenda is a medical doctor.

A stormed developed on the West Coast developing "Northwest Arch" - a well known Canterbury Plains weather feature.

Two pleasant visits in Christchurch: with Bev McCaw and Tom Winters and a BBQ and stay with Tom, Ted, and Kirstin Walsh - friends of Chris and Erin Ratay - all world motorcycle travelers except for Ted - Ted is not a motorcyclist.

Then on South for a revisit of favorite places across Banks Peninsula and to Akaroa then on to Timaru, a home stay with Hugh and Trixie Muldrew in Hampden (early morning temperature of 30 F with frost), the Otago Peninsula – Port Chalmers and Dunedin. Turned west to the center of the island through the Otago Goldfields - Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell - and north by Mount Cook and on to Lindis Pass (a dusting of snow at higher elevations), Mount Hutt, Darfield, and Christchurch. Revisiting friends (Stephen Duzs and the Ratays) to include a birthday dinner and an extended visit with Tom and Kirstin Walsh.

Toured the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings, and visited the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, and the Christchurch Heritage Council all located in Christchurch.

Departed New Zealand on the 18th of April by a C-141 Starlifter from Christchurch via Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and Travis AFB, California, for San Francisco to pick up the R 80 G/S from US customs (shipped by Air New Zealand) and then on to North Carolina.