A MOTOR-CYCLE TOUR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4819, 6 March 1925, Page 2

A MOTOR-CYCLE TOUR.

PAEROA TO CHRISTCHURCH.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TRIP. No. 2. (in arrival at the accommodation house we were told that we had to walk some four miles to the ice face of the glacier, but, not feeling like a long walk after the 94-mile ride, and as a splendid view of the glacier is obtained from the house, we rested there, and then started on the return journey to Hokitika. However, we were ouiy able to reach Ross, 20 miles from Hokitika, before dark. Ross is the only township between Hokitika and the Glacier, but there a ,- e many stores and accommodation houses.

We arrived back in Hokitika the next morning and remained the day, leaving for Otira the following day (Sunday), and traversing the road over which vve had come from Kumara, 19 miles from Hokitika. There is a good metalled road to Otira, but it is rather rough in places, and there are a'few places to ford. Wc were enjoying beautiful weather, and from two or three places along the road we had fins views of the snow-clad Southern Alps. There were no townships, and -only a few accommodation houses were passed on the way to Otira, vVliich is 37 miles from Kumara.

About half-way from Otira to Hokitika wc had the misfortune to have a break in the saddle of<the Indian machine, and a little farther on we got our first puncture, a small one in the Douglas. Otira was eventually reached shortly after midday. It is a small township, closely surrounded, by high hills, which are snow-covered during the winter months. It appears that those hills have the effect of shortening the hours of sunshine at Otira during the winter. We were told that the town does not get the sun until after 10 a.m., and loses it again soon after 1 p.m. during winter. From Otira next day we were obliged to take the train to Springfield, a distance of 58 miles, as the read, which was formerly the old coach road, has been neglected since the railway line has been opened, and is now impassable owing to slips, and bridges being washed away, leaving deep rivers to ford.' It was a great pitv that we had to travel by train, as we missed some of the best parts of the famous Otira Gorge. Still, we had the experience of going through the wonderful Otira tunnel, which is five miles in length. The train is drawn through this tunnel to Arthur’s Pass by an electric engine, thus eliminating smoke and smuts. The train jouin< y to Springfield occupied four hours, but it was very interesting, as the train crossed on viaducts over deep gorges and and along the foot of the snow-covered mountains. On arrival at Springfield we lo«t no time in again mounting our machines, and were soon speeding over the good level roads of the Canterbury Plains, and after a 41-mile ride we reached Christchurch, our turning point, at 3 p.rn.

Having only a week left in which to get back to Paeroa, a distance of about 704 miles, we only st.ayed in the Cathedral City until 11.30 a.m. the next day (Tuesday), when we set o’.'t again via the East Coast Road and Cheviot, hoping to reach Kaikovra, 122 miles away, that night. Ti e road for about 12 miles out from Christchurch, although quite level, wae very rough, hut after that distance had been covered it improved, anl continued in good order right to Kaikoura,

Passing through the wonderfully fertile province of Canterbury, and the' townships of Papanui, Belfast, Kaiapoi. Leithflcld, Amberly, and m«ny smaller places, we came out on to the East Coast. From here on to Kaikoura, a distance of 12 miles, the trip was very interesting, as. the road skirts along the seashore and through clumps of karaka and ngaio trees, and darts in and out of tuwnels. Kaikoura, which fe a pretty little town right on the coast, wm reached at 8.30 p.m.

Leaving this place next morning we continued along the road skirting the coast at intervals almost to Blenheim. Fo- about 20 miles the scenery?; was beautiful, with bush on one side of the road and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The Clarence River, which was in Hood at the time, had to be crossed by means of a punt. Throughout the district which we were then passing through isheep farming is carried on to a great extent. Eight miles from Blenheim we came to Redwood’s Pass, which is not a very steep climb, but there are several hair-pin bends to negotiate, necessitating extreme care in riding. We passed the scene of the fatal motor accident which happened here just after New Year. Blenheim, which is 87 miles from Kaikoura, was reached at 4 p.m. We stayed the night, and next morning left for Picton, 20 miles away, and caught, the Mararoa for Wellington at 1.30 p.m. We were very fortunate in having fine weather during the tr' through Queen Charlotte Sound, but when we got into the open sea the conditions were not sb good, and neither of us took any further interest in the scenery.

We reached Wellington at 6 o’clock that evening, and left again at 4 p.mnext day (Friday), taking the same •road by which we had come. We stay, ed at Levin, 65 miles from Wellington, that night, and the end of the follow ing evening saw us back again in New Plymouth. The distance between Levin and New Plymouth is 175 miles, and we took the direct road between Hawera and New Plymouth, through Eltham, instead of following the coast road. During the run into Taranaki, when near Foxton, we wet with the second puncture of the tour, and the first by the the Indian. On this run I recorded by first spill, which was canned by taking a corner at too fasta «peed, causing me to run off the road. Two cuts on my hand and a broken footboard covered the damage done.

The trip between New Plymouth and Te Kuitt next day (Sunday) was

made in showery weather, and in no way improving matters, the Indian - was punctured once, while I managed' ty get no less than three that day. • Tlie last day on the road, from Te -- Kuiti to Paeroa, was undertaken inrain almost all the way, and another puncture in the Indian machine added to the discomfort of the Journey. At Motuniaoho, near Morrinsville, we had a lively experience. The road was a, sea of mud, and I came a beautiful spill through the machnie eud= . den ly sticking on a mound and ishoot- : ing me forward over the handle-bars. We arrived’in Paeroa at 4.30 p.m. .The .total distance covered on the toflr wsa 1725 miles, comprising 920 miles in the North Island and 805 in the South Island. The longest distances Ave covered in a day were from Levin-, to New Plymouth (175 miles) . and from Hokitika to Franz Joseph; Glacier an dmost of the way back to Hokitika (168 miles). Other distances for a day’s ridinn were 122. 110, 100 twice, and 97 miles. We were well satisfied with the behaviour of our machines, and it is worthy of record that we had no mechanical troubles at all, the only casualties being the Douglas chain coming unfastened and four punctures, and the saddle of the India’i machine breaking and three . punctures. We are both agreed that the tour throughout proved to be one of the most enjoyable holidays either ... of us had ever spent.