Had a great day riding to the west coast after meeting up with Joe! Really nice roads, not much traffic and great scenery!
Once again, Mountains, Rivers, lakes all make for great motorcycle roads!!
Many road signs along the way warning drivers to watch out for motorbikes!
Lots of camper vans out on the roads. Everyone warns me about them, and there chances of being on the wrong side of the road!
I rode to the most northernly town on the west coast called. Karamea
Met up with my friends Dick and Diana (and Pete and Danelle) who just finished a 5 day trek called the Heaphy. I got to tell them that I met and rode with Joe!! It was great to see them and there hiking group!
After staying the night in Karamea, meeting a few other really nice riders from Nelson out for a weekend ride! I headed south on the west coast hwy!! Following this? 
Along the ocean for much of the day, but the road winds up into the hills as well. Great twisty roads Fun Fun Fun! 
Making good use of the entire tire surface 
Did take a short detour up to Denniston which was a huge coal mining town around the turn of the century. Think it had 36,000 people here mining coal.
They had a large bucket tram that went 600 meters down the hill to transport the coal to the bottom of the hill.
Then back on the road ….. riding south. Fantastic roads and views all the way.
I am having amazing weather! as the western side of NZ is know for it rain …..
So many miles of isolated beaches!! Awesome.
Just stopping to enjoy the sea air and take it all in!!
Stopped at Pancake rocks. Had a great chat with an Australia couple touring around NZ, and Barry another motobiker and his cousin from the north Island!!
Great views
really cool patterns of the rocks
Then Southward I rode to Hokitika. Wanted to spend a night overlooking the ocean before I head into Glacier /Mountains.
Picked a place that I can hear the waves crashing the beach!!
Took a long walk on the beach. Loving the crashing waves, fresh sea air, sunshine!!
Fancy Hotel. But worth a splurge!!
As I was exploring a bit around town, these two young guys were walking with their mom. Two brothers, having a sword fight and enjoying it! I Loved it. Asked mom if I could take a photo as it brought back childhood memories and for me captured how boys are.
Then back to the hotel to sit on my deck, relax and take in the sunshine. Took this photo because it is places like this that my wife would have loved to sit, talk and enjoy. Many people get uncomfortable as I share the sadness of not having her by my side, and that I am alone. Wishing it was different, hoping that someday I will have someone to share it with. It is just a fact for me. Not overwhelming sad or painful but just the way it is. For me it is important to write it down, share that I have these feelings, as we all have feelings so I know people can relate.
Then sunset….. Great day in NZ
