Before I left had a great conversation with the front deck woman at the hotel. About life, adventure and some deep sharing. These are the things that make travel really worthwhile. I’m was headed out to ride an “adventure” route to the north called the Moto Road, so this was great start to my morning! Cheers Karen! Thanks for making my day!
More good road signs along the way out of town on my way north.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-spjRdLq/0/15970910/M/IMG_0403-M.jpg)
Stopped for a coffee in small town of Malawi. Sign made me laugh as the sign outside said COFFEE.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-5LjT249/0/e842a442/M/IMG_0406-M.jpg)
followed by this
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-bcWPbpH/0/de09bfc2/M/IMG_0404-M.jpg)
found the turn off to Motu Road.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-MQ2gbm9/0/29ae0fe6/M/IMG_0408-M.jpg)
Headed into a road I had been told to ride for sure.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-WF3HSzC/0/8c85f287/M/IMG_0409-M.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-Hdpf64v/0/6eb04aea/X4/IMG_0411-X4.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-JJ9hk7h/0/86e62943/M/IMG_0414-M.jpg)
Looks like 64 KM of exciting roads ahead….
Nice gravel roads, that are narrow and winding up the mountains.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-rMrTtzZ/0/5fc22b3d/M/IMG_0415-M.jpg)
Very Lush and green foliage and hills.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-dJ2kBmh/0/212eb2e4/M/IMG_0418-M.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-GF8t4Tb/0/bd712e75/M/IMG_0420-M.jpg)
The huge ferns were amazing.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-9jnSCvH/0/f89dfd32/M/IMG_0422-M.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-jT4qH5R/0/7ea7d6e1/M/IMG_0423-M.jpg)
you feel very remote along the ride. Only saw two cars for most of the road.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-JgQgSTs/0/692d4e95/X4/IMG_0424-X4.jpg)
Some steep drop-offs . Just need to focus on the riding ahead 🙂
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-tT6TmkZ/0/bfcde3f1/X4/IMG_0426-X4.jpg)
Then a pilot car came up and told me a wide load was going. I had to got back up to find a wide place to pull off.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-8t9NRHC/0/0e45a5d2/X4/IMG_0429-X4.jpg)
Just kept going up and down through this beautiful mountain area.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-ZmHTBQL/0/aa71552e/X4/IMG_0431-X4.jpg)
Then down into valley closer to the sea. Couple nice water crossing. Did not stop to take a photo as I was concentrating on the water crossing. Once was deep that splashed water up over the boots.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-5DTMFW3/0/5237315a/M/IMG_0433-M.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-W3JTs8x/0/12ab1916/M/IMG_0436-M.jpg)
Down this road…. Headed for the end of the Motu out near Opotiki
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-RcSh82W/0/04641c79/X4/IMG_0440-X4.jpg)
What a great ride…. So glad ADV riders guided me here.
![[IMG]](https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/New-Zealand-2023/i-4Z4B2zt/0/db0e0929/M/IMG_0441-M.jpg)