Road (T)Rip - Suggestion on Route

[Guest]

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108692868823878371023.00047832dbcc379198436&z=7

Heading Wellington -> New Plymouth -> Taupo -> Hawkes Bay -> Wellington (SH2).

I've done some slight adjustments, but would be keen on to hear on experiences to improve the route.

[Guest]

i vote you swing by Christchurch and take in the port hills and then the road to Akaroa.

Then back to picton via the west coast and home!

But that might be impractical and time/petrol consuming!

[dubbedup]

It your coming over the ditch mite as well go all the way down the east coast detouring to Central otago and back up the west coast....hate to see the combined fuel bill with turbo subys sucking it back.

[Guest SPANKU]

 Rossmnz said:

i vote you swing by Christchurch and take in the port hills and then the road to Akaroa.

Then back to picton via the west coast and home!

But that might be impractical and time/petrol consuming!

been there, done it, loving it!

[DRFVDR]

my suggestion would be via raetihi and miss out the new plymouth leg those roads are a bit boring also depending on the "gravel" u want you could do the Napier Tiahape road on the way back

[Guest itsgotgo]

Have to do the coromandel drive for the real deal kiwi roads ;D

[Guest]

Cheers guys,

Have updated to include the SH43 (Lost Highway), and killing off SH3 and then adding in the fun Parallel road to Taupo.

[funkytown]

how long are you going for?

Last year i did the east cape and thats an amazing journey / road. so if you have time.. do taupo >rotorua then across and round the east cape. Gisbourne to napier is awesome as well.. then hit the napier taupo road and carry on.. totally worth it

[Swindog]

 Drewpy said:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108692868823878371023.00047832dbcc379198436&z=7

Heading Wellington -> New Plymouth -> Taupo -> Hawkes Bay -> Wellington (SH2).

I've done some slight adjustments, but would be keen on to hear on experiences to improve the route.

How to improve the route....well that all depends on the lady your routing. Lol

[Guest]

 Swindog']

[quote name='Drewpy said:

url]http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108692868823878371023.00047832dbcc379198436&z=7[/url]

Heading Wellington -> New Plymouth -> Taupo -> Hawkes Bay -> Wellington (SH2).

I've done some slight adjustments, but would be keen on to hear on experiences to improve the route.

How to improve the route....well that all depends on the lady your routing. Lol

Swindog...you dog!!!

[Joker]

Skip the Manawatu Gorge and to the Saddle road (turn left at Ashurst),

you going round the block for a 2L of milk or something? pop in on way through D'virke

[T.Rev]

Do as many short off SH trips as u can..eg south of Sanson go left and do a back road behind Tangimoana..and do some parallel roads to/near marton. look at a more detailed map maybe not on not google

[Koom]

 JoKer said:

Skip the Manawatu Gorge and to the Saddle road (turn left at Ashurst),

you going round the block for a 2L of milk or something? pop in on way through D'virke

Whats that like compared to the Pahiatua Track? I did that last summer and was an awesome we blast up over the hills.

Also I highly reccomend taking a few back roads when leaving Hawkes Bay. I always use Middle Road out of Havelock North via the Tukituki River valley to get to Waipawa. Really nice country road thats got bugger all traffic.

[subieboy]

 funkytown']

how long are you going for?

Last year i did the east cape and thats an amazing journey / road. so if you have time.. do taupo >rotorua then across and round the east cape. Gisbourne to napier is awesome as well.. then hit the napier taupo road and carry on.. totally worth it

+1

[quote name='JoKer said:

Skip the Manawatu Gorge and to the Saddle road (turn left at Ashurst),

you going round the block for a 2L of milk or something? pop in on way through D'virke

+1

[madmike]

 JoKer said:

Skip the Manawatu Gorge and to the Saddle road (turn left at Ashurst),

you going round the block for a 2L of milk or something? pop in on way through D'virke

+1

Stop in at my place and i will take you for a ride up the saddle road.

Just make sure you pack a spare nappy.. LOL

[Guest]

Back after the trip, awesome two days even though the rain hit hard during most of the SH43 section (hello AWD).

Highlights, most of SH43, Middle Road onto River Road (heading out of Hastings, towards Tamumu), No speeding tickets, no breakages, no crashes.

Lowlights, weather for the first day, Ford's, Mazda 2's pumping their single cylinder holding us up, events road closures blocking our routes.

Highly recommended route in the google maps I've done, I'm keen on doing that again in the near future. Sunday/Monday selection was perfect for traffic, maybe better to be run in March with good weather, but less christmas type hold-ups (carnivals and such)

A few photos (should have taken more, ugh)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewbroadley/sets/72157622873178495/