Any excuse for a roadtrip, right?
this thing.
with summer just around the corner and my TX3 just about ready to start rattling its way around the streets again, I’ve come to realize that it’s never been any further south than Taupo – therefore I must remedy this, and soon. As it so happens Tom is returning from the UK and is having a celebratory BBQ in early December in Taupo, so barring any catastrophic failures between now and then I plan to have the car well back on the road fully bedded in and running a fresh tune by that date.
anyway, I’ve decided to spend the next few days after the BBQ driving to Wellington and back again. That should give the TX3 a nice healthy shakedown, and also shut up all the friends down the line who keep complaining that I’m overdue for a visit…
Leg 1: AKL – HLZ – TPO
Auckland - Hamiltron - Taupo
The default journey and one I’ve driven literally dozens of times. Usual tron stop, most likely end up convoying the rest of the way to Taupo with whoever else decides to go to Tom’s BBQ. Though I’m planning on using the Western Access route (aka Waipapa Road) so maybe not.
Leg 2: TPO – NPE – PMR
Taupo - Napier - Palmy
from Taupo it’s a run over the hill to Napier and hope the car doesn’t overheat. Possibly catch up with one or two persons of interest in said town (Lee?), then continue via SH50 and SH2 via Dannevirke to the Northern Palmerston, to visit a couple of friends/Richy/etc. I’ve never driven any further south than Waipukurau on this route so it’ll be a milestone in itself.
Leg 3: PMR – WLG
Palmy - Wellywood
Drive down the coast to Wellywood, annoy lots of people, possible meat/OTP socializing.
Return leg(s):
yet to be planned, but I have a mind to go over the rimutakas and up SH2 back to Palmy, then via Vinegar Hill, the Desert Road, and possibly another stop in Taupo. I’ll update again once I’ve had a decent think about it.
suggestions of roads worth exploring? Who wants to come and say hi? OTPs in wellington?
vinager hill, take you to feliding but its a sweet sweet touge, we normaly take that road ( long cut one may say ) to palmy, has great views……….but in further reading of said maps it seams like you are coming in from napier so you may be missing this pass
Yeah I’ve driven the vinegar hill road a few times before, last time was in the nutty oversteering big boost DR30 sedan in the wet
thing is SH4 between Wanganui and Ohakune (via Raetihi) has also been suggested for its abundance of mean touge corners… that would allow me to chop across to the Desert Road and continue back up to Taupo but it also means I’d miss out vinegar hill entirely unless I ended up backtracking by about 75km