12-15-10

In the old kitchen at the hostel is this coal burning cookstove.

I was in a store trying to get some oil for the bike as I wanted to change it, so I would start out fresh, and know when to change it. This guy walked up and commented on my Aerostich pants and asked if I was riding a BMW. We talked a little and I asked him where I might change my oil and he offered to let me do it at his place which was not far away. When he opened his garage there was another garage door in the rear and when I went through that, there was his motorcycle shop in the back yard. Wow, when he opened the door I knew I was in a loving BMW place.

Ross has been riding since 57 I think he said and showed me a photo album of some of his bikes. He has had some really nice Beemers over the years. We got the oil changed and had a cup of coffee and got to know each other a little. He has been a John Deere dealer for years and it is really nice to visit with someone that knows farming, ranching and equipment. His shop is wonderful and I think he must have everything needed for these old airheads. He invited me to come up to the
BMW national NZ rally just after the first of the year on the north island. It is not one of those huge ones and might be fun if I am anywhere near at the time. Hell, I can ride to it if I want to….

you can just see the top of the tank farm out back. Amazing wine country here and you can see from the brown hills that this is dry country. I like it here, ah, the life of a desert dog.

miles and miles of open beaches. It is really interesting that there are almost no birds here and I checked out the beach and there are no little shore birds seagulls and no seashells. Only a few pieces of kelp on the beach. It is so strange to find an ocean beach with almost nothing alive. It really reminds me of the oceans in Italy.

I have seen several herds of farmed deer.

I was put in this room that he called the “Man Cave” because of the wall paper. No girls allowed to stay here he said.

I am trying to take some photos of wildflowers for Helen as that is what interests her. She does fantastic drawing of wild flowers and makes beautiful cards with the silkscreen process. I know this one isn’t that good but I will try harder Helen.

live on the left side of the road. They have these reminders every so often and I really like the little arrows painted on the highway to remind you…..

This corn is doing nice and maybe knee high.

I took a little gravel road up to an old gold mine site mostly to see how the KiwiDog would do on it. It did it just fine but it was a really nice gravel road.

sidetrack train in its proper place in the photo line… J

Right along the highway is this engine.

I saw this guy walking away from the grocery store carrying a helmet and followed him to his bike. His name is Gareth and he and his wife traveled down to Africa, he on this bike and I think he said she rode a F650GS. They are having a baby soon and said if I come back by, give him a call and ???

This is in the town of Greymouth and it is coal country. I think these are the guys that were killed in the coalmine explosion a few weeks ago. I look at them and they just look like really nice buddies and I am sure it must really hurt the community to loose these guys, not to mention what effect it has on their families.

They sell whisky and Coke mixed in a little bottle here like over in OZ.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a motorcycle race in town? Yeah, just try to get that one sponsored by the Mayor. Well, yeah, why not have a race in town?