Gisborne to Martinborough

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It was 22 degC at 8.00am as we set off from Gisborne.
A warm and wonderful day ahead for us to  explore back roads and rural roads  through lush pastureland where sheep mustering and sheep shearing are in full swing. 
Road cones warn us of men and dogs droving mobs of sheep along the roads.

The delicate perfume of wild roses and flowering broom fill the air.

Sometimes I listen to music while we ride along. In the morning  I listen to Renee Maurice StarJam  tutor and winner of NZ Got Talent. We have been fans of hers for years throughout her time at StarJam. Each time I listen a still small voice speaks to me. Today the voice spoke of Mercy from Renee's Quintessential Melody album.
Each grievance forgot,
Each grudge forgiven
Each mind made up
That life’s for livin'
We know our luck
For we’ve been given….
mercy. 

Riding on the back of the bike is a good place for grievances to be dealt with and dropped off as we ride along - a wonderful process of renewing my mind. 

Today is one of those special days on the road - life is for living.

 Main street Gisborne

 Lush farmland near Wairoa



 Wild roses and flowering broom - reminiscent of our time in Southern Patagonia this time last year.


This is my first photograph taken with my iPhone from a moving motorcycle.
I discovered that the phone screen responds to the soft leather fingertips of my motorcycle gloves
(My Olympus Tough2 is away at the camera hospital)

As we ride I capture the sheep being mustered on the hill side... 
 and driven along the road...
into the shearing shed pens.


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