Gisborne to Martinborough

-

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.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homeward bound: Picton to Queenstown, New Zealand. 875km, 11.5°C-22°C

-
Image
We saved the best for last. The longest distance we have ever ridden two up in one day. From Marlborough's Wairau Valley vineyards... To lake Rotoiti And the forest-clad hills  That accompany us south and to the west coast. Coffee stop at the Beeches in Murchison Awesome pies for lunch in Hokitika Whitebait fritters at the Paringa Salmon Farm. So good to be on familiar roads, So close to home We decide to make a run for Queenstown while the sun is still shining. Through the Gates of Haast Over the Haast Pass To the warmth of Central Otago at Makarora Along the shorelines of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea Through the early evening golden light  Etching patterns on slopes of the Crown Range. Home to Te Komata  Our house on the hill Which welcomes us with open arms. We are truly blessed to live in this part  of the world. Vineyards spread across the Wairau Valley. Home of Marlborough wines.   Lake Rotoiti - high water this summer. Beyond lake Rotoiti ...
Read more

Ngorogoro Crater

-
Image
Ngorogoro Crater formed 2.5million years ago after a volcanic eruption. The crater is about 19km in diameter and has steep sides. The road descending into the crater is definitely a 4WD road. Steep and rugged. The floor of the crater has lakes which provide water for animals year round. There is a resident population of wildebeest and zebra, buffalo, zebra, many hyena, lions and birds. While we were visiting the area the skies were magnificently moody. The crater is around 2300m altitude so it was pleasantly cool. Short grass necessitates knee bending for the warthog whilst feeding. One of the many hyena cooling off. A weaver bird.  There were lots of weaver bird nests in the trees. Some birds were on the winge carrying straw to their nests. The superb starling. A contented wildebeest Plenty of lions on the prowl. Weaver bird nests Zebra galore  Lions having breakfast on a freshly killed buffalo. Getting around by Caravan 
Read more