My work documenting motorcycle sport is taking me back up to the North Island frequently between now and Christmas. So I decided to relocate the Salty Slug up there so I have a base to work from. That's a three-day drive with a few zigzags thrown in to chase surf and good light for photography.
Kaikoura is always a favourite stop, even if the surf wasn't quite doing it. I pulled up to one fickle, semi-secret break just as a perfect set ran through, only to sit there and wait for another before suiting up. After half an hour, the wind had switched up fully, and the sets had backed right off. Yet again, this spot eludes me. One day I will score ... I feel a step closer now.
I timed my run across one of my favourite stretches of road ever – the Desert Road – for dusk. I've spent so much time exploring Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro that they feel like family. So seeing them topped with spring snow, bathed in afternoon light, and standing majestically over the surrounding desertscape was a privilege. Staring at the valleys and peaks and flanks brought back a lot of memories and reminded me how much more there still is to explore up there.
The motocross event this week was for riders aged 4-11. They took on the famous Amisfield MX Track in Tokoroa (where I cut my teeth many decades before) like a swarm of highly skilled young athletes. There were nearly 200 riders, and many of them look destined for greatness – motocross in New Zealand is certainly in a good place right now.
See you at the beach, Derek
PS This week we are back to normal programming: small waves all week in Otago, but a few spots looking to make the most of the multi-swells running. If you know, you know. See you there.
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