Country roads, take me home...

Thought I'd pop my voodoo cherry with some musings about the goodness on our doorstep.

Summer at Shooting Butts (4km from Martinborough Sq.) 

Within a few minutes of the voodoo villa there's some superb unsealed or mixed riding to be had. A quick glance at the Garmin in most rides reveals a "shortcut" opening up a world of gravel and good times. I've found that the Conti 4000s under me are more than resilient as are my training wheels (thanks Tristan) for anything encountered so far. Sure it gets a bit dusty in summer and gritty in winter but there's enough Belgian Toothpaste on the roads anyway in winter. If you're bothered there's always the knobbly bike.

The road to Johner - Xmas Eve

Case in point on Xmas Eve I'd taken a back road from Masterton in the hope I could get to the back door of the Gladstone Pub. What I got was a great tiki tour and was rewarded with discovering a fantastic picnic spot, a cooling river swim and the Johner Estate Rose.

Heading to Escarpment on Te Muna Rd

Other favorites include the ride out and back over Hinakura to the coast along side the winding Moeraki River, the recovery ride up Dry River Rd to the Ruakokopatuna's and back past Escarpment where both Larry and Dave are keen cyclists and the wine is pretty fine, and the ride out past the windfarm and ToraTora to the wild n' windswept Tora beach.

Whiterock Rd - Hua Nui windfarm on the horizon to the left and Ruakokopatuna's to the right 

Oh, post ride times at the voodoo villa aren't too bad either when Pete's around to play the guitar.

Pete, Kay and Chris after the Rua Fiddy