Sunday, May 6, 2012

Three Bloggers.

As many if you will be aware NZ has been blessed by the presence of well known international German/Canadian import and famous blogger Sonja.  Sonja has been in NZ on business and it was great to have caught up with her aseveral times over the last two weeks.  With only a few days left before her departure back to the land of the maple tree, Sonja organised to catch up with that other well known and international blogger/superstar, humanitarian and cat lover Geoff James.  So me of course always being up for a free feed and good wine decided I would tag along and gate crash their party at Geoff and Jennies lovely retirement village in the picturesque Coromandel. (Will probably get in the shit with Jennie for that one)

Heading off from Auckland early Friday afternoon ensured I had a nice relaxed ride down to Thames.  Getting into Thames well ahead of schedule  I realized that if I get to Geoff's too early I will probably finish the first bottle of wine before Sonja even arrives.   I decided it would be better if I took the long route around the coast, pass Whitianga and over the hill to Coro.  Adding another nice 80kms of twisty and wonderful roads to my Friday afternoon.

I enjoyed the ride but encountered a lot of sun strike which kept my speeds down and my observation skills on high alert. The sun was setting and I was greeted to the most amazing views.






The view from the "Village"



I got to Geoff 7 Jennie's a good hour before Sonja (around 6), where Geoff kindly offered me a coffee....which I polity declined and suggested a more refreshing drop was  the order of the night! So we cracked open a wine and talked about cats till Sonja arrived.  Seriously Geoff's cat Annie is obsessed with him... don't ask me why, cant see the appeal myself.

A great evening of freshly caught snapper, fresh greens and delicious home made pie (I think it was pecan). Three bloggers brought together by the love of a common interest and a passion for friendship.  Great laughs  and companionship.  Truly one of life's great pleasures.

Saturday morning and in the true kiwi spirit Geoff threw Sonja the keys to his Triple and we headed off over the hill to look at Whangapoua and one of the most beautiful beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula. We caught up with Geoff 's mate Steve before Geoff and Sonja swapped places and I followed Geoff back to Coro, meanwhile Sonja was seeing what Jennie's MX5 was made off on the tight and twisty Coro hill.

Whangapoua




Here we are...


Sonja about to thrash the MX5

After grabbing some freshly smoked fish and mussels from the Coromandel Smoked fish company, I said my farewells to Sonja.  It had been a delight. I was so pleased for the opportunity to have met her, and show her some of the sights that I rave about constantly here on my blog, and develop a friendship which will last for years.  (Got to feed her some great kiwi grub as well).






31 comments:

  1. Splutter, choke.... retirement village???? It's not only Jennie you'll be in the sh*t with :-).

    Humanitarian? Your tongue must be lodged firmly in your cheek mate - badass biker, that's me.

    Oh, and it's only Annie that likes me - oh that it would apply to human females :-(

    Great post mate and totally agree with your sentiments.

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    1. Geoff....I hope Jennie didnt read this one! Great company friday night, very muched enjoyed myself. Look forward to returning the favour soon.

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  2. Awsome views Roger, you all are so lucky to live near that!

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    1. Thanks Brenda, yep certainly lucky and very proud of this land.

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  3. Looks like a fantastic ride out to the retirement village mate, sorry Geoff. Good to see that you all got to ride together. Will be interested to read Sonja's blog when she gets home with all the pics.

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    1. Mate, I am interested as well, I think she really enjoyed herself. Maybe you should pop over soon so we can show you some kiwi hospitality.

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  4. God's it's a hard life for you NI peeps......smoked fish Ahhhh thats too good for you lot....we know! thanke Geoff and Jennie yum yum. Cats know nice people thats why they like me so much.....purrrrr. Good write up Roger one day we will all meet up.....we just have to pass out tests first.....now we need your support!

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    1. Dylan Mate, on the bright side you are a lot closer to the smoked fish shop than you were a few months ago!! Will be great to catch up some time. PS: Perhaps i can practise my observing skills on you...cough...cough...cough!

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  5. FABULOUS! simply fabulous!

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  6. And again...someone spilling the beans first! ;) It looked like a great day with good friends coming together.

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    1. Lori: Just imagine if you and Oilburner had been there...now we could of got up to some real mischief!

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  7. Roger:

    isn't it great to be able to get together ? It's like old friends. Hopefully one day we will get to Geoff's (& Jennie's) retirement village. I keep looking at my maps, it's only 12" away

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

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    1. Bob: I am sure you and Yvonne would be most welcome. If you can get to Hawaii, NZ is just a hop from there.

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    2. Roger:

      don't think that I didn't think about it. I was really tempted to make that final jump, perhaps next time. Sonja is so lucky, she has been there twice now. If you are coming over onto the NA continent in June let us know how close you are going to be to Vancouver

      bob
      Riding the Wet Coast
      My Flickr // My YouTube

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    3. Bob, Unfortunately mate business has not been good this year and U had to cancel my trip. Hopefully things will improve and I can come next year. I feel like I all know you guys pretty well anyway!

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  8. Great write up, I always laugh when you and Geoff get together and I can't wait to read what kind of trouble you two stir up. Looking forward to Sonja's write up and find out how much trouble you two really are.

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    1. Brad: Geoff is one in a million, always a good hoot! I am looking forward also to Sonja's take on the weekend.

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  9. Thoroughly enjoyed this post Roger.

    Isn't blogging an amazing means for like minded folk to connect?

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    1. Cheers Jules, couldn't agree more. Lots of fun talking to people all over the world that share a common passion.

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  10. NZ is a huge retirement village just as the UK is an expensive Royal theme park with tea rooms every 10 miles?

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    1. I think Geoff is gonna kill me after starting this post, "Tea rooms every 10miles" cool...

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    2. Roger:

      I can say "Retirement Village" more times than you. I live farther away, "you know who" can't catch me over here

      bob
      Riding the Wet Coast
      My Flickr // My YouTube

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  11. Rogey, what a wonderful write-up. You know, I miss you already. I guess we have enough produced enough fodder for the first season of a new sitcom 'Coromandel Best Agers' or something along the lines.

    Wonderful evening pics. Now I know what I have missed being so late.

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    1. Sonja,

      If I'm the Coromandel "best ager" in the new sitcom, then you'll have to be the exotic visitor from overseas, and someone else near and dear to us will have to be the drunken uncle with poor dress sense ;-)

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    2. Sonja, we are but a phone call away! Great title for a sitcom by the way.

      Geoff: Great idea....are you sure Steve wants to play the drunken uncle though?

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  12. Awesome. It is always so much fun when bloggers get to meet up and visit. It is doubly cool that everyone got to ride together too.

    Those pictures are stunning too.

    I love all the comments. It is great that all moto-bloggers seem to have the same sense of humor.

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    1. Brandy: Yes the banter on this one has been fun. Geoff is a very good sport i have to say. Just real neat to have the oppurtunity to meet a fellow blogger from far away.....hope I get to meet you and Brad one day to.

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  13. Very cool indeed. This sounds like a great get together and it is certainly a great post. Roger ang Geoff together always sets me grinning, but with Sonja as well, that's a real bonus.

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    1. Mate wait to you get here!! Geoff and I are looking forward to looking after you for a few days.

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    2. Two Harley's! Now the challenge is to get GF on a nice sweet little R1 for the Coro loop.........magic...

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