10 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Here we are in...um, somewhere near a little joint called Hunterville - out in the sticks. I say sticks but we are surrounded by beautiful rolling green hills and sheep.

The Corolla we rented is 5 years old with 100k km on the clock but still drives superbly. It's a 2 litre with CVT and once again I have to comment on how marvellously efficient these trannys are. In ideal circumstances (flat road, gentle right foot) I can get engine down to 1500rpm at 100 km/h yet still have instant power when accelerating or going uphill. Very economical and a pleasure to drive. Engine seems to be happy anywhere between 1500 & 2000rpm - once the preserve of big lazy V8s but now a reality in much smaller engines. I just KNOW you guys are impressed!

mate !! hunterville is hot rod central !!! there is cool steel everywhere there !!! my 56 chev lived its whole life there !! 

please please dont post pics of the sheep on the main street !!!

Hot Rod Central? Hunterville? The only thing I saw was the mini mart and the road leading out. Off to Whanganui for a day trip tomoz...might see some more old iron there.

7 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Here we are in...um, somewhere near a little joint called Hunterville - out in the sticks. I say sticks but we are surrounded by beautiful rolling green hills and sheep.

The Corolla we rented is 5 years old with 100k km on the clock but still drives superbly. It's a 2 litre with CVT and once again I have to comment on how marvellously efficient these trannys are. In ideal circumstances (flat road, gentle right foot) I can get engine down to 1500rpm at 100 km/h yet still have instant power when accelerating or going uphill. Very economical and a pleasure to drive. Engine seems to be happy anywhere between 1500 & 2000rpm - once the preserve of big lazy V8s but now a reality in much smaller engines. I just KNOW you guys are impressed!

I am so happy for you, Fitzy, and your Corolla adventures, I could just squirt.  

49 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I am so happy for you, Fitzy, and your Corolla adventures, I could just squirt.  

I love my lawnmower too, but can only spend so much time on it! 

13 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Hot Rod Central? Hunterville? The only thing I saw was the mini mart and the road leading out. Off to Whanganui for a day trip tomoz...might see some more old iron there.

you certainly will see some cool steel in Wanganui !!! i have lots of mates there, watch out for a crazy old guy in a black hat driving a purple, blown 34 ford 3 window coupe !!! and a blonde lady in a bright orange ford bonus truck!!! she bites !!!( farmer girl ) 

What the Great Philosopher Al Bundy has to say about beer! 

 

6 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

I love my lawnmower too, but can only spend so much time on it! 

Well mow me down! 

Just got back from Wanganui. The only wacky car I saw was a mid 70s Cadillac that was bone stock.

Whilst in the Corolla I was being hassled by an old bag in a Nissan Leaf! I was already exceeding the posted speed limit (only slightly in order to keep the surrounding traffic happy) and certainly wasn't dawdling and the Leaf kept threatening to overtake me but then inexplicably turned off and disappeared. She was probably running late for her lawn bowls. When you're about to be overtaken by a small electric car, you know the game has changed.

 

As an aside, I see a hurricane is bearing down on Florida. I believe Ringo is based in Naples. I checked the potential storm surge areas at risk and he may, just may get out of it relatively unscathed. Good luck, mate.

Edited October 10, 20241 yr by Fitzy

8 hours ago, Frosty said:

What the Great Philosopher Al Bundy has to say about beer! 

 

Well mow me down! 

love it Frosty !!!! soooooo made me smile !!

why cant we have tv like that these days !!!!!!!

43 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Whilst in the Corolla I was being hassled by an old bag in a Nissan Leaf! I was already exceeding the posted speed limit (only slightly in order to keep the surrounding traffic happy) and certainly wasn't dawdling and the Leaf kept threatening to overtake me but then inexplicably turned off and disappeared. She was probably running late for her lawn bowls. When you're about to be overtaken by a small electric car, you know the game has changed.

thats JustA sad !!!!!

43 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

As an aside, I see a hurricane is bearing down on Florida. I believe Ringo is based in Naples. I checked the potential storm surge areas at risk and he may, just may get out of it relatively unscathed. Good luck, mate.

i trust  Ringo and his boss,are ok ... i hear its down to a cat 2 now , i also think of Del !!! hope he and his family are ok !!!!!, 

Del !!!! save the 64 s  !!!!!!!!!! forget cloths, tv, and alll the other stuff !!! save the 64s !!!!!

Edited October 10, 20241 yr by 64 kiwi boni

10 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

love it Frosty !!!! soooooo made me smile !!

why cant we have tv like that these days !!!!!!!

thats JustA sad !!!!!

i trust  Ringo and his boss,are ok ... i hear its down to a cat 2 now , i also think of Del !!! hope he and his family are ok !!!!!, 

Del !!!! save the 64 s  !!!!!!!!!! forget cloths, tv, and alll the other stuff !!! save the 64s !!!!!

As a society we seem to be more concerned about hurting certain group's collective feelings. Comedy, in my opinion, is to make satire of every day life and point out it's absurdities. There is too much political correctness and not enough "it's comedy - let it go" in this world.

 

RIngo mentioned he and the boss were riding it out. As I write this, Milton is about to exit the east side of Florida and head out to sea. He things he is far enough inland to avoid the storm surge. Biggest threat is downed power lines and falling trees according to him. Obviosuly we are thinking of him, Del. and all of our other  Florida-based FP friends, as this storm heads on out.

 

More from Professor Bundy.....

 

Edited October 10, 20241 yr by Frosty

We’re all good here. Aged 20 years from stress but about the only damage. Got really lucky things went the way they did. Hope everyone else in Florida fared well!

10 minutes ago, Ringo64 said:

We’re all good here. Aged 20 years from stress but about the only damage. Got really lucky things went the way they did. Hope everyone else in Florida fared well!

Good to hear mate 👍

Drove from Hunterville (6°C this morning) on a beautiful twisty mountain road to Napier. More breathtaking spectacular scenery BUT not a Challenger in sight, so that was different. Some nutbag froot loop in charge of a B double logging truck figured that speed limits weren't for him and tailgating a Corolla (and anyone else unfortunate enough to be in front of him) was the way for a professional driver to act. Those things are supposed to be speed limited to 90 or 100km/h. I was doing 110 and it wasn't good enough for him. I ended up creating a gap between us and then pulled over. He can go and kill someone else. Disappointing.

I sound like an old fuddy duddy but believe me, I drive in a 'spirited' manner most of the time and am always polite enough to never tailgate but never hold up faster traffic either. Whatever - he'll end up learning the hard way that physics will eventually win.

Napier to Taupo (Kiwi's home town) via the Death Race 2000 road that is the main link. I think I'll be letting all the nutjobs pass me on that one too! Especially the ones in purple Challengers.

1 hour ago, Fitzy said:

Drove from Hunterville (6°C this morning) on a beautiful twisty mountain road to Napier. More breathtaking spectacular scenery BUT not a Challenger in sight, so that was different. Some nutbag froot loop in charge of a B double logging truck figured that speed limits weren't for him and tailgating a Corolla (and anyone else unfortunate enough to be in front of him) was the way for a professional driver to act. Those things are supposed to be speed limited to 90 or 100km/h. I was doing 110 and it wasn't good enough for him. I ended up creating a gap between us and then pulled over. He can go and kill someone else. Disappointing.

I sound like an old fuddy duddy but believe me, I drive in a 'spirited' manner most of the time and am always polite enough to never tailgate but never hold up faster traffic either. Whatever - he'll end up learning the hard way that physics will eventually win.

Napier to Taupo (Kiwi's home town) via the Death Race 2000 road that is the main link. I think I'll be letting all the nutjobs pass me on that one too! Especially the ones in purple Challengers.

mate !! every logging truck in new zealand has a id plate on the back , you should have reported the f--ker

its a great big yellow plate with the truck number and a 0800 number on it 

that goat track you went on to get from hunterville to napier is not a flash road !!!!

its school holidays too ! so good luck on state highway 5 

show the rest of the guys Napier mate ! its a neat place ! 

remember we love pics here 

Fitzy 

I forgot to say 

when you are in whangamata 

go to the fishing club for a beer and meal !!

it’s at the end of port road by the dock 

best feed and best value 

Well, we walked down there along the beach and enquired as to food later that evening. They wanted to charge us a $5 temporary membership fee each in addition to the meal cost. Now I know I'm on holiday and spending money is part of that but if it's something I can't justify, then no dice. Paying for parking is something else I refuse to do, no matter where in the world I may be. We ended up at a fish and chip shop and had a feed of fresh snapper & chips $12! The fish was simply superb. Unfortunately, our Whanga accommodation was well below par and we moved on this morning and snagged an awesome room in Whitianga. I am thawing out in 19° sun drenched heaven looking over the ocean, waiting for beers in the fridge to cool down.

I have put considerable effort into making sure I post this in the right spot this time. Wandered around this pleasant little place (Whitianga) like a couple of tourists today and soaked up the warmth. i'm thinking of some sort of Asian soup and some rice tonight. Don't worry: I had a burger yesterday - calm down. I can hear you now: "first he gets a Corolla and now he's eating rice. He'll be listening to K Pop boy bands next." No chance of that.

These beaches are just picture perfect.

4 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Well, we walked down there along the beach and enquired as to food later that evening. They wanted to charge us a $5 temporary membership fee each in addition to the meal cost. Now I know I'm on holiday and spending money is part of that but if it's something I can't justify, then no dice. Paying for parking is something else I refuse to do, no matter where in the world I may be. We ended up at a fish and chip shop and had a feed of fresh snapper & chips $12! The fish was simply superb. Unfortunately, our Whanga accommodation was well below par and we moved on this morning and snagged an awesome room in Whitianga. I am thawing out in 19° sun drenched heaven looking over the ocean, waiting for beers in the fridge to cool down.

Awww mate !!!

al you had to do was say your a member of a charter club and they would have waved the 5 bucks 

you missed out on A fantastic meal !

but at least you got to have some fresh snapper !!!!

2 hours ago, Fitzy said:

have put considerable effort into making sure I post this in the right spot this time

Yeah !!! Pffft 

This is what they call 'hindsight,' or 'after the event.' Never mind - because of their greed they missed out on income from some drinks & 2 meals AND we took our business elsewhere. Yes, the fresh snapper was worth it AND it fed both of us for less than the cost of 2 drinks at the Club. Winning!

So this week already you have been treated to both gurnard and snapper !!! 
welcome to real fish !!! 🐟 

And bonus round they had only 2 eyes !!! 

Edited October 15, 20241 yr by 64 kiwi boni

I was offered the 3 eyed ones but they cost more, and you know how tight I am..

We jumped on a little ferry and were taken to another peninsula where we walked for quite some time. The beaches over there were the best yet. We sat on a little bench for about 20 minutes, never getting sick of the view.

Yep - the fresh fish here are superb. I'm thinking of snapper again tonight but of course that idea will be met with some resistance. Gotta do what She Who Must Be Obeyed wants. Only 7 days to go before I get my freedom back.

i am hearing ya mate 

My wife would go nuts looking for seashells if she had that much beach to herself. Nice.

Left Whitianga and spent last night in a motel in a swanky beachside suburb just north of Auckland called Orewa. Auckland's predictable insane traffic once again slowed us to a crawl for much of the freeway component and then there was a smash - because we weren't going slow enough already. For a city of about 1.5 million (I think that's right) Auckland sprawls like you wouldn't believe and it feels like every resident is in their car at the same time.

Orewa was awash with fancy cars. Every time you took another step, you tripped over a Porsche, BMW, Benz or some other high end thing. And of course, nobody would be seen dead in a garden variety Euro. EVERY Benz was an AMG, EVERY Bimmer was an M Sport and EVERY Audi was an RS. Nevertheless I held my head high as I motored amongst them in our rental Corolla. They might be quicker but ours will keep going with a minimum of fuss.

In Russell tonight on the NE coast. We stayed here last time too. Just a pleasant little beachside retreat.

Looks like an exceptional holiday mate! 

very cool Mate