Road Trip & BBQ. Auckland -> Rotorua

[ShaneHobson]

Hi everyone. I met Carl in person yesterday and spent a little bit of time looking over his SVX (and solitary Vortex) collection and enjoying his stories.

Carl very generously invited us back for a BBQ at his place and suggested that other SVX owners should make a day of it.

So I'm proposing a road trip from Auckland (or wherever you are) to Rotorua for a BBQ at Carl's place. There is loads of parking off the road and plenty of interesting cars to look over.

I have started a Doodle poll here : http://doodle.com/q9vbki28dwv89ime#table

Please use the poll to indicate which days you're available. Try to tick as many days as possible. In about a week we can take a look at the poll and settle on a firm day.

If the lead up to xmas is too busy then we could look at doing something in early January.

Shane

[floatingkiwi]

Yep, I'm on.

[**Ewie**]

Sounds great to me!!

[ShaneHobson]

The poll has four names :
Shane, Hairy, Ewen, Floatingkiwi.
It looks like Sat 1 Dec or Sun 2 Dec.
So please jot this in your diaries.

[SURTEESS]

Great news - we will make it for Saturday, but must leave early on Sunday to get back for another function early in the afternoon

And the address will be ?

Steve & Julie
(we will leave the dog in Auckland)

[**Ewie**]

Saturday sounds like a plan, but I won't be staying in Rotorua. I'll head back after the get together...

[SURTEESS]

Shane,

can you PM me the address details & time that we are meeting up - also are we all driving down together ?

We could meet somewhere south then collectively go from there....to Rotovegas

[ShaneHobson]

How about :

~8:30 am optional meet up for Aucklanders if they want to organise it
10:00 am everyone meet at Tirau, drive through to Carl's place
11:00 am arrive at Carl's place, circumnavigate Lake Rotorua
12:00 noon BBQ

Carl lives just a little past Rotorua Airport a few hundred metres down the road to Whakatane. I don't have the address with me, but will ensure everyone has it in time.

[ShaneHobson]

I should have said, Sat, 1 Dec.

[SURTEESS]

Sounds good Shane, what about meeting at the "truck stop" just south of the Papakura turnoff on the southern motorway around 8.30am on 1st Dec.

[**Ewie**]

Originally Posted by SURTEESS

Sounds good Shane, what about meeting at the "truck stop" just south of the Papakura turnoff on the southern motorway around 8.30am on 1st Dec.

Good spot.. coffee from the bearded lady before we head off

[SURTEESS]

Ahh that warm fuzzy feeling !!!

A "flyer" around the lake sounds great....ha! ha!

Do we have an address to go to yet?

[ShaneHobson]

Bumping this thread as a reminder to all and posting a bit more info.

~8:30 am optional meet up at big BP & Autobahn on left side of motorway near Karaka turnoff.
http://goo.gl/maps/I1RSf

10:00 am everyone meet at Tirau, drive through to Carl's place.
Tirau will be busy on Saturday morning.
I suggest we stop briefly to top up coffee etc and drain bladders then group up on the Rotorua road just off the Taupo/Rotorua intersection.
If you are first to arrive then just park somewhere safe here, but not beyond the automotive workshop on the left (which is 1.2km from the intersection.)
http://goo.gl/maps/j66bj

11:00 am arrive at Carl's place, circumnavigate Lake Rotorua
36 State Highway 30. 4km past Rotorua Airport. Turn right to Whakatane.
Carl is 360m down this road on the right. If it's safe, stay parked on the road as we're leaving shortly for lake trip.
http://goo.gl/maps/HxJGm

12:00 noon BBQ
Plenty of off road parking in the paddock.
BYO food & drink.

[**Ewie**]

Sounds great!! I'll be @ BP Drury a little after 8.00am.

Are we meeting anyone in Hamilton on the way down? If not I suggest we go the alternative route via Matamata to Tirau.

[ShaneHobson]

I think I'm the only one from Hamilton (10km west) and I was planning to meet in Tirau.
But if you post your planned route I might be able to meet you sooner.