The Forgotten World Highway.

[Silk]

I've watched some of this guys YouTube videos before, he mainly does tests of mostly classic British cars, and other stuff. He's been in NZ recently, and is doing tests on the weird cars we have here...and other stuff he finds along the way. Today he posts up his trip across the North Island, and does State Highway 43, usually known as The Forgotten World Highway. This is a special road for me, I do it often on my motorcycle, one of the best motorcycle roads around. I first did this road in 1977 (in my Austin A40 pickup) and it was all gravel, very remote...and very forgotten. Returning WWI solders were gifted land in there....and most walked off, just way too hard to farm, even for hard men. He goes through the Moki tunnel...it used to be lower, but they lowered the floor to get stock trucks through.

Bit of a drag to watch maybe, but a chance to see a Falcon on roads tourists never see,

 

[Linctex]

Such an incredibly gorgeous countryside.

I need to make a New Zealand trip on my bucket list!

 

[MoneyJohn]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Such an incredibly gorgeous countryside.

I need to make a New Zealand trip on my bucket list!

New Zealand is beautiful for sure, at the same time, there is no shortage of such road/countryside here in the US. We have been making trips in Adirondacks and Northeast in NH and ME, using non-highway roads and it is incredibly beautiful. So many times, we were alone on the road for miles.
https://scenicbyways.info/ is a good starting point. www.motorcycleroads.com is another one.

 

[hpb]

NZ is so similar to Tasmania it's not funny. Loved the typical sagging hoodliner on the mighty AU Ford!

 

[PimTac]

Thanks for sharing that. Beautiful country.

I have a niece in Wellington. Someday I hope to visit.

 

[Benzadmiral]

The road surfaces look like perfection. If I drove there I'd be thinking there was something wrong with the car -- no fighting the road surface from bumps and cracks!

Takes a while for a right-side driver (U.S.) to get used to your driving on the left.

 

[Silk]

No, the road is usually terrible, you just can't see the detail. It's chip seal - they basically just roll the old gravel road, spray on some tar and then chip spread over that. The centre section, Tangarakau Gorge is going to be sealed soon....by the time the roading crew gets their gear into there, it's time to pack up and go home. It's usually a good section, not much gravel and mostly clay...a couple of times I've been through on a bike after they have regraveled, and it's a nightmare ride. The pub is a compulsory stop, I've got photos of several of my bikes there, and at the Moki tunnel.

He's enjoying his time with the Falcon, not much chance to drive something like that in the UK.