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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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 Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:40 am Post subject: Any New Zealanders Run into a Crazy American on a Bicycle? |
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So one of my good mechanic buddies got back from New Zealand a couple weeks ago and was amazed by the country. He helped me get neck deep into Volkswagens and as a retirement gift to himself he spent over a month in yalls wonderful country biking and camping on the side of the road and saw a majority of the country. While I was home last weekend he exchanged many a story from his adventure, including countless VW's he saw while there, which caused me to post to see if anyone may have seen him around. While on his stay from12/28/2014-1/26/2015 he said that many a time he received generous hospitality from folks , sometimes resulting in a free meal or a place to crash out of the weather. Kind of a long shot, but I thought I would ask. I don't know how many tourists from america just decide to bike the whole damn place, especially at retirement age, but I figured he probably stood out.
Bret
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1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4391
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:28 am Post subject: |
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The Kiwis are wonderful folks. I once stopped to help a lady with a flat tire, and her gratitude at that simple gesture was overwhelming. Some can be Mr. Hyde while driving in traffic, but generally a very gracious people.
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| gears wrote: |
| The Kiwis are wonderful folks. I once stopped to help a lady with a flat tire, and her gratitude at that simple gesture was overwhelming. Some can be Mr. Hyde while driving in traffic, but generally a very gracious people. |
Boy that Mr Hyde comment made me laugh as that's exactly how I describe Kiwi's when they get behind the wheel - but not in a mean way.
I bike toured much of the So Island in 1990 and the Kiwi's are truly great people and countryside is gorgeous. But as you are peddling up hill on a "metal road" (Gravel road), they fly by you at 60 mph spraying rocks and you can picture them saying "Poor old chap giving it a go on such a hot day!" 
On a curvy narrow mountain, I was on the inside with a rock face on the left, as a car went around the corner, his rear fender actually brushed my front pannier. I just kept focused and stayed upright.
Man I want to go back!
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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Bloku
Expert Noob
Joined: April 09, 2013
Posts: 559
Location: Tulsa/Jenks Oklahoma
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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on seeing the title I died laughing! It just seemed so random. I only have seen 3 kiwis on the samba but 2 of the 3 I see frequently on the ghia forums. Both living in auckland. Lets hope they see this post. I plan on driving around some place just wandering for a year when I turn about 30. That sure will be fun!
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1971 Karmann Ghia
1975 Porsche 914
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1975 BMW 2002
1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily) |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4391
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:22 am Post subject: |
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The best man at my NZ wedding owned a flag manufacturing company in Auckland, and he'd point out the occasional Aussie flag being flown as a NZ flag ..
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com |
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