If you watch any Nature Television you’re probably familiar with the computer-generated maps that show what the planet would look like if all the water was gone. Or you could check it on Google earth. But as soon as you look at the subject in any detail at all, one thing sticks out: The planet is covered in mountains and valleys, and the bits of green that we like to ride our motorcycles on are just the tips of a very few of those mountains – literally. Although much of the surface of the continents and islands we live on is flat (the boring bits that aren’t fun on the bike) much more of it is not, and, from an under-the-water view...
Bikini Wax – Y...
posted by Mike Nash
I wanted to talk about a small Yamaha dirtbike that completely transformed my motorcycling a few years back. But I got mentally sidetracked by the memories of the people I met who eventually caused me to buy one of these machines – not to mention by the memory of their various escapades. I...
Adventure Tourism
posted by Mike Nash
Down here at the Bottom of the World we understand adventure tourism – especially Motorcycle Adventure Tourism – better than anywhere else in the world; simply because it’s part of the genome, rather than just part of a tourism industry. Not the package-tour type with road-legal dirt...
Brass Monkey 2011
posted by Mike Nash
Down here at the Bottom of the World we have a phenomenon known as The Brass Monkey. It’s an annual event; and to get any sort of handle on it we’re going to have to meet a couple of people, introduce ourselves to several South Island backroads, and get intimate with two important...
Cultural Cringe
posted by Mike Nash
Down here at the bottom of the world we are a nation – and I am embarrassed to say this – defined by our cultural cringe. A nation of whom it is often joked that our Prime Minister has scuff marks on the knees of his best suit pants and a bald spot on the back of his head from all the...
Snow At The Brass?
posted by Mike Nash
Down here at the bottom of the world there’s nothing much between us and the South Pole. When the wind blows from the south across all that polar ice – we freeze. So, when someone asks “Is it going to snow at the Brass Monkey?” The answer is always yes. There’s a bonfire every...
Middle Of Nowhere
posted by Mike Nash
Down here at the Bottom of the World we are literally in the middle of nowhere. Three hours at 747-speed from the nearest civilization, and twenty-something from Europe; our two small islands were not only the last to be inhabited by humankind, but enjoy the dubious distinction of being the...