NEWS FOR WOMEN Motor-Cyclist, Son And Pipes On Tour

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28178, 17 January 1957, Page 2

NEWS FOR WOMEN Motor-Cyclist, Son And Pipes On Tour

Mrs Jean Kent, her six-year-old son, Malcolm, his teddy bear named “Rupert” and a set of bagpipes, are at present touring the South Island on a motor-cycle. They arrived in Christchurch this week after travelling more than a 1000 miles since they left Wellington three weeks ago. The only breakdown they have had was a broken chain near Otira.

“It is a cheap* but sometimes not very comfortable way of seeing the country,” said Mrs Kent.

“It rained almost the whole week we were on the West Coast but the hospitality at most places more than made up for the deficiencies in the weather. To date petrol has only cost £2 10s.” Mrs Kent, who is a member of a group of woman motor-cyclist enthusiasts, and her son flew from Wellington to Blenheim in a Bristol air-freighter with the motor-cycle. Then travelling in easy stages, camping on the roadside or in motor camps, they visited Havelock, Nelson, Inangahua Junction and Westport.

Unknown to Mrs Kent her tent fell from the back of the motorcycle about 30 miles from Westport and it was not until she reached the town and was abouf to set up camp that she realised her loss. “The tent did not have my name on it and the chances of getting it back seemed fairly slim. However, when I was making inquiries at the Westport Police Station a party of young campers arrived in an old model car with the tent,” she said. Rained Steadily It rained steadily as they made their way down the coast and conditions on the motor-cycle, which had no protection from the weather, were far from pleasant. “We got caked with mud and looked like beings from another planet,” said Mrs Kent. At Punakaiki a thunderstorm was raging wh6n Mrs Kent inspected the pancake rocks. “It was an awe-inspiring sight with the great breakers crashing against the rocks and the spray flying high into the air,” she said.

Mrs Kent was disappointed with Greymouth . where she was charged 7s for beans and toast but was overwhelmed with the hospitality at Hokitika. On New Year’s Eve she and her son watched a gigantic fireworks dis-

play in Cass Square and although it rained during the second half of the programme, Mrs Kent said the spectators greatly enjoyed the show.

At several places on the trip down the West Coast, Mrs Kent encountered a young Scottish couple, also of Wellington, who were travelling to the Franz Josef glacier on bicycles. The weather was so bad that they gave up the attempt at Hokitika and went the rest of the way- in the bus.

While at the Franz Josef Glacier. Malcolm and “Rupert” went for a flight and both Mrs Kent and her son went for a short trip up on to the ice. On the return journey they camped at Lake Kaniere about 10 miles from Hokitika. During the first night they were there an opposum made two or three determined attempts to make off with a plastic bag containing their food. His efforts were frustrated only by hiding the bag beneath the blankets. Next moaning they awoke to find the test surrounded by what Mrs Kent described as. “ferociotfs looking cattle.” She frightened them away by revvipg the engine of her motor-cycle. “It was not until we reached Springfield after travelling through the Otira tunnel by train that we saw the first blue sky for more than a week,” said Mrs Kent.

They travelled as far south as Timaru where Mrs Kent entertained the local population and visitors by marching around the town playing the bagpipes. She intends to go to Blenheim and will travel back to Wellington by air-freighter. Mrs Kent first became interested in motor-cycles when she bought a two-stroke machine to travel from her home at Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki where she worked. She found that the most difficult aspect of learning to ride a motor-cycle was how to stop and for a time the only way she could do this was by falling off. Although she does not wear a crash helmet herself her son has had one specially made for him. Asked if she had any advice for woman motor-cyclists who might be tempted to follow her example Mrs Kent said: “Travel light. Next time I set off I don’t think I'll even take the bagpipes.”