Customer Reviews

Great Escapes : A Guide To Motorcycle Touring in New Zealand

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Peter Mitchell, in his GREAT ESCAPES, motorcycle touring guide to New Zealand has raised the bar in the domain of motorcycle tour guides. I should know.

It was 1995, I got sucked into a bet and the next thing I knew I was riding a Buell S-2 Thunderbolt or a leisurely tour of 37 of the United States. Sure, I saw a lot. But, I also learned alot and if I had a book like Peter Mitchell's GREAT ESCAPES, the fantasy trip of a lifetime would have been much more graceful.

The first thing that strikes one about GREAT ESCAPES is that Peter KNOWS of what he speaks. This is revealed, not in words, but in the physical construction of the book. We'll get to content in a moment, but those of you who ride (and who among us has not dreamt of riding New Zealand) will appreciate the 6"wx8"t size of the book, coupled with the spiral binding. Ever tried to fit a "normal" book in the top of a tank bag? Mitchell makes it easy, in fact convenient.

In the book, New Zealand is divided into the North Island and the South Island. Mitchell does a neat transition between the two by, you guessed it, by turning page 90 into a primer on "Crossing Cook Straight". Frankly, this book threatens to make even the most unseasoned motorcycle tourer look like a pro.

The rides (23 North Island / 22 South Island) are described in precisely the kind of detail I want and need. Where to start, distance, time, when and where to plan fuel stops, suggested diversions, safety considerations weather, hotels, and the one item that makes motorcycling so special to me. . . FOOD. This is not book, this is a valuable tool that I hope Mitchell comes to the US (like so many of my riding makes from his Homeland) and replicates the book.

To insure you've little else to pack when headed to New Zealand, GREAT ESCAPES is packed full of information on "What makes a motorcyclist", basic riding skills , accommodations (lodging for you Yanks)and enough weather information to qualify you for a job at the Channel 4 Meteorologist here in New York City.

The book has imbued me with a list of 3 things I must do:

1) Learn more about the fabulous country of New Zealand 2) Ride more 3) Consider a tip to New Zealand to explain to Peter Mitchell what we call "stock effluent" in the United States.

Bottom line: Don't even think about leaving the USA without reading GREAT ESCAPES cover to cover.

Courtney L. Canfield New York City

I've got hundreds of motorcycle books, this one goes on top.

Three trips to New Zealand on a motorcycle. First two without "Great Escapes" and 15,000km, saw a lot. Using an American authors book was just barely ok. The third trip this last time for 10 weeks, did 12000km. Using the "Great Escapes" book I experienced New Zealand up close and personal. It's a GREAT book and an absolute must in order to get "inside" what I consider one of the great countries of the world!!

A plug for the "local talent" !! I just took a couple of weeks off to travel from Auckland down to and around the South Island, using Peter Mitchell's book "Great Escapes" as part of my routing.

I had put together a general itinerary and then incorporated excerts from about a dozen of his rides into my travels so that, instead of just going directly from Point "A" to Point "B", I would purposely detour to take advantage of recommended roads from the book and, when time permitted, would take off altogether on some of his suggested "diversions". Worked out terrifically !! The descriptions and directions are "spot on" (particularly his description of the Takaka Hill as "tortuous"), and the information and suggestions provided were fabulous for an impressionable immigrant such as myself.

If you're heading off into an area that you're not that familiar with, and want to really enjoy the ride like the locals might, pick up a copy of this super little book and stick it in the tankbag. If you don't get your money back in grins, then shame on you!

Victor Solomon
K75RT with substantially less tire tread than before it left!