In the absence of an event report, here are the driving instructions for the Poker Run
The Revived after twenty years Poker Run (It would have been easier to say Inaugural 😊)
Leaving Parnell Rose Garden with a one minute gap between each car, travel toward the North-Western Motorway; State Highway 16. Cars without a navigator to follow a car that has one.
Turn right out of the gardens onto Gladstone Road, follow to end and turn left onto The Strand, Route 16. Follow this and blend onto the North-Western Motorway, heading West.
Exit the Motorway on Exit 14 Te Atatu Peninsula, get in the right hand lanes and turn right, travelling over the motorway and into Te Atatu Peninsula. Go straight ahead through the traffic lights and then turn right at the roundabout. Go to the carpark at the end of this road. Exit your car and pick three daisys, make a small daisy chain. If parking allows, park your car in a position to take a picture of your car with the harbour in the background. When possible; email this picture to either Philippa or myself. Look for a blue ice-cream container, open this container and take the top card, add this to your hand.
Return to your car and retrace your steps back to the motorway interchange, get in the right hand lanes in preparation to turning right onto the North-Western Motorway (heading West).
Stay on the motorway/State Highway 16, at the big roundabout continue straight ahead on what is now called the Twin Coast Discovery Highway (S.H.16) continuing west until you reach Soljans Estate Winery. Turn left into Soljans Carpark and veer to the left-hand corner. Look for a blue ice-cream container at the base of a lamp-post, open this container and take the top card, add this to your hand.
Exit Soljans Carpark and turn left, turn left at the roundabout onto Taupaki Road. Drive 1.6km & at the junction with Nixon Rd, veer right to stay on Taupaki Road. Drive 2.5km on Taupaki Rd. At the junction of Taupaki Road and Amreins Road, veer right to stay on Taupaki Road, drive for 1km. Turn left into Waitakere Road and follow this. At the junction of Bethells Road and Waitakere Road, stay on Waitakere Road. At the end of Waitakere Road, turn right into Scenic Drive North (to the left says Swanson Road – don’t go that way 😊)
Follow Scenic Drive to Mt Pukematekeo Trig, this is around 4.8km. Turn right to the Mt Pukematekeo Trig. This is a sharp right hand turn, please take care. If you miss the turn up to the Trig, do not attempt a u-turn. There is a small parking area just down the road where you can turn around. The entrance has huge pot-holes, so look out and avoid them.
Drive up to the Trig, park your car. How many Mitre10 Mega stores can you see from here?. Look for Sue in a black RAV4, holding a blue ice-cream container. Feel free to discuss any hiccups in Sue’s navigating skills at this point 😊. Sue will give you a card for your hand. If you don’t know what a daisy chain is, ask Sue at this point.
If you didn’t manage to take a photo of your car in Te Atatu, now would be a good time to have another try.
Drive down from Pukematekeo Trig and turn right onto Scenic Drive.
Before [Cyclone] Gabrielle slips and road closures you would have had a leisurely drive down Scenic Drive toward The Olive Kitchen and Bar. But today we have a couple of detours …
Follow Scenic Dr, turn left into Forrest Hill Rd, drive about 1km & turn right into West Coast Rd.
Turn right into West Coast Road.
Turn right into Carter Road.
Turn right into Shaw Road.
Turn right into Scenic Drive.
Exit your car and enjoy a leisurely lunch.
Thank you Sue for organising another fun run!
Click here to view more photos on our Gallery page
