Scunny - awesome job with the camera fella! Love those pics. Whatz with the shot on top of what looks like a Britten with Stoud's name on it? Where's that and what connection...is that a dealership, museum,..Britttenvillia?
Hush - my experience with larger pack rides - such as the Chateau to Plateau is: terrific scenery that you cannot see because the entire ride you will be pre-occupied with keeping your arse safe. The rides are always littered with a larger than comfortable group of shows-offs on their high perf crotch rockets. I haven't done this particular ride - but will do it solo or with 1 or 2 other bikes - no more. It is worthy of enjoying.
Did the Palmy to WGTN "Bikoi" - protest ride in Nov 2009 and was amazed by the stupidty of other riders around me - 500 or more bikes in the convoy to Whitby and from there - heck a thousand or more I guess. Lots of bikes seems to bring out the worst of behaviour in some riders.
I did the Coast to Coast - Himitangi to Akitio in November 2011 - 300+ bikes and was glad I got home safe. Was passed on BOTH sides on corners, saw 2 bikes go down and will never do it again. Very similar roads and surface to the "Forgotten Highway" being narrow and a lot of blind bends. Good fun on a SOHC without 300 other bikers looming behind..OK 200..I had 100 ahead of me. I did it on the Sprint - so I was competitive - but not crazy. To make matters worse - I was warned by other riders...don't go..it is crazy. No more pack rides for me.
After that - went over to Wanganui for the Cemetery Circuit races on Boxing day - similar thing - dozens of screaming meemies and throbbing harleys rouring past at crazy speeds. Very bad karma for an old bugger who doesn't have the tag "Rocket" in his handle..