Uh-oh! Look out San Francisco!

[jobob]

hmmm, we're about due for a SharffenBerger ride.

[kiwi girl]

We've taken our bikes to Australia 3 times. We've always given them a good clean in the hotel bathtub (and left a big tip for the maid) and have never had any problems with MAF. They just had a look at them to check they were clean. At least last time (I can't remember for sure about the other times) I declared that I had ridden through forests and farmland - I did have slicks on the bikes though and had only ridden on the road - they might be more fastidious if you had been offroad. They were fussier about my tent though - taking it into a sealed room to check (it was also fine)

[kiwi girl]

Actually I've just remembered that there might be another solution.

Are you flying AKL-CHC straight away the morning you get in? If your connecting flight number is NZ303 then that is an international connecting flight and you will clear customs/maf in CHC - so if you are relaxed about leaving your bike at the airport for the maffy bods to do their thing you should be alright

[DirtDiva]

Huh. I just read the fine print on my printout and you're absolutely right. I've always had to make the trek over to the domestic terminal to get a connecting flight, but I guess I'd always flown via LA. The plot thickens. Of course, I'm hoping to buy myself a full-suss for chrissy, so if it looks like some mtbing is on the cards I may not be able to resist the temptation to just go demo something flashy ...

[kiwi girl]

actually that flight is a relatively new thing - the last year or so - it connects with all the early morning Air NZ flights (including NZ1 through LA)

[DirtDiva]

Ah, ok. The last time I flew home I went through Singapore; that way's usually cheaper and the flights are direct, but you can just take so much more stuff with you through the US.

[DirtDiva]

Where has the time gone? I'll be in SF in just under two weeks!