KoroJ's Blog

I ended up arising around 0500 in order to give myself plenty of time to repack my panniers and set up for the day. It had really pissed down during the night but was back to an intermittent drizzly, dismal day with the temp at about 16º (when it would finally become day), ….and a few more hours kip would have been very nice thank you.

We finally got on the road at 0607 and within a few minutes, my trusty GPS was telling me that I had arrived at Boddytown…..but alas there was no Doc sign to photograph and I hadn’t noticed one over the preceding 200 metres, so I went a little further up the road before turning back and was about to turn around again, when I noticed a ‘Town Sign’ stating Boddytown, and it was reflective so it made a much better camera target in the pitch black morn’.

Pic taken and we shuffled along Marsden Rd to Rutherglen Rd, turned left for Dunganville and I was soon leading us astray!! Well to be absolutely correct, that dastardly rotten Mike Hyde (reknowned author of the Twisting Throttle series of books) was really to blame and my culpability was only in my knowledge that I knew he was a dastardly devil who couldn’t be trusted with GPS co-ordinates….but I obviously hadn’t checked thoroughly enough when comparing his GPS position on google maps and streetview. If we had been scooting along in the daylight, it wouldn’t have been a problem because one couldn’t miss the checkpoint that was really 5-6Km earlier than what my GPS said….and I might add, 5-6 gravelly Km’s!! Oh well, we only lost half an hour, or maybe a little bit more….but the best laid plans!!!!!!

Anyway, speaking of losing time, with everyone kitted up in their wets (except me just riding with my Spidi Gloves again) I saw the writing on the wall, that my 2 minute CP photo stops were about to become very extended sociable affairs between Ken’s very chatty nature and Woody’s very particular, careful and precise actions and with not a lot of fat left in the barrel, I couldn’t afford to have that if I didn’t want an asterix beside my name. (that would indicate on the result sheet that we were overstayers, or overtimers, or something like that), so at Dungeon-ville, I said, “stay on your bikes, I’ll take the photos for all of us!” But when Woody relayed that message to Ken, when we got to Shantytown, he responded with, “Oh no, I’ll take my photos.” To which I think my eyes probably just rolled back into my head somewhere as I was probably thinking to myself, “Ooohhh F….F….S….s!!” as I was waiting, tapping some unmusical tune on my tank while he put his gloves, etc back on and wasted yet another minute of two… Hehehe… !

On on and coming onto 0700 we were just getting back through Greymouth and onto Dobson, but the time gods hadn’t finished with me yet! As we were exiting town, the GPS was wanting me to keep left, but I knew where I was going and that I needed to stay right, take the 2nd exit from the roundabout and head along the south bank of the river….easy! Yeah right, I confused poor Kate, then she was telling me to go across the river…or somewhere to get back on track so I tentatively went onto the bridge, got a wee way out, paused, then hung a u-ee and scooted back to the desired track. Kate caught up and got back on track eventually and we only lost a few more of those very precious seconds.

Dobson done, we crossed the river, did Blackball, then had a slightly extended stop at the Pike River memorial as we checked out all the effort that had gone into it before rolling on to Waiuta.

This next stop was a hoot and one could only get this in the south island. We flicked off the main road onto a very narrow lane (which was still open and easy going), but then there was 6Km of hardpack gravel. Not a problem I thought when I planned the route, hardpack is easy, even on an ST. Yes well, it had been pissing down all night and the hardpack was some sort of greasy clay so very soon I was feeling the front going one way and the rear the other, so much care and restraint was needed, but we got there in the end. (The end was a hundred year old deserted mining settlement in the back of beyond). While there, I had to remove the pinlock from my visor because it was giving me all sorts of grief with fogging and getting water on the inside.

From here on we were onto the Lewis Pass and flowy roads through Reefton to Italian Creek, back through Reefton to Blacks Point, then down to GAS Lewis Pass at Springs Juncton. Through this stretch the temp dropped to 6º, which after the 28-31 we had been enjoying on Friday, then 23-26 on Saturday, it was bloody cold. Prior to leaving in the morning, I had reluctantly put on a scivvy, plus I was wearing my wets, but I still had to squirm about in my jacket to try to brush off the cold. I wasn't wearing the RainOffs because of having to get on and off the bike and use the camera so they were wet and I had been using the heated grips...and cranked them up to 2nd, but as soon as we got to Springs Junction I had to throw on another scivvy and wets trousers before gassing up. We'd been humming and Hahing whether to keep or drop Hanmer and at this point, we'd lost a bit of time so I decided to drop it.

The next sections were good though because soon after getting back on the road, the clouds cleared, the roads dried, the temp started to climb back into double figures and we were skipping along at a better pace. We collected Marble Hill and Glynn Wye first before a pause in Waiau, then over Leader Rd to SH1 and over the Hunderlees to Goose Bay, before returning over the Hunderlees and down to Cheviot for fuel and a snack. I had a ball through here because once again, being in the front, I caught a break through the traffic, then seemed to time it right each time I caught the next car or truck and just flew through to Goose Bay, getting my wets off....well almost all off, just as the others arrived.

Lunch was quick and easy, then it was straight out to Gore Bay, coming back in at Dommet before heading on to Greta Valley for the out and return to Motunau Beach. At this point I knew we were getting tight for time so I announced to the others that I was bailing on the rest of the CP's (ie Scargill, Balcairn, Lyttleton, Charteris Bay and Charring Cross) to just focus on the 3000 points on offer at Port Levy. They agreed so we hit the road on our final mission....but the best laid plans!!!!!!!

My plan was that Woody would need more gas before the finish, so while he (and the others) were topping up at Z Belfast, I would nip down the road to check-in at 219 On Johns so we could return whenever we wanted and wouldn't have to rush away after the finish. That would have been a good plan if anyone was in attendance at the office so I left empty handed! Then I hadn't really accounted for the roadworks and really slow traffic through Christchurch and on to Lyttleton, and figured we had time to take that CP because we were there. And most of all I hadn't accounted for the heavens to open up, initially with some spectacular forked lightning....right where we needed to crest over the hills between Charteris Bay and Port Levy!! That slowed me down somewhat and it was with great concern, reservations and trepidation that I continued ...putting life and limb on the line for the cause.....and the badge of course!! Steve & I got separated from Ken & Woody through the last bit, then I got down to the monument at Port Levy to find I was alone, then Ken & Woody showed up but no Steve???

We were on the ropes for time by now and couldn't wait so we shot back up the hill to find Steve waiting at the top with two other riders, so I told him to join them and we'd meet him back at Hamptons. Then as we climbed the hill for Charteris Bay, I paused to look back to ensure that Steve was with the other chaps climbing out of Port Levy, but I could only see two headlights, so I told Ken & Woody (who both had GPS's) to carry on and I'd wait for Steve to ensure he didn't get lost. Fortunately though, as they got a bit closer, I could see there were three bikes so I bolted….over a road awash with riverlets of water and more slick patches than you could shake a stick at!

It was depressing to have to ride right past the Charteris Bay CP (twice) without picking it up and then I couldn't remember if it would be quicker to take Gebbies Pass or Dyers Pass, as it's been over 20 years since I lived in Christchurch and closer to 40 since this area was my playground.....so I foolishly opted for Dyers!? What a bugger because it might have been a close call but the traffic coming in was thick and slow.

We made it in the end though, a smidgen late, a little worse for wear, a lot frustrated with some poor decision making on my part, and even more frustrating on my part for some poor planning because I was so knackered the night before that I hadn't even reviewed our position, I had no idea of what our points talley was or what we needed and as it turned out, if we hadn't gone for Port Levy, we would have been short! Well short!

Another thing I did wrong was that I had programmed the ride around the way Steve and I ride then took on two endurance-riding novices but didn't change the plan thinking that, “She'll be right, there's plenty of fat so we can drop this and this and that and still be OK!” But I got more depressed every time I had to let one slip away and in hindsight, I should have reprogrammed the ride to a bare basics with add-ons, because then it would have been OK to ride to the plan, or a boost to pick-up any extras.

We made it though, dumped our photos, scoffed a sizzled sausage or two, mingled and traded lies with the other punters. Then slipped away for some pizza and a few reds...and a well deserved kip.

Monday dawned another beautiful day where Ken was up and away early for a southern tour while the rest of us relaxed and slowly prepped to head north. At this point I found the Sunday GPS Tracklog had gone to archive in the unit….but didn’t quite make it!! (and that’s why I tend to clear the unit each day). Bother! We got away around 1100 on a cruisy ride, stopped for a casual lunch in Kaikoura, a nice cuppa in Picton then an easy cruise across the straits to get home at around 2300.

Once back, I went to retrieve Saturday’s Video footage from my 500Gb portable drive, only to find it had crashed, wanted to be formatted and all the data on it was lost!!

That’s alright though. Let’s face it, I had the best laid plans!