Ruralman
9th September 2009, 23:20
I had a call a couple of weeks ago - we want you to do a job on a property up the side of Lake Benmore........ yep, I think I can fit that in (trying very hard to contain over enthusiasm).
The outcome was two days of the best riding I have had in a long time over a combination of roads which again highlighted just how big adventure bikes are just the best thing to have on two wheels (but hey, if you're readin gin this section you probably already knew that!!)
So yesterday morning was spent finishing drafting up some ewes on the farm then quickly loading up the bike and getting away about 11:30. The first blast on gravel was from my place over the back roads via Lake Mahingerangi and on to Middlemarch - trip took an hour exactly which is a bit less than I remember it taking in the past (someone must have removed some corners??)
Stopped for lunch in Middlemarch and while there the local cop comes in for a coffee - had a bit of a chat - she was on her way to a meeting in Dunedin. Hmmm - no cops from here to the Kyeburn turn off??? - well there was no guarantee of that but I took my chances. What a fantastic road and the Hyde Hill to Kokona section still rates as one of my favourite stretches of sealed road anywhere.
Then the high speed gravel through to the Kyeburn diggings on the way to the Dansey's Pass. Dansey's as many will know is not taken at high speed but is lots of fun. Out the other end and a short quick blast down to the Waitaki Valley Highway before settling to a more moderate speed up to Kurow for a refuel and then on to Mr and Mrs Oldrider for the night.
John and Pip are great hosts, I love catching up with you guys and really appreciate the hospitality - may you live long and prosper. A big thanks guys.
Next morning Oldrider and I are heading off on the next stage of the "work trip" up over the Benmore Dam and off up the Black Forest road. Oldrider turned back at the boundary into Black Forest Station to let me go on and do what I had to do. The job took about 1.5 hrs and then it was back the same way
There's a lot of loose rocks on that road - not things you want to hit - so picking lines through those means speeds have to be kept in check so between that and the windy nature of that track it was 1st and 2nd gear a lot of the time and 3rd and 4th occasionally.
Lunch with the OR's and then - oh dear, which route back to Dunedin??
Fark - too good a chance - back over the Danseys, quick beer at the Danseys pub to wash down the dust, and then a pretty fast blast down the Pig Root to Palmerston. Most times I have ridden the Pig Root it has been coming up the other way - I think the top end of it is now near the top of my favourite roads heading towards the Coast. What a blast - great corners and the road is in great order.
From Palmerston back to Dunedin it was just good old SH1 - at a speed just past stalling speed in top gear (ie about 110-115 !!!!)
The weather was great ( a wee bit windy a couple of times), it was warm enough to ride with my summer gloves without the hot grips on until I was nearly back to Dunedin - it really doesn't get much better - except that my travel time and kms are also being charged as part of the job!!!!!
If I can ever get my new camera able to talk to my old computer I may be able to post some photos - hopefully get that sorted in the next few days
The outcome was two days of the best riding I have had in a long time over a combination of roads which again highlighted just how big adventure bikes are just the best thing to have on two wheels (but hey, if you're readin gin this section you probably already knew that!!)
So yesterday morning was spent finishing drafting up some ewes on the farm then quickly loading up the bike and getting away about 11:30. The first blast on gravel was from my place over the back roads via Lake Mahingerangi and on to Middlemarch - trip took an hour exactly which is a bit less than I remember it taking in the past (someone must have removed some corners??)
Stopped for lunch in Middlemarch and while there the local cop comes in for a coffee - had a bit of a chat - she was on her way to a meeting in Dunedin. Hmmm - no cops from here to the Kyeburn turn off??? - well there was no guarantee of that but I took my chances. What a fantastic road and the Hyde Hill to Kokona section still rates as one of my favourite stretches of sealed road anywhere.
Then the high speed gravel through to the Kyeburn diggings on the way to the Dansey's Pass. Dansey's as many will know is not taken at high speed but is lots of fun. Out the other end and a short quick blast down to the Waitaki Valley Highway before settling to a more moderate speed up to Kurow for a refuel and then on to Mr and Mrs Oldrider for the night.
John and Pip are great hosts, I love catching up with you guys and really appreciate the hospitality - may you live long and prosper. A big thanks guys.
Next morning Oldrider and I are heading off on the next stage of the "work trip" up over the Benmore Dam and off up the Black Forest road. Oldrider turned back at the boundary into Black Forest Station to let me go on and do what I had to do. The job took about 1.5 hrs and then it was back the same way
There's a lot of loose rocks on that road - not things you want to hit - so picking lines through those means speeds have to be kept in check so between that and the windy nature of that track it was 1st and 2nd gear a lot of the time and 3rd and 4th occasionally.
Lunch with the OR's and then - oh dear, which route back to Dunedin??
Fark - too good a chance - back over the Danseys, quick beer at the Danseys pub to wash down the dust, and then a pretty fast blast down the Pig Root to Palmerston. Most times I have ridden the Pig Root it has been coming up the other way - I think the top end of it is now near the top of my favourite roads heading towards the Coast. What a blast - great corners and the road is in great order.
From Palmerston back to Dunedin it was just good old SH1 - at a speed just past stalling speed in top gear (ie about 110-115 !!!!)
The weather was great ( a wee bit windy a couple of times), it was warm enough to ride with my summer gloves without the hot grips on until I was nearly back to Dunedin - it really doesn't get much better - except that my travel time and kms are also being charged as part of the job!!!!!
If I can ever get my new camera able to talk to my old computer I may be able to post some photos - hopefully get that sorted in the next few days