Rusty Nuts Southern Cross

[James Deuce]

Just got word from Mangell6 that he is sitting at the Eagle Hotel in Bluff, nice and warm and ready for tomorrow's start. I'm assuming that Blackbird is with him, so the omens are looking good.

[James Deuce]

Given the tone of the text I just got, I'm assuming that Blackbird (who, yes indeed is being corrupted by Mangell6 as we speak) and Mangell are at the bar.

I hate riding after this :drinknsin , and wanting to do this :puke: all the time.

Hope they avoid that, though it may help with the :cold: to be numb and concentrating on not puking inside one's helmet.

[Blakamin]

good luck to both of them.... "cold nuts" is what i'd call it!!!!

[idb]

I've seen a lot more bikes on tour than usual around this way in the last couple of days.
I'm guessing that a few were heading to Bluff.
The weather's been wet for them.

[Legolas]

I've been thinking of the guys who are doing the Southern Cross this week. Especially yesterday after my wife and I had a 250 mile ride around the East coast of the UK. I had a severe case of numb bum when we got back.
I hope Blackbird, Mangell6 and the others are fairing better. :drinknsin

[dangerous]

yo.... good luck guys, thers been a lot of bikes go through here in the last couple of days..... been woundering if I know any of them :ride:

Jim..... what time do you think they will be passing through belfast (chch) tomorrow? let them Know if they need a coffee or something to giz a ring. (see user notes in profile)

[XP@]

I've been thinking of the guys who are doing the Southern Cross this week. Especially yesterday after my wife and I had a 250 mile ride around the East coast of the UK. I had a severe case of numb bum when we got back.
I hope Blackbird, Mangell6 and the others are fairing better. :drinknsin
They are probably fine at the moment... but soon.... oh the sweet pain :devil2:

Wish I was there!

[Sniper]

Good luck guys, see you when you pass through

[dangerous]

Good luck guys, see you when you pass through
Whats the weather like up your way snip? some what rather cold and bloody wet here...... poor buggers will be feeling it today :cold:

[Sniper]

Whats the weather like up your way snip? some what rather cold and bloody wet here...... poor buggers will be feeling it today :cold:


Not too bad here. Gorgeous sun but I think the windchill will cause a few problems. I would still like to be out on my bike though.

[RiderInBlack]

Just thought I'd through this link for the older thread for the SC:
2005 Southern Cross Ride (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=7104)
Hope the ride goes well for them. Endurance ride is a totally drifferient animal to the short hoons that a lot of you guys do. Have a little more work to do before I would be ready for this one:ride: A few more GC first and then I'll look @ doing this.

Hope to join Jantar (it's his first SC) around 4pm this Tuesday and ride support for him as the pass through my home area.

Have a good ride dudes:ride: :Punk:

[dangerous]

Was thinking about getting a few KBers,a couple of beers and the couch out on the frount lawn as they all ride past and cheer them on....... but hell its wet out there :ride:

[Biff]

There's an idea D. I'll could put some sign posts up on my juntion of SH1 saying, " Free beer, coffee, umberellas (not for use on a bike) in 10K for all KBers at Dangerous's house."


Any idea when the first lot are due through? I'll bring the beverages.

[XP@]

Wind... rain...
I am soo glad I am sat in by the fire :)

[scumdog]

Looking at the new snow on the hills and thinking "Hmm, just as well I decided not to give it a go..."

[scumdog]

About 14+ (lost count) bikes of all makes just went past Chez Scumdog heading north, would this be the Southern Cross riders??

Thought I might have got a "tootle" from Jantar if it was.

[scumdog]

Another half dozen or more bikes just gone past - got a "tootle" this time!! :niceone:

[Hitcher]

At least the Southern Crossers will have a good tail wind. The forecast after this front has gone through looks deliriously good...

[scumdog]

Aand STILL they go past!! :ride:

How many normally on this rally??

[XP@]

Aand STILL they go past!! :ride:

How many normally on this rally??
When I did it about 100...

[RiderInBlack]

Aand STILL they go past!! :ride:

How many normally on this rally??See Lee's post (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=230621&postcount=38):

with an even 100 riders includes a few pillions.

Approx 630,000km to go - Offs are not permited

Club nite in Eagle Tavern Bluff has an unknown muster until the nite.

[James Deuce]

Text received at 17.25 from Mangell6:

"We three (Mangell6, Blackbird, Jantar) are at Timaru after leaving Bluff at 12. Lots of snow towards Dunedin."

Everyone keep their fingers and toes crossed please.

[scumdog]

Already complaints from the public about (allegedly) riders on this rally crossing yellow lines while overtaking...... not a good look people, regardless of how safe it looks from the riders point of view.

[James Deuce]

Blackbird and Mangell are in Amberley and Jantar has gone on to Kaikoura. Up at 4am to get the 9am Ferry.

[James Deuce]

MAngell reports 3 Triumph Rocket IIIs on the SC and - dun dun dahaaah - a Scooter.

[Kickaha]

was just on the phone to Chic N Charge she's in Cheviot and said about 10 bikes have gone past in the last few minutes

[Slim]

Had a text this morning from a friend of mine doing the rally:

"New helmet his fucked, so is my bike. Black ice at Kaikoura. In Christchurch Hospital under observation. Sprained wrist & concussion ... otherwise a loverly day."

And he'd had such a lovely time the previous week, heading down to Bluff, sending us texts about the lovely roads & the beautiful weather. :ride:


Hope the rest are being extra careful!

[James Deuce]

Pass my regards on to your mate Slim. That's not good at all.

Just received a text from Mangell:

"All three (Mangell6, Blackbird, Jantar) are on the boat, a total of about thirty bikes."

They left Amberley at 4:45am and made Picton with time to spare.

[vifferman]

Got text from Blackbird this morning:

"Gday from sunny Picton. 700k yesterday arvo, 300k since 0400 today"

And:
"Ice this AM!"
So I asked him whether he was wearing his new Arlen Ness jacket or his old Teknic:
"New one plus MANY layers!"

[James Deuce]

"3 KBers are due off the ferry at 1:00pm on SC rally.

Anyone want to join in for part of the ride? Jantar"

Anyone with a bike at work should go have a late lunch I reckon :)

[XP@]

"3 KBers are due off the ferry at 1:00pm on SC rally.

Anyone want to join in for part of the ride? Jantar"

Anyone with a bike at work should go have a late lunch I reckon :)
Just back from the ferry, they were all looking far too healthy for a RN ride.

There was evidently 2 offs between the Kaikoura tunnels

total of 31 bikes on the ferry!

Pics in a few mins (when i work out how)

Edit: On second thoughts No piccies camera on phone is crap :no:

[RiderInBlack]

Have only 4 horses to trim tomorrow so I'm taking "Roxanne" to work:msn-wink: Will be finish well before 12noon. Anyone know what time Jantar and Co. are heading through AK tomorrow (Maybe I should Txt them hey:msn-wink: ) as I could meet them around AK intsead of waiting for them up here (Jantar's plan was 4pm for Whangarei).

[LB]

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I don't go onto the site during the day from work, or else I would have been there with XP to greet the boys (and girls??) when they arrived in Wgtn off the ferry yesterday.

Sorry to hear about the ice and the offs. Hope riders are okay.

I do hope Blackbird's underwear is performing okay. I feel kind of responsible for his underwear as we had long very detailed email discussions about it. I gave him some advice before he bought it. I might just have to txt him to see how it's going.
PS: please don't anyone tell Hamish that I talk to guys that I've only met over the internet about underwear..
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[XP@]

PS: please don't anyone tell Hamish that I talk to guys that I've only met over the internet about underwear.
Urrrr I think he knows :msn-wink:

[RiderInBlack]

Well finish the horses early Rode "Roxanne" to Kaiwaka to meet Mangell6, Blackbird & Jantar as they came up. They had left Tokoroa around 9am. @ 12:40 I received a Txt from Melcome to say they had just arrived in Wellsford and webre going to have lunch and refuel there. By 1:30 they hasd joined me @ Kaiwaka. Had decided to take them via RIB's Route (see map earlier in this thread) despite the roadworks down Mangakahia Rd, which we rode well (pays to had a guide who knows where they are:msn-wink: ). On rejoining SH1 @ the Lake Omapere I decide to carry on riding with them to Awanui (just North on Kaitaia). Hey the weather was bloody excellant:Punk: . Was sick of leading @ that stage and indicated for Mangell6 to pass me, which he didn't so I picked up my pace again with the 3 Cabalerros (sp?) tailing me :msn-wink: Got to the Mangamuka Gorge and decided to enjoy the twisties there. Hey, I thought, they don't have to keep up with me if they don't want to, and I can always wait for them on the otherside. Well Mangell6 was not going to have a bar of that and was hounding me through the gorge :ride: :ride: Felt a right Nana when we pulled in to Awanui a little after 4pm and he aplogised for getting right up me butt in the gorge. He reconned that he was enjoying the twisties in the gorge so much that he just had to let his bike have a little more head:msn-wink: Even though they said they were stuff by the time they reach Awanui, they still looked pretty spritely for 3 young bucks:Pokey: Melcome and Co. thanked me for taking them through RIB's Route. They had really enjoyed it. Glad they did and that I was lucky enough to be able to ride it with them. Hope the rest of the SC goes well for them (still a shit load of Km's to go for them yet).

By the way Melcome tells me they had got up @ fu*ken 4am in Chch yesterday and were on the road by 5am:cold: :crazy: Bloody nut cases:lol:

Have a pic or two will load them as soon as I have edited them.

[RiderInBlack]

The 3 Cabalerros at Awanuihttp://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10184&stc=1

[Lee Rusty]

going have cleared Cape Reinga

There have a four "offs" but no serious injuries. Bikes can be rebuilt.

It is a very high number for one of our rides. Four of our more experianced riders as well.

East Cape tomorrow ....................

[James Deuce]

Thanks for the photos RIB and for the update Lee Rusty.

Latest message received 18:03 today:

"We are at Bombay having tea. Should make Ohope tonight.

[James Deuce]

This just in at 22:16:

"We have arrived at Ohope Top Ten. Highly recommended."

What a bunch of energiser bunnies!

[LB]

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Good to hear all is still (more or less) well. Thanks for the updates.
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[Blackbird]

Back in Tokoroa 5.15 pm. All bloody sore! Laid my 'bird down in the gravel at East Cape but only scratched one panel - just dented pride. Sunstrike was wicked most of the way home - scary. (Geoff)

Only 4 hours riding left to the finish, and what a great pair of guys I'm riding with. Mangell6 is awesome to follow through the twisty bits, and he just seems to be able to pick the perfect line every time. We are keeping up a fairly quick pace, but not hooning as some riders seem to be doing. Just covering the ground and leaving ourselves time to recover and refresh before the next section. (Malcolm - Jantar)

Being the baby of this group I wonder how I will be riding in a few years time. While the backside is sore, the muscles are also feeling it after the 160ks from East Cape - lovely twisties all the way there and back. I waved as I went past the Dangerous household and will attempt to organise a "Dangerous" ride to Chch with one express purpose - Actually visit the man at his house. I reckon fifty people would be a good start, or just those who have passed his place. Geoff wants to start a noew club - Sand rinding on Blackbirds, whose a starter then. (Mike - Mangell6)

[Hitcher]

In terms of exhaustion levels, I'd rather be riding the Southern Cross than fighting the forces of evil and darkness around the probable foot and mouth disease hoax...

[James Deuce]

Back in Tokoroa 5.15 pm. All bloody sore! Laid my 'bird down in the gravel at East Cape but only scratched one panel - just dented pride. Sunstrike was wicked most of the way home - scary. (Geoff)

Only 4 hours riding left to the finish, and what a great pair of guys I'm riding with. Mangell6 is awesome to follow through the twisty bits, and he just seems to be able to pick the perfect line every time. We are keeping up a fairly quick pace, but not hooning as some riders seem to be doing. Just covering the ground and leaving ourselves time to recover and refresh before the next section. (Malcolm - Jantar)

Being the baby of this group I wonder how I will be riding in a few years time. While the backside is sore, the muscles are also feeling it after the 160ks from East Cape - lovely twisties all the way there and back. I waved as I went past the Dangerous household and will attempt to organise a "Dangerous" ride to Chch with one express purpose - Actually visit the man at his house. I reckon fifty people would be a good start, or just those who have passed his place. Geoff wants to start a noew club - Sand rinding on Blackbirds, whose a starter then. (Mike - Mangell6)


Wahaay!

Got your text earlier Mike, but you guys posted before I got to a computer with the phone in hand.

Well done folks.

[mangell6]

We all made it yesterday just after twelve after leaving at 7:50am from Tokoroa. We were fortunate that there was NO frost and little fog. Was cold butt par for the course.

Lots of fun and rather pleased. I had the obligatory ale with the meal and left at 3pm arriving home at 7pm.

Felt rather good about the whole affair and am set for the next one in two years time.

Thanks for the encouragement and Blackbird will be creating a tall tales account of the event with assistance from Jantar and myself.

Just under 5,000km round trip from Upper Hutt, longest stretch - who cares! :whistle:

Mike

[Blackbird]

What a privilege to ride with Mike and Malcolm - extremely sad to part company with them. We'll be putting together a combined ride report but in the meantime, here are a mere handful of the million piccies we took on the ride.

Geoff

[Holy Roller]

What a ride :ride: way to go. Sorry to hear about your little off hope that the damage is not too bad and can be fixed easy. Did every one make the trip?
May consider it next time by then I should be familiar with the new bike, You going to do the 1000 mile this year?

[Silage]

Well done those men. Looking forward to some detail.

[Blackbird]

Delighted that you got the Yammy while I was away - I doubt that you'll be disappointed, it's lovely :Punk:

Nope, the 'bird has a few scratches on one panel which I'll send up to Reflections in Glenfield for a respray but nothing else - thanks for your concern. I don't know whether I'll do the 1000 miler this year - don't even want to think about bikes for a day or so after all that riding :D

Will start writing the ride report tomorrow and then get Mangell6 and Jantar to add their stuff to make it a joint effort and see things from 3 different perspectives.

Geoff

[sarg]

u must be well satisfied by what u all acheived in completing such a challenging ride

[Jantar]

Already complaints from the public about (allegedly) riders on this rally crossing yellow lines while overtaking...... not a good look people, regardless of how safe it looks from the riders point of view.

I've found a computer at the backpackers I'm staying at tonight so thought I'd add a few more comments.

I saw lots of passing on double yellow lines, and even did some myself. But in every case the overtaking manouver was completed between the the vehicle being passed and the yellow lines, which I believe is a legal overtaking option. I saw only one example of a biker actually crossing the yellow line (no it wasn't me) and I believe that was because the vehicle he was passing sped up, and he ran out of room before the yellow line became solid.

Overall I was impressed by the courtesy shown to us motorcyclists by other road users and certainly our group tended to acknowledge it. There were some idiots on the road as always (like the driver who decided to do a U-turn in front of Blackbird), but in general I felt that most drivers were considerate and driving at a reasonable standard.

I'll file a full report with Blackbird when I get home in a bout a week.

[RiderInBlack]

Well done to The Three Cabalerros:not: Glad you all made it. Glad I made the time to join you for a short bit (blood nice day it was too).
Roxanne is in bits in my garage at the moment. Need to do the cam chain and tensioner, plus cure the coolant leak between the head and block. So I'll be out of action for a while. Would love to try the SC in 2007 (that's when the next one is right?). Bit of luck Roxanne will be rearing to go for the next GC in October.

[Legolas]

Glad you guys all made it safely.
I am really proud of you all.

Sorry to hear about your little mishap Geoff. Glad the damage isn't too severe. I suppose that if the Bird is off the road for a few days, that’ll at least give you a chance to start on the job list, that Jennie will have written for you. Lol.

Really looking forward to reading the full account of the trip.

Steve. :drinknsin

[LB]

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Great piccies BB.

Well done guys, I know lots of people think this ride is a breeze - I've not done it myself but I know that it takes some serious riding/planning/money/time.

Looking forward to hearing the full story in due course.
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[Kickaha]

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Well done guys, I know lots of people think this ride is a breeze - I've not done it myself but I know that it takes some serious riding/planning/money/time.
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You're meant to plan for this ride?

When I did it way back in the middle ages on my Darmah,we only finished putting the motor back in the bike the day before after a crank rebuild,my only plan was making the ferry on time :yes:

[Blackbird]

Some of us are a bit nerdy :whistle: Being an engineer, planning is second nature - we feel naked without it :D

Just done some nerdy numbers as a matter of fact. According to my odometer, total distance travelled from home to getting home again was 5527km, I used 332 litres of fuel at a cost of $429.71. Consumption averaged a respectable 16.64 km/lt or 47 mpg in old units. I tended to short shift most of the time to extend range and the more constant throttle settings on long runs undoubtedly helped as well.

Geoff

[scumdog]

Good to see somebody 'crunched' the numbers, always interested in that kind of stuff

[Blackbird]

More "crunching" to come in the full ride report which got started today. Jantar says you were off shift when we came past - sorry we didn't meet. We weren't the ones crossing double yellow lines, honest!

Geoff

[Zed]

Back in Tokoroa 5.15 pm. All bloody sore! Laid my 'bird down in the gravel at East Cape but only scratched one panel - just dented pride. Sunstrike was wicked most of the way home - scary. (Geoff)I'm glad you guys got back home safe & sound - what a mission of a ride!! Sorry to hear you laid down your 'Bird Geoff, hope it's not too painful to look at? :pinch:

[Blackbird]

No gouges, just a few scratches. Under other circumstances, I might have been really upset but the pride in successfully finishing our first Southern Cross completely over-rides any worries about a few scratches. The panel will be on its way to Reflections in Glenfield shortly though - as soon as I've had time to remove to 50 kg of dirt from the bike :D

Cheers

Geoff

[scumdog]

More "crunching" to come in the full ride report which got started today. Jantar says you were off shift when we came past - sorry we didn't meet. We weren't the ones crossing double yellow lines, honest!

Geoff

Yeah, I was leaping up from the 'puter everytime I heard a string of bikes coming and looking outside to see who was going past!!! :wait: :ride:

No worries about the yellow line thing (Jantar explained it to me), I was just regurgitating what was reported to me when I started work that night... "Next time ya see ya mates ya might want to tell them not to upset people by passing them on yellow lines" was the kind of message I got, - good old public - no rego numbers, no description, gotta love them at times like that eh? :msn-wink: .