Auckland: Pukemanu Adventure Ride [Archive]

merv

21st March 2004, 12:24

Thanks to Bill Biber and his team for putting on this run with help from Lynda and Hamish on the administrative side we had some top level fun in the Wairarapa Saturday 20 March. Check out the pics below and if you haven't done adventure riding before I can recommend you give it a go. If you were on the ride you might spot yourself in one of the pics.

merv

21st March 2004, 12:31

In those pics above did you like Lynda's big horn, and what had Jimmy spilt down his front?

Here's some more pics.

merv

21st March 2004, 12:38

... and some more pics.

merv

21st March 2004, 12:44

.... and still more pics.

merv

21st March 2004, 12:46

.. and just a couple more back at the marquee.

merv

21st March 2004, 13:49

Motu, sorry you couldn't make it to the ride after all.

I am sure you will recognise a few of the adventurers in the pics above.

pete376403

21st March 2004, 14:22

I really wanted to do the Pukemanu again, but the IT hasn't been registered for about 20 years. (It was road legal once). How serious are the organisers when they state the bikes must have reg/wof?
Did you see any bikes there that were obviously not road legal?

Pickle

21st March 2004, 17:13

Hey Merv totally agree it was a great ride with just enough challenges to keep it interesting. Good to see all your photos but none of Viv & I whats going on here. The guy who broke his arm got a helicopter trip to Wgtn hospital & needed surgery today, didnt here about the lady who broke her leg tho. :doctor:
Pete there were a number of bikes on the ride that were obviously not road legal. There were a approx 190 bikes on the ride so 2 accidents wasnt too bad I think.
This was our first adventure ride & we did all the sections so we are feeling quite pleased with ourselves along with being tired & with sore muscles :beer:

merv

21st March 2004, 18:22

Hey Merv totally agree it was a great ride with just enough challenges to keep it interesting. Good to see all your photos but none of Viv & I whats going on here.

No photos of you two because I never saw you all day until the party after and I was beginning to wonder if you were on the ride. Basically when there are so many bikes you end up riding close to a number of bikes all day but never really see everybody.

Pete as for road legal bikes I guess its your lookout really and not the organiser's because the ride is on public roads and if you got pulled up by the law it would be your problem. I never saw him this time but on just about all the previous Wairarapa adventure rides I've been on there was this guy used to ride an XR250 with a trailer number plate on. It was so obviously not a motorcycle number plate I don't know why he bothered with it.

Motu

21st March 2004, 20:47

Yeah,I'm sorry I missed it,but several things conspired against me last week,almost like back up plans to stop me were coming into place.Shit,did someone take a 950 KTM! I see a Transalp and some XT600s,so my bike(XT400) would have been no trouble.Looks like a great ride,maybe next time.

I did a trial today instead - I saw my dream bike,I'm going to restore it for the Pukemanu next year.Stored unused for the last 15 years...I think I'll need...um....?

Oscar

21st March 2004, 20:54

WHat a great ride.
I'll post my pics later...

22nd March 2004, 05:50

Hi everyone - I'm now back home again. What a great weekend. The Pukemanu was just wonderful, and seeing your pictures Merv makes me think I missed out on heaps by staying back at the marquee!! However, someone has to do it....

We had two casualties: a guy with a broken arm who was taken by road ambulance to Masterton hospital, but because the chopper was there ready to return to Wgtn they took him by chopper to Wgtn as he needed surgery there. Second casualty was a lady pillion with a broken leg, she was choppered from where it happened (on the coast just south of Tora) to Wgtn hospital.

These two accidents happened very early into the ride, I was scared of what else was going to happen but thankfully nothing else major did.

We had 190 people and 171 bikes (I got over excited and told the riders at the prizegiving that we had 190 bikes...sorry).

The weather was supber, the riders were great, and it was a fantastic day (followed, after a 5am start on Sunday, by some excellent 600 and Superbike racing at Taupo).

WT: note the later time...I've slept in, and still feel stuffed.

Merv, thanks for the photos (at least I'm not holding my horn on the trailer).

Oscar, looking fwd to seeing your piccies.

Motu: someone had the 950 KTM on the ride and used it as a demo. Oscar took it for a blat (I think he actually took it for two rides....)

22nd March 2004, 05:53

oh shit, I've just looked at all your pictures Merv, and I see I am using the horn...

23rd March 2004, 05:50

Both riders are now out of hospital - that's good news.

merv

23rd March 2004, 18:14

WHat a great ride.
I'll post my pics later...

OK where are your pics?

Motu

23rd March 2004, 20:09

Yeah,stop looking at yer new bike - too many kittens are dying,git typing instead!

Oscar

23rd March 2004, 21:18

Yeah,stop looking at yer new bike - too many kittens are dying,git typing instead!

Ha! The bike is old news - I'm engaged in replacing the Peugeot, with this:
http://www.southgate.com.au/vy/vy2s_1.jpg

Pukemanu Pics are here:

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/85966
I havenae had time to label any - Some samples:
http://oscar.smugmug.com/photos/2993611-M.jpg

http://oscar.smugmug.com/photos/2993646-M.jpg

http://oscar.smugmug.com/photos/2993647-M.jpg

merv

23rd March 2004, 21:49

That first pic above was that on a detour to the pinnacles or something because I don't remember that on the route?

Motu

23rd March 2004, 22:12

Strewth mate - a Generals parts bin special,nice colour but.I'll open the pics on Jetstream tomorrow.

Oscar

24th March 2004, 08:35

That first pic above was that on a detour to the pinnacles or something because I don't remember that on the route?

Johnny, Rog and I went down to the Pinnacles on Friday - that's what's left of the track after the recent flooding...

merv

24th March 2004, 12:26

Johnny, Rog and I went down to the Pinnacles on Friday - that's what's left of the track after the recent flooding...

OK 4skins said he was doing an extra ride Friday morning. Is that a through track or do you go in and back out again?

Oscar

24th March 2004, 12:42

OK 4skins said he was doing an extra ride Friday morning. Is that a through track or do you go in and back out again?

Up & back, about 2k's riding and 2k's walkin'

Motu

24th March 2004, 13:00

Takes all sorts - how did these two manage?

merv

24th March 2004, 13:06

Takes all sorts - how did these two manage?

Andrew Templeton was on the 110 and as far as I know he did OK. The other bike, dunno who was on that.

Oscar

24th March 2004, 13:06

Takes all sorts - how did these two manage?
They both did the whole thing.
The CT110GS rider is a trials guy from Wgn. and he gave it death all the way.

merv

24th March 2004, 18:13

As a general comment Motu, I've done all the adventure rides in the Wairarapa since 1992 (only missed the 1991 Pukemanu through not knowing much about them then), and this one had to be the easiest. Blessed by good weather and I would say the ratio of sealed and/or gravel roads compared to trail type territory was quite high so there was a lot of higher speed riding on easy surfaces. A bit of farmland and a bit of coastal tracks, no forests and not much mud to speak of so I think true to the adventure principles it would suit everything from Andrew's 110 through to the big adventure traillies like the KTM950 and the big BMWs. Your XT or your XLV would have been fine I'm guessing.

Motu

24th March 2004, 22:51

Damn,I missed a good one eh? I was wondering how the Indian went...they have a foot clutch - I remember decades ago when they were still quite common a guy took one with us when we went trail riding on waste land in central Auckland,the foot cluch was a big problem when stating on the side of a hill!

Looking at the photos,yeah,it looks like both bikes could have done it,but the XLV would be lost in the sand,that green air head looks stuck in a big way.

25th March 2004, 05:58

The Indian belongs to one of the Pukemanu Committee, he didn't do the ride as such, but was "roving" in places. Lovely guy, lovely bike - he's painted it in "bumble bee" colours because he when he was restoring it he also had a "bumble bee" R80GS.

25th March 2004, 06:00

And confirming that Andrew Templeton was the guy on the 110

merv

25th March 2004, 18:15

Looking at the photos,yeah,it looks like both bikes could have done it,but the XLV would be lost in the sand,that green air head looks stuck in a big way.

The sand was fairly soft because it was so dry. If you remember that spot on the coast it is actually a big shingle fan spreading out from the hill so it is quite pebbly and in the direction we were going we were going downhill. I think the air-head must have ventured a bit far left or come to grief in someone else's rut that had been left with so many bikes criss-crossing the stuff it was a bit tricky keeping your bike straight even my lightweight job.

So I'm sure your XLV would have been OK provided you didn't attack it too fast and kept it straight and under control as normally we have ridden up it easily enough. Here's a pic from a few years ago

alienstew

30th March 2004, 12:53

"The lady who broke her leg," - that's no lady, that's my wife. Ok if you're really old you've heard that one before, but never mind, the fact is she's been home for a few days now and really starting to get up some speed on those crutches. She's vowing to never go on another Adventure ride (not as my pillion anyway), but who knows?? Anyway, despite having a shiny steel pin in her leg holding everything together, she's doing really well. :doctor:

Thanks are due to all those who helped out on the day and since, to the ride organisers, especially Lynda, Paul, Peter and particularly to Doug and Viv who did a great job of getting help and keeping following riders from running her over. Thanks too to the guy who left the fruit juice, and all those who offered to help. It really gives us both a great feeling to have so many of you offer your sympathy and kind thoughts. Motorcycling is so much more than just a "sport," It's a way of life we all share, and for those of us who have been doing it for a while the friendships and experiences just simply make life better. So thanks again one and all, - and I promise not to drop her off again, OK. :Oops:

merv

30th March 2004, 13:03

[QUOTE=alienstewShe's vowing to never go on another Adventure ride (not as my pillion anyway), but who knows??

So thanks again one and all, - and I promise not to drop her off again, OK. :Oops:[/QUOTE]

Maybe she isn't going to give you another chance to drop her off. Anyway good to hear you are in good spirits and hope it doesn't put her off really.

I saw the guy who busted his arm, Andrew someone (Lynda will know his surname) in at TSS on Saturday morning. The fact he was back in the bike shop buying stuff showed he wasn't giving up. He explained his crash too me and it sounded so innocuous - said another rider was in front of him pulling up to stop and he wasn't sure what direction they were going in, so he almost stops pulling on the front brake and slipped over on fresh morning grass. I said so you must have a heavy bike it did that damage to you and he says no he has a DR250. I'm thinking damn he must have landed hard then. Just as well I sold my DR250 they are lethal eh!

31st March 2004, 05:37

Welcome to KiwiBiker Alienstew!

We're having our "wash-up" Committee meeting this Friday night, so will pass your thanks onto the Committee.

And Andrew (broken arm) is a KB member also (won't reveal who you are Andrew....)

Glad to hear that both patients are healing well. It's never nice for the organisers of an event when riders hurt themselves.

merv

31st March 2004, 12:26

And Andrew (broken arm) is a KB member also (won't reveal who you are Andrew....)

Andrew you going to come clean then and surface on KB?

Skunk

31st March 2004, 15:13

Hey! I've only just got round to reading this. :sleep:

I'd like to thank everyone who helped me, and who got my bike out. And those who helped my wife load our bikes. :)

Silly mistake and a hard landing. First broken bone too. Never mind. I may now miss the Cold Duck Rally because of this. I'll find out how thingsare going tomorrow when they change the cast and remove the stitches.

Thanks to Linda and the organisers - "I'll be back"

Pickle

31st March 2004, 21:17

Just to top it off for Kiwizrx he had only been married for a week :hug: and if you want to go to the Cold Duck Rally I'm sure we can arrange a ride for you. :ride: :crazy:
alienstew good to see you on the site, hope Aileen isnt making your life to miserable, just dont make a habit of dropping her of the back. :o

Skunk

7th May 2004, 18:57

For those interested...

I've got my arm out of a cast after a total of seven weeks. That's the good news. I have about four weeks of physiotherapy on the elbow and wrist to look forward too.

The down side is the arm is still broken. As in, in the words of the surgeon "still in the same state as when I sewed you up".
As I said it: "f*ck". The ends of the break don't appear to have any blood flow so they don't mend.

That means that in four weeks time they are looking at bone graft surgery. And another six weeks in a cast. And then physio again.

I'm not happy. :(

Andrew

Two Smoker

7th May 2004, 19:00

OOOOOHHHHHHHH DAMN, you have to be gutted.....i hope it mends quick with a bone graft :niceone: i can understand, i was itching like hell to go for a ride when i didnt have my bike for 2 weeks (due to it being in the shop), so it must be killing you :disapint:

merv

7th May 2004, 19:43

Skunk

7th May 2004, 21:51

That's bad news Andrew. How likely is that, the fact that you are in a cast for 7 weeks and it don't heal?

Here's hoping all goes well from here.

Man the time its taking you'll be just right in time for the next Pukemanau.

The surgeon said it can happen with serious breaks. Buggered if I knew it was "serious" :wacko: It was only painful at the time.

Apparently I compacted the bone and it spilt/chipped pieces off, so there's a gap to fill. No bone growth has started at either end so they think it's "dead".

They've left the cast off so I can get physio on the wrist and elbow joints. Should be OK as there's a thin rod inside the bone the length of my forearm :whistle:

I've already missed a few things - like this weekend's Cold Duck Rally.

Jeez better be right well before the next one - it's just under two years away isn't it?

Andrew

8th May 2004, 05:31

Andrew: I'm so sorry to hear your news. Doug said you had been back and forth to the Dr, but that was a couple of weeks ago when I was last talking with him.

We haven't set the date for the next Pukemanu, but it'll be at least two years away.

Take care.

Lynda

merv

5th September 2004, 08:23

The surgeon said it can happen with serious breaks. Buggered if I knew it was "serious" :wacko: It was only painful at the time.

Apparently I compacted the bone and it spilt/chipped pieces off, so there's a gap to fill. No bone growth has started at either end so they think it's "dead".

They've left the cast off so I can get physio on the wrist and elbow joints. Should be OK as there's a thin rod inside the bone the length of my forearm :whistle:

I've already missed a few things - like this weekend's Cold Duck Rally.

Jeez better be right well before the next one - it's just under two years away isn't it?

Andrew

Kiwi you all OK now or how's it coming on?

Skunk

6th September 2004, 12:07

Still "broken but mending". Doctors said don't use it, now they're saying I should have been! :wacko:
Doing Physio to try and get rotational movement back.
Got back on the KLX the other day (Thank God!) but the ZRX is too heavy for the use I have at present.

All is good. Next is to remove the rod - got an appointment on the 23rd of this month so I may find out when it will happen then. (Sorry guys no can do from the 15 October to mid November, I've got MotoGP, Long Track and WIMA Rally... :laugh: )

Andrew

merv

6th September 2004, 12:41

OK sorry you are having such a tough time of it.

You got a KLX now instead of the DR250?

Skunk

6th September 2004, 21:56

OK sorry you are having such a tough time of it.

You got a KLX now instead of the DR250?

Shit happens... Next break won't be so bad... :laugh:

Yeah - KLX250. I always wanted electric leg but couldn't afford it at the time. Been looking ever since and found one in Motorad. Hazel sold my wife on it and she convinced me.

I trade bikes that spit me! :moon:

Are you going to Phillip Island?

Andrew

Skunk

9th March 2005, 10:17

Sorry to bring up on old thread: finally got the copies of my x-rays from this ride. :lol:
This is after the surgery with the rod/wire inside the bone and a cast on the arm. Broke it into three pieces. What you can't see is the spiral split down the forearm part.
Will never have full rotational use of the arm. (Shit happens, move on)
Top one is two weeks, bottom one is six weeks after the break.

Oscar

9th March 2005, 10:29

Sorry to bring up on old thread: finally got the copies of my x-rays from this ride. :lol:

How/when did you do this?

Skunk

9th March 2005, 11:14

How/when did you do this?Aaah, about 25mins into the Pukemanu Adventure ride in March 2004. Sort of a 'honeymoon' ride for my wife and I. :confused:

Oscar

9th March 2005, 11:31

Are you in any of these?

Pukemanu Pics (http://oscar.smugmug.com/gallery/85966)

Skunk

9th March 2005, 13:02

Are you in any of these?

Pukemanu Pics (http://oscar.smugmug.com/gallery/85966)Haha! Never made it that far! Remember the first grassy down hill with the mud at the bottom and the gate?
Yeah, well, I didn't make it to the mud... :shake:

I see Andrew Templetons CT110 (or is it a 90? Can't remember...)
And that Indian!

merv

9th March 2005, 19:39

Are you OK for trail riding still even though you say you've lost some movement?

What a bugger eh! Damn its almost a year ago too.

How come you are skunk now and not kiwizrx anymore?

You say you electric start with the KLX was your DR250 and older one without electric then?

See you on the next Pukemanu then, if there is one?

Skunk

9th March 2005, 20:12

Yikes!
Are you OK for trail riding still even though you say you've lost some movement?Don't know! I got the newish KLX mentioned above and the wife 'stole' it. I got another through Motorad in December, but the engine is still being rebuilt (Derek's doing it :niceone: ). Only got 150kms on it before it got 'death rattles'. So I haven't had a chance to take it out. Wouldn't think so. Only thing I notice is I can't use my left hand to receive coins when begging cause I can't get it flat enough. And it taking forever to build the strength up again.

What a bugger eh! Damn its almost a year ago too.
How come you are skunk now and not kiwizrx anymore?Change of attitude? Skunk is more me... (ask my wife!)

You say you electric start with the KLX was your DR250 and older one without electric then?DR was a 90 model and stalled whenever the revs dropped under load (de-accelerating like...)
The KLX's are a 2000 (mine) and a 2002 (wife's) both road legal.

See you on the next Pukemanu then, if there is one?Damn right!