Krayy
20th August 2006, 20:04
Who woulda thunk the day would take so many twists and turns (literal and figurative) as it did. For my first Rusty ride, it was a great intro.
Got to Motohaus at around 8:15 for sign up and had a chat about what to expect with some of the guys and gals and teamed up with Les (TLDV8) as riding buddies. Briefing over and off we go down SH1 to Drury and over the Bombays. I was scrubbing in new rubber so was a bit tentative through there but by Morrinsville I was feeling more confident. Still heading south, we started getting out of my comfort zone, so theres a few more map checks going on than I'd like, but a few wrong turns righted, and they don't seem all that much trouble. Then the first figurative twist of the day.....
Les and I had gassed up in Morrinsville, and after we left the service station, Sparky (Fred) joined us for the run south. We were well past Cambridge and heading into no-mans land and his reserve light started blinking furiously. "She'll be right" I thought. "A servo will show up soon". But no. Stuck in the middle of nowhere there was bugger all to do but head up to a farmers place and ask if there was a gas station nearby. No. Bugger. Next idea. "Have you got a hose we can use as a siphon". Sure enough, he had one hanging next to the helicopter. HELICOPTER!!!! And here I was thinking farmers were struggling. Couldn't get my bike higher than Sparky's so he whips out a bottle of V (which I offered to drink) and 6 bottle fulls of the fossil fuel later, we're off again finally to get gas at Kihikihi.
Heaqd in to Pirongia for lunch and it's pissing down, so a bit of shelter and a couple rolls later and we're off again to Narawahia, Huntly then SH22. As we pull on to 22 the rain comes down again and we know from experience that it is damn slippery up there in the wet, so we're off on tenter-tyres. Alls going well and then we get to the Mercer turn off where the VTR got seriously loose going round the corner due to the wetness and as I steadied her up I glanced in the rear views only to see Les doing the "dead ant" dance across the road sans bike.
HOLY SHIT!!!
A quick u-turn and a sprint back up to the corner finds Les shaken but not stirred (thank god) heading towards his bike thats now in the ditch. A few others rock up including Sparky and we managed to get her up and out to survey the damage. Left side is munted including gear selector arm so it's not going anywhere. After a bit of fluffing about, Sparky offers to go get his van from Manurewa to take Les home, so off he goes and the others who stopped make sure all is okay and off they go. Call in to Lee to update on the "incident" with a recommendation to get others to bypass 22, and we're in for the wait. For an hour. In torrential rain. Bugger.
Sparky did return with a well kitted out van (he installs spa pools - coulda done with one then) and we load up the wounded TL and head off the BBQ with the rest of the ride abandoned.
All in all a damn good ride up till the heart went into the mouth. Can't wait for the next one. :yes:
Got to Motohaus at around 8:15 for sign up and had a chat about what to expect with some of the guys and gals and teamed up with Les (TLDV8) as riding buddies. Briefing over and off we go down SH1 to Drury and over the Bombays. I was scrubbing in new rubber so was a bit tentative through there but by Morrinsville I was feeling more confident. Still heading south, we started getting out of my comfort zone, so theres a few more map checks going on than I'd like, but a few wrong turns righted, and they don't seem all that much trouble. Then the first figurative twist of the day.....
Les and I had gassed up in Morrinsville, and after we left the service station, Sparky (Fred) joined us for the run south. We were well past Cambridge and heading into no-mans land and his reserve light started blinking furiously. "She'll be right" I thought. "A servo will show up soon". But no. Stuck in the middle of nowhere there was bugger all to do but head up to a farmers place and ask if there was a gas station nearby. No. Bugger. Next idea. "Have you got a hose we can use as a siphon". Sure enough, he had one hanging next to the helicopter. HELICOPTER!!!! And here I was thinking farmers were struggling. Couldn't get my bike higher than Sparky's so he whips out a bottle of V (which I offered to drink) and 6 bottle fulls of the fossil fuel later, we're off again finally to get gas at Kihikihi.
Heaqd in to Pirongia for lunch and it's pissing down, so a bit of shelter and a couple rolls later and we're off again to Narawahia, Huntly then SH22. As we pull on to 22 the rain comes down again and we know from experience that it is damn slippery up there in the wet, so we're off on tenter-tyres. Alls going well and then we get to the Mercer turn off where the VTR got seriously loose going round the corner due to the wetness and as I steadied her up I glanced in the rear views only to see Les doing the "dead ant" dance across the road sans bike.
HOLY SHIT!!!
A quick u-turn and a sprint back up to the corner finds Les shaken but not stirred (thank god) heading towards his bike thats now in the ditch. A few others rock up including Sparky and we managed to get her up and out to survey the damage. Left side is munted including gear selector arm so it's not going anywhere. After a bit of fluffing about, Sparky offers to go get his van from Manurewa to take Les home, so off he goes and the others who stopped make sure all is okay and off they go. Call in to Lee to update on the "incident" with a recommendation to get others to bypass 22, and we're in for the wait. For an hour. In torrential rain. Bugger.
Sparky did return with a well kitted out van (he installs spa pools - coulda done with one then) and we load up the wounded TL and head off the BBQ with the rest of the ride abandoned.
All in all a damn good ride up till the heart went into the mouth. Can't wait for the next one. :yes: