dpex
7th December 2008, 22:54
The Track-day at Taupo was slightly better than splendid, but I shall refer to that in the appropriate forum.
However, on Saturday night, a happy camper (me) was fast asleep at the track till, at 3am, the fire alarm went off. No more sleep for this boy; so I was a tad weary as the day kept getting better, to the point where, having made huge gains betwixt round one and three, I decided to flag round four.
So, pack up my gear, loaded the bike into the van and was off north. Just south of Putararu the van got a bad dose of Hiccups. I managed to nurse it the 10ks to Putararu, called AA and waited the obligatory hour.
Dude turns up. A real mechanic, no less. Has a workshop in Tirau. 'You reckon you can get it there?' he asked.
The van died literally as I pulled into his yard.
So he starts to fester. "Reckon the points are munted." Out they came. New set. Boom. We live again.
"Ya better drive it around the block, just to make sure."
Twenty metres said the prob was still there.
He festers some more. "Reckon it must be the condenser."
Out it comes, in with the new one. Same result. Prob still there.
He reaches in to play with the coil and a large ceramic resistor fell in half.
"Ah! I reckon that's the prob. Trouble is, I ain't got one of those in stock.
"Solution?"
"Well, I could bridge it out, but that might fuck the coil cos it's only 'sposed to take 8 volts."
"Will it get me home?"
"Maybe."
"Next solution?"
"Replace the 8V coil with a 12."
'Do it."
He did. Van ran sweet as a nut all the way to a point about 20 clicks north of Waharoa.
Total bill? $200, but I'm mobile even though it's then 8:30 and my energy levels are bottoming out.
At approximately 300 M south of a roadside (SH27) home inhabited by a share-milker named Brian Phillips, the van up and died. I coasted to a stop outside his home. Got on the phone to AA. They were most concilliatory, if not a little less than helpful; given they couldn't seem to locate the Tirau AA mechanic.
Brian Phillips comes to the gate to enquire after my comfort or lack of.
He hangs about as various calls are received by me from AA. The bottom line being, there was no fixit man available but they could get the van towed to Morrinsville.
"How much for a tow to Auckland?"
"Three hundred and fifty."
"I see. I'll get back to you."
And it was here where genuine Kiwi decency rose its lovely head. Brian, to whom I was a complete stranger, said, 'Tell ya what. Let's get the van into the yard. Then you take my ute and go home for the night. Then tamorra, you come back, gettem (AA) to tow you to Morrinsville. Get the thing fixed, and you're away."
I was gobsmacked. "I beg your pardon?"
He repeated his offer. I was still gobsmacked.
"I do a bit rallying, but I'd love to ride a bike; and you look pretty much fucked to me. Best you go home, get a good night's sleep and start on the problem again in the morning."
How good is that. A total stranger loaned his car to a total stranger because he saw the guy (me) needed a bit of a leg up.
For those of you who appreciate the enormity of Brian's attitude I'd appreciate it if you let him know with a "Thanks for helping a KBer", phone call. His numbers are:- 07 8893511...0211293976.
Me??? I'm still gobsmaked that a total stranger would lend a total stranger his XR6 ute.
How good is that? Hell's teeth. The man should be runner up for this year's, "Whose closest to Jesus" competition.
But I'm home. Utterly fucked....But oh what a day to remember. :--))
However, on Saturday night, a happy camper (me) was fast asleep at the track till, at 3am, the fire alarm went off. No more sleep for this boy; so I was a tad weary as the day kept getting better, to the point where, having made huge gains betwixt round one and three, I decided to flag round four.
So, pack up my gear, loaded the bike into the van and was off north. Just south of Putararu the van got a bad dose of Hiccups. I managed to nurse it the 10ks to Putararu, called AA and waited the obligatory hour.
Dude turns up. A real mechanic, no less. Has a workshop in Tirau. 'You reckon you can get it there?' he asked.
The van died literally as I pulled into his yard.
So he starts to fester. "Reckon the points are munted." Out they came. New set. Boom. We live again.
"Ya better drive it around the block, just to make sure."
Twenty metres said the prob was still there.
He festers some more. "Reckon it must be the condenser."
Out it comes, in with the new one. Same result. Prob still there.
He reaches in to play with the coil and a large ceramic resistor fell in half.
"Ah! I reckon that's the prob. Trouble is, I ain't got one of those in stock.
"Solution?"
"Well, I could bridge it out, but that might fuck the coil cos it's only 'sposed to take 8 volts."
"Will it get me home?"
"Maybe."
"Next solution?"
"Replace the 8V coil with a 12."
'Do it."
He did. Van ran sweet as a nut all the way to a point about 20 clicks north of Waharoa.
Total bill? $200, but I'm mobile even though it's then 8:30 and my energy levels are bottoming out.
At approximately 300 M south of a roadside (SH27) home inhabited by a share-milker named Brian Phillips, the van up and died. I coasted to a stop outside his home. Got on the phone to AA. They were most concilliatory, if not a little less than helpful; given they couldn't seem to locate the Tirau AA mechanic.
Brian Phillips comes to the gate to enquire after my comfort or lack of.
He hangs about as various calls are received by me from AA. The bottom line being, there was no fixit man available but they could get the van towed to Morrinsville.
"How much for a tow to Auckland?"
"Three hundred and fifty."
"I see. I'll get back to you."
And it was here where genuine Kiwi decency rose its lovely head. Brian, to whom I was a complete stranger, said, 'Tell ya what. Let's get the van into the yard. Then you take my ute and go home for the night. Then tamorra, you come back, gettem (AA) to tow you to Morrinsville. Get the thing fixed, and you're away."
I was gobsmacked. "I beg your pardon?"
He repeated his offer. I was still gobsmacked.
"I do a bit rallying, but I'd love to ride a bike; and you look pretty much fucked to me. Best you go home, get a good night's sleep and start on the problem again in the morning."
How good is that. A total stranger loaned his car to a total stranger because he saw the guy (me) needed a bit of a leg up.
For those of you who appreciate the enormity of Brian's attitude I'd appreciate it if you let him know with a "Thanks for helping a KBer", phone call. His numbers are:- 07 8893511...0211293976.
Me??? I'm still gobsmaked that a total stranger would lend a total stranger his XR6 ute.
How good is that? Hell's teeth. The man should be runner up for this year's, "Whose closest to Jesus" competition.
But I'm home. Utterly fucked....But oh what a day to remember. :--))