scracha
15th March 2009, 18:14
Like a wee laddie the night before Christmas, I was just too excited and only managed about 4 hours sleep on Thursday night. I was seriously looking forward to the drinking....sorry...racing up thon hill. Eddie's gixxer and my 748r loaded onto the trailer, Mr Mental Troosers arrived at my house at 5 on Friday and we were offski.
The girlfriend's hilux's radiator decided to let go at half one in the morning at Mangatainoka. "I say, that's dashed unlucky old chap" said my Kiwi friend. "I concur", was my reply before getting on the blower to the AA. Turned out the AA had decided to not renew my "plus" cover and hadn't fuggin bothered to tell me. For some reason, MT's AA had also lapsed. The gorgeous Tui workers were not to be found so "the Drew" was telephoned and the AA took the Toymotah + bike trailer to Pahiatua. By the time Drew arrived we arrived at the campsite just before 5. Fuggit, the racing must continue.
Some nice lady decided to wake us all up at around 7am with comments of "if I can't sleep then nobody can". I could have killed her. Anyway, hillclimb. I tried backing out of it and getting a couple of hours more sleep but Drew/Helen/everybody called me a softcock and HTFU was mentioned at least a dozen times. At least the weather was cool. All my runs got progressively faster...and I mean progressively...as in less than 1 second difference per run. At least I can say I was consistant. After the 4 runs I decided to call it a day as the lack of sleep meant I just couldn't concentrate and on the 4th run I'd got a 3rd gear corner mixed up with a 5th gear one. I somehow made it round...show's how much confidence (some may say balls) I lack in the Ducati's abilities.
Drinking. 2 tui's and I was 3 sheets to the wind....I was that tired. A couple of sugary "wake me up" rum's later, a very nice mutton meal (and then a $5 one later in the night to sober me up) and then some more sugary rum's and then I was tucked up in my tent by about 9pm. Helen tried keeping me awake by shouting outside my tent and flashing her torch but even if she had tit-whipped me I would have still crashed out. Excellent sleep. Crawled out tent to see Mental Trousers lying between the two bikes. I kinda wondered if he was dead for a minute as it was a pretty cold night, but then he smiled and it was "all good bro". I guess it was his turn to sleep on the grass.
Race day morning. Started cleaning the Ducati as it was really filthy, even by my low standards. Spotted the cracks in the headlamp. Fark. At that point I called it a day as:-
I was pissed off/stressed and not in a good headspace to go racing next to a cliff
I worked out the Cliffhanger had cost me about 2 grand (assuming the Toymotor's engine isn't farked)
The gods were just begging for me to crash the Ducati and have no way of getting home.
Ducati $hit headlamp made even $hittier with cracks and tape over it riding through the night...nuff said.
Cliffhanger organisers. Excellent food. Excellent location. Excellent band, I was just too tired to stay awake. Shame about the lack of numbers this year...I guess all the riders "up norf" aren't as hard as they make out
Pit stopped at Nick (Mumbles) and Allies place in Palmy North before heading home via SH4 (a first for me...loverly road). The ride back was excellent and cheered me up no end.
With the $hit some people have to deal with like cancer or kids in hospital (and even just a likeable paddy writing off his Triumph), it puts my miserable weekend in perspective. Only money after all.
It was still Friday the 13th in Scotland and Ireland after all.
Thanks
Nick.. for offering shane the ZXR to get home on...and for lunch...and for offering to put me up next Friday when I pick up the car from drew's.
Jarred.. for offering to loan your R6. Never mind Shane, I was tempted to steal it myself as the 748 ain't the best tourer.
Drew.. for picking us up in the wee small hours and for (hopefully) getting the radiator sorted.
Helen/Malcolm/craig/sheree/vicki/clive.. just for the banter :shifty:
The girlfriend's hilux's radiator decided to let go at half one in the morning at Mangatainoka. "I say, that's dashed unlucky old chap" said my Kiwi friend. "I concur", was my reply before getting on the blower to the AA. Turned out the AA had decided to not renew my "plus" cover and hadn't fuggin bothered to tell me. For some reason, MT's AA had also lapsed. The gorgeous Tui workers were not to be found so "the Drew" was telephoned and the AA took the Toymotah + bike trailer to Pahiatua. By the time Drew arrived we arrived at the campsite just before 5. Fuggit, the racing must continue.
Some nice lady decided to wake us all up at around 7am with comments of "if I can't sleep then nobody can". I could have killed her. Anyway, hillclimb. I tried backing out of it and getting a couple of hours more sleep but Drew/Helen/everybody called me a softcock and HTFU was mentioned at least a dozen times. At least the weather was cool. All my runs got progressively faster...and I mean progressively...as in less than 1 second difference per run. At least I can say I was consistant. After the 4 runs I decided to call it a day as the lack of sleep meant I just couldn't concentrate and on the 4th run I'd got a 3rd gear corner mixed up with a 5th gear one. I somehow made it round...show's how much confidence (some may say balls) I lack in the Ducati's abilities.
Drinking. 2 tui's and I was 3 sheets to the wind....I was that tired. A couple of sugary "wake me up" rum's later, a very nice mutton meal (and then a $5 one later in the night to sober me up) and then some more sugary rum's and then I was tucked up in my tent by about 9pm. Helen tried keeping me awake by shouting outside my tent and flashing her torch but even if she had tit-whipped me I would have still crashed out. Excellent sleep. Crawled out tent to see Mental Trousers lying between the two bikes. I kinda wondered if he was dead for a minute as it was a pretty cold night, but then he smiled and it was "all good bro". I guess it was his turn to sleep on the grass.
Race day morning. Started cleaning the Ducati as it was really filthy, even by my low standards. Spotted the cracks in the headlamp. Fark. At that point I called it a day as:-
I was pissed off/stressed and not in a good headspace to go racing next to a cliff
I worked out the Cliffhanger had cost me about 2 grand (assuming the Toymotor's engine isn't farked)
The gods were just begging for me to crash the Ducati and have no way of getting home.
Ducati $hit headlamp made even $hittier with cracks and tape over it riding through the night...nuff said.
Cliffhanger organisers. Excellent food. Excellent location. Excellent band, I was just too tired to stay awake. Shame about the lack of numbers this year...I guess all the riders "up norf" aren't as hard as they make out
Pit stopped at Nick (Mumbles) and Allies place in Palmy North before heading home via SH4 (a first for me...loverly road). The ride back was excellent and cheered me up no end.
With the $hit some people have to deal with like cancer or kids in hospital (and even just a likeable paddy writing off his Triumph), it puts my miserable weekend in perspective. Only money after all.
It was still Friday the 13th in Scotland and Ireland after all.
Thanks
Nick.. for offering shane the ZXR to get home on...and for lunch...and for offering to put me up next Friday when I pick up the car from drew's.
Jarred.. for offering to loan your R6. Never mind Shane, I was tempted to steal it myself as the 748 ain't the best tourer.
Drew.. for picking us up in the wee small hours and for (hopefully) getting the radiator sorted.
Helen/Malcolm/craig/sheree/vicki/clive.. just for the banter :shifty: