Gremlin's Tall Stories

After enjoying the Coro Loop, I knew I didn't need to do much to tempt GiJoe into a Cape Reinga ride. For those not familiar, its the top of the North Island. Not considered a day trip by most, its a little over 1000km with the route we take, and we finish during the night (depending on when we leave Auckland naturally). In the past two trips up, the first, we helped a biker who broke his ankle on the gravel at the top, delaying our trip by over 4 hours, getting home around 5am, and the chap who ...

After joining Toto and GiJoe in pootling down to see Mr Qmoto himself this Wednesday just past, Toto was keen for more riding. Hassling GiJoe during Thursday, who in turn hassles me, we decide on a Coro Loop at night, excusing it as training. Have to do night rides I guess.

Naturally, there's no time like the present, so Thursday night it is. Scampering home to swap into more appropriate gear (draggins to Quasi the previous evening were just a tad cold), I get caught up in a problem, ...

Yip, it might come as a surprise to some, but I have only done one track day so far. People always think I've done more, but in reality, when I'm at the track I'm normally marshaling.

The track day was a Frosty one, full course Taupo, and I was aboard my ZX10R. Quite different to Hampton Downs and my KTM Supermoto. I knew the Hampton track layout, having marshaled, but braking points and some lines were a bit of a mystery.

It all started during the week. Devil, a good ...

Another weekend, another ride. Thinking of a route during the week, I didn't know what to choose. Reading the wandering comrades threads about his new bike, I thought doing some of that might appeal, but couldn't be bothered going to Wellington. I did think him suffering through snow, hail, rain etc was typical of him, but then, the weather wasn't that surprising.

Reading MSTRS thread late on Friday night gave me the hatchings of a better plan, and an excuse to pop over the Napier ...

I've been telling myself I need to get back into riding. As usual with winter, the weather is crappy so not exactly appealing, and there's always some sort of work to do, so you let the riding slide. Problem is, I enjoy the long rides (600-800km, or more), so there is an element of riding fitness. Stop that sort of riding, and your fitness drops away. I don't drive, but around town riding for work or odd tasks doesn't compensate.

The weekend of 22 August rolls around, and I start ...

Thursday was the final day of "leave", but no work was required. While the alarm went off at 0800, I didn't crawl out of bed until 0845, a good 12.5 hours sleep. Damn, I felt great, not a cloud in the sky, it was going to be a great day.

Careful not to waste any of it, I sought out the Turangi bakery for a late breakfast / early lunch. Chicken and vegetable pie, filled roll of avocado, chicken and relish, and an enormous piece of carrot cake at a bargain price, I wobbled out of Turangi ...

Attached Thumbnails

       

Tuesday...

Early alarms were an old joke by now, but 0500 still wasn't an easy rise. This time, it was a ferry at 0630, check in at 0530. The owners had kindly left the complimentary breakfast out for us, knowing we were leaving early. Hastily consumed, gear packed, the other two bikers staying at the backpackers had already left several minutes prior.

They didn't get far ahead... one vehicle in front of us in Lane 9. No chains out again on the ferry, so a bit of fiddling ...

Finally... an alarm that sounds after the sun has risen and the birds have started chirping. Set the alarm for about 0830 if I remember rightly, but we probably only got up around 9am. Finally able to take our sweet time getting ready, we did just that, away from the accommodation around 11am.

Toto was once again doing the long route to Picton (such is the luxury of not having to work), so... fingers crossed, he was going to make it to Picton. In reality, he would probably make it ...

Attached Thumbnails