Gremlin's Tall Stories

Monday morning, no early morning alarm, we sleep in, but my alarm does go off at 0845, as I need to start making some calls. I’ve given up on cotton wool for the nights, just using my new custom plugs, as I can wear them much longer than the normal ones.

McIver & Veitch about the tyres I now won’t be needing, as the Southern Cross is no longer an option (for the second time in a row dammit). Interislander to alter my booking and bring it forward to the same as Toto’s, and his accommodation ...

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So, picking up from the Blog of Day 1, it’s 10pm, leaving Queenstown, and now we are properly into the night section. Don’t want to go too quickly, as you simply don’t have as much light, yet don’t go too slowly so as to lose time.

I did have one handy trick up my sleeve for the night section. During the 10k service the mechanics worked on the bike for two full days. She now sports 8 forward facing lights. Low beam (HID), high beam (+90% bulb), OEM fog lamps (wasn’t able to get the ...

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Again with the early alarm… much too early… no choice, must get up. It’s 4.30am.

Into my gear, luggage is lugged down the stairs of the backpackers and piled outside. 5.15am we fire up the bikes and pop down the road to the BP that confirmed the previous night they are open 24/7. Other bikers are there eating, we only need gas, and I get a couple of bottles of Powerade (still wondering where Mizone blue went to).

Another short trip to McIver & Veitch, there are already ...

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Toto’s not broken Honda hasn’t been sorted in the beginning of the week, so while he was offered one of the rental fleet of BMW, he declined, opting for his own GN250. Yeah, you read that right… he WANTED to do it on his GN250.

Of course, this meant his pace wouldn’t be quite up to mine. Actually, allow me to correct, his pace was slower than almost anyone else, and couldn’t barely ever reach the speed limit of 100kph. Thursday and Friday’s plans were altered slightly. He would head ...