General Bike Ravings

With not much riding over the last couple of weeks and a huge week at work to finish the financial year, it seemed that a ride would be in order and the Apiti Scamper was just what the doctor ordered.

An email out to my riding buddies resulted in five of us leaving from Caltex Rimutaka at 0740 on a pre-dawn morning that was a crystal clear sky and rather fresh 7º. I had put a skivvy and the winter gloves on at home but fortunately I put another layer and the glove liners on because ...

....................DAY 2.

Nooooooo! The alarm went off at 0530 and dragged me from my coma! Up up and away, I got dressed, packed the luggage panier, extracting the day’s supply of bananas and water for the top-box, checked the tyres – 42psi on the button, exchanged the summer gloves for winter ones out of the wets and fuel panier, tidied the topbox, snacked, had a nice hot cup of tea….and we were gone at 0630.

I thought it was bloody winter as scooted ...

I hit the sack at 2100 on Thursday night, worried that it was too early to go to sleep, but I went out with the lights, only to be rudely awakened by the alarm at 1230. Excited to be on my way after a couple of months of plotting and planning with screeds of emails between Jantar, Gremlin and myself, I dragged myself from the bed with a groan, scrubbed up, boarded the already packed and prep’d Enterprise and scooted the 10Km down to the Bluebridge Terminal….where I waited, with the 10 ...

Counting down the last two weeks to the TT and this week I went on the Uly Ride to Apiti, combining it with my last prep’ ride. My plan was to ride with the group to the Pilgrims Rest , on Pohangina Valley East Rd, but then continue riding instead of stopping for lunch, focusing on maintaining a good average pace, whilst generally riding economically and within the prescribed tolerances, so as not top get pinged.

I did the usual ride prep of tyres, clean (& polish for a change), prepared ...

With TT bookings and plans well underway and the drama of last weeks puncture(s) done and dusted with a new Storm 2 Ultra fitted, Steve & I were off on another ‘Multi-purpose’ ride…..for him it was just a conditioning ride for the Southern Cross, but for me it was conditioning for the TT2000, testing/familiarization for the GPS and the wish to put 2000Km on the bike to do the 108,000Km service and change the front tyre prior to the TT.

The various requirements meant that perhaps something ...

We got back from the Gold Coast on Friday, so yesterday I finished off fitting the GPS to the bike by tapping it onto the power, then last night I programmed a ride into the GPS for today. This would double as a bit more conditioning, but mainly to play and familiarise myself with the unit…and I need to do about 2000Km before the TT at the end of the February to: wear out the front tyre as well as get the Km up for the next service prior to the event.

I also had a club ride on at ...

Christmas this year, as it turned out, was a time to ride…and what a great way to finish the year!

The Maori Tennis tournament is held in Hamilton between Christmas and New Year and last year I didn’t go because I needed to paint the house, but this year I needed to do my duty and support Ann by taking her to this event….not because I love Tennis, but, it is in the Waikato.

After a cruisy Christmas morning, we took the opportunity to visit her parents in Moumahaki, ...

This weekend I once again enjoyed one of my favorite annual rides, the Musclar Dystrophy (MDA) Run. The ride entails taking presents to children suffering with MD, from Wellington to Napier on Friday, across to Waitara on Saturday and back to Wellington on Sunday and there are several factors that contribute towards creating an epic adventure each year…
1. Firstly, we have Santa…or at least the world’s best facsimile…Red Fred! He eats, sleeps, Ho Ho’s and Hugs out his part, doling out ...