Biker culture, politics and general issues.
This blog is in two parts. The first was written but not posted in December 2014. Pt 1 - Virgin Sucks! written 14/12/14 We went to the Gold Coast the other week and booked via Air New Zealand but ended up flying on Virgin Airlines....partners sharing and all that jazz. The trip started out as a weekend in Brisbane to see the Lion King, but it seemed like a waste to go all that way for two days so we made it a week on the GC and were joined ...
It’s odd really, I don’t feel like I’ve done much riding this summer, but the fact is, I’ve done one 1,000 km ride and three 1,000 milers since October and a bit of Conehead stuff since just before Christmas. On top of that there was the 1300km MDA ride before Christmas and the wee scoot up to and around Hamilton then back between Christmas and New Year… and then yesterday, a 900’ish km out and return to Rotorua to attend a funeral …all in all, over 15,000 km. I guess it’s because ...
From: 15-18/01/16 Murray Gray turned 80 last week and 1st up on his bucket list was to do another 1,000 miler (ie 1,608 km ride) and naturally enough, he approached the NZ Distance Riders for assistance to achieve his goal. We were more than happy to oblige and right from the first word, I was in. I first met Murray about 10 years ago when I started doing Rusty Nut Grand Challenges (1,000 miles in 24 hrs). My first thought at the time was, “Wow, I hope I’m still riding ...
From 27-29/12/15 It’s been three years since Ann has played in the Maori Tennis tournament, which is held annually in Hamilton between Christmas and New Year, and this year we were available again so bookings were made and we were off….although I wasn’t intending to play tennis as I had other plans. An email to STJim, Topher and Goose soon had a ride organized, plus I had to get there and back while Ann would travel with her tennis partner. Someone ...
From 13/12/15 I’ve been really slack as far as participating in the Capital Coast Coneheads Wednesday evening rides at the Dressmart Tawa carpark this season. The rides started with daylight saving but it wasn’t until December that I managed to get along…and I really enjoyed it. The skills were a bit rusty, but way better than I expected and then on Sunday 13th, I had to organise the Christmas Slow Ride for Ulysses. I was lucky that we had cancelled an event in August ...
From 04-06/12/15 In 2005 I did my first Muscular Dystrophy Ride with the Wellington Ulysses and in 2007, a couple of us decided we needed a decent ride, so we orgainised a 1,000Km ride and called it the C1KC (Capital 1,000 Km Cruise). Within a couple of years the C1KC morfed into a fundraising ride for the MDA Ride and now the success of the C1KC (now the 1KC (Nth) & (Sth)) ensures a decent standard of gifts are purchased for the children, as well as making a reasonable donation straight ...
A month or two back I decided it’s been a couple of years so it was about time I did another riding refresher course, with the bees-knees of courses being the Ride Forever Gold as it’s an 8 hour jobby and all for the miserable sum of $50, or comparatively, a tank of gas (if you’re riding an empty ST and filling with 98). On the last occasion I did one of these, One chap was sent packing from the start because he didn’t have a current WoF, Rego and dare I say it….licence! (It takes ...
After eight C1KC's (Capital 1,000 Km Cruise) the NZ Distance Riders have now picked it up, added another route option and 2015 sees the the inception of the 1KC with north (out of Hamilton) and south (out of Wellington) options. The format is still pretty much the same but the change has doubled the number of punters wanting to participate, which in turn does wonders for the fundraising aspect. Even though I organise the ride, I can't be there on the day this year as we have a wedding ...