Hogs and other cruisers

In mid November we attended a family wedding in Melbourne and decided to do a four day tour of Victoria with my sister Annie and her husband Trev on their cruisers. We hired a Harley through Eagle Rider. It was meant to be an Ultra Classic (repleat with comfy seats, passenger footboards - especially for Helen (the wife) and (for a change) a stereo) but the dickhead who hired before us failed to return it and we ended up having to "settle" with a Heritage Softail. Not a bad substitute ...

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Sunday morning broke fine and clear… the best day for riding (Just my opinion) on the long labour weekend break….

This was the 1st decent ride since the trip up north to the Twin Bridges and out to the Whangarei heads for lunch back on Fathers Day in September.... or the last quick blast around the Coromandel Loop....

Amongst all the other spring cleaning chores carried out on Saturday I had managed to clean the bike…. and check the fluids etc… so we were good to ...

t was a little more difficult for me on the Harley, as every time I tried a little lane splitting, I could feel the tension rising in my pillion…. I have tried pushing her through this sort of thing before on the M109R I use to have…. only to have her avoiding the rides altogether till I got this new Softail.

On the northern side of the Brynderwyns we had a whole bunch of sportys (non Cruiser Styled Motorcycles) come up behind us, so I pulled over and let them go… their high revving ...

Rising early on Sunday Morning it was on with the TV to watch Germany Play off with Uruguay for 3rd and 4th in the Soccer World Cup…. which has been a pleasant warm up for the real deal next years Rugby World Cup…

After a coffee or 2 I was loading the K-Drive removable bags and ensuring all the helmet coms and cellphones were all charged, we would be riding all the way back down country to Hamilton today.

All coffeed up and loosing interest in the soccer game I took ...

In no time at all we are out of the Valley and up on the ridges, gone are the forest clad roads and shady glades of the Waipua Forest, basking in sunshine, we are rewarded with an initial view of the Tasman sea, I know from previous trips to slow down, there is a rest stop coming up on our left…. pulling in for pictures, I am awestruck at the panoramic beauty that is laid out before me…



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The Morning broke fine and clear, a blue glow illuminating faintly through the night sky. Its Saturday morning and the proceeding 3 fine winter days have resulted in a very cold crisp morning…

I'm feeling a little jaded I always sleep a little restlessly before a big riding weekend.

The bike was pretty much packed the night before so its just a matter of getting ready and a cup of coffee or 2 and we are all set to go.

Marggy and I have around 160kms ...

It had been quite a stressful week. I had been checking the Metservice weather reports regularly, hoping for some good news in the 7 and 3 day forecasts – hoping that somehow, the weather reports were wrong. By Friday, I had resigned myself to a wet weekend hoping that we would get a few breaks in the weather when we really needed it.

As we woke on Saturday morning the day promised a lot and we hoped for the best. We met at the Caltex at Fanshawe Street and huddled under the canopy ...

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Sunday 9 May

Weather looking pretty good, have a good healthy breakfast, load the saddle bags up with plenty merino layers stuffed into plastic bags and head on out of town about noon time. Just before leaving I remember to call mum for mother's day, she's not there, so leave a message. Tank is already full of gas, but a quick stop at the garage to confirm tyre pressures and away we go. Smooth running down to Taupo, and plenty of bikes on the road. Many waving opportunities. Pull ...