Gremlin's Tall Stories

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, so delayed getting away from home. Instead of being at GiJoe by 8pm, I arrive around 8.45pm. We're off straight away, Toto leading, to Thames, via the usual back road assortment of Clevedon, down the east coast through Kawakawa Bay and Kaiaua, then boring straights to Thames. Toto is evidentally well out of practise, leading at a slow pace, which we gently nudge him for in Thames. Had one interesting moment along the coast going to Kaiaua, finding myself on a mud road. Tipping the bike into the corner, it disagrees, sliding out, but a re-adjustment settles things out. GiJoe and I gently remind Toto that that sort of pace probably won't quite cut it for the Grand Challenge, but he shrugs. Never any pressure amongst us, we ride the pace we like anyway.

GiJoe is annoyed that neither Toto nor I care which direction the loop is done. Hell, we've done it both ways plenty enough times, it really doesn't make a difference. The mad loon throws his keys around, as if by some chance it will decide the direction. He settles on clockwise, which in hindsight was the safer choice. Bad weather in the previous couple of days had created slips along the west coast, so being on the left side of the road, we were mostly unaffected. We leave Thames at 10.15pm and I settle on a nice smooth pace up the coast, trying not to exceed 90kph the guys aren't dropped, and they catch me in each town anyway. A quick status check at Coromandel Town shows everyone is happy and we carry one. I slow down now and then to make sure everyone is OK, once I see two headlights, off we go again.

Weather keeps changing its mind. At times, its cloudless, moon shining down, really beautiful with all the stars. Then moments of heavy rain (but I guess it does clean the visors well). Had a couple of moments going through corners and finding myself on nice shiny tar with grip the last thing on its mind, but nothing too major. Usual hazard at night, sometimes hard to spot so you ride with plenty in reserve as the moments are mostly guaranteed. Even had a few close calls with wildlife. It never ceases to amaze me how they like to play chicken with the bikes, and each person has a different experience trying to avoid putting roadkill over their bikes.

With fuel availability basically one servo in Thames (24hr), the full loop isn't done at night, and we return to Thames around 12.45am. Big grins from the other two nutters confirms a good ride. Back across the boring straights, GiJoe takes the lead before Kaiaua and we wind our way through the roads of Hunua, Clevedon, Brookby and into Manukau for our customary feed at Dennys (handy being open 24 hours ) Toto makes the normal long distances stretching noises, and claims it was an excellent ride, what, 500-600km. He is a little alarmed when I inform him we've covered 401km since the first fuel up in Takanini.

Shit is talked at length, food is eaten, and we take our separate ways home. I'm in bed around 5am