Gremlin's Tall Stories

Around Tuesday I collected my new textile trousers from Quasievil and with the microphone sorted, I was only waiting for my helmet to be finished with the wiring. Mileage on the bike meant it needed almost 2000km put on during the weekend, service was organised for Monday (well, drop off, and they service as soon as they have time). The initial plan therefore called for 2x 1000km over the weekend, service, tyres and everything will be ready for the Grand Challenge (next weekend).

Things went mostly according to plan except the shop didn’t get the chance to complete the comms install in the helmet until Saturday midday. Once I had picked it up, messed around deciding on a route (and input from GiJoe himself), the plan for a ride each day had been abandoned, and one big ride overnight was in place instead.

Out through Tauranga, Whakatane, East Cape then south through Gisborne, Masterton and turning around at Wellington. North through Wanganui and a detour to Taupo (to track the Taupo Bypass for the GPS Project) would see the required 1800km being travelled. With GiJoe jealous I was doing it, as it was a ride he always wanted to do, it was a given I needed to do it (even just to annoy him). He was otherwise occupied, so couldn’t even join in… another solo ride.

Further refinements via Mapsource finished a solid route with 24hr gas stations planned in. Planning for 350-400km is much easier, indeed, East Cape at night is only possible like this, with gas in Whakatane and Gisborne, about 360km apart. Such is life, I only left at 4pm and followed a boring route through SH2 down through Tauranga to Whakatane. I don’t mind using the boring routes if they get me to the roads I rarely do, faster. Got to Whakatane around 7.30pm and had a servo dinner, replaced the tinted visor and mentally settled into a night of riding. The attendant received an unusual answer when asking where I was headed: “East Cape, then Gisborne, Waipukurau, Masterton, Wellington, Wanganui, probably Taupo and back to Auckland”. “What, in one ride?” says he, rather astonished. After confirming, he comments that I must have a large fuel bill…

A quick txt to GiJoe to keep him jealous and he was acting as mission control, and no, I hadn’t started using the heated vest. Just before I left Whakatane I turned it on. Blimey, 1 minute later it’s on, jeepers it’s hot. The controller to adjust the heat is an optional accessory and still on its way, so for now, apparently it regulates its own temperature at 50 degrees. I don’t leave it on for long, way too warm, this is more for temperatures below 5 degrees, if not lower.

The roads get much better as you head onto the cape, although it wasn’t quite as I remembered when going through there just after Christmas last year. The roads between Opotiki and Gisborne could simply be described as “uneven”. At least that’s what countless road signs state. Uneven Surface. As I found out, this could mean anything from a slight drop in a small section of road, through to a road no longer bearing resemblance to seal, usually gravel and more bumpy and uneven than a gravel road. Surface drops or rises are measured in inches, not millimetres, and even with long suspension the drops were a big ask on suspension.

The heavy rains have also had an effect. One section of road was blocked off, with a diversion through a gravel road instead, and plenty of slips along the coast coned off. There was no need to stop in Te Araroa and it was around 10pm anyway. The quiet roads certainly made for easy riding, compared to traffic volumes during the day and besides the little bit of rain around Whakatane, the East Cape was cloudless. Prior to reaching Tolaga Bay, the extra fuel tank was playing up. Presumably the breather wasn’t working so the fuel wasn’t being drawn. Bit of a tweak under a streetlight, a blow on the breather and it was back working. I think the breather is a bit small and gets blocked.

Gisborne was busy, boy racers and cops all over, but the more time spent in the town the quieter the country… barely anyone there anyway. I decided to mix up the main roads a bit by using Tiniroto Rd instead of the main route. With little in the way of reflective markings, it was certainly a challenge at 1am in the dark with several corners tightening up beyond my headlight. From there, it was main roads to Waipukurau for gas but the wind had picked up and seemed to either be a head wind or side wind.

Continued heading south, but before I reached Pahiatua I was wondering if I should continue south, as I felt unusually tired for the distance covered, which I put down to 6 hours of sleep, quick pace and windy conditions. Instead of heading for Masterton and then Paekok hill I headed up Pahiatua Track, through Palmerston North and Sanson. Deciding between Wanganui and the Paraparas and SH1, Taihape and Desert Road, I chose SH1, thinking I could stop in Taihape.

It was a good idea, as I struggled to keep my eyes open and maintain alertness, so took an hours break at Taihape at 6.30am and had a pie, to break the focus on riding and tiredness. Back on the road a trip through the desert road at 8am was typically cold, with the frost symbol on the dash keeping me company for most of the trip. Another unblocking of the breather had that working again… saves the annoyance of decanting fuel to the main tank, but need to get it sorted before the Grand Challenge, otherwise it defeats the purpose of having it.

Reaching Taupo I spent more than half an hour riding up and down the new Taupo Bypass, tracking all roads and ramps for the NZ Open GPS Project. Another fill in Wairakei had me good for Auckland, so it was back roads past Putaruru and Cambridge and up SH27 etc to Auckland.

Covered about 1650km in 21 hours all up, including all the stops to mess around with tank, Taihape stop etc, so not too bad. Made me remember there is definitely a difference to riding 1000km and riding 1600km. To aim for 3300km in 40 hours is going to require some proper dummy rides of that distance in that time…