Gremlin's Tall Stories

After the last couple of weekends of putting on at least 1600km a weekend, it was time for a break, see the girlfriend (who had been very understanding) and catch up on some odds and ends. Saturday was spent popping into Cycletreads for some items Toto had already sorted, then some stuff for a client, then spent the whole evening playing with a blackberry set up.

Sunday was forecast to be brilliant, and what better way to spend it than go for a ride (coz uh... we haven't done that in ages have we?) Zapf is asked if he would like to join in with his girlfriend, as I would be 2up with the gf on the back. He reckons its a good idea, and a short jaunt to Waipu is extended to the possibility of Russell (apparently they have good fush and chups). For a change (and Katie is all setup with the extra fuel tank etc) I would take the hornet, which needs a break from all the round town running anyway.

Up early on Sunday morning (well, comparatively) at 0830, breakfast, quick text to Zapf to inform him we're on our way into the city and we head in. I don't get a response from him and upon our arrival at the meet point, he's nowhere to be seen. I do have a text waiting, and he's slept past his alarm and running late... sigh. About 1-1.5 hours later he turns up and we head off. With the delayed start, we don't mess around with the usual back routes, wanting to get north as soon as possible, but with the 4kph tolerance, this is done at the speed limit. Up SH1 to Wellsford (but annoying part of Orewa as I refuse to use the toll road in principle), we can finally get off the back roads and head east, through Tomarata Valley Rd, School Rd, then down onto Mangawhai Rd. Reaching Mangawhai, we head inland, then take Cove Rd all the way round to Waipu.

The beaches on the way into Waipu are packed. Long weekend and all that, normally they are deserted, this time, there are people everywhere. How often do you get 3 days of sunshine on a Labour weekend? Seems everyone is taking advantage of it. Reaching Waipu, the Pizza Barn is open, and its already after 1pm. A meal is in order, I take a pizza (of course), Ange takes some wedges and Zapf takes a burger. Good meal, enjoying the afternoon, and shortly before leaving, 3 BMW's turn up, that have been having fun since early morning, and 1 was on the Grand Challenge the previous weekend. Quick catchup, and it turns out one of the others manages Experience BMW, who had given Zapf a hard sell while I was in the toilets

Enough of the sitting around, Zapf decides Russell is a good idea, girlfriends agree, so we set off. The idea of finding a shell on the main throughfare of Whangarei for gas doesn't turn out so good... there isn't one. Far on the other side, we still haven't found any gas, but carry on north anyway, figuring we'll find something. I'm quickly realising how used to a GPS I am, finding the phantom GPS on the hornet useless, looking just like a bar, and not telling me anything about distance to destination, road layout etc. Constant looking at it didn't materialise a real one either In the end, we find the BP at Whakapara, and in Zapf's brilliant planning, he's not actually sure where the turn for Russell is, as we wanted to use the back road. Fortunately, the BP had a map on the wall, with the classic "You are here" on it. Even more fortunate, the turn for Russell was literally less than a kilometre down the road.

Tanks full, we head down the road. At the BP Zapf had commented I should turn up the preload due to having a pillion and initially I said I didn't mind. On second thought, why not. 3 clicks, and even getting on, I could feel the difference. It didn't take long down Russell road to notice the difference either. Blimey, nice firm rear suspension, the bike handled beautifully even with a pillion. While the rear is ohlins, the front is stock, and I could feel it struggling a bit in corners with a bit of understeer, and not feeling particularly "with it". Nevertheless, I highly recommend the road. Great corners and the scenery as you hit the coast is equally magic (riders do need to remember to keep their eyes on the roads... pillions get the luck of viewing all the scenery). I suppose mention must be made of the main road suddenly turning to the left near Parekura Bay. I was in a relaxed mood, and while rounding a sweeper at 110kph I'm casually reading the sign post on a side road, thinking it reminded me of something. This then caused me to completely miss the sign that said Gravel Road... and I noticed said gravel when I was about 5m from the gravel (and you'll note I hadn't altered my speed). A brief and onto the gravel with barely a touch of the brakes managed. No point in trying to put the brakes on hard, I carried on, on the gravel, scrubbing off speed as was safe, once I found a wheel track.

Ange is clearly more relaxed than I about this, as I can hear her laughing her head off while I negotiate a U-turn. I suppose she trusts my riding, but laughter wasn't on my mind while I was trying to slow down. Zapf is also bemused, having had a bit more warning than I, and only travelling 1m on gravel. This is the right way around however, as he hates gravel, and doesn't want to think about the outcome if our roles were reversed. Without further drama, we reach Russell in the early evening and have some ice-creams. Chilling out next to the beach, probably at least an hour passes, just enjoying the scenery, so fush and chups are ordered for dinner and indeed, it was good. We even have some entertainment during dinner, with a large group of people trying to fit onto a small runabout (with exclamations of "don't forget the piss"). Its so overloaded it can't get the bow out of the water so burbles out into the harbour, cuts out once way in the distance, and then by some miracle is able to get up to speed. All the people in the hotels and bars were looking on, rather amusing indeed.

Night has fallen once we decide we better head for home, and in the wisdom of Gremlin, he didn't bother bringing a clear visor on a quick ride... so it was ah... interesting... to ride 2up in the dark, on the hornet, with a dark visor. Zapf thought it a silly idea to go back the way we had come, too twisty... I didn't argue because the pillion weight was lifting my headlight off the road meaning either low or high beam was somewhat useful in different situations. The car ferry wasn't far away, and once on dry land we got off the ferry before the cars, scooted down SH11 and then onto SH1. Stopping for fuel in Wellsford, it seemed the 3 clicks of preload were now working against us, with both Ange and I stiff and sore, and Zapf and his girlfriend not faring much better. After a stretch, things were a bit better, so onwards to home, going through the free route again.

Boring trip down SH1 to home, but indeed a great day out. Never done the Russell Rd before, but Toto had told me to check it out. All up, it was about 400-500km for the day.

I'll even attach a crappy mobile camera pic taken from Russell as the sun was setting.