Gremlin's Tall Stories

Well, its not really like I need an excuse, but its fun thinking up one nonetheless.

Last weekend was a more relaxed one, enjoying Russell with girlfriend playing pillion and Zapf in tow, also 2 up. This weekend just past was heading down to Taupo to assist with the marshalling of the Post Classic Racing. Did it last year for the first time, and this was the second time the Club had asked AMCC to provide officials and marshals. With the girlfriend being the Chief Flag Marshal, there was also little doubt I would avoid the event, with it being on the calendar for a couple of months at least There have already been 2 AMCC meetings which I have missed, due to doing training rides or the Grand Challenge. Brand new Pirelli Angels had been fitted during the week, so they needed to be run in and tested.

I was under strict instructions to get down earlier this year, as last year I only left home around 9pm, arriving in Taupo at midnight. I thought it a perfectly good time... most seemed to disagree with me. I think they were all wrong The plan this time was to get cracking a bit earlier, try to wrap up work, and get on the road. Well, if you've read a few of my blogs, you probably already know the outcome. It uh... didn't go according to plan. Got home after 9pm, still had to pack, have dinner etc. Girlfriend calls to enquire as to my whereabouts, and I guess answering the phone confirms one thing? (you're certainly not riding). I had already thought of a backup. Rather than disturb these people who sleep at odd times, I would stay home, get to sleep as early as possible, then get on the road around 4am, arriving in Taupo as they get up. Gf isn't happy about this idea, happy to stay up, but I insisted she sleep ... didn't want her grumpy

Well, I didn't even manage to get to sleep early, jumping into bed at 0130 after sorting out various little things. Alarm rings at 0330, I definitely don't want to get up, but not a lot of choice in the matter. Put on the gear, luggage onto the bike, and the one bright side to travelling at that time is minimal traffic, although late at night is better than early morning. A quiet run (no cops even) down SH2, SH27 and finally SH1 at Tirau and reached the motel at 0720. Everyone is awake and a quick change into marshalling gear and we head over to the track.

The day is spent marshalling at the end of the back straight. A couple of bins, and a couple more around the track wrap up a reasonably quiet day, with the ambos unused (always a good thing). The post classic guys put on a BBQ, so after all the packing up we grab a couple of sausages before the prize giving. All done, we head back to the motel to do the usual shit talking before some of us head over to Breakers for some dinner. Once back at the motel, most of the marshals head for bed, Ange and I stay up and watch whichever Scary Movie was on telly. Had a good sleep that night, but probably needed it

Next morning, most of the marshals have already left, but a quick pack, Ange jumps in their van to head to Auckland and oh no, perish the thought, I'm left to my own devices with a brilliant KTM at my disposal. I head south to Turangi and have an excellent brunch/lunch at the bakery that seems to feature in several of my blogs. After learning of the roads around Ohura and Matiere going home from the Grand Challenge just 2 weeks prior, and no Toto holding me back, I'm going to explore some of them. Pureora Forest will have to wait for another day (still got more roads to track in the forest). Once again, the usual SH41 to Taumarunui and on towards the Forgotten Highway. After reaching Ohura, instead of staying on Ohura North Rd, I turn off left onto Waitewhena Rd and pleasantly lose a few hours exploring the roads towards Aria.

The previous cow on the Forgotten Highway is eclipsed by several herds ranging from 1-7 cows blocking sections of road, and run away as I approach (a previous farmer that said they are stupid and never move was naturally not entirely correct). Thus I become a herder until the moving leather products jump a fence or find a hidey hole. Same applies to several sheep as well. All in all, it was good. Plenty of gravel done, and a list of corrections for the NZOGPS project. Still have heaps of more roads in that area I can check, so destinations for riding are hardly in scant supply. The Pirelli Angels I am currently trying do appear to not perform very well on gravel, the Syncs are noticeably better, and even then, the Angels get a bit cut up by the gravel, which was a little unexpected.

Back on seal just south of Aria in the mid afternoon, I decide its time to call it a day, but since I've been in the area before for the 2008 GC, I decide to see if I can find some of the roads we did previously, and go north to PioPio, up Mairoa Rd to Oparure Rd and then along to SH3, coming out just north of Te Kuiti. From there, it was the back roads through Whatawhata to Ngaruwahia and then decided just to stay on SH1 home.

Around 800km travelled, the Angels are certainly fantastic in dry weather, but not too flash on gravel. Not entirely unexpected however, and now I need a bit of rain to test the wet weather performance of the tyres. The tyres tend to be neutral, not too tippy, and stay where you set them when cornering. I didn't find them feeling nervous at any point either. They appear promising if I can get better mileage than 8500km from them. Time will tell.