STJim

Hamilton Ulysses 500 Miler, 9 October 2011

Hamilton branch runs an annual 500 mile ride early in October each year.

The ride is organized by David Coy, originally as a training ride for the Rusty Nuts Grand Challenge.

The route is kept secret until the morning of the ride. In this instance I got to know the day before as David handed me a set of information sheets on the Saturday and asked me to take them out to Cambridge to meet the riders who would be assembling at Cambridge BP. This year’s ride had two start points, the Hamilton Tristram St BP at 7.00 am followed by Cambridge BP at 7.15 am.

I prepared the bike on Saturday. Cleaned it and checked the tyres and oil.

On the Sunday morning it was up at 6.00 am, dressed, breakfast and away at 6.45.

I arrived at Cambridge to find 5 bikes already there including Mike Couchman from Whangarei. Mike had left home in Whangarei at 3 am. He had come down to ride with us and was then returning home afterwards.

The route for the ride had been carefully worked out by David. First stop was BP Wairakei via Rotorua, then Bay View BP Napier, then Waiouru via the Napier Taihape road (Gentle Annie Track). From Waiouru it was back to Hamilton via National Park, Tokaanu, Whakamaru and Te Awamutu.

It was an easy run to Wairakei through Rotorua, apart from the temperature. I can tell you that I was very glad I had heated grips. I was Tail End Charlie (tec)

A total of 15 bikes left Cambridge. At Wairakei we were met by another who was running late and came straight through from Hamilton. We arrived at Wairakei at 9.00 am and left at 9.30 for Napier. Again a nice uneventful run apart from the cold.

The next bike and human filling station was BP Bay View. Reached before 11 am. Departure time was 11.30. From there SH 50A and the SH 50 turning at Fernhill onto the Napier Taihape Road. It's a nice easy road for the first 20 to 30 kms. them the bends get tighter and the road starts to climb. The road crosses 3 river valleys and climbs up and over into each.

Heading up the first climb one of our riders on a BMW GS failed to take a bend and in Ulysses parlance had a "disgraceful dismount" I hope Bruce went out and bought another Lotto ticket. He was certainly very lucky. As far as I could see, apart from mud on the cyclinder, the bike was unmarked and the bruising to his ego, he was unmarked too. He was able to get back on and continue riding.

I was still tec. On a winding twisty road I prefer to ride at the rear and pick my own way and not hold anyone up. The result was I dropped behind as we dropped down into Kuripapango. At Kuripapango you cross the Ngaruroro, a major river which drains the Kaweka Range. You then immediately start to climb the " true Gentle Annie". The whole road is often referred to as the Gentle Annie. Apparently according to Kiwi Biker forums the hill is named after a women who in distant memory was the owner / manager of the Road House which used to be at Kuripapango in the long distant past.

I was first over this road nearly 3 years ago on four wheels. At that stage there was nearly 30kms of metal road. The Gentle Annie hill was sealed however. As I came over the bridge and commenced my ascent another group of bikes was coming down. The road here is narrow and it was interesting to see two or three adjusting their lean angle as they saw me coming up towards them.

On the other side of the Annie you drop into another river valley, then climb out and over into the Rangitikei river valley. You then pass the isolated community at Erehwon (no where spelt backwards), then a small community called Moawhango. Shortly after you reach the turn off which takes you out to SH 1 instead of going the further 9 kms down into Taihape. From there it was only a few kms up the road to Waiouru. The next stop was at the Army Museum cafe. The others had only just arrived moments before me when I arrived just after 2 pm.

The remainder of the ride was on relatively main roads. SH 49 to Ohakune and out to SH 4 and up to National Park. From there it was up SH 47 to Lake Taupo and then up the "Western Access" road to Whakamaru.

It was on this road that I had a little fright. I had spied a nice straight stretch down a hill suitable to overtake a car. I wound my throttle around a little, as you do and my speed would have been a little north of the speed limit. I didn't see it until I was on it. There was one of those pretty white and blue cars with the nice lights on top.

I was fully expecting him to be out and after me. I worried a little about that for the few kms. Perhaps he had other things to do or he didn't like the idea of mixing in with a whole group of bikes.

At Whakamaru we had another brief stop said our farewells and it was a free ride home. I was in home at about 6 pm with on 790 kms on my trip meter and only 2 fills of Petrol at Napier and again at Te Awamutu. The range is one of the best aspects of owning an ST 1300. I could have done the extra 10 kms by heading into the start point at the Waikato Commerce Club and home again. I thought about it but decided no.