The Excellent Adventures of.. Trudes

Originally Posted by Mrs Kendog

Well, what a day!!! Warning, a long boring post to follow

Pamela left on Skunk's 8 bike trailer on Thursday morning bound for Christchurch with the majority of the other Wellington bucketeers bikes. Report came through that night that she'd made it safe and sound, yahh!
Kendog and I flew down early Saturday morning on the same flight as Fishy, and we were collected from the airport by the lovely SpeedyGirl. Arrived at Ruapuna to find the Welly team all set up and running the bikes through scrutineering. Str8jacket's pitbitch, the ever sexy Koba was kindly taking Pammy to be looked over, so after a quick hug and hello to the team we signed in. Pammy needed some extra cosmetics to be track fit, so the boys sorted that for me and she was passed as being sexy and ready to roll!

Fluffed about, made a pilgrimage to the loos to get suited up and then got shuffled out on to the track for a couple of practice laps to see the track. Christchurch bucketeers are spoiled with such a cool track (not that the slipway isn't cool... ), loads of fun to be had here!! So that was all good and Pamela said she was ready to be ridden a little harder next time.
Just before the F4 buckets were called up for the first 6 lap race I realised Pamela really liked to go left and wanted to die when turned right, so AJ, Bayden and Skunk had a play and discovered that she didn't like having her cables restricted, so she was relieved of some cable ties and was ready to go.

Had a good first race, the pace is definitely fast here and the corners are fast compared to the slipway, was just starting to feel like we could have some fun on this track and start moving around a bit and try some new things when it was time to come in, but figured we'd have plenty of time to try these things during the 55min BOB race. This was not to be...
The wind picked up and the sky darkened, it was definitely going to rain, so Kendog and I donned our wet weather gear over our leathers ready for the BOB. Sully had 15 minutes to attempt an engine transplant on the Sled before the race and as good teams do, we all mucked in to try and help, alas, it was not to be and a FXR was produced for him to ride (awesome, god I love bucket people's generosity!)

So we all lined up and out on the track we went for a warm-up lap for the big race! It had started to rain and get cold grrrr. I went out at the back and was coming up the straight when I spotted a yellow Welly shirt lying on the side of the track, slowed up to find it was Miss Str8... pulled over, she was in some pain, so acted as a side stand while Sully got her bike off the track and Kendog and he attended to the broken jacket. All into the pits again to await the return of the ambulance with miss str8 then out we went again.
Got away to a start this time and the carnage began. One by one the competition fell by the wayside, crashes, broken bikes, cold arses and fingers ended people's racing, meanwhile Pamela and I chugged on. There was no fancy riding going on with us (is there ever? ha!), slow and steady and finish the race was our motto and that's what we did.

I kept a watch of how many of my Welly team mates were still riding out there as the field got smaller and smaller until there was only Kendog, Sully, Fishy, AJ and I left. I was fairly warm and happy and had attached my watch to Pammy's handle bars to keep an eye on the time, which was really handy and could see we were coming to the late stages and knew we had to finish. We were encouraged along by the passing arse slaps from several riders and thumbs up from others as they passed us, which was kewl.

Finally the white last lap flag was produced thankfully as I was starting to wonder just how much longer Pamela would hold on out there, she was starting to make a rattley noise and wriggle her bum around in the corners. Then we saw Kendog just up ahead of us, so we put our heads down into the wind, changed down a gear and managed to lap him for a second time just before the hairpin as I knew we could out brake him (sorry honey!). Rounded the last corner, just about lost it and past the chequered flag.... Yahhhhh!! We finished!!!

Came off the track very carefully not wanting to finish then drop Pammy on the diesel on the way into the pits, was greeted with my team mates grins and congratulations which made it all worthwhile (Go Team!!) The wonderful Skunk Control helped me off Pammy and I was told to go get some food, but felt I needed to get my Pammy sorted and onto the trailer before I did anything else, so we did that then visited the lovely Joni for a couple of delicious bread rolls to feed the Kendog team (thanks Joni, your chutney is yummy!!) Bundled dripping wet into SpeedyGirl's car and delivered to Dangerous and Rashika's warm cosy home for a well earned beer, rest and a fun evening of drinking, eating, talking crap, playing in the snow and laughing at Miss Str8jacket's funny feet sticking out of her fresh new cast (heel up my fellow Welly chick team mate)

Early morning trip to the airport (thanks again Rashika and Dangerous), for a lovely picturesque flight home to Welly. Pamela is due home tomorrow in Skunk's care again, for a well earned rest in the garage... what a good girl!

I am so proud of my girl and of myself too actually, I achieved what I set out to do, had a truck load of fun and was left wanting more... really wanted to do the North vs South race, but the weather wanted us to go and drink, so who were we to argue!

A massive thanks to everyone who organised the BOB and helped out there at the track, it's a crap load of work and when the weather doesn't play nice, it can't be pleasant freezing your bum off so other people can have fun and act like goons! I intend on being back next year, however Pamela will be retired by then and Rangi da Munta will meet Ruapuna! Thanks to Dangerous and Rashika for your hospitality, you guys are awesome!

Lastly thanks so much to my Welly Massif team mates. You guys are awesome and a real inspiration. You made me feel so much like a part of the team and inspired me to get out there and go, ummm hardish!
And as always extra special big thank you to Skunk and Skunk Control for all the extra miles you both go to to help me and Pamela, all without a grumble especially when you have your own bike issues to contend with!!!
And my darling honey bunny hubby, who is a pretty decent pitbitch and didn't try and push me off when I passed him, I love you!

So until the next exciting *cough* update from the Pamela files.... over and out, time for a nana nap!