Should I take the bike or the cage this w/e?

**Conquiztador** · 14th August 2009, 22:32

Originally Posted by MaxB

Hmm. I guess its a question of "Will it affect you at work if you show up at the conference looking like a drowned rat?"

If no then ride.

The critical bit would be the Welly leg. If you can stay dry you will be set for the day.

Reason I plan to start the ride at 5am so I have some time to get sorted when I arrive at the conference. Have done the ride in under 3 hours, but with the anticipated rain it might be pushing it a fraction.

**Ixion** · 14th August 2009, 22:33

Why not leave now on the bike, and take the scenic route? That saves having to leave at such an impractical ungodly hour.

**Conquiztador** · 14th August 2009, 22:36

Originally Posted by Ixion

Why not leave now on the bike, and take the scenic route? That saves having to leave at such an impractical ungodly hour.

But then I could not sit here posting on KB and drinking a glass of Chianti!

**fridayflash** · 14th August 2009, 22:45

id take the bike if i had more time up my sleeve or if i had no
other option, but in situations like this the car with the heater and
radio and hot coffee in the cup holder is very attractive

**ready4whatever** · 14th August 2009, 22:53

fill the bike with the company card

**Metalor** · 14th August 2009, 23:37

I only have a bike, and ride rain hails or shine. But riding for hours in the rain isn't fun, gotta nana round all the corners, you still get wet through your wet weather gear.

Use the company car, save the bike for a day you can have some fun on it!

**Conquiztador** · 15th August 2009, 00:22

At 12.21am I am still taking the bike...

**CookMySock** · 15th August 2009, 01:46

Originally Posted by Conquiztador

the weather is packing up ... So clearly I will get wet.

Strike 1.

Originally Posted by Conquiztador

I don't have any hi tech wet weather gear.

Strike 2.

Originally Posted by Conquiztador

And ride with open face helmet.

Strike 3 and you're out. Tempting innit, but I think you will freeze your nuts off.. Dangerously so.. and I think you will be stopped somewhere too cold to proceed.

Different story if you can borrow a full set of thermals, cordura, and a fullface helmet. I'd do it then without hesitation, especially with a heated jacket, when the weather is irrelevant.

Why the fuck don't you have some cordura?

Steve

**Conquiztador** · 15th August 2009, 05:09

Bike it is. Later.

**Elysium** · 15th August 2009, 06:24

Because it's business I'd take the car. In fact its pissing down with rain outside my window as I'm typing this.

**StoneY** · 15th August 2009, 07:38

Ok its Saturday Morning in the legendary 'Nui where rumor has it if its wet or cold, its simply wetter AND colder- AND it lovely and balmy at 8 deg C and DRY

Get on ya damn bike- the weatherman has lied again (well over estimated)

**fridayflash** · 15th August 2009, 09:09

goodonya quiz, hope you have a good trip.

**ducatilover** · 15th August 2009, 09:19

Originally Posted by StoneY

Ok its Saturday Morning in the legendary 'Nui where rumor has it if its wet or cold, its simply wetter AND colder- AND it lovely and balmy at 8 deg C and DRY

Get on ya damn bike- the weatherman has lied again (well over estimated)

Oh dear, not wainui?

**Conquiztador** · 16th August 2009, 22:32

Back home safe and tired.

Left at 5.45am on Sat and rode to Wellington where the conference was held at the Airport. Was a brilliant trip and no rain before I hit the Welly motorway. But that is just a norm with Welly. Was all sorted and at the conference seated at 9.15. The only misshap was at the last roundabout up by the airport. I was travelling at approx 50k/h and leaned in to the roundabout (leaning left) and the frontwheel went sliding on the greasy surface. By quickly turning right with the handlebars I got traction again but ended up going the wrong way in the roundabout. A couple in a black Jap car looked surprised seing this biker going past their nose. So nothing apart from a freight the outcome!

At 4.45pm I was all packed up and on the road for NP. I had grabbed one of those parking "pay when you leave" tickets for the bike when entering. As I had no cash on me I was planning to pay at the gate when I left by EFT-POS. But it was all automated. And will only accept credit cards. I had my ticket and EFT-POS card ready and the wallet safely tucked inside my leather jackets chest pocket under double closed oil skin ankle long jacket. There was no way I was gonna to open up all just to pay when they could not even have a decent user friendly setup. So I rode round the gate and was on my way. So bite me!

Nice trip Welly to NP. Did se a very clear shooting star, so wished for a Lotto win and purchased the winning ticket at Bulls. But somehow the Lotto printer at the 4square was faulty as it did not take in to account my wish and ruthlessly provided me a useless piece of paper for my $15.

After Bulls it got dark so I cut down the traveling speed to approx 100k/h as I am not familiar with the roads and there are some suprising corners. Also, sadly, old age is catching up and my night vision is not what it used to be. At Stratford it all turned in to peasoup. The air was filled with this thick mist that was really wet and made up of billions of needle sharp small raindrops. Did not matter what I did, I could see aboslutley nothing. So had to travel at approx 30k/h to NP swearing and cursing. As a result I arrived one hour later then my planned 8.45pm.

Today I cancelled the ambitious plan to travel through the National Park, past Mt Ruapehu and Taupo as there was rain everywhere. (Well apart from NP, but at Inglewood it was already raining heavily). Left at 1.45pm and with full on rain all the way, I got home to Napier at 6.45pm. From Wanganui through Bulls to Dannevirke the heavens really opened.

I did see two other bikers. A HD rider who was easily doing 140k/h passing cars on the yellow line coming towards me. And while I filled up fuel in Bulls, a Duke rider who passed towards Wanganui, but not w/o enthusiastically waving at me, where I stood at the petrol station, I gave him a wave back. Our two waves said so much more then words could ever try to in a quick moment. As he lifted his left hand high above his head and turned towards me while riding past, this simple gesture said: "Hi dude, I see that I am not the only one who is crazy enough to ride in this weather. You take care out there and might catch you somewhere for a beer a sunny day". My reply wave where I stood by my bike putting my gear back on said: "Thank's dude. Yep we must have screw loose to do this. You ride safe too. I look forward to that beer".

Now after an hour soaking in a hot bath I feel human again. Tomorrow I will hang up the gear to dry. Have had enough of wet stuff for one w/e.