Labour weekend

[Lou Girardin]

Wasn't the weather great! Only managed to get a ride on Monday. Auck - Dargaville - Portland, then home via Waipu coast road. Traffic was quite heavy from Portland south, but it was still great to be on the road. The Dargaville - Maungatapere road has to be one of the best, good surface, nice mix of sweepers and tight stuff and little traffic. Lots of bikes out too. ( and the IRD traffic section was busy making the roads safe)
Lou

[Duke of Rogan]

the weekend was (mosyly) good for me, until Sunday....

I rode up on Friday from home to Doubtless Bay on SH1, made it as far as Kaeo where my headlight gave out. Had to follow a mate behind his car for another 40 mins in the dark until we reached the Bay.

so Sunday was going to be my big ride home day, during which I planned to take it easy and see the sights from Kaitia, Oponuni, Maungamuku's, then south to Dargaville via SH12 through the Waipoua (spell?) forest.

I made it most of the way through the forest, which incidently has ZERO signs warning riders/drivers of upcoming corners and their recommended speeds.

I got caught out by one particular big, blind left hander, that turns sharply into an even sharper left hander after going around the blind spot. As a result I got too wide and ran into a 4x4 going the other way


the bike is toast, and my worst injury is to my right hand (2 broken metacarpals), and I have a seriously bruised old fella from the impact with the tank. farkin lucky really.

so this is a warning to all other riders going through that forest, TAKE IT EASY! there are no corner signs! (lame excuse sorry )

[georgedubyabush]

Oh damn, that sucks. With so much shade it can be a bit slippery in there too.

Did you get to check out the sights of Rawene Hospital then?

[Duke of Rogan]

nah mate, I wasn't bad enuf to need an ambo, so I stayed at the scene until cop + towie showed, then got a lift to Dargaville med centre to be checked out.

the road was dry too, nice even seal, just no warnings.
that particular corner is the worst there too, so I said in my statement to the cop that I recommend a sign be installed for that corner atleast.
I suspect that no signs exist 'cos the authoritys wish to preserve the forests "natural beauty"...

reckon I might give the LTSA a call and check out the crash history

[georgedubyabush]

You should've tried our free Hokianga healthcare system.

So what's on the shopping list?

[Duke of Rogan]

shopping list : milk, bread, tea, arnica for the bruising...

have to wait for insurance payout, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to get a bike (would need a divorce first)
I don't think anyone will insure me either.

I'm gonna need something to get my speed fix with tho, so I was contemplating a low budget racing hobby, maybe motor-x, karting or bucket racing at the Mt Wellington kart track...

[bikerboy]

That sucks man. So sorry to hear. with all this bad luck around I may just stay in bed this weekend?

[Slim]

And I thought my Labour Weekend sucked because I had to work nights & sleep through all the gorgeous weather!

Sorry to hear your news, Duke, but relieved that you got off so lightly.

[jrandom]

Originally posted by Duke of Rogan
the weekend was (mosyly) good for me, until Sunday....

That sucks hugely, have a virtual pat on the shoulder bro. You're very lucky you got off with no major injuries. Hey, the bike was insured, you're out, what, a few hundred dollars and a busted hand? For running wide and hitting a 4x4, that's a *result*, I reckon (not meaning to trivialise it, of course!)

GWS and maybe have a think about getting a dirtbike with the insurance money, although I can fully sympathise with what you're likely dealing with from the missus at the moment...

[bikerboy]

..."think about getting a dirt bike"....... why, did r of g suffer brain damage?

[Duke of Rogan]

cheers guys

the wife has been really good about it all, she's very relieved the bikes gone and Im OK

after 2 near death crashes (first years ago on 250cc involving asian woman driver) I think its time to hang up my sports bike riding helmet, or whats left of it

so from now every time I see a bike on the open road I'll have a huge amount of envy.
maybe if I get a car I'll get the plate "BIKE NV"