Forgotten Highway ride 23 May 2010

[ynot slow]

Oh I know what you mean,its a hard life when one has to GLC alone

Is a tough life boy(in deepest southern drawl).

Ride safe people,bit greasy after rain and spilt silage by road from feedout wagons on F/H adds to normal hazards.

[dogsnbikes]

Looking forward to it,oh how I miss the country and its hazards


trying to convince mel to take the long way to NP today rather than the cage track

[banditrider]

Palmy riders: suggest we meet at BP Rangitiki and leave at 8?

[SuperSonic]

Palmy riders: suggest we meet at BP Rangitiki and leave at 8?

Ok sounds good to us, just have to get an early night.........................................NOT lol I went out to the local pubs last night and got ID Man I am SO young

[ynot slow]

Ok sounds good to us, just have to get an early night.........................................NOT lol I went out to the local pubs last night and got ID Man I am SO young

Skite,enjoy the ID thing,I was 2 days off 22 birthday and asked.

[Qkchk:Me]

Looking forward to reading up on a report after you guys get back tomorrow. We plan on riding the Forgotten Highway during Queens Birthday weekend (while down for the KB Gathering in Turangi) provided the weather plays ball. Would be helpful to find out the road conditions.......

[cowboyz]

report coming but dont expect a good one... didnt make it to the top of the hill before the hospital before throwing the 9 down the road and putting both me and Mrs C in the emergency dept for the day. Its weird how quickly things can turn to shite.

[Genie]

report coming but dont expect a good one... didnt make it to the top of the hill before the hospital before throwing the 9 down the road and putting both me and Mrs C in the emergency dept for the day. Its weird how quickly things can turn to shite.

oh my friends...i'm so glad you got to tell us yourself. do hope you are both not too bruised and sore. oh dear.....how is Mrs C???

[banditrider]

report coming but dont expect a good one... didnt make it to the top of the hill before the hospital before throwing the 9 down the road and putting both me and Mrs C in the emergency dept for the day. Its weird how quickly things can turn to shite.

Yes, would have preferred to take in more than just the first 500m of the FH! At least the pair of you are not too badly knocked around and here to talk about it. Looks like Meanie was a champion again and got you back safe and sound - top bloke! Take it easy and look after the bumps & bruises. Will put up some pics soon...

[Gone Burger]

report coming but dont expect a good one... didnt make it to the top of the hill before the hospital before throwing the 9 down the road and putting both me and Mrs C in the emergency dept for the day. Its weird how quickly things can turn to shite.

So sorry to hear that. I hope you are both doing O.K and are at home resting up now? Take it easy you two... Sounds like you might be getting a good long sleep tonight?

[chanceyy]

report coming but dont expect a good one... didnt make it to the top of the hill before the hospital before throwing the 9 down the road and putting both me and Mrs C in the emergency dept for the day. Its weird how quickly things can turn to shite.

Ouch .. not good, but good your here to tell us about it aye. Hope you both not too sore

[dogsnbikes]

Was looking to be a good day had a great run in from Stratford after Tx chat with Cowboyz say we would meet him at the tunnel,

After arriving 12:25 I said to Melissa they are late,the reply was "whats new with cowboyz" we waited for 45 minutes and decided to head back to whongamomona for a very small flat white but the burger was Mint,spoke to other riders who had come from Taumarinui and ask if they had seen Cowboyz,no one had and they hadn't even seen any bikes there so we decide to head back to Stratford,knowing something wasn't right but with no phone coverage in that area we didn't have much choice and needed to be home by 5.....

So with the trip out being even better we had a great days ride even down to the point of being pulled over.... aren't policemen wonderful people ....no ticketmust of been that part of Melissa saying we are missing some friends they were meant to meet us and didn't show up and we have no idea why

we knew when I got meanies tx just before 4 that he sent at 12:01


So get well Lance and bobbie just wasn't a mint day after all............ we even left a message at the tunnel for you Pic's to Come

[cowboyz]

well.. day started early as looked real promising. headed out from Huka falls lodge in the mist and fog. Visibility was less than about 2m but had a fun ride over weatern bay road, western access and some fantastic scenery on SH41. Got to Taumaranui about 10.15 for some breaky.

Waited round for Bandit rider, Brian, sonic and Mrs Sonic before heading towards the FH.

Thinking back it was all a comedy of errors as such - just not that funny.

I was so keen to get going I didnt align my earpiece on the intercom properly, my leathers were 3/4 done up (under my jersey I was wearing) and my helmet was just wrong.

As we headed up the hill (like still in town!) I was messing around trying to get my helmet right and feeling rather uncomfortable. So as I was trying to get myself sorted instead of stopping and doing it properly I was sorting everything out on the fly. So wasnt paying any attention to where I was riding. So I was drifting across the road. When I got round to actually putting my mine on the job I was right on the white line and a car was coming down the hill.. I was riding one handed and steered the bike back into my lane thinking to myself.. This is silly. Right then the front gave a bit of a wobble... I did a knee jerk reaction and all of a sudden the bike flicked out from under us and we were sliding down the road.
I was REALLY surprised to be sliding down the road. It was like... WTF just happened??
Mrs C fell really hard and rolled like FOREVER!
I slid for about 20 m before leaving the 9 to finish the journey on its own.
ambo showed up and checked us out. I hate doctors and am fine so Mrs C was the min prioirty. She has torn the tendon in her middle finger. Her gear really stood up to the knock and mine did an awesome job of being destroyed while leaving me in tact.
so after a few hours in the emergency dept of taumarnui hospital we were released and headed back to cafe for coffee and a moan. Really really annoyed about throwing bike away. Especially being as it was my own stupid fault. Feels even worse with the 'what could have beens' with wifey on the back.
Huge ... and I mean HUGE thanks to BR,Brian, Sonic and Mrs Sonic for the help at the scene. No one paniced.. No unnessacceary running round in circles. Everyone held there head and got all the important boxes checked. Big Sorry to sonic for making him miss the FH ride. It really wasnt surposed to go like this....
And last but by no means least, Meanie! Always there to lend a hand even if it meant driving 3hours (ahem) out of his way to pick up some muppet who cant ride round corners. Told you I was gonna get you to FH today!

Anyhow, pics here. feel free to surmise about the weather, slippery roads, white lines or anything else that proves without a doubt that this wasnt my fault- its the kiwibiker way - but having clicked over 150,000k on the 9 in some way worse conditions than today I cant help but think if I had taken 2 mins to check myself and pay attention I would still be on holiday sitting in a spa somewhere in Taranaki trying to get lucky with my wife.

[cowboyz]

more pics.....

[SuperSonic]

The FH will still be there for a while yet, we're just glad you & Mrs C are ok.