Ride Friday 21st Nov

**Andrew** · 19th November 2003, 09:50

Ok, here's the deal. School is out exams are over and some serious unwinding has to be done.

Hence I'll be going on a ride to The Grand Chateau in Whakapapa Village. Why? to buy an over priced club sandwhich at their Pihanga Cafe.

Meet at Caltex Bombay 9am. Will wait until 9.20 before leaving, even if nobody shows. My Cell phone number is 021-1062704.
BTW I will be going via Otrohonga.

**Antallica** · 19th November 2003, 10:20

Bugger, I'm workin 9am-12pm on Friday...

WHAT A WORLD!!!!

**MikeL** · 19th November 2003, 10:27

Would be there like a shot if it was after 3 December (start of my holiday)...
Have a great ride Andrew.

**Coldkiwi** · 19th November 2003, 11:33

I'd join ya Andrew but i have to do some WORK. yes... work... that place that every month or so you turn up at! I was beginning to think that Rosco had fired you!

**Andrew** · 19th November 2003, 12:26

Originally posted by Coldkiwi
I'd join ya Andrew but i have to do some WORK. yes... work... that place that every month or so you turn up at! I was beginning to think that Rosco had fired you!

No no don't tell Rosco, as far as hes concerned I'm finishing up exams till the end of the week and thats how its going to stay. Why don't you just throw a sickie and join me, the guilt doesn't take long to wear off!

Plus when I was at Whakapapa a couple of months ago snowboarding, there were a lot of nice babes!! I can't work out weather its just that all girls look good on snow, or weather only good looking girls seem to go on the snow. I'll work that one out over a club sandwhich. Oh and CK, 'happy beer fridge filling' if you don't decide to come!!

**bikerboy** · 19th November 2003, 17:03

UGH !

Fridays are the only week day I CAN't go riding. Have fun for us, Andrew.

PS keep your toes up mate,

**Firefight** · 19th November 2003, 20:42

Hm, now I'll have to think about this, okay I'll come, may even have new bike by then, if not won't hurt to throw a few more kms on the trade., hope I don't cramp your style.

firefight

**Andrew** · 19th November 2003, 21:50

You cramp my style ay? Well all my fairings are currently off and will stay like that until the bike gets serviced on Wednesday. One queston though - How cold does National Park get this time of year?

**matthewt** · 19th November 2003, 22:02

Originally posted by Andrew
One queston though - How cold does National Park get this time of year?

Not very cold. I was there a month ago and it was fine.

**Steve Taly** · 20th November 2003, 07:55

Andrew,are you planning to go to Whakapapa and back in the one day?might be able to tag along some of the way,will just have to try organise around that thing called work.

**Andrew** · 20th November 2003, 08:21

Yep I'm planning on going there and back in a day. It would be good if you could make it

**Firefight** · 20th November 2003, 14:44

Originally posted by Andrew
You cramp my style ay? Well all my fairings are currently off.....

What I ment was cramp your style with all these babes you think you are going to meet, ps will we be stopping into Taupo to see your new G/F ?

Opp's thats right , what happens on the ride stays on the ride

.

Any way looks like the new bike will not be on the road till
monday

, so all those kays will have to go on the
trade

cu @ bombay Friday am.

firefight

**Andrew** · 21st November 2003, 22:50

Wow what an awesome day. Firefight and I (minus CK or Rosco cos they were working) went to Whakapapa.

It was decided that a most direct route should be taken down, due to the length of the ride.
From Bombay we turned off at Ngaruawahia (sp?) and conquered a load of sweepers toward Otrohonga.

The first stop was at Otorohonga, for a snack at a local bakery. These out of auckland bakeries are sooo cheap. Like $1 for a can of coke.

Somewhere between Otorohanga and Taumaranui we stumbled upon a couple of trucks in a paddock which were transferring their load. Firefight being an ex-truck driver couldn't resist a yarn to this strange sight. I just kept quiet and took the pictures, not quite knowing what to make of the whole situation.

Once at Te Kuiti I noticed the temperature started to drop. Perhaps this was because we were going up on the central plateau.

Many twisties later we find ourselves at National Park. The mountain was ready for Kiwibiker to leave its mark. When ascending the moutain from Whakapapa village I noticed the power from my engine dropped right off. It felt like I was riding a nifty 50 up the mount! It took me a little while to firgure out that the alititude was screwing up my carburation.

Instead of the original idea of having lunch at LE GRAND CHATEAU, I opted for fish and chips at the cafe on the ski field. A lot cheaper and somehow tasted better at that altitude! When lunch had settled it was time to take a couple of pics of the mountain just to make all you Friday workers jealous.
It was 3 degrees on the mount and the snow was pretty much non existant when compared to peak season.

On the way back, between Taumarunui and Te Kuiti there was a road diversion. The main road had been closed due to crash, and hence a diversion of narrow roads had to be taken. This diversion was not very fun. There was a lot of unsealed road and it took us up to an hour out of our tracks. I just hope nobody was too badly hurt in that accident.

On the way back there were a couple of food stops, one at Otorohonga and at Bombay.
Overall a really awesome day, but 10 hours and 738 k'ms later, I'm pretty tired and can't really elaborate too much more on todays fun. What did you make of it Firefight?

**Firefight** · 22nd November 2003, 15:30

Yes Andrew, a great day

Love that Ngarawahi to otrohonga road, great corners, for those wondering the B train ( double trailer artic,) had gone off the road the night B4, jumped a ditch, and ended up in the paddock shinny side up, not a bad effort given he was doing about 100 kmh when he left the road, good driver skills, or maybe the trucks load (20 tonne of "Lift" soft drink) had something to do with it

,, any way the roads were good. saw a few cops not too bad, the detour was a pain, but its always good to remeber when it happens, someone else has had some bad luck, and is a lot worse off.

thanks again for your company Andrew

firefight.

**Andrew** · 28th December 2003, 18:33

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

I'd join ya Andrew but i have to do some WORK. yes... work... that place that every month or so you turn up at! I was beginning to think that Rosco had fired you!

Lol I wonder why I didn't get a Christmas bonus this year!