Righthander, country road, cow shit, munted Shiver

[Hitcher]

Life is a sequence of moments. We make choices. We reap consequences for those.

Some of today's moments were spectacular. A sharp morning frost, resulting in both Upper Hutt and the Wairarapa being blanketed in fog. Near freezingly blanketed. Chilly but beautiful.

Good company, good food and good coffee at Tui's in Martinborough.

A Shiver greatly enjoying its new Road Attack 2s and the warm sun after the fog burned off.

Favourite roads. Mauriceville came and went. I was greatly enjoying the wonderful sweeping corners and the rare treat of a sunny winter's day. In my head I was penning a tribute to Herr Continental and his fabulous new tyres.

Shortly after Hastville I was rounding a righthander and noted the road was liberally festooned with cow shit, as country roads often are. I ran wide to avoid it, running out of seal in the process. Wet grassy verges are particularly unsympathetic to two-wheeled vehicles. Classic lowside. Fucking ouch.

Bye bye RH mirror. All manner of stuff bent and broken but the bike looking straight and complete enough to be rideable. Sundry componentry retrieved and stowed in or strapped to my tailbag. Vegetation extracted from crooks and nannies, riding apparel brushed down. Piripiri loves Velcro. I must write that on the back of a toilet door somewhere sometime.

So back out to SH2 and then south to Masterton at reasonable sedate speed because I no longer have an attachable helmet visor.

Stopping for gas at Mobil on the bypass, I note evidence of green alien blood, including on the RH leg of my riding trousers. Shiver not overheating, but I decide to keep a close eye on the temperature gauge for the return to Ngaio.

The hill was in great nick on the return home. Even with squiffy handlebars and no functioning rear brake pedal, Shiver and its Road Attack 2s coped with it effortlessly.

Safely home. Right ankle very sore. Major sulking going on. Phonecalls to make first thing tomorrow morning. Sigh.

Thanks to Great Mates and particularly to Mrs H for not smacking me around the head. I guess after nearly 25 years together she knows what works and what doesn't in that regard.

Thanks too for unsolicited offers of assistance in the form of a trailer from the Kiwi Biker Catering Corps in Greytown.

Did I mention that I was sore and sulking? So too is Shiver. Sorry about that Shiver.

[Jantar]

Damn, that sucks. Good to hear that your basically OK though.

[Dogboy900]

Bugger!

Glad you and Shiver were in a fit state to ride back.

Was over that way in the car with a trailer this morning, felt pretty jealous of the bikes going through. Looked like a good day to be out and about on two wheels

[spacemonkey]

Bummer mate.... at least your not seriously hurt.

[Bikemad]

bad luck man ..........gettin home under ya own steam in one piece is a good bonus though after such an event

[sunhuntin]

i dont know how you can take something like an off and make it into an amusing read. sucks about your bin, but im glad you are mostly ok and the shiver can hopefully be repaired.

its a pity they cant take dna from cow shit to locate the offending herd and then whoever was meant to be in control of that herd.

went for a ride to palmy today. encountered fog along the road by whangahu [or however the hell its spelt!] and then a herd of cows being shifted just outside turakina. wonderful owners had obviously kept them off feed for the shift, as i only saw one small pile on the side of the road.

[Big Dave]

Bike: Machine. They break. Fix it. And you've got all the numbers on speed dial already.

You: Commiserations. Get well soon.

[Okey Dokey]

OUCH! The Shiver won't feel any worse tomorrow morning and I hope your ankle doesn't, either...

Sorry to hear of your mishap.

[crystalball]

I heard on fb that someone binned off riding in the welly riders group as well today. sorry to hear about your bin as well.

[nothingflash]

Ouch - bugger. Could have been worse (says the obvious guy)...

[FJRider]

The sulking will end, repairs made, and life as you (we) know it WILL go on. YOU are still here are to see it ... so smile. Things could be a dam sight more serious ... (I hate biker down theads)

Decisions and choices are funny things .... right ONE day ... WRONG the next. Get it right, and life is wonderful. Get it wrong ....

Good to see you have posted ... a good sign.

[doc]

Major sulking going on. Phonecalls to make first thing tomorrow morning. Sigh.

The wait for parts will be a bigger sulk. At least it wasn't a speedo

[marty]

was there a reversing Rav4 somewhere?

[FJRider]

The wait for parts will be a bigger sulk. At least it wasn't a speedo

or a spark plug (or two)....

[Ocean1]

Bugger.

Thought that fog was out to get me today too.

The foot, elevate it. Apply frozen peas if indicated.

The bike sounds mostly cosmetic, and for next time: those twin-wall handlebars don't bend so easy.