Wellington riders: how about Sunday?

**Pickle** · 14th February 2004, 08:20

Originally Posted by kiwizrx

I could do with getting out of the house.

Have you finished doing renovations? and what about your sore hand?

Hang on... 8.30AM!?! What sort of time is that?

Have to agree with you here 8.30am????

Might make it; Doug, knock on the door on your way past will you?

Yea OK

(And what's this 636 as YOUR bike eh?)

Oh well it could be a KLR250 or even a Yam CT1

LB · 14th February 2004, 08:21

Originally Posted by Blink

whoever was riding that ducati 999 was going seriously fast... was amazing sound all the way down the valley

Chance are that was Dion, who had his piccie in the Dom Post a week or so ago, doing a burnout.

LB · 14th February 2004, 08:24

Originally Posted by k14

Ohh, i am riding down to wellington from new plymouth on sunday. Had planned to leave here at around 10. So i would be keen to meet some of you guys if you are going for a ride up northish somewhere. I dont mind having to take a semi detour.

Let me know if you want to meet up.

Might be a bit difficult, as I guess you'll be coming down SH1?

For a nicer ride if it's fine you could come over the Pahiatua Track and down through the Wairarapa. Maybe you could give me your mobile by PM and I could let you know where we are going to be around 1.30pm (my guess at around what time you'd be in the Martinborough vicinity). Anyone else got any suggestions for rendevous-ing? I'm not very good with logisitics.

LB · 14th February 2004, 08:52

Latest forecast on Stuff for Sunday is for periods of rain. Southerlies rising to gale.

If it is correct, I'm not keen on riding!

If it's really shit, we'll be at McDonalds in Upper Hutt, at the McCafe, around 8.45am.

We'll go to Caltex first to see if there's anyone there.

Of course, if the forecast is wrong, will be at Caltex on my Duc at 8.30am.

**k14** · 14th February 2004, 09:16

Yip, and 80kph winds. So looks like i will be having a great ride down

Don't worry about me. If the weather is shit, i wont be feeling like taking a detour. Cheers anyway.

**Deano** · 14th February 2004, 10:08

is anyone out there getting some practice in for the Gladstone Cliffhanger - I have never been on that road, so would like to meet up with some 'locals', or guys (or gals) with some track knowledge to perhaps follow up there a few times (if I can keep up haha)

Anyone heading there this weekend ?

**MrMelon** · 14th February 2004, 10:11

Originally Posted by merv

Mr Melon and Blink I presume that was you two cruising back on the Hutt Motorway about 8.30pm tonight?

Yep that was us.

It's so good to be back on the bikes again

We had swapped bikes when you saw us though.

**Skunk** · 14th February 2004, 17:39

Well the weathers turned to crap...

Guess I'll be 'in the house' again

LB · 14th February 2004, 19:08

Yep, the weather's crap. I can't see me being out on my bike, even if the forecast is only half right!

Will still be at the McDonald's McCafe in Upper Hutt just after 8.30am if anyone wants to join us for brekkie. Hamish and I will be wearing some sort of motorcycle t-shirt (just so you can recognise us!)

Deano: do you know where to go? Tomorrow may not be the best weather for it, but over to you. There's a map on the website, which is

http://www.cdd.co.nz/hillclimb.htm

LB · 14th February 2004, 19:10

Originally Posted by Deano

is anyone out there getting some practice in for the Gladstone Cliffhanger - I have never been on that road, so would like to meet up with some 'locals', or guys (or gals) with some track knowledge to perhaps follow up there a few times (if I can keep up haha)

Anyone heading there this weekend ?

If you see a guy on a GSXR1000 with a purple Bullson jacket, don't try to keep up with him. That's Tony Sampson from Masterton, who won it last year and came second the previous year by about 0.01 of a second. He's fast.

**Deano** · 14th February 2004, 19:18

Originally Posted by Lynda Blair

If you see a guy on a GSXR1000 with a purple Bullson jacket, don't try to keep up with him. That's Tony Sampson from Masterton, who won it last year and came second the previous year by about 0.01 of a second. He's fast.

Yes, 182kph average speed sounds pretty darn fast.

I have the map cheers, but the weather is likely to be crap so probably a no goer.

What happened to summer this year ??? Think I might buy a boat...

**Blink** · 15th February 2004, 10:35

/wakes up at 7:30

/looks out window

.....goes back to bed

grr at weather

**Hitcher** · 15th February 2004, 12:28

Well, what about this weather then?? As an avid "rain-gauger" I can report that as at 8:00am this morning, we have recorded almost exactly one third of our average annual rainfall. Not bad for week 7...

But it was fine on Friday night and, complete with newly-installed front right indicator, I took the Zrex for a tentative run to the top of the 'takas. There I had the priviledge of meeting for the first time an immaculately-attired Mr Jim2 who was on his way to Castlepoint for the weekend. I hope your weekend went well Jim. Home via the Haywards and Grays Road.

Saturday, despite the forecast, dawned fine. Mrs H informed me that the forecast for the Wairarapa was fine, so we jumped into our best riding kit, dragged the covers off the kids and away we went.

It was heap windy over the 'takas -- a westerly and the downhill run to Featherston was about the worst we've encountered. Some clown on a black Buell (wearing, would you believe, one of those stockman's coats) nearly killed himself trying to overtake a big Linfox rig on an blind lefthander just before the first passing lane on the way up. He managed to hold the thing up but got the arse very fishtailey under braking.

We were the only bikers at the Flying Fish, where it was hot and sunny. Some cycling club had an event organised and the participants were endlessly circling the Martinborough square, either waiting for a "start" signal, or their pensions, whichever came first. There's something about middle-aged men and lycra...

We then took the usual back road to Masterton via Gladstone which we had to ourselves. The weather south looked uninviting and the wind was building, so we decided to go with Plan B and go home via Alfredton, Pahiatua and Palmerston North. The closer we got to Pahiatua the worse the wind got. Trees down across the road -- the whole 7.5m. I hit one heart-stopping gust on a sharpish righthander just prior to Pahiatua. It was black and obviously raining over the Pahiatua track. Mrs H opted to phone a friend in Palmerston North for a forecast. After asking the audience (a wedding party) I opted for 50:50 and decided that the Manawatu Gorge was our best bet.

From Palmerston North, looking away to the south, it was black as midnight in the bowels of a polled Angus. So we stopped at ANZA and I replaced my mauled overtrousers with some new water-repellent ones.

Very windy again to Levin. Then dear readers, about 150m south of the Kimberley turnoff, what did we strike but the tailback from the Otaki roundabout!! All of the cagers were out riding the double-yellow so we had no option but to go down the left. Even so, it took us close on two hours to get home from Levin. Unbelieveable!!

We stopped at McKays Crossing to don our wets and just as well. The heavens opened shortly afterwards. At least it wasn't cold and the wind had stopped by then as well. It was good to get home and our various indoor drying racks are now laden with apparel and luggage. None-the-less a great Valentine's day was had...

**k14** · 15th February 2004, 12:59

Well, i didnt quite get to wellington but if it is as bad as taranaki then i am glad i turned back.

Got blown onto the grass verge doing around 70kph just south of hawera and took that as a sign of things to come. So i turned around. Completly soaked to the bone and freezing my nuts off. Changed the ferry from tomorrow to tuesday, so will have part 2 tomorrow (hopefully).

**Hitcher** · 15th February 2004, 13:04

Originally Posted by k14

Well, i didnt quite get to wellington but if it is as bad as taranaki then i am glad i turned back.

Got blown onto the grass verge doing around 70kph just south of hawera and took that as a sign of things to come. So i turned around. Completly soaked to the bone and freezing my nuts off. Changed the ferry from tomorrow to tuesday, so will have part 2 tomorrow (hopefully).

Smart move mate. I hope the weather improves tomorrow (proably will, seeing's it's Monday... Sigh)