The Weather in Welly is bitter cold today

[merv]

Is he the bloke with the DR650 who keep nicking my park?

I'd say yep.

[vifferman]

No it surely is not. Riding in this morning first thought was 'hmmm, wish I had my jacket lining in'.

Hah - I put mine in a few days ago, then thought I could've waited a while, as I was too warm some days. Then last night, I thought, "Hmmmm... it's snowing somewhere." This morning I put my neckwarmer thingo in my Teknic jacket, and was warm as toast. Apart from my fingers. But I'll get used to it - I wore the same glubs (Spidi Pro-1) all year round last year, and the year before. Except when it was precipitating down (which it does occasionally in D'Auckland, apparently...) Still, some new gear is always good to have, and I've nearly worn a hole in one finger of the Pro-1s. Strangely, it's the "rude gesturing" finger...

Anyway - this is all relative: I rode to work every day bar one in Christchurch (black ice that day), including when it was snowing. And I didn't have no fancy jacket with thermal liner and neck warmer thingo then.

[MD]

I rode to work every day bar one in Christchurch (black ice that day), including when it was snowing. And I didn't have no fancy jacket with thermal liner and neck warmer thingo then.

Ah they bred us Riders tough in Chch. I did my early riding years in Chch. No fancy gortex stuff and armour for us. I remember taking the dirk bike to work one day because the snow was too deep for the CB400F. Now that was a fun commute.
MD

[matthewt]

Ah they bred us Riders tough in Chch.

Ahhhh, another "mainlander"

Yer, I commuted in ChCh in my fairydown windbreaker for ages. Mind you the traffic is pretty soft down there.

Have gone the gortex jacket way now, mainly for weather and the commute now includes SH2 instead of just Ferry Road.

[matthewt]

Actually Hitcher, it wasn't TOO bad.

Ha, busted you on the way home. Mangell6 was giving me a lift home when some crazed nutter on a fzr750 wearing a spool jacket come ripping between the two lanes heading towards Petone on SH2 doing 140 in a 70 !! OMG that's like 120 in a 50 !!!

(actually you were quite considerate and even indicated but the other stuff just sounded better).

We were going to pull up beside you to shout abuse but by the time we hit the Petone disco light you were too far ahead.

edit: note for those without a sense of humor, he wasn't actually speeding the 140 was for dramatic effect.

[Hitcher]

Mrs H has put in a request for heated grips for her birthday (handlebar grips, is my presumption). What are the best sort to get??

[MD]

Ahhhh, another "mainlander"

Yer, I commuted in ChCh in my fairydown windbreaker for ages. Mind you the traffic is pretty soft down there.

Us Mainlanders just keep coming out of the closet. Which do you think is the better riding spot, Port Hills & Akaroa or the Rimutakas-Wairarapa. Its been so long since I rode to Akaroa but being a Mainlander I have to favour Chch. Better made roads in the Sth Island and more variety
MD

[Hitcher]

Us Mainlanders just keep coming out of the closet. Which do you think is the better riding spot, Port Hills & Akaroa or the Rimutakas-Wairarapa. Its been so long since I rode to Akaroa but being a Mainlander I have to favour Chch. Better made roads in the Sth Island and more variety
MD

The Akaroa ride is longer and the scenery superb. I would have to give this the edge over the 'takas. The South Island may have better roads (and less traffic) but it also has lots of long, boring straight stuff.

[merv]

Us Mainlanders just keep coming out of the closet. Which do you think is the better riding spot, Port Hills & Akaroa or the Rimutakas-Wairarapa. Its been so long since I rode to Akaroa but being a Mainlander I have to favour Chch. Better made roads in the Sth Island and more variety
MD

I was 5 years in ChCh in the 70s and loved the peninsula to ride on, sealed and dirt roads. I guess most are sealed now but certainly more choice than just riding over the 'tukas, but Wairarapa isn't too bad except for the long flat bits getting to some of it. The snow in the winter above Akaroa or on Mt Bossu was always interesting.

On the dirt bikes we used to do the "line of the summit road" paper road that had never been built - can you still do that? Bridle path was another good one for a quick blat over to Lyttleton and back - is that still OK or have the do-gooders stopped bikes on that track?

[LB]

Mrs H has put in a request for heated grips for her birthday (handlebar grips, is my presumption). What are the best sort to get??

Hitcher: I'll have a chat to you - have tried several types (have had them on six of my bikes now - yeah, yeah I know I'm a woose but I'm a WARM woose)

Will you be on the ride Easter Monday? We're probably only going as far as M/borough (if the weather's not too too bad this weekend will be clocking over my 20,000km mark so won't go all the way (as it were) to Castlepoint).
Could chat to you there?

[LB]

I'm riding to Taranaki on friday - they are predicting over the North Island...at least where ever my bike is I expect.My diesel Nissan Vanette is not tempting me at all,but friday morning could be a test of will.

We're riding to Turangi (via paraparas/Nat Park/Taumarunui/SH41) with a friend who's learning on a 250. My will will be severly tested Friday AM also (a 6.30am start....) and if it's too too too bad I'll make Hamish take the car.

We're booked in for dinner at Valentinos for Friday and Saturday nights. A wonderful Italian restaurant in Turangi.

Will be contacting Ching and hopefully meeting up.

[LB]

Hitcher: have just read the "Wgtn ride Easter Monday" thread and see you will be there Monday.

Weather today ain't too bloody crash hot either - my fingers are freezing and I keep making more typos that normal - I think I need a heated keyboard.

[Ms Piggy]

Weather today ain't too bloody crash hot either - my fingers are freezing and I keep making more typos that normal - I think I need a heated keyboard.

Bloody cold all right but a amazing sunrise over Miramar this morning on my way to the airport! Really orange and purdy!! (Alas to the Airport to drop someone off & not go anywhere myself)

Heated keyboard sounds an excellent idea Lynda! C'mon you IT boys

[James Deuce]

but Wairarapa isn't too bad except for the long flat bits getting to some of it.
?

Merv, we have to go for a ride. You can get to Dannevirke from Caltex Upper Hutt without travelling for more than 1km in a straight line.

[James Deuce]

Bloody cold all right but a amazing sunrise over Miramar this morning on my way to the airport! Really orange and purdy!! (Alas to the Airport to drop someone off & not go anywhere myself)

Heated keyboard sounds an excellent idea Lynda! C'mon you IT boys

Pretty sunrises are bad - "Red sky in the morning, Shepards warning".

Heated keyboard is easy. Pour some coffee in it. Heavens knows enough of you "users" do that as part of your daily ritual anyway.