Lynda's latest travels

[LB]

Thought I’d do a wee write up of my travels 21st April-25th April.

General plan:
Wednesday afternoon: Wellington to Hawera
Thursday: Hawera to Morrinsville
Friday: M’ville to Pukekohe for the track day
Saturday: Post Classic meeting at Pukekohe
Sunday/Monday: back home via the good weather

Hamish couldn’t get the time off work so I was on my own. I’m perfectly happy riding by myself, though most of the people at work couldn’t cope with me riding a motorcycle “all that way on your own!!” I guess they’re just looking out for me…..

Left work 2.30pm on Wednesday 21st. Headed up SH1/SH3 to Hawera. Boring ride up SH1, but there you go. Fine weather, and quite warm. After Wanganui dusk started falling, and the sun was very low from about Waverley onwards - a bit hard to see when heading directly West, but made for a spectacular vista with the sun at the horizon, and Mt Egmont silhouetted against the orange sky. Talk about milk tankers Trevor - at one stage at least 10 went the opposite way in convoy. Saw about half a dozen bikes over this leg, they all waved back at me.

Left Hawera around 9am on Thursday, very careful ride to Inglewood (have heard rumours about the ’Naki cops and didn’t want to put it to the test) where I gassed up. Tried calling Firefight. We’d semi-arranged that he’d come down the line to meet me somewhere. Couldn’t get hold of him so left a message. From there I relaxed a bit, heading north on SH3. The Monster was going great, the weather was superb, blue sky and sun. My radar detector started beeping a bit north of Inglewood, so I slowed down. It got stronger as I came round a left-hander onto a longish straight. Stronger, stronger, stronger. I couldn’t see anything until - lo and behold, tucked in behind some trees on the left hand side of the road was a HP car. I would have been done like a dog’s dinner without the detector. He would have made a lot of revenue from north-bound traffic that day.

I got caught up with a heap of trucks on Mt Messenger, but it’s only short so I wasn’t too worried. Just got through the tunnel and started down the other side and the truck/trailer I was behind indicated for me to pass so away I went. Had a magic ride from there. Quite a bit of traffic, but I always came upon it in the right places so never got held up. The Awakino Gorge was fantastic - the last couple of times going through there it had been wet, but this time it was dry - yeehaa!!

Didn't see many bikes on the road, but waved at those I did see and they all waved back.

Gassed up at Te Kuiti and decided to head to Hamilton M/Cycles. Had a good look round the shop, they had one of those Ghezzi and Brian Guzzi’s in the shop - first one I’d seen. Very nice! Bought myself a couple of Ducati pens they had for sale - just what a girl needs.

Rode the short distance to Morrinsville, where I stayed with my Dad the night and did some family stuff.

Friday morning dawned fine, so left Morrinsville at 7.30am and headed up SH27 towards Pukekohe. Gassed up at BP Bombay, saw a 999 at a café there but once I’d gassed up I couldn’t get back into the café/shop parking area - there were “no entry” signs everywhere. So I figured if he was going out to the track I’d see him there. Went into Pukekohe and left my throwovers at the motel. Picked up some lunch, and had a quick caffeine/breakfast stop. Got lost several times in the main shopping centre, and set off at least two car alarms.

Part 2 to follow tomorrow morning - I have to get ready for work now.

[RiderInBlack]

Good to see you at the track LB. Thanks for making the effort to introduce yourself The Monster looked great , too bad you didn't take it on the track. I'd like to have seen it going through it's paces (I wouldn't have minded getting lapped by another biker chick that day ).

[James Deuce]

Nice one Lynda. I love setting off car alarms too, and sometimes ride through Parking buildings for the hell of it. With any luck, someone who tried to knock me off will come back to a flat battery.

[FROSTY:Me]

lynda --well I did offer to take the duck out on the track --strictly out of concideration for you you understand. I could have put lil grind marks on the hero bumps for ya.

[k14]

Thought i passed you in plimmerton on wednesday afternoon, around 3 i think.

And your right about the cops, i saw 6 cops and a speed camera between new plymouth and wanganui the other day. But only saw one from wanganui to christchurch. Brillant aye, radar definately saved me once.

Glad you had a good ride.

[Ms Piggy]

Great write up Lynda! Catch up with ya soon

[Hitcher]

Ahhh, Taranaki...

That Mt Messenger/Awakino Gorge road is indelibly etched in my consciousness. As a young Taranaki-ite growing up it was the only road out of Dodge if you were going northwards. Also as a 16-17 year-old with rampant acne, I had to visit a skin specialist in Hamilton at monthly intervals so got to know the road quite well. Mum used to insist on driving the Mt Messenger bit both ways but I got to do the rest. The folks had Falcons in those days (an XW then an XA -- with "three on the tree") but the best bit was when my Grandpa used to let me drive him and his Triumph Dolomite Sprint up and back -- now that was a seriously quick motorcar!

[What?]

Sounds like you had a good ride, Lynda. Sorry I missed you at Puke.

I came up SH2 - 2 cameras and 2 cops all in about 12Km around Maramarua. Riding with a dude on a Bonneville (Meriden, not Hinckley), so speeding tickets were unlikely. Must hook up my detector again, though...

[claire]

Sounds like you had a good ride Lynda. Being from Hawera I know the roads you were on well and love finding the time too ride them. Your absolutely right about the Awakino Gorge in the dry - fantastic.

Looking forward to part two

Claire

[toads]

Totally impressed, what a buzz, you don't mention having a hell of a sore rump after such a lot of riding, I'm sure I'd definately be feeling it after a long haul like that, thanks for sharing and I too am looking forward to hearing part 2!!

[dangerous]

my Grandpa used to let me drive him and his Triumph Dolomite Sprint up and back -- now that was a seriously quick motorcar!

yep 120hp out of a 2L wasent bad in them days I had a 150hp 2500S with TR6 running gear in it to the Holden 5L's
Opps.... Lynda

[k14]

Ahhh, Taranaki...

That Mt Messenger/Awakino Gorge road is indelibly etched in my consciousness. As a young Taranaki-ite growing up it was the only road out of Dodge if you were going northwards. Also as a 16-17 year-old with rampant acne, I had to visit a skin specialist in Hamilton at monthly intervals so got to know the road quite well. Mum used to insist on driving the Mt Messenger bit both ways but I got to do the rest. The folks had Falcons in those days (an XW then an XA -- with "three on the tree") but the best bit was when my Grandpa used to let me drive him and his Triumph Dolomite Sprint up and back -- now that was a seriously quick motorcar!

Totally agree with you there. All of the corners apart from 2 i think are really good on Mt Messenger. There are 2 that have heaps of rutted bits on them, like riding over corrugated iron. Rode up and down through there a few weeks back. Awakino was wet coming back down but was still pretty good. Surface isn't as smooth as it could be, but still is pretty good.

[SPman]

All of the corners apart from 2 i think are really good on Mt Messenger.

Unless a stock truck has just been up there!