Ashhurst ride 12/10/06 and 13/10/06

**cowboyz** · 14th October 2006, 18:23

Fantastic day on ride 1.
Got up early this morning and went to do the work thing. Meanie, Mouse and Bonez showed up on the golf course just as I was finishing up and a bit of a chat and a coffee and we were off. Only stopping for gas... which happened to be 2km up the road cause I had forgotten to fill my bike up. So all sorted and off we went. Out Oakarere (can never spell that) way over the track. The wind was blowing 40 bastards. Got knocked round heaps. Bonez started having a little honda trouble so he bailed early so the rest of us carried down to the main road, out through masterton. The ride got a little more comfortable and started enjoying the day. Out to lake ferry to pickup our cards and had a chat to a couple of old guys on a honda and a ninja. They were in for the 4 points too. We were a half hour early so had a bit of time to chat. Got our cards and all three of us drew some good ones so that is a good thing. Back up to featherston and Meanie was lacking on gas. Unfortunately the gas station at featherston is under repair so we trotted over the takas. Fantanstic ride up the hill. Got into the zone and put some good pace on. No cars going my way so had a real big smile going on. Hit the top and the weather on wellington side was not so favourable. Couldn't see 2 inches in front of me. Blowing like crazy and then just for good measure it rained. Very cauiously nursed the bike down to lower hutt. Waited for a while for the others to show and I figured the big 1500 had run out of juice. Sure enough Mouse shows up to tell me Meanie is sitting on the side of the road. Small backtrack to sort that out and then off to titahi bay for some lunch. Awesome lunch with roast chicken and potatoes and chocolate pudding (you should have carried on bonez). Good chat and stomachs full we decided we better get back on the bikes before we got stuck there for the night. Meanie gave us a lesson in lane splitting getting out of wellington and we made good time back to shannon. Stopped for a quick one and off home.

1 card
1 lunch
couple beers
5 1/2 hours on the bike
440km

Starts again tomorrow.

**cowboyz** · 14th October 2006, 18:26

a couple of pics I took with the phone cause i forgot my camera.

first is the bike lined up at lake ferry hotel.

second is mouse trying to get out of the picture frame

**dhunt** · 14th October 2006, 19:01

Originally Posted by cowboyz

a couple of pics I took with the phone cause i forgot my camera.

first is the bike lined up at lake ferry hotel.

second is mouse trying to get out of the picture frame

Sounds like you guys had lots of fun. Are you still coming up this way tomorrow? It's looks like it's going to be raining

. Also I think you have the wrongs dates for your rides??? But I could be keen to meet up still.

**cowboyz** · 14th October 2006, 19:06

oops. never noticesd the dates are wrong. should be 14 and 15th shouldnt it. my bad. Yes we are coming your way tomorrow. Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain,

You could come down to Hawera and ride round surf highway with us?

My number is 027 325 0 353 if you want to fire me a txt to see where we are at tomorrow. we are leaving here at 8am.

**dhunt** · 14th October 2006, 19:18

Originally Posted by cowboyz

oops. never noticesd the dates are wrong. should be 14 and 15th shouldnt it. my bad. Yes we are coming your way tomorrow. Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain, Its not going to rain,

You could come down to Hawera and ride round surf highway with us?

My number is 027 325 0 353 if you want to fire me a txt to see where we are at tomorrow. we are leaving here at 8am.

I was thinking of going down 45 or some other back roads and meeting up at Opunake or if I'm too earlier going further down towards Hawera till I meet up with ya. I'm not to keen on SH1 (to straight and too many cops to have fun)

**cowboyz** · 14th October 2006, 19:25

sounds like a plan. forcast is scatter showers developing into rain tomorrow. Hopefully they are scattered where we aren't and we are out of there before the rain hits.

**Meanie** · 14th October 2006, 21:20

Good ride A shame about the weather, bloody wind
Sorry to see bonez turn back, i rang him he got home ok seems that the honda wasnt charging. I guess we are going rain or not tomorrow, its not cause we are hard just have limited time to finish the tour and fit work in between

Nice of your sister to put on a spread like she did cowboyz Roast chicken, roast potatoes and to finish off hot chocolate pudding and ice cream

So anyway another day tomorrow and i need to get some shuteye
Mouse managed to hide your bike cowboyz but i snapped a couple off when he wasnt looking

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**u4ea** · 15th October 2006, 12:37

i think i saw you 3 riding into shannon as i was heading to levin yesterday about 6.oopm..........looked awesome ...perfect stagger formation coming over the rise......

**limbimtimwim** · 15th October 2006, 13:17

I think I saw you leaving lake ferry. I was coming the other way about 10km north. I was 2 up on a blue and white gixxer. I waved

. So few bikes out yesterday, a real shame.

**cowboyz** · 15th October 2006, 18:35

Originally Posted by u4ea

i think i saw you 3 riding into shannon as i was heading to levin yesterday about 6.oopm..........looked awesome ...perfect stagger formation coming over the rise......

that would have been us. I cant remember now but I was probably in lead. That is the black GSX that I tried to sell you a while back. Run like a dream. So pleased I held on to it.

**dhunt** · 15th October 2006, 18:39

Well it was awesome to catch up with you guys. Hopefully you had a good tax free trip home. I really had fun, despite the weather not being the best and having to wait 1 hour for you guys to turn up in Hawera while you got lost on the way to Bulls

aye Cowboyz.

**cowboyz** · 15th October 2006, 18:43

Originally Posted by limbimtimwim

I think I saw you leaving lake ferry. I was coming the other way about 10km north. I was 2 up on a blue and white gixxer. I waved

. So few bikes out yesterday, a real shame.

Alway sgive the fellow bikers a wave. It was so windy out there yesterday huh?....

i was very surprised at the lack of bikes on the road yesterday. I heard there are only 88 bikes on the 4 points tour. I thought it would be closer to 4 or 500.

**cowboyz** · 15th October 2006, 19:14

ride 2

like most good things they just keep getting better and better.

The weather was nicer today. Well on the way up anyway.

We gathered around Meanies place at about 8am this morning and after a bit of a chat a a refuel I suggested a shortcut to Wanganui. Who would know it takes 90 mins to get from Ashhurst to Bulls (about 40km) via the shortcut. Bugger. It was a good ride. Only had one moment when we were coming into Marton and hitting the 50k area I was still doing 80 and a cop came roudn the corner. I jumped on the front real hard and was waiting for the cop to make up a new ticket for "excessive compression of front forks" or something like that. Being on 90 points is not fun. Thankfully the cop ignored me and carried on. Dhunt started txting me telling me that he is leaving and will meet us in opunake. Bugger. still miles away and way behind schedule. Off we go and the trip up to Hawera was great. Managed to get a decent pace most of the way and no real hiccups. Dhunt had made it to opunake and decided to meet us in hawera instead being as we were lagging behind time so much. We finally made it to Hawera alright. Sorry about the hour wait Dhunt but it was worth it. Checked out the local coffee situation and then Dhunt and I went on a run out the front. Got good pace with the cars showing up just at the right time to dodge round them without them slowing us down. Fantastic and it was great to catch up with David again. Stopped at the Stoney river hotel in okato for our second card. Didn't do quite so well as yesterday but its all good. I forgot to tell the boys that the okato hotel is not actually in okato so had to do a bit of a run (I not good at running) out to the road as they went past to flag them down. Bonez gave us a braking display. I would have thought it would have near caused an avalache with the squealing of tires and he brought the mighty honda to a halt.
Quick drink and we were off for the rest of highway 45. I started my sharemilking career in Okato many years ago so I had a bit of a reminisce on the driveby. Forgot that I was surposed to be riding the bike round corners at the same time and did a bit of a dodgy overcook on a 45 but quick check of the pants and they were still empty so that turned out well.

Into New Plymouth for a little look and then out to egmont villiage for lunch. Many thanks to Phil for putting on the BBQ. Needed that.

More telling lies and talking shit and we were off again. Left Dhunt to go home and we headed south. Filled our bikes at egmont village service station and Meanie had a bit of strife but i leave him to tell the story.

Heading through Patea and the friendly police officiers were out in force. As if that wasn't enough to keep the speeds to a minimum it started raining. Just when I thought it was raining enough it started raining harder. Then harder. Then it fucking pissed down. Worked our way through the weather for it to clear about 5km from home. Still a fantanstic day.

2 cards
2 lunch
couple beers
12 hours on bike
1037km

starts again next weekend.

the pics

1. top of vinegar hill (because vinegar IS on the way to wanganui despite what thousands think.

2&3 and in Okato.

**limbimtimwim** · 15th October 2006, 20:03

Originally Posted by cowboyz

Alway sgive the fellow bikers a wave. It was so windy out there yesterday huh?....

I'm Wellington born and bred, that was a gentle breeze..

Actually, when we arrived at lake ferry, it essentially still while we had some lunch and laughed at the clouds engulfing the Rimutaka ranges and Wellington on the other side. Though when we left the wind had turned around and it was a bit of a breeze again. So logic would follow that when we go to Martinbourgh it was totally calm.

Wacky wacky country we live in. I see you guys have been enjoying youselves, well done. I'd have been out today again if it were not for me being on call.