First Real Ride in 10 months, 1 week and 3 days...

[placidfemme]

Well as mentioned in the title... I went for my first real blat on Saturday after 10 months, 1 weeks and 3 days.

Maverick and I meet up on Saturday on the Shore, and headed north the back way up to Albany... up State Highway 17, over Albany Hill and left past Riverhead and out that way (Dunno what the roads are called) towards State Highway 16, up Woodcocks Road and then returned to Auckland via State Highway 1.

It was a really good ride, maverick brought his weather genie with him, nothing but Sun and more sun the whole ride...

I rode like an absolute nana most of the way up north, never really pushing it past 120kph on the back roads... and once we hit Woodcocks Rd I slowed down even more (because this is where Sam and I both wrote off our bikes).

I was really happy to see that they have now put Road signs up on the corner where Sam binned... now sign posted at 65kph with arrows pointing around the bend

Further up in the twisty section where I binned I was averaging nana speeds of about 50kph, Maverick had to slow down and wait for me a few times.

Once we hit the top of Woodcocks Rd we discussed heading further north or heading home... so in the end, we decided to head home.

The ride back to Auckland was semi-decent considering it was SH1. Had a bunch of cars... and a tractor flashing thier lights at us warning us of piggy patrol up ahead... A cop car, and a red van (no doubt a camera trap)... No worries... nana me hardly broke the law at all lol... not until we hit the motorway anyway... was the fastest part of the trip jumping between 120-140kph until the traffic started to back up shortly after Albany...

Saw a few bikers heading South near Kaukapakapa (sp), don't think they were KB'ers. And two groups past us while we were parked at the dairy having a "V" stop Even got a few waves from the cruisers... alas but none from the group of Ducati riders... maybe they were concentrating too hard on posing... dunno

It was great meeting Maverick, very polite and fun. Was great riding with someone who was more into the "just riding for fun" attitude over the "look how fast I can go" attitude.

Feeling a lot more confident on my bike now that I've ridden the "bad road" lol where Sam and I crashed... afterall you know what they say... if you fall off your horse get back on... and thats pretty much what I did... 10 months later lol

Anyway... Thanks again to Mav

[Maverick]

Your welcome, was a really nice ride and great to meet you

[skelstar]

Wow 10 months. Good on ya for getting back into it pf.

[placidfemme]

Wow 10 months. Good on ya for getting back into it pf.

Cheers I've been riding again for about a month (ish) but havn't gone on any "rides", so this was a great one to break me back in... exspecially on the road I binned on...

[McJim]

Yep - Maverick is a good bloke - he patiently looks after my wife as she learns to ride while I sit at home and look after the kids.

Infinite patience that boy has.

Don't worry about riding like a Nana - he normally has to wait for me so he's used to it

[lukelin250]

good on ya for gettin back into it

[Al]

Well done!
The more longer rides on the bike, the more confidence!

Al

[Jimmy B]

Hi PF

Great write up and glad to hear that you are back out having fun. We shot up to Mangawhai Heads via SH16 on Saturday, I was on a black X11 and my Mate was on a blue Blackbird, we waved at some people parked up at the dairy, not sure if it was you. I saw the Dukes, not sure if they nodded either, no worries either way.

Thanks to Maverick for pulling out the great weather, it was a primo day. The road certainly has been well sign posted, I really appreciated that as I haven’t ridden up that way before, and needless to say I will be getting up that way a bit more often. The Mangawhai road has recently been repaired and 2 corners had a small amount of pea gravel which will not last too much longer.

I too have had a break and this was my second decent hit out for 5 years. On the trip back I started feeling really “normal”, was a great feeling to head into the twisties at a reasonable clip and feel as though I had plenty in reserve, more focusing on good lines and staying smooth at the moment, the average pace will take care of itself later. In fact I am still buzzing a bit 2 days later!! I am sure that you will be back into it in no time.

Another good ride that you may enjoy is out to Port Waikato for a hamburger via Pukekohe, turnoff over the bridge to Onewhero and turn right and back through the Hunua’s

Happy days

JB

[placidfemme]

Hi PF

Great write up and glad to hear that you are back out having fun. We shot up to Mangawhai Heads via SH16 on Saturday, I was on a black X11 and my Mate was on a blue Blackbird, we waved at some people parked up at the dairy, not sure if it was you. I saw the Dukes, not sure if they nodded either, no worries either way.

Thanks to Maverick for pulling out the great weather, it was a primo day. The road certainly has been well sign posted, I really appreciated that as I haven’t ridden up that way before, and needless to say I will be getting up that way a bit more often. The Mangawhai road has recently been repaired and 2 corners had a small amount of pea gravel which will not last too much longer.

I too have had a break and this was my second decent hit out for 5 years. On the trip back I started feeling really “normal”, was a great feeling to head into the twisties at a reasonable clip and feel as though I had plenty in reserve, more focusing on good lines and staying smooth at the moment, the average pace will take care of itself later. In fact I am still buzzing a bit 2 days later!! I am sure that you will be back into it in no time.

Another good ride that you may enjoy is out to Port Waikato for a hamburger via Pukekohe, turnoff over the bridge to Onewhero and turn right and back through the Hunua’s

Happy days

JB

You didn't happen to have a yellow helmet or yellow gear? I saw two bikes heading north, while we were stopped at the dairy... I also saw a biker (maybe you) wave at us as you went past, but you were too far gone for us to wave back

The second group of bikes that went past while we were at the dairy looked a 250 group, mostly CBR's... the guy at the back of the group had long blonde dreads...

Glad to hear you had fun on your ride

[Maverick]

Hey JB,

I definitly saw you as you went past, yep that was us, was going to wave back but you had passed before I had the chance. Glad you liked the weather

Mav

[Jimmy B]

Hi PF,

No silver helmet and black grey leathers, the yellow would be the stripe running up my back and round to my belly cause Im still a bit chicken

[Jimmy B]

Nice one Mav and glad you had a good blast as well